A New Tourism Tax in England Could Do More Than Make Hotel Stays More Expensive.
the Government Is Considering Giving Regional Mayors the Power to Borrow Against Future Income From the Tax, Effectively Using Money Tourists Are Expected to Pay in the Future to Help Fund Projects Today. Here’s What It Means for Holidaymakers and Local Economies.

UK tourism tax could fund local projects

The Summit sessions
Borders without barriers: The diplomacy of visas and mobility
This session focuses on one of the most powerful enablers of global travel and tourism: seamless cross-border mobility. It will explore how countries are enhancing travel access for Indian travellers through initiatives such as e-visas, visa-free arrangements, accelerated processing, and digital travel credentials. The discussion will also examine how greater ease of movement can strengthen tourism, foster deeper business and trade engagement, expand educational opportunities, and reinforce people-to-people connections between India and the world.

Soft power on the move: Tourism, culture and bilateral ties
Tourism is arguably the most durable form of diplomatic relations. This session discusses how nations use cultural exchange, film, cuisine and travel promotion to deepen bilateral relationships, and how Indian outbound tourism has become a soft-power constituency, not just a commercial opportunity.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How Travel is reshaping India's ties with the world

At the WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Hanuman Ansh director Dr. Vishal Chaturvedi reflected on the film's unexpected blockbuster journey and its massive role in driving spiritual tourism. Explaining his insistence on securing a 'U' (Universal) certificate, Chaturvedi revealed he envisioned the film about Neem Karoli Baba primarily for children to connect the younger generation with Indian culture and spiritual heritage.   


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: 'Hanuman Ansh' Director on blockbuster success

Speaking at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit, experts highlighted the imperative for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in tourism to upskill as Artificial Intelligence reshapes global travel. While AI automates itinerary creation, dynamic pricing, and multilingual customer support, local operators must build digital literacy while banking heavily on hyper-local authenticity, cultural storytelling, and unscripted human warmth—their irreplaceable edge over automated tech.   


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How local tourism MSMEs must upskill for AI integration

Tourism is moving beyond conventional sightseeing, with travellers increasingly seeking meaningful and personalised experiences. At WION’s Iconic Tourism Summit, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat explained why AI may transform travel planning but cannot replace the human touch.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026: Union Minister Shekhawat on 'experiential travel', peace diplomacy

The business of travel: Aviation, hospitality and India's tourism infrastructure story
This session covers airline capacity, airport expansion, hospitality investment and the infrastructure race to serve India's growing outbound and inbound travel demand. The focus is on whether supply is arriving fast enough to meet the demand.

Travel Tech frontiers
This discussion will take a broader look at how technology is transforming travel, from use of AI in trip planning and biometric airport experiences to digital visas, smart border control and fraud-resistant travel documentation.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Is India's travel boom outrunning its airports, airlines and hotels?

Iconic Awards 2026: An evening of excellence
The Iconic Awards 2026, the closing event of the summit, will recognise achievement across travel, hospitality and luxury.

The Iconic Tourism Summit & Awards 2026will see a large presence of diplomats from close to 20 countries.

It’s going to be a wholesome experience where India's top voices in travel, tourism and hospitality explore the journeys, experiences and ideas defining the destinations of tomorrow: a single stack of discussions, debate, appreciation and fireside conversations.

WION Iconic Awards 2026: Honors excellence in travel, hospitality & luxury

Iconic Awards 2026: An evening of excellence
The Iconic Awards 2026, the closing event of the summit, will recognise achievement across travel, hospitality and luxury.

The Iconic Tourism Summit & Awards 2026will see a large presence of diplomats from close to 20 countries.

Here are the winners of the Iconic awards.

Iconic - Lifetime Achievement - Kapil Bhatia.

Iconic Excellence in Dance & Performing Arts - Dr. Anita R Ratnam

Iconic Excellence in International Aviation - Amr Aly

Iconic Excellence in Sustainable Jewellery Design - Poonam Soni

Iconic Excellence in Community-Led Hospitality - Ajay Wadhawan

Iconic Excellence in Heritage & Cultural Tourism - Rajkumari Ratna Singh of Kalakankar

Iconic Excellence in Special Olympics & Sports Inclusion - Gunocean Singh Bedi

Iconic Excellence in Wellness & Ayurvedic Tourism - Gita Ramesh

Iconic Excellence in Hospitality Education - Dr. Suborno Bose

Iconic Excellence in Travel Management - J B Singh

Iconic Excellence in Building an Indian Brand - Rishabh Bhatia, Category Manager - Luxury Spirits/ Alcobrew Distilleries India ltd, Mukkaish Pruthii National Sales Head/AlcoBrew Distilleries India ltd

Iconic CSR Leadership for Empowering the Trucking Community - Shriram Finance Limited / S. Balamurugan, Director Sales & Head, CSR, Shriram Finance Limited

Excellence in Indian Classical Music - Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash, Zohaan Ali Bangash, Abeer Ali Bangash

Iconic Excellence in Literature - Ashutosh Agnihotri

Iconic Excellence in Tourism & Enterprise - Arjun Sharma

Iconic Excellence in Medical Science & Cardiology - Padma Bhushan Dr. T. S. Kler

Iconic Excellence in Culinary Arts & Gastronomy - Dr. Chef Manjit Singh Gill

Iconic Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy & International Relations - H.E. Ms. Aliki Koutsomitopoulou

Iconic Excellence in Social Impact & Inclusivity - H.H. Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil

Iconic Excellence in Aviation Entrepreneurship - Kanika Tekriwal

Iconic Excellence in Royal Heritage & Bespoke Design - Raghavendra Rathore

Iconic Excellence in Inclusive Skilling & Empowerment - Dr. Jyotsna Suri

Iconic Excellence in Hospitality - Priya PaulIconic

WION Iconic Awards 2026: Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash honoured  

This discussion will take a broader look at how technology is transforming travel, from use of AI in trip planning and biometric airport experiences to digital visas, smart border control and fraud-resistant travel documentation.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: VFS Global processes 30 million visa applications annually with AI

Opening the 9th edition of the WION Iconic Awards, Zee Media Corporation Limited CEO Raktim Das formally welcomed international diplomats, industry leaders, and policy experts. The summit marked a historic milestone celebrating WION's 10 years as India's first global news network, highlighting its decade-long journey of bringing world perspectives to India and projecting India's voice to global audiences.


Zee Media CEO Raktim Das announces new global platforms as WION marks 10 years

Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to India, highlighted the deep cultural synergy between Slovakia and India by opening up about his love for Bollywood songs. Fluent in Hindi after studying in India in 1991, the envoy famously sang lines from classic tracks like "Dekha hai pehli baar" while exploring Old Delhi and described India as his "second home" (Bharat mere liye dusra ghar hai), demonstrating how music and cultural exchange continue to strengthen people-to-people diplomatic ties.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Slovak envoy sings popular Hindi tracks to showcase bilateral ties

Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat speaks at WION's Iconic Tourism Summit

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How tech frontiers are transforming AI planning and biometric clearance

This session covers airline capacity, airport expansion, hospitality investment and the infrastructure race to serve India's growing outbound and inbound travel demand. The focus is on whether supply is arriving fast enough to meet the demand.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit | The business of travel: Aviation, hospitality & India's tourism infra 

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Tech frontiers reshaping travel industry for smoother journeys

Speaking at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit, experts highlighted the imperative for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in tourism to upskill as Artificial Intelligence reshapes global travel. While AI automates itinerary creation, dynamic pricing, and multilingual customer support, local operators must build digital literacy while banking heavily on hyper-local authenticity, cultural storytelling, and unscripted human warmth—their irreplaceable edge over automated tech.   

Tourism is arguably the most durable form of diplomatic relations. This session discusses how nations use cultural exchange, film, cuisine and travel promotion to deepen bilateral relationships, and how Indian outbound tourism has become a soft-power constituency, not just a commercial opportunity.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit | Soft power on the move: Tourism, culture and bilateral ties

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Hanuman Ansh director on blockbuster success

This session focuses on one of the most powerful enablers of global travel and tourism: seamless cross-border mobility. It will explore how countries are enhancing travel access for Indian travellers through initiatives such as e-visas, visa-free arrangements, accelerated processing, and digital travel credentials. The discussion will also examine how greater ease of movement can strengthen tourism, foster deeper business and trade engagement, expand educational opportunities, and reinforce people-to-people connections between India and the world.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Argentina's Ambassador to India pushes for ease of travel

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Sharad Gowani highlights enhanced global mobility at tourism summit

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: South African envoy pushes for direct air connectivity with India

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Seychelles envoy says India partnership is important for Seychelles

‘Hanuman Ansh’ director Vishal Chaturvedia joins WION for a conversation at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026. Chaturvedia discusses the film, its connection with Indian culture and mythology, and the role of storytelling in bringing India’s heritage to audiences.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026:  'Hanuman Ansh' director Vishal Chaturvedi in conversation with WION

At the WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026, speakers discuss how new highways and airports are making travel easier and more accessible for Indians. The focus is on India’s expanding transport infrastructure and its role in supporting domestic tourism and connectivity.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026: 'New highways, airports easing travel for Indians' 

Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said experiential travel is emerging as the next major tourism trend, with social media and AI increasingly shaping how travellers discover destinations. He stressed that technology cannot replace the human touch in travel and urged stakeholders to ensure visitors have positive experiences, warning that a single bad experience can shape perceptions of an entire destination.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: 'Value-based sustainable tourism is need of the hour'

The Minister for Culture and Tourism speaks at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit, sharing insights on India’s tourism sector, cultural heritage and efforts to strengthen the country’s global tourism appeal.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Minister for culture & tourism at WION Iconic Tourism Summit

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Minister for culture & tourism shares India’s tourism vision

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: 'Moving towards making India a developed nation by 2047' 

Las Vegas is experiencing one of its sharpest tourism declines in decades, raising concerns for the city’s hotels, casinos, restaurants and entertainment businesses. The drop in visitors is putting pressure on the tourism-driven economy as the destination works to attract travellers and maintain its position as a major global entertainment hub.


Las Vegas tourism plunges: Canadian tourists pull back from Las Vegas

Cuba's tourism industry is facing a deepening crisis. Tourist arrivals have almost halved in the first half of 2026. With fuel shortages, power outages and U.S. sanctions adding to the pressure, Cuba's tourism slump is now deepening an already severe economic crisis. 

Cuba's tourism drops 49% in first half of 2026 

Cuba's tourism industry is facing a deepening crisis. Tourist arrivals have almost halved in the first half of 2026. With fuel shortages, power outages and U.S. sanctions adding to the pressure, Cuba's tourism slump is now deepening an already severe economic crisis. Take a look at this next report for more.


Cuba's tourism slump deepens

Cuba’s vital tourism industry is facing an unprecedented collapse, with international visitor arrivals plunging dramatically in the first half of 2026. Crippled by severe aviation fuel shortages, rolling blackouts, tightening U.S. sanctions, and the departure of major international hotel chains, once-bustling resorts and historic streets across the island sit largely empty.


Cuba's tourism plummets over 50% in historic crisis; tourists vanish from Cuba

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UK tourism tax could fund local projects

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How Travel is reshaping India's ties with the world

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: 'Hanuman Ansh' Director on blockbuster success

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How local tourism MSMEs must upskill for AI integration

WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026: Union Minister Shekhawat on 'experiential travel', peace diplomacy

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Is India's travel boom outrunning its airports, airlines and hotels?

WION Iconic Awards 2026: Honors excellence in travel, hospitality & luxury

WION Iconic Awards 2026: Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash honoured

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: VFS Global processes 30 million visa applications annually with AI

Zee Media CEO Raktim Das announces new global platforms as WION marks 10 years

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Slovak envoy sings popular Hindi tracks to showcase bilateral ties

Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat speaks at WION's Iconic Tourism Summit

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How tech frontiers are transforming AI planning and biometric clearance

WION Iconic Tourism Summit | The business of travel: Aviation, hospitality & India's tourism infra

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Tech frontiers reshaping travel industry for smoother journeys

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How local tourism MSMEs must upskill for AI integration

WION Iconic Tourism Summit | Soft power on the move: Tourism, culture and bilateral ties

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Hanuman Ansh director on blockbuster success

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Argentina's Ambassador to India pushes for ease of travel

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Sharad Gowani highlights enhanced global mobility at tourism summit

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: South African envoy pushes for direct air connectivity with India

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Seychelles envoy says India partnership is important for Seychelles

WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026: 'Hanuman Ansh' director Vishal Chaturvedi in conversation with WION

WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026: 'New highways, airports easing travel for Indians'

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: 'Value-based sustainable tourism is need of the hour'

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Culture & Tourism Minister On India’s Tourism Vision