Tag Archives: Mumbai

Costa Serena to home port in Mumbai, sailings to start from Nov 4

Costa Cruises is set to home port it’s Costa Serena starting November 4 from Mumbai, and set to add a new destination, Lakshadweep to it’s route network commemorating its 75th year of operations. The ship will be sailing from Mumbai to the high seas, Goa and Lakshadweep.

Sarbandana Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways along with Roberto Alberti, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Costa Cruises; Francesco Raffa, Director Asia Region & Growth Markets, Costa Cruises; Alessandro De Masi, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai;  Nalini Gupta, Lotus Aero Enterprises, GSA of Costa Cruises, and other senior officials made this announcement at an event in Mumbai today.

Sonowal said, “India has successfully launched the world’s longest river cruise, originating from Benaras and traversing through 27 river fronts, and reaching Dibrugarh in Assam through Bangladesh. This voyage had 32 Swiss nationals landing at 50 airports from India. For the second season, we are seeing interest from a lot of European tourists. This clearly shows the kind of opportunity India has for coastal, ocean and river cruising. With Costa sailing from Mumbai, it will only further strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Italy. The current infrastructure we have built is state-of-the-art, and technologically advanced with seamless immigration procedure. We are further improving on the necessary clearances to further ease cruise travel. ”

Assuring complete support from the Government of India, Sonowal said, “We are offering complete support to cruise liners to home port their ships at Indian ports. We are ready to support further development of our port infrastructure to accommodate large cruise ships. It is a moment of pride for us that when the Mumbai Port completes 150 years, we have Costa coming back to offer domestic cruising options to Indian travellers.”

He urged Costa Cruises to explore year-round sailings from India, depending on the weather conditions, and explore the East coast of India for opportunities.

Costa Serena has a capacity to accommodate 3780 passengers across it’s 14 decks, and offers 10 restaurants. For domestic sailings, passengers require their Aadhar Card to board the ship. Sailings will start from November 4 and operate until January 1.

Alberti said, “We have a strong and lasting bond with this wonderful country: we have already sailed our ships in India in the past, and many of our onboard colleagues are from India. We select and recruit them through dedicated training schools based right in the country. We are strongly committed in offering our Indian guests a unique holiday experience onboard Costa Serena, and we are truly looking forward to starting our operations in November. Costa Serena will be the largest cruise ship to operate domestic itineraries in India. We are hopeful of reaching pre-pandemic passenger numbers from India with this sailing.”

Gupta is happy that after a lull of three years Costa is back to the Indian shores. “I am hopeful that the 2023 sailing will see larger interest from the Indian market since the appetite for cruising has only grown.”

CSIMA witnesses record May performance with 43.4 lakh passengers

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) of Mumbai witnessed a surge in both domestic and international passenger numbers. This achievement serves as a testament to CSMIA’s prowess, further cementing its eminence as a vanguard of aviation in India.

The month of May emerged as a testament to CSMIA’s dedication to achieving monumental growth, witnessing an astounding total of 4,343,806 passengers with 2,109,607 arrivals and 2,234,199 departures. Comparing May 2023 to April 2023 (40,14,823), Mumbai Airport has experienced an 8% increase in passenger numbers showcasing the airport’s consistent growth.

CSMIA has also seen a meteoric rise in Air Traffic Movements (ATMs). In May 2023 alone, the airport recorded a total of 26,054 ATMs, thereby showcasing its importance as a key aviation centre.

Amongst domestic destinations, Delhi emerged as the quintessential jewel, contributing to 277,911 arrivals and 276,192 departures. Bangalore and Chennai closely trailed, augmenting Mumbai Airport’s undisputed status as a premier gateway, providing seamless connections to major cities across the nation.

On the international arena, Dubai dazzled as the top destination, boasting a staggering influx of 100,581 arrivals and outflow of 113,859 departures, Abu Dhabi and Singapore as well stood amongst the top 3 international destinations, unlocking unprecedented global travel opportunities for passengers seeking uncharted horizons.

On 27th May, 2023, CSMIA witnessed substantial passenger movement numbers; witnessing 76,037 arrivals and 75,319 departures, showcasing an astounding total of 151,356 passengers.

CSMIA’s soaring performance in May 2023 stands as an unequivocal testament to its unyielding commitment to surpassing pre-pandemic levels. CSMIA remains steadfast in its commitment to providing unparalleled travel experiences, seamlessly connecting people, cultures, and economies while serving as a gateway to new horizons. CSMIA stands determined at the forefront, blazing a trail of excellence and focusing on elevating the realm of aviation to unparalleled heights.

Nature park with tourism facilities in Mumbai’s Dahisar on the verge of completion

A sprawling nature park planned amid 200 acres of mangroves, proposed by the Forest Department’s mangrove cell, is one step closer to completion. The construction bids for the park are expected to be awarded by June-end, officials familiar with the matter said, reports HT.

Once done, the structure will house a ‘mangrove museum’, and a suspended glass bridge, offering visitors a view of the surrounding wetlands.

The project’s centrepiece is a 5,100 square metre, state-of-the-art nature interpretation centre (NIC) nestled on the banks of the Gorai Creek, and will be accessible via Link Road or by boat from the Gorai Jetty.

“It is a strategically placed structure within the dense mangrove forest and won’t be visible unless one reaches the entrance of the NIC. The structure is elevated from the ground and is designed like a skywalk which… gives one the sense of a structure floating above the eye level,” states the Forest Department’s detailed project report (DPR) for the NIC in Dahisar.

A 400-metre-long ‘mangrove trail’ is also being constructed on stilts, parallel to the high-tide line, and will serve as a pickup point for proposed kayaking excursions into the Gorai Creek and Dahisar River. These will be available to visitors only at high tides, lasting between 60 to 90 minutes. Larger educational tours of around 240 minutes each also also proposed, at a frequency of six slots every day.

“However, as with our Coastal & Marine Biodiversity Centre in Airoli, the main thrust in Dahisar is to serve as a base for research around mangroves and marine conservation. The Gorai facility is envisioned to be more of a tourist attraction, and construction has been completed. For the Dahisar facility, we have floated tenders and a suitable bidder will be awarded perhaps as soon as June-end,” said SV Ramarao, additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF), mangrove cell.

Vistara starts 5 weekly flights between Mumbai & London

Vistara yesterday inaugurated its non-stop, 5x weekly flights between Mumbai and London (London Heathrow). The inaugural flight, operated by the state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, departed from Mumbai at 14:35 Hours (IST) and arrived at London Heathrow Airport at 19:55 Hours (BST).

Vinod Kannan, CEO, Vistara, said, “We are excited to launch direct connectivity between Mumbai and London – a historically significant route for trade, business and leisure alike. While Mumbai is the financial capital of India, London holds critical importance in the global financial world while also being a popular destination for travel and tourism from India. This new route, at convenient departure and arrival timings, is in line with our continued efforts towards offering more flexibility and ease to our customers when planning their travel with India’s best airline. We believe that our world-class product complemented with our globally awarded service make for just the right combination for an exceptional flying experience. ”

 

SCHEDULE OF FLIGHTS BETWEEN MUMBAI AND LONDON (UNITED KINGDOM)

EFFECTIVE  JUNE 1, 2023

 

Sector Flight No. Days of Operation Departure Arrival
Mumbai – London UK 015 Mondays

Tuesdays

Thursdays

Fridays

Sundays

 1435 hrs 1955 hrs
London – Mumbai UK 016 Thursday 2150 hrs 1100 hrs (+1)
Mondays

Tuesdays

Fridays

Sundays

 2155 hrs 1100 hrs (+1)
* All timings shown are in local time zones, exact timings may differ slightly for respective days of operations

*+1 indicates next-day arrival

** Subject to regulatory approvals

Vistara will accept all eligible customers meeting visa/entry requirements in both countries, as specified by the respective government bodies. Vistara strongly encourages its customers to fully understand these guidelines before making their bookings.

Vande Bharat Exp train on Mumbai-Goa section may start from next month

Mumbai-Goa passengers can expect to travel by the premium Vande Bharat Express train between CSMT and Madgaon from June. The train is expected to cut travel time by at least 45 minutes as compared to Tejas Express. Vande Bharat Express can run up to maximum speed of 160 kmph and has travel classes like Shatabdi Trainbut with better facilities. A senior official said, “Our tentative plan is to have morning departure from CSMT around 6am so it can reach in the afternoon at Madgaon, from where it will resume its return journey the same day to CSMT where it expected to arrive close to midnight. ” At present, Tejas Express departs from CSMT at 5. 50am and arrives at Madgaon at 2. 40 pm. The train takes almost 8 hours 40 minutes to cover the 765km distance. On its return, it leaves Madgaon at 3. 15 pm and arrives at CSMT at midnight. Tejas Express has two Vistadome coaches, 11 AC chair cars, one AC Executive Chair Car and two Luggage, generator cum brake vans. Vande Bharat Express has 16 AC coaches, of which two are executive class coaches.

The total seating capacity is 1,128 passengers. The 16-car Vande Bharat Express has eight motor coaches, intelligent braking system that enables better acceleration and deceleration and helps save travel time. This will be the fourth Vande Bharat to be operated from Mumbai. Two of these run on CR between CSMTSai Nagar Shirdi and CSMTPune-Solapur. The third operates between Mumbai Central and Gandhinagar on Western Railway. Vande Bharat Express offers a myriad of superior and aircraft-like travel experience. It is equipped with advanced state-of-the-art safety features, including indigenously developed train collision avoidance system. There are reclining seats in all classes while Executive Coaches have 180-degree rotating seats. Every coach has 32” screens giving passenger information and infotainment. (Source TOI)

SOTC Travel expands retail presence in Mumbai with new store in Chembur

SOTC has opened a retail store in Chembur, Mumbai. With a strategic focus to leverage on the rapidly growing travel opportunity in Mumbai, this expansion increases SOTC’s network strength to nine stores in the city (3 retail and 6 franchise) reiterating the company’s focus to expand its footprint in the city. The outlet was inaugurated by Himanshu Sampat, Associate Vice President – Sales, SOTC Travel.

The company’s new outlet is centrally located at Chembur, thus serving as a hub for nearby areas of Wadala and Sion as well. Chembur is a hub for cosmopolitan travellers and forms an important source market for SOTC Travel, offering the company a range of valuable segments like Gen Z/new age travellers, millennial, families, couples and business owners.

SOTC Travel’s customer insights from Mumbai and Maharashtra indicate brisk demand of over 55% for escorted and customized tours vs. pre-pandemic. The company is witnessing high demand for personalised holidays in the region and anticipate robust demand for experiential holidays, adventure holidays, domestic cruises, eclectic stays, safaris and biking trips. To cater to the preferences of travellers from the region, SOTC Travel has expanded its portfolio of customised holidays and introduced ‘Customized Holiday Experts’ with destination expertise to help customers plan their memorable holidays as per their preferences, this is in addition to the company’s highly popular group escorted tours – international and domestic.

To boost demand, SOTC Travel has also introduced value driven offers like Buy One Get One Free, Early Bird discounts, complimentary cruise experience on Greece Holidays and cashback offers.

Daniel D’souza President & Country Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel, said, “We continue to witness strong continuum – brisk demand of over 55% for escorted and customized tours vs. pre-pandemic emerging from Mumbai and Maharashtra since the pandemic, and they remain key source markets for us at SOTC. We are delighted to open our new retail outlet in Chembur, with this new addition our network strength in the city increases to nine stores in Mumbai. Our new store is centrally located and a hub for cosmopolitan travellers thus allowing us to target valuable segments of Gen Z/new age travellers, millennials, families, couples and business owners. Our expanded holidays portfolio has something for everyone – from customised holidays to luxury and premium holidays, also group escorted tours. We extend a warm welcome to our customers, and we look forward to plan their next holiday with us.”

SOTC Travel’s new outlet offers end-to-end travel solutions with an array of services, including: International & Domestic Holidays (Group tours, Personalised Holidays, Cruises, etc.), Value Added Services like Travel Insurance; Visa Services, etc.