Category: Top Stories

Union Minister for Tourism, Culture &DoNER, Shri G.Kishan Reddy handed over  cheques/ sanction letters to the first lot of stakeholders who have been granted the loan/ in-principle approval under the LGSCATSS at an event today in New Delhi. Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh, DG Tourism Shri G Kamala Vardhana Rao, ADG Tourism Smt. Rupinder Brar and senior officers from the Ministry of Tourism and the participating banks were also present in the event. Later, the Union Minister addressed the gathering and acknowledged the efforts of stakeholders of the travel trade sector, senior officers from the Ministry and the Banks and ... Read more

According to the UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report, 46 destinations (21% of all destinations worldwide) currently have their borders completely closed to tourists. Of these, 26 destinations have had their borders completely closed since at least the end of April 2020. A further 55 (25% of all global destinations) continue to have their borders partially closed to international tourism, and 112 destinations (52% of all destinations) require international tourists to present a PCR or antigen test upon arrival. The research also shows how destinations are opening up to vaccinated international tourists: 85 destinations (39% of all destinations worldwide) have eased restrictions ... Read more

Under Regional Connectivity scheme (RCS)- UDAN( Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), the seaplane service between Sabarmati River Front & Statue of Unity commenced on 31st October , 2020. Later ,the same was stopped by the selected Airline Operator( SAO) from 11th April, 2021 due to operational reasons. Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has taken up the matter with the concerned stakeholders for making seaplane operations viable. MoCA has also signed an MoU with M/o Ports, Shipping & Waterways ( MoPSW) for development of Seaplane services. Following Water aerodromes have been identified in the states of Gujarat, Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, ... Read more

Singapore will restrict entry of people with recent travel history to seven African countries after reports that a potentially more contagious COVID-19 variant may be circulating there, the Ministry of Health said on Friday. From 11.59 PM (local time) on Saturday, all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with travel history within the last 14 days to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe will not be allowed to enter Singapore or transit here. The restrictions also apply to those who have obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore. Singapore citizens and permanent residents returning from these countries ... Read more

Department of Tourism launches new project to expand Kerala’s tourism potential to inland villages. The project, called “Street”, will be implemented in selected areas in seven districts. The project is envisioned by the Responsible Tourism Mission. In the first phase, the project will be implemented in Kadalundi, Trithala, Pattithara, Pinarayi, Ancharakandi, Maravanthuruthu, Manchira, Valiyaparambu, Kanthalloor, and Chekadi. The “Street” is inspired by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) ‘motto’ Tourism for Inclusive Growth ‘. “Street” is an acronym for Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, and Tourism Centers. The themes planned as part of the project are Green Street, Cultural ... Read more

Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio, Minister of State for Tourism & Defence, GoI, Shri Ajay Bhatt and MLA & Advisor Tourism, Government of Nagaland Shri. H Khehovi Yeputhomi jointly inaugurated the three day long 9th International Tourism Mart for the North East Region at Kohima, Nagaland today. Secretary Tourism, GoI Shri Arvind Singh, ADG Tourism, GoI Smt. Rupinder Brar and other dignitaries of Central government and North Eastern States were also present on the occasion. The objective of the event is to highlight the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. Coffee table book on ... Read more

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, is organising the annual event, “International Tourism Mart” (ITM) at Kohima, Nagaland from 27 November to 29 November 2021 with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio, Minister of State for Tourism & Defence, GoI, Shri Ajay Bhatt and MLA & Advisor Tourism, Government of Nagaland Shri. H Khehovi Yeputhomi will jointly inaugurate the event. Other dignitaries from Central Ministries and the North Eastern States will also be present on the occasion. This event is in continuation ... Read more

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group have launched ‘Trending in Travel’, a new report that shows the latest trends traveller behaviour and future booking patterns in the wake of COVID-19. WTTC, representing the global Travel & Tourism sector, joined forces with leading global travel service provider, Trip.com Group, and its major consumer brands Trip.com, Ctrip and Skyscanner, to analyse consumer trends shaping the recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector. WTTC’s latest projections show strong growth in international spending for 2022 and beyond, projected to overtake domestic spending in 2022, as more destinations ease restrictions and ... Read more

The three-day Cherry Blossom Festival was on Thursday inaugurated by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Ambassador of Japan to India Satoshi Suzuki at the scenic Wards Lake here. The festival coincides with the blooming of pink cherry blossom flowers that dot the state capital here and across the state at this time of the year. The popular event was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic last year. The first edition of the Shillong Literary Festival was also inaugurated on the occasion. In his address, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma expressed happiness to host the Cherry Blossom Festival again ... Read more

The UNWTO Regional Conference on the Empowerment of Women in Tourism in Asia and the Pacific – the first event on the topic organized by UNWTO jointly with Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture – brought together more than 500 key virtual participants in addition to around 100 local in-person stakeholders. Alongside UNWTO experts, government policymakers, UN Women representatives, high-level representatives of women’s associations and NGOs, joined leading academics to address some of the key challenges and opportunities for women in tourism in the region. In Asia and the Pacific, women make up 53% of the tourism workforce. However, ... Read more

New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals the recovery of the Asia Pacific Travel & Tourism sector has soared ahead of many regions in the world with a year on year growth of more than 36%. Before the pandemic struck, Asia Pacific’s Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP represented more than US$ 3 trillion (9.9% of the region’s economy). After the pandemic brought international travel to an almost complete standstill, in 2020, Asia Pacific saw a hit of almost 54%, halving the contribution of the Travel & Tourism sector to the region’s economy. However, according ... Read more

The two-day Bundi Utsav is set to kick-off with the worship of Lord Ganesh at the famed Taragarh gates in Bundi city on Monday, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. Organised jointly by the state tourism department and the district administration with a view of attracting foreign tourists and boosting local tourism, the Bundi Utsav will witness a chain of events. Ironically, this year’s event will see minimal foreign tourists due to the pandemic-induced restrictions on travel. In view of compliance of the COVID-19 protocols, the festivities that were earlier organised at the sub-division headquarters, will be confined to ... Read more

With the arrival of international travelers to Kerala, the Ayurveda sector will benefit. The sector has also benefited from the fact that many people choose Ayurveda for post-covid treatment. Domestic tourists have already arrived in Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment. The number of domestic tourists seeking Ayurvedic treatment has increased by 15 percent over the previous year. Special packages are included for travelers. Of these, post-covid treatment packages are the most attractive. Packages ranging from seven days to one month are available for travelers. Of these, most opt ​​for one-week packages. In addition to treatment, visiting other tourist destinations is expected ... Read more

The Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union included tourism on its programme of work, recognizing the sector’s heightened relevance and importance for inclusive, post-pandemic recovery. Addressing the Ministers, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili commended European leaders for protecting tourism jobs and businesses, and for playing a leading role in restoring confidence in international travel through harmonized rules and protocols and the introduction of the EU Digital COVID Certificate. At the same time, the Secretary-General also provided the EU Ministers with an overview of UNWTO’s own work leading the sector’s response to the crisis, as well as more recent ... Read more

For the first time in the country, responsible tourism classification of hotels and resorts is being implemented in Kerala. Minister Mohammad Riyaz inaugurated the project and released the software and video. The Minister also inaugurated an online portal for services including accreditation for homestays, service villas, ayurvedic centers, adventure travel service providers, amusement parks, and homesteads. Hotels and resorts are classified into RT Diamond, RT Gold, and RTC Silver. Green Certificates will be awarded to those who achieve 80% score on the basis of performance with emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable development. Among the top 20 tourist destinations in ... Read more