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Tamil Nadu to start ferry service from Nagapattinam to Sri Lanka from tomorrow

30 passengers have already booked Sri Lanka trip at this offer price, officials of the Nagapattinam Shipping Harbour Department said. Here's the ticket cost The passenger ferry service from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka is scheduled to start on Saturday, an official of the Nagapattinam Shipping Harbour Department said. While the ticket fee for going to Sri Lanka was earlier fixed at ₹7670 per person ( ₹6500 18% GST), the officials of the Nagapattinam Shipping Harbour Department said on Thursday that they have fixed a fee of ₹2800 ( ₹2375 18% tax) as an inaugural offer for passengers who are travelling on the ferry on October 14th (one day). The fare is 75% off the current price.So far, 30 passengers have already booked the trip at this offer price, the official said. After a gap of 40 years, the passenger transportation ship was first scheduled to depart on October 10, 2023 but was postponed till October 12, following an administrative problem. It was further postponed until October 14.

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Radisson Hotel Group unveils Palchan Hotel and Spa in Manali

Radisson Hotel Group has unveiled its latest property, Palchan Hotel and Spa, a member of Radisson Individual Retreats in Manali. Nestled amidst the majestic Himalayan range, the hotel offers guests an unparalleled experience with a chance to reconnect with nature as it is surrounded by lush green valleys and serene waterfalls. Located on the Rohtang Highway, the hotel is around 1.5 hours away from Kullu-Manali Airport in Bhuntar and close to local bus and train stations. Guests can also reach easily by car or taxi and benefit from the on-site parking. “We envision Radisson Hotel Group’s next phase of growth to be driven by key hotel openings in India’s leading leisure destinations. Radisson Individuals Retreats allows us the opportunity to enable and co-create unparalleled experiences for guests in every part of India, especially in tier-II and III cities. Considering the heavy footfall of travelers visiting Himachal Pradesh and especially Manali, the hotel’s strategic location will be one of its key USPs. With this opening, our goal is to make experience-driven hospitality accessible to a wider audience, while also ensuring that our presence enriches the local community and preserves the natural beauty of this Himalayan paradise,” said Zubin Saxena, Managing Director and Area Senior Vice President – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. Perched in the heart of Manali, Palchan Hotel and Spa, a member of Radisson Individuals Retreats presents guests with a one-of-a-kind accommodation experience. Each meticulously designed and spacious room features a stunning cedar wood look, exhibiting modern comforts with traditional aesthetics. The rooms and suites are strategically positioned to offer breathtaking panoramic views of the majestic Himalayan peaks. Earthy tones and tasteful furnishings create an inviting and soothing ambiance, ensuring a serene retreat after a day of adventure or leisure.

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ITA Airways launches 2023-2024 winter schedule with 52 destinations

ITA Airways launched the 2023-2024 winter season at the TTG Travel Experience International Tourism Fair in Rimini during a press conference presented by Andrea Benassi, General Manager ITA Airways, and Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer ITA Airways and CEO Volare. “This is my first time at TTG Travel Experience, and I’m honored to be here today at this annual event where tourism operators gather to build the upcoming seasons – said Andrea Benassi, ITA Airways General Manager – ITA Airways wants to be the reference national carrier for the mobility of Italians by ensuring quality connectivity at both domestic and international level, with a particular focus on the intercontinental segment. Since the start of our operations, our goal is to be an efficient, innovative carrier, representing Italy worldwide, – added General Manager – our passengers should immediately feel at home and experience Italy even before landing”. Emiliana Limosani presented the major news for the 2023-2024 winter season, which will offer 52 destinations, including 17 domestic, 23 international, and 12 intercontinental. Two new intercontinental routes, Rio de Janeiro and Malè (Maldives), will be added to the flights already operated to New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, and New Delhi. “We are very proud of the excellent commercial results achieved this year, which surpassed our forecasts. These were achieved thanks to the constant work carried out and the support of the trade segment, which were crucial elements for us since the start of our operations – said Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer ITA Airways and CEO Volare. From January 2023 to date, we have carried 11 million passengers, 55 percent more versus the same period in 2022, with an average load factor of 80 percent, namely 7.5 percentage points higher versus the same time frame in 2022, with an increase in passenger revenue of +83 percent compared to the first 9 months of last year. We are now looking confidently to the future, with a focus on intercontinental development. Our next step will be the opening of the new Rome Fiumicino – Rio de Janeiro nonstop flight. South America, where we already operate to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, is a market in which we are a leader in terms of traffic to and from Italy thanks to one of the largest Italian communities in the world. From December we will return to fly to the Maldives, a highly coveted destination for leisure traffic. – added the CCO – There are important plans to expand the intercontinental network in the summer of 2024, with a focus on North America. In April we will open the nonstop flight to Chicago and in May we will fly to Canada with the new Toronto direct route. Both destinations will be operated from Rome Fiumicino. This will be achieved thanks to the continuous renewal of our fleet, which will also see the entry of the new Airbus A321neo and A220-100, both latest-generation aircraft”. Below in detail is the ITA Airways’ new flight operation for the upcoming 2023-2024 winter and the 2024 summer seasons: From October 29, 2023, the new flight from Rome Fiumicino to Rio de Janeiro will be operated with Airbus A330. It will have a daily frequency with departure from Rome Fiumicino Airport at 9:50 p.m. and arrival at Rio de Janeiro International Airport at 6:05 a.m., local time. The flight from Rio deJaneiro will start operation on October 30, 2023, with a daily frequency: departure at 3:45 p.m. and landing at Rome Fiumicino at 6:45 a.m., local time. From December 16, 2023, the new direct flight from Rome Fiumicino to Malè (Maldives) will be operated with Airbus A330, with 3-5 weekly frequencies depending on the period. From April 7, 2024, a new direct flight from Rome Fiumicino to Chicago will be launched with 6 weekly frequencies that will become 7 in June. This new nonstop flight to Chicago will be available for sale starting today. From May 1, 2024, a new nonstop flight will be operated from Rome Fiumicino to Toronto, with 6 weekly frequencies that will become 7 from June. The upcoming summer season offers the expansion of the international network with new direct flights from Rome Fiumicino: from May 2024 to Riyadh from June 2024 to Accra and Kuwait from July 2024 to Dakar from October 2024 toward Jeddah

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Travel & Tourism Sector Deal Activity Down Globally By 33% YoY In Q1-Q3: GlobalData

A total of 558 deals were announced in the travel and tourism sector globally during the first three quarters of 2023, which was a decline of 33% compared to the announcement of 833 deals during the same period in 2022, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database also revealed all the deal types under coverage, and most of the key markets recorded a considerable year-on-year decline in the announcement of deals during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to Q1-Q3 2022. For instance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals volume for the travel and tourism sector declined by 34.6% during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to Q1-Q3 2022, while the total number of private equity deals and venture financing deals were down by 29.2% and 28.4%, respectively. Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, said, “Geo-political tensions, Russia-Ukraine war, inflation, recession fears, and interest rate hikes seem to have been taking a toll on deal-making sentiments in the travel and tourism sector. Resultantly, we have been seeing subdued activity being experienced across several key markets across regions.” North America witnessed a decline in deals volume by 43.9% during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year, while Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America regions experienced a decline of 39.7%, 12.7%, 16.7%, and 25%, respectively. Similarly, key markets such as the US, the UK, South Korea, France, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and Canada recorded year-on-year decline in deals volume by 44.4%, 40%, 12.5%, 12.5%, 25.9%, 53.5%, 23.5%, and 35.3% during Q1-Q3 2023, respectively, compared to Q1-Q3 2022. Meanwhile, China emerged as a notable exception and experienced growth in deals volume by 21.9% during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to Q1-Q3 2022, whereas deals volume for India remained at the same level.

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Disneyland is increasing its prices again – here’s why

From parking their vehicles for the day to purchasing annual passes, visitors to Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, are going to be paying more to enjoy that Mickey Mouse magic. Again. The latest increases were announced and went into effect on Wednesday, October 11. That happens to be the exact one-year anniversary of a previous increase in prices for the two theme parks at the resort: classic Disneyland Park and the newer California Adventure Park. The silver lining in this latest round of hikes: There’s no price increase for a single-day, one-park ticket on what Disneyland calls its Tier 0 days (which are days with the traditionally lowest attendance): That price remains at $104. But many other significant prices are going up, including for other one-day, one-park tickets. Here’s an overview of some of the increases, why they’re happening, a look back at historical prices and what’s happening at Walt Disney World in Florida, too: What’s going up at Disneyland? As any Disney regular or newbie can tell you, it can be a real labyrinth navigating all the packages and options and upgrades for a visit. The ultimate price can vary by so many factors: the number of days there, the number of people in your party and their ages, when you go, whether you buy skip-the-line options, whether you park hop, etc. A final out-of-pocket tally is pretty much unique to the visitor, but here are some of the basic increases: One-day, one-park tickets per person: As previously mentioned, Tier 0 tickets remain at $104. If you go on Tier 1 day instead, that’s going to cost you $119, a $5 increase from the previous price. However, one-day, one-park tickets go all the way up to Tier 6 for the most traditionally crowded days. That will set you back $194 (previously it was $179). As far as those cheapest Tier 0 days go, Disneyland is offering a similar number of days this coming winter and early spring compared with 2023. (The whole 2024 calendar isn’t out yet.) Multiday passes: These aren’t on the tier-system. They cost the same whether you set reservations for busy times (think Christmas week) or slow times (mid-September or mid-January, for instance). Here’s that breakdown: • Two-day ticket — now $310 (previously $285) • Three-day ticket — $390 (previously $360) • Four-day ticket — $445 (previously $395) • Five-day ticket — $480 (previously $415) Park Hoppers: These allow you go back and forth between classic Disneyland and California Adventure for an extra price on the same day. And the price of park hopping is going up – unless you’re on a one-day ticket. That remains at $65. Here’s the breakdown for other prices: • Two-day Park Hopper add-on — $65 (previously $60) • Three-day Park Hopper add-on — $70 (previously $60) • Four-day Park Hopper add-on — $70 (previously $60) • Five-day Park Hopper add-on — $75 (previously $60)

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Philippines aims to lure younger generation of Filipino American travellers

The Philippines is aiming for a younger generation of Filipino American professionals who live on TikTok and Instagram to come and add to the economy. As the head of her own marketing agency in Los Angeles, Shaina Renee Manlangit has made it a mission to elevate Filipino American talent and culture but it occurred to her last year, that she still had never actually been to the Philippines. Knowing there were other young Filipino Americans who felt that gap, the 28-year-old promptly “cold-emailed” the Philippine Department of Tourism. That led to her visiting the country in March for the first time. “It was a very big cultural shock,” Manlangit said. “Once I got a taste of it, I just wanted to learn more.” She tasted regional foods, saw both cities and beaches. She learned that the Philippines is a top diving destination, and now she is trying to learn the Tagalog language. Manlangit has since parlayed her journey of discovery into a collaboration with the government to launch trips especially geared toward young Filipino Americans. The Philippines has long been interested in attracting Filipino Americans to come and add to the economy, but its incentives have mostly drawn retirees or immigrants catching up with relatives. Today, they are aiming a younger generation of Filipino American professionals who live on TikTok and Instagram. Two Filipino American influencers were recruited to join a group VIP tour in July. Manlangit also has a state-endorsed, eight-day tour slotted for 2024 through the capital city, Manila, and the islands of Cebu and Coron is being marketed as a vibrant introduction for any Filipino American willing to join. The Department of Tourism said in a statement that officials are excited to collaborate with Manlangit on a trip that will strengthen cultural bonds and create “reasons to love the Philippines,” referencing the country's current tourism campaign. For some young Filipino Americans, or Fil Ams, unfamiliarity with their parents’ home country and language makes the idea of planning a trip there overwhelming. But younger generations also have grown up encouraged to show cultural pride. So as adults, some are searching for a connection to the Philippines. October is Filipino American History Month, and Manlangit is hoping her peers might focus on exploring their family roots through travel. Alexander Martin Jr., 31, has already committed to one of the 10 spots on the trip she designed. Born and raised in San Leandro, California, the entrepreneur only knows the Philippines from family photos and stories. School, sports and then work always seemed to make it impossible to squeeze in a visit. Also, the thought of planning a trip to the Philippines was intimidating somehow. It feels reassuring to be going with other young Filipino Americans. “I’m just hoping to get familiar with my culture, and be familiar with it so one day I can bring my son to all these places I got to experience,” Martin said. Nobody was more elated than his mother. “If I were to go with family,” Martin said, “it’s gonna be like a lot of visiting cousins or visiting family out there. But this trip, she’s excited that I get to experience like the whole Philippines in its entirety.” The Philippines’ efforts to integrate Filipinos in America goes back more than a century. After the Philippine-American war and the ensuing U.S. occupation, both countries passed the Pensionado Act in 1903. Exchange students from the Philippines were chosen to travel to the U.S. The goal was they would further their education and advocate for the American way of governing upon their return. “Those were like the first sort of American or Americanized Filipinos,” said Evelyn Ibatan Rodriguez, a sociology professor and part of the University of San Francisco’s Philippine Studies Program. “I think that kind of sets the tone, this idea that what is native to the Philippines is less than.” In 1973, Philippine President and dictator Ferdinand Marcos, whose son and namesake is the current president, enacted the Balikbayan Program to draw Filipinos residing in the U.S. to come work part-time. Incentives included an extended visa for a year and lower taxes. Roughly 30 years later, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s administration granted dual citizenship to Filipino Americans born in the U.S. after 1973 to a Philippine national. “That becomes the game changer because then you’ve got U.S. ‘foreign’ Filipinos like myself... who can become dual citizens and then benefit under this Balikbayan legislation,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez hadn’t heard of tourism efforts targeting young Filipino American adults. But she knows a lot of college students and college-educated Filipino Americans who have expressed interest in visiting the Philippines. And they want something that isn’t just visiting relatives or playing tourist.

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