Need of the hour for Aviation Industry: A Comprehensive Policy

As India is moving towards becoming the world’s third biggest aviation market, airline association believes that a comprehensive policy for the aviation segment should be formulated. Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO of IATA remarked that aviation and aviation related tourism has carved a place for seven million Indian jobs and USD 23 bn of India’s GDP. There is a tremendous possibility of growth. However, the challenges have to be overcome.

There are certain airlines that have been able to pull profits out of the business and on the other side sector-wide losses in India are still expected to cross USD1 bn, this year. Despite of the fact of that flight Reservations in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai and other business cities are still on the high-demand side.

So what’s holding us back? Possibly, the reason could be the arduous regulatory framework, processes, debilitating taxes, and expensive infrastructure.

On the occasion of Aviation Day India, which was organized by IATA, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and Confederation of Indian Industry, Tyler indicated three areas critical of the aviation sector, and they need to be improved. The areas are:

• Taxation
•  Fuel Pricing
• Permission to be granted to the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority for working independently

Though the regulations are backed by good intentions, they are pulling the growth-meter downwards as they are not aligned well with the global standards. This is further hampering the sales of International Tour Packages from India in addition to causing hindrance to the scope of airlines business. 

Current legal constraints are preventing AERA’s recommendation of 78% reduction in airport charges in Delhi. For optimizing growth of the aviation sector in India, IATA has proposed privatization of airports in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Jaipur and Chennai.

Looks like Tyler has a stuffed list of to-dos for augmenting the revenue-mapping of the aviation industry. Let’s cross our fingers, wait and watch how government responds to these concerns.

TravelSpider is an IATA, ASTA, TAAI & DOT Approved Travel Agents in Delhi NCR

Ten countries that deserve more tourists

There are more than one billion tourists in the world, but some destinations don't get quite as many visitors as you would expect. 

The beaches may be beautiful and the coastline inviting, but you can understand why Tuvalu doesn't get much through-traffic. It's tiny for a start; one of the smallest nations in the world, and not much bigger than Vatican City. It's also about as far from the beaten track as possible—right out in the middle of the South Pacific.

So the 1,200 international arrivals recorded there in 2011—according to the World Bank—had to make quite an effort. It had the least number of recorded visitors for all countries where data was available (and no, there were no figures for North Korea). Incidentally, if you are curious about Tuvalu, the official tourism website is surprisingly enticing.

Low tourism to other nations is less easy to explain. Here we round up some of the places where visitor numbers are surprisingly low.

India - The world's most populous democracy ought to be a huge hitter when it comes to tourism. Right in the centre of Asia, with strong historical links to Britain, it has some amazing attractions, from the Taj Mahal to tigers. But with less than seven million foreign arrivals last year, it is hardly setting the world alight with its visitor numbers. To put that into context, that's less than a third of Thailand's 22.4m during the same year. 

The Philippines - A glorious archipelago with miles and miles of pristine beaches, the Philippines certainly look enticing. On an unscientific level, news that the Philippines featured in Telegraph's 20 places to visit in 2014 was greeted enthusiastically and retweeted widely on social networks. Yet the number of visitors was only just above four million in 2012. It's a shortfall that's recognised within the country's own borders, with tourism officials aiming for more than 10m visitors in 2016. 

Bhutan - This landlocked country in South Asia is a beautiful, mountainous nation. With a strongly Buddhist culture, wonderful treks, remote forests and Himalayan kingdoms, there is a wealth of visitor attractions—yet there were only around 44,000 to appreciate them in 2012. 

Brazil - It may be the most visited country in South America, but that continent as a whole remains relatively unexplored. For a country with such a reputation for its beaches, natural assets and football culture, Brazil is arguably still not punching its full weight. It's comfortably the biggest economy in the region, and its attractions vary from the beaches of Salvador, Rio's Carnival to the remote flora and fauna of the Amazon. 

Greece - For culture and history, few countries can compare with Greece. Often referred to as the birthplace of democracy, with ancient ruins dotting the landscape, it also has glorious beaches, and some wonderful islands—often at good value. 

Japan - For a country that has given so much to the world culturally—from temples to the madness of Tokyo—Japan has a relative dearth of visitors (about 8.4m, only about a million more than for Taiwan).

New Zealand - With The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit offering a giant marketing boost over the last few years, the number of tourists to this beautiful country is on the increase. But at just over 2.5m international arrivals at the last full count, it is still a long way behind Australia, its neighbour across the Tasman—it has only slightly more than a third of the visitors. 

Norway - For a country whose fjords and wooden clapboard houses are almost instantly recognisable, Norway is significantly behind its neighbour Sweden for international arrivals, which has more than double the number of visitors, at around 10m. In some respects, however, business is booming: more Britons went on a cruise to Norway in 2012 than to the Caribbean.

 Zimbabwe - With vast landscapes, natural wonders, and mesmerising wildlife, Zimbabwe should be a rival to South Africa. Once upon a time it was, but visitor numbers have declined in recent years—it now registers around 1.8m visitors (compared to South Africa's 9.2m), and many more head to the mighty Victoria Falls from the Zambian side nowadays. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina - At the intersection of two great empires—the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman—this region has huge historic appeal, perhaps most notably in its capital city, Sarajevo. With its rivers and mountains, it is also being touted as a future adventure capital of Eastern Europe. Yet, of all the countries belonging to the former Yugoslavia, only Croatia has been a true success with its tourist industry (10.4m in 2012), with only 439,000 going to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the same year. 

- TraveSpider is one of best Travel Agents in Delhi NCR which offers International Tour Packages from India
 

Your Travel Essentials

TravelSpider believes that things don’t make you a better traveler, but certain things can make life on the road a lot more comfortable. Here are some of the items that we suggest you to carry:

• Passport: Everybody should have a passport with extra pages.
• Cash. When it comes to money, travelers have come full circle with money. Gone are the days of personalized traveler’s checks and easy-breezy global ATM cards.
• iPad/ iPad: These are some of great gadgets for showing other people pictures.
• Sunglasses: You can use them to keep your eyes stress free.
• Pens: You should always travel with 4-5 pens in your bag.
• iPhone: As you generally do half of your work on your phone, including photography, video, and even editing and publishing this blog.
• Shaving Cream/ Razor: You shave on the road because you have to. Beards are fine on short camping trips but not tours that last weeks.
• Deodorant: Just to remove or conceal unpleasant smells, especially bodily odors.
• Toothbrush/ Toothpaste: To clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of your teeth.
• Mouthwash: When brushing your teeth is not an option, mouthwash saves you.
• Shampoo/ Conditioners/ Shower Gel: To clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of your hair without break.
• Travel Wallet: A little leather sheath can hold all your cards and has a tiny pocket for folded cash. It’s a great way to keep your most valuable items stashed neatly.
• Atlas of Remote Islands: Atlas book will help you to have a clue about one of your upcoming mountainous destinations.
• Traveler Guidebooks: You should have guidebooks to familiarize yourself with a place you plan to visit.
• Hat: To keep sunshine away from your head
• Hand Sanitizer:  To clean your hand instantly.

- TravelSpider is one of the best tour operators in Delhi NCR

Good news for travellers: 2015 is a good year to fly abroad

According to a new report, air fares at top destinations around the world are predicted to continue dropping throughout the remainder of the year.

In a joint report prepared by Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), number crunchers combed through the stats to come up with a few general travel trends and compile a list of the 10 best travel deals for 2015.

According to the report, average ticket prices for major destinations in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America are forecast to to drop between 4-6% throughout the remainder of the year compared to average ticket prices in 2014.

Fluctuating currencies are also impacting travel plans around the world. The strength of the US dollar is driving travelers originating from North America to stay longer in Europe this year compared to 2014.

For example, length of stays showed a 6% spike in August 2015 compared to the same period last year.

Likewise, travelers from North America headed to China are spending an average of 25 days abroad this August, lengthening their stay by five days from 2014.

The pattern works both ways, however, as the strengthening Chinese yuan is expected to increase the number of Chinese visitors to the US this year and lengthen their stays from 12% to 14% from August 2014 to August 2015.

Analysts also point out that the bundling trend could also help travelers save an average of up to $648.

That’s particularly true of London, where bundling flights and hotel rooms could add up to $1,424 in savings, or $1,087 in Maui and $1,058 in Paris.

Meanwhile, here are the top 10 flight routes that showed the biggest year over year drops in air fare for 2015:

Malaysia to Australia -22%
Italy to Portugal -22%
Brazil to the US -17%
Spain to Thailand -17%
Germany to Portugal -16%
Japan to France -16%
United States to Dubai -15%
Mexico to France -11%
Malaysia to Thailand -10%
Sweden to Spain -7%

- TravelSpider is one of travel agents in New Delhi, NCR

Indian Travel & Tourism Horoscope 2015

India’s Feat Is Likely To Shoot Up By 7.5%

According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the Indian Travel and Tourism is forecasted to see a growth of 7.5% in 2015, owing to the new visa reforms. This spurt is exceeding the growth predicted for the South Asian region, by 0.6%.

This clearly indicates that the industry which contributed 7.64 trillion rupees and 36.7 million jobs to the Indian economy is likely to keep the Tour Operators in Delhi NCR busy. It is expected that there will be steep flight of 8.22 trillion rupees of India’s GDP and approximately 37.4 million jobs. The report states that India has a good potential to benefit from visa reforms, in addition to the infrastructure improvements under new government.

Well, this again makes the situation vivid and hopeful that investment in the sector will rise by 9.3% by the end of this year. Wow, a good deal of increment!

India is a developing country, and due to its rich culture and heritage, it has been able to grab a lot of attention for its Domestic Tour Packages.

 

On the other hand, a lot of Indians have started picking up International Tour Packages for their vacations to explore the beauty of different countries and their culture. This ultimately throws light on one point, that we might be probably missing out on, is gradually the likeability of travelling and exploring different places have increased significantly.

Overall, it seems several thumbs up for India’s travel and tourism industry. Now, that one quarter of the year is over, let us just wait and watch what next three have in their womb.

- TravelSpider is an IATA and TAAI approved Travel Agent in Delhi NCR

Exciting International Tour Packages From India

International tour packages are available from India for several destinations worldwide. There are a number of amazing International tour packages from India available for South East Asia, Australia, Europe, America, Africa and Middle East. 

These international tour packages can be booked either online through any of the travel websites or TravelSpider, a travel agent in Delhi NCR. Travelers have the option to choose from tailor made travel packages or escorted travel package. One can book in advance these travel packages that cater to a wide segment of travelers.

The dream of traveling abroad for a holiday doesn't remain a distant dream anymore, as more people are now able to travel for a holiday. Some of the places that rank high in the holiday list include:

South East Asia: The countries in South East Asia such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia are quite popular as holiday destinations. International Holiday packages from India for these countries are quite affordable and one can easily book a short duration package of 2 to 3 nights. Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are particularly known for their stunning beach resorts.

Australia and New Zealand: International tour packages for Australia and New Zealand have become quite popular as more people are choosing for travel packages to these two wonderful countries. Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast top the list of holiday destinations in the Australia. Most of the holiday packages are focused on these destinations. For New Zealand, Auckland, Christchurch, Greymouth and Queenstown are quite famous as holiday destinations.

North America and Canada: North America and Canada is a traveler's paradise, as it encompasses topographic splendor, cultural extravaganzas, historic reminisces and gastronomic delights. There are a variety of packages available for North America for both the East Coast and the West Coast. Some of the prominent destinations that form a part of these packages include California, Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Tours of Canada cover places such as Vancouver, Montreal, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia.

Europe: Europe is undoubtedly the favorite with most people wanting to travel abroad for a holiday. Europe tour packages are highly popular among Indians wanting to explore this fascinating continent. The countries o West Europe are the most sought after destinations in the world. The United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, Germany and Belgium are quite popular among tourists.

These are just some of the most sought after holiday destinations in the world for which affordable and excellent travel packages can be booked through TravelSpider, a Travel Agency in Delhi NCR.

Benefits of hiring a Corporate Travel Agency

Using a corporate travel agency has many advantages. Some of them may include price discounts, hotel reservations, emergency, and customer service to name a few. It may seem practical and cheaper to use the internet, but it has many limitations compared to having a professional travel management company.

Reality Check

Let's get to the point - airlines are businesses. They want to make as much money as possible and will find every opportunity to so. Do you think those items for sale in the plane are for your convenience? If you think that the internet or newspaper has the best prices you couldn't be further from the truth.

Why do airline ticket prices vary? During peak seasons like Christmas, more people demand travel tickets. The number of airplanes and seats are pretty much the supply and it is limited. More people will buy tickets with departure dates near December 24 dates and return dates after January 2.

There aren't enough plane seats to accommodate every single person who would like to travel on that date - therefore airlines charge higher prices. How can you beat it? Reserve at least 3 months prior. The problem is most people don't know their schedule since their work can interfere with their plans. Airlines know this and more importantly, will take advantage by charging higher prices.

A corporate travel agency buys tickets in bulk from airlines and far ahead of time. They are charged wholesale discount business class airfare not available to you on the internet or anywhere else. It is their incentive from airlines so that they too can make money.

Travel Management Companies

Corporate travel agencies are not dinosaurs. They also use computers and have internet. In the same way you probably scour the internet for prices, these companies have special software that can view dozens of websites simultaneously.

Agents know where to look for better airfares. Some agencies have special deals with particular airlines so they have access to the air ticketing system. If you are looking for discount business class airfare, or special prices for a group package it is better to go to these companies. You can negotiate prices with them whereas you can't when reserving online.

Customer Service

When you reserve on the internet it is hard to change plans, but agents can be given a tentative date and can hold on for you until a certain time. The longer your company's relationship with them, the better your benefits will be due to your credibility.

Bad weather happens around the world resulting to cancelled flights. When this happen what do you think everyone would do? They all call the airline at the same time. Often it will take you forever to reach them or they won't really be of much help.

A corporate travel agency will be there for you and know what emergency actions to take. They already know your first question - how soon can I leave? Good companies are informed and will take immediate action for you. They will either rebook you in another airline quickly or find you an affordable hotel nearby if the weather gets really bad.

Hotels & Meeting Management

Corporate travel management is not limited to airplane tickets. They also know where to find cheap hotel booking in an emergency at good prices too. In fact some even have meeting management services.

A corporate travel company has far more advantages over doing reservations yourself. The advantages are discounts, customer service and other services all leading to peace of mind.

TravelSpider is a travel management company in Delhi NCR, India