About India Outbound Magazine

India Outbound, a brand of Media India Group, is India’s only B2B travel media platform, that encompasses a print magazine, a website, an online TV channel and dynamic social media platforms, entirely dedicated to the promotion of foreign destinations and products in India. India Outbound is a niche platform not just for tourism destinations and products to promote themselves to the Indian travel industry, but also for decision makers to build/change their strategy in a context where the Indian outbound market is not only growing but changing with new dynamics. India Outbound brings to you the latest trends of the market with in depth analysis.

OTOAI waives off annual fee for members

Keeping in mind the prevailing tough times where the tourism sector has been one of the worst hit, OTOAI, the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India, has waived off annual membership fee for the financial the year 2021–2022. Last year, the association had reduced the fee by 50 pc.

“This is not the time to make money or fill up reserves. We understand the plight of our industry colleagues and this gesture is our way of showing our solidarity with them. Outbound travel from India has been severely affected and it will indeed take a while before things go back to normal. The second wave has hit all businesses, especially tourism, which had started to pick a little a few months ago, severely and different entry requirements by various countries have made outbound travel very challenging. I would also like to urge people in the travel fraternity to get themselves vaccinated at the earliest possible so that whenever tourism opens, our customers do not hesitate to reach out to us as it will also send out a positive message to the world,” said Riaz Munshi, president, OTOAI.

Korea Tourism announces its first virtual expo in India

Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), New Delhi office has announced its first virtual ‘Korea Travel Expo’ a B2B event for the India market from June 22 - 24, 2021.

Over 15 top regional tourism boards, attractions and DMCs of South Korea have confirmed to exhibit in the event. Some of the key names include representatives from Seoul & Busan tourism boards, Jeju Convention & Visitor Bureau and Lotte World with its collection of theme parks, aquariums and observatories. While the first day of the event is reserved for only invited guests, day two and three are open to travel agents zone-wise.

“With the situation slowly but steadily coming under control, and people resuming work, we feel that holding the Expo at the end of June lets people acclimatise to their working environment and look forward to planning international travel products for the near future. Our Korean exhibitors are looking forward to meeting you,” said Young-Geul Choi, director, Korea Tourism Organization, New Delhi office.

Qatar Tourism launches Supermoon astro-tourism experiences

Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has launched exclusive astro-tourism experiences in partnership with a premium tour operator, Gulf Adventures, on the eve of May's Supermoon. Visitors can enjoy a whole lot of space under the breathtaking night sky of the desert when borders re-open.

The unique 'Arabian Nights' packages are available to book now through Gulf Adventures and are redeemable until April 30, 2022. There are four new adventures to choose from, from camping under the stars to being escorted from a luxury hotel to a moonlit excursion.

Immersive desert experiences are perfect for adventure seekers and those looking for a romantic getaway. From the peaks of the Qatari dunes, visitors will see the desert like never before. The exclusive tours include a magical moonlit camel safari and a traditional Bedouin BBQ prepared by a chef. Dinner will be followed by a deep exploration into the starry desert skies, in a one-to-one stargazing session with an astronomer. The packages are in line with the Qatar Clean programme to protect visitors from Covid-19 and measures will be in place to adhere to the government guidelines.

flydubai adds Sharm El Sheikh to its network

Dubai-based low-cost airline flydubai has announced the launch of flights to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. The carrier will operate three weekly flights to Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (SSH) from June 15. The route will become flydubai’s second destination in Egypt alongside Alexandria Borg El Arab International Airport (HBE).

Commenting on the announcement, Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice president of commercial operations (UAE, GCC, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent) at flydubai said: “With demand for travel returning we can see from the enquiries that we are receiving that our customers are keen to travel again and are starting to make their travel plans. Sharm El Sheikh is another exciting destination for our passengers to visit for their summer holidays.”

India Outbound is a publication of Media India Group