According to Schengen Visa Statistics 2022, Indian travellers have one of the highest rejection rates in the world when it comes to Schengen visa. It states that Indians filed over 6 lakh Schengen visa applications in 2022, which happens to be the third highest in the world, but also faced a steep rejection rate of 18 per cent.

After a prolonged gap of many years, tourist transporters have been permitted to register BS VI complaint diesel tourist vehicles with a capacity  of more than 7 +1, buses and coaches, following the order of the Hon. Supreme Court. The application was moved by Indian Tourist Transporters Association (ITTA). This is major relief to the tourist transporters, who have been unable to register such new vehicles for 8 years. This will help the industry successfully cater to G20 summit. Also barring of registration was putting financial burden on the transporters and was restricting their growth. Most importantly it will also create valuable tourism transport capacities to propel Indian tourism to cater to increased foreign tourists & domestic tourists over the medium to long run which will boost GDP and will also lead to enhanced employment, said Amrit Mann, Board of Director, FAITH – Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality

Announcing its unaudited financial and operating results, MakeMyTrip said in statement that profit for the period was $5.4 million in Q4 FY23, as compared to a loss of $4.1 million in Q4 FY22. Loss for the year has reduced significantly; loss for FY23 was $11.2 million as compared to a loss of $45.6 million in FY22, being a reduction of $34.4 million. Rajesh Magow, Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, commenting on the results, said, “We witnessed robust recovery in travel demand with significant improvement in consumer sentiment during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. We capitalized on this trend to deliver strong results with over 120% YoY constant currency growth in Gross Bookings. Our profitability expansion has also been significant, as we delivered a YoY increase of over 200% in Adjusted Operating Profit for the reported fiscal year 2023. We are glad that our strategy of investing in the right areas coupled with our initiatives to optimize certain costs has helped us to preserve and strengthen our moat. We remain well positioned for the next fiscal year with a strong pipeline of product innovation to further enhance customer experience.”

Rail Europe is proud to announce the launch of its latest offer: travel professionals and the whole industry willing to buy seat reservations for their customers holding a Eurail or Interrail pass are now able to do so via Rail Europe’s API and B2B website. Rail Europe is thrilled to provide this exclusive feature: The seat reservation that goes with a pass is a valuable asset to its range of products and functionalities, as it offers travel professionals the necessary information to book tickets for their customers holding train passes with ease. With this feature, agencies can quickly determine whether an additional seat reservation purchase is required for specific routes (such as TGV, Lyria, Eurostar, Frecciarossa, among others), and if so, the associated cost. This new offer further enhances Rail Europe’s commitment to providing the best possible travel experience and options for its customers. “The possibility of selling seat reservations for passes greatly contributes to the expansion of Rail Europe and to our mission to make train travel easy. We are now able to provide information about the required reservation type for nearly every train trip within Europe, which extends well beyond train tickets. We are thrilled to offer this fantastic and almost unique feature and can’t wait for our partners and customers to make the most out of it.”, says Björn Bender, President & CEO of Rail Europe. The seat reservation in addition to a pass holder fare is available for a range of train services across Rail Europe’s network. API partners and agencies willing to book seats with Trenitalia or SNCF for their customers using Interrail or Eurail passes can now do it with more flexibility and convenience …

Stotrak Hospitality, an eco-friendly boutique hotel chain with a diversified portfolio of properties across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, has unveiled their latest property ‘ Takhat Villa Kumbhalgarh, by Stotrak ’ in Kumbalgarh, a charming town in Rajasthan renowned for its splendid fort, architecture and vibrant cultural heritage. ‘Takhat Villa Kumbhalgarh, by Stotrak’ is the third venture of the eco-friendly boutique hotel chain in Rajasthan and nine overall. Stotrak Hospitality has already established its presence in Rajasthan with the Earth Resort & Spa in Ranthambore and Sam Dunes in Jaisalmer. Tthe Takhat Villa Kumbhalgarh by Stotrak consists of seven rooms constructed using local Kota stone. Manish Goyal, Founder of Stotrak Hospitality, commented “Kumbhalgarh, a charming town in Rajasthan, is renowned for its picturesque Kumbhalgarh Fort. This magnificent fortress, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds t historical and architectural significance. At Stotrak Hospitality are endeavour has always been to capture the essence of the town’s rich history as well as its vibrant culture. Our private luxury villas embody traditional architecture, designed with local Kota stone and adorned with antique furnishings, creating a warm and cosy atmosphere. Furthermore, the prime location offers leisure travellers a modern and contemporary space to unwind and recharge.”

Sharing his views on the immediate repercussions of Go First bankruptcy, Ajay Prakash, President, TAFI, says, “Aviation is a business fraught with uncertainties. With capacity being pulled out after the Go First airline development, airfares will increase further, especially since we are in the peak holiday season.”

Opened this week, TRENZ, the most significant international business-to-business travel trade event for New Zealand’s tourism sector welcomed a strong Indian delegate for the event.  Over three days of appointments, activities and networking functions, New Zealand tourism industry leaders and representatives gathered to showcase their products and services to high-quality international and New Zealand Buyers and influential international and New Zealand travel trade. More than 1500 international travel delegates and the country’s leading tourism operators will experience Ōtautahi during TRENZ, a trade event designed to build relationships, broker business opportunities and explore new tourism experiences from the country’s visitation sector. In 2019, prior to COVID, the tourism industry was valued at over $39 billion to the New Zealand economy, with $1 billion spent in the Christchurch economy while still in recovery post-earthquake.

Encouraging the travel trade to sell more sustainable tours to their clients, Misha Gambetta, Director India, Switzerland Tourism, says, “Visitors looking for sustainable offers are often lost in the vast landscape of labels. The travel trade can guide them towards booking sustainable experiences in Switzerland by informing them about the ‘Swisstainable’ emblem that they can find on hotels, restaurants and other establishments that provide tourism services. They can also continue encouraging travellers to buy the Swiss Travel Pass and explore the country via public transport over private cars to reduce pollution.”

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce its alliance with Singapore Airlines Group’s global rewards program KrisFlyer, the most favoured frequent flyer program, designed to reward everyone who loves to travel with the airline and its partners. The alliance is aimed to bring a large network of Sarovar hotels into the fold of Singapore KrisFlyer’s exclusive benefits. As a part of the alliance, the KrisFlyer members will be able to avail of 20 % markdown on accommodation and food & beverage outlets across Sarovar group’s wide network of hotels in India. The KrisFlyer members can avail the benefits through a simple process of booking a hotel through the Singapore Airlines website or through the KrisFlyer application. A mid-market leader with an indomitable presence across leisure and business destinations, Sarovar group offers a collection of brands & hotels from budget to premium categories. Present in destinations that include cosmopolitan cities, exotic beach destinations, eminent pilgrimage cities and unsung destinations qualified  the group to become the preferred choice for partnership that aims to extend travellers a wide choice of cities and hallmark services of the Sarovar brand. Speaking on the partnership, Ajay K Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said, “We are delighted to extend the hospitality of Sarovar group to patrons of Singapore Airlines. It is a mutually rewarding association to deliver a high level of services to a large audience of travellers who enjoy superior quality travels & stays and unwilling to compromise on seamless experience. We hope our wide network of hotels across most visited to unexplored destinations will allow travellers added choice and assurance that there is always a Sarovar branded hotel that celebrates India and Indian hospitality like none …

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has announced the signing of a Vivanta branded hotel in New Gurugram, Haryana. The Brownfield project will be a part of a mixed-use development. Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President – Real Estate & Development, IHCL, said, “With the signing of this hotel, IHCL steps into New Gurugram a satellite town with seamless connectivity to New Delhi and other important commercial hubs. It is situated in close proximity to large industrial areas and is witnessing major infrastructural development. We are delighted to partner with KPDK Buildtech.” The 160-keys hotel is situated in Sector 95A, New Gurugram, a comfortable drive from Delhi International Airport. In addition to the rooms, the hotel will have Mynt, Vivanta’s signature all day diner, a bar and recreational facilities including a swimming pool and fitness centre. There will be over 650 square metres of meeting space featuring a large ballroom and meeting rooms. Mahender Kumar Gupta, Chairman, KPDK Buildtech Pvt Ltd said, “We are excited to partner with IHCL, India’s leading hospitality company for this hotel. Vivanta, the stylishly spirited brand is the right fit for New Gurugram which is growing rapidly.” With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have 16 hotels across Taj, Vivanta, SeleQtions and Ginger brands across National Capital Region including four under development.