Author: Tourism News live

Kerala’s leading hotels and resorts are confident that the current gloomy scenario that has risen out of the corona virus pandemic, will be a temporary phenomenon. The various representatives of the hospitality sector have said that normalcy will return within a few weeks, as governments around the world are trying their best to contain the health hazard. Dr.Raja Gopaal IyerCEOUDS Hotels “We have taken precautionary measures regarding basic hygiene of all their employees and existing guests. Business was going on good as usual. But because of sudden outbreak of COVID19 there have been cancellations. Corporate clients have deferred the original ... Read more

ATTOI executive committee member & CEO of Tourdesigners, VG Jayachandran has urged the government to waive off road tax of tourist vehicles for a period of one year, besides providing interest free or low interest loans to tourism entrepreneurs to rebuild the business. The tourism sector has been hit badly by cancellation of bookings by tourists due to the onslaught of the corona virus pandemic. Several airlines have also cancelled flights to many countries. Jayachandran said a moratorium alone wasn’t sufficient. “It doesn’t mean even a waiver of interest during the period. In this situation, any financial institution will agree ... Read more

The Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry (CKTI) has written to all the 12 Members of Parliament (MPs) from Kerala, requesting them to take up the woes of the tourism sector in Parliament or related committees. CKTI President EM Najeeb in his letter to the MPs said the tourism industry which has already been facing various challenges, has been hit especially hard by the Covid-19 epidemic. In this context CKTI has requested the Union finance minister and the tourism minister to advise banks to extend moratorium on the repayment of loans and interests from entrepreneurs in the tourism sector for at ... Read more

Star Air, a regional commuter airline, has started a direct flight services between Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Kishangarh (Ajmer – Rajasthan). Rajasthan is the seventh Indian state where Star Air is providing its flight services under the RCS-UDAN scheme. Interestingly, Indore and Kishangarh, which are almost 550 kilometres apart, had not been blessed with direct flight connectivity prior to Star Air’s launch. People had to spend more than 10 hours to cover this distance that too with much hassle and discomfort. But now they can cover this distance in just one hour. Kishangarh is famous for its world-class marbles. “Star ... Read more

The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), which represents over 5 lakh restaurants in the country, has advised its restaurant members to shut down dine-in operations starting Wednesday across the country till March 31. “We have taken a decision to advise members to close all restaurants across India because we are endangering a lot of employees. We will never be able to survive the guilt if a fatality occurs at our end,” NRAI president Anurag Katriar said. Katriar however said the decision to shut down individual restaurants will remain voluntary and not mandatory. In a report released last year, the ... Read more

The Kerala Travel Mart Society has set up a help-desk as a novel measure to help tourists. Many of the tourists have been struggling to find accommodation, food and water due to the impact of the corona virus. Please find the details regarding the help-desk below.

The Department of Tourism has said that help desks set up to counter the corona virus menace have to be functional 24×7 and come to the rescue of tourists at all times. “The help desks should monitor all developments in this context and be vigilant enough to address any related issues,” the department stated on Wednesday. The new set of guidelines said that the help desks should be in constant touch with the volunteer committees that consist of the members of the various trade associations. “All assistance has to be extended to tourists who have no prior bookings but are ... Read more

Western Railway has decided to hike the cost of platform tickets by up to five times in various cities under its jurisdiction. This steep hike means that a platform ticket which used to cost Rs 10 will now cost Rs 50. The new ticket price will be effective at close to 250 stations in the five divisions under the Western Railway zone including Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. In a statement, the Railways said platform tickets will be sold at the new rates to avoid crowding at platforms, in light of the spread of the corona virus. This ... Read more

The Ministry of Tourism and Culture has established a new institute called the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies in Arunachal Pradesh to provide education in Buddhist philosophies. The institute will promote research in different aspects of Buddhism, preserve ancient Buddhist manuscripts, digitize ancient Buddhist texts preserved in the languages of Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese and other Asian languages. The Ministry has taken over the following three Institutions, which have been granted Deemed University Status by UGC – Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda (NNM), Bihar; Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Sarnath, Varanasi and Central Institute of Buddhist Studies ... Read more

The impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on travel continues to change rapidly. As a result, many customers who have booked travel through online travel agencies have been experiencing difficulties either connecting with travel advisors or cancelling and changing plans directly on these sites. Companies like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and CheapTickets are coordinating with their travel partners to process an unprecedented number of customer requests. As a result, they have taken steps to help travelers, including increasing the number of travel advisors available, improving existing self-service options and introducing new automated ways for travelers to take action. Here’s what you ... Read more

If you are currently in France, stepping out of your place of stay will become an inconvenient affair. Tourists and even French citizens will be required to fill out a form online each time they venture outside. For example, they may have to write “Stepping out to buy groceries” or “going to the park” every time they feel the need to go out. If that is not followed a fine of Euro 38 will follow. French president Emmanuel Macron has said that people would have to stay home as much as possible, unless they have to shop for food, go ... Read more

PHD Chamber and its knowledge partner Nielsen India has jointly released a report titled ‘Heritage Tourism in India and SDG 11.4: Stakeholders’ Perspective’. It was released at the International Heritage Tourism Conclave in Gwalior. The report gives a holistic view on heritage tourism across the world and in the country. The report provides ample scope and opportunities towards preservation of world’s cultural and natural heritage. While setting the theme of the Conclave, Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chairman – Tourism Committee, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry said, “We need forum like this to brainstorm what steps can be taken to correct the ... Read more

Emerging tech summit to facilitate new business in the region SiGMA Group, the events company behind the Manila AIBC Summit, has announced the format for the event and what makes it stand out from the crowd. After three hugely successful AIBC Summits in Malta, Europe, the company has set its sights on the Asian market aiming to shape the future of emerging tech in the region and seed new opportunities for both local and Western companies. The inaugural Manila AIBC Summit will take place June 8th-9th 2020, bringing together key brands from the west and key players in the Asian ... Read more

India on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan into the country with immediate effect. In an additional travel advisory the government said no flight shall take off from these countries to India after 3 pm IST. The various airlines concerned should enforce this at the port of initial departure, the advisory said. This instruction is a temporary measure and will be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. India has already banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK till March 31.

Whether you are in a hotel room, at your desk, in an RV, or by a campfire, it can be difficult to get a good cup of coffee away from home. With the holiday travel season in full swing, travelers are wondering how best to enjoy their morning java while on the go.Most away-from-home coffee options have major drawbacks. Hotel room coffee makers are convenient and cheap, but the coffee they brew means a major compromise on taste. Local cafes often offer good coffee, but the cost of all those to-go cups can really add up. Existing travel coffee presses ... Read more