Country to add 322 million more air passengers over next 20 years, IATA forecast reveals

India will overtake the UK to become the world’s third largest aviation market by 2026, a new forecast has revealed.

According to projections from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India will also be the world’s third fastest-growing aviation market over the next two decades, adding 322 million new passengers.

According to IATA, the top five fastest-growing major aviation markets between 2016 and 2035, in terms of the absolute number of additional passengers, will be:

1)    China (817 million new passengers for a total of 1.3 billion)
2)    US (484 million new passengers for a total of 1.1 billion)
3)    India (322 million new passengers for a total of 442 million)
4)    Indonesia (135 million new passengers for a total of 242 million)
5)    Vietnam (112 million new passengers for a total of 150 million)

Measured in percentage terms however, the world’s top 10 fastest-growing markets will all be in Africa, led by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Central African Republic, Benin and Mali.

Deccan Odyssey becomes Asia’s leading luxury train

Deccan Odyssey, the luxury train operated and managed by Cox & Kings, the outsourced partner of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), has won the World Travel Award 2016 in the category of Asia’s Leading Luxury Train. The award ceremony was held at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam and was attended by the luminaries of the travel industry.

Air India launches world’s longest flight

The national carrier has switched its Delhi-San Francisco service, which had previously operated westwards over the Atlantic, to an eastbound routing across the Pacific. Covering 15,100km, this becomes the world’s longest air route, in terms of distance, operated by any commercial airline today.

AI’s 15,100km Delhi-San Francisco route surpasses Emirates’ 14,203km Dubai-Auckland service as the longest commercial air route currently in service. It fails however, to eclipse the 15,345km Singapore-New York route previously operated by Singapore Airlines. This service was terminated in 2013, but SIA is planning to resume the route in 2018.

World’s longest non-stop air routes:

1)    Delhi-SanFrancisco (Air India)    –    15,100km
2)    Dubai-Auckland (Emirates)         –    14,203km
3)    Sydney-Dallas (Qantas)                 –    13,804km
4)    Singapore-San Francisco (United and Singapore Airlines) –    13,593km
5)    Atlanta-Johannesburg (Delta)     –    13,582km

Indian arrivals jump 13% in September

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Tourism, the country welcomed 615,000 overseas visitors in September 2016, up 13.4% compared to the same month last year.

Bangladesh was India’s largest source market during the month, accounting for 20.6% of the total arrivals, followed by the US (11.0%), UK (8.0%), Malaysia (5.0%) and Sri Lanka (4.0%). Australia (3.5%), China (3.4%), Germany (2.8%), Japan (2.8%) and Canada (2.6%) completed the top 10.

HOTEL NEWS

90-room Ginger hotel opens in Vapi

Ginger Hotels has announced the opening of 90-room Ginger Vapi. Strategically located 7 km from the railway station on the Mumbai-Surat highway, Ginger Vapi is in close proximity to the GIDC industrial area and provides convenient access to the city’s thriving industrial sector. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi, a multi-cuisine restaurant, a well-equipped fitness center, reliable security and efficient meeting facilities. The hotel is also a great option for travelers visiting the Daman and Jampore beaches. Ginger is the pioneer and the largest chain of branded budget hotels in India with a resilient promise of safety, cleanliness, relaxing sleep experience, refreshing shower experience, a hearty breakfast and seamless Wi-Fi.

JW Marriott opens 1st hotel in Kolkata

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its luxury portfolio with the opening of its eighth hotel in India, JW Marriott Hotel Kolkata. This is Marriott International’s first hotel in Kolkata and East India and is in the heart of the city, minutes from the old central business district.

Comprising of 281 rooms, JW Marriott Hotel Kolkata, boasts the largest ballroom in the city and features a unique bridal room, offering brides an exclusive, private space available for pre-wedding preparations. The hotel is also home to India’s largest in-built video wall measuring 32 feet x 18 feet and comprising 64 LED panels.

Lemon Tree opens new hotels in Goa & MP

Lemon Tree Hotels has announced the opening of two new hotels – the Lemon Tree Hotel, Candolim in Goa and the Lemon Tree Wildlife Resort, Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh.

The Lemon Tree Hotel Candolim is the group’s 2nd property in Goa. The hotel offers 34 rooms, with base category rooms measuring around 27 square meters. It also features an all-day dining restaurant, a terrace-top bar, a rooftop swimming pool and a conference room of approximately 800 square feet.

The Lemon Tree Wildlife Resort, Bandhavgarh is located in close proximity to Tala Gate, the most tiger inhabited zone of the Bandhavgarh National Park, and marks the group’s entry into the wildlife resort segment.

AIRLINES NEWS

Air Canada announces first non-stop Vancouver-India flight

Air Canada’s inaugural flight AC72 has departed from Vancouver and arrives in Delhi on Saturday morning, marking the only non-stop service linking Vancouver & the Indian subcontinent.

AC-72 YVR—DEL at 2140/ 0120 hrs (+2 days) operating Tue/Thu/Sat

AC-73 DEL—YVR at 0630/ 0655 hrs operating Mon/Thu/Sat

Air China resumes non-stop Beijing-Mumbai flight

Air China announced the resumption of its non-stop service between Beijing and Mumbai from Oct 30, 2016.

The flight Mumbai, India to Beijing, P.R.China will operate four times in a week i.e., Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun. Passengers will also have return flight services from Beijing, P.R. China to Mumbai, India four times a week i.e., Tue, Thu, Sat & Sun.

Airbus A330-300 has a seating capacity of 301 passengers which offers 30 seats in Business class, 16 seats in Premium Economy and 255 seats in Economy Class.

The flight will depart from Mumbai at 02:30 IST and arrive in Beijing at 11:30 CST. The return flight will depart from Beijing at 19:40 CST and will arrive next day in Mumbai at 01:00 IST.

Amritsar-Toronto on AirIndia in 2017

Air India is going to begin its Amritsar-Toronto operations in 2017 via Birmingham. Air India will also connect Delhi with Washington D.C. next year. Delhi-Madrid will begin operations from December 1 this year. Under the regional connectivity scheme, we are already planning operations to connect the Tier III and Tier II cities on Air India.

Brussels Airlines to fly to Mumbai

Five weekly flights to commence in March 2017

Lufthansa has revealed that Brussels Airlines will start flying to India next year.

The German carrier recently approved the full acquisition of Belgium’s largest airline, which is expected to close in the coming months.

And on 6 March 2017, Brussels Airlines will commence its first Indian route, operating five times a week direct between Brussels and Mumbai. This route is likely to be operated by an Airbus A330 aircraft.

Korean Air adds capital connection to India

Commencing on 1 December 2016, the Korean national carrier will offer five weekly flights on the route.

Services will depart Seoul’s Incheon International Airport every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 1245 and arrive at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 1820.

The return flights will leave the Indian capital at 1940 on the same days of the week, arriving back in Seoul at 0550 the next morning.

Initially, Korean Air will deploy a 218-seat Airbus A330-200 on the route. Delhi will become the airline’s second destination in India, following Mumbai.

THAI Smile’s new flights to Gaya, Varanasi, Jaipur and Lucknow

THAI Smile Airways has launched new flights to Gaya, Varanasi, Jaipur and Lucknow. The flights will start operation from Bangkok to Gaya and Varanasi from October 1, Bangkok to Jaipur from November 15, and Bangkok to Lucknow from December 1, 2016.

Thai AirAsia connects Bangkok to Kolkata from Dec 16

Thai AirAsia is expanding its Indian network with the launch of direct flights from Bangkok to Kolkata which commences December 16 with daily flights connecting the two Asian cities. Services will depart Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport at 0005 and arrive in Kolkata at 0110. The return flights will then leave at 0210 and arrive back in the Thai capital at 0640. With this addition, Kolkata will become Thai AirAsia’s fourth Indian destination, following Chennai, Bengaluru and Kochi. AirAsia’s Malaysian unit already flies direct between Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata.

Jet adds more fights to Nepal

Effective 30 October 2016, the Indian carrier will introduce a second daily service between Mumbai and Kathmandu and a third daily flight between Delhi and the Nepalese capital. Both new flights will be operated using a Boeing 737 aircraft.

The new Mumbai-Kathmandu service, flight 9W 250, will depart Mumbai CSI Airport daily at 0815 and arrive at Kathmandu at 1110 (Local Time). On the return leg, flight 9W 249 will depart Kathmandu at 1210 and arrive back in Mumbai at 1450.

On the Delhi-Kathmandu route, flight 9W 282 will leave Delhi IGI Airport every day at 1040 and arrive in Kathmandu at 1230. The return flight, 9W 281, will depart Kathmandu at 1330 and arrive in Delhi at 1505.

UPCOMING EVENTS & FESTIVALS

KONARK FESTIVAL (1-5 Dec every early) Open air auditorium, Natamandir, near the Konark Temple
The official Konark Festival, organized by Odisha Tourism, features a range of classical Odissi, Bharathnatyam, Manipuri, Kathak and Chau dance performances. Added attractions are an exhibition of temple sculptures, sand art exhibition, and crafts fair. The festival has been taking place since 1989.

INTERNATIONAL SAND & ART FESTIVAL (1-5 Dec) Chandrabhaga Beach, Konark, Odisha

Held to coincide with the five day Konark Festival in the same area, the International Sand Art Festival sees renowned international and local artists competing to create the best sand sculptures.

HORNBILL FESITVAL (1-10 Dec) Kisama Heritage Village (near Kohima town), Nagaland

The unique Hornbill Festival, named after the bird, shows just how diverse a country India really is. Held in a tiny and remote north eastern state of India, the festival is one of the largest celebrations of the indigenous warrior tribes of the region. It features traditional arts, dances, folk songs, games, and music concerts in the evenings. Local handicrafts are also on sale during the festival.

CHENNAI MUSIC FESTIVAL (mid Dec to mid Jan every year) Music halls all over Chennai

This hugely popular and much anticipated month long festival, which is often described as the world’s largest cultural event, serves up a plethora of traditional south Indian Carnatic music, dance, and other arts. Over 1,000 performances take place during the festival, along with music related seminars, discussions, and demonstrations. Note: The music festival is continuing despite the tragic Chennai floods.

THE GROOVE YOGA FESTIVAL (5-10 Dec) Ashiyana Yoga Center, Mandrem, Goa

Advertised as the grooviest yoga festival in town, this six day “celebration of music, movement and community” offers yoga classes, sound workshops, AcroYoga, bodywork, kirtan, concerts, photo shoots, and beach parties. There are many internationally recognized teachers, musicians and artists on the line-up.