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  • ‘Darshan Destinations’ by Cleartrip and Flipkart Travel Bet Big on Spiritual Tourism

    ‘Darshan Destinations’ by Cleartrip and Flipkart Travel Bet Big on Spiritual Tourism

    Amid the flourishing rise of spiritual tourism in India, the unprecedented travel boom ahead of the temple opening at Ayodhya and the flurry of dignitaries & celebrities heading to the temple town, Cleartrip  has  launched ‘Darshan Destinations’ which offers 1008 complimentary flight tickets to senior citizens to visit Ayodhya. This offer will also be available on the Flipkart Travel platforms.

    As an ongoing initiative under “Darshan Destinations”, Cleartrip and Flipkart Travel are also launching special fares on flights*, hotels & buses to various religious destinations. Travelers can avail of a 20% discount on bus, hotel, and flight bookings to some of India’s revered spiritual destinations including Ayodhya, Madurai, Tirupati, Amritsar, Bhopal, Shirdi, Bodhgaya, Kochi, Katra (Jammu). This initiative will be an evolving proposition to offer devotees discounted fares across flights, hotels & buses.

    The recent surge in spiritual tourism, propelled by Ayodhya, indicates a significant shift in traveller preferences. Cleartrip and Flipkart Travel have observed an overall 1500% increase in searches for Ayodhya across the platform.

    Speaking on this, Ayyappan Rajagopal, CEO, Cleartrip, said, “As a customer-centric company, Cleartrip caters to the evolving needs of our user base. We understand that spiritual journeys are central to our culture, embodying centuries-old traditions. With more people seeking out these meaningful travels, we wished to make these experiences more accessible and affordable. We are excited to kick off the offering with the upcoming opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Our offering, specially tailored for senior citizens who desire to soak in the country’s rich heritage, reflects our commitment to meeting the diverse needs of our customers. We hope to inspire and enable other individuals as well to experience the Divine Destinations and easily fulfil their travel aspirations.”

    Through customer-centric initiatives like Darshan Destinations, Cleartrip, and Flipkart Travel continues to seamlessly blend affordability, accessibility, and a superior travel experience that users across the board desire.

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  • IHCL Expands Presence in Kochi

    IHCL Expands Presence in Kochi

    Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) announced the signing of a new Vivanta hotel in the heart of Kochi, Aluva. Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President of Real Estate and Development at IHCL, remarked, “IHCL’s Vivanta brand makes its debut in Kochi with this signing. This will be our seventh hotel in the city – a testament to the city’s importance. We are delighted to further strengthen our association with Mr. KM Abdul Latheef with a second hotel.”

    Strategically located at Aluva, the 95-key hotel is a comfortable driving distance from the airport and key leisure spots. The hotel will feature an all-day diner and bar, 4,500 square feet of banquet space, a swimming pool, a gym, and a spa.

    Mr. KM Abdul Latheef, Managing Director of Hotel Pearl Dunes Pvt Ltd., expressed his satisfaction, saying, “We are pleased to work once again with IHCL, India’s hospitality leaders. This hotel will offer guests a taste of the stylish Vivanta brand in Kochi.”

    Kochi, the financial, commercial, and cultural capital of Kerala, holds a prominent place as the gateway to other popular leisure destinations. It ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala.

    With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will boast 18 hotels across Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, and Ginger brands in Kerala, including 5 under development.

    Hotel Pearl Dunes Pvt Ltd, led by Mr. KM Abdul Latheef, has diverse business interests in India, Qatar, and the UAE, spanning hypermarkets, textiles, automobiles, steel, shipping, and an oil company in the Middle East. Mr. Latheef also owns hotels in Kerala.

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  • Tushaar 2023 by KTTC on Sep 19th at Kochi

    Tushaar 2023 by KTTC on Sep 19th at Kochi

    The second edition of the “Tushaar 2023”, a Mega Travel & Tourism B2B Meet,  organized by  Keralaites Travels & Tourism Consortium (KTTC will be held at Gokulam Convention Centre, Kaloor, Kochi on September 16, 2023. The event aims to showcase and familiarise the tourism products from across India and the outbound market among its members and travel tourism fraternity in Kerala.

    Mr. Manoj M Vijay, President of KTTC said that the” Tushaar 2023” mega tourism meet has more than 150 stalls that will showcase various products like domestic and international destinations, tour packages, Hotels & Resorts, Ayurvedic Tourism, Farm tourism, and Homestay from India and abroad. Travel and tourism-related seminars are also planned to be conducted as part of the event.

    Major international tourism boards and private sector players from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Bali, Dubai, Qatar, and Azerbaijan have shown their interest in participating in the event apart from state tourism departments including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the North Eastern States along with Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar will participate in Thusar 2023.

    Mr. Sanoj Machingal, Secretary of KTTC informed that Keralaites Travels & Tours Consortium was conceptualized by seven dynamic founder members from the travel trade, who envisioned KTTC to be a strong support group that led to both group and individual profits by establishing Group Tours. The association conducted the first edition of Thusar, before the COVID-related lockdown and the current edition will focus on the revival and recovery of post-COVID travel.

    For more information contact 790226370

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  • Etihad Returns To Trivandrum and Kozhikode

    Etihad Returns To Trivandrum and Kozhikode

    Etihad Airways will re-introduce connectivity to Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode in Kerala from the New Year’s Day of January 2024. The frequency to Chennai and Kochi will increase by 21 flights per week, which means daily thrice the airline will fly in-between Abu Dhabi to both these destinations. The total number of flights to three Kerala destinations will be 35 flights per week from January 2024 onward

    By adding these two more destinations, Etihad Airways’ Indian network to and from Abu Dhabi will be a total of 194 flights each week, which covers Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Thiruvananthapuram international airports.

    Once Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala- God’s Own Country was the most sought-after destination of the airline with a double daily connection to the world through its Abu Dhabi hub. Since Etihad Airways’ first flight to Kerala on 31 May 2007 when it introduced services to Thiruvananthapuram, followed two days later by the inaugural Kochi flight, the airline has flown almost 3.5 million guests to and from the state during that period. The Kozhikode route was launched on 1 August 2008. But later the airline terminated the flights to both Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. 

    Key destinations for travellers from Kerala include Abu Dhabi, the Gulf region, London, various European gateways including Frankfurt, Milan, and US destinations including New York and Chicago.

     “As we embark on Etihad’s next chapter targeting growth, our ambitious network and improved connectivity allow us to better serve Abu Dhabi and our valued guests, forming the basis of our future expansion while providing flexibility and freedom to adapt to new opportunities and markets,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways.

    “By offering more travel options and seamless connections, we aim to attract an increasing number of visitors to Abu Dhabi, propelling economic growth for the city while enriching the travel experience for our passengers.”

    The three international airports in Kerala have been a core part of Etihad Airways’ Indian operations over the past two decades and a global network that now spans cities across all continents. The ever-growing expatriates from Kerala and the state’s international appeal as a famed tourism destination, especially for ayurvedic treatments and the world-renowned backwaters, have elevated it into one of India’s top tourist destinations.

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  • Kochi to host 4th edition of ICTT 2023

    Kochi to host 4th edition of ICTT 2023

    The Association of Tourism Trade Organisations, India (ATTOI), with the support of Kerala Tourism, will organise the fourth edition of the International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT) here on February 24, highlighting the role of technology, social media, and smartphone apps in catalysing the growth of the travel and hospitality industry.

    ATTOI President, Mr.Vinod C.S, said ICTT 2023 would provide a valuable platform for industry professionals and experts in India to come together to share knowledge, network and discuss the latest trends and developments in online tourism marketing.

    A major objective of the conference is to keep the industry updated on the latest regulations, standards, and best practices related to the use of technology in tourism.

    “Such a conference can be particularly important for the tourism industry, as technology plays an increasingly critical role in how people plan, book, and experience travel. It can provide opportunities to learn about new technologies and how they can be applied to improve the tourism experience and opportunities to collaborate and form partnerships,” Vinod said.

    ICTT Convenor Anish Kumar P.K. said following the pandemic, 65 percent of Indian travellers now book their trips on digital platforms and with online tour operators. “To move with this new trend, hotels, and tour operators are increasing their online visibility through digital channels. Tourism organisations are also creating online travel stories on YouTube, and Instagram reels, which are visually engaging content to bring traffic to optimised websites,” he added.

    This year there are five trending digital marketing topics enabling tourism organisations to scale up online sales, Kumar said.

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  • Virgin Atlantic and IndiGo announce new codeshare agreement

    Virgin Atlantic and IndiGo announce new codeshare agreement

    Virgin Atlantic and IndiGo have announced a new codeshare between the UK and India, offering seamless connections and increased opportunities for frequent flyers to earn more points than ever before.

    The codeshare partnership will mean customers booking a Virgin Atlantic ticket will be able to fly on the airline’s London Heathrow to Delhi and Mumbai flights and connect to and from 7 additional cities in India. Later this year the agreement will be expanded to cover a total of 16 destinations throughout India, as well as connections to Virgin Atlantic’s extensive US network operated via London Heathrow.

    The agreement will allow Virgin Atlantic to sell seats to passengers connecting onto IndiGo flights. The initial codeshare destinations in India include Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai. The additional destinations will include Kochi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Pune, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Vadodara, Indore, and Visakhapatnam.

    The new codeshare agreement will allow Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club members to reach their rewards faster, with opportunities to earn both Virgin Points and Tier Points available on every codeshare with IndiGo.

    The codeshare flights will be available for booking for travel beyond 27th September, subject to government approval. Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented:

    “We’re thrilled to launch a new codeshare partnership with IndiGo. This summer marks our largest-ever flying programme from India with three daily direct services to London and our new partnership takes our commitment to even greater heights. IndiGo is India’s largest airline and its extensive network will offer Virgin Atlantic customers even more choices when travelling between the UK and India, as well as offering seamless connections for onward travel across our extensive US route network.

    “It’s great news for our Flying Club too, by providing more opportunities for members to earn valuable points. This new partnership aims to respond to the large, fast-growing demand for visiting friends & relatives, leisure as well as business travellers looking for more choice between UK and India.”

    Mr. Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Executive Officer, and Wholetime Director, IndiGo said: “We are pleased to announce our codeshare with Virgin Atlantic to provide enhanced connectivity to the passengers. This will not only help offer a seamless travel experience from London to as many as 16 destinations in India but also open up international trade opportunities throughout the country via enhanced accessibility. We look forward to having  Virgin Atlantic’s customers on our lean clean flying machine, as we extend our on-time, affordable, courteous, and hassle-free travel experience.

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  • The first commercial flight from Akasa Air lifts off

    The first commercial flight from Akasa Air lifts off

    Akasa Air, India’s newest airline, has commenced its commercial operations with its first flight taking off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on August 7, 2022, bound for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Ahmedabad.

    As a symbolic gesture to mark the occasion during the ceremony, Akasa Air’s boarding pass was handed over to Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, and the General (Dr) V. K Singh, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India. Both guests of honour addressed the gathering and officially flagged off the event.  Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra extended his wishes on the commencement of Akasa Air’s operations while addressing the gathering. The ceremony was also graced by Mr. Rajiv Bansal IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and . Usha Padhee IAS, Joint Secretary(J), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India

    Commenting on the commencement of commercial operations, Mr.  Vinay Dube, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, of Akasa Air said “Today marks a significant milestone in Akasa Air’s journey as we successfully commence our commercial operations with our maiden flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. This is not just a testament to the women and men of Akasa that have made this day possible, but also a testament to India’s ongoing economic transformation and the country’s rapidly progressing civil aviation landscape. The Akasa story is aligned with the nation’s journey towards making air travel affordable through PM Modi’s clarion call – Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik. We want to serve our country by creating strong transportation links which are the underpinning of any economic growth engine”.

    “We are thrilled to finally begin our commercial journey and bring alive our vision of supporting India’s economic progress and building India’s greenest, most dependable, and most affordable airline. Akasa Air’s empathetic and youthful personality, employee-friendly culture, customer-service philosophy, and tech-led approach will make this commitment a reality for us. We are now focussed on delivering a flying experience unlike anything witnessed in the Indian skies thus far”, he added.

    Akasa Air will offer weekly flights between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Progressively adding cities and routes to its network, the airline has already announced a total of five routes in five cities, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Bengaluru, and Chennai.  With a fleet induction plan of two 737 MAX aircraft each month, the airline is looking to establish a strong pan-India presence, with a focus on the metro to tier 2 & 3 route connectivity. The fleet size will be raised to 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 and over the next four years, the airline will add 54 aircraft, taking its total fleet size to 72.

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  • Qatar Airways and IndiGo reactivate their strategic cooperation

    Qatar Airways and IndiGo reactivate their strategic cooperation

    Qatar Airways and IndiGo have announced the reactivation of their strategic cooperation following the lifting of the suspension on international scheduled flights by the Indian government.

    Qatar Airways is currently operating 190 flights per week to and from 12 destinations in India, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, Kolkata, and Thiruvananthapuram. IndiGo is currently operating 154 flights per week between Doha and eight cities in India and including Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur. As part of this expanded code-share agreement, Qatar Airways will be placing its marketing code on IndiGo-operated flights between Doha and Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, starting from 25 April 2022, and Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Kozhikode, starting from 09 May 2022.

    Both Qatar Airways and IndiGo flights are optimally connected to Qatar Airways’ hub, the award-winning Hamad International Airport in Doha. This allows passengers to benefit from seamless and convenient connections to the airline’s entire route network, including North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia/Australia.

    Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The reactivation of our strategic partnership with IndiGo is another milestone in the development of aviation between the State of Qatar and India. Together, both Qatar Airways and IndiGo will offer over 340 flights per week to 13 destinations in India. Never before has our partnership with IndiGo been stronger and the resumption of our strategic cooperation demonstrates the resilience, agility, and commitment both partners have shown in overcoming the challenges of the pandemic.”

    Mr. Ronojoy Dutta, Wholetime Director, and Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo added: “We are excited to reactivate our code-share agreement with Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines. We are confident this strong partnership will not only expand opportunities for the customers but also boost trade and tourism in both countries. With the easing of restrictions, we believe that this will create economic growth through IndiGo’s seamless nationwide connectivity. We look forward to serving customers on our lean, clean flying machine, as we extend to them our on-time, affordable, courteous, and hassle-free travel experience.”

    In addition to faster and more convenient connections to and from India, members of Qatar Airways’ loyalty programme Privilege Club will benefit from the strategic cooperation as members will soon be able to earn Avios on all code-share flights operated by IndiGo. Likewise, Qatar Airways’ generous baggage rules, which are especially important for international travelers apply on all code-share flights.

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  • IndiGo announces the resumption of its international operations

    IndiGo announces the resumption of its international operations

    IndiGo has announced the resumption of its international flight schedule from various destinations in India. These flights will operate from cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Kozhikode, Kochi, Chandigarh, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruvananthapuram, and Mangaluru.

    The international destinations include Dammam, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Jeddah, Riyadh, Doha, Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore, Colombo, Dubai, Kathmandu, Maldives, and Dhaka. Scheduled operations on more than 150 routes will be restarted in a phased manner through the month of April 2022.

    Flights to these routes had earlier been operating under air-bubble agreements with the respective countries. Scheduled operations from destinations in Thailand have already commenced on March 27, 2022. The resumption of these flights will bolster India’s connectivity with the globe and aid in the acceleration of economic and tourist activities that had been impacted by the pandemic.

    Mr. William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We are pleased to resume our scheduled international operations. Following the easing of restrictions, we are witnessing a huge demand for international travel. We hope that this enhanced connectivity with various destinations across the continent will provide a boost to the travel and tourism sector while proving to be a catalyst for economic revival. IndiGo remains committed to playing its part in helping the nation bounce back and we will do so via our signature on-time, courteous, and hassle-free service at affordable fares, across an unparalleled network.”

    In addition to these flights, IndiGo has also announced the commencement of bookings for flights to Muscat and Kuala Lumpur starting operations in May 2022, and, Istanbul in June 2022.

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  • Kochi to host Kerala Travel Mart in March 2022

    Kochi to host Kerala Travel Mart in March 2022

    The 11th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) will be held at Kochi in March 2022, giving an impetus to the efforts to revive the pandemic-hit tourism sector by attracting visitors around the globe.

    The event will be inaugurated at Grand Hyatt at Bolgatty, Kochi on March 24, 2022, while the following three days’ proceedings will be held at Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centre in Willingdon Island,

    As the ensuing edition of KTM is coming on the heels of the launch of the Caravan Tourism project by the State Government, the event will have caravan tourism and adventure tourism as the main themes, even as the internationally-acclaimed responsible tourism will also receive prominent attention, said Mr. Mohamed Riyas, Minister for Tourism, Govt of Kerala.

    KTM 2022will give greater prominence to domestic buyers, given that tourists within the country have resumed travel even as many foreign countries are yet to fully resume travel to India revoking the pandemic-induced restrictions.  The meet anticipates the participation of no less than 1,500 buyers, wooing them in much larger numbers compared to the previous editions.

    Dr. Venu V, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), said KTM has been planned by placing trust on the domestic market, which will help rejuvenate tourism and bring a qualitative change in the sector. 

    Mr.Baby Mathew, President, KTM, said the strong revival of the entire industry will be made possible through KTM 2022.  Mr.V R Krishna Teja, IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism; Mr. Jose Pradeep, Secretary, KTM; Mr.EM Najeeb, former Presidents of KTM and Mr. Abraham George were also present.

    The KTM had organized a virtual summit from March 1 to 5 2021, facilitating more than 7,000 business meets that enabled the travel industry to take major strides in overcoming the Covid-triggered economic crisis. Since then, Kerala Tourism had been considering organising a physical KTM to showcase Kerala as a place fast regaining normalcy after the pandemic.

    KTM Society, the country’s biggest organization in the travel and tourism segment, has been working towards reviving the industry since the spread of the coronavirus in the state 20 months ago.

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