Tag Archives: Amritsar

Jaipur emerges as top cultural destination in India: OYO World Tourism Day Report

Tracking travel trends across India, OYO has published its World Tourism Day report focusing on India’s top spiritual, culture and heritage destinations.

As per the data analysed between January and June, 2023, Jaipur has emerged as the top cultural and heritage destination, followed by Agra, Mysore, Udaipur, and Jodhpur. Interestingly, Rajasthan alone contributes to 76% of the top bookings in this category, with Jaipur observing over 60% of the total bookings. This indicates a strong desire among travellers to explore the rich heritage and culture of the state.

In term of growth, Thekkady, situated near Periyar National Park in Kerala, takes the lead with a 103% increase in bookings compared to the same period last year, followed by Mysore at 42%, showcasing a growing preference among travellers for the Southern states.

Top Heritage Destinations- Zone Wise
North- Agra
South- Mysore
West- Jaipur
East- Bodh Gaya

The spiritual travel category is also witnessing a steady growing in India, fuelled by the desire to pursue enlightenment and self-discovery among millennials and Genz. Among the top spiritual destinations, Varanasi continues to take the lead with 33% of the bookings, followed by Tirupati, Puri, Amritsar, and Haridwar. Compared to H12022, Puri has clocked the maximum growth this year at 22%, followed by Haridwar and Amritsar at 18% and 11% respectively. Other destinations that continue to witness an uptick in demand in this category are Shirdi, Deoghar, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Madurai.

Top Spiritual Destinations- Zone Wise
North- Amritsar
South- Tirupati
West- Shirdi
East- Varanasi

Commenting on the summer travel trends, Shreerang Godbole, Chief Service Officer, OYO said, “As we celebrate the diversity of India’s travel landscape this World Tourism Day, we are happy to observe a shift in travellers’ preferences. More and more people are prioritizing meaningful experiences over luxury and materialism. Spiritual and cultural travel has always been important for India’s tourism, but it’s interesting to see how much it has grown in recent years. Destinations like Varanasi, Tirupati, Puri, and Rajasthan have consistently been popular since 2021. As India’s interest in cultural and spiritual travel grows, we’re committed to supporting local hotels and homeowners, creating job opportunities and boosting the local economy in the process.”

Punjab CM pitches Amritsar as wedding tourism destination; announces multi-use development

Pitching Amritsar as the wedding tourism destination, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced a 100-acre ‘Celebration Point’ in the city with marriage palaces, banquet halls and hotels as he invited more and more tourists to visit the state and enjoy the hospitality and warmth, for which Punjabis are famous the world over.

“In Amritsar, we are coming up with a new project — Celebration Point, which will be spread over 100 acres of land. There will be a marriage palace, banquet halls to suit every pocket. The tariff will start from INR 25,000 and will go up to INR 10 lakh. There will be three-star and four-star hotels. In a single place, people will get everything. People can come there to celebrate any happy occasion. Those who want their children to get married and seek blessings from Golden Temple the same day, will be able to do so,” Mann said reports Kanchan Vasudev for the Indian Express.

He was addressing the gathering art the first Punjab Tourism Summit that began at Amity University in Mohali on Monday. The three-day summit is aimed at showcasing the state’s tourism potential. Mann said Punjab has a lot to offer in terms of religious tourism, eco-tourism and wellness tourism.

“Geographically, Punjab is fit for tourism. If you have to go to places in Himachal Pradesh, for instance, Kullu, Mandi, Kangra and Shimla, you have to cross Punjab. If you are on religious tourism and visiting Baglamukhi, Manikaran Sahib, or Naina Devi, you have to pass through Punjab,” he added.

The state plans to develop Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar and some other places for eco-tourism as these places have dams and water bodies, he said and called on the tourists and hospitality industry to explore Chamrour in Pathankot. Chamrour has lake that has crystal clear waters, he said, adding “it is an untouched tourist destination”.
Wooing filmmakers, Mann said his government is going set up a Film City in Punjab and asked actor and TV show host Kapil Sharma to help promote it. Sharma assured all help and said, “I have been born and brought up in Punjab. After going through the tourism department’s presentation, I was surprised to find so many tourist destinations in state”.

 

Malaysia Airlines launches three new routes to India

Malaysia Airlines sets forward a new Commercial Elevation journey to expand its footprint to India with the commencement of three new services between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Amritsar (ATQ), Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) and Ahmedabad (AMD) effective 8 November, 9 November and 1 December 2023 respectively.

The expansion will bring Malaysia Airlines’ point-to-point connectivity from Kuala Lumpur to India to nine (9) key hubs, thereby providing passengers with enhanced options and flexibility for travel between the two countries. The airline currently operates direct flights to New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi. The new routes will be operated by the Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, equipped with 160 seats, comprising 16 seats in Business Class and 144 seats in Economy Class.

As part of this endeavour, Malaysia Airlines is to offer introductory fares with all-in return tickets starting from INR 16,899 on Economy Class and from INR 59,099 on Business Class, available for purchase from today until 15 September 2023, for travel beginning 8 November 2023 to 31 March 2024. Additionally, customers who book during this period will enjoy up to 50% Bonus Enrich Points.

Commenting on this, Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said, “India remains a key market for Malaysia Airlines, hence we are delighted to introduce three new routes into our Indian network, which will provide added convenience for travellers, strengthen our presence in this core market and extend our Malaysian Hospitality service even further.
Currently, our average load factor on this route is at 81% YTD July 2023 signifying the growth and confidence for travel between the two markets. We are looking at restoring our pre-COVID-19 capacity back in the Indian market by the end of this year and will also look to increase flight frequencies to other destinations as we support seamless travels in Malaysia and beyond.”

With increasing demands for travel, the airline will also enhance its frequencies to build dominance in other key markets including Australia, China and ASEAN. Beginning December 2023, the airline will boost its weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Melbourne (MEL) and Sydney (SYD) from 14 flights a week to 15 and 16 flights a week respectively.

In addition to the new routes and increased frequencies, the airline has also launched its new product offerings MHsports and MHcruise to further enhance the overall traveller experience while further enhancing a suit of their existing commercial products.

SIA, Scoot to operate new flights on Chennai, Bengaluru & Hyderabad routes starting October

The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group is set to restructure its services to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, as SIA and Scoot adjust their capacity and network in response to evolving demand patterns.

The changes, which are subject to regulatory approvals, are planned as follows:

Chennai
Scoot will commence daily services between Singapore and Chennai from November 5, 2023, while SIA will go to a twice daily service between the two cities from October 29, 2023. As a result, the SIA Group’s operations between Singapore and Chennai will increase from 17-times weekly to 21-times weekly. SIA will operate its Airbus A350-900, Boeing 737-8, and Boeing 787-10 aircraft on its Chennai routes, while Scoot will operate its Airbus A320 aircraft. This transfer of services will reintroduce Scoot to Chennai after a three-year hiatus, and offer additional options for customers on this important route.

Hyderabad
SIA will take over Scoot’s daily services between Singapore and Hyderabad from October 29, 2023, and progressively increase its frequencies between the cities from seven-times weekly to 12-times weekly. The new five-times weekly morning services will be operated by SIA’s Boeing 737-8s, offering more options for passengers travelling from Hyderabad to and beyond Singapore. The daily night services will be operated by SIA’s Airbus A350s. As a result, Hyderabad will be entirely served by SIA’s full-service product.

Bengaluru
SIA will operate twice daily flights between Singapore and Bengaluru from October 29, 2023 using its Airbus A350s on all days except Thursdays and Sundays, where the morning flight will be operated by the Boeing 737-8. SIA will discontinue its thrice-weekly SQ512 and SQ513 Airbus 350 services. As a result, the Airline will operate 14-times weekly instead of the current 16 times a week, offering customers better connectivity from Bengaluru to key destinations in the network.

Sy Yen Chen, General Manager India, Singapore Airlines, said, “The SIA Group is committed to India, and is able to offer customers our industry-leading products and services to even more cities across this key market. This restructuring of our services to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad reflects the strength of the SIA Group’s portfolio of airlines. This gives us the flexibility to adjust our services when necessary so as to offer more options to our customers, and connect them to our wider Group network.”

Brian Torrey, General Manager India, Scoot, added, “The reintroduction of Scoot’s operations in Chennai aligns with our Group’s network strategy to optimise resources and to better match capacity with demand. India has always been an important market for us. By including Chennai in our route network, we can now connect and serve individuals and families to the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. We are thrilled to relaunch our Chennai flights and look forward to welcoming our value customers on board our expanded network in the near future.”

Customers with existing bookings for travel from October 29, 2023 will be re-accommodated on SIA or Scoot flights as appropriate. SIA and Scoot’s customer service teams will progressively reach out to affected customers to assist with the re-accommodation or refund, where applicable.

SIA will operate 96-weekly flights to and from eight Indian cities, namely Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, and Mumbai, while Scoot will operate 44-weekly flights to and from six Indian cities, namely Amritsar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirapalli, and Visakhapatnam.

SIA Group’s Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru Flight Schedules

 Chennai

 

Currently – 28 October 2023
Flight No. Route Frequency Timing Aircraft Type
SQ524 Singapore – Chennai Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 0740hrs – 0920hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ525 Chennai – Singapore Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 1030hrs – 1740hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ526 Singapore – Chennai Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 2220hrs – 0020hrs (+1) Airbus A350-900

 
SQ527 Chennai – Singapore Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 0130hrs – 0820hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ528 Singapore – Chennai Daily 2025hrs – 2200hrs Boeing 787-10
SQ529 Chennai – Singapore Daily 2315hrs – 0610hrs (+1) Boeing 787-10

 

From 29 October 2023
Flight No. Route Frequency Timing Aircraft Type
SQ524 Singapore – Chennai Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays 0700hrs – 0855hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ525 Chennai – Singapore Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays 1005hrs – 1645hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ524 Singapore – Chennai Thursdays, Saturdays 0700hrs – 0855hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ525 Chennai – Singapore Thursdays, Saturdays 1005hrs – 1645hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ528 Singapore – Chennai Daily 2020hrs – 2200hrs Boeing 787-10
SQ529 Chennai – Singapore Daily 2315hrs – 0555hrs (+1) Boeing 787-10
From 5 November 2023
Flight No. Route Frequency Timing Aircraft Type
TR578 Singapore – Chennai Daily 2220hrs – 2350hrs Airbus 320
TR579 Chennai – Singapore Daily 0035hrs – 0720hrs Airbus 320

 

Hyderabad

 

Currently – 28 October 2023
Flight No. Route Frequency Timing Aircraft Type
SQ522

 

 Singapore –Hyderabad Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays 2000hrs – 2205hrs Boeing 737-8

 
SQ523

 

 Hyderabad –Singapore Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays 2300hrs – 0620hrs (+1) Boeing 737-8
SQ522 Singapore –Hyderabad Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 2000hrs – 2145hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ523

 

 Hyderabad –Singapore Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 2315hrs – 0610hrs (+1) Airbus A350-900
TR574 Singapore –Hyderabad Daily 2230hrs – 0035hrs (+1) Airbus 320
TR575 Hyderabad –Singapore Daily 0135hrs – 0855hrs Airbus 320

 

From 29 October 2023
Flight No. Route Frequency Timing Aircraft Type
SQ518 Singapore –Hyderabad Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 0800hrs – 1010hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ519

 

 Hyderabad –Singapore Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 1120hrs – 1830hrs Boeing 737-8

 
SQ522 Singapore –Hyderabad Daily 2000hrs – 2155hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ523 Hyderabad –Singapore Daily 2310hrs – 0605hrs (+1) Airbus A350-900

 

Bengaluru

 

Currently – 28 October 2023
Flight No. Route Frequency Timing Aircraft Type
SQ508

 

 Singapore –Bengaluru Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 0900hrs – 1105hrs

 

 Boeing 737-8

 
SQ509

 

 Bengaluru –Singapore Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 1155hrs – 1900hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ510 Singapore –Bengaluru Daily 2005hrs – 2155hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ511

 

 Bengaluru –Singapore Daily 2310hrs – 0610hrs (+1) Airbus A350-900
SQ512 Singapore –Bengaluru Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 2210hrs – 0005hrs (+1) Airbus A350-900
SQ513 Bengaluru –Singapore Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays 0120hrs – 0825hrs Airbus A350-900

 

From 29 October 2023
Flight No. Route Frequency Timing Aircraft Type
SQ508 Singapore –Bengaluru Thursdays, Sundays 0855hrs – 1040hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ509

 

 Bengaluru –Singapore Thursdays, Sundays 1155hrs – 1905hrs Boeing 737-8
SQ508

 

 Singapore –Bengaluru Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays 0855hrs – 1040hrs

 

 Airbus A350-900
SQ509

 

 Bengaluru –Singapore Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays 1155hrs – 1905hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ510 Singapore –Bengaluru Daily 2005hrs – 2155hrs Airbus A350-900
SQ511

 

 Bengaluru –Singapore Daily 2310hrs – 0610hrs (+1) Airbus A350-900

 

VFS Global to offer UK Premium Visa service at Radisson Hotel Group’s properties in Punjab & UP

VFS Global has entered into a strategic partnership with the Radisson Hotel Group in India. Through this alliance, VFS Global aims to operate UK Premium Application Centres from the hotel chain’s properties in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Mohali in Punjab, and Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

UK visa customers can now book appointments at any of the Premium Application Centres located at Radisson Blu Hotel Amritsar, Radisson RED Chandigarh Mohali, Park Plaza Ludhiana, and Radisson Noida for submitting their applications and enrolling biometrics this summer season. This partnership will provide customers residing in and around Punjab and Noida with four new location options, in addition to the visa application centres located in Chandigarh, Jalandhar and New Delhi.

Customers who choose to submit their documents and enroll biometrics at any of the Radisson Hotel Group’s properties will get a range of complimentary services such as document scanning assistance, SMS notifications on status of visa application, and Courier return of passport. Additionally, they will enjoy complimentary refreshment, a 10% discount on food and beverages, free parking at the hotel premises, and Premium Membership of the Radisson Rewards Program.

Christina Scott, Acting British High Commissioner to India, said, “Indian visitors, professionals, and students make an immensely positive contribution to the UK. Indian travellers receive the largest share of UK visas issued globally and are integral to the unique living bridge that connects our countries. That is why we have our largest network of visa application centres right here in India, and it is great to see that number increase further thanks to this new partnership between VFS Global and Radisson hotels.”

Zubin Saxena, Managing Director & Area Senior Vice President – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “We are delighted to partner with VFS Global for a strategic initiative that offers convenience to UK visa applicants at our hotels. Through the opening of these new visa centres, we look forward to extending the warm hospitality and exceptional services of the Radisson Hotel Group and providing customers with convenient access to plan their international travel.”

Prabuddha Sen, Chief Operating Officer-South Asia, VFS Global, said, “The partnership with Radisson Hotel Group provides additional and conveniently located touchpoints to our customers. UK visa customers will continue to enjoy the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services at these locations that they do at our Visa Application Centres, as well as experience the comfort and hospitality offered by the Radisson Hotel Group’s properties.”

VFS Global has enjoyed a long-standing relation with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in India since 2004, offering UK visa services through centres in 12 cities.

Govt earmarks 25 AAI airports for leasing between 2022-2025

As per National Monetization Pipeline (NMP), 25 airports of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have been earmarked for leasing over the years 2022 to 2025, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Monday.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh, in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, said AAI airports are leased out in the public interest for their better management utilising private sector efficiency and investment.

States and passengers are the ultimate beneficiaries of enhanced airport infrastructure and facilities created by a private partner, who operates, manages and develops the leased airport under Public Private Partnership (PPP), he said.

The Minister further said airports have emerged as a nucleus of economic activities and have a multiplier effect on the economy of the State. The revenue received by AAI from the leased airports is also utilized in the development of airport infrastructure across the country.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the airports namely Bhubaneshwar, Varanasi, Amritsar, Trichy, Indore, Raipur, Calicut, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Patna, Madurai, Surat, Ranchi, Jodhpur, Chennai, Vijayawada, Vadodara, Bhopal, Tirupati, Hubli, Imphal, Agartala, Udaipur, Dehradun and Rajahmundry have been earmarked for leasing over the years 2022 to 2025.

Further, AAI has leased out eight of its airports under PPP for operation, management and development on long-term lease basis.

The airports along with the concessionaires include Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, Mangaluru International Airport, Jaipur International Airport, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. (ANI)