Set to make its debut in Asia next year with Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line is confident of growing the family luxury cruise market, and bringing in first-time cruisers on board from India. Talking to TravelBiz Monitor during her recent visit to Mumbai, Sarah Fox, VP & Regional GM, Asia, Disney Cruise Line, said, “India is incredibly important and we are super excited. Having Disney Adventure in Singapore, the gateway to Asia, and the proximity to enjoy Disney products is closer to home than ever before. The outbound numbers from India are growing exponentially, and Singapore has been a strong…
Author: Disha Ghosh
The merger between Vistara and Air India is expected to receive final approval from the Indian Cabinet as early as this Saturday. The Cabinet’s decision will pave the way for Singapore Airlines (SIA) to make a significant investment in the merged entity. SIA, which currently holds a 49% stake in Vistara, will invest INR 2,059 crore to acquire a 25.1% stake in the merged airline. Tata Sons will retain the remaining 74.9% stake in Air India. All necessary approvals from regulatory bodies, including the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), have already been…
With over 1.2 million visitors recorded in the first seven months, for the anticipated peak season Oct-Nov-Dec windfall, Sri Lanka Tourism is confident of achieving its target of 2.3 million tourists for 2024. Chalaka Gajabahu, Chairman, SLTPB (Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau), spoke to Shayan Mallick in an exclusive chat. After a tumultuous few years that started with Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, followed by Covid-19 pandemic and lastly, the economic crisis of 2022, Sri Lanka is finally set to dominate the travel charts once again. The island nation looks comfortable to achieve its target of 2.3 million international tourist…
The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Nagpur Chapter recently organised a roadshow in collaboration with Azerbaijan Airlines and its GSA, Zeal Global. Yashasvi Sharma from Zeal Global shared insightful details about the airline’s operations, providing members with valuable information. The event, attended by members of the Nagpur chapter, was a resounding success. To add an element of excitement, the office-bearers of Taai Nagpur Chapter -Irshad Mehdi (Chairman), Ravi Agrawal (Secretary), and Kawaljeet Vij (Treasurer) – had proposed a lucky draw to Zeal Global. The winners received a return ticket from Mumbai (BOM) to Baku (BAKU). The roadshow offered a…
Akasa Air has commenced operations to Kuwait City, capital of Kuwait, connecting it with Mumbai with daily direct flights. The inaugural flight on August 23, departed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai at 1950hrs IST and arrived at Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City at 2200hrs AST. In an event held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to flag off the maiden flight, a ceremonial lamp was lit in the presence of members of Akasa Air’s Executive Committee and a special boarding pass was presented to the first passenger on the inaugural flight.
India and the US have a lot of unexploited potential in the tourism and hospitality space and more direct flights between the two countries and swifter visa application process is the need of the hour to boost the segment said sector experts and officials at the 1st Indo-US Tourism & Hospitality Summit, organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) today at New Delhi. Industry participants and officials noted that although India and the US have robust bilateral relations, and a large of people from both the countries visit the other country, there is enough scope, primarily in terms of…
Brazil is actively working to harness its growing tourism market, with a goal of welcoming up to 10 million annual visitors by 2027. This initiative comes in response to a notable increase in foreign tourist spending, which reached record levels in the first half of the year. Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, remains a popular destination, especially for business travellers. However, many visitors also take time to explore the city’s cultural offerings, such as the historic Municipal Market, where international tourists are noted to spend significantly on local fruits and other goods. Celso Sabino, Brazil’s Minister of Tourism, emphasised the…
Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu has launched the Guidelines for Seaplane Operations in India. During his address at the event at the Indian Aviation Academy in Delhi yesterday, Union Minister said that these guidelines not only integrate seaplane operations into India’s aviation landscape for transportation, but also create jobs and foster economic empowerment, making seaplanes a symbol of the country’s growth, innovation, and commitment to inclusive development. He also launched the 5.4 version of the UDAN. Under UDAN 5.4, fresh bids would be invited for the routes which were cancelled for some reason or the other, to…
A barrier erected in Japan to block a popular view of Mount Fuji has been taken down for now after succeeding in discouraging unruly tourists, a town official said. Fujikawaguchiko put up the large screen in May after residents complained about streams of mostly foreign visitors causing problems while trying to snap photos of Japan’s famous volcano. The town lowered the screen on August 15 ahead of a typhoon and has decided not to put it back up. “We wanted to see what would happen,” the town official told AFP. “There are still some people who come to the place.…
Tara Travel New Zealand, a DMC, has set its eyes firmly on the Indian market. Talking to TravelBiz Monitor during his recent visit to India, Sachin Sarin, Director, Tara Travel New Zealand, said, “The DMC business is an extension of Sarin Hotels, and we realised the B2B market is a huge space in the Indian market. There are HNI clients in India that are shifting towards more unique experiences, and that’s the market we are catering to.” A noticeable trend among Indian VFR travellers visiting New Zealand is their interest in exploring different parts of the country. “Post their stay…
