Posted by Vineeth Purushothaman on Oct 1, 2008 in Travel news
From the 1st of November, air travellers in India will pay an additional transaction fee - Indian travel agents and airlines have mutually decided to add a transaction fee for air tickets issued from the 1st of November, according to the Economic Times.
It would be a minimum of INR350 for domestic and maximum of INR10,000 for international tickets according to the report.
What we don’t know is who gets the money? Is this a substitute for the commissions which used to be paid to travel agencies?
Fortunately our search for a Home-like Hotel is over since we discovered the Sea Shell Resort on Havelock Island. All we need is a team excursion out there soon….
This Geobeats video says it all - For me Ladakh is like no other part of the country. And we cant wait to add a Home-like hotel to our portfolio in Leh. The search is on…..
Posted by Vineeth Purushothaman on Oct 1, 2008 in Travel news
The relatively new concept at Indian airports can be experienced at the new Hyderabad airport - The Plaza premium lounge covering an area of 7,000 sq. ft. will have 28 rooms, toilet and shower area, meeting room, bar, business center, library, massage centre and a restaurant.
According to the Travelbiz Monitor, this will, however, be a paid lounge unlike other airport lounges in India which are restricted to the business class passengers or frequent fliers. It can accommodate 150 people at a time and will also have slumber rooms, which will be rented out in slots of different time spans. Initially the slots will be of four hours and will be subsequently increased to eight, 12 and 24 hour slots.
Reminds me slightly of the Japanese budget hotel concept - capsule hotels. I am sure this will be different but the concept I must say has some similarities. Will be great to hear from travellers who have had the chance to experience it.
Posted by Vineeth Purushothaman on Sep 29, 2008 in Industry news
India is to introduce a non-smoking rule that comes into effect from the 2nd of October 08.
And the industry is upset - according to a representative of a leading industry association in India “The FHRAI will file a case against the government’s anti-smoking rule in two or three days time. The body has got the legal opinions from leading lawyers,’
The main complaint is not so much the law itself, but the time given to the hoteliers - they say it is too short to construct a smoking room with prescribed ventilation facilities.
Under the new rule hotels, restaurants, discos, pubs, discos and bars will be classified as public places and smoking is not allowed.
So what do the travellers make of all this? We welcome your thoughts on the subject….
