The pandemic and its second wave have had a huge impact on the travel and hospitality industry. From social distancing in flights, localised lockdowns to contact tracing Apps, COVID-19 has indeed transformed the world of travel. Yatra.com enlists some of these trends. Over the years, the reasons for travel have …

Iskra, which literally means spark or sparkle, has been founded on the principle of creating a spark for every event planned. Co-founded by three industry experts well-known in India’s events and hospitality industry – Birju Gariba, Hema Hariramani and Sunaina Singh – Iskra promises to shine ever so brightly. Hazel …

Necessity is the mother of all inventions and it was this necessity that prompted many an outbound travel agent to branch out into domestic holidays. Fortunately, it was largely a smooth transition for many, with some help from Indiatourism, which is actively reaching out to this segment to promote India. …

PP Khanna, President, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), talks about working in coordination with the industry, the Ministry of Tourism, as well as other associations to boost domestic tourism. He also believes that the ministerial change for the Northeast would help promote tourism in the region. Nisha …

Thailand continues to be a dream destination for golfers from all around the world. In a recent survey, more than 97% respondents reveal that they rate Thaland as a top-quality destination for a golfing break. The Thai Golf  Passport has also been launched in India to offer Indian golfers a …

Travelport recently entered a strategic, long-term collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to use advanced cloud technology to accelerate the digital transformation of retailing in the travel industry. The move aims to make the travel booking process simpler and more modernised. Nisha Verma This collaboration will focus on optimising Travelport’s …

‘There are some traits of a travel industry professional that other industries can learn from. Here are three learnings,’ says Abhik Dutta, Director, The Wanderers, Outdoor Wilderness & Learning and Colour Purple Events. I left a PSU job in 1998 to follow my passion for travel by co-founding The Wanderers. …

Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – MEISEA, South African Tourism, discusses the NTO’s tweaked strategy with some new focus areas as well as its renewed attention to bring in e-visas. South African Tourism is also playing an active role in ensuring that the costs to visit the country remain realistic despite …

Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, is positive that the new ministers would accelerate decision making and that with cooperation between government and industry, a lot can be achieved. She also hopes that the Ministry’s focus shifts from Air India to the plight of the industry ever since the virus entered our …

Sunil Kumar R, who has been re-elected as the UFTAA president, discusses the team’s key focus areas which includes appealing to the governments of the world to give priority to ‘vaccine equity’. It also urges them to encourage the industry by introducing a ‘travel friendly policy’ for vaccinated travel. Hazel …