Category: Top Stories

After tourism has been hit badly for many months due to Covid-19, the north Indian state of Rajasthan is now slowly but gradually witnessing an uprise in the number of tourists to the state. With the revival of international tourism not on the cards, the Rajasthan government has shifted its focus to domestic tourism and has started promoting its UNESCO recognized world heritage sites among local tourists. There are 9 heritage sites in Rajasthan which are recognized by UNESCO and the state government of Rajasthan has been working towards refurbishing these sites to attract more tourists. These heritage sites include ... Read more

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) one of the apex bodies in Global Tourism, teamed up with GIZ has organized a virtual training program via Zoom for Sri Lanka Tourism on four days including 12, 13, 24, and 25 November 2020. Sri Lanka’s long-standing proud membership induced PATA’s collaboration with GIZ to sponsor two global experts Tourism Crisis Management Expert John Bailey and Global Tourism Marketing Guru Damian Cook, in training Sri Lanka’s Tourism’s key personnel from Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lank Tourism Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, entirely ... Read more

The Mumbai Police on 09th DEC, took Anil Khandelwal, the chief financial officer of Cox & Kings (India) Ltd (CNK) in custody from the Taloja jail. He would be produced in court later this week in connection with the Rs 239-crore payment default case filed by IndusInd Bank Ltd (IBL). He was earlier arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a different case and remanded to judicial custody. A team led by joint commissioner of police Niket Kaushik is probing this case. Audley Luis (55), vice-president, IBL, submitted a complaint to the Economic Offenses Wing (EOW). After making an inquiry, ... Read more

With the temperatures falling to around five degree Celsius, another winter season is getting a warm welcome at Munnar. The lowest temperature of so far this season was recorded last Sunday when the mercury slipped down to 6 degree Celsius at Mattupetty, Nallathanni, and Chokkanad while the remote tea plantation areas of Gundumalai , Thenmala, Chenduvarai, and Lakshmi it went down  4 degree Celsius. The increase in the lowest temperature level on Tuesday was a result of the depression in the Bay of Bengal. For a week, the temperature has been slowly falling, as per the weather data available at ... Read more

An ice cave formed naturally on a high-altitude glacier in the Swiss Alps became accessible this week, to the delight of visitors who came to marvel at the huge blue vault of the “ice cathedral”. Changing size and shape from year to year, the cave has a rounded ceiling made of thick ice about 5 meters high and is 20 meters long. The site is accessible by foot in 15 minutes from the chairlift at Glacier 3000 above the resort of Les Diablerets, but at your own risk, organizers warned. In the last years … we had kind of an ... Read more

Adapting to the new normal of the global travel and tourism industry, due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has established a strategic initiative to connect with the latest technology, and bring the amazing experiences and world-renowned tourist attractions that the country has to offer, in collaboration with leading wildlife experts. This process is carried out under the continuous guidance of Ms. Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson, Sri Lanka Tourism, encouraging both local and international travelers, wildlife enthusiasts to experience the natural and cultural resources on a virtual basis, mostly on social media platforms, within the comfort ... Read more

The spread of the coronavirus may have slowed down economies and closed many businesses worldwide, but it doesn’t seem to be a dampener for the newly opened Tokyo sauna that caters to solo customers. The customers can relax in solitude and enjoy the heat from water over hot stones, in the Finnish-style sauna rooms at Solo Sauna Tune, which has become so popular they are completely booked up within hours. Daisuke Kawase, Co-founder said that although the idea for the business was already in place before the spread of the coronavirus, the pandemic and the social distancing it brought have ... Read more

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan has said that the government has announced its decision to resume the entry of foreigners from all countries. Foreign citizens could now enter Kyrgyzstan by regular flights through the country’s three international airports in accordance with the requirements to prevent the importation and spread of Covid-19. Visitors to Kyrgyzstan are required to get a negative PCR test results dated no more than 72 hours before arrival. The Passengers will first be checked by the employees of sanitary and quarantine services of Kyrgyzstan for PCR test results and conduct thermometry on board the aircraft ... Read more

Terminated for the last nine months, flights between New Delhi & Kathmandu are to resume from next week under the ‘air bubble’ concept as confirmed by the government officials. Although Nepal decided to resume international flights on September 1, nearly after six months of its discontinuation in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, flights to three destinations in India – New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore have not resumed due to the increasing rate of Covid-19 Pandemic. Air connectivity between the Indian and Nepali capital would resume from next week with the completion of preparations, said Buddhi Sagar Lamicchane, the Joint Secretary ... Read more

Emirates is re-opening its lounges around the world beginning with the Emirates lounge at Cairo International Airport. In the coming weeks, Emirates’ customers can look forward to once again enjoying Emirates lounge services in other destinations including New York’s JFK International and Manchester Airport. The airline has redesigned its lounge offering and introduced additional health and safety measures. The new protocols will be rolled out in each lounge. The buffet offering will be changed to an a la carte service with contactless menus activated by QR code. Throughout the day, lounge staff will sanitize each seat and table after customers ... Read more

It is no surprise that there is general excitement on New Zealand’s West Coast.   The small towns that make up the region are ready to welcome visitors from all over the world to see their backyard. The first purpose built dual walking and mountain bike track on the Great Walk network, the Paparoa Track is set to become one of the region’s biggest drawcard for New Zealanders and overseas visitors. Locals, or ‘Coasters’ as they are colloquially known, are infamous for their hospitality and extremely passionate about their home and the new track is of significant meaning to everyone from ... Read more

With Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) planning to to impose a new charge on passengers to survive the Covid-induced downturn , flying out of the national capital could soon cost more. DIAL has requested regulatory approval to charge Rs 200 and Rs 300 from every domestic and international outbound passenger, respectively till March 2024. DIAL had already petitioned the aviation ministry last week to “direct” AERA to factor in the Covid impact on its revenue while determining the airport’s tariffs, and  had warned of a “serious cash-flow deficit situation”, which would make it “difficult to continue airport operations”. DIAL’s comments ... Read more

Kandovan is located in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran, in the city of Oscu, and is famous for its rocky structure. The village has been registered as a valuable work in national works of Iran, and it has a worldwide reputation and it is the only rocky village in the world. The weather in the Kandovan village is mountainous and bungalow. And in the cold seasons, the heating of the rooms is done through the floor. Kandovan village has 700-year-old rocky houses and a unique view, encouraging tourists to travel to the beautiful weather spot on the slopes of one of the most ... Read more

Australians are being encouraged to give the gift of travel this festive season with a new campaign aimed at inspiring travellers to help give back to operators and communities across the country during what is typically their busiest period by booking a tourism experience. With domestic travel restrictions continuing to ease, the latest marketing push from Tourism Australia urges those who have the means to, to take the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones while enjoying one of the many experiences on offer across Australia, from a city staycation to a winery tour, a surf lesson or a wellness retreat. ... Read more

Explore GB Virtual, taking place from the 1 March to the 5 March 2021, will invite international buyers to connect online with travel trade suppliers from across the UK to do business and boost bookings. Attendance is free with registrations set to open from mid-December. Visit Britain Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said: “Using a tried and tested online platform Explore GB Virtual will give travel industry suppliers and destinations from across the UK the chance to get their products and services in front of top global buyers and forge valuable business connections. “As well as the opportunity to do business, ... Read more