World's Largest Cruise Ship Completes Trial Run, Set to Sail Next Year
Royal Caribbean International's highly anticipated cruise ship, 'Icon of the Seas', successfully completed its trial run and is ready to embark on its maiden voyage through the breathtaking waters of the Caribbean early next year. With its impressive dimensions and a plethora of remarkable features, this colossal vessel is poised to redefine luxury cruising.
Measuring at a staggering 1,200 feet (365 meters) in length and weighing an astounding 250,800 tonnes, the Icon of the Seas sets a new standard in size and grandeur. Its passenger capacity exceeds all expectations, with the ability to accommodate over 7,960 individuals, including 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members. The ship's extraordinary amenities include a record-breaking water park comprising six exhilarating water slides known as Category 6, as well as seven pools and nine whirlpools.
Royal Caribbean proudly revealed that the Icon of the Seas surpasses its current largest ship, the Wonder of the Seas, by an impressive 6% in size and an additional 10 feet in length. This architectural marvel was meticulously constructed at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
Jun 28, 2023
Bengaluru Airport Launches BLR Pulse App for Passengers
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, created a personalised digital travel buddy to cater to the needs of flyers.
BIAL created BLR Pulse, an omnichannel platform, in collaboration with GrayMatter Software Services. It will allow passengers to navigate within the terminal buildings and provide essential information about the airport in real time. The interactive chatbot feature in the app will enable a self-sufficient mode of finding answers to various questions, which will be further curated over time.
BLR Pulse offers real-time updates on various passenger processing touch points, including entry gates, check-in counters, and security check areas, and delivers flight timings and status updates on passengers' mobile phones or email inboxes. In addition, the 'WayFinder' feature allows passengers to navigate through the airport easily and get real-time information on queues at various touch points.
Passengers can also book a transit hotel for their short-term stay or complete their last-minute flight check-ins.
Jun 26, 2023
India Becomes Asia's Highest Source of International Travellers, Especially to the US
According to a report, people from India have been travelling abroad more, and the United States is trying to accommodate the new tourism boom by opening two new consulates in the South Asian country.
In 2022, India became for the first time Asia's highest source of international travellers, according to tourism consultancy IPK International. International travellers from India in 2022 exceeded those of China, South Korea, and Japan.
For the first five months of 2023, travel from India to the United States has exceeded pre-pandemic volumes, according to data from the US Department of Commerce National Travel and Tourism Office. Other Asian countries are lagging, particularly China, where travellers have been slow to return to the United States post-pandemic.
Jun 20, 2023
Airbnb, Ministry of Tourism Tie up to Promote Heritage Tourism in India
Online accommodation hosting platform Airbnb signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Tourism to showcase India's heritage stays and promote cultural tourism.
The company partnered the ministry in its vision to promote inbound tourism as a part of its 'Visit India 2023' initiative and under the MoU, it will launch a dedicated 'Soul of India' micro-site for the global audience showcasing India's rich culture and built heritage.
Additionally, Airbnb will also offer support to hosts in untapped tourist areas, assist them in promoting their home stays, build host capacity, and foster a culture of responsible hosting.
Under the MoU, Airbnb will endeavour to train hospitality micro-entrepreneurs in emerging destinations that are part of the ministry's flagship scheme. It would also share travel and home-stay insights with the ministry for informed responsible tourism policies and training requirements.
Jun 13, 2023
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers Appointed as Chair-elect of IATA's Board of Governors
IndiGo announced that its CEO, Pieter Elbers, was elected as the chair-elect of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors. He will succeed present Chair, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of Rwandair with effect from June 2024. Pieter Elbers' appointment came at a significant time for the Indian aviation industry, which is experiencing unprecedented growth and development.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. It has 300 member airlines that account for 83% of total air traffic. IATA's headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.
IATA also works to promote the safe and sustainable growth of the air transport industry. In 2020, IATA launched its "Fly Net Zero" initiative, which aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions from aviation by 2050.
IATA is a non-profit organization and its activities are funded by its members. It is governed by a board of directors and a general assembly.
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