News

India suspends visas for Canadian nationals as diplomatic spat deepens

India has suspended visa services for Canadian citizens over what it says are “security threats” against diplomats in Canada, escalating a spat between both countries after Ottawa accused New Delhi of potentially being behind the assassination of a Sikh separatist activist on its soil. BLS International, which handles visa applications for India in Canada, sent a letter to Indian stock exchanges on Thursday that said visa services “have been suspended till further notice.” “Due to operation reasons, with immediate effect i.e. 21 September 2023, Indian visa services in Canada have been suspended till further notice,” the letter, sent to the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India and the Metropolitan Stock Exchange, read. Earlier, BLS International stated on its website that India had suspended visa services for Canadian citizens from Thursday, citing a notice from the Indian mission. The notice was briefly removed on Thursday before reappearing again, without explanation. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shakes hands with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on September 9. Canada and India are enmeshed in an unprecedented diplomatic row. Here's how it happened India’s Ministry of External Affairs said “security threats” faced by the Indian High Commission and consulates in Canada led to the temporary measure of halting visa issuance across all categories. “The issue is of incitement of violence, the inaction by the Canadian authorities, the creation of an environment that disrupts the functioning our high commission and consulates, that’s what’s making us stop temporarily the issuance of visas or providing visa services,” the ministry’s spokesman, Arindam Bagchi, said. “We have always believed that it is the host government’s responsibility to provide security,” he told reporters in New Delhi on Thursday. The announcement followed a stern travel advisory from India’s foreign ministry India on Wednesday urging its citizens to remain vigilant in Canada, warning them of “politically condoned hate crimes.” CNN has reached out to India’s foreign ministry and BLS International. Diplomatic spat The travel warning comes days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that authorities had been investigating “credible allegations” of a potential link between “agents of the government of India” and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh Canadian citizen who was gunned down by masked men in June. New Delhi has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “absurd and motivated.” India’s foreign ministry said Canada has provided “no specific information” to support Delhi’s alleged involvement in Nijjar’s death. “Let me also point out that from our side, very specific evidence of criminal activities by individuals based on Canadian soil has been shared with the Canadian authorities on a regular basis but not been acted upon,” Bagchi, the ministry’s spokesman, said. Bachi added that he expects Canada’s diplomatic presence in the country to be reduced. On Thursday, Trudeau called on India to work with Canada and “allow justice to follow its course.” “There is no question that India is a country of growing importance and a country that we need to continue to work with not just in the region but around the world,” Trudeau told reporters at a press conference at the Canada Mission in the United Nations. He said Canada “is not looking to provoke or cause problems,” but reiterated “the importance of the rule of law.” Trudeau’s allegation has sent relations between the two countries into a tail spin, with both India and Canada expelling senior diplomats in reciprocal moves, raising the prospect of an awkward rift between key partners of the United States. Nijjar was an outspoken supporter of the creation of a separate Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, which would include parts of India’s Punjab state. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada September 18, 2023. India expels Canadian diplomat in tit-for-tat move as spat over assassinated Sikh activist deepens The Khalistan movement is outlawed in India and considered a national security threat by the government. A number of groups associated with the movement are listed as “terrorist organizations” under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Nijjar’s name appears on the Home Ministry’s list of UAPA terrorists and in 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency accused him of “trying to radicalize the Sikh community across the world in favor of the creation of ‘Khalistan,’” adding that he had been “trying to incite Sikhs to vote for secession, agitate against the government of India and carry out violent activities.” According to local police, he was gunned down in his truck in June by two masked killers outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. His death both shocked and outraged the Sikh community in Canada, one of the largest outside India and home to more than 770,000 members of the religious minority. Canadian police have not arrested anyone in connection with Nijjar’s murder. But in an August update, police released a statement saying they were investigating three suspects and issued a description of a possible getaway vehicle, asking for the public’s help.

Read more

IndiGo, British Airways Announce New Codeshare Partnership

Codeshare agreement: Gurugram-based air carrier IndiGo and international carrier British Airways have announced a new codeshare partnership aimed at enhancing travel connectivity between India and the United Kingdom. Codeshare flights are available to be booked from today, September 21, for travel from October 12, 2023, subject to government nod, according to a joint statement issued by the airlines. Abhijit Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at IndiGo, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, emphasising its potential to expand travel options for British Airways customers and promote trade, tourism, and student mobility between India and the UK. Under the codeshare agreement, British Airways will extend its reach by incorporating its flight codes onto several routes within IndiGo's network, the statement added. British Airways will now operate Thiruvananthapuram to London Heathrow via Mumbai, Rajkot to London Heathrow via Mumbai, and Vadodara to London Heathrow via Mumbai. The existing routes include Amritsar to London Heathrow via New Delhi, Kochi to London Heathrow via Mumbai, Ahmedabad to London Heathrow via Mumbai, Goa to London Heathrow via Mumbai, and Kolkata to London Heathrow via Mumbai. The collaboration will allow travellers, such as those travelling from Rajkot to London or transiting through London Heathrow, to book a single ticket for their entire journey, simplifying the process. IndiGo, with its fleet of A320 aircraft, has a robust domestic and regional network in India. British Airways passengers flying on codeshare flights to India will benefit from complimentary meals and the airline's baggage allowance in economy class, which includes two checked bags weighing up to 23 kg per person. Neil Chernoff, Director of Network and Alliances at British Airways, highlighted the airline's long-standing commitment to serving India, dating back to 1924. He noted that this partnership with IndiGo will enable travellers to book their entire journey on a single ticket, enhancing convenience and flexibility.

Read more

Phuket is officially the ‘World’s Most Overcrowded Tourist Destination’ of 2023

In a research conducted by MoneyTransfers.com, the Thai island of Phuket was given the title of the world’s most overcrowded tourist destination of 2023! Now that the travel world is back to its pre-pandemic time, famous places are once again struggling with overtourism. On the top of the list is Thailand’s Phuket, followed by Pattaya and Krabi. Overtourism is having a huge impact on several popular destinations across the globe. The situation has gone so bad in some places that the government has been forced to implement measures to control tourist numbers. Bali is also one of those places that has put several bans on tourist activity to control overtourism. In Europe, Venice, Athens and Amsterdam too have introduced measures to save their land from crowds. Several tourist taxes have been introduced in Venice while the Acropolis in Athens, Greece has decided to put a cap on the number of daily visitors. On the other hand, Austrian residents have started protesting about the over numbers of visitors. Talking about the UK, the gorgeous Edinburgh Castle has become the most overcrowded tourist attraction while Bath is the most overcrowded city. But, coming back to Phuket, it’s no brainer surprise. This Thai island is home to over 90 km of coastline. Kata and Karon here are two of the most stunning beaches in the world, attracting tourists from across the globe! These beaches are also popular with scuba divers, but also have a plethora of colourful markets and amazing seafood restaurants. According to the study, the island hosts some 118 tourists for every local resident. The second and third spots on the list are taken by Pattaya and Krabi, respectively. Here are top 10 overcrowded destinations in the world: Phuket, Thailand Pattaya, Thailand Krabi, Thailand Mugla, Turkey Hurghada, Turkey Macau, China Heraklion, Greece Venice, Italy Rhodes, Greece Miami, USA

Read more

Canada rejects India’s travel warning amid diplomatic row

The Canadian government on Wednesday rejected India’s warning to its citizens against visiting parts of Canada. Canada is a safe country, Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc was quoted as saying by Reuters. The development follows hours after India issued an advisory for its nationals and students living in Canada. The advisory urged them to "exercise utmost caution" in view of “growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and violence in Canada”. The advisory cited threats to "Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda" and advised Indian nations to avoid travelling to regions which have witnessed such incidents. India’s warning followed Canada’s advisory to its nationals in India. The Canadian government on Tuesday urged its nationals to "observe a high degree of caution". "There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities," it added. The advisory suggested citizens living in India to "think about leaving the country if it is safe to do so". The diplomatic clash between the two nations began on Tuesday after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Canadian security agencies had “credible evidence” that agents of Indian government had “potential links” to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijaar in Surrey in June.

Read more

‘In 2023, TravClan Experienced 400% Y-O-Y Growth In Revenue’

Arun Bagaria, Co-Founder & CEO, TravClan talks to Disha Shah Ghosh about their platform, supporting the travel trade with varied content, and marketing collaterals. Q. The travel tech space has seen an influx of a large number of players in the past five years. What does TravClan bring to the table that is different from its peers? TravClan is a global B2B Travel Tech Platform that aims to enhance the way travel agents sell and provide exceptional travel experiences worldwide. The platform empowers travel agents to sell travel online while offering comprehensive end-to-end on-ground travel services. What sets TravClan apart is its distinction as the world’s first tech-enabled global destination management company, with a local on-ground presence in more than 18 destinations worldwide. This ensures that customers have delightful experiences at every step of their journey. TravClan functions as a comprehensive one-stop shop, enabling travel agents to instantly book complete holidays, including flights, hotels, activities, sightseeing, and transfers all within the platform. Additionally, agents can distribute ancillary financial products like insurance and forex cards to their customers, simplifying the travel planning process. Unlike others, our approach is to assist travel agents in improving their business rather than completely changing it. Given our experience and understanding of how the travel industry works, our product is designed to seamlessly integrate into the lives of travel agents, making their work easier and more efficient. Q. Which are some of your digital tools that aid smaller agents from the feeder markets of India? Travel agents, especially smaller travel agents who are just starting up, need help attracting new customers. As a B2B company we offer a free-to-use repository of marketing posters and videos that agents can download with their own logo and branding details. These digital assets help agents in getting leads through social media, Facebook ads etc. In today’s day and age building an online presence is the first step to scaling your business. In addition to social media marketing assistance we also help agents with lifetime free travel websites to help them build an online presence. These websites are customisable with add-ons such as flights API, etc. Additionally, we have an inhouse team of experts that host weekly webinars for travel agents to learn about destinations, marketing and other important developments that can help them scale their businesses. Q. What kind of revenue growth have you witnessed in the past one year? In 2023, TravClan experienced 400% y-o-y growth in revenue along with 250% year-on-year growth in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) during the same period. Over 65% of its revenue is generated from the Hotels & Holiday segment unlike other platforms that rely on flight bookings. This allows TravClan to provide a comprehensive range of services, offering accommodations, holiday packages, and activities, ensuring a seamless and holistic travel experience. TravClan empowered travel agents by enabling them to create personalized travel websites, with over 2,000 websites already built on the platform. The target is to continue growing and reach USD 10 million Annual Revenue Runrate by the year-end. Q. Tell us about your plan for scaling operations. With a team of over 200 dedicated professionals spread across eight offices in India, Singapore, and Dubai, TravClan has established an extensive global network of suppliers and nurtured strong relationships with airlines, hotels, and government tourism authorities. As we grow we aim to expand and strengthen this network by- • Focusing on improving on-ground travel experiences by building a technology enabled network of suppliers across the world that deliver exceptional experiences. We have a bigger team of experts who interact with service providers on ground to onboard the best from the industry. • Global Expansion ¬– Target to expand travel offerings to 25+ countries and work with travel agents in 5+ markets in India, South East Asia & Middle East Q. What is your outreach strategy towards the travel trade? As a B2B service provider, our primary goal is to establish trust within the close-knit community of the travel and trade industry. To achieve this, we offer various services that cater to the day-to-day challenges faced by travel agents, such as free travel websites, marketing posters, invoice generating tools and other features. These unique selling points help us attract new agents. Our aim is to onboard new agents effectively, and to support this process, we have a dedicated team of account managers who guide and assist agents in making the most of the services provided by TravClan. Additionally, our on-ground team actively engages with agents in different cities, specifically targeting travel agents from Tier-I and II cities, to expand our network and provide them with the necessary support.

Read more

Road travel surges in India ahead of festive season:

As weekends approach, more and more people are opting for road trips using services like Zoomcar, DriveU, and QuickRide during the period leading up to the festive season. Simpl, a payment platform, has reported that the number of bookings on these merchant platforms, made through its one-tap checkout, has doubled in August this year compared to the same time in 2022. Reportedly, out of the different ways to travel, more and more people are choosing to rent self-driven cars. Zoomcar, in particular, has seen its transactions through Simpl's easy one-tap checkout grow by almost three times. Across all of India, Zoomcar has seen a big increase in bookings, with more than a 50 per cent rise. This shows that people in India are changing how they like to travel. As per the insights revealed, big cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai saw the most increase in people wanting to travel by road. But even smaller Advertisement Advertisement 21/09/2023, 03:05 Road travel surges in India ahead of festive season: Simpl Checkout report | Mint https://www.livemint.com/auto-news/road-travel-surges-in-india-ahead-of-festive-season-simpl-checkout-report/amp-11695208504000.html 3/5 Catch all the Auto News and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News. Updated: 20 Sep 2023, 05:01 PM IST cities like Coimbatore, Jaipur, and Vizag are seeing more people choosing road travel. The data also shows that more bookings are happening from Thursday to Sunday, mainly because weekends are a popular time to go on trips. Commenting on this trend, Ashwini Ravindranath, Vice-President, Partner Success at Simpl, said, “In the midst of extended weekends and the surging pre-festive enthusiasm for road travel, our partner merchants are steadfast in their commitment to delivering unparalleled comfort to discerning travelers. At Simpl, we take immense pride in our pivotal role as facilitators, providing a seamless 1-tap checkout experience that is not only effortless but also distinguished by its refinement. This marks a significant milestone for us in empowering our merchants to elevate each traveler's journey with poise and confidence, transforming every payment experience into an unforgettable one." Commenting on this Greg Moran, CEO & Co Founder Zoomcar said, “As an organization, we have a nuanced understanding of consumers’ evolving preferences and have been at the forefront of making available the widest selection of cars across each of our markets for their convenience. The onset of the festive season marked with several long-weekends in August has led to a sharp uptick in the demand for self-drive cars.

Read more