Key happenings in the world of tourism
LEVERAGING ON EMERGING MARKETS The Department of Tourism (DoT), Philippines, with its 25-member delegation, recently conducted the ‘Visit the Philippines Year Again (VPA) 2016’ roadshow for its travel trade partners based in Pune and Ahmedabad
TAPPING GUJARAT Tourism Council of Bhutan recently conducted a road show for travel agents in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, as part of its India agenda, to enhance Indian footprint in 2016
PROMOTING IRELAND Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons (fourth from left) made his first official trip to India to promote the island of Ireland to Indian travel trade
A WARM WELCOME Captain John Smith’s descendent Colonel Henry Martin Lockhart Smith (centre) and wife Margaret (second from left) recently visited the Ajanta caves and were welcomed Valsa Nair-Singh, principal secretary, Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra (third from left); Paraag Jaiin Nainuttia, managing director, MTDC (fifth from left); and other officials
CELEBRATING NATURE ixigo recently celebrated Earth Day, themed “Trees for the Earth”, with employees coming together to plant trees near the IFFCO Chowk metro station in Gurugram
LUXURY RIDES Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC), along with Sania Mirza, brand ambassador for Telangana, launched two new catamaran yachts for the Hussain Sagar Lake at Lumbini Park in Hyderabad
TRULY TRADE Tourism Malaysia recently held its nine-day sales mission to India and Sri Lanka, covering the Indian cities of Chandigarh, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Colombo in Sri Lanka
KOLKATA HOSTS IITM The 2016 Kolkata edition of India International Travel Mart (IITM) was recently held at the Milan Mela Trade Centre and inaugurated by AR Bardhan, principal secretary, tourism, Government of West Bengal
INDIGO A320NEO LAUNCH Mary Ellen Jones, vice president, sales – Asia Pacific and China, Pratt & Whitney (centre), with Aditya Ghosh, president, IndiGo (to Jones’ left) at the launch of first A320neo Powered by PurePower Engine by Pratt & Whitney, at India Aviation Week
NEW CONNECTIVITY H E Hamed Saif Ali Al-Rawahi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to India, inaugurating Jet Airways’ newly started Delhi-Muscat daily direct service, at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
NEW ONBOARD Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive officer, flydubai (right), receiving its membership certificate from Hussein Dabbas, regional vice president, Africa and the Middle East, IATA at an event held in Dubai
EXPLORING BUSINESS AVENUES The Italian Trade Commissioner Dr Francesco Pensabene announcing the unveiling of the first Italian campaign in India, ‘Italy: The Extraordinary Commonplace’, focusing on food and food processing, design, fashion, infrastructure, smart cities, luxury, and furniture
CYCLING FOR TOURISM As part of its ‘Developing Destinations’ initiative to promote tourism, environmental friendliness, public participation and healthy living, The Lalit Resort & Spa, Bekal, in association with District Sports Council and Cycling Association, Bekal, recently organised a cycle rally – ‘The LaLiT Cycle-on’
FIRST TRADE SHOW IN INDIA The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) recently conducted its first travel trade roadshow in India in Mumbai and New Delhi
HOMAGE TO DR AMBEDKAR Satish Soni, joint managing director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (left) and Paraag Jaiin Nainuttia, managing director, MDTC, paying homage to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on his 125th birth anniversary at MTDC headquarters in Mumbai
JOYOUS CELEBRATIONS Tourism Authority of Thailand recently organised the biggest ever Songkran (Thai New Year) celebrations in Bangkok
CELEBRATING LIFE Taufiq Qureshi performing at The Worli Festival 2016 in Mumbai; an annual celebration featuring musical performances, art, food and more
REWARDING GROWTH Air Arabia recently awarded the best performing travel agents in Nagpur at Enterprising Travel Agents Awards 2016, for their contribution to the growth of the airline across the Central India