Travel World Online

SpiceJet to commence international operations to Kathmandu and Colombo early next month : SpiceJet has announced that it will commence its international operations with its first flights to Kathmandu and Colombo early next month. The airline will flag-off its first international flight from Delhi to Kathmandu, Nepal on October 7, 2010.
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Finnair to start daily flights between Helsinki-New Delhi from January 6, 2011 : According to a report, Finnair will start daily service between Helsinki and New Delhi from the first week of January next year. Kari Stolbow, Director for Indian Subcontinent, Finnair said, “Our passenger load factor has been the highest from Asia, notably India.
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CTTC launches India specific website : The California Travel and Tourism Commission yesterday launched an India specific website – www.visitcalifornia.in at the US Travel Association trade mission in Mumbai. The website, along with providing unique itineraries also has the option of creating custom-made packages.
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The House of Dancing Water in Macau: The latest entrant on its roll call of attractions in Macau is the House of Dancing Water, the world's largest and perhaps the most spectacular water-based extravaganza that took five years in the making and cost USD 250 million.
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Roofers Hotels to invest Rs 150 crore for new hotel projects in West Bengal in 2010-11 : Kolkata-based Roofers Hotels, a unit of Roofers Group, will invest around Rs 150 crore in new hospitality projects in West Bengal in 2010-11. According to Nirmal Saha, Vice President, Roofers Hotels Ltd, the investments will be made to develop four ongoing hospitality projects across West Bengal.
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Kingfisher Airlines informs on flight disruptions due to 24-hour Bandh call in Kolkata from 8 Sep. : In view of the 24-hour Kolkata Bandh call given from 6:00 am tomorrow to 6:00 am on September 8, 2010, Kingfisher Airlines has announced cancellation of 29 flights and rescheduling of two flights as per details given below. Guests are requested to note that there will be no transportation available to and from Kolkata Airport while the bandh is in force.
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Tourism Australia introduces Self Drive and Experiential Luxury products for India : At the recently concluded Indian Travel Mission (ITM) 2010 in Hyderabad, Tourism Australia introduced Self Drive and Experiential Luxury products for the Indian market. The itineraries of these products, to be introduced in a phased manner, were launched at ITM 2010 with an objective to educate top agents about the itineraries that can be offered to families, honeymooners and DINKs.
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DoT, Govt of Karnataka to introduce new products in Kochi from 8 Sep. : A high-level delegation of Department of Tourism (DoT), Government of Karnataka officials will be in Kochi from 8 Sep. to introduce new offers, products and packages for the upcoming tourism season. According to a report in Business Standard, the state tourism department is currently on a ten-city road show across the country to promote its destinations.
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Indian Railways to cancel ‘Maitree’ Express train service on September 11-12, 2010 : According to a press release, on the request from Bangladesh Railway, the Indian Railways has decided to cancel the trip of ‘Maitree’ Express train on September 11, 2010 (Saturday) from Kolkata and on September 12, 21010 (Sunday) from Dhaka to avoid operational complications arising due to non running of trains in Bangladesh on Eid days.
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Air France prepares for air traffic controller unions strike: Within the framework of the national strike in France to be held tomorrow, some air traffic controller unions have called for strike action.
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MoCA grants final nod for Kariakal Airport project: According to a report, a proposal to set up a private Greenfield airport at Karaikal in Puducherry has been cleared by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). The Super Airport Infrastructure (India) Private Limited (SAIIPL), a Coimbatore-based infrastructure promoting company has obtained final clearance within a month after getting 'No Objection Certificate' from the Puducherry government to its proposal this year.
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26th IATO Convention Inaugurated- National Apex body of Travel & Tourism Industry : The 26th Annual Convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) was inaugurated with fan fare on Thursday at Hotel Inder Residency, Udaipur. The Convention was inaugurated by Mr. R.H. Khwaja, Secretary Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
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A New Head at Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, India: Mr. Malraj B. Kiriella has recently been appointed as the Acting Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
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Tourism Victoria to promote self-drive tours in India: Tourism Victoria will promote self-drive holidays targeting honeymooners and other segments of travellers in the Indian market. According to Celia Ho, Regional Manager – South & South East Asia, Tourism Victoria, leading a six-member travel mission from Victoria region to India, self-drive holidays are becoming popular in Victoria region, and the tourism board will try to push the product in a big way through travel trade in India.
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Emirates Airline to operate daily flights from Dubai to Al Medinah al Munawarah from October 31, 2010: Emirates Airline will increase services to Al Medinah al Munawarah by seven flights per week from October 31, 2010 underscoring the important economic and cultural ties between the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The service is operated by an A330-200 aircraft, offering 12 seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 183 seats in Economy.
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Hotel Sea Princess Mumbai joins Luxe Hotels: Hotel Sea Princess Mumbai has taken up Luxe Hotels affiliation and will be a member of its ‘Elite’ collection of properties. The soft branding will entitle Luxe Hotels to carry out sales and marketing and distribution services for the hotel for a period of five years. The affiliation is expected to come into effect from mid September, 2010, post which the property will also be available for booking via Luxe Hotels website.
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Travel Industry Global Leaders to Gather in Singapore for Prestigious World Savers Congress: Global leaders from the travel industry and non-profit organisations will meet in Singapore in October, when the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Congress will be held outside the United States for the first time.
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TAT New Delhi Bags 2 Awards in A Month for Outstanding Marketing: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) New Delhi Office was the recipient of two of India’s most prestigious travel awards when its director received the Best Professional – Marketing Award from Safari India magazine on August 18th in Gurgaon and Best Outbound Destination Promotion Award in the ITM Travel & Tourism Awards 2010 on August 26th in New Delhi.
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Mauritius Annunced India as their Main Asian Source Market: Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) has announced India as their primary source market in the Asia region and its strategic aim to target 100,000 Indian arrivals.
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UAE ranks 65th on freedom to travel list: The UAE has been ranked 65th globally in terms of the number of countries and territories which can be entered without a visa by a UAE citizen, according to Henley Visa Restrictions Index created by Henley & Partners, an international residence, citizenship and government advisory firm.
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Saudi Arabia decision angers tourism sector: Riyadh Saudi Arabia has stopped granting of visas to those who wish to visit the kingdom only for tourism, Gulf News learnt yesterday.
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2. GoAir adds four new routes - Patna, Pune, Leh and Lucknow, inducts two A320 aircraft: GoAir has announced the addition of four new stations - Patna, Pune, Leh and Lucknow and two new A320 to its growing network. The services on these new stations and new aircraft will start from September 2, 2010 for Patna and for Pune, Lucknow and Leh from October 2, 2010 onwards.
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China eyes South Africa high-speed rail: China’s largest construction company has confirmed it is in talks about building South Africa’s first high-speed rail line.
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1. Air India to monitor competitors’ fares, plans to install FTS: According to a report, Air India plans to keep a tab electronically on fares offered by its peers, both on domestic, as well as international routes, and accordingly chart out its strategy. The airline has decided to implement a Fare Tracking System (FTS) which would enable it to monitor and compare various basic fares, taxes and other charges by airlines across geographies.
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Guwahati's Hottest Tourism Hub to Get a Makeover: Guwahati’s well-renowned tourism attraction, Dighalipukhuri Park is now likely to undergo a makeover from the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC).
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Star Alliance launches Brazil Airpass: Star Alliance has launched the Brazil Airpass which allows travel across entire domestic network of more than 45 destinations served by TAM Airlines. The routing can be selected and needs to cover between four and nine flight coupons.
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Qatar Airways to increase services from Delhi, Amritsar and Kochi from September 1, 2010 : Qatar Airways has announced frequency increases on flights from Delhi, Amritsar and Kochi to be phased in over a two-month period, effective September 1, 2010. With an additional 14 flights a week from the three Indian cities, Qatar Airways raises the number of services between India and its Doha hub to 88 flights a week – representing a 20 per cent increase in frequency.
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Kumari Selja, Union Minister for Tourism inaugurates reservation centre at RGIA, Hyderabad: According to a report, Kumari Selja, Union Minister for Tourism recently inaugurated a 24/7 tourist information cum reservation centre at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad.
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Air Seychelles to add Chennai as stopover on Mahe-Singapore route from November 1, 2010 : Air Seychelles will add Chennai as a stopover on its Mahe-Singapore route effective November 1, 2010. Responding to the increased number of arrivals from the Indian subcontinent and demand from the local Indian community, Air Seychelles, has decided to launch this service, which will provide a direct air-link to India.
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'Ladies Only Floor' in Brisbane for Travel Chicks: The Best Western Portal Hotel in Brisbane, Australia, has joined the growing number of international hotels in the region to cater to independent female travellers by offering a special Ladies Only floor that boasts luxury and security in equal measure.
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Hilton Hotels joins Golf in a Kingdom: The Thai Golf Experience : Hilton Hotels has joined the Thai marketing cooperative Golf in a Kingdom: The Thai Golf Experience. As new hotel partners, Hilton properties across Thailand, in Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket, are now preferred lodging options, alongside some of the country’s top golf courses, in a variety of stay-and-play itineraries offered and executed by tour operator Golfasian.
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ITDC hopeful of completing furnishing of hotels in Delhi by August 31, 2010 : India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is hopeful of completing the furnishing of their hotels in Delhi by August 31, 2010. According to Dr Lalit K Panwar, Chairman and Managing Director, ITDC, the remaining work at Hotel Samrat New Delhi will be completed by August 31, 2010.
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Le Passage to India expands its operations in Rajasthan : Le Passage to India has extended its operations beyond Jaipur in Rajasthan by opening four new offices in the cities of Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner. These new offices are in line with the company’s corporate strategy of establishing operations in high footprint cities to ensure clients are looked after by professional service teams.
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Singapore receives 1,095,000 visitor arrivals in July 2010: STB : Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has announced that Singapore received 1,095,000 visitor arrivals in July 2010, registering a 24.1 per cent growth, the highest ever recorded visitor arrivals in the month of July. This is also the first time that visitor arrivals have exceeded one million in a single month.
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Aegean Airlines and Continental Airlines launch codeshare flights: Star Alliance partners Continental Airlines and Aegean Airlines have started codesharing on Continental Airlines flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Athens, as well as on selected flights operated by Aegean Airlines in Europe.
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Seychelles Joins the World of Carnivals : The Tropical Creole Islands of the Seychelles has now confirmed that they are organizing an annual carnival for the first time due on March 4-6, 2011.
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Incredible India Logo not to be Used Unauthorised: The Ministry of Tourism has recently come to realise that some information centres, travel agents, tour operators and individuals with an intention to misrepresent, misguide and cheat the tourists, are using the logo of Incredible India.
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Lufthansa City Centre strengthens its India footprint: In a significant announcement Germany’s Lufthansa City Centre (LCC), one of the fastest growing international travel networks in the world, has appointed New Delhi headquartered Pearl International Tours & Travel Limited (PITT) as a new Business Plus licensee in India. The Rs 540 crore PITT is a group company of the Pearl Pet business house.
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Qantas to introduce Premium Economy seats on Tokyo and Frankfurt services: Qantas has announced that it will introduce Premium Economy seats on its Tokyo and Frankfurt services. Alan Joyce, Chief Executive Officer, Qantas said that the airline will retrofit six two class Boeing 747s to include 40 Premium Economy seats with the new offering to be available on the Tokyo route from October 2010 and Frankfurt route from February next year.
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AAPA releases traffic results for July 2010: Preliminary figures for the month of July 2010 released recently by Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) provide further evidence of the strength of recovery in both passenger and freight markets, with volumes surpassing pre-recession levels.
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ITB Asia Puts Association Meetings Business in Spotlight : ITB Asia has attracted over 25 speakers to address Association Day, a specialist forum (20-21 October) that is dedicated to understanding and growing the association meeting sector in Asia.
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Abu Dhabi International Airport Sees Passenger Traffic Increase by 9.2 Percent In July 2010 : According to a report, the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) has announced the results of its monthly traffic report, which shows an increase of 9.2 per cent in passenger traffic for the month of July 2010, over the same month in the previous year. For the first time in the airport’s history, more than one million passengers travelled through the airport in any one single month. Aircraft movements increased by 10.1 per cent, while cargo traffic increased by 12.3 per cent, with a total of 36,755 tonnes transported through the airport.
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DMRC To Launch Revamped Interactive Website For Commonwealth Games 2010 : According to a report, with thousands of foreign tourists expected to visit the national capital during the Commonwealth Games in October this year, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will soon launch its re-designed interactive website. The revamped website will have a special section providing details about the Games, metro stations and other information about the transport system.
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South Central Railway to run special trains between Secunderabad-Bikaner: South Central Railway (SCR) will run ten special trains between Secunderabad and Bikaner from September 1 to October 3 to clear extra rush of traffic.
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Air India Will Take Steps To Redress Grievances Of Passengers: CMD: Air India (AI) has decided to take earnest steps to redress the grievances of its passengers, according to AI Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Aravind Jadhav. Addressing a press conference after holding a detailed discussion with the representatives of Kochi International Airport Limited (CIAL), Leading Hotels
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Air India to lose Kathmandu-Kolkata Monopoly.: From Oct 1, India's national carrier Air India will lose its monopoly on the Kolkata-Kathmandu-Kolkata sector with independent Nepali airline Buddha Air beginning its inaugural flights between the two cities. The 13-year Nepali airline
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World Travel Market to introduce Technology and Online Travel Theatre for exhibitors : World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, to be held on November 8-11, 2010 at Excel, London, is expanding its technology seminar programme for 2010 with the introduction of a presentation theatre on the exhibition floor within the technology and online travel section.
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TAT Unveils New Tourism Campaign: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has recently announced the launch of a special campaign presented to stimulate the tourism market
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4th International Conference on Responsible Tourism to be held in Oman from October 10-12, 2010 : Dr Venu V, Principal Secretary (Tourism), Government of Kerala, is among a host of eminent speakers who will highlight important issues connected with Responsible Tourism at the fourth International Conference on Responsible Tourism (ICRT) to be held in Oman from October 10-12, 2010.
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JetBlue brings back one-month travel pass : JetBlue is selling ‘All You Can Jet’ pass for USD 699 that enables purchasers to travel wherever JetBlue flies between September 7 and October 6, 2010. The airline is selling this pass till August 20, 2010 or while supplies last.
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