<p>As the travel industry eagerly anticipates the dawn of the New Year and steps into 2024, key industry players Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel have shared insights from their leaders, offering a comprehensive overview of the diverse travel preferences that will shape the journeys of Indian travelers this year.</p>
<p>In an overview on emerging travel trends and expectations, Rajeev Kale, President &amp; Country Head of Holidays, MICE, Visa at Thomas Cook (India) Limited, and Daniel D'Souza, President &amp; Country Head - Holidays at SOTC Travel share their thoughts anticipating a sustained surge in demand from the dynamic Indian market.<br><br></p>
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In an overview on emerging travel trends and expectations, President ..

Anticipating 2024: Emerging travel trends and expectations

<p>2022 is shaping up to be a big year at the Disneyland Resort, as the &lsquo;Happiest Place on Earth&rsquo; continues its post-COVID comeback, with phased reintroductions of some of guests&rsquo; favorite park happenings.</p>
<p>In spring of 2022, celebrating its 50th anniversary year, the much-loved &lsquo;Main Street Electrical Parade&rsquo; will illuminate the parade route running from the far side of Fantasyland down Main Street USA and, for all those who remember being mesmerized by its dazzling lights and catchy music as kids, the long-time favorite parade is as magical as ever. Guests can expect to see many of their electroluminescent favorites, such as Elliot the Dragon and floats featuring scenes from &lsquo;Alice in Wonderland&rsquo;, &lsquo;Cinderella&rsquo; and &lsquo;Peter Pan&rsquo;.</p>
<p>Guests will also welcome the return of three completely captivating nighttime extravaganzas: &lsquo;Fantasmic!&rsquo; and the &lsquo;Disneyland Forever&rsquo; fireworks spectacular at Disneyland Park, an &lsquo;World of Color&rsquo; over at Disney California Adventure.</p>
<p>On select dates in February 2022, the popular &lsquo;Celebrate Gospel!&rsquo; event, a celebration of the soulful spirit of Gospel music, will also return to Disneyland Park. &lsquo;Celebrate Gospel!&rsquo; will also be expanded next year, showcasing live choir performances, each with its own distinctive energy and style. For 2022, the inspiring event will move to Disneyland Park&rsquo;s Fantasyland Theater, where guests will be able to enjoy a series of rousing gospel choir performances on select days.</p>
<p>The Disneyland Resort will once again be the place where friends and families meet to make memories together, for children (and, let&rsquo;s face it, adults) to encounter their favorite Disney characters, and for connoisseurs of seasonal park fare and goodies to sink their teeth into some much-anticipated treats.</p>
<p>Limited-time festivals, previously put on hold because of the pandemic, will also start returning to the parks in spring of 2022, beginning with the Lunar New Year celebration, which commemorates various lunar new year traditions of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures. Next year&rsquo;s edition will feature &lsquo;Mulan's Lunar New Year Procession&rsquo;, as well as a first appearance by Raya from Walt Disney Animation Studios' recent film &lsquo;Raya and the Last Dragon&rsquo;.</p>

Disneyland Resort is thrilled to bring back its nighttime spectaculars this spring. So many fan-favorite entertainment offerings have continued to return – from Jambalaya Jazz in New Orleans Square at Disneyland park to “Disney Junior Dance Party!” in Disney California Adventure park

Disneyland Resort Unveils Return Dates for Nighttime Spectaculars

Disneyland Resort Unveils Return Dates for Nighttime Spectaculars and New Finale Coming to the ‘Main Street Electrical Parade’

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<div>Holland America Line is celebrating the arrival of Wave Season with the launch of "The Ultimate Upgrade Event," which includes epic savings and free perks for travelers looking to sail an award-winning cruise line to the world's most sought-after destinations.</div>
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<div>Now through February 28, 2022, guests who book a select summer 2022 through spring 2023 cruise will receive a free stateroom upgrade, $75 fares for kids on Alaska cruises and 50 percent reduced deposits on top of complimentary shore excursions, beverages, specialty dining and Wi-Fi with the "Have It All" premium package.</div>
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<div>What's more, travelers who book by January 20, 2022, will also receive up to $200 per stateroom in onboard credit, depending on the length of their selected cruise. The Ultimate Upgrade Event fares start at just $799 per person, based on double occupancy, for Caribbean cruises and $849 for Alaska departures. However, those rates do not include taxes, fees and port expenses.</div>
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<div>During The Ultimate Upgrade Event, guests can book an ocean view stateroom for the price of an interior, and a verandah stateroom for the price of an ocean view. And in honor of Holland America Line's upcoming 75th anniversary sailing in Alaska, kids ages 17 and under traveling as the third and fourth guests in a stateroom can sail on select Alaska cruises for as low as $75.</div>
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<div>Depending on the cruise duration, Holland America Line guests can receive up to $200 in onboard credit per stateroom that they can put toward a variety of amenities, including specialty dining, spa services, shore excursions and gift shop purchases, among other things. Based on the length of the cruise, guests can receive up to three tours valued at $100 each.</div>
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<div>When it comes to the Signature Beverage Package, guests can look forward to a large selection of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, soda, water, coffee and more. The package includes up to 15 drinks per day and bar service charges. Plus, guests can indulge in Holland America Line's award-winning specialty dining for up to three nights, depending on the ship and the length of the cruise. Finally, guests will be treated to the Wi-Fi Surf Package, Holland America Line's most popular Wi-Fi package.</div>
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<div>"By introducing our most enticing offer for the traditional &lsquo;wave&rsquo; booking period, we want to encourage everyone to think about next year&rsquo;s vacation plans now and book early," said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. "Cruising already is an unbeatable value, and when you add in our limited-time Ultimate Upgrade Event, there is no better time than now for our guests to plan their next cruise vacations to destinations around the world."</div>
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<div>Keep in mind that The Ultimate Upgrade Event is not valid on Grand Voyages or cruises of five days or less. Plus, kids traveling as the third or fourth guest in a stateroom do not need to book with Have It All to receive $75 fares for Alaska cruises.</div>
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Holland America Line Kicks Off Wave Season With 'The Ultimate Upgrade Event'

<p>Kongthong village is located in the East Khasi Hills district, which is 60 km from Meghalaya's capital city Shillong. The villagers here call each other with a unique tune.</p>
<p>The Ministry of Tourism has selected Meghalaya's Kongthong village, which is also known as the &lsquo;whistling village&rsquo;, for entry to UNWTO&rsquo;s (The World Tourism Organisation) "Best Tourism Villages" award along with two other villages in the country.</p>
<p>Kongthong village is located in the East Khasi Hills district, which is 60 km from Meghalaya's capital city Shillong. People of this village have used whistling as a method of conveying their messages to their fellow villagers and that is why it is known as the &lsquo;whistling village&rsquo;.</p>
<p>The villagers here call each other with a unique tune. Each of them has a unique tune for calling each other and this tradition has been going on for generations.</p>
<p>The villagers have called this tune Jingrwai Lawbei which means mother's love song.</p>
<p>The villagers have two names - one is a regular name and another is a song name.</p>
<p>The song names are two versions - a long song and a short song and the short song is normally used at home.</p>
<p>Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma tweeted - "#Meghalaya's whistling village Kongthong is selected for entry to the @UNWTO 'Best Tourism Village' along with 2 other villages in the country."</p>

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Meghalaya's whistling village Kongthong selected for entry to Best Tourism Village

<p>Thailand is still registering about 10,000 new cases a day -- largely fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant. It has more than 1.7 million cases to date and has recorded 17,751 dead.</p>
<p>Thailand plans to fully re-open to vaccinated tourists from countries deemed low risk from November 1, the country's leader said Monday, citing the urgent need to save the kingdom's ailing economy.</p>
<p>Before the pandemic, Thailand attracted nearly 40 million visitors a year drawn to its picturesque beaches and robust nightlife, with tourism making up almost 20 percent of its national income.</p>
<p>But Covid-related travel restrictions have left the economy battered, contributing to its worst performance in more than 20 years.</p>
<p>Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha announced Monday the country will be reopening its borders to vaccinated tourists travelling by air from "low risk countries".</p>
<p>The 10 nations considered low risk include Britain, the United States, China, Germany and Singapore.</p>
<p>"When they arrive, they should present a (negative) Covid test... and test once again upon arrival," the prime minister said in a televised address.</p>
<p>After getting a negative test, "they can travel freely like Thais," he said.</p>
<p>His announcement significantly loosens up current restrictions in place for vaccinated tourists, who must undergo at least seven days hotel quarantine.</p>
<p>Thailand's so-called "sandbox" scheme in Phuket -- which allows vaccinated tourists to move freely around the popular beach island -- currently requires them to remain there for a week.</p>
<p>Visitors outside of Thailand's designated 10 low-risk countries are welcome, "but they have to be in quarantine," said Prayut, adding that more nations would be added to the greenlit list in December.</p>
<p>Earlier this year Prayut had vowed the country would reopen in October, stating its vaccination campaign would be sped up to reach 70 percent of the population.</p>
<p>To date, 48 percent of Thais nationwide have received at least a single vaccine dose, while more than 30 percent have double-jabbed, health officials said Monday.</p>
<p>The capital Bangkok -- once famed for its nightlife -- is still currently under a nighttime curfew, as well as a booze ban in bars and restaurants.</p>
<p>Prayut said Monday authorities will "consider allowing alcoholic drinks in restaurants and reopening entertainment venues under strict health measures" during the New Year's Eve period -- previously a money-maker for the kingdom's tourism sector.</p>
<p>He acknowledged his decision to reopen in less than a month came with the risk of more coronavirus cases.</p>
<p>"But I think the people will not be able to stand it if they have to lose a second chance at this business opportunity," the premier said, pointing to countries like Britain and Australia loosening their travel restrictions.</p>
<p>"The time has come for us to ready ourselves to face the coronavirus and live with it... much as we have learnt to live with other diseases with treatments and vaccinations," he said.</p>
<p>Last year, Thailand lost about $50 billion in tourism revenue as foreign arrivals plunged 83 percent to 6.7 million, from a record 39.9 million two years ago.</p>
<p>The kingdom is still registering about 10,000 new cases a day -- largely fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant. It has more than 1.7 million cases to date and has recorded 17,751 dead.</p>

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Thailand plans to reopen to vaccinated tourists from November 1

<p>The screening featured the map of India, map of Telangana, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Bathukamma flowers, with &lsquo;Allipoola Vennela&rsquo; playing the background as the heritage of India and Telangana outshined at Burj Khalifa.</p>
<p>Telangana's traditional 'Bathukamma' (floral festival), celebrated by the womenfolk, was showcased on the world's largest screen on Burj Khalifa in Dubai.</p>
<p>TRS MLC K Kavitha-led cultural organisation 'Telangana Jagruthi', made arrangements to play the Bathukamma documentary on the big screen for invited delegates and separately for the local people on Saturday night, a release from Kavitha's office said here.</p>
<p>"Dubai's Burj Khalifa witnessed a unique show that celebrated Telangana's 'Bathukamma' on October 23. The show was live across various platforms around the globe," it said.</p>
<p>The screening featured the map of India, map of Telangana, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Bathukamma flowers, with &lsquo;Allipoola Vennela&rsquo; playing the background as the heritage of India and Telangana outshined at Burj Khalifa.<br />The slogans of Jai Hind, Jai Telangana, and Jai KCR on the Burj Khalifa screen echoed with tears of joy and pride among the viewers, it said.</p>
<p>The event was attended by Kavitha along with dignitaries from UAE and India, who witnessed the historical moment.</p>
<p>In October first week, Kavitha and filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon had launched a special Bathukamma song 'Mallipoola Vennela' composed by music maestro A R Rahman.</p>
<p>This year the nine-day long festival was celebrated from October 6 to 14.</p>
<p>Telangana Jagruthi, a cultural and literary organisation that was formed during the statehood movement for Telangana, has been working to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of Telangana, it said.</p>
<p>Led by Kavitha, Telangana Jagruthi has been working to empower the spirit of Telangana nationally as well as globally, the release added.</p>

telangana's-traditional-flower-festival-bathukamma-showcased-on-burj-khalifa

Anticipating 2024: Emerging travel trends and expectations

Related News

Disneyland Resort Unveils Return Dates for Nighttime Spectaculars and New Finale Coming to the ‘Main Street Electrical Parade’

Holland America Line Kicks Off Wave Season With 'The Ultimate Upgrade Event'

Meghalaya's whistling village Kongthong selected for entry to Best Tourism Village

Thailand plans to reopen to vaccinated tourists from November 1

Telangana's traditional flower festival Bathukamma showcased on Burj Khalifa

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