Category Archives: Agents

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has appointed Salil Nath as General Manager of the Indian Subcontinent. Based in New Delhi, he will be responsible for all commercial activities across a key cluster for the Etihad network within the central region – India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Seychelles. Since joining Etihad in 2012, Nath has served as the Regional Sales Manager of key sectors starting with Bangalore-Hyderabad, followed by the North and East India. During the COVID-19 restructuring, he took on the additional responsibility of managing Central India as well as Bangladesh & Seychelles. Prior to joining Etihad, Nath has worked with Kingfisher Airlines, part of the United Breweries Group, and a brief stint at renowned multinational travel management company Amex GBT, overlooking corporate sales and client servicing respectively. Amer Khan, Vice President Middle East, Africa, & The Sub-Continent, Etihad Airways, said: “India plays a crucial role in Etihad Airways’ growth strategy, contributing significantly to the airline’s global operations, and we are honoured to support demand in one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. As we look to expand our operations, we are delighted to have Salil take up the new role, leading Etihad’s commercial activities in the region.” Nath holds a degree in Hotel Management from Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal, specializing in Sales and Marketing. “With a strong and growing network, Etihad is one of the world’s most recognised and trusted airlines, operating for almost 20 years. As I step into this new role, I look forward to working together, enabling growth, and delivering value as we take our positioning to new and greater heights,” said Nath. He will succeed Neerja …

Singapore Tourism Board brought together leading minds in the tourism and lifestyle industries to share their perspectives on the changing market at its ‘Cruise Conclave’ thought-leadership conference in Mumbai recently. Sessions focused on how changing consumer preferences have prompted the industry to respond and reimagine tourism experiences to stay ahead of the curve.

Winners of the Spain Tourism and Europamundo webinar organised by TravTalk, Mr and Mrs Jay Sarogi from Holiday Tripster in Kolkata, are currently on a nine-day tour to Spain as part of their win. Europamundo Vacations had collaborated with the Tourism Board of Spain to launch their products for 2023-24 season.

A parliamentary standing committee has rued the lack of a clear roadmap from the tourism ministry to leverage the opportunity presented by its G20 presidentship to increase tourist footfalls. The report of the Dept related to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture stated the ministry should have set aside a budget for G20 promo activities.

Gurugram is growing as a major healthcare hub, providing world-class tertiary and quaternary care to domestic and international patients. Its private healthcare market has emerged as a preferred destination for Medical Value Travel and is estimated to be nearly Rs 6,800 crores, according to a study titled ‘Gurugram Market Research’ conducted by TR Life Sciences consultancy firm.

Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury along with The Leela Palace Bengaluru and The Leela Palace Delhi will host three food festivals focused on sharing as from 16 March 2023. They will take turns to host each other for three days and celebrate gastronomy in India and Mauritius. Standing at the crossroads of cuisines from various continents, Mauritian cuisine is a treasure trove that draws its riches from its diversity. Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury has a strong Indian inspiration and it was only natural to partner with a leading institution to enhance this legacy. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts are regarded as the epitome of fine Indian cuisine with iconic settings in fantastic locations in Bengaluru, Delhi, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury will be hosted in India by Le Cirque Restaurant, The Leela Palace Delhi from 16 to 18 March and Le Cirque Restaurant, The Leela Palace Bangalore from 23 to 25 March. It will subsequently welcome the teams from The Leela Palace, the reference for fine cuisine and luxury in India, at the iconic gourmet restaurant of Mauritius, La Goélette, from 6 to 8 April. The menu will feature an array of flavours curated by Royal Palm’s Executive Chef, William Girard, with new culinary signatures blending contemporary French cuisine with fresh, delicate notes from the Mauritian terroir. For his part, Chef Purushotham Naidu from The Leela Palace is considered a legend not only for his cooking style but also for his encyclopedic knowledge of South Indian cuisines.

Sri Lanka based Granbell Hotels (4 Star) and Le Grand (Luxury) situated in Colombo and Galle respectively, appoints Intrepid Marketing & Communications as their representative to establish their presence in India through sustained sales, marketing and communications initiatives to further accelerate record of Indian visitors. Nestled in the heart of the crowning jewel of Sri Lanka’s colonial past, Le Grand Galle offers the majestic grandeur of a Galle hotel. It provides an array of leisure activities for guests including river safari, culinary demonstration, and Galle Fort tour that ensures an exposure to Sri Lanka’s authentic culture. Meanwhile, Granbell Hotel, Colombo, which opened its doors to visitors in early May last year, offers a combined experience of Japan’s high-quality service standards with Sri Lanka’s globally acclaimed hospitality. Collectively, the hotels are a reflection of Sri Lanka’s most coveted leisure and luxury experiences and beckons Indian travellers exploring a serene sojourn. Both properties are owned by leading Japanese company Belluna Co. Ltd, which is listed on the Tokyo stock exchange. The company has seven Granbell Hotels and one Le Grand hotels based in Japan and manages properties in Japan as well as in Maldives. Commenting on the association with Intrepid Marketing & Communications, Mr. Hiroshi Yasuno, CEO Belluna, said, “We are delighted to tie up with Intrepid Marketing & Communications to strengthen foothold of Granbell Colombo & Le Grand Galle, in India. India is a key market for us and generating the maximum revenue from India is our goal. Having two properties in pivotal geographical locations in the country, it’s important that we ensure that we have a strong presence in the Indian market. With the experience Intrepid possesses with Sri Lanka …

DCT Abu Dhabi is organizing the #Summer in Abu Dhabi Webinar today at 3pm, which would allow the participants to learn about the family friendly attractions, beach, resorts & hotels and entertainment options. Register with jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com. +919650196532.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, joined prominent tourism voices to discuss transition in travel. She said, “I see travel and tourism as the Guardians of Nature. I see us as being able to protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gasses.” The forum continues to collaborate with key industry representatives to drive sustainable action in the tourism space.  

Poised for exponential growth after a pause, these two segments of travel are evolving like never before, with new expectations from ever-discerning customers. Listen to industry leaders from across the travel and tourism industry in both India and Singapore about what the industry needs to be equipped with in pursuit of travellers of tomorrow, at this exciting conclave organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), to be held in Mumbai on March 10, 2023.   WTTC President Julia Simpson famously announced last year that “the recovery of global tourism is going to be so stellar that it’s going to recover really powerfully”. According to forum, the global travel and tourism sectors are projected to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023. It is expected to post an annual average growth rate of 5.8% from 2022 to 2032 versus the 2.7% increase in global GDP.  Focus on cruise and MICE segments Businesses in the MICE travel sector have also pinned their hopes on 2023 as the year it truly bounces back. According to a GBTA survey, over three-fourths of global travel managers expect the number of business trips taken by employees to be higher, with 85% of travel suppliers expecting their corporate client bookings to be higher this year. Some travel industry experts from India say that it could account for well over a third of the total outbound travel from India. Singapore has been one of the earliest beneficiaries of the outbound revival in the region; India has been a very important MICE source market for Singapore, especially in the M&I space. Requirements of MICE travellers are also evolving, and they are looking for new ways to conduct their meetings, and …