China gets eTV facility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the Government of India has decided to extend e-Tourist Visas to Chinese nationals. This was revealed by the Prime Minister at the Tsinghua University in Beijing. Modi informed that the government is celebrating the “Year of India” in China in 2015

PATA & MoT roadshows in Canada and the US

The Ministry of Tourism in association with PATA will be holding roadshows in Canada and the US from 10-18 June 2015.
The date for roadshows are as follows:
1. Montreal – 10 June, 2015 (Wednesday)
2. Toronto – 11 June, 2015 (Thursday)
3. Chicago – 16 June, 2015 (Tuesday)
4. Houston – 18 June, 2015 (Thursday)

Jet Airways offers special fares for Visit Kerala year

In a bid to promote ‘Visit Kerala Year 2015-16′, Jet Airways has announced special fares to Kerala from any destination in India, provided that the visitor is staying in the state for a minimum of three days. Special discounts in various packages is being provided by accredited tour operators. Hotels and resorts are also offering value added service at discounted or special rates.

Quantum of the Seas’ maiden port of call in India

Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas will dock in Kochi, India for the first time on June 4, 2015. From thereon, the ship will proceed to Singapore during its highly-anticipated global journey from New York to Shanghai. Quantum of the Seas will dock in Kochi on June 4 and then sail on to Singapore from where guests can take a three-night cruise on June 12, 2015, before proceeding to Shanghai on June 15, where she will be home-ported.

Keyless hotel rooms in India

Starwood Preferred Guest introduces SPG Keyless, the hospitality industry’s first mobile, keyless entry system allowing guests to use their smartphone as a key. Rolling out to Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park, SPG Keyless makes its official debut in India. A turning point in the traditional hotel experience, SPG Keyless redefines the age-old way guests arrive and check-in to their rooms

To access this facility, SPG Members must register their phone once through the SPG App and allow push notifications. After booking a reservation at a keyless hotel and approximately 24 hours before arrival, SPG members are invited to opt-into SPG Keyless. Guests will receive a push notification noting that they are checked in and the SPG App will update with his/her room number and Bluetooth key when the room is ready. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk (where available) and go directly to his/her room. After ensuring his/her Bluetooth is enabled, the guest simply opens the SPG App, holds the smartphone to the door lock, waits for the solid green light and enters the room.

Lords Inn Hotel Jodhpur opens doors

Lords Hotel & Resorts announces the launch of its property, Lords Inn in Jodhpur. Located at PWD Circle High Court Colony Road, the 50-key hotel is the third property of Lords Hotels & Resort in Rajasthan with the other two in Jaipur. The hotel rooms are designed to suit the needs of both domestic and international travelers.

First Crowne Plaza in Chennai

The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the signing of the 286-room Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park with Adyar Gate Hotels. The hotel joins Holiday Inn Express Chennai Mahindra World City, making it the second IHG hotel in Chennai. Located in the city’s central business district and taking the site of the existing Sheraton Park Chennai, the hotel bears additional significance for IHG as it was originally the site of the company’s first Holiday Inn to open in India in the 1970s. Just 10 km from Chennai International Airport, the hotel features a wide array of excellent dining options which include Dakshin, a popular destination for regional cuisines from India’s southern peninsula; Cappuccino, the 24-hour all day dining restaurant; The Residency which boasts global culinary delights and On the Rocks, popular amongst guests and locals for its grilled cuisine and famous for hosting Michelin star-winning chefs. Guests can also enjoy evening drinks and bar snacks at The Westminster bar overlooking the pool; and round up the night at Gatsby 2000, the hotel’s night club which is also one of the city’s most popular private event spaces

Air India to start New Delhi-Colombo flights

Indian flag carrier Air India is launching new daily service linking capitals New Delhi and Colombo, starting from June 15.
According to Thanuja Lankatilaka, GM at Indu Sky Aviation, Air India’s GSA in Colombo, an Airbus A321 will be deployed on this route with 170 economy seats and 12 business class seats. Flights depart Colombo at 08.20 while return journeys depart New Delhi at 12.05 daily.

The service is Air India’s second Sri Lankan flight, as it currently flies daily between Colombo and Chennai.
SriLankan Airlines and India’s Jet Airways and SpiceJet also offer flights between the two neighbouring countries.

Dragonair adds 6th flight on Kolkata-Hong Kong route

Dragonair added an additional flight service between Kolkata and Hong Kong, bringing the total numbers of flights between the two cities from five to six flights per week. This additional service offers passengers greater flexibility for travel to Hong Kong and onward to other destinations through the extensive global network of Dragonair and its sister airline, Cathay Pacific Airways. Dragonair is the only airline offering a scheduled non-stop service between Kolkata and Hong Kong and these flights are operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft. With the addition of the sixth flight today, Dragonair and Cathay Pacific together, will now operate 48 passenger flights a week from the 6 major gateways in India that include Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata to Hong Kong.

Delhi-Lucknow Vistara takes-off

Vistara launched its first ever flight to Lucknow on May 18. The new service from Delhi to the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, will initially operate daily, with flights departing Delhi at 1200 and returning from Lucknow at 1355. But from June 16, the airline will add a second daily flight on the route, leaving Delhi at 0730 and returning at 0925. Lucknow becomes Vistara’s ninth destination in India, following Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Goa, Hyderabad, Bagdogra and Guwahati. The airline operates all its routes using a fleet of three-class Airbus A320 aircraft.

Fly Bangaluru-Vizag on AirAisa

AirAsia India has announced its new Bengaluru – Vishakapatnam route. To commemorate the launch , AirAsia India is offering all-inclusive fares of as low as Rs 1,400 from Bengaluru to Vishakapatnam and return from now to May 24, 2015, for the travel period from June 18, 2015 to May 31, 2016. The maiden flight from New Delhi VT-JRT titled ‘The Pioneer’ had 180 passengers on-board, signifying a 100 per cent flight load. The flight I5 2221 took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi at 6.15 am and landed at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru at 8.45 am

Events & Festivals in July 2016

* Champakulam Boat Race, Kerala –01 Jul
* Amarnath Yatra, J & K– 02 Jul/29 Aug
* Dree Festival, Arunachal Pradesh– 4/7 Jul
* Nijangattiri Aanayoottu, Kerala– 17 Jul (Elephant Feeding Rituals)
* Ramadan, All Over India—18 Jun/17 Jul
* Nabakalebar Rath Yatra, Udisha– 18/30 Jul
* Guru Purnima, All Over India– 31 Jul