About India Outbound Magazine

India Outbound, a bi-monthly print magazine with dynamic web and social media presence focused on outbound travel from India, is published by Media India Group. Distributed all over India, and in all the top tourism events across the world, India Outbound caters mainly to the tourism professionals and is looking to develop new and innovative circuits and promote new destinations to the high-end travellers.

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ITB makes its way to South Asia in 2020 with ITB India

Messe Berlin, announced that it will be organising the inaugural ITB India in 2020. The three-day business-to-business travel trade show and convention will take place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, India, from April 15-17, 2020. The show will bring together key travel industry leaders and buyers from cities across India, and international exhibitors from the MICE, leisure and corporate sectors.

ITB India will also have a Hosted Buyers’ Programme that will cater to buyers from first, second and third tier cities in India. ITB India represents a major opportunity for National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), travel and hospitality companies to be part of this dramatically expanding market opportunity.“In recent years we have given the ITB brand an increasingly international dimension,” said Dr Christian Göke, chief executive officer of Messe Berlin. “From a global and regional perspective, India is a vast source market for the travel industry with a huge growth potential. We are delighted that ITB India will in future complement the trio of ITB Berlin, ITB Asia and ITB China, making it a quartet and strengthening the global ITB brand.”

Of the buyers at ITB India, 50 pc are expected to focus on leisure travel, with MICE and corporate travel buyers making up the remainder with 25 pc respectively. As with other ITB shows, exhibitors will be drawn from a wide range of companies and representatives from travel agencies and operators, NTOs, business travel and MICE, travel technology, accommodation, and transport.

With some 10,000 exhibiting companies from 181 countries and regions, the ITB Berlin has kick started in Berlin. For the first time the world’s leading travel trade show is devoting an international platform to the fast-growing Technology, Tours & Activities (TTA) segment. Both major players and small start-ups will be able to present their innovative products at the first event of its kind.

RAK Tourism, Mantis Group sign deal for luxury camp project on Jebel Jais

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has entered into agreement with Mantis Group to operate the upcoming ‘Luxury Camp’ project on Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE. The announcement was made by Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and John Hannah, MD of Mantis UK during a signing ceremony at the annual ITB Berlin.

The luxury mountain camp will be located at the height of approximately 600 to 700 metres above sea-level – on Jebel Jais offering visitors spectacular mountain views of the Hajar mountains, and a year-round retreat with temperatures around ten degrees cooler than the rest of UAE.

“The launch of the luxury camp project further demonstrates the Emirate’s commitment to attracting investments in eco-friendly and sustainable tourism products. Ras Al Khaimah has already made many significant steps towards affirming its position as a sustainable destination, and through the continued collaboration with hospitality partners, the Emirate is on track to realize its vision to become a sustainable and competitive tourism destination, and a leading contributor to Ras Al Khaimah’s economy,” said Haitham Mattar, CEO, RAKTDA.

It is expected to be completed in 2020, the tented camp will comprise a total of 47 luxury units - 34 deluxe tents, 11 one-bedroom tented suites with a private pool, and 2 two-bedroom tented suites with a private pool - complemented further by state-of-the-art facilities such as a health club, heated pool, spa & wellness center, kids’ play area, fire pit, and a restaurant.

SpiceJet chooses Amadeus as its first global distribution partner

Amadeus and SpiceJet, have announced a new distribution agreement that gives Amadeus’ global network of travel sellers access to the airline’s range of fares and prices through the Amadeus Travel Platform.

By connecting to travellers through the community of travel sellers and buyers, the airline will be able to showcase its products on a global scale, access new markets and partners, and grow its customer base. The airline will soon start flying to Jeddah, which will be its ninth international destination.

Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director, SpiceJet, said, “SpiceJet will be able to define and deliver enhanced offers, including rich content, to both travel agents and travellers. The airline will also be able to differentiate its travel offers beyond just price, while ensuring that agencies and travellers have all the information at hand in order to make the right purchasing decisions.”

Cyril Tetaz, executive vice president, Airlines, Amadeus, Asia Pacific said, “With our partnership including distribution and IT solutions, we are very proud to support SpiceJet in its growth in India and beyond. SpiceJet will be able to differentiate its offers and empower travellers with the transparency and customization they need through our global travel network.”

India accounts for 21 pc of total international arrival in Oman, says ATM report

Tourism arrivals to Oman will increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5 pc between 2018 and 2023 to 3.5 million, according to data released ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2019 (ATM), which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 28 – May 1, 2019.

Commissioned by ATM, the Colliers International data predicts the rise will be fuelled by visitors from India, who accounted for 21pc of total international arrivals during 2018. In addition, arrivals from the UK (9pc), Germany (7pc), Philippines (6pc) and the UAE (6 pc) are also expected to contribute to the growth, supported by the expansion of Muscat International airport, new and improved flight connections and new electronic and short stay visa processes.

Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “The latest data demonstrates the growth in tourism arrivals to Oman and is set to continue as we look ahead to 2023, supported by the recently opened Muscat International Airport expansion as well as strategic investment from the government as it turns to tourism to diversify its income streams away from hydrocarbon receipts.”

While India is expected to remain Oman’s top source market over the next five years – accounting for 389,890 of tourism arrivals by 2023 - the Philippines is projected to witness the highest CAGR, at 11 pc compared with 3 pc for India.

Cambodia’s Tourism Authority bans food inside Angkor Wat temple

Cambodia’s tourism authority (Apsara) has banned visitors from eating food in the World Heritage temple Angkor Wat complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Hang Pov, Apsara Authority director, said in a letter that the authority wished to remind relevant parties that the Angkor area is a World Heritage Site with many famous temples, especially Angkor Wat, and that eating food in the complex is now banned. “In order to preserve the precious Khmer legacy and to maintain public order and good sanitation, we ban all food, especially packed meals brought in during sunrise or sunset visits, in the temple complex,” the Khmer Times quoted him as saying. He added that tour operators, tourist associations as well as guides have to advice their guests not eat meals in the temple complex.

The Angkor Archeological Park, which includes the famed UNESCO-listed Angkor temples, generated USD 116.6 million in income from entry tickets last year, an 8 pc increase compared with the year before. From January to December last year, the number of foreign visitors to the park rose 5.4 pc to 2.5 million, according to a statement released by the state-run Angkor Enterprise Institute in January.

Alitalia most punctual airline in the world in February, says FlightStats

Alitalia has been ranked as the most punctual airline in the world in February 2019 with 90.12 pc of flights landed on schedule, according to the report published by FlightStats, the authoritative US independent society which every month drafts the list of the major airlines in the world for on-time performance, comparing the data of equivalent airlines for size and network.

The analysis performed by FlightStats reported that the Alitalia’s on-time performance was, in February, more than 12 percentage points higher than the average punctuality index of world airlines (77.6 pc). FlightStats is one of the few data service companies that monitor almost every flight operated by each airline.

The data related for the month of February confirms the Italian airline’s excellent on-time performance in January when Alitalia was ranked second most punctual airline in the world. A positive trend was also registered during 2018 when the Italian airline, with 83.2 pc of flights landed on schedule, had ranked second most punctual airline in Europe and eighth in the world.

Israel Ministry of Tourism hosts the 8th Israel ‘Where Else’ tourism conference

In its 8th edition, ‘Where Else’ conference, the official tourism conference held annually by the Israel Ministry of Tourism for the world travel fraternity, from February 7- 13, 2019, was attended by 80 travel agents from 18 countries. With a grand opening ceremony in Tel Aviv, senior members of the tourism industry from around the world participated in tours of key sites in Israel with support from the regional Tourism Associations, Hotels Association and the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association.

Speaking about the familiarization trip, Hassan Madah, director, Israel Ministry of Tourism – India and Philippines said, “Arrivals from India have also increased to 70,800 visitors last year making it the 12th source market for the destination. Bearing this in mind, it was imperative for us to showcase Israel to the travel trade of India through our biggest annual tourism conference in Israel. Travellers today are evolved and informed and are constantly scouting for newer and niche experiences. Through the conference and FAM, it gave us an opportunity to display varied tourism offerings of the country while connecting agents to key stakeholders in Israel”.

The group explored the culturally rich Old City of Jerusalem, home to the world's three largest religions with its holy sites and breath-taking biblical landscapes as well as emerging culinary, art and nightlife scenes.

Los Angeles Tourism unveils new look for award-winning discoverlosangeles.com

The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board unveiled its latest iteration of discoverlosangeles.com. Built by Los Angeles Tourism’s digital team, the mobile-first design ensures faster response, enhanced search and better accessibility while featuring an editorial-led, visual storytelling focus that serves up the inspiration and research travellers seek in official destination websites.

L.A. Tourism has tapped some of the most talented writers and photographers in the L.A. area to create a fun, robust library of content, ranging from guides on hidden neighbourhood gems to favourite beaches by playlist and places to visit based on astrological signs. Throughout the coming months, newly created content will focus on the rise of the millennial parent, neighbourhood experiences and quick-read guides, in direct response to traveller trends.

“We know that the previous version of our site was one of the highest trafficked tourism sites in the United States of America and we look forward to serving travellers’ needs with our latest mobile-first version, which is packed with user-friendly attributes,” said Bill Karz, vice president of digital marketing for Los Angeles Tourism.

Making use of the site’s accessibility, fans of this weekend’s Academy Awards, taking place at the iconic Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, can easily research over 100 pages of content about the city’s most famous industry, ranging from hikes to film locations to VIP hotel packages.

Skal Club Kolkata 127 familiarization tour of Myanmar

Skal Club Kolkata 127 embarked on a familiarization tour of Myanmar from February 28 to March 3, 2019, with the objective of identifying various products for Indian outbound travellers in the F.I.T, Group travel, Corporate incentives, weddings, religious tourism, golf tours, as well as educational tours. It was also the 15-member delegation’s goal to understand the logistics of visa issuance, flights, connectivity of Yangon with other destinations such as Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake, Mergui, explore F&B and venue availability, and identify other workable destinations and tourism products in Myanmar. This was the first travel trade FAM to Myanmar, opening a new door and creating opportunities that have not been explored before.

Skal Club Kolkata is confident that such initiatives will set the ball rolling in identifying new destinations and opening up new markets for both inbound as well as outbound tourism in India. It is committed to new destination promotion and expanding the scope and horizon of the travel business while developing long term relationship between tourism stakeholders in India and in the destination countries that they identify and promote.

India Outbound is a publication of Media India Group