Thomas Cook (India) Limited, India’s leading omnichannel travel services company, has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Government of India, in a strategic initiative to transform the country’s tourism landscape. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Ms. Seema Jain, Director, Destination Development Division, Ministry of Tourism, and Mr. Romil Pant, Executive Vice President & Head – Holidays, Thomas Cook (India) Limited. The event took place in the presence of key dignitaries, including Mr. Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Mr. Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Tourism, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr. Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, and Mr. Gyan Bhushan, Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Tourism.

The collaboration focuses on gathering direct and verified traveller feedback to assess India’s best-performing tourism destinations while identifying areas that need improvement. By leveraging its strong physical and digital presence, Thomas Cook India will integrate a co-branded feedback form, standardised by the Ministry, across its platforms. These insights will capture visitor opinions on cleanliness, safety, accessibility, service standards, and overall experiences.

This MoU, valid for three years, underscores a shared commitment to enhancing domestic tourism through transparency and data-driven decision-making. The anonymised, aggregated data will be shared with the Ministry of Tourism to support interventions aimed at improving infrastructure and services at destinations across India.

Mr. Suman Billa, Additional Secretary & Director General – Ministry of Tourism, said, “We are extremely delighted to sign this Memorandum of Understanding with Thomas Cook India. The idea behind this collaboration is to see how the Ministry of Tourism can collect real-time feedback from users at key destinations across the country. Our aim is to use this data as a foundation to identify and promote destinations that are able to provide great experiences. This marks the first step in a long journey ahead, and we hope this partnership proves fruitful for both of us.”

Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa – Thomas Cook (India) Limited, added, “We are delighted to partner with the Ministry of Tourism on this transformative initiative. With our extensive reach and deep understanding of Indian travellers, Thomas Cook India is uniquely positioned to provide valuable insights on destination performance. Our collaboration will focus on gathering authentic feedback from our customers to empower the Ministry’s efforts in enhancing the quality, safety, and sustainability of India’s tourism offerings.”

SOCIAL, India’s favorite neighborhood café-bar, is back with its much-awaited Oktobeerfest 2025, running from 6th to 19th October. This year’s edition promises bigger buckets, bolder bites, and playful new experiences designed to bring people together over food, beer, and festive cheer.

Buckets, Platters & Pairings

Beer takes the spotlight with bucket deals offering up to 20% savings on 3, 6, and 9 pints, perfect for sharing with friends. Making a comeback is SOCIAL’s popular Sausage Platter, the perfect companion to chilled brews. Guests can also indulge in exclusive bucket-and-platter pairings crafted to spark camaraderie and turn group hangouts into memorable beer-filled feasts.

SOCIAL’s Brew Bingo

Adding a quirky SOCIAL twist, each table will feature Brew Bingo, a beer-inspired challenge card with fun prompts like “chugged a pint in one go,” “spilled beer on yourself and kept drinking,” or “paired beer with dessert.” Guests can tick off their challenges as they go, creating laughter-filled moments to remember.

Festive Vibes All Around

All SOCIAL outlets nationwide will transform with buntings, quirky décor, and festive energy. True to SOCIAL’s spirit of being a second home for communities, the festival combines good beer, hearty food, and togetherness.

Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd, shared, “Oktobeerfest at SOCIAL has become a custom our communities look forward to every year. It’s our way of raising a toast to togetherness with buckets to share, a hearty platter to dig into, and playful experiences that bring people closer. Every year, we add a new SOCIAL twist to the global Oktobeerfest tradition, making it uniquely ours and something our guests can truly call their own.”

With bigger buckets, flavorful pairings, and engaging activities, Oktobeerfest 2025 is set to turn October into a month-long celebration of flavor, fun, and friendship, reaffirming SOCIAL’s place as the go-to neighborhood destination for unforgettable gatherings.

Santé Spa Cuisine, the award-winning health and wellness dining brand, has strengthened its presence in Pune with the opening of its third outlet at Law College Road. Known for its commitment to fresh, preservative-free, and plant-based cooking, the brand continues to champion mindful dining with dishes that balance taste, nutrition, and sustainability.

The new outlet, set in the backyard of a century-old home surrounded by greenery, features both indoor and outdoor seating for up to 120 guests. With cane, bamboo, copper, and recycled accents, the space reflects Santé’s eco-conscious philosophy while encouraging guests to relax and connect with nature.

Santé’s menu remains true to its wellness-driven ethos. Guests can choose from vegetarian, vegan, Jain, and gluten-free options including millet bowls packed with superfoods, Levantine-inspired protein-rich dishes, gluten-free multigrain pizzas, high-fibre casseroles, and indulgent yet healthy desserts made with jaggery, date sugar, and erythritol. Cold-pressed juices, detox beverages, and carefully paired wines and sangrias complement the food experience.

Founder Sonal Barmecha shared her vision at the launch, “Our aim is to provide a space where people can sit peacefully and nourish both body and mind. With the Law College Road outlet, we are creating more than a dining space, we are building a community that values health, sustainability, and mindful living.”

She added, “The vibrant greenery and open spaces beautifully complement our ethos of simplicity and nourishment. We hope this space inspires people to adopt healthier lifestyles and to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, while also caring for the planet.”

With outlets already at Koregaon Park and Baner in Pune, along with three locations in Mumbai, Santé Spa Cuisine is rapidly expanding its reach in the health food space. Soon to be available on Swiggy and Zomato, the brand is making nutritious and sustainable dining more accessible to urban diners.

Santé’s seasonal menus, like the current Monsoon Menu featuring Himalayan Thukpa soup with momos, keep the experience fresh, relevant, and comforting.

About Santé Spa Cuisine

Founded by Sonal Barmecha and led by Chef Shailendra Kekade, Santé Spa Cuisine has been redefining India’s health dining landscape for over a decade. With a philosophy of ‘less-is-more,’ the brand focuses on plant-based, preservative-free meals rooted in sustainability. Its outlets across Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Ahmedabad reflect a vision of mindful eating that nurtures both the body and the environment.