Odyssey Tours and Travels Unveils India's First Comprehensive Platform for Global Luxury Train Journeys

Odyssey Tours and Travels Unveils India's First Comprehensive Platform for Global Luxury Train Journeys

By Nishang Narayan

Published on August 29, 2024

Odyssey Tours and Travels, a pioneer in luxury travel, has launched LuxuryTrains.in, India’s first comprehensive platform dedicated to luxury train experiences worldwide. This innovative website offers discerning travelers access to over 40 iconic luxury trains, covering more than 200 exceptional journeys across six continents, making it the ultimate gateway to immersive and opulent travel adventures.

A New Era in Luxury Travel:

With LuxuryTrains.in, Odyssey Tours and Travels has once again set a new standard in the luxury travel industry. Following the success of their cruise marketplace, CruiseBay, launched in 2008, LuxuryTrains.in represents a significant leap forward in catering to the needs of luxury travelers. The platform is a treasure trove of meticulously curated train journeys, featuring legendary trains like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, known for its elegant glide through Europe’s picturesque landscapes, and India’s own Palace on Wheels, offering a royal journey through the country’s cultural gems.

image

Travel enthusiasts can also embark on the luxurious Hiram Bingham to explore the sacred Inca ruins or join Rovos Rail's expeditions through Africa’s breathtaking vistas. Each journey listed on the platform comes with detailed itineraries, highlights, and comprehensive information about the accommodation and dining options available onboard.

Comprehensive Travel Planning:

LuxuryTrains.in goes beyond just booking a journey. The platform offers travelers an in-depth understanding of each luxury train, including its history, route, onboard amenities, and the schedules for the next two years. Additionally, Odyssey’s team of luxury travel consultants is available to handle every aspect of the traveler’s journey, from pre-travel arrangements to post-journey experiences, ensuring a seamless and memorable travel adventure.

Expertise in Tailored Luxury Holidays:

Nikhil Thakurdas, CEO of Odyssey Tours and Travels, highlighted the company's commitment to redefining luxury travel: "With the launch of LuxuryTrains by Odyssey, we aim to introduce luxury train travel as a unique and differentiated holiday experience. Our platform opens a whole new dimension of luxury travel where the journey is as exciting as the destinations. With details and offers on the world’s most iconic trains, luxury travelers are spoiled for choice to experience a new way to travel."

image

About Odyssey Tours and Travels:

Founded in 1992, Odyssey Tours and Travels is a leading IATA-accredited travel company and a member of Uniglobe, the world’s largest travel franchise network. Known for planning customized holidays in India and abroad, Odyssey offers a wide range of services, including air ticketing, worldwide hotel reservations, inclusive tours, sightseeing activities, visa assistance, and travel insurance. With the launch of CruiseBay in 2008, Odyssey solidified its reputation as a pioneer in the luxury travel market, and with LuxuryTrains.in, it continues to lead the way in offering unique and immersive travel experiences.

Whether you’re drawn to the elegance of European luxury trains, the heritage charm of India’s royal railways, or the adventurous allure of South American expeditions, LuxuryTrains by Odyssey promises unparalleled journeys that blend luxury with immersive cultural experiences. Visit LuxuryTrains.in today to explore the world’s most exquisite train journeys and begin planning your next unforgettable adventure.


HKSTP Leads Landmark Innovation Delegation at VivaTech 2025 in Paris

HKSTP Leads Landmark Innovation Delegation at VivaTech 2025 in Paris

By Nishang Narayan

Published on June 16, 2025

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has made a powerful debut at VivaTech 2025, Europe’s premier startup and tech showcase, by leading a delegation of 18 of Hong Kong’s most promising innovators in AI, robotics, healthtech, greentech, and fintech.

The delegation was hosted at the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, co-organised with Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), highlighting a unified effort to bridge the innovation ecosystems of Hong Kong and France.

This milestone participation marks HKSTP’s mission of taking home-grown talent global and bringing international opportunities back to Asia. VivaTech provided an ideal launchpad to form meaningful partnerships and adapt breakthrough technologies for evolving global markets.

Standout Innovations from Hong Kong at VivaTech 2025:

  • Ailytics: Winner of the EDF Startup Challenge and named among the Top 30 VivaTech Innovations, thanks to its AI-powered video analytics for safety and efficiency in heavy industries.

  • AQUMON and Midas Analytics: Nominated as Top 12 FinTech Trail for their advanced AI-driven data solutions.

  • Imsight, OKOsix, and Vismed: Finalists in the Tech for Change Award, recognized for innovative strides in cancer diagnostics, biomaterials, and medical training, respectively.

Strategic Partnerships Formed:

  • Westwell Technology partnered with Logicor, a leading European logistics provider, to co-host an innovation showcase on autonomous driving and green logistics in Paris.

  • PointFit announced a collaboration with Kinomap, a French indoor-training platform, bringing wearable fitness tech to Europe.

Adding to this momentum, HKSTP signed a partnership agreement with Startup Genome, further committing to global ecosystem building through cross-border networking and innovation-centric events.

Hilda Chan, Chief Marketing Officer at HKSTP, shared,

“Hong Kong’s innovation scene is ripe with global potential. With deep connectivity, globally fluent talent, and trusted systems, we’re enabling new tech frontiers to rise from Asia, and VivaTech is a key milestone in that journey.”

image

The delegation arrives at a time when both France and Hong Kong are stepping up as global I&T leaders—France through its AI unicorn ambitions, and Hong Kong as the 2nd most innovative economy globally, according to WIPO.

To continue this global engagement, HKSTP is hosting EPIC 2025—the Elevator Pitch Competition—in November in Hong Kong. With US$100 million in targeted investment funding, and over 600 applicants from 47 economies in previous years, the competition is open for entries till 17 June 2025: https://epic.hkstp.org

About HKSTP

Founded in 2001, HKSTP has nurtured over 2,300 tech companies from 25+ countries, including 13 unicorns. It supports innovations across AI, healthtech, fintech, smart city, and more via its major hubs—Science Park, InnoCentre, and InnoParks in Hong Kong and its Shenzhen branch. With access to labs, funding, and global networks, HKSTP aims to anchor innovation as a pillar of Hong Kong’s economic future.

From Paris to Hong Kong, HKSTP is redefining how tech talent and ecosystems connect—and the world is watching.


RoomRaccoon Unveils RaccoonRev Plus: AI Revenue Co-Pilot for Independent Hotels

RoomRaccoon Unveils RaccoonRev Plus: AI Revenue Co-Pilot for Independent Hotels

By Nishang Narayan

Published on June 8, 2025

RoomRaccoon, a leading hotel management system trusted by independent hoteliers worldwide, has announced the launch of RaccoonRev Plus—a next-gen, AI-powered revenue management tool designed to deliver RMS-level pricing intelligence natively within the RoomRaccoon platform.

Tailored for small and mid-sized properties, RaccoonRev Plus helps bridge the gap between basic rule-based pricing models and complex Revenue Management Systems (RMS). The tool uses predictive AI and real-time data to offer daily rate recommendations up to 90 days in advance. It takes into account a wide range of signals including competitor pricing, weather forecasts, lead-time behavior, pickup pace, and historical trends to fine-tune hotel pricing strategy.

“Independent hoteliers have long been priced out of sophisticated revenue management technology,” said Tymen van Dyl, CEO of RoomRaccoon. “RaccoonRev Plus changes that. By embedding predictive pricing intelligence directly into our platform, we’re removing barriers and putting powerful, RMS-level tools into a system that hoteliers already know and trust.”

Designed as a ‘revenue co-pilot,’ the tool supports users with clear, AI-powered suggestions while keeping full control in their hands. Hoteliers can choose to act on insights at their own pace, with future updates offering full automation for those ready to go on autopilot.

“The idea of a revenue co-pilot is simple: you’re still in control, but you’re no longer flying solo,” van Dyl added. “We built the system to support hoteliers in stages, offering intelligent suggestions and giving users the confidence to gradually switch on autopilot when they’re ready.”

While revenue is the first frontier, RoomRaccoon views this as part of a larger AI roadmap.

“We’re moving toward a future where your HMS isn’t just a system — it’s part of your team,” van Dyl emphasized. “AI will make hotel operations more efficient by removing the friction of traditional workflows.”

RaccoonRev Plus is currently in beta testing with selected RoomRaccoon users, and the company anticipates a wider release later this year. Interested hoteliers can stay informed via RoomRaccoon’s website.

About RoomRaccoon

Founded in 2017 by a hotel owner and tech entrepreneur, RoomRaccoon is an award-winning cloud-based Hotel Management System. It offers a wide suite of tools that help hotels increase revenue, streamline operations, and enhance guest experience. With over 400 integrations, it’s among the most connected hospitality platforms on the market.


Kiğılı Selects Centric Software to Power Digital Retail Transformation

Kiğılı Selects Centric Software to Power Digital Retail Transformation

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on May 30, 2025

Leading Turkish menswear brand Kiğılı has partnered with Centric Software to transform its retail planning and support its growth ambitions through digital innovation. Kiğılı has chosen Centric Planning, an AI-powered platform that offers end-to-end merchandise planning capabilities tailored for the fashion retail industry.

Founded in 1938, Kiğılı has built a solid presence in the menswear space with over 180 stores in Türkiye and more than 50 points of sale across 15 countries. With customers shopping across a mix of physical stores, e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and wholesale channels, Kiğılı sought a digital solution to optimize its planning operations.

Until now, Kiğılı relied on Excel sheets and internal tools to handle store segmentation and SKU planning. However, managing these tasks manually limited the brand’s ability to scale efficiently. With Centric Planning, Kiğılı will now move toward a centralized, intelligent system that enhances allocation, store planning, and supply chain decisions.

 “Planning is the cornerstone of our business operations, and with Centric Planning, we are setting a solid foundation for future growth,” said Hüseyin Deveci, Supply Chain Director at Kiğılı. “This project is at the center of our digital transformation strategy.”

 The brand’s aim is to bridge pre-season planning with in-season execution, ensuring accurate purchasing, better product positioning, and timely replenishment. “This integration will allow us to respond more strategically and dynamically to market shifts,” Deveci added.

Following a rigorous evaluation of over 15 solutions, Kiğılı selected Centric Planning for its ability to unify planning workflows into one adaptable structure. “What impressed us was how Centric connects all planning phases seamlessly. It frees our teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than manual tasks,” Deveci noted.

 “Kiğılı will benefit from a unified, intelligent platform that simplifies planning from start to finish,” said Fabrice Canonge, President of Centric Software. “We are proud to support Kiğılı in their transformation journey.”

The partnership marks a significant milestone for Kiğılı as it accelerates into a new era of digital retail excellence.

Stay up-to-date with the latest Hospitality news and trends in the Hospitality industry!

Subscribe to Hospitality news e-magazine for free and never miss an issue.

By clicking subscribe for free you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.

Advertise With Us

We have various options to advertise with us including Events, Advertorials, Banners, Mailers, etc.