The Bihar government, led by Tourism and Industries Minister Nitish Mishra, has unveiled an ambitious plan to develop the state into a premier travel destination for both domestic and international tourists. Addressing stakeholders, Mishra highlighted Bihar's rich cultural, historical, and religious heritage, describing it as a gateway to India's illustrious past and vibrant present.

Focus on Heritage and Employment

"The government aims to position Bihar as a center for spiritual, cultural, and ecotourism through sustainable and inclusive practices, focusing on investment and livelihood creation," Mishra said. He emphasized the immense potential of Bihar's cultural, historical, religious, and natural heritage to drive tourism growth and generate employment.

Digital and Social Media Promotion

To bolster tourism, the government plans to showcase Bihar's tourist destinations extensively on digital and social media platforms. Specialised agencies and experts will be engaged to conduct campaigns aimed at increasing visibility and attracting tourists both globally and domestically.

Action Plan and Standards

Key components of the action plan include conducting surveys of tourist destinations, performing gap analysis to identify areas for improvement, and adhering to the UP Tourism Policy Document 2022. The plan prioritizes standards based on the 7 S' -- Suchna (Awareness), Swagat (Welcome), Suvidha (Amenities), Suraksha (Safety), Swachthta (Cleanliness), Sanrachna (Infrastructure), and Sahyog (Support).

Collaborative Efforts and Modern Marketing

Secretary of the state tourism department, Abhay Kumar Singh, underscored the importance of keeping Bihar's tourism website and app updated to meet modern marketing needs and expectations. Singh expressed confidence in Bihar's tourism potential, emphasizing the government's commitment to positioning Bihar as a leading travel destination in India. He stressed the need for collaborative efforts among policymakers, tourism facilitators, and marketers to achieve this goal, while prioritising tourist safety and comfort.

Engaging Influencers and Experts

The event also saw participation from social media influencers, bloggers, and individuals dedicated to promoting Bihar's art, culture, and tourist sites. Their involvement is expected to play a crucial role in spreading awareness and attracting more tourists to the state.

By leveraging its rich heritage and embracing modern marketing strategies, Bihar aims to create a sustainable tourism industry that not only preserves its cultural legacy but also boosts economic growth and employment opportunities.

World Travel Holdings has proudly announced its ranking at #16 on Travel Weekly's 2024 Power List, an annual survey recognizing the largest and most successful retail travel agencies in the industry based on full-year 2023 sales.

As the nation’s largest cruise agency and an award-winning leisure travel company, World Travel Holdings boasts a portfolio of nearly 40 diverse brands. The company’s consistent inclusion in this prestigious list underscores its significant impact on the travel industry.

"Being named to this list year after year is a true honor," said Co-CEO Jeff Tolkin. "It is a testament to every single person who works with our company – our employees, suppliers, villa travel advisor partners, and all our customers including our Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchise owners and their associates, partner brands, and those who book their vacations directly with us. My brother Brad and I thank each person who plays a role in our company's success."

Privately held and owned by Co-Chairmen/Co-CEOs Brad and Jeff Tolkin, World Travel Holdings operates 19 travel brands, including three in the United Kingdom, and a top-rated travel agency franchise. Their Dream Vacations franchise provides owners with extensive training opportunities, robust marketing assets, a dedicated Business Development Manager, and support services. Each year, the franchisor funds $4 million in exclusive promotions, national branding, and marketing programs to help its network of travel advisors grow their business.

World Travel Holdings also manages a comprehensive cruise vertical for various private-label partnerships with top leisure travel providers, including almost every U.S. airline, leading hotel brands, and prominent corporations. These corporations outsource their cruise and villa verticals to World Travel Holdings due to its size, which maximizes buying power and value creation for their customers, its purpose-built technology, and its customer-centric reservations and operations.

Notable Developments in 2023:

• Franchise Brands Performance: Dream Vacations and CruiseOne land sales surpassed pre-pandemic numbers, ending 2023 up more than 100% compared with 2019 and 21% compared with 2022.

• Record-Breaking Group Sales: Dream Vacations and CruiseOne achieved record-breaking affinity group sales in 2023, thanks to a new groups application.

• New Partnership Launch: World Travel Holdings launched a cruise vertical for Booking.com.

• Expansion of Signature Villas Brand: Villas of Distinction doubled its on-site concierge staff in Italy and Jamaica.

The Power List has tracked the sales of travel agency organizations for over 30 years, reflecting the rebound of travel post-pandemic. To qualify for the 2024 Power List, a company had to record a minimum of $110 million in travel sales in 2023. Sales are defined as gross sales of travel products worldwide, whether to consumers or corporate travelers, and the company must be the agent of record on the transactions from a supplier's perspective. At least 15% of the sales volume must have been generated in the U.S.

For a complete list, visit Travel Weekly's Power List 2024.

About World Travel Holdings

World Travel Holdings is the nation's largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company with a portfolio of nearly 40 diverse brands. The company owns major brands distributing cruises, villas, resort vacations, car rentals, resort day passes, and luxury travel services. Additionally, World Travel Holdings has a vast portfolio of private-label partnerships with top leisure travel providers, including almost every U.S. airline, leading hotel brands, and prominent corporations. The company operates a top-rated travel agency franchise and is recognized as an industry leader in employee engagement and work-at-home employment. Its global presence includes operating multiple cruise brands in the United Kingdom. World Travel Holdings has offices in Wakefield, Mass.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and Chorley, England. For more information, visit WorldTravelHoldings.com.

In 2023, Indian nationals faced substantial financial losses amounting to EUR 12.1 million due to rejected Schengen visa applications. This places India among the top five nationalities experiencing the highest rejection rates for Schengen visas, underscoring the financial burden on those attempting to travel to Schengen countries.

Out of the 151,752 visa requests filed by Indian applicants, a significant number were denied. This situation reflects a broader trend of high rejection rates among certain nationalities, with Turkish nationals facing the highest monetary loss of EUR 13.5 million, followed by Algerians at EUR 13.3 million, Moroccans at EUR 10.9 million, and Chinese applicants at EUR 4.8 million, despite having one of the highest approval rates.

In 2023, Schengen states rejected a total of 1.6 million visa applications, generating EUR 130 million in funds, according to SchengenNews. The rejection rate, representing the proportion of visas denied relative to the total number of applications, was notably high among African and Asian countries. Comoros had the highest rejection rate at 57.7%, followed by Pakistan (48.2%), Guinea-Bissau (47.9%), Ghana (46.7%), and Mali (46.4%).

For Indian applicants, the high rejection rates and associated financial losses highlight the challenges faced in securing Schengen visas. Many applicants bear the cost of application fees without obtaining the desired visa approval, leading to frustration over "wasted money."

BLS International Opens New Visa Application Centre in Mumbai

To address the growing demand for visas, BLS International has opened a new visa application centre in Mumbai. Located at Nariman Point, the 5,200 square foot centre is designed to process approximately 1,000 visa applications per day. While primarily focusing on visa applications for Spain, the centre will also handle visa services for Slovakia, Egypt, Gambia, Morocco, and South Korea, catering to both short-term and long-term travel needs.

Increased Schengen Visa Fees and New Multi-Entry Visa Regime

Starting June 11, 2024, Schengen visa fees increased from EUR 80 to EUR 90 for adult applicants and from EUR 40 to EUR 45 for children aged six to twelve. Countries not cooperating with the readmission of their irregularly staying citizens in the EU may see visa fees rise to EUR 135 or even EUR 180. This fee hike follows a European Commission decision aimed at addressing inflation and civil servants' salary adjustments, marking the first increase since February 2020.

Despite the increased fees, there is some relief for Indian travelers. The European Commission has introduced a new visa "cascade" regime for Indian nationals, easing access to multi-entry visas with extended validity. Indian nationals residing in India can now obtain a two-year multi-entry visa after lawfully using two visas within the previous three years. This can be followed by a five-year visa, allowing short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

Growing Interest in European Travel Among Indians

Indian nationals have shown a growing interest in European travel, with a 43% increase in Schengen visa applications in 2023 compared to 2022. India ranked third in visa applications, with 966,687 filings. While the increased fees present a financial challenge, the new multi-entry visa regime could simplify travel plans for frequent visitors, potentially encouraging more Indians to explore European destinations.