In-the-Issue

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines, in cooperation with Department of Tourism & National Commission for Culture and Arts has launched ‘Fiesta Filipinas: An Online Celebration of Philippine Festivals’. This is a six-part, multi-format online event series from December 2020 until May 2021. Manas Dwivedi The virtual festival has been …

Russian Expo Days (RED), held from December 7-11, saw many Indians in attendance, where they gained information about various destinations and projects of Russia, and interacted with tourism service providers from there. The focus was on e-visa to Russia for Indians and an up-and-coming segment – industrial tourism. Nisha Verma …

Le Birch Hotels & Resorts, a start-up hotel management company, promises to customise its offerings for each of its  travel agent partners. Its first property is a 38-key boutique hotel in Mumbai close to the airport, and while current  occupancies may not be the most encouraging, demand is certainly increasing …

Gloria Guevara, President and CEO, WTTC, feels that the most frustrating challenge the industry and travellers alike have faced is the lack of a co-ordinated cross-border approach.She advocates a single standard. Hazel Jain Why do you think we are facing a lack of co-ordination during this pandemic? This outbreak is …

Pradeep Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, claims that the definition of tourism has changed over the past years from simply being ‘entertainment’ to an economic activity and engine of growth. Nisha Verma At a recent webinar with FAITH, Pradeep Kharola said that tourism is second nature to humans. “Tourism …

Pilgrim trails of India have held huge potential since days of yore among domestic travellers. Himanshu Talwar, Assistant Secretary General, FHRAI, believes that millennials can be inspired to revisit their cultural routes as part of spiritual tourism. India, with its diverse culture and numerous religions, is a goldmine when it …

India is now arguably leading the world in adopting a Responsible Tourism approach. Sharing insights on the subject, policymakers talk about their experience and what India has to offer. Vinod Zutshi, Former Secretary, MOT Though India has a long way to go, I can say that the lessons learnt from …

Compared to other regions, Asia Pacific (APAC) has among the highest ratio of airlines with a Safe Travel Score of 4.0 or higher, indicating their commitment to a safe end-to-end passage. Safe Travel Barometer, a comprehensive B2B monitoring and benchmarking solution of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and traveller experience …

Fortune Hotels has signed operating agreements for hotels in  Candolim, Deoghar, Haldwani & Tirupur. Nisha Verma The new signings allow Fortune to strengthen its presence in all regions, by adding more depth to its business and leisure portfolio. Samir MC, Managing Director, Fortune Park Hotels, says, “With these additions, we …

For many months now, people have been suppressing their urge to go out and explore. But, now they can start giving in to their desires and set about on an adventurous journey that involves visiting less-crowded places and completely adhering to the norms of social distancing, says Tejbir Singh Anand, …