Category: News

The High Court of Uttarakhand has recently imposed a ban on all water-based adventure sports activities, including white water rafting, zip lining and paragliding, until a policy is framed to regulate these activities. In the order dated June 18, the court directed the state government to “prepare a transparent policy in this regard within a period of two weeks”. In view of this, the Union Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has urged state governments to implement the revised Guidelines for Adventure Tourism in India in letter and spirit as early as possible. MoT had recently brought out revised Guidelines for Adventure Tourism in India ... Read more

The World Heritage Tag by UNESCO has helped Ahmedabad tourism industry to attract 13 per cent more foreign tourists during the period 2017-18. This was revealed in a report by Gujarat Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation Limited (GITCO) Foreign tourist who stayed overnight in Ahmedadab has shown a hike in 2017-18. It increased to 1,38,000 when compared to 1,22,000 of 2016-17. The growth is around 13 per cent. The number of domestic travellers also shows a rise during this period. In 2016-17 the number of domestic tourists visited Ahmedabad was 66,63,000, which has increased to 74,59,000 in 2017-18, depicting an ... Read more

Casinos in Goa to be retained and legalized as per a recent research paper published by a scholar of south Goa. Dr. Afonso Botelho, an associate professor of Sociology at the Rosary College of Commerce and Arts. He explains in his paper that the Indian middle class tourism is in a boom stage and preserving the casinos would help the economic development of the region. However, the study specifies that sustainable strategies to be implemented to counteract possible ill-effects of casino gambling. Dr. Afonso also recommended setting up of an authority to regulate casinos in order to contain the potential ... Read more

From the beginning of July, citizens from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy will get visa exemptions for the next three years, until June 30, 2021. Vietnam has first offered visa waivers for citizens from five European countries in July, 2015. The policy has been updated annually and would have expired at the end of June. Vietnam is among those countries which has strictest visa policy in Asia. The country currently offers visa waivers to visitors from 24 countries and territories, including the ASEAN member countries. Vietnam has tried to improve the situation with an e-visa policy which is now available ... Read more

Mrunmai Joshi Sasank, one of the young IAS officers in Kerala, will take charge as the new Additional Director of Tourism, as per the cabinet decision taken on 27th June 2018.

 “The central ministry is considering receiving the foreign tourists coming to our country by assigning government representatives,” said union minister of state for tourism Alphons Kannanthanam. He was talking to the media after the road show in various American States to showcase Indian Tourism industry under the brand name ‘Incredible India’.

The second phase of Jatayu Earth Center project will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on 17th August 2017, informed Tourism Minister Kadakampalli Surendran. The project, located at Chadayamangalam in Kollam, includes the sculpture of the great mythical bird Jatayu mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana, cable car – fully manufactured in Switzerland, adventure park and helicopter local flying service. The sculpture at the Earth Centre is considered the largest bird sculpture in the world. This is the first time the state to have helicopter local flying service as part of a tourism project. Permission for the service has ... Read more

Kerala is going to be the first 100 per cent accessible friendly tourism destination in the world. The concept of differently-abled friendly tourism will be materialized through the new project – Barrier Free Kerala Tourism, which kick started on 27th June 2017. Tourism Minister Kadakampalli Surender has lighted the lamp of the project, which will enable the differently-abled people to fulfill their desire to visit any of the tourist destinations of Kerala, which was only a dream before. Minister inaugurated the workshop for accessible tourism and the different projects envisioned for the differently-abled people. “Kerala has set off a new ... Read more

Royal Oman Police has simplified the tourist visa procedures to get tourist visa to Oman. “Tourist visa fees has been reduced and visa can be applied online,” said the Inspector General Hussain Bin Muhsin Al Shuraikhi.

The state government has expedited the steps to envisage Kerala as the Yoga Capital of India. The ministry has decided to allot fifteen acres of land in Karinthalam village of Kasargod as lease to construct Yoga and Naturopathy Post-graduate Institute. The proposed institute will have facility to accommodate 100 patients. Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy will oversee the construction.

Kerala’s backwaters and major rivers are all set for yet another season of traditional boat race – ‘vallam kali’. This year, the government is planning to commence a new concept in boat race - ‘Kerala Boat League’, following the pattern of IPL. “The first nine snake boats (chundan vallam), those display competence in the Nehru Trophy Boat Race will be participating in the KBL,”said the Finance Minister Dr. T M Thomas Issac. He was talking in the General Body Meeting prior to the 66th ‘Nehru Trophy Vallam Kali’.

  In order to overcome the increasing competition from the private sector, KTDC has decided to have a face-lift. Last year the profit of KTDC disclosed a decrease than the previous year. It has reduced from 5.82 to 3.52 crores. Closing of 29 out of 40 beer parlours, establishment of GST and maintenance works in some of the KTDC owned buildings were the reasons for the decline in the profit, as explained by the authorities. KTDC will start new resorts in Muzhappilangad, Kannur and in Calicut Beach. Property has already been acquired for the purpose. “The foundation stone for the ... Read more

Next time you visit Bhavani Island, there will be two new attractions, a Bird Arena and a Sea Lion Park. The project will be carried out by Ocean Aquarium, a Turkey-based company for a total project cost of Rs 9.99 crores. While announcing the project, Executive Engineer of Bhavanai Island Tourism Corporation G Uma Maheswara Rao claimed, “There have not been such shows in the country so far and this would make Bhavani Island a global tourism hub”.

There are a myriad number of organizations operating in tandem with the tourism/hospitality sector. But, very few of them do something meaningful to the tourism sector. Apart from development of tourism, at least some of them are showing profound interest in the sustainable development of the ecosystem. Thekkady Destination Promotion Council (TDPC) is such an organization striving for the development of tourism in the area, while taking considerate measures in conserving environment.

Photo Courtesy: Seban Thomas Malayalis (people of Kerala) love monsoons, the pitter patter of the downpour, the smell of the rain-fed land, everything associated with rains, is accepted with great fervour and love in this part of India. The Kerala Tourism Department is all set to explore the beauty of monsoon with the Nishagandhi Monsoon Music Festival. The department will organize Nishagandhi Monsoon Music Festival in the city in July at Kanakakkunnu Palace Grounds in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. Nishagandhi will host renowned musicians from across the country this July. The tourism department has earmarked a sum of Rs 1 ... Read more