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Want to travel to Thailand? These flights could start soon

India-Thailand Travel: India and Thailand agreed to expand flight connectivity to boost trade and tourism, signing a memorandum of understanding on air services in Bangkok. “The bilateral MOU will further enhance capacities of airlines operating between the two countries, aiming at strengthening people to people and economic ties,” Indian Embassy in Bangkok said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Currently, Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara operate flights between India and Bangkok while Air India and IndiGo operate flights to Phuket as well. Indian carriers fly to Thailand from six cities and four Thai carriers connect twelve destinations in India. Between the two countries, there are around 75 daily flights (two-way). But now, Indian carriers will be able to expand frequencies and add new destinations in Thailand with a staggered increase in the current entitlement of 32,000 seats per week, it was reported. This will be done in two stages of 7,000 each and Thailand has agreed to open four new extra points of call or destinations for Indian carriers which include Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, and Udon Thani, as per Hindu Business Line. While Guldeep Singh Sahni, co-chairman (outbound travel), FICCI, said as per the report, “Given its proximity and reasonable prices, Thailand always sees a high travel demand. There is demand for wellness and luxury resorts too now." This comes as Thailand announced a visa-free entry for Indians last November which runs till May 10. Nearly 1,50,000 Indians visited Thailand in February- 120 per cent higher compared to 2019, according to Tourism Authority of Thailand data.

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Bhutan expects close to 50% of pre-covid travel from India

Bhutan is targeting 3 lakh tourists globally. Of this, it is targeting 1.50 lakh (50 per cent) from India for 2024. Bhutanese Prime Minister has also assured government subsidy on airfares, and additional air connectivity to more cities from India. He has also said that the country will ease permit approvals. This is close to 50 per cent of pre-covid levels. Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Bhutani PM, at the FICCI India-Bhutan Summit on Tourism, “In 2024, the total number of tourists we are targetting is 3 lakh. Of this, we are targetting 50 per cent from India.“ In 2023, of the 3.04 lakh tourists that visited Bhutan, 72,659 were Indians. In 2019, 2.30 lakh were Indians of the 3.15 lakh. The numbers, are yet to reach pre-covid levels because of the sustainable development fee (SDF) which is $15 per day i.e. ₹1,200 a day, for Indians, whereas other countries are required to pay $100 a day. Some players said that this fee was a dampener for tourists hoping to visit the nation. “We country is custodian of culture. 72 per cent of our country is under forest coverage which tourists love to see. The covid pandemic his us hard, and mainly hit our tourism. It is an important aspect of economic growth for us, and we are expecting better ties with India to boost tourism between the two countries.” During the event, industry players pointed out that both countries have lesser air connectivity, and the airfares are high. One of the players also said that there was a lot of demand from Mumbai and Ahmedabad, On this, he said, “We will make sure that the government offers subsidy on airfares, and we will evaluate more connectivity to these destinations.” Another point which was raised was that the permit process was were long. On this, the Bhutani PM said that the country will ease permit processes for Indians. Another point mentioned was regarding Foreign Direct Investment in Bhutan by Indians. On this, he mentioned that the Lalit Group is scouting a property in Bhutan to develop a wellness resort. Lastly, the industry demanded a common region package for India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, which the Bhutani PM agreed to.

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You Will Soon Be Able To Travel In Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains

Vande Bharat trains have revolutionized travel, offering faster and more convenient connections between multiple cities. Now, travelers will enjoy the comfort of sleeper coaches, moving beyond the traditional chair car experience. According to reports, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, recently unveiled the inaugural body structure of Vande Bharat Sleeper Coaches at a Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) facility in Bengaluru. Vaishnaw also announced the completion of the sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat express, featuring three types, including the metro variant. The metro train, slated to operate for short distances (under 100 km) by 2025, marks another milestone in the Vande Bharat initiative. The first Vande Bharat sleeper trains are expected to debut within the next six months, as per the minister's statement. These sleeper coaches prioritize speed and efficiency without compromising on comfort. Spacious cabins with wider berths ensure a relaxing journey, while improved suspension systems minimize noise and vibration. Vaishnaw stressed passenger comfort as a paramount concern, highlighting enhancements such as expanded foot space near the ladder, upgraded air conditioning controls, redesigned toilets for enhanced comfort, improved seat cushioning, and meticulous maintenance of oxygen levels to mitigate the spread of viruses. Initial routes for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains are projected to be Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah, offering faster travel times compared to Rajdhanis. Prototypes of these trains, offering both AC and non-AC sleeping berths, are ready with approximately 16-20 coaches, housed at Chennai's Integral Coach Factory.

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Global tourism professionals to attend state travel mart

The Tourism Department is organizing the Goa International Travel Mart, a two-day event starting on April 3 in the state, bringing together industry professionals from around the world. The department aims to use this platform to highlight Goa’s tourism offerings, especially emphasizing new avenues like heritage and hinterland tourism. "It’s not just about networking and business opportunities. It’s about showcasing Goa’s unique charm and enticing travelers to explore all that our region has to offer," stated Tourism Director Suneel Anchipaka. The event, designed for stakeholders from the travel and trade industry, will take place at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Bambolim. The Tourism Department anticipates that this event will facilitate connections, collaborations, and the showcasing of travel services, as well as the formation of partnerships and exploration of new travel avenues.

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Travel trends 2024: Srinagar, Varanasi, Guwahati among the most searched travel destinations in India

India's passion for travel is unmistakable, with Delhi and Mumbai securing positions among the world's top 50 busiest airports. This fervour extends to other major hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, each bustling with activity and reflecting the nation's eagerness to explore more and more. To measure the preferred choice of travel destinations of Indians, Wowtickets.com, a UK-based platform recently launched in India, conducted a survey. The findings reveal intriguing trends: alongside popular destinations like Goa and Srinagar, many Indians are venturing to tier two cities such as Pune and Patna. Furthermore, there's a noticeable uptick in spiritual tourism, with destinations like Varanasi witnessing increased footfall. Top 15 most searched Indian destinations nationwide As per the research, the top most searched travel destinations in India are Goa, Mumbai, Delhi, Srinagar, Bengaluru, Pune, Patna, Leh, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Guwahati, Bagdogra. Total searches: 3.6 crores. Here’s now city-wise trends: Mumbai It has been found that people from Mumbai are quite inclined to explore places like Goa, Delhi, Bengaluru, Srinagar, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Jaipur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Dehradun, Patna, Hyderabad. Total searches: 31.86 lakh. Delhi People from Delhi are interested in exploring places like Goa, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Srinagar, Pune, Patna, Kolkata, Leh, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Guwahati, Bagdogra, Kochi, Bhubaneswar. Total searches: 35.09 lakh. Bengaluru Those from Bengaluru want to check out places like Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Kolkata, Pune, Lucknow, Patna, Ahmedabad, Ranchi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Bhubaneswar, Bagdogra, Guwahati. Total searches: 24.86 lakh. Hyderabad Those from Hyderabad are interested in places like Delhi, Goa, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Tirupati, Varanasi, Srinagar, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Chandigarh.

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Visa-free travel becoming more popular, surge in On-arrival options: UN

Witnessed a surge and Visa on arrival options have also increased for people across the world, according to the latest UN Tourism report. The report says, 21 per cent of the world population does not need any form of visa, an increase from 17 per cent in 2008 and 20 per cent in 2018. Moreover, 14 per cent of the world population can apply for visa on arrival, an increase from 6 per cent in 2008 and 15 per cent in 2018. Due to the pandemic, novel travel facilitation methods, like "nomadic visas", emerged as a result. The report says that there has been a decline in traditional visa requirements. Fewer people worldwide now require a traditional visa to travel, falling from 77 per cent in 2008 to 59 per cent in 2018, and then to 47 per cent in 2023. The percentage of the global population eligible to apply for eVisas has risen to 18 per cent, a significant increase from 3 per cent in 2013 and 7 per cent in 2018. “The report sheds light on the evolving landscape of travel facilitation. It includes the Tourism Visa Openness Index that measures the degree to which destinations facilitate tourism and how open a country is in terms of visa facilitation for tourism purposes. Also, mobility scores are included to indicate to the extent to which citizens around the world are subject to visa policies, as well as an in-depth analysis of the reciprocity of visa policies,” said UN Tourism.

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