XML/RSS feed to latest flights and holidays package News from Indianmood http://www.indianmood.co.uk Sri Lanka-based Low Cost Carrier (LCC) Mihin Lanka will start operations on the Kochi-Colombo route with immediate connection to Dubai and Kuwait from the end of this month. The LCC will fly thrice a week from Kochi to Colombo on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday using the Airbus 320. The exact date and time for the launch of flights is not yet fixed. This information was provided exclusively to TravelBiz Monitor by Lal Tagaswatte, Executive Director, Mihin Lanka from Sri Lanka. Passengers flying on Mihin Lanka from Kochi to Colombo will have the opportunity to take immediate flights from Colombo to Middle East (Dubai and Kuwait). The LCC has appointed Benzy Holidays as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Kochi. http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Mihin-Lanka.asp http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Mihin-Lanka.asp Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators (RATO) is now looking at expanding its network membership base. Currently the Association has 34 members from Jaipur and has its branch offices in Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kota, Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore) and more. It is now considering expanding its network by including travel operators from other parts of the state by early next year. The aim is to build an enhanced network of travel suppliers across the state for making the destination more accessible and popular in the international market. The association will start approaching tour operators from Tier II and Tier III cities of Rajasthan from year-end and aims to have about 70 members by mid-2010. http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/RATO-looking.asp http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/RATO-looking.asp According to a Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) report, Qatar Airways yesterday entered into an agreement with OnAir to install Mobile OnAir in-flight passenger communication services on board the airline’s single-aisle fleet. The agreement will see the airline install the technology on all 22 single-aisle A319, A320 and A321 aircraft in the fleet, as well as several new aircraft on order. Passengers will be able to stay connected in-flight using their own mobile phones or Blackberry-type devices to send and receive text messages and emails, and access the Internet. They will also be able to access the Internet using their own laptops fitted with GSM data cards. Airlines equipped with OnAir services can choose to provide voice and data or data services only, depending on time of the day and passenger preferences. http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Qatar-Airways.asp http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Qatar-Airways.asp Gulf Air, the national carrier of Kingdom of Bahrain suspended its operations from Bangalore and Hyderabad effective March 29, 2009 till October 24, 2009. The airline operated daily flights from Bangalore and five times a week from Hyderabad. However, the airline is keen on expanding its operations in other parts of India considering the growing demand in the market. Richard Hirsch, Regional General Manager – Indian Subcontinent, Gulf Air said, “We have temporarily suspended our services to two cities in India due to prevailing adverse market conditions, but our future plans for India remain the same. We see a real growth opportunity in working closely with eight or nine traditional international airports, investing on the possibility of developing services to some of the new international designated airports.” http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Gulf-Air-suspends.asp http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Gulf-Air-suspends.asp The inaugural Baby Boomer Tourism Summit will be held on May 25, 2009 at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney. The one day summit will be addressed by Roy Morgan Research (Tourism and Leisure) and include the latest baby boomer research undertaken by leading researchers, alongside other eminent experts with practical advice to tap into this potentially lucrative demographic. Baby boomers, the largest demographic segment in the Australian population controls around 50 per cent of the country’s wealth. The Summit will examine the latest research showing trends and forecasts for this demographic phenomenon, as well as exploring the moods and motivations of this sector, and the triggers for successfully engaging it. http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Baby-Boomer.asp http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Baby-Boomer.asp Ginger Hotels, the budget hotel arm of Indian Hotels Company, has announced plans to open 13 more hotels across India by 2010, bringing its total inventory to 30. After it opened its 17th hotel in Mangalore recently, it announced plans to expand into cities such as Guwahati, Durg, Surat and Chennai in 2010. http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Ginger-to-open.asp http://www.holidaymood.co.uk/indianmood/news/travel%2Dnews/Apr09/Ginger-to-open.asp