Category: Top Stories

Travel Japan has introduced a new range of ‘Discover Japan within Australia’ experiences to help Australians stay connected to Japan. Experiences are available in locations throughout Australia and cater to a range of interests. Japan was Australia’s fifth largest inbound market for visitor arrivals, and for total visitor spend and sixth for visitor nights. Through this initiative the participants can: ·       Take part in online virtual tours  ·       Learn and practice the art of traditional dance ·       Enjoy the beauty and refinement of the Japanese tea ceremony ·       Learn how to wear a Japanese kimono or yukata while enjoying time to pose and take photos ... Read more

The Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Thailand has announced that foreign golfers with advance arrangements for golfing in Thailand will be allowed to undergo a golf quarantine as an alternative local state quarantine option. During the quarantine period, foreign golfers will be able to enjoy golfing and health-related activities at the golf course at their own expense, thus allowing the opportunity to undergo quarantine and enjoy golfing in Thailand at the same time. Foreign golfers wishing to visit Thailand during this time need to apply for a visa, which can include a Single-Entry Tourist Visa (TR) or ... Read more

The 2021 edition of the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert took place on Friday, without any live audience in the “Golden Hall” of the Musikverein in Vienna, under the baton of Italian conductor Riccardo Muti. Daniel Froschauer, the Vienna Philharmonic’s chairman of the board as well as the first violinist, at the concert said “As an ambassador of music and together with maestro Muti we would like to send a message of hope and optimism through our concert,”. “The music of the New Year’s Concert has carried us through dark days as well as joyous times. In this sense, we ... Read more

“The whole Travel & Tourism sector will be breathing a sigh of relief that the EU and UK government have been able to agree on a deal at the 11th hour,” said Gloria Guevara President & CEO of WTTC. “It is good news for a sector which has been crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic and which feared the consequences of a no-deal Brexit. Thankfully this worrying outcome has been avoided and now the sector can look ahead to 2021 with more confidence. “But British holidaymakers could face higher health costs and added red tape. The devil will be in the ... Read more

The Government of Kerala has finally decided to reopen spas and ayurvedic resorts in the state, which were closed for over nine months due to the novel coronavirus. The decision was announced by the state Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran. The spas, ayurvedic resorts, and other such facilities in Kerala, are now all set to welcome visitors again as the state government has issued orders for reopening them by adhering to safety norms. There has been a continuous demand from the industry players to open up the Ayurveda sector which has a significant role in Kerala’s incoming tourism. The spas and ... Read more

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “While protecting public health is paramount, blanket travel bans cannot be the answer. They have not worked in the past and they will not work now. “If a comprehensive and quick turnaround testing regime were in place at airports across the country to test all travellers before they depart, it would ensure only those infected with COVID-19 are isolated and are prevented from travelling. There would be no need for countries to introduce damaging and counterproductive wholesale bans on UK travellers. “People should not be deterred from travelling because they simply can’t find ... Read more

From a new Banksy tour in Bristol to a deep dive into climate change in London, Britain promises a wealth of interactive experiences to enjoy when we’re all able to travel again. And with 24 January 2021 marking the UNESCO International Day of Education, you can seize the moment and start dreaming of the top cultural experiences that await on a future trip to Britain. Britain’s maritime history You can look forward to delving into maritime history at The Box in Plymouth, the south-west coast’s brand new cultural hub. The fully-accessible museum is currently showing a commemorative exhibition marking 400 years since ... Read more

As we bid adieu to an arduous 2020, it is time to kick-start 2021 with a renewed focus on wellness to balance the mind, body, and soul. Discover the magic of Jiva, the award-winning spas, where guests will find a unique range of spa treatments that blend age-old Indian healing techniques with the finest natural ingredients. Following methods of ancient wisdom and true deliverance of self-consciousness, each treatment is designed to initiate holistic healing. Discover the beauty and wonders of inner silence with Antar Mouna, a meditation technique that helps in reconnecting with the inner being. Achieve a state of ... Read more

“Making better places for people to visit and better places for people to live in” has been the slogan of Kerala’s Responsible Tourism (RT) mission since its inception. Speaking about the revival of tourism in the state, K. Rupesh Kumar, RT Mission State coordinator said domestic tourism was on the revival path, as can be gauged from the arrival of guests from other States. “Knowing that responsible tourism is the way forward post-pandemic, they come in search of experiential tourism. Stakeholders have readied unique packages where care is taken to avoid crowding and adhere to hygiene,” He added “In keeping ... Read more

Starting 2021 with a fresh mind, it’s time to take a look inside our ‘tabigokoro’ or our ‘travel hearts’ and see what’s been hiding. According to a recent survey, in 2021 we will be more likely to go to places which have been on the top of our bucket lists for years, and for many people that is nowhere else than Japan! However, once we’re there we shouldn’t feel rushed and pressured to visit as many places as possible. Japan is all about celebrating those small experiences and little joys. The 100 soundscapes of Japan, understanding your ‘ikigai’ reason for living, ‘kuidaore’ self-indulgence, observing ... Read more

Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society has started preparations for a Virtual Kerala Travel Mart in March this year. The dates of the Virtual Travel Mart are expected to be announced soon by the Kerala Tourism department and KTM. The 5-day-long virtual exhibition will have B2B meetings and seminars on different topics. There will be seminars on all five days where experts from the industry will discuss and deliberate ways to revive the tourism sector in the state. The motive to promote tourism and its related activities in the State of Kerala led to the formation of the Kerala Travel Mart ... Read more

Vietnam’s national tourism website has teamed up with World Golf Champion Greg Norman to create an online showcase of the country’s top golf tourism products. The new golf section of the website is aimed at inspiring golfers to choose Vietnam once borders reopen. Hosted in vietnam. travel, the new content features six 360-degree interactive tours of golf courses in Central and Southern Vietnam, articles and photos from Vietnam’s must-play courses, and Vietnam travel tips for golfers curated by Vietnam Tourism Ambassador ‘The Shark’ himself. Through high-resolution 360-degree tours, golfers can look around the most scenic holes at Laguna Lang Co ... Read more

Residents and visitors enjoying the latest edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will have even more chances to win great life-changing prizes with a host of super giveaways. The 26th edition of the longest-running retail celebration, organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), features amazing raffles with incredible rewards worth millions of dirhams up for grabs throughout DSF, which ends on 30 January 2021. Among the mega prizes to be won is an AED6 million W Motors Fenyr SuperSport, 45 INFINITI QX60 vehicles, 45 brand-new Nissan vehicles, AED1 million in cash prizes and 25kg of gold. WIN ... Read more

Spread over a 55 sq. km area of forests on the Western Ghats, the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary is among the finest of its kind in Kerala. It plays host to an exotic array of flora and fauna and is among the most picturesque locations in the Kannur district. The entire area is covered in tropical and semi-evergreen forests and is a truly riveting sight. One can catch sight of herds of elephants, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Nilgiri Langur, Hanuman Langur, and the Malabar Giant Squirrel. It is also famous for the vast amount of butterfly species found here. ... Read more

With medics and helpers covered in masks, medical glasses, and protective suits, it is sometimes hard to convey festive cheer to the patients on Moscow’s COVID-19 wards. But Leonid Krasner, who has been volunteering at a hospital since the first wave, has found a way with the colorful pictures he draws on the back of his overalls to help patients recognize him and bring a smile to those being treated. Krasner, 59, decorates his single-use suits before entering the wards every time he is in the hospital. He once drew a cartoonish plane for a sick pilot and a congratulations ... Read more