Category: Top Stories

The UAE cabinet has approved a new self-sponsored Remote Work Visa that will enable employees from all over the world to live and work remotely from the UAE, even if their companies are based in another country. The one-year visa allows foreigners to enter the UAE and work in line with terms and conditions issued with the visa. The new scheme aims to support the public and private sector, and also enables employees to expand their digital skills and adapt to the emerging gig economy. The decision was reached on Sunday during a cabinet meeting chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin ... Read more

“The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its Members say the proposal from the European Commission, which would see all EU member states adopt the Digital Green Certificate, is a major step towards the recovery of Travel & Tourism in the region” said Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC “The introduction of the new certificate to travel could see member states welcoming travellers with proof of vaccination, a negative test or a positive antibody test, in time for the busy summer period. This would provide a significant and much needed boost to economies and save millions of jobs and ... Read more

Bewitching sunsets, soul-soothing greenery, quiet backwaters, vibrant culture… Yes, Kerala is truly magical but God’s Own Country would never be complete without you – the travellers across the globe. Kerala Holidays, in a unique attempt, gives you an opportunity to explore the State’s top destinations virtually. To explore your favourite destination in Kerala, cast your vote now! Starting with beaches, every month, Kerala Tourism will feature top attractions of the State under various categories. Hill Stations, Backwaters, Village Life Experiences, Waterfalls and Culture Trail will follow.Kerala Tourism will take you through a video tour of the top-rated destination once the ... Read more

Are you confused about what souvenirs to take back from God’s Own Country? You can pick up for yourself from a vast collection of souvenirs, which reflects Kerala’s diverse art and culture; be it antiques, jewelry, handicrafts, wooden or brass curios. Named after the place of its origin, Nettur, a village near Kozhikode the Nettur Petti is a traditional jewelry box of Kerala; a souvenir much admired. Traditionally used by the women of aristocratic families this jewel box is an adept mix of aesthetics and efficacy. The Nettur Petti is an artefact of historical significance. It was jewel box used by women ... Read more

As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, the Indiatourism Mumbai, Regional Office of Ministry of Tourism in the Western Region organized an online book reading session of “Gandhi in Bombay’’ by the authors Dr.(Mrs) Usha Thakkar and Ms. Sandhya Mehta on 15th March 2021. During this book reading session, the authors turned as story tellers and kept their audience engrossed with reading interesting lines from selected chapters from the book and there by transporting the participants back in time when Mahatma Gandhi walked the streets of Bombay, now Mumbai. The authors mentioned how Mumbai the then Bombay, the ... Read more

The Government of Australia has announced a new $1.2 billion support package for the tourism and aviation industries. The package includes: Tourism Aviation Network Support (TANS) program, which halves the cost of up to 800,000 airfares (or around 45,000 seats a week) to drive recovery in regions reliant on international tourism. Extending the $50.0 million Business Events Grants program by three months to support the events sector. Extending the $94.6 million Zoos and Aquarium program by six months, so that zoos, aquariums and wildlife parks maintain their animal populations. A further support package for travel agents, so they can continue to process refunds and hold credits for ... Read more

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), has launched an open call for innovators worldwide to bring efficient, climate-smart, cost-effective cooling solutions to India’s hospitality sector. IFC—a member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2020, we invested $22 billion in private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty ... Read more

Vaccine takes the centre stage of future plans of the still baffled and distressed tourism sector  Many raise eyebrows citing ethical concerns. Whilst inoculation initiatives are in place in many regions, hope rises like a phoenix from the ashes of the shattered dreams of tourism. May be the first time in the history of an economic sector of this magnitude, a vaccine becomes a solution for a recovery from a catastrophic crisis. Certainly it is not a panacea; still it provides a ray of hope. Of late, vaccine turns to be the mantra of tourism sector which is the hardest ... Read more

Greek archaeologists have unearthed by chance a more than 2,500-year-old bronze bull idol at the archaeological site of Olympia, the culture ministry said on Friday. The statuette was found intact, close to the temple of ancient Greek god Zeus at Olympia. An observant archaeologist came across the mini-statue during work at the site, one of the most celebrated sanctuaries in ancient Greece, the ministry said in a statement. With one of its horns sticking out of the ground after heavy rainfall, the statuette was found intact, close to the temple of ancient Greek god Zeus at Olympia, the birthplace of ... Read more

Tholppavakkoothu, literally meaning ‘leather puppet play’, is a ritual art performed during the annual festivals in the Kaali temples of Palakkad district. The theme of the play is based on the Kamba Ramayana, narrated in a diction that is a mixture of Malayalam and Tamil dialectical variations. The play covers the whole gamut of events from Lord Sree Rama’s birth to his coronation as the King of Ayodhya. The shadow play is presented in the ‘Koothumadam’, a specially constructed oblong play house on the temple premises. The puppets are fashioned out of the hides of buffaloes and deer, the former for evil characters and latter ... Read more

Kerala does not have incessant rains that stop all activity. It rains for a few hours with sunny interludes. Occasionally the rains might stretch on for a few days but sunshine is never far away. These golden interludes provide an equilibrium to life’s natural flow Kerala has mainly two rainy seasons. The Southwest Monsoon that arrives in the month of June is called Edavappathy, as it comes in the middle of the month of Edavam on the Malayalam Calendar. Mid October witnesses the arrival of the Northeast Monsoon. In the Malayalam calendar this month is called Thulam and hence the ... Read more

Emirates and TAP Air Portugal has signed an MoU to expand the codeshare partnership currently in place between both airlines. The new agreement will see customers of both airlines benefit from seamless connectivity on many new routes across the Americas, North Africa and East Asia. Emirates and TAP Air Portugal will also explore ways to enhance the co-operation on their respective frequent flyer programmes including reciprocal earning and redemption opportunities and popular benefits such as lounge access. In addition, both airlines plan on supporting each other’s stopover programmes in Dubai and Lisbon, with Emirates also supporting TAP Air Portugal as ... Read more

The month of March marks the beginning of summers – a time when people are looking to escape the heat and embark on a relaxing holiday. With an increasing number of guests looking to reconnect with loved ones after being confined to their homes, there has been a rising trend of multigenerational travel. Families can choose to indulge in the diverse beauty of India with Indian Hotels Limited (IHCL) hotels across the country with Taj Holidays. Taj Holidays offers special Family Getaways designed to create cherished moments with loved ones that will last a lifetime. Offering curated experiences, Family Getaways have something for everybody – be it bringing ... Read more

Dressed all in purple, bent-over women held long rakes aloft as they walked in a line to a lavender field to carry out some pruning on an island in southwest South Korea. Welcome to South Korea’s “Purple Islands” Inspired by their native balloon flower, residents of the Banwol and Bakji Islands, known as the ‘Purple Islands’, have painted their houses, roads and bridges in shades of the hue, and planted purple flowers such as lavender and asters to transform their town into a tourist attraction. The tiny, tranquil islands have a little over a hundred residents and were picked for ... Read more

UNWTO has released their Inclusive Recovery Guide for women in tourism, compiled in collaboration with UN Women. UNWTO data shows that women make up the majority of the tourism workforce (54%). Women in tourism are also often concentrated in low-skilled or informal work. This means that they are feeling the economic shock caused by the crisis more acutely and quicker than their male counterparts. In many cases, they are cut off from the social and healthcare protections that are so vital in a global pandemic. Crisis “has a woman’s face” The Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres says, “As the world marks ... Read more