Category: News

The Bharat Parv celebrations organized by the Ministry of Tourism as part of the ‘Republic day 2019’ has reached its third day with a series of cultural events, Defence Bands, Yoga demonstrations and live Kitchen demonstrations. The Parv at the Red Fort, New Delhi is witnessing a large number of visitors. The Ministry of Tourism for the first time has set up a Digital Showcase booth in the Parv showcasing various Digital initiatives like Incredible India website, Mobile App, Virtual Reality views of Indian destinations and attractions to promote Indian destinations. The Incredible India Digital Showcase booth has been set ... Read more

For the first time at Prayagraj Kumbh, about 800 saints were given Sanyas Diksha at Dashanami Juna Akhara. All religious ceremonies were completed this morning on the bank of river Ganga. Ceremony was initiated on JAnuary 27 with the shaving of head of saints and taking holy dip in the River. Barbers were called from Haridwar and Varanasi for the purpose. Several rituals were performed at the camp of the Akhara and on the bank of the River including Diksha by Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the Akhara Swami Awadeshanand Maharaj. Saints who were given Sanyas Diksha include six from abroad. Their ... Read more

Zurab Pololikashvili and Basque Culinary Center has signed an agreement to hold the 5th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism at the Kursaal Congress Center in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain from May 2-3, 2019. The Forum will focus on the contribution of #Gastronomy Tourism to job creation and the promotion of entrepreneurship. The Forum is supported by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of Spain, the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the City of Donostia. Returning to its origins in San Sebastian, the fifth edition of the Forum will bring together Ministers of Tourism, representatives from National and ... Read more

Kerala finds a place in the 19 places shortlisted by CNN this year for travel enthusiasts to visit in 2019. “This area of India has it all: sun, sea, sand, good food, houseboats, culture and wildlife. Its spectacular natural landscapes — think palm trees and sprawling backwaters — lend the region the nickname “God’s Own Country,” the report says. The report also talks about the devastating floods in August 2018, “Severe floods during the summer of 2018 wreaked havoc across this southwestern state, but many of its top tourist destinations escaped unscathed.” The Cochin International Airport and its solar panels are ... Read more

Refundit, an Israeli startup, was declared the winner in the final phase of the 1st Global Tourism Startup Competition, organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Globalia. Refundit become winners out of 3000 entries from around the world. The event was held within the framework of the FITUR International Tourism Fair. Applications were open from 26 June to 3 September 2018. The projects were evaluated according to five criteria: uniqueness and viability of the solution, potential impact, business model, scalability and team profile. The Competition sought out the world’s most disruptive initiatives that are transforming the way people travel ... Read more

Gansu Province of north-central China helped 31,000 households with about 130,000 people rise out of poverty by developing rural tourism in 2018, the provincial tourism authorities said. “Rural tourism areas received up to 85.2 million visitors last year, and the income of rural tourism hit USD2.43 billion, depicting an increase of 21.1 per cent and 29.4 per cent respectively,” said Chen Weizhong, head of the provincial department of culture and tourism. Gansu has been making efforts to promote rural tourism in recent years by introducing preferential policies and improving infrastructure and public services to make rural tourism more convenient, according ... Read more

Thai Lion Air will begin direct flights between Sri Lanka and Bangkok from January 30, 2019. The flight is scheduled to depart Colombo at 9.30 am and arrive at Don Mueang Airport (Bangkok) at 2:45 pm (local time). “The airline is ready for the Sri Lanka market and is excited to bring more travelers from Sri Lanka to experience Thailand’s tourism product,” said Thai Lion Air Chairman Capt. Darsito Hendro Seputro. In addition to Bangkok, the airline offers services to other domestic destinations in Thailand such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuken and Pattaya. After Sri Lanka, Thai Lion Air is planning ... Read more

Narthaki Natraj, a renowned dancer from Tamil Nadu has become the first person from the trans community to be honoured with one of the top civilian awards in India. The 54-year-old Bharatanatyam exponent was among those bestowed with ‘Padma Shri’, the third highest civilian award this year. The award was announced on the occasion of the nation’s 70th Republic Day on 26th January 2019. Born in the temple town of Madurai, she left her home at the age of 11 due to the disrespect and rejection from family and the society. K P Kittappa Pillai, renowned dance master of Tanjaore, ... Read more

The Al Majaz Waterfront area has been one of the most popular attractions among residents and tourists in Sharjah. But, the authorities have recently banned all picnics in this area. “The green spaces at Al Majaz waterfront are part of its aesthetics and are not equipped for picnics. Meanwhile, visitors can enjoy all the facilities, play areas, enjoy the fountain shows, and the beautiful serene waters of Khalid Lagoon,” said an official statement. Located in the vibrant heart of the city of Sharjah, Al Majaz Waterfront covers an area of 231,000 square feet, featuring stunning scenery overlooking the Khaled Lagoon. This iconic leisure ... Read more

Visa fees in Pakistan will be made easier according to a new visa regime announced by the government. The government has announced plans to relax visa restrictions for visitors from 90 countries, including US and European Union, in a bid to boost its tourism sector. The Press Information Department of the Ministry of Information in Pakistan issued a circular highlighting the changes of the visa regime. These changes include: visa on arrival for 50 countries; family visit: 5 years multiple entry visa in 7-10 working days; border crossing will be open/non restricted; and unprecedented liberalisation of visa regime. Cabinet minister ... Read more

IHCL subsidiary, Roots Corporation Ltd, has signed a new Ginger brand hotel in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. Ginger Srinagar will have 64 comfortable rooms including 9 suites offering a seamless stay experience for guests. The hotel, which will also have an all-day diner, is located at Barzulla, and is a comfortable drive from the airport and key tourist spots like Dal Lake,  Shankaracharya Temple, Shalimar Bagh, Pari Mahal, and Jama Masjid. Deepika Rao, MD & CEO of Roots Corporation Ltd has signed a management agreement with Habib Ullah Mir. “We are happy to partner with Habib Ullah Mir to develop this hotel ... Read more

Kerala Tourism Police Inspector VB Rasheed has received an appreciation letter from the US Consulate thanking the inspector for helping a US citizen stranded in India, to get back to her country. It all started when the Kerala police had received a message saying that an American lady had been absconding from a hotel in Chennai, leaving her belongings there and without paying the hotel bill. The message was from the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office), Kochi, who got the intimation from the US Embassy in Chennai. The lady’s documents were said to be handed over by the hotel authorities ... Read more

Gujarat government to relocate the Crocodiles in the ponds near the Patel statue – Statue of Unity, for enabling the implementation of a sea plane project  for the tourists. There are around 500 reptiles in two ponds on the statue premises. It is reported that the forest department has removed 15 so far. The crocodiles are likely to be released at the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam reservoir. The Airports Authority of India and the Department of Civil Aviation had prepared a feasibility report about the seaplane service in the run-up to the inauguration of the Statue of Unity. “We are ... Read more

Uday Samudra Group of Hotels, Kovalam, plans to create the Biggest Miscellaneous Dessert Pudding in the World.  The giant dessert pudding will be created with the help of all the chefs in UDS Hotels and it will demonstrate their culinary skills and passion for baking and making the desserts. The massive pudding will be unveiled at The UDS Hotel in Kovalam on the Valentine’s Day, 14th February 2019 at 10 am. Picture for representative purpose only A Miscellaneous Dessert Pudding is a cake pudding that uses crumbs from sandwich cookies and pudding in combination with other ingredients to create a ... Read more

Thailand won the ‘Best Foreign Destination 2019’ Award at the South Asia Tours and Travels Exhibition (SATTE) 2019. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) was represented at the awards ceremony on 17 January, 2019, by Klissada Ratanapruk, TAT Executive Director of the ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific Region and Kulpramote Wannalert, TAT Director of the ASEAN, South Asia and the South Pacific Division. SATTE, one of India’s most important travel trade shows organised annually in New Delhi, is organised by UBM India, a major exhibition organising company, at the India Expo Centre in Greater Noida. The 26th edition this ... Read more