Page 10 - Travel

Money can't be accepted once booking annulled

The Rajasthan State Commission highlighted that the Board had received payment before it had sent the reminders, and it had no proof of having served a cancellation notice

Rajasthan women to get 50% rebate on fares across all roadways buses

The Rajasthan government on Thursday announced a 50 per cent concession in fares for women passengers across classes of Rajasthan roadways buses. So far, the concession was limited to ordinary (blue line) buses. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved a proposal to provide 50 per cent concession in fares to women passengers across classes of Rajasthan roadways buses within the state limits, an official spokesperson said. Gehlot had announced in the 2023-24 budget that the concession in fares for women passengers in ordinary roadways buses would be increased from 30 to 50 per cent. This was implemented from April 1. At the inauguration of the bus terminal at Sindhi Camp here on May 25, the chief minister had announced that the concession would also be extended to Rajasthan roadways' buses.

Himachal Pradesh to set up 3 high-end hotels along Kiratpur-Manali highway

The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) will open three high-end hotels along the Kiratpur-Manali highway to facilitate tourists, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu said on Monday

Spot airfares up three times in a month on India's busiest routes

However, fares for tickets purchased 30 days in advance have seen a small increase

Avataar Holdings sells 5% stake in RateGain Travel for Rs 206 crore

Avataar Holdings on Thursday offloaded a 5 per cent stake in RateGain Travel Technologies for Rs 206 crore through an open market transaction. According to the bulk deal data available with the BSE, Avataar Holdings sold 55 lakh shares, amounting to a 5 per cent stake in RateGain Travel Technologies. The shares were disposed of at an average price of Rs 375.02 apiece, taking the transaction value to Rs 206.26 crore. Post the latest transaction, the shareholding of Avataar has been reduced to 2.07 per cent from 7.07 per cent (as of March 2023) equity in RateGain. Shares of RateGain gained 0.76 per cent to close at Rs 379.40 per piece on the BSE.

Travel to India proved productive for Pakistan: Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who became the first Pakistani Foreign Minister to travel to India since 2011 for a SCO meeting earlier this month, said the trip "proved productive and positive" for Islamabad

Surge in domestic travels continues; Manali, Goa top destinations: OYO

As far as destinations are concerned, mountains are the clear choice this summer with 30 per cent of the votes, followed closely by beaches at 26 per cent, it added.

Nights booked for international travel by Indians doubled in Q1: Airbnb

The nights booked for international travel by Indian guests more than doubled year-on-year in January-March this year, with the UK, US and various European countries emerging as the top destinations among domestic travellers, Airbnb said on Wednesday. While international travel has gained momentum, Indians are also seeking domestic travel adventures, indulging in beach getaways, city escapades, and serene vacations in the hills, the online accommodation hosting platform said. "Goa takes the top spot among the most booked domestic destinations, followed by Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi and Kullu. Overall nights booked in India have grown by 70 per cent when comparing full-year 2022 with pre-pandemic 2019, while domestic nights in India grew by almost 110 per cent," Airbnb stated. Airbnb's General Manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Amanpreet Singh Bajaj told PTI that the platform is witnessing "very strong momentum" in all three segments whether it is domestic, ...

Indian hospitality sector on a comeback trail with promising growth-report

CBRE reports investments in the Indian hospitality sector to exceed $2.3 bn in the coming two to five years

Around 2,200 rooms registered under Delhi govt's 'Bed and Breakfast' scheme

More than 2,200 rooms at 432 houses across the national capital have been registered under the Delhi government's "Bed and Breakfast" scheme since its launch, a tourism department official said on Tuesday, Under the scheme, the Delhi government provides registration to people wishing to convert their house into a Bed and Breakfast unit within 30 days. A Bed and Breakfast unit provides home-like affordable accommodation and food to visitors. The government follows proper procedure before registering a property, therefore it gives a sense of security to the visitors, the official said. A "thorough" inspection is done by a team of the tourism department and then the establishment is either given a gold or silver registration, the official said. Last year, the government reduced the registration time of the entire process from 90 days to 30 days. "As of now, over 2,200 rooms of 432 houses are registered with the Delhi government. This gives the tourist a sense of security that this h

Varanasi- Kolkata Expressway: Travel From Delhi to Kolkata in 17 hours

At present, the Purvanchal, Lucknow-Agra, and Yamuna Expressways make it possible for a traveller to cover the Delhi-Varanasi journey in just over 10 hours

Travel operators wants ban on outside state vehicles on Chardham route

Local travel operators staged an indefinite dharna here on Tuesday demanding a ban on vehicles from outside the state operating on the Chardham Yatra route. The transport department is issuing green cards to vehicles from other states for operating on the Chardham Yatra route. It is harming the local travel operators, the protesters said. "The travel operators were very enthusiastic about the start of the Chardham Yatra. But they are now in a state of despair as vehicles from states like Haryana and Delhi have come to Haridwar to operate on the route," Haridwar's taxi union president Sanjay Sharma said. "They are being issued green cards by the Uttarakhand Transport Department which is not fair. It is harming local travel operators. We have raised the matter before authorities a number of times but no action has been taken," he said. He said the protest will continue until a ban is imposed on vehicles from outside the state operating on the Chardham route.

Take weather update before visiting Kedarnath Temple: Authorities

In the wake of heavy snowfall in Kedarnath, Rudraprayag district administration on Tuesday advised pilgrims to visit the temple only after taking a weather update. "Kedarnath received heavy snowfall on Monday once again. Pilgrims are advised to plan their journey to the temple in accordance with the weather update for the area on Tuesday," Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police (SP) Vishakha Ashok Bhadane said. "The safety of pilgrims is of paramount importance to us," she said. Fresh registrations for visits to the temple have been stopped till May 15 due to bad weather, joint director of tourism Yogendra Gangwar said. Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts have witnessed frequent snowfalls in April and May this year. The way to Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh shrine located in Chamoli district which is to be opened for devotees on May 2, is still clogged with snow. Twenty-eight Indian Army personnel and volunteers of Hemkund Sahib Trust are busy clearing the snow from the route, Hemkund Sahib T

Sri Lanka expects to attract 20 lakh visitors from India this year

Sri Lanka, which is emerging from an economic crisis, is expecting to attract 20 lakh visitors from India this year, Sri Lanka Tourism Minister said on Friday. "Sri Lanka is experiencing a significant rise in tourist arrivals, particularly from India, which has now secured the top spot. "In the first three months of 2023, we welcomed 46,432 Indian tourists. With an ambitious promotional campaign underway, we are aiming to attract 2 million Indian tourists this year," Sri Lanka Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said in a statement. This increase in visitors has had a positive impact on tourism earnings, with Sri Lanka earning around USD 530 million in the first quarter of 2023, compared to USD 482.3 million in the same period last year, he said. "We expect to generate a total of USD 3 billion in tourism revenue this year," the minister added. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu said that the country is an ideal destination for families and is suitable for tra

MakeMyTrip, Europamundo collaborates for intl' holiday packages in India

Digital travel firm MakeMyTrip on Monday said it has partnered with Europamundo, a leading global player in tourism and travel industry, for bringing the latter's international holiday packages in India online. With this partnership, over 600 new itineraries will be added to MakeMyTrip's existing catalogue of nearly 5,000 holiday package options, the company said in a statement. "The partnership further strengthens our portfolio and bolsters our capability to unlock global destinations in new combinations to cater to every traveller's preference," MakeMyTrip Business Head, Holidays & Experiences, Jasmeet Singh said. "We have been working closely and developing the market together over the years, and we have achieved this integration to offer an even more complete and personalised experience to customers," Europamundo CEO Alejandro de la Osa said. Holiday packages, as part of this partnership, are available starting from a price range of Rs 49,500 (excluding flights) across ...

US extends visa walk-in interview waiver for more applicants; check here

It is applicable for those who want to renew their US visa within 48 months of expiry

TMS Ep420: Russian crude oil, Sanjay Mehrotra, travel stocks, LRS

Is the India-Russia oil honeymoon ending? Who is Sanjay Mehrotra? Should you buy travel stocks ahead of holiday season? What are the key changes in LRS? All answers here

IHCL, IndiGo, IRCTC: Analysts bet on travel stocks ahead of holiday season

Travel/tourism-related stocks: Analysts suggest investors keep a selective 'buy on dips' strategy on the space entailing hotels, airlines, travel agents, ticket booking players, and luggage makers

As the economy rebounds, India's hotel industry may have its best year ever

After posting a hike of 13 per cent in FY22 the ARR of premium hotels is estimated to have increased by 24 to 26 per cent in FY23, a decadal high of Rs 7,500 to 10,000, according to a Crisil report

Strong demand to boost profits of travel operators by 6-7% in FY23,: Report

Leading travel and tour operators are expected to witness 6-7 per cent growth in operating profit and recover 90 per cent revenue in this financial year, mainly driven by efficient cost structure, a report said on Wednesday. After having reported losses for the past two fiscals due to Covid pandemic induced travel restrictions, travel and tour operators are expected to witness 6-7 per cent operating profitability in FY23 and FY24, Crisil Ratings said in a report. The revenue is likely to be 90 per cent of the pre-pandemic levels or FY20, mainly buoyed by strong recovery in both corporate and leisure travel segments in India and abroad, it added. "We expect operating margins to sustain at these levels next fiscal due to implementation of cost optimisation and automation initiatives undertaken by travel operators commencing from the pandemic period, even as revenues are expected to pass pre-pandemic levels next fiscal," the report stated. This marks a significant turnaround from ...