Category: India

Assam’s Umrangso to be developed as international destination: CM

The state government is planning to develop the picturesque Umrangso as an international tourist destination. The state Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also said that the government would enhance development activities in Dima Hasao district. There are also plans to set up Assam Civil Service Training Centre and a Horticultural College at Umrangso. The CM announced the plans  while attending the 168th birth anniversary programme of Dimasa freedom fighter Veer Sambhudhan Phonglo. “Umrangso is a very scenic place and the state government is keen to develop it into an international tourist destination along with the development of the entire district,” Sonowal said. The ... Read more

Haryana plans agri-tourism

Haryana is planning to launch agri-tourism in the state. The state is also planning to set up 340 ‘Bagawani Villages’ along with collection centres, said Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar. The minister was talking in connection with 3rd Agri Leadership Summit-2018 to be organised at Mela Ground, Rohtak from March 24 to 26. The government also planning to increase the number of Kisan Bazar to facilitate the farming community in the state. The minister also added that the international horticulture market at Gannaur in Sonipat is the dream project of the government and the work on the project is likely to commence ... Read more

‘Incredible India Heritage Series’ cultural events in Delhi & Kochi

The second week-end of the “Incredible India Heritage Series” will be held on 17th and 18th March, 2018 in Delhi and Kochi. The Ministry of Tourism through SPIC MACAY is organizing the music series “Incredible India Heritage Series” in Varanasi, Delhi and Kochi, which would be held over a period of 6 weekends with the objective to promote the rich cultural heritage of the country and to reinforce the principle of ‘Tourism for All’. The entry for the programme is free for all visitors. The programme at Delhi would be held at Humayun’s Tomb (infront of Isa Khan’s Tomb). On ... Read more

Tourism Min has something to talk about bikinis

Photo Courtesy: India.comIndian Tourism Minister K J Alphons’ latest remarks about foreigners wearing bikini in India is making headlines now. He seems to have told a national media that there needs to be a certain “code of conduct” by tourists, including foreign  tourists, that’s in sync with the culture and traditions of the place they visit.   Minister for Tourism K J Alphons “There needs to be an understanding as to what should be the dress code as they walk the streets,” he said referring to the bikini clad tourists roaming around in the streets. “Abroad, foreigners walk the streets in ... Read more

Indians love travelling over food and clothing: survey

According to a report published by Kayak survey, about 47 per cent of people aged 36-55 prefers spending on travelling. The survey further states as about 38 per cent of people are willing to spend money on travelling, rather than spending on food and shopping. The new survey report thus breaks all the popular belief as, not only youngsters but also middle-aged people are ambitious upon travelling. The survey has been conducted among 1,004 Indians aged 18-65 from 9th to 17th January. About 16 per cent of Indians, ahead of summer prefer to spend over Rs 3 lakhs followed by ... Read more

Twin tunnel in Maharashtra

As part of the Missing Link Project, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), is constructing one of the longest four-lane tunnels in the world, between Mumbai and Pune. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2021. The project, joining Kusgaon village and Chavani village in Pune, would be at a length of over 19.8 km. The two twin tunnels will together constitute (4+4) four lanes for a hassle-free, to and fro commuting. Construction programme would be a challenge as one of the tunnels would be passing 150 metre below a lake in Lonavala. “Though there are tunnels longer than ... Read more

Ministry asks Bihar to rework on Ramayana circuit proposal

Tourism Ministry has asked Bihar to rework on the Ramayana Circuit proposal it had submitted. The State Government of Bihar has submitted the proposal for development of Sitamarhi, Buxar and Darbhanga under Ramayana Circuit. “A presentation on the project was made in the Ministry of Tourism on 13.02.2018 and based on discussion, the State Government has been requested to rework on the project as per scheme guidelines,” informed K J Alphons, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism. Ramayana Circuit is one of the fifteen thematic circuits identified for development under Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism. Sitamarhi, Buxar, Darbhanga in ... Read more

Tourism ministry to hire PR firm for global promotion

The Tourism Ministry is planing to hire a public relations firm to boost the country’s image and to promote it as a safe destination for foreign tourists. “The ministry was speaking to stakeholders to finalise the RFP (Request for Proposal) document,” said Tourism Ministry Secretary Rashmi Verma. “We will hire a central public relations firm to promote India, to promote its various facets as well as show the world that India is a safe destination. Its job will be to give out positive message about India, sell positive stories. It will be a private firm with credentials to promote India ... Read more

Air India Twitter account hacked

In a shocking incident, National Carrier Air India’s official Twitter account has been hacked by Turkish cyber crime army “IayyAldAzt” on Thursday midnight. Hackers posted misleading messages in Turkish language that contained flight cancellation tweets. A detailed inquiry was ordered by the senior airline officials in the wake of the current circumstances. “Last minute important announcement. All our flights have been cancelled. From now on, we will fly with Turkish Airlines,” tweeted the hackers. Within no matter of time, the account was restored to normal, said Air India. Over 1,46,000 are following the official twitter handle of the national carrier. ... Read more

Delhi Metro opens Pink Line

Delhi Metro, as part of expanding its network, will inaugurate the 20 km long Pink Line connecting south and north-west Delhi (Majlis Park – Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus section). Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri will flag off the new service in the evening.  The  Pink Line would be a blessing for students as it reduces the time to reach Delhi University. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation expects over 12,000 people to use the new station situated right next to Sri Venkateswara College. The Pink Line, a part of the DMRC Phase ... Read more

Incredible India website gets makeover

The current Incredible India website looks not much different from any usual government-rum websites. Realising this, the ministry is now giving a makeover to the website. The beta version of the website looks chic and interesting with all the necessary information neatly arranged. The website is also interactive in nature, which lets the traveller select their itinerary  according to the experience they look for, the days in their kitty and suitable for the king of travel group. The new dynamic website also gives ample importance to the fan photos and social media expressions by the travellers. Ministry of Tourism is ... Read more

Ten tourism sites to be developed into iconic destinations: K J Alphons

Colva Beach, Goa The Ministry of Tourism has identified ten prominent tourist sites for development into iconic tourist destinations in the country. The plan was announced during the Budget Announcements of 2018-19. The ministry has identified the sites based on the criteria of footfall, regional distribution, potential for development and ease of implementation. Dholavira The tourism sites which are selected for development are Taj Mahal & Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh), Ajanta and Ellora (Maharashtra), Humayun Tomb, Qutub Minar and Red Fort (Delhi), Colva Beach (Goa), Amer Fort (Rajasthan), Somnath and Dholavira (Gujarat), Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), Hampi (Karnataka), Mahablipuram (Tamil Nadu), Kaziranga (Assam), Kumarakom (Kerala) and Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar). “The development of iconic ... Read more

Tourism ministry introduces courses for guides

Photo Courtesy: Unique Travels The Tourism Ministry of India has introduced Tour Guide and Heritage Tour Guide courses for training and certification of guides. The duration of these two courses would be 420 hours and 330 hours, respectively and are open to youth in the age group of 18 to 28 years. Education qualification for the same is SSLC. “Tourism is an important source of employment & foreign exchange earnings in India. It has great capacity to create large scale employment of diverse kind – from the most specialized to the unskilled and hence play a major role in creation ... Read more

Govt approves upgradation of 100 Adarsh monuments

Bhuddhist Remains in Salihundam The Union Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma,  has announced the plans for upgradation of 100 Adarsh monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Tourist amenities proposed to be upgraded include the parking, ticket counter, publication counter, cafeteria, toilet block, drinking water facilities, dustbins, benches, ramps (for the differently-abled), pathways, singages, etc. There are around 25 monuments under Phase I and 75 under Phase II. List of 100 Adarsh monuments Andhra Pradesh : Virabhadra Temple, Lepakshi in Anantpur (NT), Nagarjunakonda(T) and Bhuddhist Remains in ... Read more

Palace on Wheels wins PATWA Award 2018 at ITB

Luxury train of India, Palace on Wheels, has won the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) award under the category ‘Tourist Train of the Year’. The award was declared at the recently concluded ITB Berlin event in Germany. One of the prestigious luxury trains of India, Palace on Wheels started its maiden run on January 26, 1982. The train was incepted with an aim to boost tourism in Rajasthan. Since then, it is treating its passengers with a royal ride showing various hues of the vibrant state. Palace on Wheels Train boasts of the royal coaches of the erstwhile rulers ... Read more