In-the-Issue

Vaccination passport security is the major new issue facing the travel industry, according to Adam Schrader, Director of Operations at travel risk intelligence company Riskline. Counterfeit vaccination passports and certificates will seriously undermine their role in reopening travel and events sectors unless the issue is addressed quickly. ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Set …

Anil Oraw, Regional Director, Indiatourism North, believes that in the last 1.5 years, the travel patterns across the world have changed, with almost no travellers from overseas. Hence, on Ministry of Tourism’s advice, Indiatourism North has taken a few initiatives to facilitate better traffic. Nisha Verma Anil Oraw shared that …

After a surge in infection rates that debilitated tourism in Goa, two state tourism association presidents are urging the authorities to carefully plan out and conduct an image rebuilding exercise for the state so that it can restart tourism on a fresh note. The plan must be comprehensive, entailing everything …

Price is the most important factor to 47% of consumers when selecting accommodation, according to a poll by GlobalData. With less budget for travel but a strong desire to escape, many will turn to budget providers. Gus Gardner, Associate Travel and Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “Budget hotel operators will …

The recently-concluded Korea Travel Expo saw buyers from across India having B2B meetings with over 15 suppliers from South Korea, including DMCs, RTOs and attractions. While many buyers appreciated the positive attitude of exhibitors from Korea, others are planning to travel to Korea as soon as borders open. Pradnya Naik, …

Urging all corporates to start thinking ahead and planning all their MICE trips, Madhavan Menon, Managing Director, Thomas Cook (India), predicts that we are likely to witness an acute shortage of capacity initially due to sentiments of ‘revenge’ travel. Speaking at the Thomas Cook India ‘Mission Tomorrow’ virtual event dedicated …

Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism (MOT), claims that MOT is pushing for the industry’s demands to be heard, while creating a roadmap for promoting both inbound and domestic tourism. She says that the Ministry is aware of how lockdowns and restrictions significantly impact smaller businesses. The second …

  KD Singh, Founder & President, TravelBullz, in a message to travel trade partners, has said that the success of ‘Phuket Sandbox’ is part of a bigger effort to reopen Thailand for international tourists. The Phuket Sandbox initiative allows vaccinated foreign tourists to enter Phuket from July 1. Manas Dwivedi …

Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO – South Asia, Middle East & North Africa and Americas, VFS Global, says that in essence, the future of visa processing now rests with how the enablers are able to best integrate the dire need for safety to a new, disrupted journey. Globalisation brought with …

Having conducted more than 100 virtual sessions with the trade across India so far, Indiatourism has not only been encouraging them to register with MOT but also advocating digital marketing as the means to promote Incredible India – with an MDA of Rs. 50,000. Indiatourism has been doing an ‘incredible’ …