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Cordelia Cruises to introduce Chennai to Sri Lanka sailings

First time in India ever, Cruising experience from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka- a never seen before journey, an unforgettable experience and a journey as beautiful as the destination! Cordelia Cruises offers an experience that is beyond traditional travel experience, it makes you feel the epitome of everything luxury, warm and great. Best Cuisines, Best Entertainment options and all-day-around entertainment and activities on board! Cordelia Cruises, the only one of its kind holiday destination, makes Her debut in Chennai. It is from here that you could opt for a scintillating holiday by sea to Sri Lanka. The itineraries they offer are versatile with options that are spread over a number of days as well as room categories to meet everybody’s needs and requirements. Take your pick from a 2 night, 3 night or 5 nights schedule and then sit back and surrender to the sounds and sights of the sea. When you choose to cruise with Cordelia, you are opting for what could easily be one of your ‘safest’ travel options. Every crew member is double vaccinated. As for our guests, a double vaccination certificate is mandatory as is a negative RT-PCR report. This report is scanned on arrival. All Covid protocols are being strictly adhered to on board. From wedding and private events to a family holiday, Cordelia Cruises caters to experiences of all shapes and sizes. We are not only 6 months old today but have also served over 45000+ happy guests. ITINERARY On weekdays, sailing from Chennai onto Srilanka – 5N/6D One way sailing from Chennai to Hambantota – 2N/3D One way sailing from Hambantota to Chennai – 3N/4D On weekends, sailing from Chennai onto high seas – 2N/3D Weekend 2N/3D Chennai – at Sea – Chennai Enjoy the Beauty of High Sea The Ship makes a technical Call at Tricomalee, but guests cannot get ashore ​Weekday – 5N/6D Chennai – at Sea – Hambantota -Trincomalee – Kankasanturei (Jaffna) – Chennai – Visit the beautiful Towns of Hambantota, Tricomalee and Kankasanturei (Jaffna)

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MTDC Offers 50% Discount For Women Travelers To Celebrate IWD

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has announced a limited period offer for all female guests as a part of International Womens’ Day (IWD) celebrations. The special offer allows female travelers to enjoy a 50% discount on the booking of all MTDC resorts. The discount is valid on bookings from 6th - 10th March Every year, 8th March is celebrated as International Women’s Day, and this year's theme announced by the United Nations is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, where the need prevails for recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge to create a more sustainable future for all. Women also play a significant role in tourism workforce development. To complement the theme, the state tourism development corporation decided to offer this special discount as a part of encouraging women for safe, secure and comfortable travel across the state of Maharashtra. Jayashree Bhoj, Managing Director, MTDC, says, “This year’s Women’s Day is highly exceptional for MTDC as it has never offered such a special discount before. Travel has always empowered women in more than one way. Recently, MTDC has initiated responsible tourism practices in all of its resorts, and it is important to note how sustainable travel can have a positive impact on the lives of others. “We want to give women and girls a little time out of their daily hustle and bustle by giving them an attractive discount to spend the women’s day week with their loved ones. With the state easing covid travel restrictions, I believe that more and more women will be able to enjoy their stay with MTDC resorts. MTDC has 30 resorts and restaurants located strategically across the state and with the launch of the new Dive boat “Aarmaar”, every traveler will get an opportunity to experience new aquatic adventure activities during their stay. With this, I would like to say that MTDC is ready to welcome all women to avail this special 50% discount from 6th March to 10th March’22 to enjoy the women’s day week”.

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Italy removes all its pre-arrival COVID-19 testing requirements for international travellers

Good news for people who have been planning to visit Italy! The country just removed all its pre-arrival testing requirements for fully vaxxed travellers. With this measure, Italy has become the latest European nation to ease its entry protocols and it came into effect on March 1. Requirements to enter Italy As per National Tourist Board, fully vaccinated international travellers can enter the country by just showing that they have been vaxxed within nine months or received a booster shot of their travel. And unvaccinated visitors can either show their recovered within six months report or enter the by showing their negative RT PCR test not older than 72 hours. They can also show the report of negative rapid antigen tests taken within 48 hours. However, all travellers will be required to fill a Passenger Locator Form before arriving in the country. If a traveller fails to show any one of the mentioned documents, he/she will have to undergo a five-day quarantine. Italy is offering a digital super green pass to those with a proof of vaccination or proof of contracting COVID-19 and recovering from it. The digital pass is required to stay at hotels, fly on a plane and more. Italy is not the first European country to waive these requirements. France has also removed all pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated visitors. Booster shot proof is necessary for travellers if it has been more than nine months. Iceland too joined the list last week by removing all restrictions related to COVID-19.

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Radisson Hotel Group adds nine new hotel signings across South Asia in 2021

Radisson Hotel Group further strengthened its portfolio in India with the signing of nine new hotels across five brands in 2021. Located in key gateway cities and emerging destinations, these new hotels will collectively add over 1000 rooms to its domestic network in the next three to five years. In 2021, the Group grew its presence in India with the opening of 12 new hotels and introducing two new brands, including Radisson Individuals and Radisson RED. The Group announced four hotel signings in the first half of 2021 despite pandemic challenges. These included Classic Grande Imphal, a member of Radisson Individuals, The Elite Narsapura, a member of Radisson Individuals, Park Inn by Radisson Vadodara and Park Inn by Radisson Vellore. These were followed by five additional signings towards the second half of the year – Radisson Resort Kumbhalgarh, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, New Gurugram, Park Inn by Radisson Deoghar, Radisson Hotel Jamshedpur, and Park Inn by Radisson AhmedabadDaslana. “2021 marks a significant milestone for us at Radisson Hotel Group as we opened our 100th hotel in India. We continued our foray towards our ambitious five-year expansion plan with nine signings in 2021 and are working towards replicating this performance in 2022. India remains a key part of the Group’s global strategy, and we intend to invest across all parts of our operations. Our next phase of growth would be driven by strategic, brand-defining hotel signings and openings that will provide a major uplift to our hotel portfolio and broaden our offerings for guests and owners,” said Zubin Saxena, Managing Director and Vice President, Operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. Currently, with 105 operating hotels in India, Radisson Hotel Group added 1,161 rooms to its network in 2021 with 12 hotel openings. Its diverse portfolio recorded the addition of hotels and resorts across Dharamshala, Nashik, Lonavala, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Chandigarh, Vizag and Imphal amongst other leisure destinations. With an increasing demand for domestic and experiential travel, Radisson Hotel Group stands ready to deliver memorable experiences to guests with its countrywide network of hotels. The full list of 2021 hotel signings include: Classic Grande Imphal, a member of Radisson Individuals: Situated in the state capital of Manipur, this 171-room hotel, offers comfortable accommodation in lovely surroundings. The property is centrally located and offers high-quality services paired with spectacular views overlooking the majestic Baruni Hill range. Warm hospitality and rich Manipur heritage run throughout the hotel’s rooms, suites and delightful dining venues. The hotel is currently fully operational. Park Inn by Radisson Vellore: Located off National Highway 48 which connects Mumbai and Chennai through Bengaluru, the property is ideally situated in the heart of Vellore, allowing guests quick access to all major attractions in the city including Vellore Fort, Balmathi Hills, Jalakandeswarar Temple and the Government Museum. The hotel is built to attract leisure and business travelers alike. Guests will have access to multiple food and beverage outlets, a fitness center and event spaces. The hotel is expected to open in 2023. The Elite Narasapura, a member of Radisson Individuals: Strategically located just five minutes away from Narasapura Industrial Hub and one hour away from Kempegowda Bengaluru International Airport, this property is ideal for business travelers. The 160-room, upscale hotel also allows travelers quick access to a world of adventure including boating over lake waters, rock climbing on mountains, or a day at the Ronald Fream-designed, 18-hole golf course at Zion Hills Golf County. The hotel is currently opened with an extension which is expected to be operational by 2023. Park Inn by Radisson Vadodara: This 112-room business hotel will feature a fitness center, swimming pool, tea lounge, all-day dining and multiple meeting and exhibition spaces. With proximity to the central business district, shopping district, government offices and commercial complexes, this property make a perfect business stay. The hotel is expected to open in 2025. Radisson Resort Kumbhalgarh: Located 82 kilometers from Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh is a historic city established in the 15th century and is rapidly gaining prominence on the tourist circuit of Rajasthan. The resort serves as an ideal leisure getaway with the Kumbhalgarh Fort – a UNESCO world heritage site, situated five kilometers from the property and the stunning Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary at a 55-kilometer scenic drive. The property will offer beautiful views of the Aravali Hills and allow guests access to a spa, swimming pool and fitness center. The hotel is expected to open in 2024. Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, New Gurugram: Located in India’s second-largest information technology hub and third-largest financial and banking hub, this 150-room property is suitable for a quick getaway for the Delhi NCR with its strategic location and convenient access. The property boasts of grand ballrooms, party lawns and three board rooms. The resort is expected to open in 2026. Park Inn by Radisson Deoghar: Deoghar is a prime pilgrim destination in the East Indian state of Jharkhand and is widely known for a 600-year-old temple which is one of the 12 most sacred religious sites for devotees of Lord Shiva. Centrally situated, this Park Inn by Radisson property is just four kilometers from Deogarh International Airport and nearly two kilometers away from all major pilgrim sites and temples in the city. The 110-room hotel is expected to open in 2024. Radisson Hotel Jamshedpur: Situated in the Steel City of Jamshedpur, the hotel is atop a retail mall with a total area of 600,000 sqft. This 100-room hotel will house a garden terrace, function halls, fitness center and swimming pool along with all-day dining and a lounge bar. The hotel is expected to open in 2026. Park Inn by Radisson Ahmedabad Daslana: Located in the industrial area of Daslana known for the manufacturing of automobiles, food processing units and poly-plastic products, this hotel is expected to house a fitness center, swimming pool, function halls with a pre-function area, a board room, and outlets that offer all-day dining. The 100-room hotel is expected to open in 2026.

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IndiGo to operate 20 repatriation flights under Operation Ganga over four days

In its endeavor to support the repatriation efforts from Ukraine, IndiGo is operating 20 flights from February 28 to March 03. Out of these 20 flights, 6 flights have landed in Delhi bringing back over 1300 Indian citizens; another 6 flights are enroute and will land tomorrow; and an additional 8 flights will take off tomorrow to bring back Indian nationals. The airline is operating these flights on A321 aircraft with all safety precautions. Some of these flights carried relief material during their onward journey to Budapest and Rzeszow, while bringing back evacuees in the return leg via Istanbul. These flights were operated as part of the Operation Ganga by Govt. of India. Out of the total 6 flights that have arrived so far, 4 flights landed back in India with over 860 nationals on March 02, received by Dr Jitendra Singh – Minister of State PMO, Smriti Irani – Minister of Women and Child Development, Virendra Kumar Khatik – Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Rajeev Chandrasekar- Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology at the airport. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, President and Chief Operating Officer, IndiGo said, “We are pleased to contribute towards repatriation efforts of the Indian government. Our flights aided in the safe return of over 1300 Indian citizens from Budapest, Bucharest, and Rzeszow to Delhi so far and expect this number to go up with 14 more flights over the next two days. We would like to extend our gratitude to the operations team who have selflessly come forward to be a part of this mission, enabling the safe return of stranded citizens back to their homes. We will continue to contribute to the country in its time of need.” Continuing its mission to evacuate Indian citizens from the crisis in Ukraine, IndiGo will operate 8 additional flights using A321 aircraft on March 03, 2022. Two flights each will be operated via Istanbul, from Delhi to Budapest (Hungary) and Rzeszow (Poland); and two flights will operate from Mumbai to Bucharest (Romania) and Suceawa (Romania) via Istanbul. All these eight flights will also be part of Govt. of India’s Operation Ganga initiative.

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WelcomHeritage bullish on expansion in 2022, plans new properties in Kufri, Chail, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Luni, Chikmaglur, Goa and Wayanad

WelcomHeritage, part of the ITC's hospitality division, which is also one of the major chains of heritage properties in India is forging ahead with the expansion of its hotel portfolio in popular tourist destinations of the country. Continuing to expand the brand, the company has four planned openings in 2022 with new properties scheduled to open in Kochi, Ooty, Mandawa, and Solan. Sharing more details, Abinash Manghani, CEO, WelcomHeritage said that they are targeting expansion in other locations of the country in the future with new properties in Kufri, Chail, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Luni, Chikmaglur, Goa, and Wayanad. "We approach every endeavour of ours with the utmost thought, planning, and discernment. The year 2021 was a very successful year for us despite the challenges brought by the ongoing pandemic. We are looking at 2022 with much optimism as we plan to open a number of new properties and continue to create experiences that bring people together to celebrate life,” Manghani said. WelcomHeritage as a brand has played an instrumental role in highlighting the storied rich heritage and cultural ethos of the various destinations where its properties are located. The company’s outlook for 2022 looks set to build upon the success of the past year when it added new hotels to its kitty including WelcomHeritage Elysium Resort & Spa, Shimla, WelcomHeritage Badi Kothi, Allahabad and WelcomHeritage Cheetahgarh Resort & Spa, Bera in its portfolio in 2021. It added 85 keys to its overall inventory in 2021. The new openings in 2022 include WelcomHeritage Azora, Fort Kochi, WelcomHeritage Ayatana, Ooty, WelcomHeritage Desert Resort, Mandawa, and WelcomHeritage Parv Vilas, Solan. When operational, these properties will add 171 keys to the existing inventory of 903 keys of WelcomHeritage. According to Manghani, his company is especially excited about its prospects in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where it is planning to expand its footprints significantly. “Each new WelcomHeritage property is a destination in itself. We are creating experiences in tune with our well travelled guests’ contemporary lifestyles and needs. We are very excited about our new hotel openings across the country. We are optimistic that business will continue to grow at the same rate as in pre-Covid times. Going forward, we expect to clock generous three-digit growth in 2022. As we turn the page to 2022, we're excited to build on the growth of the previous year by offering more options to our guests looking to explore diverse destinations,” Manghani further added.

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