Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Katerina Giannouka as president, Asia Pacific. […]
Author: CS Bureau
Deputy CM proposes advisory board for Delhi Tourism
In an event held some time ago in the capital, Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia spoke […]
Air Asia scales up operations, to link Ranchi with three cities
Air Asia, after having recently initiated operations from Bhubaneshwar – making it the first airline […]
Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa in Mexico launches a three-day wellness retreat
Surrounded by natural beauty and lush vegetation, Kinan Spa at Belmond Maroma Resort and Spa […]
OYO raises $250 million in financing, Hero Enterprise latest investor
The home-grown hotel aggregator is plush with funds, as in yet around round of funding, […]
Thailand introduces family app for enhancing experience
Another innovation from The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in their working with True Corporation […]
Sri Lanka Tourism digital campaign to kick off in January
After many announcements of a digital promotional campaign this year, Sri Lanka Tourism finally confirmed […]
Bali is most searched honeymoon destinations: Ezeego1.com
According to online travel portal Ezeego1.com, Bali tops the list of the most desired honeymoon […]
Alphons takes charge of the tourism ministry; Sharma Culture
In what is being seen as probably the last major cabinet reshuffle before the 2019 […]
Relaxed norms to garner more traction in UDAN’s second round of bidding
After a successful round of bidding in the first leg, the government has announced further […]
Sri Lankan Airlines consolidates its south India footprints, flies non-stop to Hyderabad, Vizag and Coimbatore
SriLankan Airlines has further consolidated its stronghold in the south Indian market with its recent […]
PM to inaugurate major projects in Varanasi, move to boost tourism in the city
Due to the aligned agendas of the state and the central government, Varanasi should witness […]
Taj Hotels gets it MD and CEO, Puneet Chhatwal of Steigenberger Hotels to take over
The waiting game is over, finally. After months of speculation, Taj Group has finally announced […]
Qatar and Vistara announce interline partnership pact
The announcement has come at a time when the aviation sector of the country is […]
Lufthansa helps Indian start-ups take off to new heights
Lufthansa, in partnership with The Indus Entrepreneurs, is hosted the second edition of the The […]
ATOAI meets Tourism Minister, extends formal invite for forthcoming convention
The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) has been actively promoting their forthcoming convention […]
Industry must take lead in promoting destinations and heritage to boost tourism: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently interacted with Young CEOs at the “Champions of Change – […]
Environmental ministry clears expo centre in Dwarka, to be South Asia’s biggest
The capital is finally set to begin work on the International Exhibition-Cum-Convention centre in Dwarka, […]
Indigo’s woes continue, 84 flights cancelled, 8 more planes grounded
The airline which has been facing several issues with its latest order of 430 Airbuses […]
FTAs push past 55 lakhs; E-visa driving inbound numbers, says MoT
E-visa facilitation service was rolled-out in phase-wise manner to add to convenience of passengers and […]
Radisson Blu Faridabad aims at lending weight to city’s MICE tourism segment
Radisson Blu Faridabad, a newly opened five-star deluxe property in the city of Faridabad, is […]
Middle India travellers driving the honeymoon segment, says Rajeev Kale
Buoyed by a rising number of middle-class Indian travellers, seeking a unique experience, Thomas Cook […]
Uttar Pradesh to link key pilgrim centres with four-lane highways: CM Yogi Adityanath
In his maiden speech on the Independence Day, as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, […]
CAPA Report calls privatization of Air India ‘a far-reaching aviation reform in the making’
Backing the government’s intent of examining the feasibility of privatizing Air India, with mounting debt […]
Samhi Hotels to acquire British chain Premier Inn’s business in India
As per a report published in The Times Of India, in one of the biggest […]
A rare and royal treat awaits tourists at the Jehan Numa Palace in Bhopal
The Jehan Numa Hotels is a rare and royal feel that one will discover with us. […]
Acquisition and retention of skill to remain a key focus area: Sunil Ghadiok
Sunil Ghadiok, CEO, Nidra Hospitality, spoke exclusively to TourismFirst and shared the GST implementation experience, […]
ITB China 2018 opens for online registrations
Special discount for exhibitors who register until 31 August – second ITB China will take […]
Frankfurt showcases its potential as a eco-friendly and sustainable destination.
Are you a fan of eco-travel? Do you like to get around town on your […]
J&K CM visits Indo-Pak border, bats to boost border tourism
Jammu, Aug 7 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today visited Indo-Pak international […]
AI Express to operate more flights to clear Onam, Bakrid rush.
Air India Express, the low-cost arm of the national carrier Air India, plans to operate […]
Tamil Nadu, Kerala received highest foreign tourist footfall in 2016.
Tamil Nadu received the highest footfall of foreign tourists in 2016, followed by Kerala, across […]
New draft tourism policy would bring focus on community participation, sustainable tourism: Mahesh Sharma
The new draft tourism policy has several progressive elements in its midst. From pronounced focus […]
Dual citizenship to Indians would have positive implications on inbound tourism: Former IATO chief
Dual citizenship to Indians living abroad could act as a major catalyst to driving tourism […]
Government must leave operating trains, infra projects to the private sector: Amitabh Kant
Speaking at India PPP Summit 2017, held recently in the capital, NITI Aayog chief Amitabh […]
Guevara Manzo new WTTC President and CEO; advocates industry to come together
Governor of Mexico Gloria Guevara Manzo is the new President and CEO of the London […]
Promote Odisha in domestic market for immediate gains on the tourism front, suggests Vikram Oberoi
Vikram Oberoi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, EIH advocated taking advantage of the immediate […]
Industry expresses disappointment over GST slab rates, seeks reconsideration
It is too early to assess the impact of the soon to be rolled-out GST […]
There is so much more to Darjeeling’s tourism than just Darjeeling itself
At a time when Darjeeling is in news for not so good reasons, Peshwa Acharya, […]
Thailand clocks 17% growth from Indian shores
Figures released by the Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports show that during the first […]
Special promotional fares marks Air Canada’s Mumbai-Toronto-Mumbai service, deploys Dreamliner
Starting on the 2nd July, Air Canada will deploy its most modern aircraft, Boeing 787 […]
OYO emerges as a top choice for job-seekers in the hospitality industry
Home-grown, new-age hospitality start-up joins the elite list of global giants like Amazon, Google and […]
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launches ‘Marsa Al Arab’ in Dubai
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the […]
Air India to connect Delhi to Stockholm
– Air India to start direct flight connecting the two capital cities – Air India […]
Oman Tourism conducts four-city India roadshow
Looking to boost tourist traffic from India, the Ministry of Tourism in association with Oman […]
Jet Airways to focus on millennials and SME travellers, ‘guest first’ philosophy
Jet Airways, after having brought all its brands under one umbrella couple of years ago, […]
Preserve pluralistic heritage of the nation by educating youth: Vice President Ansari
VP Hamid Ansari spoke on the pluralistic heritage of the nation, calling for educating the […]
IGI turns into preferred hub for transit passengers
As per reports, Indira Gandhi International Airport has turned in to a hub for transit […]
Government plans an ‘Aerotropolis’ in Assam
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha recently met Chief Minister of Assam […]
Mid-segment market is the big emerging space, will drive per capita growth: JB Singh
Any hospitality player intends to find a footing in the mid-market space, it must scale […]
BITB continues to build upon inclusive tourism, conducts a first-time India Tourism Summit
BITB, Bharat International Tourism Bazaar, initiated last October by India’s first movers in B2B events, […]
Tourism in rural India can address social and financial problems: S K Misra
S K Misra, Chairman, ITRHD, in his keynote address shared his experiences of how proper […]
New York remains a top draw but concerns loom over government’s diktat: Fred Dixon
It was an unusual interview, more a free-wheeling chat over various facets of travel and […]
User experience and tech innovations at the forefront of our online business strategy
With the dawn of the milliennials, there has been a profound shift in the way […]
We anticipate our mobile traffic to surpass desktop users very soon: Chinmai Sharma
Discussing the vital role that the digital space is to play in the sales and […]
Tech disruptions changing guest behaviour, creating complicated challenges: Arif Patel
Technology assimilation in day to day operations has created a new set of challenges, forcing […]
Investors Summit showcased Jharkhand’s tourism potential, says director tourism
Jharkhand is endowed with nature, rich cultural heritage, religious places of worships and elements of […]
MICE, FITs push Goa post decline in charter movement; national outlook positive
The recently released HVS Report takes a holistic look at India’s most important cities and […]
LCC to grow in Southeast Asia as AirAsia, and VietJet to induct more: CAPA
After a one-off sign of sluggishness in growth in the LCC segment in 2016, this […]
Niche and cinema tourism fuelling outbound to Thailand; trend to continue in 2017
The leisure segment has been going strong, registering an annual double-digit growth. However, increasing numbers […]
New York: 2016 is another record year as the city continues its tourism effort holistically
New York City is a true melting pot of cultures, languages and people, making it […]
Top architects to come together for an exhibition on “Architectural Sketches” in the capital
The success of India Arch Dialogue 2016, an exhibit on “Architecture Model”, has led to […]
Industry reacts strongly to Air India’s negative rating; backs steady improvement
Legacy issues, including the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines, remain difficult to resolve. […]
Outbound will remain unfazed to the cash crunch; we expect business to grow by 10-15%
Given the nature of international travel, both, short-haul and long-haul, with bookings and itineraries ironed […]
Growing demand for organic food and wellness retreats driving Agritourism
A concept which involves elements of wellness, organic food and retreat rolled in one, the […]
Abu Dhabi: Connectivity and luxury hotels aid in its foray to attract wedding outbound
After having successfully hosted the recently held TAAI Convention, Abu Dhabi is likely to gain […]
GTDC eyeing to develop coastal circuits under Swadesh Darshan, says Nikhil Desai
Nikhil Desai, Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, in an exclusive interview to TF, outlined […]
Air India will add 100 more aircrafts by 2020; regional connectivity top agenda
Ashwani Lohani, CMD, Air India shared a roadmap for the national carrier, outlining that consolidation […]
Experiential travel: social media making travellers more resourceful
Hotels and service providers would need to assimilate the ‘experience’ part in their offerings to […]
Demonetisation will help consumers take to the online medium; a temporary blip for the industry
Sharat Dhall, President, Yatra.com remained optimistic about the future of travel and tourism in the […]
CAPA Report: Technology and consumer awareness to disrupt the global aviation market
The recently launched CAPA Report has given a detailed insight into the changing dynamics of […]
Peru: Heady mix of history, food and ecology makes tourism count for national growth
Peru is a treasure trove of culture and history, with several World Heritage Sites in […]
Weddings seek exotic locales: Kovalam, Udaipur and Goa are top picks
From theme-based weddings to exotic locations – ranging from Goa, Kovalam and Udaipur, to Abu […]
IndiGo goes global, ties up with Travelport to boost its distribution channel
In a major development, which is likely to augment IndiGo’s presence in the global marketplace, […]
J&K Tourism in aggressive mode to promote business this winter, starts with a people first approach
There is a perceptible thaw in the mood in the Valley. After months of closure […]
MoT moots subsidised GST rate for MICE tourism, promises more intensive marketing outreach
Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism shared that the ministry has been seeking lower […]
Ashwani Lohani takes over from Kapil Chopra, appointed Chairman of WTTCII for 2017
Air India Chief Ashwani Lohani has been appointed as the Chairman of WTTCII for the […]
Ecotourism Society of India ties up with Tamil Nadu Tourism for a workshop on sustainable tourism
Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI), the national body on sustainable and responsible tourism, has been […]
Uniqueness of a destination and its offerings integral to One& Only’s foray
Ivy Kwan, outlined how a destination and its unique attributes remained central to the group’s […]
Italian luxury resort has a lesson for hotels aiming at eco-sustaining excellence
Active eco-sustenance with deep environmental consciousness is the future of progressive global hospitality. The grand […]
Udaipur registers robust demand and declining seasonality, says HVS report
Located in the Girwa valley, amidst the desert of Rajasthan, stands the city of Udaipur. […]
Aimed at boosting adventure and heritage segments, Maharashtra inks MoU with ASI
Maharashtra boasts of over 350 forts, many of them dotted along its meandering coastline, reminding […]
Tourism largest contributor to Maldivian economy; India an important source market
India will remain a close partner in cooperation on many facets of bilateral ties including […]
Simon Destinations make their Indian foray with an eye on shopping outbound
TourismFirst caught up with Kristen Eposito-Vice President of Tourism & Marketing Alliances, Simon Property Group, […]
Focus on creating memories, experiences for the modern day incentive traveller: Paul Miller
It was time to acquire a much wider gamut of offerings for service providers to […]
Innovators showcase offerings, advocate affordable and seamless interface
Joy Ghosh Regional Vice President – India & Sub-continent, TravelClick On emerging trends in the […]
India not prepared to handle larger international inbound; develop requisite infra, argues Vikram Madhok
While the clamour has been around garnering a larger share of the international outbound, Vikram […]
SriLankan Airlines mulls connecting new cities, more frequencies on existing routes
SriLankan Airlines may opt to introduce flights to new points like Ahmedabad in north, apart […]
India is the only country that can sell emotion: Steve Borgia
Calling India a unique nation, only in the world, with products galore and the ability […]
Travel set to grow faster than India’s GDP; mobile-first interface fuelling upswing, says Tony D’Astalfo
Improved telecom and banking infrastructure, growing acceptance of the online medium for transactions and new […]
Innovation and technology to remain central to hotel operations as consumers go mobile
A roundtable focussed on the fast-changing consumer behaviour and the need for assimilation of technology […]
Europe and North American markets will remain the focus of international expansion for Air India: Pankaj Shrivastav
Taking its already laid strategy of augmenting its long and ultra long-haul routes, Air India […]
Lack of airport infrastructure biggest challenge to ‘Make in India’: Kapil Kaul
The biggest hurdle to the successful implementation of ‘Make in India’ was the lack of […]
MoT does away with Bollywood, ropes in PM Modi as the mascot for ‘Incredible India’ campaign
Doing away with the long-standing trend of appointing a Bollywood superstar to promote India in […]
Tourism, wellness and hospitality key sectors for Make in India: Atul Chaturvedi
A multi-pronged effort to make processes simpler, infrastructure more robust and approach more in tune […]
We will go through our learning curve and learn from our mistakes: Rajeev Menon
Having recently concluded the much anticipated acquisition of the Starwood group, the time now was […]
Tourism must succeed for ‘Make in India’ to succeed: Amitabh Kant
India’s recurrent pursuit for a sustained double-digit economic growth, to not only meet the needs […]
Inaugural edition of BITB 2016 concluded on a most enthusiastic note
The launch edition of BITB, powered by ITB Berlin, concluded on a most enthusiastic note, […]
In the making, Dubai Parks and Resorts set to muscle up port city’s tourism offerings
To be thrown open for visitors from 31st October 2016, Dubai Parks and Resorts is […]
Air India to introduce new connections to Spain and Bangkok in 2017: Lohani
Ashwani Lohani, CMD, Air India is walking a tightrope, striving to strike a fine balance […]
Delhi Tourism to launch big ticket programs at BITB this year
Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra briefed the media delegation that a number of initiatives mooted by […]
Domestic air traffic up an impressive 20.8%; Vistara doubles market share in June this year
Riding high on the back of consistently low fuel prices and additional seasonal demand, with […]
Taiwan intensifies MICE outreach with publicity of streamlined group visa policy
In an attempt to shore up MICE traffic from Indian shores, Taiwan intends to highlight […]
Rail ministry mulls tourist trains on revenue sharing model with state tourism boards
After having tasted considerable success with the launch of semi-luxury tourist trains, ministry is contemplating […]
Hotels need to be educated to use best mix of scale-based distribution solution
Given the complexities of operating in an increasingly dynamic market place – where new age […]
Korea undertaking phase-wise promotion to overcome lack of awareness: Byungsun Lee
Byungsun Lee, Director, Korea Tourism Organisation detailed how Korea was systematically unveiling its new offerings […]
Tour operators and agents must push to reposition Dubai as a luxury destination
Syed A Asim, Executive Director, Bonton Group of Companies bats for a concerted effort from […]
In a boost to leisure travel, outbound taking to weddings in Dubai: Kulwant Singh
Kulwant Singh, CEO and MD, Car Fare and Lama Groups LCC noted that higher incomes […]
NRAI Report estimates over 20k crore tax revenue from standalone market in 2016
As per the recently released report by NITI Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant, the chain and […]
In a first, Government to launch a dedicated airline to boost Northeast connect
In a concerted effort from the government and the North Eastern Council, a carrier operated […]
Luxury guests seek quality in personalized service and seamlessness in experience
What are your predictions for the top trends in 2016? In my opinion, I think […]
Hotels in future will cater mostly to a mix of business and leisure group of travellers
Defining luxury as the ability to have time to oneself, Kal Schukowski, GM, Kempinski Hotel- […]
Technology has transformed the business of travel representation: Amit Kishore
The Indian economy is very strong and middle-class disposable incomes have been rising very fast. […]
CAPA report predicts impact on growth of aviation in Europe with Britain out of the EU
The recently released CAPA aviation report forecasts a period of lull for the aviation industry […]
Seychelles sets its sight on wedding segment after leisure takes to the Island nation
After registering an impressive 183 percent growth in Indian outbound in 2015, compared to the […]
Maharashtra gears up to host country’s first SAARC Tourism Summit in Aurangabad
Maharashtra’s tourism landscape is set to get a major booster dose in coming months. The […]
Mixed development central to AccorHotels expansion; best bet for ROI, says Gaurav Bhushan
Instead of creating a single massive luxury property, AccorHotels is smartly mixing its offerings to […]
India’s Silicon Valley set for a 7300 crore makeover
Bengaluru, India’s answer to Silicon Valley, grapples with serious deficit of infrastructure. Worsening traffic and […]
New York’s official tourism website, NYCgo.com gets a makeover; smarter interface aids to ‘ease of travel’
New York has long been one of the most frequented tourist cities in the world. […]
Drought hit Bidar turns to tourism for jobs with ‘Swadesh Darshan’
Bidar district of Karnataka lies far away from the IT hub of Bengaluru, some 700 […]
Boost to Himachal tourism as Shimla-Parwanoo NH 4-laning kicks off
The Ministry of Road Transport and Shipping has given a go-ahead to long expected 4-laning […]
MPSTDC rolls out attractive offers, incentives to bolster tourism and infra
MPSTDC, in a recent presentation, has highlighted plethora of investment opportunities in the state. With […]
CAPA report indicates growing PPP investment in airport infrastructure
PPP mode of investment is finding many takers once again, reads the latest CAPA report. […]
Air Asiana boosts its frequency to five flights a week; adds more teeth to India-Korea connect
Lending more teeth to air-connectivity between India and South Korea, one of the two major […]
In travel industry, disruption is the new normal
According to Ankur Bhatia, Director, Amadeus India, striking the right balance between technological changes and […]
Mandarin Oriental hotels show the way to celebrate an international cause: Global Wellness Day
As a leader in spa and wellness in the hospitality industry, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group […]
Emerging trends in hospitality space: what every hotelier needs to keep track of
Jean-Michel Casse, Senior Vice President – Operations, AccorHotels India region shares some of the trends […]
Branded budget hotel chains driving online bookings, says Google travel trends report
Buoyed by the growth in online bookings, existing and new hotels are going to add […]
AAP government’s second budget paves way for pushing ‘Brand Delhi’
About a month back, Delhi tourism minister Kapil Mishra had promised that the AAP government’s second […]
IndiGo receives its first A320 neo aircraft; 22 percent increase in fleet projected in 2016-17
In December last year, Airbus had informed its global customers that that there would be […]
Kuoni Group valued at Rupees 9,800 crores; Zubin to continue as CEO of both Kuoni Group and VFS Global
EQT, one of Europe’s leading private equity houses founded by Investor AB, Scandinavia’s largest industrial […]
“Kaun Banega Brand Ambassador”
Even as an official announcement is still awaited from government quarters, the guessing game is […]
“More than anything else, we need to fix the foundation first”, says Rakesh Sarna
He was most informally attired, as his flight from Male to Mumbai was diverted through […]
IATA projects profitability of airlines to rise by 5.1% in 2016
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently announced its airline industry outlook for 2016 which […]
Uttarakhand will emerge as a tourism powerhouse: Harish Rawat
In his inaugural address at the recently held Tehri Cultural Festival & Investors Meet, the […]
Mandarin Oriental Group is focused on quality at the top end, says Richard Baker
One of the most iconic luxury brands in hospitality around the world, Mandarin Oriental, has […]
Involving leading personalities in unique tourism projects could be a game changer
Promotion of islands and lighthouses as tourism products has clearly emerged as intrinsic pillars of […]
Aviation sector backs energy neutrality drive, Kochi’s example to be emulated
Kochi Airport, widely known for its efficient operations, has many firsts to its credit. It […]
Tourism can be the biggest integrator of Make in India
According to Amitabh Kant, Secretary, DIPP, tourism is an integral pillar of the ambitious Make […]
Yoga can become a major asset for Indian Tourism
V K Duggal. Former DG and recently Governor of Manipur strongly believes that consistent product […]
Fortune Park Hotels unveils Fortune Select Grand, Chennai
Fortune Park Hotels, recently further expanded its bouquet of hotels with the opening of the […]
Indian cuisine scores high at Hannover
As part of the Indian effort at Hannover Fair, the food served through the India […]
India at Hannover: A Major Boost to Tourism
Make in India is a major national program that is designed to transform India into […]
Tourism in Nepal will revive soon
The massive earthquake which occurred on April 25, 2015 has obviously shaken tourism industry in […]
New York City’s hottest new hotel openings in 2015
New York which boasts of highest number of hotel rooms in any global city is […]
India gets its first formal leadership ‘retreat’
Grand Bharat it is a perfect coming together of Indian motifs and traditions – in […]
Kashmir beckons tourists this summer
J&K chief minister also holds its tourism portfolio. As an ardent believer in what tourism […]
City tourism on the driver’s seat in Europe
Does it pay for a mega city with tourism magnets (natural or man-made) drawing visitors […]
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Storms around Cape Horn
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR), the Emirate’s entry in the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR), safely […]
Germany consolidates its position as top notch MICE destination
The economic climate in Europe may not have exactly improved considerably vis-à-vis other global pockets. […]
Private Game Parks in Madhya Pradesh
According to a recently published report in the Bhopal edition of a national daily, the […]
Promoting Nabakalebra by advertising on trains
The tourism department of Odisha seems to be leaving no stone unturned in creating a […]
Festival bonanza from Goa tourism between March-May
Goa Tourism has announced its mega plans to organize three back-to-back festivals commencing on March […]
Delhi to fast track Najafgarh water park project
The creation of an expansive water sports complex has been a long-pending demand in Delhi […]
Visit Kerala Year to be unveiled in April this year
Kerala Tourism has declared the period from April 2015 to March 2016 as “Visit Kerala […]
SRK may feature as brand ambassador for WB tourism
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, whose proximity to West Bengal is well-known, is now also […]
Mumbai to regain its nightlife with 24×7 restaurants
The coalition partners in Maharsatra – the BJP and Shiv Sena – might be bickering […]
Pawan Hans to spend Rs 560 crore to expand its fleet
The government- owned helicopter operator Pawan Hans is all set to significantly augment its fleet […]
India tops the list in weekend road-trips, says survey from carmaker Ford
Most Indians and Chinese are taking short, leisurely weekend road-trips to go out and spend […]
Linking India’s coastline and multiple islands, tourism-oriented Sagarmala gets cabinet’s nod
In a significant development, the union cabinet gave its green signal to the ambitious Sagarmala […]
