The inbound tour operators are rejoicing after the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the re-opening of e-Tourist visa for foreigners and are ready to welcome them with all protocols in place. We speak to six experts who share their views on the industry needs to get ready for this influx …

In preparation for tourism restart, Maharashtra’s Department of Tourism recently launched a mobile app for tourists and a revamped website.The cabinet recently approved a budget of `250 crore for tourism development in the state. NishaVerma Maharashtra Tourism recently launched its revamped website and a new mobile app dedicated to tourists. …

Expecting a change in Indian traveller behavior, South African Tourism is promoting newer regions, going beyond Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. A large focus area for the national tourism board will also be to mobilize niche communities in India. This year, South African Tourism will be specifically targeting niche communities …

Ravi Gosain, Vice President, IATO, has revealed that MOT met with inbound tourism associations to create an action plan for overseas promotions after the visa opening announcement by MHA. NishaVerma While AzadikaAmritMahotsav will be the common theme for all promotions, MOT is planning to declare year 2022-23 as Visit India …

EQT Private Equity is set to sell a majority stake in VFS Global to Blackstone and retain a minority position. According to sources, the acquisition is estimated at over $2 billion valuation. VFS Global is the industry pioneer and the world’s largest provider of visa outsourcing services. It is 90% …

Tourism in India is going to be different post-pandemic. People are scared to travel and their demands are different from before, say inbound operators and experts. On a positive note, they seek vaccination overdrive for the travelling public & chart out new itineraries and destination. Janice Alyosius Tourists coming to …

While technology has had a transforming impact on tourism, its uptake vary across different operators. While the large and financially strong enterprises are rapidly adopting and leveraging the benefits of technology, the traditional micro and small businesses are yet to adapt to the change. Nikitesh Joshi, Delivery Director, ATCS India, …

Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), has announced that its 36th IATO Annual Convention will be held in Gandhinagar in Gujarat from December 16-19, 2021. There will also be post-convention tours for attendees, keeping all safety protocols in mind. NishaVerma The venue of the convention is The LeelaGandhinagar, shared Rajiv …

South African Tourism’s first virtual roadshow titled ‘VirtuallyYoursSouthAfrica’ is slated to be held between October 20-22, 2021 and is expected to see participation from over 100 South African suppliers. Hazel Jain The three-day roadshow will include an exclusive CEO address to the top travel trade and corporate CEOs in India. …

Thomas Cook (India) has expanded its footprint in Gujarat with the launch of a new Gold Circle Partner franchise outlet in Surat. This expansion augments Thomas Cook India’s distribution and reach in Gujarat to 10 consumer access centres: 5 owned branches and 5 Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlets across Gujarat state. In …