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Lead Story
MoT
urges lowering of TFCI loan interest rates
In a bid to make the interest rates on the loans offered by
the Tourism Finance Corporation of India (TFCI) as competitive
as other financial institutions, the Ministry of Tourism (MoT)
has written to the planning commission to unify the interest
rates.
Newstrack
VisitLondon
to look at inter city London - New Delhi agreement for infrastructure
facilitation
Ken Livingston, the mayor of London is scheduled to open mayoral
offices in the two major metros of Delhi and Mumbai from November
2007.
MTDC
to develop Vidharbha region as eco-tourism circuit
With a number of states jumping on the eco-tourism bandwagon,
the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is
looking to do the same.
Taj
Tours plans special packages for festive season
Tour operator Taj Tours London, popular with the NRI segment,
has planned packages to Europe for the year-end festive season
in November and December.
Galileo
launches Complete Pricing Plus
Complete Pricing Plus, launched by global distribution system
Galileo, has been designed to further automate complex leisure
hotel bookings.
Amadeus’
top 10 tips to optimally use self-booking tools
Technology and distribution solutions provider Amadeus and
the Business Travel Research Centre at Cranfield University,
recently conducted a study on the adoption of online travel
management tools, with the aim of helping companies to get
more out of their self-booking tools (SBTs).
Ezeego1.com
launches travel shop
Travel portal ezeego1.com has opened its first retail shop
called Travel Shop in Mumbai, making it among the first few
online travel agent to do so.
Trail
Blazers India to set up retail outlets
Trail Blazers India (TBI) which focuses on the inbound, outbound
and domestic package tours, is looking at setting up retail
showrooms across the country.
WTM
World Responsible Tourism Day
World Travel Mart (WTM), which will be held from November
12 to 15, 2007 in London, will offer the travel and tourism
industry an opportunity to become one powerful and unifying
force, through its World Responsible Tourism Day on November
14, 2007 that is being supported by the UNWTO.
30 Minute Interview
'VisitBritain
considers India as the next big destination'
Michael Bedingfield, vice president of VisitBritain speaks
about the tourism board's future plans for India as it emerges
as one of the major markets in Asia. By Anupama Sushil
IATO Convention 2007
Ambika
Soni unveils Express TravelWorld women's special issue at
IATO convention
Keeping with UNWTO's World Tourism Day (September 27, 2007)
theme ‘Tourism Opens Doors for Women', Express TravelWorld
took great pride in saluting the women in the Indian tourism,
aviation and hospitality industries who have contributed to
the cause and betterment of the industries in their own unique
way.
Galileo-Express TravelWorld Awards
Industry
readies for travel’s premier event on Nov 30
The travel and tourism industry's most prestigious event the
Galileo-Express TravelWorld Awards will held on November 30
this year and will have SBI as its Banking Partner this year.
TAAI Convention 2007
TAAI
theme is ‘Growth though Evolution’
The 56th Indian Travel Congress, the Travel Agents Association
of India (TAAI) Convention is all set to address the most
pertinent and pressing issue facing the Indian travel and
tourism industry that is about accepting change and being
drivers of change rather than being driven.
An Express TravelWorld exclusive
'I
would love to set up an airline out of India'
Reportedly, when Sir Richard Branson, nicknamed 'Dr Yes' by
his staff, launched Virgin Atlantic in 1984, no one thought
it would survive for more than a year. Unfortunately, says
the airline's chairman, all those who felt so are out of business
today. Universally known to be a go-getter who loves to challenge
himself, Branson is hopeful to start an airline out of India.
For now though, he is venturing into space travel with Virgin
Galactic. But India still figures in his plans as he readies
to enter the mobile business. In an exclusive interview, he
speaks with Reema Sisodia in Malaysia
'I
know I can make money in India'
Dato' Anthony Francis Fernandes, or simply Tony Fernandes,
founder director of AirAsia X and group CEO of AirAsia, speaks
to Reema Sisodia about his confidence in the India market
Channel Chat
Bengal
sub-agents move on despite their problems
The sky has opened up and so have the opportunities. The number
of business travellers from Kolkata or for that matter West
Bengal has increased manifold in the last one decade.
Uplink
Holiday
IQ to review international destinations
Bangalore-based travel information portal Holiday IQ has announced
plans of increasing their content to include in-depth information
and reviews about destinations abroad.
MakeMyTrip.com
eyeing a turnover of Rs 1,250 crore in 2007-08
MakeMyTrip.com, the country's leading online travel company
is eyeing a turnover of Rs 1,250 crore by the end of March
2008.
Inbound
Andhra
Pradesh Tourism board hits road
The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Board recently organised a road
show in the city to educate the trade about its latest products.
Srinagar
houseboat owners unhappy with state government
Houseboats have become an icon of Kashmir with their owners
serving the tourists in their own special way and keeping
tourism alive even in the worst of times.
Kerala
and West Bengal to work closely for tourism promotion
The tourism departments of Kerala and West Bengal plan to
work more closely in the years to come to increase the flow
of tourists between the two states.
Outbound
Finnish
tourism partners with Raj
The Finnish Tourist Board has tied up with the tour operator
Raj Travel World to offer specially designed winter tour packages
to the much-talked about, but yet unexplored areas in Finland.
GNTB
organises first road show for the travel trade
The German Tourism National Board (GNTB) was in the state
recently along with its partners to promote various products
to the travel trade fraternity in Mumbai. Addressing the media
was Horst Lommatzsch, destination manager Asia, GNTB.
Italian
tourism launches coffee-table book with Kuoni
The Italian Tourism Board recently launched a 70-page coffee-table
book called 'Romancing the Peninsula' to promote popular Italian
destinations like Rome, Milan and Florence as well as lesser-known
destinations like Sienna to Indian travellers.
Sri
Lanka to tap MICE market
In a bid to woo the Indian corporate MICE traveller and promote
Sri Lanka as a MICE destination, the Sri Lankan Convention
Bureau (SLCB), in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Airlines
has launched a special package at a leading price of Rs 12,000
per person.
Trade Bytes
Second
edition of Indonesia Specialist Programme planned
After concluding the first Indonesian Specialist programme
for the Indian travel trade in Medan, Indonesia in August
this year, Clavin Marketing India is all set to flag off its
second edition from November 25-28, 2007, in association with
Malaysian Airlines.
Via
launches kiosks for booking bus tickets
Bangalore-based travel services portal Via has announced the
launch of kiosks that will allow customers to book bus tickets
online.
Star
Cruises stops its India operations
In a major setback to the growing Indian cruise industry,
Star Cruises pulled back its India operations for the season.
According to industry sources, drawing back of services is
a result of the poor infrastructure available here in India.
More
rivers for rafting in Uttarakhand
In an attempt to lower the burden on the existing river rafting
belt making it a year round sporting activity, Prakash Pant,
Minister of Tourism for Uttarakhand said to Express TravelWorld
in an exclusive conversation that the state government was
looking at extending the sport to other rivers of the state.
Macroview
Bombay
Chamber of Commerce to focus on heritage conservation
The Bombay Chamber of Commerce (BCC) laid down its agenda
at the recently convened meeting in Mumbai, which included
the restoration of forts, caves and other heritage monuments
in the state.
Centre
working on visa-on-arrival for tourists
To increase the flow of foreign tourists into the country,
the Union Ministry of Tourism is working closely with the
Home Ministry to allow visa-on-arrival for foreign tourists.
Centre
to promote 4 destinations as 'shopping hotspots'
Taking a cue from international shopping hotspots like Dubai
and Bangkok, the Union Tourism Ministry has now decided to
promote shopping tourism in the country.
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