Category: Top Stories

  Minister Riyas opens fest, presents Nishagandhi Puraskaram to Chitra Visweswaran [gallery columns=”2″ size=”medium” ids=”48122,48123,48124,48125,48126,48127,48128,48129″]   Thiruvananthapuram, Feb. 15: Kerala Tourism’s week-long Nishagandhi Dance Festival opened at the sprawling Kanakakunnu Palace grounds here this evening. Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas inaugurated the iconic annual event and presented the prestigious Nishagandhi Puraskaram to eminent Bharatanatyam exponent and choreographer Smt Chitra Visweswaran for her outstanding contributions to Indian classical dance. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Riyas said the state government considered it as its responsibility to preserve diverse art forms and support artists by organising cultural events like the Nishagandhi ... Read more

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb. 8 In a huge endorsement of Kerala’s lively beach tourism, Papanasham Beach, Varkala, a stunning seaside getaway, has been featured among the 100 best beaches in the world in the prestigious Lonely Planet’s “Best Beaches: 100 of the World’s Most Incredible Beaches’ guide book. Located in Thiruvananthapuram district, Papanasham Beach, also known as Varkala beach, overlooks the Arabian Sea, and its silvery stretches of sand and the serene ambience make it a favourite tourist destination. Fringed by coconut palms, blessed with an unending stretch of blue waters, and endowed with an idyllic serenity, the beach has earned the ... Read more

National Tourism Day theme aligns with Kerala’s tourism goals, says Shri Riyas   Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 25: Noting that Kerala’s tourism goals align perfectly with the theme of National Tourism Day 2024, Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas today said the state has set an enduring global model in sustainable and inclusive tourism by emerging as a widely acclaimed experiential tourism hub. National Tourism Day is celebrated on January 25 every year to build awareness of the country’s economic benefits from tourism. This year’s theme is ‘Sustainable Journeys, Timeless Memories.’ “This year’s theme goes well with Kerala’s recent initiatives and ... Read more

Facilitation centre to be set up to fast track projects Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 11: All projects presented at the recent Tourism Investors Meet (TIM) organised by the Kerala Tourism Department in association with the industry will be completed in a time-bound manner through a single-window system. A facilitation centre will start functioning at the Department of Tourism by January 25 to fast track the project and a web portal by February 10 for the purpose, Kerala Tourism Minister Shri Mohamed Riyas said while presiding over a review meeting here. The tourism department has shortlisted projects by 19 new investors for fast-track ... Read more

Shri Riyas meets representatives of taxi and tour operators’ associations Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 10: In a labour-friendly initiative in the tourism sector, necessary steps will be taken to ensure basic amenities for drivers in hotels, resorts and homestays, Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas said today. Speaking at a meeting of taxi and autorickshaw unions and travel and tour operators’ associations here, Shri Riyas said hotels, resorts and homestays must ensure that basic facilities are provided to drivers coming with guests. Kerala will set an example for the entire country in the tourism sector with this initiative, the Minister said. ... Read more

  Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 09: In a significant development for the travel and tourism sector, Mr. Subhash Ghosh has been appointed as the President and Mr. Jihad Husain as Secretary and Mr. Benny Thomas as treasurer of the Association of Tourism Trade Organisations, India (ATTOI). The announcement was made during the organization’s annual general meeting held on 05th January 2023, marking a new chapter in the leadership of one of the most influential bodies in the Indian tourism industry. [gallery size=”medium” ids=”48091,48090,48095″] Mr. Subhash Ghosh brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the tourism sector, ... Read more

[gallery columns=”2″ size=”medium” ids=”47972,47970,47971″]   Tourism Minister to inaugurate Dec. 24-Jan. 2 gala at Kanakakkunnu Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 19: Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas will inaugurate the flower show and grand illumination, organized by the Department of Tourism, to rev up the festive mood ahead of New Year in the capital city on December 24. The opening ceremony of the grand show, ‘Vasantholsavam’, will be held at Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds at 6 pm. Minister for General Education and Labour Shri V Sivankutty will preside over the function where Minister for Transport Shri Antony Raju and Minister for Food and ... Read more

Shri Riyas addresses tourism seminar at Keraleeyam Thiruvananthapuram, Nov. 05: Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas today said the government will come up with a comprehensive master plan, ‘Mission 2030,’ for tourism sector next year. Addressing a seminar on tourism held here as part of Keraleeyam, Shri Riyas said the master plan will lay down policies and suggestions on matters including increasing tourism’s  contribution to state’s GDP from the current 12 percent to 20 percent. Regarding dry day, a decision will be taken after discussions with the Excise Minister, he said. Noting that Kerala Tourism’s major focus in 2024 ... Read more

The association of tourism trade Organisations, India (ATTOI) is organising the 4th edition of the International Conference on tourism technology at the Gokulam Convention centre at Cochin on 24th February with the support of Kerala Tourism. 65% of Indian Travellers are booking their trips on digital platforms and with online tour operators after the pandemic. To move with this new trend, Hotels and Tour Operators are increasing their online visibility through digital channels to increase their revenue. Tourism organisations are creating online travel stories on Youtube, and Instagram reels which are visually engaging content to bring traffic to optimised websites ... Read more

The Caravan Tourism project starts with the idea of ​​how people can arrange a safe journey when they cannot go out or travel. Every traveler wants safe travel, accommodation, and food during this time. The Caravan Tourism Project is great hope and opportunity for people who have been unable to travel for a long time and had to stay at home. Houseboats came to Kerala in the 1980s. It was a new product in the tourism sector. Houseboats are still the main attraction of Kerala tourism. Due to various reasons, it was not possible to bring a new product later ... Read more

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “WTTC welcomes the government’s decision to scrap testing for those who are fully vaccinated travelling to England. “There is no longer any need for testing, and we urge Ministers across the UK and countries around the world, to follow England’s lead and allow the fully vaccinated to travel freely. “After a gruelling 18 months for the UK Travel & Tourism sector, this will provide a massive boost to businesses up and down the country. “We hope it will also see the end of the unnecessary passenger locator forms.”

Salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Group on Thursday took over Air India and vowed to turn the loss-making carrier, it had founded but had lost control nearly seven decades back, into a world-class airline. N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, which in October last year beat a consortium led by rival SpiceJet promoter to win the bid for the national carrier, first called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi before heading to the Air India office where the takeover formalities were completed. A new board of directors met shortly thereafter, formalizing the management takeover. Both the government and Tatas made separate announcements of ... Read more

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has welcomed the call of its sister UN agency World Health Organization (WHO) for restrictions on travel to be lifted or eased. Citing the varied global  responses to the emergence of the of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, WHO has reiterated that restrictions on travel are not effective in suppressing the international spread. In line with UNWTO’s recurring warning against the use of blanket restrictions, the 10th meeting of the WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee (Geneva, 19 January) expressed concern that such measures can cause economic and social harm. They may also “discourage transparent ... Read more

Thekkady is one of the important tourist destinations in the state. The area, which is visited by many people on a daily basis, is planning comprehensive development activities and innovative programs to attract tourists. As part of this, a high-level meeting was convened to evaluate the activities of Thekkady Tourism Center. It was decided at the meeting to prepare an action plan for comprehensive development activities. The Director of Tourism has been appointed for this purpose. The meeting decided to look into the possibility of developing the park. The meeting reviewed practical steps in the areas of FAM trip, training ... Read more

National Tourism Day 2022: India is a diverse country with a rich cultural and mythological heritage. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the country has great places to visit and delicious cuisine. Every tourist destination has its own history or mythology, which makes them even more special. In India, tourism is one of the largest income-gross industries and plays an important role in the economy of the country. National Tourism Day: History In 1958, the government realized the importance of oncoming tourist traffic to India and created a separate Department of Tourism. The objective of creating the department was to preserve our ... Read more