Author: Tourism News live

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, is set to present its new ‘Women Empowerment Initiative’ for travel at its annual Global Summit, which is taking place in April of this year, in Cancun, Mexico The WTTC ‘Women Empowerment Initiative’ will, through the creation of a Women´s Travel & Tourism Advisory Group and broad consultation across stakeholders, identify key activities and best practices to support women in universities, in SMEs, entrepreneurs, and in the corporate world across, the entire Travel & Tourism sector. The group will drive awareness of the current challenges ... Read more

Dancer Ilmira Bagautdinova traded one of Russia’s most prestigious stages for the frozen waters of the Gulf of Finland in an artful protest against a construction project locals say threatens a unique natural habitat. Braving freezing temperatures in her pointe shoes and white tutu, Bagautdinova filmed herself as she performed arabesques and plies on the frozen waters of Batareinaya Bay after she read reports there were plans to build a grain silo at the site. The Mariinsky Theatre dancer posted the video online, adding music from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in a nod to the swans that live in the area ... Read more

Kannyarkali, also known as Desathukali or Malamakkali is a folk art mostly practised by the Nair community of the Palakkad area. It owes its origin to the pursuit of martial arts in this region which was under constant threat of attack from neighbouring Konganadu. Kannyarkali was born when dance and comedy were pitched in to add vigour and colour to the martial training sessions. The art form combines the agile movements of martial arts with the rhythmic grace of folk dance performed around a nilavilakku. Performed during March-April in temples as well as in places called the “Thara’, a venue for informal gatherings, this art form is accompanied by ... Read more

Emirates’ Economy Class customers can now enjoy even more personal space and privacy onboard with the ability to purchase up to three empty adjoining seats on their flight. These seats will be offered to all Economy Class customers holding a confirmed booking. Customers will not be able to pre-book empty seats, as these are subject to availability. Empty seats will only be offered for purchase at the airport check-in counter prior to flight departure, and costs range from AED 200 to AED 600 (US$ 55 to US$ 165) per empty seat, plus applicable taxes depending on flight sector. Emirates has ... Read more

The iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi unveiled the re-imagined and re-designed avatar of The Chambers, India’s first and most revered business club. The Chambers enjoys an illustrious patronage since its inception over four decades ago. The new Chambers at Taj Mahal, New Delhi offers classic elegance in a contemporary setting in the capital’s landmark location with stunning views of the city’s skyline. With the recent launch of The Chambers Global Membership, members can enjoy enhanced privileges and benefits. Mr. Satyajeet Krishnan, Area Director – New Delhi and General Manager, Taj Mahal, New Delhi, said, “The Chambers is for a community of members, who ... Read more

Kavil Pattanam, the harbour about which the legends Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo wrote in their travel writings has now transformed into a beautiful island. Sprawling across the districts of Kannur and Kasaragod, this lesser known pristine land of composed beauty is the largest backwater island group in the northern part of Kerala.  Kavil Pattanam used to be the centre for the trade of spices and gems from Malabar and of the wootz steal/Damascus steal before it was banned by the British in the 17th century. Kavvayi backwaters is a cluster of islands that constitutes the largest backwater island group ... Read more

A haven for humans craving furry feline company, a cat cafe in Dubai also doubles as an adoption centre for some of the United Arab Emirates’ many strays. The Ailuromania Cat Cafe, which was the Middle East’s first cat cafe when it opened in 2015, hopes the relaxing properties of its 25 rescue and shelter cats will help find them their forever homes. “Anyone who is stressed just has to find a cat. All your stress will go away,” said Omnia Fareed, whose two cat-loving sisters Allaa and Iman started the cafe after university, taking inspiration from similar establishments in ... Read more

The Seychelles Islands, an exotic destination with a collection of fabulous islands, off the coast of East Africa, has decided to restart its tourism following in the footsteps of the Maldives, another idyllic collection of islands off the coast of southern India. The Seychelles plans to welcome all international travellers, excluding those from South Africa, from 25th MAR, according to the Seychelles Tourism Department. Visitors are not required to undergo quarantine or get vaccinated, however they will have to produce a negative test report for COVID-19 within 72 hours of their departure. Earlier Maldives has fully reopened to foreign tourists in July without any ... Read more

Choolannur Pea Fowl Sanctuary or Mayiladumpara, as it is locally known, is a lesser known habitat as well as premier haven for peacocks in Kerala. The word ‘Mayiladumpara’ literally means “the rock where peacocks dance”. Located in Palakkad, getting to the 500-hectare enclosure requires a trek through dense forests. The view however makes up for it immediately. One is enraptured by the vivid colours and majestic shades of this kingly species. At this pristinely maintained heaven, dawn and dusk tend to be the best viewing times. Photographers can capture unique shots of peacocks here along with many other rare bird ... Read more

A live stream camera at a New Zealand nature reserve has caught a Royal Albatross making an awkward landing, with the video of the faceplanting now propelling the bird to fame. The video, shot at the Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve in Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, shows an albatross landing on its face, legs flailing, before it manages to right itself as a chick watches on. It has been watched over 660,000 times since being posted on Saturday, with several people on Twitter commenting on their similar experiences while skiing or speculating what the albatrosses might have been thinking. ... Read more

Mauritius has gone into lockdown and suspended flights in and out of the island for two weeks following the discovery of 15 more cases of COVID-19, the Mauritius state tourism agency said on Wednesday. Mauritius has stopped inbound commercial flights, effective midnight Saturday until further notice, after six local Covid-19 cases were detected over two days, Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal said. The objective of the move is to free up space for people to be placed in quarantine following a contact-tracing process, Jagutpal told reporters in the capital, Port Louis. The suspension of flights would provide the ministry with breathing ... Read more

Most say history favors the victor at all times, but at the Poruvazhi Malanada Temple in Adoor, one sees the absolute opposite come to life and the antagonist is revered. Duryodhana, considered a villain in the Indian epic Mahabharata, is the mythical figure worshipped in this Temple, which also stands out for the absence of an idol or a sanctum sanctorum. Annually in March, the Temple premises come to life during its vibrant temple festival, the highlight of which is the spectacular Malanada Kettukazcha event. Also known by the name Poruvizhi Peruviruthi Malanada Malakkuda Utsavam, up to 70 to 80 ... Read more

There is intense competition among tourism boards from across the country to woo domestic travellers with an increasing number of people opting for destinations within the country. The boards have launched marketing promotions across social media, television and print. Several tourism boards, including those of Punjab, Maharashtra, Kerala, Leh & Ladakh and Uttarakhand, are leaving no stone unturned to attract travellers and revive the tourism economy. Some states have started running demand generation campaigns targeted at travellers, while others have reached out to tour operators to pitch their destinations. “States are also reaching out to industry associations for focused branding, ... Read more

Tourists to Thailand can now spend their mandatory two-week coronavirus quarantine on a luxury yacht, as part of a bid by the government to revive the country’s tourism industry, which is the major source of income for the country. Thai government’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency, along with partners including top telecom group Advanced Info Service, jointly announced the yacht quarantine program earlier this week. This would serve as an addition to the existing quarantine option on a golf course, aiming to revive the tourism industry that accounts for about a fifth of the country’s GDP. Visitors coming with a negative ... Read more

The annual festival at the Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple situated at Kodungalloor is famous across Kerala and is known as the Kodungalloor Bharani. It takes place during the Malayalam month of Meenam (March-April). This year the festival dates are from 17-18 MAR. The main event of Bharani festival is the Aswathy Kaavutheendal, held on the day prior to Bharani asterism. And on this day devotees can witness a sea of red overruns the premises as a flurry of oracles (velichappad) dancing in a trance offer their prayers to the deity. It is a mystical experience for all who have a chance to view it. The ... Read more