Category: Top Stories

Vistara on Thursday launched a gift card that travellers can purchase for anywhere between Rs 250 and Rs 20,000, and customise it for recipients as per the gifting occasion, a statement said. Called Purple Ticket’, the gift card is an e-card that will remain valid for 365 days from the date of purchase, the statement by the airline noted. “The Purple Ticket has been developed in collaboration with Qwikcilver, a Pine Labs company that specialises in gift card retail solutions and has been seamlessly integrated with the Amadeus Airline Platform,” it noted. People with this gift card can purchase air ... Read more

The Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is an ecologically sensitive area situated at the centre of Kochi behind the Kerala High Court building fittingly dubbed as the ‘green lung of Kochi’. The place primarily is a bird refuge surrounded by the Arabian Sea and backwaters, Mangalavanam is a congregation of communally breeding birds. Mangalavanam is a nesting ground for a large variety of migratory birds is one of the best places for birdwatchers and twitchers. This green paradise is also a roosting place for residents as well as migratory birds. A survey conducted in 2006 revealed that there were 194 birds belonging ... Read more

Ranked as one of the world’s safest travel destinations, Oman enables families to leave the familiarities of home behind and journey together through a fascinating culture and landscapes, unlike anything they’ve experienced before. TREASURED EXPERIENCES
 Children’s eyes and minds will be opened to an altogether different world as they walk through Oman’s many souks, swapping smiles with the locals and perusing market stalls bearing ancient spices, fragrances, silver treasures and exotic garments. Their minds will swim with images of Disney’s Aladdin as they come face to face with the ‘true Arabia’ – a land with a culture seemingly untouched by ... Read more

The World is One Family ‘exhibition in Kochi and Alappuzha has been extended till November 30. It is hoped that this will inspire artists and Kerala to wake up from covid. This exhibition has stuck in the covid crisis. This exhibition, which opened last April 18, could not continue due to covid. This caused great hardship to the artists. Also missed the opportunity to saw the exhibition for people. It was reopened on August 13, following covid’s standards. The exhibition received a good response from the people. In view of this, the Muziris board meeting held on last week decided ... Read more

Indian Railway’s IRCTC is launching a six-day tour package to Kashmir, which includes five nights and six days in Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam. The journey will start from Mumbai. The journey from here to Srinagar is by air. The journey will start on September 25 and 26. Once you reach Srinagar, will first visit the Shankaracharya Temple. Then will check in on the houseboat. In the evening you can enjoy a Shikkara ride at Dal Lake at your own expense. Overnight stay and dinner will be on the houseboat. The second day after breakfast will go to Pahalgam. Along ... Read more

The government of Oman has announced that those who take two doses of the nationally approved vaccine will be admitted to Oman from September 1. The decision comes as a relief to expatriates who are finding it difficult to return to Oman. Oman imposed an entry ban on Indians in the last week of April. The 10-days ban was extended in the wake of rising covid rates in India. In addition to the UAE, Oman had also lifted the entry ban from tomorrow is largely resolving the expatriate crisis. Kuwait already lifts one-and-a-half-year direct entry ban. Also, The return of ... Read more

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is calling upon the U.S. government to urgently speed up approval of the UK’s AstraZeneca vaccine to help restore vital transatlantic travel. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the main health authority in the U.S., this week approved the Pfizer vaccine, however, it still does not currently recognise AstraZeneca as an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Even if the Biden Administration allows borders to reopen, the CDC’s non-recognition of AstraZeneca will be a significant barrier to transatlantic travel between the UK and the U.S. WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, says ... Read more

Containing rich text illustrated with spectacular photographs, including archival images, a volume that encapsulates the rich cultural treasures of India inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list has been launched, officials said on Saturday. The publication, titled ‘Incredible Treasures’, was unveiled on Friday evening during an online event, they said. India at present has 40 world heritage sites, both cultural and natural, spanning across the country, including the Ramappa Temple, a 13th century engineering marvel in Telangana and ancient Dholavira site in Gujarat, both of which earned the coveted tag in July this year. UNESCO and MAPIN publishing house have ... Read more

Colourful kites of different shapes and sizes dotted the skyline of Jammu and Samba in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday as scores of people participated in kite festivals in the two districts. The second edition of the Jammu Kite Festival was organised by the Directorate of Tourism in collaboration with the J&K Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) at the Tawi River Front Park here. The event was inaugurated by Divisional Commissioner Raghav Langer. Fifty people participated in the event, an official spokesperson said. “Kites have been a part of (our) tradition since ancient times and even today, they are flown to ... Read more

Press Information Bureau Shillong today held a virtual discussion on ‘Unsung Heroes of Meghalaya’ as part of the nationwide celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. With India celebrating its 75th year of independence, the discussion highlighted the efforts of the Freedom Fighters, Historians, Writers and the associated people to develop the sentiment of anti-British and embracing freedom instead. Today’s webinar reminisced the country’s freedom and marked the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in reverence of the unsung Heroes of Meghalaya. Senior Journalist and President of the Shillong Press Club, Shri David Laitphlang began the webinar with his welcome address, ... Read more

A long-awaited tourist train with a vistadome coach will start its journey from Saturday through the lush green forests and tea gardens of Dooars in north Bengal, a railway official said. The train between New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and Alipurduar Junction through Dooars has already become an attraction among tourists as well as curious locals with all seats booked for this weekend, he said on Thursday. The tourist train will have a vistadome coach, two air-conditioned chair cars and two non-a/c chair cars, apart from a luggage car and a power coach, he added. “It will run three days a week ... Read more

Visitors from all over the world, including India, can travel to Dubai on a visitor’s visa. Fly Dubai said people from India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uganda can enter the UAE on a tourist visa after staying in an entry possible country for 14 days. The announcement was made through the company’s website. Fly Dubai said the terms of the covid test are based on the situation in the country where you stayed for 14 days. Passengers must have permission from the Department of Immigration (GDRFA). RTPCR test results taken within 48 hours should also be produced. Tourists ... Read more

More countries are opening borders for Indian tourists who have taken two doses of the covid vaccine. Sri Lanka is one of the last countries on this list. Another feature is that Sri Lanka approves both covishield and covaxin vaccines. Most countries are only accepting the Covishield. Those who have taken a single dose or have not been vaccinated cannot enter Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, those who have taken a single dose of the vaccine and later recovered from covid can come to Sri Lanka. This facility is available to those who have recovered within 28 to 90 days. They should ... Read more

Mana Herbal Park, the tallest herbal park in India, has been opened to the tourists. This herbal park is located in the village of Mana in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. The park is located at an elevation of 11000 ft above sea level. Situated on the Indo-China border, this place is rich in flora and fauna. The Herbal Park was recently established by the government. But the park had to be closed after Kovid 19 shook the country. The main attraction of the Herbal Park is the unique Ayurvedic plants and flowers found only in the Himalayas. Maintained by ... Read more

Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Ladakh Shri Radha Krishna Mathur and Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Shri G. Kishan Reddy will address a mega-tourism event “Ladakh: New Start, New Goals” being organized in Leh from  26th  -28th  August 2021. Shri G. Kishan Reddy will grace the event virtually. During the event “A Tourism Vision for Ladakh” document would be unveiled which focuses on overall development of the Ladakh Region. The Document envisions promoting tourism in the backdrop of sustainable ecological practices, building on local material and human resources. Member of Parliament of ... Read more