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Noida Airport to start flight operations from April 2025

Noida International Airport, also known as Jewar Airport, is set to commence commercial operations on April 17, 2025, with around 30 flights scheduled for both domestic and international routes. In the initial phase, 25 flights will connect key domestic destinations, while three flights will cater to international locations. Additionally, two flights will be dedicated to cargo services. Once completed, Jewar Airport is expected to become Asia's largest and the world's fourth-largest airport, significantly enhancing air travel capacity in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India. Early discussions suggest that the first international flights from Noida airport will be bound for Singapore, Dubai, and Zurich, with Zurich being notable as the headquarters of the airport's concessionaire. Domestically, the airport will connect to major cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Dehradun, and Hubli. Consultations are currently underway between the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and airline partners IndiGo and Akasa Air regarding the launch of domestic routes. The airport is being developed in four phases, with the initial phase focusing on establishing a passenger terminal complex spanning 101,590 sq m, a 3.9 km runway, and necessary support facilities. This first phase, covering 1,334 hectares in Jewar, is expected to accommodate up to 12 million passengers annually, manage 100,000 flights, and has an estimated investment of around $730.5 million. The foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021, with commercial operations anticipated to commence by April 2025.

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National Geographic reveals its top destinations for 2025

The hottest revival trend in travel for 2025? That would be “fun,” according to National Geographic editor-in-chief Nathan Lump, who spoke exclusively to CNN ahead of the Tuesday reveal of Best of the World 2025, the brand’s annual list of the most thrilling and purposeful travel experiences for the year ahead. “This year, understanding the complexity of the times that we live in and some of the challenges that are present in so many places on the planet, we wanted to lean into things that we felt like were just really fun, that really kind of tapped into the joy of travel, the excitement of discovery,” says Lump. Guadalajara, Mexico, got a spot on the list thanks to its mariachi festival held for two weeks every August and September, when some 500 bands perform in the Teatro Degollado and public squares. “The streets come alive with music,” says Lump. “That’s going to bring a lot of joy.” Another culture-filled party destination is Boise, Idaho, home to the highest concentration of Basque people in the United States. After a 10-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, its Jaialdi festival returns in 2025, with the city’s Basque Block hosting daily street parties, dancing and music performances, as well as a Sports Night with wood-chopping and wagon-lifting competitions. At the other end of the scale, for what Lump calls “a very Zen kind of fun,” there are Italy’s 200 or so Cenobitic monasteries, which date back to the Middle Ages. All visitors are welcome here for a monastic stay, regardless of religious affiliation. It’s a chance, says Lump, for visitors to connect with themselves or with others “in a way that could be really soulful and meaningful.”

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Spain is the hottest winter travel destination this year

Airline operators in Spain expect to sell 12% more seats this winter than a year earlier as travellers look to steer well clear of conflict zones, the head of Spain's airlines industry group (ALA) said on Tuesday. Tourist destinations such as the Canary Islands will see more flights as some airlines re-route planes from Israel and other destinations in the Middle East, ALA President Javier Gandara told a press conference in Madrid. For the winter, "there have been a number of changes in airline schedules, many of them caused by the conflict in the Middle East, and Spain has had additional schedules," he said. An ALA estimate published on Oct. 15 forecast sales of 137 million seats through March, an increase on the 134 million predicted by Spanish airport operator Aena from data provided by airlines in August, before the Middle East conflict spread. Spain received a record 64.3 million foreign tourists from January to August, up 11% from the same period in 2023, putting it on track for another record year for visitors despite growing local discontent over the impact of tourism in some hotspots.

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Passengers Flying Through This Texas Airport Advised to Plan Ahead

It's not even the holiday travel season, and airline passengers are being asked to pack extra patience. The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport recently published an advisory to passengers traveling to or from Austin to arrive early and expect a record volume of passengers in the coming days. The city will be hosting two major sporting events during the upcoming weekend, including both the Formula 1 race, as well as an SEC football game between home team The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Georgia "As October is notably a lively travel month for Austin, AUS asks passengers to plan for record-breaking busy days at the airport," the airport shared in an advisory to passengers. The airport reports that Thursday, October 17 through Tuesday, October 22 will be the busiest travel days, as the SEC football game takes place on Saturday, and the Formula 1 race takes place on Sunday. The airport projects that at least 30,000 passengers will depart on high-traffic days. In an effort to streamline potential congestion and delays, the airport asks passengers to arrive early for their flight, at least two and a half hours for domestic, and three hours for international. The airport also advises that highways and roads surrounding the airport will be busy with commuters who are visiting for the events. The Austin Airport has been posting travel updates on their social media accounts.

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Germany eyes 10% increase in Indian tourist influx by 2025

From January to July 2024, around 175,000 Indian tourists visited Germany, contributing to 523,076 overnight stays. In 2023, over 232,000 Indian tourists visited the country, leading to a 33 per cent year-on-year increase in overnight stays, totalling 826,000. Germany has seen a quicker post-pandemic recovery in Indian tourism compared to other Asian markets, with the Indian market recovering at a rate of 86 per cent. Germany is set to boost its share of Indian tourists, targeting a 10 per cent rise in 2025, as the country anticipates reaching one million overnight stays by Indian visitors this year. Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), shared this optimistic outlook at a press conference in New Delhi, where she highlighted Germany's growing importance as a destination for Indian travellers. Germany has a share of over 10 per cent in the Indian travel market in Europe in 2023. Almost 1 billion euros worth of revenue was generated in Germany from Indian visitors trips last year. The country was ranked 3rd most popular European destination for Indian travellers in 2023 after the United Kingdom and France. I am quite hopeful that we will reach 1 million overnight stays this year by Indian tourists and an additional 1 lakh nights next year, marking a 10 per cent growth in 2025," Hedorfer stated. The average night stay by Indians in Germany is about 9.3 days. The GNTB data revealed that most Indians travel to Germany for round trips with a stay of more than 4 nights on average. From January to July 2024, around 175,000 Indian tourists visited Germany, contributing to 523,076 overnight stays. In 2023, over 232,000 Indian tourists visited the country, leading to a 33 per cent year-on-year increase in overnight stays, totalling 826,000. Germany has seen a quicker post-pandemic recovery in Indian tourism compared to other Asian markets, with the Indian market recovering at a rate of 86 per cent.

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Germany raises skilled worker visas for Indians from 20,000 to 90,000

As per the latest development, Germany in a bid to solve workforce shortage, has stepped up its efforts to attract more skilled workers, particularly from India. If reports are to go by, the German Government has announced to increase the annual cap on skilled labour visas to 90,000 from 20,000 for Indian professionals. This initiative will target all those critical gaps that crucial sectors are facing such as nursing, information technology, and caregiving. Reportedly, the new measures are aimed at making it easier for Indian professionals to migrate to the country and contribute to its economy. Referring to this, German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, informed that the number of visas issued to skilled migrants from India in all likelihood will increase significantly. Currently, the visa cap per year stands at 20,000, whereas the government is all set to raise it to 90,000 annually. These visas will be focused primarily on sectors facing acute labour shortages in Germany, whereas Indian professionals are highly sought after to fill these gaps. In response to labour demands, the German Government has launched a number of programs to attract Indian labourers. One of the crucial adjustments that it has made is reducing the visa processing time for Indian applicants, under which candidates are required to wait only two weeks to get their visas approved, compared to earlier when the said time line used to be nine months.

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