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ITA Airways Expands London Connections, Unveils New Routes at Business Travel Show Europe

ITA Airways is gearing up for a significant presence at the upcoming Business Travel Show Europe, a premier event focused on business travel. The show is scheduled for June 19th and 20th at the ExCeL exhibition center in London, United Kingdom. At the event, ITA Airways will showcase its offerings at the Airline Pavilion (stand AP6), featuring a dedicated branded area. The ITA Airways sales team will be on hand to engage with trade and corporate customers, travel agencies, companies, and key players in the business travel sector. The Business Travel Show Europe provides a valuable platform for discussing industry trends, exploring the latest technological innovations, meeting a wide range of suppliers, and developing tailored travel programs to meet the evolving needs of businesses and travelers. The United Kingdom holds strategic importance for ITA Airways, which offers a comprehensive program of connections to London. This includes flights to London City and Gatwick airports. For the current summer season, the airline has launched a new nonstop route between London City Airport (LCY) and Rome–Fiumicino Airport (FCO). This route, operated by Airbus A220-100 aircraft with 12 weekly frequencies, offers travelers convenient access to both airport hubs and enhances connectivity between the two capitals. Passengers flying with ITA Airways can also benefit from easy access to the airline’s extensive network via Rome Fiumicino. This includes domestic and intercontinental destinations, making travel to Mediterranean locations such as Italy, Spain, and Greece, as well as cities like Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires, seamless and convenient. In addition to the new London City route, ITA Airways has increased its daily flights on the London City – Milan Linate route from three to five earlier this year. This move underscores the airline’s commitment to enhancing business travel opportunities in the British market, bringing the total weekly frequencies between Italy and London City to 43 during the peak of the summer season. Highlighting the strategic importance of the UK market, ITA Airways has also launched a new connection to Gatwick Airport from Rome Fiumicino, offering 7 weekly frequencies. This brings the total number of weekly flights between the UK and Italy to 100, catering to both British and Italian travelers. ITA Airways will also celebrate the enrollment of 2 million members in Volare, the airline’s loyalty program, during the event. Launched in March 2022, Volare now boasts more than 30 commercial partners from the hôtellerie, mobility, and finance sectors, as well as 10 airline partners for both accrual and redemption. In 2024, ITA Airways is making major investments, flying to 57 destinations, including 16 domestic, 26 international, and 15 intercontinental destinations, during the current summer season. The airline is introducing new nonstop flights from its Rome Fiumicino hub to key markets in North America, Africa, and the Middle East. This includes new routes to Chicago, launched in April, Toronto in May, and Riyadh and Accra in June, with upcoming flights to Dakar and Jeddah. These additions complement ITA Airways’ existing portfolio, which includes intercontinental destinations like New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, and New Delhi, offering seamless connectivity to travelers worldwide.

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Thomas Cook soars on domestic travel boom

Thomas Cook (India) jumps 5% to Rs 225.70 after the company said it has witnessed a significant growth in domestic travel demand in India. Thomas Cook (India), India's leading omnichannel travel services company, and its group company, SOTC Travel, are experiencing a surge in domestic tourism. Their latest insights reveal a travel boom, with both companies exceeding their total domestic travel figures for all of 2023 in just the first half of 2024. The latest insights suggest that travelers are seeking more luxurious experiences. This is evident in increased spending and a preference for higher category accommodation and prioritising in-hotel experiences like spa, wellness and dining. While short getaways remain popular, there's a growing trend towards extended vacations of 15 days. Popular destinations include Kashmir, North East, Andamans, Kerala, and Goa. Adventure activities, domestic cruises, and pilgrimage tours are also seeing a rise in demand. Pilgrimage tours are up by 45% compared to pre-pandemic levels, with a surprising interest from younger generations. Rajeev Kale, president & country head Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India): "Domestic tourism is fueling our growth this summer. We've achieved both our revenue and passenger volume targets for all of 2023 within the first half of 2024." Daniel DSouza, president & country head, Leisure, SOTC Travel: "Our strategy to encourage Indians to explore their own country is evidently successful. We're bullish on India's domestic segment and ready to set new goals for the coming months and year." Thomas Cook (India) is the leading omnichannel travel company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services including Foreign Exchange, Corporate Travel, MICE, Leisure Travel, Value Added Services and Visa Services. It operates leading B2C and B2B brands. As one of the largest travel service provider networks headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, The Thomas Cook India Group spans 28 countries across 5 continents. On a consolidated basis, Thomas Cook (India) reported net profit of Rs 56.66 crore in Q4 March 2024 as against net loss of Rs 7.01 crore in Q4 March 2023. Net sales rose 26.70% YoY to Rs 1663.82 crore in Q4 March 2024.

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Ranipur Tiger Reserve to be turned into an eco-tourism destination

As per the latest development, the UP Government is all set to transform the Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Chitrakoot into an eco-tourism destination. In line with this, a detailed action plan has been developed, whereas the Forest Department has already begun implementing the project. According to a government spokesman, an estimated INR 38 lakh will be allocated to upgrade tourist facilities within the reserve and enhance infrastructure in the surrounding buffer zone. If reports are to go by, directives have been issued by the Deputy Director of the Ranipur Tiger Reserve/Divisional Officer in Chitrakoot to facilitate these efforts. Spanning over 230 sq km, Ranipur Tiger Reserve is Uttar Pradesh's fourth and the nation's 53rd tiger reserve. Located 150 km from Madhya Pradesh's Panna Tiger Reserve, it is a haven for tigers and a diverse array of wildlife, including leopards, chinkara, bears, and sambar deer. Recognising the region's significant tourism potential, the UP Government has intensified development efforts in the tiger reserve. The area is being meticulously developed to ensure sustainable growth, adhering to stringent environmental standards. The primary focus of the tourist amenities currently under development is the luxury tent area. This space aims to allow visitors to immerse themselves in the unparalleled beauty of nature while enjoying top-notch amenities. In addition to upgrading civic amenities within the forest, the plan includes developing lawn areas and designated parking spaces. The Forest Department has commenced project implementation, focusing on both improving tourist facilities and enhancing the infrastructure in the surrounding buffer zone. The government spokesman confirmed the allocation of approximately Rs 38 lakh for these developments. Recognising the tourism potential, the state government has amplified development initiatives in the reserve. The area is being carefully developed to ensure sustainable progress, adhering to strict environmental standards. With all these plans in place, Ranipur Tiger Reserve is poised to become a leading eco-tourism destination, offering visitors an exceptional experience while promoting sustainable tourism and wildlife conservation. Located in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district, Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1977. The sanctuary is home to a wide variety of animal species, including wolves, blue bulls, chinkaras, sambars, leopards, and black bucks. Its rich flora includes bamboo, Palas, Khair, Salai, Tendu, and other plants. The reserve is surrounded by hills, rivers, and seasonal streams, creating a favorable environment for diverse wildlife, including tigers. Additionally, the sanctuary was established in 1978 to protect the natural habitat of the Barasingha, or swamp deer.

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ITB India 2024 to focus on the future of travel

ITB India 2024 will gather travel industry professionals from 11 – 13 September 2024, at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. Under this year’s theme “Future-Ready Travel: Embracing Innovation, Sustainability, and Global Connectivity”, thought leaders and experts from the MICE, Corporate, Leisure and Travel Technology sectors will provide in-depth perspectives on trends, challenges, and the future of the fast-growing Indian and South Asian travel market across three conference tracks. India’s growing outbound and domestic travel India’s travel industry is on a remarkable growth trajectory, with total travel expenditure set to reach $410 billion by 2030 and outbound travel expected to surpass 80 million travellers by 2040. This growth in demand has reignited the industry’s focus on targeting travellers from this dynamic region. In light of this, the conference agenda promises to guide the global travel industry on current travel expectations and future trends, focusing on Indian and South Asian outbound and domestic travel. The second in-person edition of the ITB India Conference will cover a wide range of topics including adapting to changing contexts, emerging trends, and evolving consumer expectations, MICE tourism in South Asia in 2025, digital transformation in corporate travel, travel in the age of ChatGPT, the impact of smart technology on the hospitality industry, outlook and trends in the travel industry, as well as the interface between technology and the future of tourism. Among the local and international heavyweights who have confirmed their attendance are Krishna Rathi, Senior Country Director – India Sub Continent & Maldives, Agoda; Harshad Donde, Country Director, India, BCD Meetings & Events; Atul Jain, Chief Operating Officer, BWH Hotels – India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka; Santosh Kumar, Country Head – Indian sub-continent & Indonesia, Booking.com; Prahlad Krishnamurthi, Chief Business Officer, Cleartrip; Kiran Bhandari, Director, India Office – Dubai Business Events, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism; Darshana Shirodkar, Senior Director, Lodging Market Management – Southeast Asia and Indian Subcontinent, Expedia Group; Jude D’Souza, Meeting & Events Leader, India, FCM Meetings & Events; Vikram Cotah, Chief Executive Officer, GRT Hotels & Resorts; Neelu Singh, Senior Vice President APAC & Regional Lead Strategic Accounts, HRS Group; Mufaddal Dahodwala, Managing Partner, ICE India; Amaresh Tiwari, Vice Chairman, India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB); Indiver Rastogi, President & Group Head – Global Business Travel, Thomas Cook India Limited; Neil Patil, Founder & Director, Veena World; and Sunila Patil, Founder & Director, Veena World. Three Conference Tracks Set the Stage for Valuable Insights: Knowledge Theatre, MICE Show India and Travel Tech India As ITB India’s premier conference track, the Knowledge Theatre will host C-suite leaders and renowned industry experts who will share their strategic insights on the outlook of travel, present real-world case studies and provide views on the key considerations of today’s travellers. Attendees can look forward to learning about the latest trends and strategies shaping the future of travel, as well as the challenges and opportunities in different segments of the travel industry – from leisure to adventure, from luxury to budget. MICE Show India will set the focus on MICE & Corporate Travel, where leading MICE and corporate travel executives from convention and venue bureaus, meeting planners, event organisers, MICE technology, travel managers and travel management companies deliver insights into the transformative innovations that are reshaping the MICE and corporate travel industry in various conference sessions. As this year’s Knowledge Partner, the Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA) will be curating sessions aimed at the MICE audience. They will also look at the pressing issues and challenges currently facing the industry, as well as the opportunities that lie ahead for the vibrant industry in India and South Asia. Travel Tech India will give valuable insights to digital travel leaders. Leading travel tech experts and innovators will share their views on the impact of cutting-edge technology on enhancing the customer experience in the travel industry. Attendees can expect to hear from visionary speakers who will share their perspectives on the future of travel technology and gain insight into the unique challenges and opportunities in the travel technology landscape. Special rates are available for exhibitors: ITB India 2024 offers an Early Bird promotion: By registering before 15 July, exhibitors will receive discounted rates on booth registration and gain access to the show floor, conferences, pre-scheduled meeting slots with buyers.

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Lufthansa offers new concessions on ITA Airways deal

Lufthansa Group has offered a new round of concessions to the EU on its acquisition of ITA Airways, according to multiple media reports. European competition regulators are currently assessing whether Lufthansa’s deal to buy the Italian carrier, which was announced in May 2023, can go ahead. A final decision is due to be made by early July. The EU has previously said that it has competition concerns that the deal could increase flight prices or “decrease quality” of airline services to and from Italy, including worries about Lufthansa-ITA’s dominance at Milan Linate airport and also on some transatlantic routes. Italian publication Corriere della Sera has suggested that the EU has already accepted Lufthansa’s latest remedy proposals, which include giving up 15 to 17 daily slot pairs at Linate, as well as allowing competitors to take over some of ITA’s long-haul flights from Rome to North American destinations such as San Francisco, Washington, Chicago and Toronto. These concessions include another airline starting direct flights from Italy to North America, alongside two competing carriers operating indirect flights from Italy with a stopover in another EU city before travelling across the Atlantic, according to a report by Reuters.

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Digi Yatra could be expanded to hotels, rail travel and public places

The facial-recognition technology based check-in service at airports, called Digi Yatra, could be implemented at hotels and public places such as historical monuments, according to the CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, Suresh Khadakbhavi. He said that a prototype for this use-case had been developed and discussions were ongoing with various government agencies such as the Ministry of Tourism. “The vision is to create a travel stack for seamless movement across India,” Mr. Khadakbhavi said in an exclusive interview with The Hindu while talking about the future use-cases of Digi Yatra. “This would enhance the travel experience for a tourist who has to produce a passport for check-in at a hotel and at police stations for verification,” he said citing the example of the Taj Mahal. Digi Yatra could also be used for rail travel, and an initial discussion has also been held with the Ministry of Railways. Nationals of certain countries such as Pakistan are required to report their arrival and intended departure at each place of stay within 24 hours at the nearest police station. Tourists of other nationalities who hold a visa for a period of more than 180 days are also required to register at the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO). Mr. Khadakbhavi explained that extending Digi Yatra to hotels and public places would prevent data leakage as people often tend to share unencrypted form of identity documents through photocopies and screenshots, whereas Digi Yatra ID doesn’t carry any personally identifiable information. The Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem only saves a hash value or a numerical value that identifies the content of the file so that none of the four data items shared by passengers at the time of registering on the app (name, Aadhaar, face scan and passport number) can be leaked anywhere in the system. The Digi Yatra initiative is digital processing of air travellers which uses their biometrics such as a facial scan instead of a boarding pass to enable paperless movement through various checkpoints at an airport. The initiative was rolled out at airports in December 2022, and today covers 14 airports while 15 more airports will be included by the end of 2024. The primary aim of the initiative at the time its policy document was launched in 2017 was to improve passenger throughput (or number of passengers passing through various checkpoints) at airports. This would achieve the objective of enhancing airport infrastructure needed to cater to increasing passenger volumes by ensuring more efficient airport operations, alongside physical expansion of airports in the country. But the proposed use-case for hotels and other public places implies that the role for Digi Yatra could extend beyond air travel. The Digi Yatra Foundation itself is a not-profit private company which is a consortium of five private airports that have a combined shareholding of 74%, and Airports Authority of India which holding the remainder 26% share. The Foundation is also funded by this consortium. At airports, so far Digi Yatra e-gates were deployed primarily at entry gates outside airports as well as security screening queues inside the passenger terminal building. Now, they increasingly can be seen at more touch-points such as boarding gates as well as baggage drops. “Digi Yatra was envisaged for all the touchpoints, such as airport entry gates, check-in, baggage drop and boarding gates. But airports rolled them out for airport entry gates and security checkpoints, and some have started to also implement it at baggage drop,” Mr. Khadakbhavi said explaining this would eliminate the need for producing boarding passes wherever passengers are required to do so. On concerns over lack of consent from users at airports where enrolments are being carried out on the day of travel, Mr. Khadakbhavi blamed “overenthusiasm” among private airport staff in enrolling travellers and that they were in conversation with airports to ensure their staff is adequately sensitised.

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