Category Archives: Agents

With Indian outbound travel market getting ready to reopen and travel around the world again, KTO New Delhi, Shinhan Bank and Utazzo Travel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote a one of its kind savings cum deposit plan called “Let’s Go Korea” for Indian travellers to plan their dream holiday to South Korea. The plan allows travellers to invest for their future trip to Korea and receive exclusive offers on their Korea travel bookings from Utazzo Travel. The customers can invest in monthly instalments ranging between INR 2,000 to INR 100,000 with Shinhan Bank for a duration of up to 1 year. The Shinhan bank offers an attractive rate of interest of 5.75% * per annum that can be availed at the end of the deposit period. The buyers of this monthly saving cum recurring deposit plan are entitled for exclusive discounts and money back offers provided by Utazzo travel. As the exclusive travel agency partner, Utazzo Travel will curate multiple packages at attractive rates, valid till December 31, 2023. The buyers will be provided with a special 10% discount and 5% cash back on the South Korea package cost & a voucher worth INR 25,000 for other future bookings. Not just this the package buyers will receive an exclusive photo shoot in South Korea. The customers need to enroll for the Let’s Go Korea plan with Shinhan bank and fill a Google form to avail these exclusive offers. One lucky winner from the package Korea package buyers will also receive a free stay for two at a 5 star hotel in India. The list does not end here, Korea Tourism Organization will also be providing a special …

Outrigger Hospitality Group announced 31 March that it has acquired the newly renovated five-star Maafushivaru Resort in the Maldives – adding another premier beach property to its expanding global portfolio. The luxury resort has been renamed Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort and is located on a private island in the pristine South Ari Atoll region, a 25-minute seaplane flight from Malé – offering convenient access and breathtaking views for arriving guests. The resort is comprised of a collection of 81 luxury villa styles including beach, pool and duplex accommodations, as well as coveted overwater bungalows and more. “There are few destinations that evoke higher levels of relaxation, elegance and seclusion than the Maldives. This resort is the perfect addition to our array of global beachfront properties,” said Jeff Wagoner, President and CEO of Outrigger Hospitality Group. “With travel on the rise, we look forward to welcoming our global guests to the Maldives and curating unforgettable Outrigger Signature Experiences that allow visitors to appreciate Maldivian culture in an iconic beachfront setting.” Located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is classified by many world travellers as the ultimate luxury beach destination. Known for its uninterrupted views of white sandy beaches and a seemingly endless turquoise lagoon, the Maafushivaru Resort has recently undergone an extensive modernisation and is poised to be among the Maldives’ most sought-after vacation destinations. Outrigger will leverage the knowledge of General Manager, John Allanson, who has served the brand previously and has three decades of hospitality leadership experience. In his new role, Allanson will spearhead the transition of this property utilising The Outrigger Way philosophy. This ethos has allowed the brand to expand across the globe without compromising its values …

Lotus Destinations, as the Preferred Sales Agent of Carnival Cruise in India takes great pleasure in conducting a Carnival Cruise webinar for the travel trade highlighting safety protocols, new fleet introductions and new itineraries to Bahamas, Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Australia and more, today at 3PM IST. Attendees will also get a chance to win exciting prizes. To register, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Travel trade In India can learn to sell Europe, America, Asia and Australia again. Get the on-ground situation report and updated travel protocols of these destinations in Hindi at the Thomas Cook webinar today at 3pm IST. To attend register on https://event.webinarjam.com/register/385/8v79mirn or contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +919650196532.

IRIS Reps partners has not just survived, but thrived in the last few quarters and so did IRIS Reps. Year 2022 is poised for a strong recovery for them, as international air bubbles get lifted, flight frequencies increase and capacity increases. Alefiya Singh adds that the company is gearing up for its next phase of growth across its business verticals. The 2022 year has given us tremendous opportunity to make new connections, reinstate the contract with existing partners, and announce a series of senior appointments to ramp up its strength. IRIS Reps proud to represent Luxury resorts in Maldives; Coco Collection Maldives, Makunudu Island Maldives, Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives, Sri Lankan Resort ; Amari Galle Sri Lanka, DMC partners; Tour Managers Fiji , Millennium Tours Azerbaijan. Attractions for South Africa include Marine Dynamics Shark Tours which is the recent venture added in the account. Singh says, “We cannot change or predict each and every new surprise and challenge what fate has in store for us but there’s tremendous pent-up demand, which we are hoping to cash on.” Alefiya Singh has been in the travel industry for over two decades, starting with tourism boards, airlines, representations and many more. She helms her team in India and adept at collaborating and implementing innovative high profile travel and hospitality brands and aimed to develop the business with her client centric approach.

With the mission of creating awareness about Utah as a potential tourism destination for Indians, AVIAREPS India along with Utah Office of Tourism organized its first exclusive B2B virtual sales mission in India on 8th March 2022. The virtual event was attended by the representatives of Utah partners like Visit Salt Lake, Kane County Office of Tourism, Bryce Canyon Country, Explore Utah Valley and Utah Office of Tourism among others. Indian trade partners like Thomas Cook, Flamingo, Make my Trip, N. Chirag, Kesari were also a part of it. Zach Fyne, Global Markets Specialist, Utah Office of Tourism, said, “India has been among the Top 10 markets for the state of Utah in international visitation over the last five years, so we’re excited to further increase our efforts and exposure of what our state has to offer to the Indian visitor. We are confident the Indian market will be delighted by the experiences and beauty Utah that has to offer from our Mighty 5® national parks and 44 state parks, to skiing the Greatest Snow on Earth® at our 15 world-class ski resorts, to taking in the night sky at the 24 internationally-recognized dark sky areas and parks, to everything in between that is connected by driving through our 28 scenic byways. We’re excited to welcome more people from India to the beehive state!” Elaine from San Juan County shared, “We are happy to participate in the first of hopefully many, virtual India B2B sales missions. We know we already have travellers from India who are visiting San Juan County, so we are really looking forward to the opportunity to speak directly with travel trade partners in India to not …

After a monumental year of exciting development and new experiences, Los Angeles’ Comeback Story is unfolding in Southern California. To educate and engage travel trade partners from across the globe, Los Angeles Tourism has created an on-demand webinar on what’s new in LA, including new hotels, attractions, experiences, and more. In addition to the latest news, travel trade partners will learn what their clients can expect as they start their own comeback story in the City of Angels. Viewers will also experience an exclusive virtual tour of the revamped Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. “The importance of travel trade to Los Angeles can’t be overstated,” said Kathy Smits, Senior Vice President, Global Tourism. “We are so grateful for the continued support of our valued partners and hope these webinars will serve as a useful tool.” The on-demand webinar can be accessed at any time and represents the first in a series of travel trade webinars promoting L.A. Travel sellers can visit the Webinar Library to rewatch the What’s New webinar as needed and keep an eye out for new webinars in the future.

Commencing their India market activation, Ajman Department of Tourism Development has announced Intrepid Marketing and Communications as their representative, who will be implementing all sales, marketing and communications initiatives in key target markets. Ajman Department of Tourism Development is venturing into the evolving Indian outbound market for the first time to capitalize on the upcoming travel season and accelerate footfalls to the smallest city of the United Arab Emirates. Ajman Tourism Development Department, will be penetrating their reach in the wedding, MICE and luxury FIT segments in India through sustained activities assisted by Intrepid Marketing & Communications. On the appointment of its India representative, Khadija Turki, Director of Tourism Development and Marketing, Ajman Department of Tourism Development, said, “We are ecstatic to set foot in the India market as we are aware of the country’s unique travel appetite and look forward to welcoming our guests seeking an exquisite getaway. India is an exciting yet a complex market for several factors and we are thrilled to work with Intrepid Marketing and Communications team and collectively derive the best methods to establish and expand our presence. The team will be endorsing our products and itineraries across key segments and markets and provide their core insights to make Ajman one of the fastest emerging destinations amongst outbound Indian travellers.” Acknowledging the latest addition to Intrepid Marketing & Communication’s growing portfolio, Madhuri Verma, Director, said, “We are stoked to introduce Ajman Department of Tourism Development to India and promote the city’s diverse tourism aspects amongst the travel trade community. Although UAE has been an established destination, Ajman as a destination is relatively new and hence will be exciting for both agents and travellers. We …

Finnair – Finland’s flag carrier airline – has added Mumbai as a new destination in Summer 2022 and announced scheduled services between Mumbai and Helsinki starting July 2022. The new launch makes Mumbai its second destination in India. Finnair will operate from Mumbai and Helsinki three times a week, i.e., on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, connecting the Indian travellers smoothly to and from Finnair’s vast network.  Finnair connects customers to almost 70 destinations in Europe and five destinations in the US; Seattle, New York, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. When flying to Europe or the US via Helsinki, customers can enjoy the compact and uncrowded Helsinki Airport, where all the gates and services are located under one roof, in one terminal building. Helsinki Airport has recently gone through an extensive renewal, offering Asian travellers a smooth and easy transit to other destinations in Finnair’s network. Finnair will be operating the Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft for this route. With strengthening economic ties between India and Europe, the launch of new route signifies the growing importance of the region. Desmond Chacko – General Manager, Finnair said, “As the world opens up to travel, it is an opportune time to expand operations and enable better connectivity for our customers. After Delhi, Mumbai is a major airline hub in India and is home to leading global businesses. Our new services will enable both business & leisure travel from the region as global economies gradually recover from the impact of the COVID-19.” The Mumbai flights will be available for sale at Finnair.com and at travel agents starting April 05th, 2022.

The Switzerland Travel Experience (STE) 2022 brought together over 60 leading travel agents and tour operators from across India associated together with 21 partners from the Swiss tourism industry including destinations, hotels, attractions, public transportation, mountain excursions, and other related companies, at its annual event held in Goa between March 14-17, 2022. In the wake of the tourism sector emerging from its most challenging years, Indian tourists are increasingly looking at Switzerland as a preferred travel destination. According to the main tour operators, there has been a 40% increase in enquiries from Indian travellers for Switzerland. This is not only because of the plethora of activities available in the scenic country like adventure, sports, culture, food but also because of the multiple experiences it offers for all types of travellers be it solos, couples, families as well as the adventure seekers. The rise in interest can also be attributed to Switzerland’s longstanding reputation as one of the cleanest countries in the world, and additionally, because the country has been keeping up with the needs of today’s traveller for authenticity, proximity to nature and considerate consumption as part of their Swisstainable sustainability strategy. Multiple safety measures put in place during the pandemic like the ‘Clean and Safe Label’ which promotes strict protection plans laid down by the government and boosts the guests’ confidence in Switzerland as a travel destination have also led to great confidence in the country among Indian travellers. “As the borders opened up, confidence in travel returned with the acceleration in vaccination programs making travellers seek out new experiences to make up for the many months spent under restrictions. This has led to pent-up demand among travellers who have been waiting for …