A K Singh
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Articles by A K Singh
ATM 2026 hosts global tourism community from 115 nations in Dubai
The 33rd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 brought together the global travel and tourism community over four days, providing the backdrop for a host of major announcements, from the launch of Visit UAE to MoUs spanning aviation, rail, hospitality, and tech. Held at Dubai World Trade Centre, the event examined how AI, digital transformation, smart mobility, and evolving traveller expectations are influencing the future of tourism.
GCC bets on agility amid disruption
In the age of constant disruption, travel leaders from the GCC region came together for a panel discussion organised by TravTalk Middle East at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 on how travel businesses navigate uncertainty. TT Bureau Today, disruption has become normal — we move from one crisis to another.
Al Rais unveils AI-powered booking engine
At the Arabian Travel Market 2026, Al Rais Travel launched a new online travel platform and AI-powered booking engine. Mohamed Jassim Al Rais, Executive Director, Al Rais Travel Group, reveals how the new-age platform will help customers book travel without visiting a website or downloading an app.
IATO puts renewed focus on Andhra
The next Andhra Pradesh itinerary may look very different. With the IATO Convention putting the state’s developments before the travel trade, it is making a stronger case for longer stays and more diverse itineraries. Janice Alyosius Andhra Pradesh is looking to use the upcoming IATO Convention in Visakhapatnam to showcase a tourism proposition that is expanding beyond its traditional pilgrimage base.
Hotels face the people–profit–AI test
As hotels navigate a new-age workforce, changing guest expectations, sharper revenue pressures, and the rapid arrival of AI, women leaders in hospitality discuss what it will take to keep the business relevant. Nisha Verma There has been a dramatic change in hospitality over the past decade.
Family staycations get more tailored
A family staycation is no longer built around one room, one pool, or one shared itinerary. Across UAE hotels, varying expectations are reshaping accommodation, dining, leisure, service, and the very meaning of luxury for families travelling together.
Sharjah stays rooted, yet future-ready
Seeking to build a resilient tourism ecosystem without moving away from its distinctive identity, Sharjah is positioning its established heritage and natural assets alongside smart tourism development at the Arabian Travel Market 2026. TT Bureau Sharjah’s tourism proposition is built around the combination of cultural heritage, family experiences, natural landscapes, and modern tourism offerings.
Cruising gets younger, longer & richer
The Indian cruise traveller has come a long way. With longer stays and more premium onboard experiences, the market has flipped from budget-conscious group sailings to a younger, experience-hungry demographic willing to invest up to $300 per night, and over $10,000 for polar adventures. TT Bureau India’s cruise market is undergoing a seismic transformation. Gone are the days when domestic sailings and short-haul trips to Southeast Asia dominated the landscape.
Group travel gets a makeover
No longer confined to the traditional coach tours of yesteryears, the modern Indian group traveller is demanding a blend of authentic experiences, convenience, and genuine human connection. Industry experts share views. TT Bureau While the conversation of the evolving individual traveller grows louder, there is a quiet transformation happening in the group traveller segment.
Enough aircraft, but not enough tourists
India’s aviation industry is preparing for its biggest expansion yet, with airlines investing in new aircraft, international routes, and strategic partnerships. But the big question is: Are there enough inbound visitors? Airline leaders say India’s next tourism leap will depend on destination marketing, collaboration, and seamless connectivity — not just adding more flights.
Seven steps for wedding tourism
Calling the celebration economy an untapped engine of growth, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, MoT, unveils a seven-point roadmap to help India build globally competitive wedding destinations.
India’s cold chain comes of age
India’s cold chain logistics industry has evolved far beyond refrigerated warehouses. Today, it connects agriculture, factories, airports, and international markets through integrated, technology-driven supply chains. As demand for temperature-sensitive products increases, the sector is emerging as a critical enabler of food security, export competitiveness, and economic growth. Pallak Kashyap India’s cold chain industry is undergoing a transformation.
Value, not discounts, to define recovery
Amid price wars, rising costs, and geopolitical uncertainty, industry leaders at the first TravTalk Middle East ThinkTank share practical insights on protecting margins and rebuilding confidence, preparing for the next phase of growth. TT Bureau The Middle East travel industry has repeatedly demonstrated its resilience. From the pandemic to regional disruptions, the sector has consistently found ways to recover, often faster than many global markets.
Destination weddings fuel tourism
Destination weddings in the UAE are no longer confined to the ceremony alone. Multi-day celebrations are driving business for airlines, hotels, destination management companies (DMCs), transport providers, attractions, and restaurants. Rahul Bhadana The first guests often arrive days before the wedding. Flights land from different countries, airport transfers begin, hotel check-ins gather pace, and restaurants host welcome dinners.
Travel expos must move beyond footfall
Travel exhibitions may not be losing relevance, but they are facing an urgent need to evolve — that was the clear message from event organisers and buyers who took part in the latest edition of TRAVTALK ThinkTank. TT Bureau For years, the travel industry has debated whether exhibitions continue to justify the time, effort, and investment they demand. For thousands of Indian travel agents and tour operators, the question is even more practical.
FAITH seeks tourism agenda reset
As policymakers and industry leaders prepare to meet at the FAITH Tourism Conclave 2026, the federation outlines an ambitious reform agenda. Coordinated policy action will be key to unlocking India’s tourism economy and positioning the country among the world’s leading destinations, it says.
Pharma cargo enters a defining phase
Every life-saving medicine carries a promise — that it will reach patients safely, on time, and without compromising its efficacy. Fulfilling that promise increasingly depends on India’s air cargo ecosystem. From state-of-the-art cold chains and pharma-certified terminals to AI-powered tracking and specialised cargo handling, the sector is undergoing a transformation that could define India’s next phase of pharmaceutical leadership.
Green logistics gains altitude
India’s air cargo sector is redefining performance by intertwining sustainability with efficiency. Driven by rising e-commerce, electronics manufacturing, and strict international mandates, stakeholders are adopting digital-first operations, pursuing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending targets, and modernising infrastructure to meet volume targets of 10 million tonnes per annum by 2030.
AI NERVE CENTRE OF GRADE-A WAREHOUSING
Grade-A warehouses are evolving into intelligent logistics hubs, enabling businesses to enhance real-time visibility, speed up order fulfilment, and strengthen supply chain resilience. Powered by smart tech and automation, these facilities are transforming warehouse operations. Ritika Arora Bhola Driven by the explosive growth of e-commerce, q-commerce, manufacturing, retail, and 3PL, warehouses are being designed as intelligent ecosystems that enable speed, visibility, agility, and resilience.
Will airline prices ever go down?
Lower ATF prices have revived an old question across India’s travel trade: if fuel is cheaper, why aren’t airfares falling? At the 7th TRAVTALK ThinkTank, aviation veterans examined the economics behind airline pricing. Nisha Verma For years, airline pricing appeared relatively simple. Fuel prices went up, ticket prices followed. Fuel prices came down and travellers expected fares to soften. That dependency, however, has weakened considerably.
Indian footfall to Oman up 67% in May
Oman has emerged as one of the strongest-performing destinations for Indian outbound travel in 2026, posting record visitor numbers. The destination welcomed over 3.31 lakh Indians between January and May. TT Bureau The Sultanate of Oman has recorded its strongest-ever performance from the Indian market, welcoming 331,365 Indian visitors between January and May 2026, marking a 36 per cent increase over the corresponding period last year.
Saudi hospitality gains momentum
FHS Saudi Arabia recently brought together investors, developers, operators, and tourism leaders in Riyadh to explore opportunities. TT Bureau Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, organised at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah from 22–24 June, concluded in Riyadh. Positioned as the Kingdom’s leading hospitality investment and deal-making platform, the event once again served as a meeting point for capital, projects, and partnerships.
Outbound travel trends signal market shift
Outbound travel across the Middle East is entering a new phase. While the demand remains strong, travellers are becoming more selective, experience-focused, and digitally connected than ever before. Traditional travel patterns are giving way to shorter, more frequent trips. TT Bureau TravTalk spoke to tourism leaders and travel experts to understand how outbound travel is changing, what today’s travellers are looking for, and how destinations are adapting to meet new expectations.
New rules of travel: Trust, Transparency & Talent
As travel businesses battle disruption, AI transformation, and shifting customer expectations, industry leaders at the 6th TRAVTALK ThinkTank, held at Andaz Delhi, by Hyatt, say the future of travel will depend less on pricing wars and more on trust, accountability, talent, and seamless experiences. Nisha Verma The travel industry has always thrived on movement. But over the last few years, it has also survived on resilience.
Europ Assistance is now Redion
Generali Group has revealed Redion, a new brand for its global Care platform, which brings together the activities of Europ Assistance and Generali Employee Benefits (GEB) under a single identity and offering. Antoine Parisi, current CEO of Generali CARE Hub, will lead Redion as Group CEO.
FTAs trigger cross-border growth
FTAs are reshaping India’s trade and logistics landscape at a time when supply chains are facing disruptions due to the ongoing West Asia crisis. As India negotiates new trade pacts and strengthens market access across economies, FTAs are positioning the country as a competitive global trading hub. Ritika Arora Bhola India’s push towards FTAs is transforming the trade landscape, opening new global markets while reshaping logistics, forwarding, and supply chain operations.
Kushinagar looks beyond pilgrimage
The International Buddhist Conclave 2026 in Kushinagar brought together government officials, tour operators, airlines, and international delegates to examine the future of Buddhist tourism in India. Discussions focused on connectivity, infrastructure, visitor experience, and the need to reposition Kushinagar from a short spiritual stop into a destination capable of sustaining longer, more meaningful traveller engagement within the Buddhist circuit.
Mapping the new travel pattern
As global travel patterns continue to evolve, the GCC market is adapting to a new era of travel demand. TravTalk speaks to experts to explore how traveller expectations, behaviours, and booking patterns are defining the industry’s future. Makhdoom Fahim Jalali, CEO (ATTA), Al Naboodah Travel & Tourism Japan, Thailand, Switzerland, and the Maldives are seeing strong demand, while Europe remains popular for summer travel.
PATA Life Membership for SanJeet
During the PATA Annual Summit 2026 in Korea, PATA honoured SanJeet, Director, DDP Publications, with a Life Membership for his long-standing leadership and dedication to the association and the wider industry. TT Bureau Veteran travel industry leader SanJeet has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Life Member’ recognition by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), a significant milestone in his association with the organisation.
Agents rue evaporating margins
The Indian travel trade is trying hard to salvage the summer season as high airfares and rocketing hotel rates tighten margins. TravTalk asks key travel agents and DMCs if the market is making any profit. TT Bureau Summer 2026 was supposed to be the travel industry’s great comeback story. Instead, travel agents and DMCs across India find themselves trapped in a squeeze.
Travel moves beyond checklist tourism
The Indian traveller has changed, and the industry can no longer operate the same old way. As expectations shift firmly towards premium, experience-led journeys, this evolution is beginning to redraw demand patterns and reshape how travel products and services are being built. TT Bureau India’s travel story is no longer about volumes alone — it is about a clear shift in behaviour.
Pricing gaps & policy concerns
Citing that rising prices and weak inbound demand are affecting tourism growth, industry leaders caution that without urgent alignment and execution, India faces the risk of losing ground to more competitive global destinations. Janice Alyosius Industry leaders, speaking at the 2nd ICC Aviation & Tourism Conference 2026, acknowledged that while the Indian tourism industry is resilient and expanding, it is still “not where India should be” on the global tourism map.
Freighter crunch risks India’s dream
India’s ambition to emerge as a global air cargo hub is driven by increasing exports, e-commerce, and complex global supply chains. Stakeholders believe this is dependent on one decisive factor: The scale and strength of the country’s freighter fleet. Ritika Arora Bhola India’s air cargo story is entering a decisive phase. As exports rise, e-comm expands, and supply chains demand speed and reliability, India’s ambition to become a global cargo hub is gaining pace.
Dubai incentivises hospitality growth
Dubai has unveiled a new wave of economic measures aimed at strengthening business resilience and supporting sustained growth across hospitality and trade. TT Bureau The initiatives, announced as part of a broader 1 billion stimulus package, are designed to ease short-term financial pressures, enhance liquidity, and reinforce the emirate’s global competitiveness as a leading tourism and business hub.
Staycations key revenue driver in GCC
In the face of ongoing uncertainty, hotels and travel businesses across the Middle East are pulling out all the stops as they recalibrate to make room for staycations — the new RnR mantra for the region. Rejuvenation for guests, and Revenue for stakeholders. Iftikhar Hamdani, Area General Manager – Northern Emirates, Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel and Coral Beach Resort Sharjah Any booking made by corporate bookers or travel agents receives special treatment.
Outbound faces Rs.10k cr disruption
A series of geopolitical flashpoints and aviation disruptions has unsettled India’s outbound travel market, forcing travellers and tour operators to rethink plans. With bookings down 15–20% and cancellations rising up to 30%, the sector is looking at losses to the tune of Rs. 8,000–10,000 crore. Janice Alyosius Geopolitical shocks and operational disruptions have converged to make FY2025–26 one of the most turbulent for India’s outbound travel sector.
Crisis calls for recalibrating demand
As geopolitical developments once again test the resilience of global travel, the latest TRAVTALK ThinkTank convened senior industry leaders from different parts of India to address a critical and timely theme — ‘Recreating Demand After the West Asia Crisis’. Nisha Verma The fifth edition of TRAVTALK ThinkTank was designed to go beyond immediate disruptions and decode the deeper shifts shaping the market.
LPG shortage a cause for worry?
Service consistency in remote tourism circuits is coming under pressure as commercial LPG supply disruptions begin to affect hotel operations, package stability, and booking confidence. Early signals indicate that operational uncertainty is beginning to influence booking behaviour. TT Bureau A destination is rarely lost at discovery — it is lost at hesitation.
Airfare chaos: Agents bearing the brunt
Just as the summer travel season was expected to gain momentum, fresh disruptions in key transit hubs have left travel agents in limbo. With refunds stuck, fares surging, and bookings slowing, the situation is raising questions about risk, responsibility, and resilience. Janice Alyosius The ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting key Middle East transit hubs have disrupted travel flows from India, creating widespread uncertainty across the aviation and travel trade ecosystem.
AI redefines future of travel
Artificial intelligence is redefining customer relationship management across travel, tourism, and hospitality, shifting the focus from reactive service to predictive, personalised engagement. TT Bureau A new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council and Trip.com Group positions AI as the defining force behind the industry’s next phase of growth, with 94 per cent of leaders identifying it as mission critical. Across the traveller journey, AI is already driving change.
Resilience through Unity in Tourism
UAE’s tourism continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most dynamic and dependable travel destinations. Industry leaders share with TravTalk how cooperation, agility, and determination have defined the sector’s response. Dr Shehara Rizly The United Arab Emirates has shown one of the best examples to the world as its travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors worked together to ensure safety and stability of the industry in recent times.
Navi Mumbai launches 18-month air pollution eradication plan Original
The heart of the plan lies in a first-of-its-kind "Zero Exposed Soil Policy". NMMC has identified that a staggering amount of particulate pollution stems not just from industries but also from loose soil along road shoulders, vacant plots, and undeveloped land. Under the new mandate, every inch of municipal land must be stabilised via paving, turfing, or gravel. Private landowners who leave plots "naked" to the wind will face strict compliance orders to cover them.
War shadow on summer bookings
As the conflict in the Middle East disrupts traditional flight paths and injects uncertainty into global travel, the Indian outbound sector is navigating cautious consumers and rising costs. The twin pressures of geopolitics and economics are forcing a strategic rethink.
Outbound needs product reinvention
Indian outbound travel is booming, yet itineraries remain unchanged. At the latest TRAVTALK ThinkTank held at Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Delhi Airport, industry leaders discussed why familiar routes still dominate and what the travel ecosystem must do to create deeper experiences. Nisha Verma Indian outbound travel has entered a period of remarkable momentum.
Noman Siddi: Latest News, Photos, Videos on Noman Siddiqui - Mid-Day
The design will be used across all creatives of the festival: posters, billboards, cinema slides and paraphernalia You either like her, or you can’t stand her — for me, the influencer is an enigma.
India builds on MICE strength
While India’s share of the global trillion dollar MICE market is still under 1%, the country has moved decisively into a new phase — where the challenge is less about infra and more about strategy, promotion, and governance. Nisha Verma The PATA Tourism Powerhouse 2026 panel on MICE in New Delhi was a masterclass in pragmatic optimism.
Airlift integration drives big conversions
A new flight route today can reshape travel demand within days, as agencies reprice itineraries and launch fresh packages to capture early interest. Travel leaders say the speed at which the trade integrates new airlift into offerings is now directly influencing conversions.
J&K's shrinking 'snow season' raises concern
Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) declared everything back to normal in Kashmir and proved this point by organising the 17th Annual Convention in Srinagar recently. Leaders used the convention stage to push a tougher narrative — tourism will return, but only if operators tighten safety discipline and destinations confront climate-linked disruptions hitting snow, glaciers, and season length.
Moment of truth succession in family-run firms
The second edition of TravTalk ThinkTank, held at Le Méridien New Delhi, discussed the future of family-run travel agencies and explored the pros and cons of whether handing over to the next generation is better than taking the professional route, or ‘letting go’ is the smarter move. Nisha Verma As TravTalk ThinkTank evolves, each edition is designed to tackle a new, pressing challenge facing the travel trade.
McArthurGlen rewards top performers
We are South Asia's leading travel trade news magazine and the only fortnightly travel magazine distributed in the subcontinent. TravTalk was established in 1991 and is a trusted source of information for all the tourism and hospitality industry leaders and decision makers. Over the years, TravTalk has become a renowned brand with a nose for news and an unparalleled reach.
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