Digi Yatra to be introduced at 14 more airport: The government plans to roll out Digi Yatra at 14 more airports in the coming months and make the facility available for foreign citizens as well, according to officials. Currently, Digi Yatra, which provides for contactless, seamless movement of passengers at various checkpoints at airports based on Facial Recognition Technology (FRT), is available at 13 airports for domestic passengers. Plans are afoot to introduce Digi Yatra at 14 airports, including Chennai,Bhubaneswar and Coimbatore, by March this year. Other airports are Dabolim, Mopa Goa, Indore, Bagdogra, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, Srinagar and Visakhapatnam, the officials said on 30 Jan 24.

PM Modi to Unveil Ayodhya’s New Airport and Railway Station in Grand Roadshow: PM Modi is set to embark on a roadshow and address a public gathering in Ayodhya on December 30, following the inauguration of the town’s new airport and the unveiling of the redeveloped railway station. The events are scheduled to precede the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple, which is slated for January 22. The official itinerary outlines a roadshow, spanning from the newly inaugurated airport to the redeveloped railway station. Ayodhya District Magistrate Nitish Kumar informed, stating, “The prime minister will inaugurate the Ayodhya airport first and then he will move to the railway station in a roadshow” covering Dharam Path, Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, Ram Path, Tedhi Bazaar, and the Mohabra intersection At the railway station, Prime Minister Modi is expected to flag off Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains, symbolising a significant step forward in the region’s transportation infrastructure.

Indonesia mulls visa free entry for 20 countries: Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno is in talks with immigration officials with a goal of waiving fees for travellers of 20 countries. These include top source markets including Australia, China, India, the US, UK, France and five Middle East nations. “In the next month, it will be finalised, and after that, we will receive direction from the president, and the policy will be followed up with immigration,” Sandiago said. If all goes to plan it could be implemented in early 2024.

Malaysia to allow visa-free entry to Indian citizen: Malaysia will scrap entry visa requirements for Indian citizens visiting the nation beginning December 1, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced. Indian nationals may stay for up to 30 days visa-free, Anwar said in a speech at his People’s Justice Party’s annual congress in Putrajaya on Sunday. However, Indian nationals would be subject to security screening, he added. "Initial screenings will be conducted for all tourists and visitors to Malaysia. Security is a different matter. If there are criminal records or the risk of terrorism, they will not be allowed to enter," Anwar said. Indians so far had been able to enter Malaysia with a visa-on-arrival.

Sri Lanka, Fiji, Seychelles & 6 other countries where Indians don’t need a visa to travel: Indian travellers no longer need a visa to explore the stunning locales of Sri Lanka. The island nation has announced free visas to India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand as part of its pilot project till 31 March 2024. With this move, Sri Lanka, which witnessed a major economic crisis in 2022, is attempting to revive its economy which is heavily reliant on inbound tourism. India has historically been the country’s primary source of inbound tourism, with 30,000 arrivals recorded in September alone, PTI reports. After India, Chinese tourists followed as the second-largest group with over 8,000 arrivals in the same month. Before this new rule, Indian travellers would have to procure an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) document that was valid for 30 days and would cost Rs 2,080.

Govt Cracks Down on Airlines, OTAs for Unfair Trade Practices: The Central government has voiced concerns over the airline industry and online travel aggregators engaging in what it deems unfair trade practices. These practices have been a source of mounting frustration for consumers and have caught the attention of the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry

SEVERAL AIRLINES INCLUDING AIR INDIA SUSPEND FLIGHTS TO ISRAEL AMIDST ESCALATING CONFLICT: Several international air carriers have taken the precautionary measure of suspending flight services to Tel Aviv in response to the recent Hamas militant attack on Israel. These airlines are awaiting improved safety conditions before resuming operations. Hamas’s militants conducted a devastating attack on Saturday, resulting in the tragic loss of 700 lives and the abduction of numerous individuals. In retaliation, Israel launched strikes on the Gaza Strip. Air India, in response to the ongoing Hamas offensive, has suspended its operations to and from Delhi-Tel Aviv until October 14.

BLS International bags visa outsourcing contract with Spain for another term: BLS International has been awarded the global contract for visa application outsourcing by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation (MAEUEC) of Spain for the second time in a row. The contract covers Europe, the Americas, Latin America, the CIS, Africa, the Middle East, and APAC, amongst other regions. BLS International has been working with the Spanish government since 2016 and currently operates 122 visa application centers (VACs) in 40 countries. According to the information shared by BLS, for the first time, Spain has also outsourced the category of national visas which will lead to a further increase in volumes and opening of offices in new geographies. As a part of the contract, BLS will also be offering various value-added services (VAS) like SMS, courier services, mobile biometrics, premium lounge, etc. Currently, BLS International handles approximately 2 million Spanish visa applications annually.

Egypt to offer visas on arrival to Indians: In a recent announcement, Egypt introduced a new multiple-entry visa while adding more nationalities to its visa-on-arrival list. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa confirmed India’s place on the list in his speech early last week. The update has come along with a series of measures aimed at boosting tourism in the country

Another New Saudi Carrier: NEOM Airlines To Launch Next Year: There seems to be enough space for more initiatives, as there is now confirmation of a new startup carrier that promises to differentiate itself with innovation and sustainability from the get-go. As reported by Zawya on 23 Mar’23, NEOM Airlines, a carrier intended to serve the planned megacity of NEOM, will begin operations at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024

President Ajay Prakash and Team met Finance Secretary Dr. T. V. Somanathan: TAFI Delegation led by President Ajay Prakash and his Team, Mr. Anil Kalsi, Mr. Ankush Nijhawan, and Mr. Rajiv Aggarwal along with Shri Vivek Shejwalkar - Member of Parliament met with the Finance Secretary Dr T.V. Somanathan at the Ministry of Finance today. The meeting was constructive, mainly on recent hike in TCS and the Finance Secretary heard us out patiently and agreed to look into our suggestions which were put forth.

Air India to offer two highly synergized full-service, low-cost carriers post integration After integrating its full-service carriers Air India and Vistara and low-cost carriers Air India Express and AirAsia India under its ambitious Vihaan.AI transformation programme, the Air India group will exclusively be operating with two airline brands, Air India and Air India Express. The step is essential to ensure full-service and low-cost services of the two low-cost airlines for the highly synergized operations of the entire group, Air India officials told Business Today. “We have got two concurrent integrations. One between the two low-cost airlines, Air India Express and AirAsia India), and the other between the two full-service airlines - Air India and Vistara

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off two Vande Bharat trains from Maharashtra on February 10, adding two more to the country’s existing portfolio of eight Vande Bharat trains. PM Modi will also inaugurate two projects of Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) and Kurar underpass to ease road traffic congestion in Mumbai and build connectivity in the state.

U.S. missions in India to raise staff strength to speed up visa processing Promising to bring its visa staff across the U.S. embassy and five consulates in India back up to full strength in the next few months, the U.S. on Sunday said it was launching a “surge” in staffing and several other measures to increase visa processing capacity across the country. The statement came even as U.S. missions in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad clock up processing times of up to two years for a normal visitor visa for tourism or business (B1/B2)

TAFI Signs MOU with the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) and Federation of Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (FEDHATTA) on 29th November 2022 at Athens.

TAFI Jammu Kashmir Chapter held their first Chapter at 7 C's Cafe & Fine Dine in Srinagar. Mr. MANZOOR PAKHTOON, Chairman, BURHAN MISGAR Secretary and TANVIR KHAN Treasurer successfully conducted the meeting. Members deliberated the formation of TAFI JK Chapter, TAFI National AGM, and Membership Drive etc., followed by formation of Membership Subcommittee for enrolling new membership. The office Bearers explained the meetings held with various Govt offices/ Departments. TAFI JK chapter has also been inducted in United Tourism Forum (UTF) which is constituent of 11 Associations & United Tourism Forum had a meeting with Honorable Home Minister of India Shri Amit Shah in which TAFI JK chapter was represented by Mr. Pakhtoon. Members deliberated and requested the OBs to write to the National Committee to hold the next TAFI convention or at least the NJC meeting in Kashmir.

The 28th AGM of TAFI was well attended. The President mentioned that the travel agency had gone through rough times in the past 2 years but has started to look back almost to its pre covid levels. He had emphasized on two major points namely accelerating Gender equality in the travel and tourism sector in India. He pointed that more women should be encouraged in managerial roles and gender-based pay gaps to be removed while ensuring healthy, safe and wellbeing for women in the workplaces. A pledge was signed by the Managing Committee and members present at the venue He also emphasized that we should educate and inform our clients to be responsive and care for Planet earth. The President Ajay Prakash also in his speech insisted all the Travel Agents should not feel shy in collecting Service Charges, while Airlines are charging for their services like seat, assistance in airport etc. The President congratulated the MC, the volunteers for the Convention, sponsors for a successful convention at Kuching, Malaysia. He also thanked Mr. Anandaveloo for his untiring efforts for bringing out a fortnightly newsletter for the benefit of the membership. He said the revived Newsletter had contents which was beneficial to the travel trade The AGM concluded followed by lunch at the same venue.

The Delhi High Court has imposed a cost of INR 20 lakh on AliExpress, a Chinese e-commerce company, for selling keychains and baggage tags bearing the ‘VISTARA Marks’ in an aubergine and gold colorcombination, infringing trademark of Vistara Airlines. “The use of the 'VISTARA Marks' is not only amounts to infringement and passing off of the mark of the plaintiff but would cause dilution of the mark of the plaintiff. It is also likely to cause deception and confusion in the mind of the plaintiff (Vistara) also issues baggage tags to its crew members which bear its ‘VISTARA Marks’, the suit said. “Airports are an incredibly critical junction of not only travel but also of trade and commerce; any lapse in security, especially by permitting the sale of vagrantly-infringing goods, would be turning a blind eye to obvious wrongdoings of the defendant (Chinese company),” the court noted. Disposing of the suit, the court said, “Keeping in view the above as also the object and mandate of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015; the Delhi High Court (Original Side) Rules, 2018; and the Delhi High Court Intellectual Property Division Rules, 2022, the plaintiff is held entitled to damages and costs quantified at INR 20 lakh.

The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) is a progressive and vibrant Association representing the Travel Trade in India. We have a membership base of over1400 members. The majority of our members are outbound tour operators and IATA accredited agents and account for close to 70 percent of the outbound businessfrom India. As you all are aware that, the 2022 Convention is scheduled for 20th to 23rd September at the spectacular Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia. We expect the participation of 500 – 550 Indian travel professionals plus approximately 150 – 200 Malaysian trade partners at the B2B event. Let me share my experience on Kuching, Borneo Convention Centre, Pullman Hotel & Waterfront Hotel at Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia. Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, is simply unique. No other city in Malaysia has such a romantic and unlikely history, nor displays its charms with such an easy grace. The residents of Kuching enjoy living here, and take great pride in their fascinating city, which is reflected in their attitude to visitors. Kuching welcomes visitors warmly, but it does not put on an act for them. Kuching’s city centre is well preserved and very compact, virtually everything that is worth seeing can be reached on foot or by sampan.

Hanoi-based carrier VietJet on Wednesday announced four new flights linking India and Vietnam. Among them are Mumbai - Hanoi, Mumbai - Ho Chi Minh City, New Delhi – Phu Quoc and Mumbai - Phu Quoc. The airline said that the direct services from Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi will commence operation on June 3 and June 4, with a frequency of four weekly return flights and three weekly return flights respectively. "From September 9, onwards, the Mumbai - Phu Quoc route will operate four round trips per week while the New Delhi – Phu Quoc will operate with a frequency of three round trips per week," it added. Prior to the pandemic, VietJet had operated two direct routes linking India's capital city of New Delhi with Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi and the financial hub of Ho Chi Minh City in addition to charter flights from Vietnam to Bodh Gaya, the Indian Buddhist pilgrimage site. The two existing services between New Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi will soon resume, on April 29 and April 30, respectively, with a frequency of three weekly return flights on each route.

The Lufthansa Group, in a trade circular, announced the resumption of regular commercial flight operations between India and Switzerland, Germany effective April 2022. The announcement follows India’s resumption of scheduled international flights on March 27 after two-year suspensions due to coronavirus. According to the airline group, SWISS and Lufthansa have begun scheduled services connecting Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru with Zurich, Munich, and Frankfurt. Swiss International Air Lines, the flag carrier of Switzerland has started operating scheduled services between Zurich and two Indian cities viz. Delhi and Mumbai. The flight will be available four days a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays; while the return flight from Zurich to Mumbai will be operated every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The airline has also started its operation with three weekly services from Zurich to Delhi every Tue, Thu, Sat and Munich to Delhi every Tue, Thu and Sun. Lufthansa, Germany’s flag carrier and largest airline, has also started scheduled flights between India and Germany. According to the airline’s announcement, it will connect Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru with Munich and Frankfurt. The Lufthansa Group further advised its passengers to follow the rules and regulations, as well as to check transit regulations for Switzerland and Germany, if applicable.

TAFI Tamilnadu Chapter had its AGM 2020-21 at Germanus Springs Hotel & Resorts, KODAIKANAL , Princess of Hills. It was attended by 45 members. It was 2 nights Package offered to members. Apart from members from Chennai- Trichy, Madurai and Kumbakonam Agents who had also attended the AGM. The AGM was held on 26th February & started at 6 pm as per Agenda in the Notice circulated to members. After the AGM, there was an interactive session moderated by our Senior Member Mr. Somaskandan with subject on “Present Travel Trade Status”. Members present actively participated. The session was electrifying and members express and exchange their views on present day Travel Trade matter affecting them. TAAI South Tamilnadu Chapter, Chairman Mr. Jaffar Sadiq and its past chairman Mr. Paramsivam who were also members of TAFI TN Chapter, felicitated the elected Office Bearers of the Chapter and 2 National MC from Tamilandu Mr. Baskar and Mr. Lalith Jain. Thereafter ASEGO – a Travel Insurance Company showcased their products. The presentation enlightens our members about additional earning from ancillary services like Travel, Health, Auto Insurance and many flexible options which were not available in the market. Office Bearers felicitated the Mr. Dhinay Shah, of AESEGO, Zonal Head-Sales and Mr. Senthil, Director of Sales of the Germanus Springs Hotel and Resorts. The event was closed followed by fellowship and Dinner. The AGM started at 6 pm and went on till 9.30 pm hence the entertainment- “Karaoke” session was not able held but postpone to next day evening (27th Feb) with fellowship and dinner. As 27 Feb was birthday of TN Chapter MC Mr. Raju Varghese’s birthday it was also celebrated with cake cutting. Members were enthralled by singing their favorite songs in Tamil, Hindi and English. 2ndday event closed@ 11 pm.