The Union Cabinet has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Singapore in order to improve cooperation in the field of civil aviation. A recent statement released by the cabinet, said, “The Union Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a (MoU), which was signed in November 2015 between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise in Civil Aviation during Modi’s visit to Singapore. The objective of this MoU is to establish mutual cooperation in the field of civil aviation, which will cover, to begin with, the airports of Jaipur and Ahmedabad. This cooperation will be extended to other airports with mutual consent.” The salient features of the MoU include collaboration in Civil Aviation Sector in the areas of Master-planning and design, traffic development, commercial development, service quality improvement, training and development, cargo handling and management, maintenance, repair and overhaul, operation and management and any other areas with mutual consent. To ensure high standards of service at Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports, AAI may enter into operation and maintenance (O&M) contracts, either with or without the responsibility of maximisation of non-aeronautical revenue in the terminal building (excluding land on city side and air side). The city side and airside will continue to be managed directly by AAI. Globally, limited O&M contract models are prevalent for the entire airport operations. AAI has no previous experience in awarding O&M contract model of terminal buildings to other entities. In order to implement the decision, it was necessary to ensure that a suitable entity be engaged for undertaking the O&M contract at Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports.

Air India has announced that it will operate a new flight from New Delhi to Gorakhpur, six days a week, starting January 15, 2016. The flight will offer connection to flyers travelling to various domestic and international destinations from Gorakhpur. This would also offer a convenient connection to Gorakhpur from Delhi to passengers arriving from the Gulf and other international destinations. This is the latest destination to be added to Air India’s network under its Connecting India programme. India’s national carrier, also launched operations between Mumbai and Gwalior with ATR-72 aircraft and also connected Durgapur to Delhi and Kolkata with an A319 flight. Air India will operate a 70 seater ATR 72-600 aircraft between Delhi and Gorakhpur. The flight AI 9809 will depart from Delhi at 1215 hrs and arrive Gorakhpur at 1415 hrs. On the return leg, flight AI 9810 will depart from Gorakhpur at 1445 hrs and reach Delhi at 1645 hrs. The flight will operate six days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Radisson Udaipur has opened its doors to welcome guests visiting the City of Lakes. The hotel is located in the heart of Udaipur, situated along the city centre at the Lake City Mall of Riddhi Siddhi Group. Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said, “Radisson Udaipur  is our second hotel in the city of Udaipur and we are honoured to be partnering with Riddhi Siddhi Group for this beautiful addition to our portfolio of 75 operational hotels and 45 under various stages of development.” Shyam B Gupta, Managing Director, Riddhi Siddhi Group said, “This is our first hospitality venture in India and we are happy to have tied up with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.” Radisson Udaipur features 56 well-appointed rooms and suites with central heating and cooling. All rooms have amenities like workstation, cordless phone, LED satellite television, tea/coffee maker, electronic safe and Dove amenities. In addition, all rooms feature free Wi-Fi internet access for guests to keep connected, whether for work or play. The hotel has flexible meeting spaces including a banquet hall measuring above 3,000 sq. ft., one multi-cuisine restaurant, a Lounge Bar, 24-hour In-Room dining service and a Fitness Centre. The All Day Dining restaurant – Season’s Café at the hotel, serves mouth-watering Indian and continental cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as drinks to cap your day. To wrap up a day of meetings or sightseeing, guests can enjoy a relaxing dip in the swimming pool or sweat it out at the gym or relax and watch a movie.

In a major shuffle after the Kuoni Travel (India) was taken over by Thomas Cook (India), it has been announced that Vishal Suri has been appointed as MD of Kuoni Travel (India) effective January 4, 2016. Prior to the appointment, Suri headed the outbound portfolio as Chief Executive Officer – Tour Operating, Kuoni India. Rajeev Wagle, stepped down as MD, Kuoni India with effect from January 4, 2016. Madhavan Menon, Chairman and MD of Thomas Cook (India) said, “It gives us great pleasure to appoint Vishal Suri as the Managing Director of Kuoni Travel (India). He comes with a wealth of experience: over 22 years across a gamut of consumer centric industries like telecom, internet, and office automation; including over a decade in running travel businesses. We wish him every success in his new role. We respect Rajeev Wagle’s decision to pursue his interests outside the organisation and place on record our sincere appreciation for his contributions to building Kuoni-SOTC, as also his expertise and extensive experience of over 26 years, across industries.”

Kuoni Group’s Board of Directors has confirmed that it has received preliminary approaches from third parties regarding a potential offer for the Kuoni Group and its businesses. However, the company has released in a statement that discussions are at a preliminary stage and there can be no certainty at this stage that an offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made. The Board of Directors is evaluating the situation, also taking into consideration all other strategic possibilities.

Hyatt Place Goa/Candolim is the latest Hyatt-branded hotel, which has opened in Goa. The 147-room hotel brings the Hyatt Place brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities to the Goa area. With the addition of this property, the Hyatt portfolio in Goa grows to three properties, including Park Hyatt Goa and Grand Hyatt Goa. “The opening of Hyatt Place Goa/Candolim is a significant milestone for the Hyatt Place brand as it continues to expand in India and across the globe,” said Kurt Straub, Vice President, Operations (India), Hyatt. This is the fourth Hyatt Place hotel to open in India, joining Hyatt Place Hampi, Hyatt Place Pune/Hinjewadi and Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar. Ideally located in the heart of North Goa, the property is in close proximity to the state’s beaches, including Candolim Beach, Calangute Beach and Fort Aguada, as well as popular entertainment and nightlife destinations. “The Hyatt Place brand is designed to offer seamless experiences suitable for both business and leisure travellers. We know that our guests will appreciate the comfortable and functional amenities offered at Hyatt Place Goa/Candolim,” said Sanjay Patti, General Manager, Hyatt Place Goa/Candolim.

United Kingdom (UK) granted over 360,000 visitor visas, until September 2015, a 16.5 per cent increase year on year, according to recently released statistics. With the commercial partner VFS, UK offers 15 visa application centres across India, more than in any other country. Visa application centres are situated in Delhi, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Mumbai South, Mumbai North, Pune, Ahmadabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Cochin, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Jaipur and Goa. A number of premium services are offered to the UK Visa applicants at the Visa Application Centre (VAC). VFS Users can avail walk in appointments where urgent travellers or those who have missed their appointment, can pay Rs 2537 to get a walk in appointment. Digital Assistance is provided in filling out the visa application form on the visa4uk website. The staff reads out questions on the form, and records the answers verbatim on behalf of the applicant for an extra cost of Rs 400. Group Appointments is available for group travellers who can apply at the same visa application centre at a particular time and day. This service is extended to all groups including tour operators, large families, conferences etc for Rs 500 per application. Travellers can pay for their visa by cash at the VAC, using VFS Global’s Credit Card at an additional cost of Rs 1000 per transaction. Certification service enables travellers to keep hold of their original documents. Applicants need to bring original documentation to the VAC to show VFS staff, who photocopy the documents and send to the decision hub along with the application. This service costs Rs 50 per document page. In 2015, India became the second country to benefit from the British Irish Visa Scheme, allowing Indian …

V Resorts has come out with a slew of payment options to make booking a vacation seamless. One can now make payments via Paytm Wallet, cash pick-up service and IVR Payment.  The company has a list of upscale properties in some picturesque locations such as Sattal, Ramgarh, Kullu, Sariska, Nashik etc., each designed to provide the traveller with the best holiday experience. Booking a hotel is a task in itself and most often than not end up leaving the customer haggled. With the introduction of new payment options, V Resorts ensures that your vacation begins the moment you place a call to them.

The Gateway Hotel Gir Forest, located just outside the popular Gir National Park has re-opened its doors for guests. Set in an idyllic setting, the property is perfect for a relaxing holiday. Farhat Jamal, Senior Vice President -Operations(West India) & Africa, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces said, “We are pleased to welcome guests once again. It is the ideal time of the year to watch the majestic Asiatic lion and wildlife or indulge in a cultural expedition to interesting historical places like Junagadh and Gondal.” The Gateway Hotel Gir Forest, is a nature lover’s getaway. With its rich surroundings of dry deciduous and tropical thorn forests, the hotel faces the Hiran River to offer a picturesque and serene setting, away from the bustle of the city.  Home to the Asiatic lion, the Sasan Gir Forest is one of the only two natural habitats of this subspecies around the world. The latest census recorded the lion count in Gir at 411.  The leopard, jungle cat, rusty spotted cat, cheetal, sambhar, four-horned antelope, wild boar and hare are also easy to spot here, along with over 200 species of avifauna. Also integral to the experience will be the jungle safaris, the hotel will provide in an open Gypsy. For those who prefer a cultural expedition instead, the hotel is also close to various temples such as the Somnath, Banej and Kankai Temple, and historical destinations such as Junagadh, Gondal and Rajkot.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is planning to tie up with a string of self-help groups (SHGs) and include the famed culinary skills of Indian women to the food served on the country’s trains, in order to enhance its e-catering portfolio. The empanelled SHGs will be displayed on e-catering websites with their menu and prices. Passenger may choose meal or food items offered by SHGs and place the order. This will help in sustainable development of SHGs. “The proposed association with SHGs is part of our plan to empower women,” said IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Dr AK Manocha. “The initiative aims to develop local communities and ensure all-inclusive growth,” he added. He noted that India has no less than one crore SHGs, mostly functioning in rural and semi-urban areas with 10 to 20 members (majority women) per group. “We plan to collaborate with some of them which are into making food items,” he added. “The finer points will evolve clear in the weeks to come.” Currently, IRCTC provides e-catering facility in all the trains passing through the most important 45 stations of Indian Railways. It also provides food to 1516 trains without pantry cars. The food is directly delivered by the vendor on the berth/ seat of the passenger. In its e-catering service which facilitates supply of food on ordering two hours before boarding the train, IRCTC is already in a collaboration with Foodpanda, KFC, Domino’s, Street Foods, Wimpy, TFS, Jan Aahar, Mio Amore, Alibaba, Cafe Lite, Hello Curry and Ratna Cafe besides IRCTC Food Plaza and IRCTC Fast Food Units. The e-catering facility allows passengers to have food of their choice at agreeable prices while travelling. …