Lalit Hotel to Establish More Hotels in India

With global players jumping in from left, right and centre for a share of pie in India’s hospitality scene, one could not just expect India-based hotel chains to keep quiet!

One of India’s premier hotel chains, The Lalit has decided to follow suit and make an investment of Rs 1,200 crore to increase its business in the next three years. Apart from establishing new luxury properties, the luxury brand will also enter the mid-level segment, serving budget travellers taking cheap flights to India.

As of now, the hotel chain has around 10 properties in India, with almost every one catering to the lavish vacationers on India tour. These properties are located in metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai or top holiday destinations such as Goa and Jaipur, popular among tourists taking flights to India.

Reports say the hotel chain will invest Rs 700 crore to establish eight new luxury hotels in cities like Chandigarh and Kolkata and will make a further investment of Rs 500 crore for setting up 25 mid-level hotels, which will be branded as ‘Lalit The Traveler’. Mid-level properties will be set up in tier-2 and tier-3 centres. With a maximum of 50 rooms, budget hotels will target domestic and international travel buffs who are expected to take cheap flights tickets to the country.

Besides, luxury and mid-level properties in India, the hotel chain is also planning to make a foray in the international markets.

With record number of FTAs and domestic tourism as its peak, different hotel chains from all over the world are indeed looking towards India for growth.

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New Culinary Choices at Bengaluru International Airport, India

Bengaluru International Airport is the way to go if culinary treats are to be had! One of India’s busiest airports, Bengaluru International has decided to amp up its parade of gastronomic delights to mark its 4th anniversary.

Both domestic and international travel buffs using the airport would very soon be able to enjoy the wide range of ethnic and international delicacies.

Bengaluru International Airport remains a top choice among heaps of holiday makers who plan a tour to South India. Apart from offering convenient connections to leisure vacationers taking cheap flights to India, Bengaluru Airport also attracts a number of business travellers. Bengaluru is one of the premier hubs for information technology in India and is revered world over as one of the top venues for entrepreneurial ventures! Being such a popular airport among travellers taking flight to India, it seems that the new offerings of the place are likely to be received welcomingly by the passengers.

From June, travellers landing up at Bengaluru would enjoy the treats of different food joints. Apart from local and regional flavours, one could also savour the taste of international dishes. Halli Mane (local cuisine), Wangs Kitchen (orient), Chai Point (food and beverage) and Hatti Kaapi (authentic South Indian coffee) are the new offerings of the airport authorities. Aimed at high profile fliers with business class airline ticket deals, Pause Lounge Bar Restaurant is another option for travellers at the airport. 

Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director, Bengaluru International Airport, expressed his gratitude towards airport users and passengers for their support.

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Tourist Inflow to India’s Southern State of Kerala Rises

Figures show that international travellers have indeed taken a fancy for Kerala, a top holiday destination in India! A South Indian state, Kerala is renowned among the vacationers who book airline tickets to India for its exquisite natural marvels that are reflected in its beautiful backwaters and serene beaches!

Data shared by the state’s tourism department indicate that a good percentage of tourists who book flights to India make it a point to include Kerala in their travel itinerary. Kerala witnessed a tourist inflow (both domestic and international) of 10 million in the year 2011 as against 9.2 million in 2010. The number of foreign vacationers rose to 732,980 in 2011 from 659,265 in 2010. If one talks about domestic numbers, they rose to 9.3 million in 2011 from 8.5 million in 2010.

Much credit can be given to the state’s tourism department that has been working overtime to make Kerala a popular option among travellers taking cheap flights to India. The department has been organising promotional programs all over the world to sell the state as a tourist hotspot. For instance, road shows were conducted in Gulf countries. Host of other initiatives has been taken by the authorities to promote the region’s tourism. ‘Know Bekal’ is one such project that been launched recently and aims to expand inflow of tourists.

Moreover, the authorities are aspiring to market the state as an-all-season tourism destination. Currently, September–January is considered the peak season for Kerala tour and travel sector. This is time when cheap flight deals to Kerala are hard to come by!

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Dragonair’s New Services to Kolkata in Winter 2012

The sister airline Cathay Pacific, Dragonair has declared its plans to launch new flight service to the important commercial and financial hub of Kolkata. This is airline’s second destination in India after Bengaluru.

The airline’s press release says that this flight to India connecting Kolkata will be launched in winter 2012, subject to government permission and the opening dates of the Kolkata’s new airport terminal.

Dragonair’s new service will provide better connections and greater convenience the flyers planning to travel between Hong Kong and India.

Patrick Yeung, Chief Executive Officer, Dragonair showed his contentment on this new service and expressed that this move will perhaps help the airline in enhancing its presence in the Indian market and stirring Hong Kong’s role as a leading international aviation hub.

Dragonair’s Flight KA168 is scheduled to depart Hong Kong at 22:25 and arrive at the Kolkata International Airport at 00:15 on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The return Flight KA169 will depart Kolkata at 01:15 and land in Hong Kong at 07:25 on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

With multiple services of Dragonair per week, travellers just might be able to net tickets on cheap flights to India from Hong Kong and vice versa.

Kolkata will be the seventh destination of the airline launched or resumed by Dragonair in 2012. The airline has already resumed or launched scheduled flights to Xi’an, Guilin, Jeju and Taichung since April this year. The airline will roll out scheduled services to Clark in the Philippines later this month and Chiang Mai in Thailand in July 2012.

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Luxury on Wheels for Those Booking Flights to India

There is a new address for those who seek luxury on tour to India! And that address moves!! Experiencing grandeur on an Indian holiday has never been so easy as authorities roll out new itineraries for its Maharajas Express!

Vacationers who spend on flights to India only to get in touch with a culture and heritage that smacks of unparallel royalty can now do so effortlessly by making a booking on any of the five Maharajas’ Express’ itineraries.

One of the luxurious trains in the world, Maharajas’ Express allows the loaded travellers to experience the regal splendour of India’s bygone era, with all the modern day comforts. The ‘royal’ train is equipped with amenities such as Wi-Fi internet, LCD television, direct dial phones and electronic safes. Maharajas’ Express’ Presidential Suite is one of a kind with it spanning over an entire carriage!

Indian Panorama tour itinerary, one among the five itineraries launched, seems to be generating a lot of interest among tourists. It is a trip of 7 nights / 8 days that will cover Jaipur, Ranthambore, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Gwalior, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Lucknow. Flush with World Heritage Sites and wildlife and cultural gems, these cities remain on the wish list of most regular tourists booking tickets on cheap flights to India.

While talking about cheap airline flights, it is also good to know that tariff for Indian Panorama travel itinerary are highly steep and it is surely not the way to go if you are on a budget break to India!

Other recently launched itineraries include Heritage of India, Gems of India, Treasures of India and Indian Splendour.

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Lucknow, Varanasi May Serve International Flights to India

With India fast galloping towards becoming the hottest holiday destination in the world, the authorities in the country are making sure that nothing is left to be desired as far as industry infrastructure is concerned. 

Report published in India’s leading English daily (Times of India) suggest that tourists and business travellers who book flights to India are likely to have two more additions to their list of Indian airport they could land on. Lucknow and Varanasi airports are the ones that will probably attain the international status in the near future, something conveyed by the by country’s Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh at the inauguration of the new terminal building at Lucknow airport on Saturday.

Lucknow and Varanasi airports currently do operate international flights but these are limited essentially to West Asia and Nepal. Both airports have integrated status, meaning both domestic and international services operate from the same terminal building.

Experts, however, are apprehensive about the airports’ appeal among international airlines. They believe the entire region of Uttar Pradesh need to be developed to attract global players. The two airports could well become a gateway or exit point to Buddhist circuit, something that is sure to attract tourists from South Asia.

With enhanced alternatives as far as landing airports are concerned, one may also hope to work out a travel schedule that may bring tickets on cheap flights to India for international travellers.

There are unconfirmed reports that few airlines are showing interest in operating flights to Bangkok and Colombo from Lucknow.

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Incredible Tiffin’ Campaign to Boost Indian Tourism

Trust India to be unique and innovative!!

The Union Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Government of India has come up with an ingenious idea to sell the country as a holiday destination. The ministry is promoting the ‘Incredible Tiffin’ campaign, an initiative by Cuisine Society of India at ITC Maurya. Under the program, people outside the country will be offered tiffin packaged with ethnic Indian food. This will be done to lure people to book flights to India.

The ministry believes that more number of foreign tourists will book tickets on flights to India once they are acquainted with the ‘taste’ of India.

India is replete with lures and attractions but many would agree that rich food remains one of the biggest beguilers for tourists who look for airline deals for cheap flights to India for a fulfilling tour. Different states and territories of India have different food specialities and this what ‘Incredible Tiffin’ aims to reveal.

India’s Minister of Tourism, Subodh Kant Sahai launched the campaign and said the ministry is hoping that a good number of tourists would start looking for cheap flights to India because of this campaign.

V Sunil, Creative Director, Incredible Tiffin expressed the need to explore more avenues in order to attract more foreign vacationers and to keep India as a popular holiday break option among tourists.

It sure is a novel idea to let the travel buffs know what is in store for them.

New magazine celebrates India's adventurous side

A new magazine catered towards adventure tourists in India has hit the stands this week.

Explore was launched by Nawang Rigzin Zora, minister for tourism and culture in Jammu and Kashmir, who hopes the magazine will unlock India's potential for providing adventure holidays, the Deccan Herald reports.

He was joined at the launch by Lok Sabha member Shahnawaz Hussain, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India vice-president Ravi Singh Kalara and Indian Mountaineering Foundation president Colonel H S Chouhan.

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Goa Awarded by Lonely Planet; Seeks to Promote Monsoon Tourism

Lonely Planet’ has chosen Goa as the most valued and relaxed tourist destination of the world. Additionally, to raise the popularity of Goa among travellers taking flights to India, the state authorities have planned to promote Goa monsoon tourism.

India’s top holiday destination, Goa has been conferred with the title of 'Best Value Destination in India' and the 'Best Destination for Relaxation' by Lonely Planet.

The award was based on the votes of the readers of Lonely Planet magazine. The globally renowned travel magazine came up with Lonely Planet India Travel awards for the first time in a bid to celebrate those who provide the best travel experiences in the country.

On receiving the award, Goa Director Tourism Swapnil Naik expressed his contentment and said that Goa tourism is making constant endeavours to encourage a steady tourist inflow and keeping the travellers happy by offering them unforgettable experiences. He said the Goan Ministry is honoured that the state has been voted as the best destination for relaxation as well as the best value destination in the country.

Goa, popularly known as the beach paradise of India has always been a tempting holiday destination among international travellers. Goan beaches remain the biggest lure for all sorts of vacationers planning holiday tour to India. Be it the loaded traveller with luxury on agenda or the budget minded with tickets on cheap flights to India in focus, Goa tempts all!

Goa to Promote Monsoon Tourism

Earlier this month, the Goan authorities put forward their plan to promote monsoon tourism in the state to entice more number of travellers to book Goa-bound flights to India in the lean season. For this, the State Government of Goa is contriving to endorse the region’s waterfalls, lush green forestlands and inland waterways as alternatives for the beaches.

Monsoon is generally considered as off tourist season in Goa as during this part of the year the travellers are restricted from going too close to the beaches because of the rough weather. Consequently, the number of tourists planning holiday breaks to Goa plummets during the rainy season even though they can easily net airlines with cheap flights to India during the time.

During off-season months, the Goa tourism remains dependent largely on the domestic tourist flow.

Mr Parulekar, the State Tourism Minister explained that the state authorities want to change the concept that Goa is only for beaches and are planning to offer different alternatives to the international as well as domestic travellers.

Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG)’s spokesperson, Ralf D’Souza, revealed that during the last lean season, the hotel occupancy was around 60 per cent. However, with such significant moves taken by the state authorities, Mr D’Souza anticipates that Goa will be able to beguile more number of travellers this year and will emerge as a year round holiday destination.

Reference: http://www.southalltravel.co.uk/news/India/90402144/Goa,-Worlds-Most-Relaxed-Spot,-to-Promote-Monsoon-Tourism.html

Indian politicians mark 60 years of democratic parliament

Yesterday (May 13th) Indian politicians celebrated 60 years of parliament with a special day-long session at the Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi.

At the event, a series of speakers took the opportunity to detail how democracy has helped the country improve and grow since the Indian constitution was drawn up in 1950, the New York Times reported.

Among those speaking to the Upper House of Parliament was India's prime minister Manmohan Singh, who spoke of the country's "unflinching commitment to pursuing a democratic path to achieving our social and economic salvation".

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Top 10 Adventure Spots for Travellers Booking Flights to India

Millions of travellers book flights to India to explore the most thrilling adventurous spots in the country that make everyone exclaim "wow" out of excitement. The adventure holidays in India definitely add a pinch of excitement in everyone's life.     read more article........

Jet Airways Launches New Flight on Dubai-Mumbai Route

Jet Airways is all set to increase its frequency of flights on Dubai-Mumbai route to enhance its presence in the Indo-Gulf region.

India’s leading carrier, Jet Airways announced its plans to launch a new flight service on the popular Dubai-Mumbai route from 18th May.

Flight 9W 536 will depart Mumbai airport at 1230 hrs and will land at Dubai at 14.05 hrs whereas the return flight 9W 535 will depart Dubai at 1620 hrs and will arrive Mumbai at 2055 hrs. The airline will deploy its Boeing 737-800 aircraft to operate the service and will feature Premiere and Economy configurations on the aircraft.

The news reports suggest that the new service of Jet Airways is likely to fortify its UAE network and will entice more number of travellers. Those booking flights to India from the UAE either for business tours or on leisurely holiday breaks will have more flight alternatives.

After the launch of this new flight, the total number of daily flights operational on Dubai-Mumbai route will be four.

Jet Airways is one of the biggest airlines in terms of passenger traffic. The airline may not be first name that strikes the minds of travellers seeking tickets on cheap flights to India, it surely offers a rewarding air travel experience to the travellers seeking finest on board services. 

At present, the airline runs six daily flights on the route from various Indian destinations including the South Indian cities of Chennai and Hyderabad. This newest flight will be the seventh addition.

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Japanese festival to be held in India

The strong links between the city of Thiruvananthapuram and Japan are to be celebrated with a festival.

Trade links have been seen between India and Japan for the past 60 years and to mark this event, the city will be starting the Discover Japan Festival, which will begin on May 11th.

Spanning three days, the showcase at the VJT Hall will explore Japanese culture, with highlights to include displays of origami and an insight into the traditional arts of caring for Bonsai trees and flower arranging.

A showing of Japanese films will also take place at the event, with the first screening beginning at 19:00 local time on the first evening.

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Direct Flights between India and Australia Soon

There is good news in store for travel buffs who are fed up of taking connecting flights to fly between India and Australia.

If reports that are doing the rounds in the Australian media are to be paid heed to then Air India is set to offer direct flights to Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney from Delhi international airport very soon.

Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and board member of Air India, Prashant Sukul was quoted in multiple news reports as indicating the commencement of direct flights between the two countries. Air India’s winter schedule of the year begins at the end of September and that is when the launch of direct air services is likely to take place.

Both India and Australia remain top holiday destinations and a good chunk of tourists from one country travel to another each year. Then there is the sizable Indian student population that lives in Australia. Naturally, demand for tickets on cheap flights to India from Australia and the other way around remains high.

The new direct connection between India and Australia is also seen as a push for Delhi as a regional hub. The airline is hoping that Australians would take transitional flights to India in order to travel to European destinations.

India's national airline, Air India is likely to employ the services of 787 Dreamliner on the route. AI will take the delivery of its first of its new fleet of 787s from Boeing this month. The world’s most fuel efficient aircraft is believed to offer some impetuous to India’s somewhat struggling aviation sector.

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Useful Tips for Disabled or Less Mobile Travellers

Air travellers with disabilities are free to avail extra services at the airports and in flights. A number of passenger friendly services are available at most airport that can be easily availed by individuals requiring special assistance due to old-age or illness.

Special assistance is extremely important for holidaymakers who are flying to long-haul travel destination like India. If there is no right assistance, a flight to India can be an ordeal task for such travellers. It is highly advisable that travellers with disabilities inform the airline of their needs at least 48 hours before boarding their flight to India.

Mobility Assistance at the Airports

Most airports offer mobile assistance to differently-abled travellers. For instance, disabled travellers taking cheap flights to India can get mobility aids like wheelchair and guides for easy movement at the airport. 

Assistance While Boarding the Flight

All the airlines provide on-board assistance for disabled holiday makers. These passengers are normally called for boarding before other air travellers and are offered special services.

Tips to Heed While Booking Your Flight Tickets to India

• Be specific about the kind of disability you have so that airline can make right arrangement as per your needs and preferences.

• Try to book tickets on direct yet cheap flights to India. Taking direct flights ensures comfortable air travel for holiday makers with disabilities.  

• Prefer landing at major airports like Delhi Airport or Mumbai Airport. These airports offer upgraded disabled passenger friendly services and provide direct and cheap flights,

• While booking the tickets, tell the airline or tour operator about different needs that may arise during departure, in-flight, stopovers and on arrival in India.

Jet Airways' Jetprivilege Programme Grabs Triple Honours

Jet Airway's frequent flyer programme, JetPrivilege, has won triple honours at the prestigious annual Freddie Awards 2012.

JetPrivilege has grabbed awards in three categories including Program of the Year’, ‘Best Promotion for Earning –The JetPrivilege -Trip Advisor Promotion’ and ‘Best Customer Service’ in the Middle East/Oceania/Asia region.

The Freddie Awards was introduced in 1988 by Inside Flyer magazine's Randy Petersen and is considered as the most significant awards in the airline industry. The Freddie Awards 2012 was held on April 26, 2012 in New York and was attended by many legendry dignitaries from the travel and trade industry.

JetPrivilege is India’s largest frequent flyer program that offers excellent privileges to flyers taking domestic flights and outbound and inbound flights to India with Jet Airways on a regular basis. Be it business travellers or economy class travellers taking tickets on cheap flights to India, the frequent flyer program caters the needs of all sorts of flyers to make their air travel experience enriching.

Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways expressed his contentment on receiving the award and said the JetPrivilege team feels highly privileged on receiving the unique treble at the Freddie Awards 2012. He also said that as the voting for these awards is done by guests themselves, it strengthens the airline’s commitment of providing the highest levels of customer service to its flyers.

This is not the first time when Jet Airways has been honoured by the Freddie Awards. The airline has been awarded for five consecutive years starting from 2004 to 2008.

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Hyatt All Set To Launch Two New Hotels in India

The premier hospitality brand, Hyatt Hotels has been pretty popular in India. One of the affiliates of Hyatt has recently joined with Piccadily Hotels Private Limited to launch two new Hyatt-branded hotels in Gurgaon and Ludhiana - major IT and manufacturing hubs of North India. This takes the total count of Hyatt hotels under development in India to 55.

Hyatt’s target customers for these hotels seem to include business travellers who book airline tickets on flights to India for business deals or meetings, conferences etc in these cities. The company also targets leisure holiday travel buffs that prefer booking cheap flights to India over premium air travel only to splurge on premium accommodation.

Be it the premium class travellers on business tour or cheap flights to India seekers on leisure holiday breaks, the two hotels will for sure raise the bar of hospitality service in these cities for other hotels to match up to! Here is how.

Hyatt Regency Gurgaon

Located near Gurgaon’s Manesar industrial corridor, and not far from Delhi airport Hyatt Regency Gurgaon will feature 452 guest rooms and state-of-the-art meeting space including huge ballroom space. In addition, lobby lounge, restaurants, bar, spa, fitness centre, swimming pool, and the Regency Club lounge make it an apt choice for business travellers booking airline tickets on flights to India.

Hyatt Regency Ludhiana

Located at Ludhiana’s commercial corridor, Ferozepur Road, Hyatt Regency Ludhiana will feature 167 guestrooms and suites, state-of-the-art meeting space, restaurant, bar, fitness centre, spa and swimming pool.

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New Terminal At Kolkata Airport To Be Ready Soon

After rolling out a hi-tech Terminal 3 in Delhi airport, Indian authorities are renovating the NSC Bose International Airport in Kolkata.

India is blossoming as a tourism hub and it seems authorities in the country are making sure that travellers who take flights to India are not left unimpressed!

India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said on Monday that the wok for new terminal building at the airport will be commissioned "well within four months." The new terminal is said to have a passenger handling capacity of four million, which is considerably higher of what it is now.

As mentioned earlier, India remains a hot holiday destination and the availability of better services and higher standards of quality at country airports is only going to enhance tourism, something mentioned by Indian minister. He believes that a modernised Kolkata Airport is going to promote tourism and create opportunities for employment.

Kolkata Airport acts a gateway for leisure and business tourists who look for connections for South-East Asia destinations. With developed air connectivity, travellers will surely have more choices and they will be better equipped to chalk out a travel schedule that will allow them to net tickets on cheap flights to India and for onward tours. 

As of now, the airport is the fifth busiest in India in terms of overall passenger traffic. NSC Bose International Airport serves numerous domestic, regional and international airlines, such as Jet Airways, Emirates and Air India.

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Air India, Asiana Airways Sign Code Share Agreement

In an attempt to provide seamless link to Seoul, Air India has entered into a code-share agreement with Asiana Airways, a major South Korean airline. The code-share will be put into effect soon.

The necessary testing system for such code-share cooperation is likely to begin soon, an Air India official.

Air India has been witnessing some positive growth over the last few months with considerable rise in revenue growth. The airline remains one of the most popular alternatives among holiday makers and other travellers seeking deals on inbound and outbound flights to India.

Apart from Asiana, Air India is likely to enter into similar code-share arrangements with Air China and Egypt Air very soon, the official further said.

As of now, India’ national airline has code share agreements with Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Air Mauritius, Austrian Airlines, South African Airways, Aeroflot, Sri Lankan Airlines, Swiss Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, British Midland and Turkish Airlines.

With Asiana Airways, Air India hopes to move beyond the regular code share arrangements and intends to freely include additional sectors on each other's network.

Even Asiana is contemplating newer destinations in India. The country remains a top holiday destination among many and there is always demand for tickets on cheap flights to India.

Air India and Asiana Airways are also likely to integrate their Frequent Flyer Programmes (FFP) to enable the travellers to earn points on their Air India FFP and vice-versa. It sure is good news for travel buffs as they will be able to redeem their air miles for various privileges, even maybe cheap flights.

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