Category: India

Air India said it is introducing a direct flight from Amritsar to Bangkok starting from May 14, as part of its efforts to increase and augment services on key routes. The flight from Amritsar to Bangkok would operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The service will remain in effect till May 30 and a decision on its extension will be taken based on the response it gets. “Flight AI 336 will leave Bangkok at 13.00 hrs and arrive in Amritsar at 20.05 hrs. In-return flight AI 337 will leave from Amritsar at 05.45 hrs and arrive in Bangkok at ... Read more

Around 126 trekking routes in Uttarakhand will have WiFi network for the ease of tourists travelling to distant parts of the state. The Uttarakhand Information Technology Development Authority (UITDA) said it has prepared a plan to this effect. “All 126 trekking routes would be surveyed for installing towers with required frequency to provide the WiFi connectivity,” said Amit Sinha, the Director of Uttarakhand Information Technology Development Authority. The famous Roopkund trek would be the first to get the facility. Lack of connectivity on the trekking routes had led to tremendous difficulties in locating trekkers who lost their way. The facility would help ... Read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi practicing yoga An Islamic University in Iran has approached India to start courses in yoga, ayurveda and unani medicine for its students. In an invitation dated 24 April, the Iranian Embassy in India wrote to National Commission for Minorities chairperson Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi, requesting him to visit the Al-Mustafa International University, which counts “disseminating Islamic teachings” as one its chief activities. Upon receiving the invitation, Rizvi is all set to go to Iran on a five-day visit starting 9 May. He is expected to discuss the logistics involved in starting these courses in Iran. “The university ... Read more

Ministry of Tourism has signed an MoU with Dalmia Bharat and the Archaeological Survey of India to adopt the iconic Red Fort monument in New Delhi and Gandikota Fort in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project. The ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme, launched by President Ram Nath Kovind on World Tourism Day in September last year, invites government and private parties to operate and maintain heritage sites. With a budget of more than Rs 5 crore per year, Dalmia Cements joins “monument mitras” including other private sector companies, which will look after the operations and maintenance ... Read more

The Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Tourism, Gvt of India, K J Alphons said that the government is taking all measures to double the tourists inflow in India in next three years. ‘Foreign tourist inflow in India last year grew by 15.6 per cent and receipts grew by 20.2 per cent. Our targets are very high and we want to double the tourist inflow and receipts in three years,’ he said. The minister also said it is possible to achieve the target as India has a lot of potential and a 5,000 year old history, which no other country in ... Read more

With an aim to help the small villages earn consistent revenue all throughout the year and protect the biodiversity of the places, the ecotourism board of Maharashtra is planning to develop 320 villages into tourist destinations. These sites will include tiger reserves, national parks, forts, hill stations, religious places and biodiversity parks, said Sunil Limaye, additional principal chief conservator of forests. “Our priority is protecting wild life and forests and we can only do this with the help of local villagers. The development of such places will help villagers realise that it can be their regular source of income and ... Read more

Assam’s tourism revenue has almost doubled in 2017-18, when compared to the earnings in 2016-17. The profit (before tax) of the corporation has almost doubled from Rs 2.24 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 4.22 crore in 2017-18. “The inflow of domestic and foreign tourists has gone up noticeably and the occupancy of hotels, even in the off-season, has increased by about 20 per cent. It is evident that the flow of tourists to Assam has increased by 20 per cent in the last year,” said tourism minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while releasing the annual achievement report 2017-18 of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation ... Read more

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is collaborating with various institutions as part of its Mahabhraman initiative, to promote tourism in different sectors. MTDC is planning to boost tourism in agriculture, food, villages, education, and Bollywood. MTDC is associating with Nitin Chandrakant Desai Studio’s Film World, a Bollywood theme park at Karjat, to give tourists an experience of the Hindi film industry. The tour would include visits to film sets and setting up of an Artists of Talent Street. The Street will provide a platform for budding artists to showcase their skills. “The aim is to motivate artists in the ... Read more

Google Arts and Culture have partnered with the Ministry of Tourism to unveil a 360-degree virtual reality video for the global “Incredible India” tourism campaign. As part of the partnership, Google Arts and Culture will provide users with an immersive 360-degree view of India’s heritage, festivity, spirituality and adventure. The video will showcase users a 360-degree view of some of the most iconic destinations in India including Qutub Minar, Amritsar’s Golden Temple, Vitthala Temples at Hampi and Goa’s easygoing vibe. “India is an iconic destination that offers unique experiences of climate, geography, culture, art, literature and food. We want to ... Read more

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of Kerala, will launch its prestigious Indian Culinary Institute today. The culinary institute aimed at promoting Indian cuisine as a niche tourism product, with its campuses in Noida and Tirupati, will offer diplomas as well as under graduate and post graduate degrees to research in culinary arts. The ICI campus in Noida will be formally launched by Minister of State for Tourism K J Alphons and Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma. “The main objective of setting up of the ICI was to institutionalize a mechanism to support efforts intended to preserve, document, promote ... Read more

The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) is organising the 2nd edition of the Goa Vintage Bike and Car Festival to celebrate the Goa’s rich history of automobiles. The event will display entries from Goa as well as from other parts of the country at the Inox Courtyard – an iconic heritage structure that dates back to the 1800s. The event has been curated by Ashvek Vintage World and is supported by the VCCFI (Vintage and Classic Car Federation of India). Over 50 motorcycles and over 65 cars are expected to participate in this festival. Around 20 entries are expected to drive in ... Read more

With an aim to offer better security for the tourists visiting the state, the Uttar Pradesh tourism department has launched its first 24×7 phone helpline (18601801364). The helpline will assist the tourists in giving information about tourism centers, lodging of complaints, etc. The tourism department hopes that the helpline will come handy if a tourist faces an issue anywhere in the state. There will also be arrangements to record the incoming calls on the helpline and the police, and administration along with other departments have been appointed to redress all the complaints. The tourists will be updated about the places to ... Read more

The Assam Tourism ad featuring the state’s brand ambassador Priyanka Chopra, has been nominated for an award which is considered to be the ‘Oscar for Ad Films’. The state’s rich culture is beautifully captured in this 3.30-minute long video. The ad film features the traditional masked dancers of Majuli and the cymbal-clanging Bhortal dancers from Barpeta and Guwahati. The ad features Priyanka draped in Muga Mekhela Chador, showcases the rich cultural heritage and the exotic beauty of nature across the state. The advertisement has been nominated under three categories, viz, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, and Best Direction. “We have only received the intial ... Read more

Next time when you board a train in Kashmir, you would be awestruck watching the snowcapped mountains and the rural landscapes through the glass ceilings. With an aim to woo tourists, the Indian Railways is planning to introduce glass roof-top coaches on the Kashmir rail line. The vistadome coach, announced in June last year, has already arrived and will be introduced in May. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is introducing the see-through glass coaches in association with J&K tourism department. “The 40-seater coach would provide an enjoyable experience to passengers, officials said. The vistadome coaches in Kashmir have ... Read more

Uttarakhand and Bali has entered into a deal to boost tourism, culture, e-governance, human resource, capacity building, environment and health. A five-point Letter of Intent to this effect was signed by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Governor of Bali I Made Mangku Pastika today. “With cooperation in field of tourism, culture, environment and health, Uttarakhand and the Indonesian province of Bali will come closer to each other. Bali is an important tourist destination and with this agreement, the flow of tourists in both India and Indonesia will increase. I hope more Indonesian tourists will now visit Uttarakhand,” said Rawat ... Read more