Creativity and ingenuity can often shine through when we least expect it. Despite the turmoil that our industry has been witnessing, we are seeing many start-ups being conceived and often take centre-stage. Can we learn a few tricks of the trade from them? This is part two of the …

FITUR 2021, that will run from from May 19 to 23, shows promise and hope of the return of travel and business of travel to the region. This year it also has a new addition – LiveConnect – an AI-powered technolgy that  will form the framework of professional and commercial …

Tapan Kumar Mishra, National Tourism Awardee for Best Tourist Guide (Odisha), discusses the plight of tourist guides across India who have no work since March 2020. He questions if the Ministry of Tourism is willing to lose the pool of expert tourist guides as collateral damage due to the pandemic? …

WTTC and faculty and scientists of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health have released two case studies on sustainability leadership by The Travel Corporation (TTC) and Intrepid Travel. This collaboration has encouraged the sharing of best practices and has supported sustainability as a core strategic priority to ensure …

Two trade bodies – one a state-wide travel association and the other a regional hospitality association – have voiced their support for App-based taxi operators in Goa which they think will benefit the end-travellers by way of cheaper rates and better service to begin with. Hazel Jain Showing support for …

  ‘The second wave has been a wake-up call for India, pushing the government to increase its spending on strengthening the medical infrastructure in the country,’ says Mandeep Lamba, President (South Asia), HVS ANAROCK. In the last decade, India has emerged as one of the leading medical tourism destinations globally. …

With the number of COVID cases and deaths rising every day, Goa could be looking at another lockdown. But Serafino Cota, President, Small & Medium Hotels Associations, says that the state government along with the travel trade brought this problem upon themselves. Hazel Jain The state had become a holiday …

  Government of Maharashtra has now announced the criteria for levying taxes and charges at the industrial rate for non-classified hotels in the state that are eligible for ‘Industry’ status. The application process is now open on the official website of Maharashtra Tourism. In a landmark decision to bolster the …

The industry needs to tighten its seatbelt and remain mentally healthy and strong for the next few months, says the trade. Mahendra Vakharia, EC Member & Immediate Past President, OTOAI and MD, Pathfinders Holidays I strongly believe that for the next few months, we will have to tighten our seatbelt …

The latest research from ForwardKeys reveals that vaccinations appear to hold the key to reviving international travel. Three origin markets, Israel, the US and the UK, where vaccination campaigns are particularly well advanced, have seen outbound flight bookings climb more steeply than elsewhere. Greece, whose economy is highly dependent on …