The Mayor of Singleton, Sue Moore, will highlight the best of Hunter Valley – from vineyard escapes and hot-air balloon rides to unforgettable countryside adventures – at this exclusive webinar on Nov 28, 2025 at 11.30AM IST presented by Turtle Down Under. Three lucky winners stand a chance to win Amazon vouchers by filling out the live survey during the session. For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Southern Travels has been felicitated with the Traveller’s Choice Award for Excellence at the India Travel Awards 2025. A Krishna Mohan, Managing Director, said, “This award is very special to us, and we feel honoured and proud to receive it. It recognises our responsibility to deliver better services and inspires us to shape the future of travel with technology, data, and personalisation.”

Speaking at a recent PATA webinar, Simon Moriarty, VP – Syndicated Research, MMGY Global, said that more than 53% of Indian consumers are now more interested in travelling within India than a year ago, driven by cost, safety, and rising destination awareness. Internationally, interest in India varies as 25% of Americans, and 17% of Europeans and Canadians express intent to visit. Domestic travellers’ global experiences continue to shape positive sentiment about India.

Air India Group plans to induct 26 wide-body and narrow-body planes, with 81% of international flights operated using upgraded aircraft by end-2026. Campbell Wilson, CEO, Air India, said, “2026 will be a year of very visible change for Air India, despite recent challenges, and we are continuing our capital expenditure commitments.”

Fabio Bigotti, Country Manager, ITA Airways, highlighted India as a priority market. “Despite the challenges in 2025, we see encouraging results in terms of growth with a consistent demand that confirms the strength of our strategic choices. India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world, driven by a rapidly expanding economy, improved infrastructure, and increasingly flexible aviation policies.” Bigotti added, “The current demand between India and Italy shows significant potential supported by growing business ties, a dynamic tourist flow, and a rising number of premium customers. Our focus is to meet this demand by offering the best possible services to India’s most discerning passengers.”

Alejandro de la Osa, CEO, Europamundo Vacations, said, “Indian travellers now spend 10–12 nights per trip, up from nine nights pre-pandemic, reflecting their desire to maximise value from flights.” He added, “For the Indian market, we have five new itineraries with Indian meals at Jungfrau, Euro Disney, and key stops, offering full dinners and lunches.”  

Cancelling air tickets just hours before departure may soon allow up to 80% refund as India plans built-in travel insurance within 2-3 months. Aviation secretary is consulting carriers on airline-funded premiums. The DGCA is also revising refund rules to make airline ticket refunds more passenger-friendly, addressing frequent complaints over delays, partial refunds, and restrictive policies.

Addressing the FPO–Hospitality & Farmers’ Benefit Summit 2025, organised by the FHRAI, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, said India needs a fast-tracked, structured farmer–hotel partnership architecture. Such a model, he noted, would accelerate the Government’s vision while uplifting rural livelihoods and strengthening tourism-driven value chains. 

Blingbird has been recognised with the Pioneers in Unique & Experiential Luxury Travel award at the India Travel Awards 2025. Puja Bansal, Founder, said, “This award is a reminder that recognition comes with responsibility. It inspires us to keep pushing boundaries and creating seamless experiences that turn luxury travel into meaningful stories worth living.”

India has widened Visa-on-Arrival access for UAE nationals to nine airports — Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad — responding to rising UAE visitor numbers and strengthening bilateral relations. Only UAE passport holders with a previous Indian e-Visa or regular visa qualify, allowing multiple annual visits and stays up to 60 days.