Category Archives: Trade News

Naidu explores AI-driven civil aviation solutions with YouTube & Google

Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Rammohan Naidu, has engaged in detailed discussions with YouTube Global Head, Neel Mohan,Google Asia Pacific Region Head, Sanjay Gupta, MD -government Affairs, Sreenivas Reddy, and Global VP for Youtube Government Affairs, Lesslie Miller in New Delhi yesterday.

The Minister has aimed at leveraging technology for the advancement of civil aviation and governance in this landmark meeting.
During the meeting, the leaders deliberated on the advancing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance and explored innovative Google solutions that can enhance governance using AI. Naidu emphasised the potential of AI to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and foster transparency within the civil aviation sector.

Naidu expressed his optimism about the positive outcomes of this collaboration, stating, “The integration of AI and technology in governance and civil aviation holds immense potential. By working together with tech giants like YouTube and Google, we can create a more efficient, informed, and innovative aviation sector that benefits all.”

Mohan highlighted the significant growth of YouTube’s content creation capacity, which has been instrumental in educating and entertaining billions worldwide. He emphasized the importance of creating impactful content that can drive awareness and knowledge across various sectors.

Naidu has utilised this opportunity to request YouTube’s collaboration in spreading more awareness and knowledge about civil aviation. He envisioned a partnership where YouTube could play a pivotal role in educating the public about the intricacies and advancements within the aviation sector, thereby fostering a more informed and engaged audience.

Furthermore, Naidu urged Google to explore collaboration opportunities for aviation-related start-ups. He highlighted the challenges faced by the aviation industry and sought Google’s expertise in developing innovative solutions to address these problems. The potential partnership aims to support start-ups that can contribute to the growth and development of the aviation sector through cutting-edge technology and innovative approaches.

The meeting concluded with a mutual agreement to explore these collaboration opportunities further and to work towards implementing innovative solutions that can drive the future of civil aviation and governance.

Indian airlines resume daily flights to Dhaka from today

Air India will operate its scheduled flights from Delhi to Dhaka on Wednesday, according to sources.

Vistara and IndiGo will also operate their scheduled flights on Wednesday to Dhaka, which is witnessing a volatile situation amid protests.
On Tuesday, Air India operated its evening flight to Dhaka. It had cancelled the morning flight to the city.

Bangladesh has been witness to dramatic developments in the last couple of days. Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 15 years, resigned as Prime Minister on Monday following massive protests that initially began as an agitation against a job quota scheme but weeks later morphed into a mass movement demanding her ouster from power.

Sources said Air India will operate its scheduled two daily flights from Delhi to Dhaka on Wednesday. The airline is also likely to operate a special flight to bring back people from Dhaka, they said.

Vistara and IndiGo will operate scheduled services to the Bangladesh capital from Wednesday, the sources said.

As per schedule, Vistara operates daily flights from Mumbai and three weekly services from Delhi to Dhaka.

Both Vistara and IndiGo had cancelled their Tuesday flights to the Bangladesh capital.

Normally, IndiGo operates one daily flight from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai to Dhaka, and two daily services to the Bangladesh capital from Kolkata.

On Tuesday evening, Air India said it will operate its evening flights AI237/238 on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi sector.

In a statement, the carrier also said that due to the prevailing situation there, a one-time waiver on rescheduling is being offered to passengers having confirmed bookings on any of its flights to and from Dhaka between August 4 and 7.

The offer will be applicable for tickets booked on or prior to August 5. (Source: PTI)

Pennsylvania’s Happy Valley meets target of 5m visitors for 2024

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB), the official destination marketing organization for Centre County, Pennsylvania, has said that visitation to the destination has already reached the 5 million-visitor-mark, an ambitious goal set for 2024.

This milestone reflects a significant achievement for the region, showcasing its growing appeal as a prime destination for travelers.

Surrounding The Pennsylvania State University, commonly known as Penn State, this picturesque county is just a 3.5-hour drive from New York City and Washington DC. With a focus on being a four-season destination with an array of recreational, cultural and entertainment offerings, Happy Valley hosted 3.2 million day-trippers and 1.8 million overnight visitors.

With an average spend of USD 200 per visitor, the total tourism expenditure has exceeded USD 1 billion.

“I am optimistic about the future of Happy Valley tourism,” said Fritz Smith, CEO of The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, who noted that visitation is a crucial economic driver for Centre County, significantly impacting employment opportunities and job creation. “We have ambitious plans to elevate tourism in Happy Valley to the next level, including the development of new hotels within the region. These efforts are grounded in a county- and organization-wide commitment t tourism, and strengthened by ongoing collaboration with the community and university.”

Along with the recent launch of a comprehensive, visitor-focused website – happyvalley.com — another significant milestone in Happy Valle, PA tourism is the allocation of nearly USD 1 million to 77 tourism projects for the 2024-25 fiscal year. These initiatives are expected to significantly enhance the region’s appeal to both domestic and international travelers.

In India, Indiva Marketing is spearheading Happy Valley’s efforts to boost leisure visitation, awareness, and visibility.

Mongolia attracts over 436,000 foreign tourists in 7 months of 2024

Mongolia attracted a total of 436,617 foreign tourists in the first seven months of this year, the country’s Ministry of Culture, Sport, Tourism and Youth reported on Monday.

During the period, Russia, China and South Korea were Mongolia’s top sources of tourist arrivals, the ministry noted in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

Around 30 per cent of the total tourists visited the country in the past month alone.

To diversify its economy, which is heavily reliant on the export-oriented mining sector, Mongolia has been implementing measures to promote tourism.

As part of the efforts to promote the tourism sector, the Asian country has declared 2023-2025 as “Years to Visit Mongolia,” with a target of attracting at least 1 million foreign tourists per year.

Last year, Mongolia attracted over 650,000 foreign tourists and earned USD 1.2 billion from the tourism sector, marking an all-time high.

 

 

India records 9.1% growth in FTAs during Jan-May: MoT

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has reported an increase in tourism statistics for the first five months of 2024, demonstrating a 9.1 per cent boost in both Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and 22.52 per cent growth in Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs).

In May 2024, FTAs reached 6.00 lakh, a slight increase from 5.98 lakh in May 2023, reflecting a growth of 0.3 per cent.

More impressively, the cumulative FTAs for the period from January to May 2024 were 40.72 lakh, up from 37.32 lakh in the same period of 2023.

The Foreign Exchange Earnings during May 2024 amounted to INR 17,762 crores, compared to INR 17,206 crores in May 2023, marking a growth of 3.23 per cent.

For the January-May 2024 period, FEEs totaled INR 1,08,362 crores, significantly higher than the INR 88,441 crores recorded in the same timeframe in 2023, indicating an impressive growth of 22.52 per cent.

These trends underscore the positive impact on the overall economic growth and development of India’s tourism sector. The consistent increase in FTAs and FEEs suggests a robust and expanding industry, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presented this data in a written reply to the Lok Sabha yesterday, highlighting the positive trajectory of India’s tourism sector and its potential for continued growth and development. (ANI)

Indian Railways suspends trains to Bangladesh amid turmoil

Indian Railways on Monday suspended all train operations to Bangladesh amid the unrest in the neighbouring country.

Sheikh Hasina has resigned as the Bangladesh Prime Minister and fled the country amid escalating student-led protests.

The affected trains include the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express (13109/13110), Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express (13107/13108), Kolkata-Khulna-Kolkata Bandhan Express, and Dhaka-New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka Mitali Express, which has been suspended since June 21.

In an address to the nation on Monday, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that Sheikh Hasina has resigned as the Prime Minister and that an interim government will be formed soon.

The student-led non-cooperation movement put immense pressure on the government led by Prime Minister Hasina over the past many weeks.

The students had been protesting against a 30 per cent reservation in government jobs for relatives of freedom fighters who wrested independence for Bangladesh from Pakistan in a bloody civil war in 1971 in which, according to Dhaka officials, three million people were killed in the genocide by Pakistani troops and their supporters. (Source: ANI)