Category: Top Stories

The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), which represents over 5 lakh restaurants in the country, has advised its restaurant members to shut down dine-in operations starting Wednesday across the country till March 31. “We have taken a decision to advise members to close all restaurants across India because we are endangering a lot of employees. We will never be able to survive the guilt if a fatality occurs at our end,” NRAI president Anurag Katriar said. Katriar however said the decision to shut down individual restaurants will remain voluntary and not mandatory. In a report released last year, the ... Read more

The Kerala Travel Mart Society has set up a help-desk as a novel measure to help tourists. Many of the tourists have been struggling to find accommodation, food and water due to the impact of the corona virus. Please find the details regarding the help-desk below.

The Department of Tourism has said that help desks set up to counter the corona virus menace have to be functional 24×7 and come to the rescue of tourists at all times. “The help desks should monitor all developments in this context and be vigilant enough to address any related issues,” the department stated on Wednesday. The new set of guidelines said that the help desks should be in constant touch with the volunteer committees that consist of the members of the various trade associations. “All assistance has to be extended to tourists who have no prior bookings but are ... Read more

India on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan into the country with immediate effect. In an additional travel advisory the government said no flight shall take off from these countries to India after 3 pm IST. The various airlines concerned should enforce this at the port of initial departure, the advisory said. This instruction is a temporary measure and will be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. India has already banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK till March 31.

The Andaman and Nicobar administration has decided to close all tourist spots till March 26, as a precautionary measure to check the spread of the corona virus. Beaches, eco-tourism spots and water sports have been closed since yesterday. All tour operators may advise their clients accordingly.

Malaysia has decided to ban all tourists and foreign visitors from March 18-31. Those passengers returning from overseas destinations must undergo health screening and self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.

All bars, pubs and lounges including bars within restaurants in Dubai have been closed from yesterday, until the end of the month to prevent the spread of corona virus. A statement from the Department of Tourism said, “In line with Dubai government’s precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of its residents and visitors, Dubai tourism notifies all bards, pubs and lounges to close with immediate effect from March 16 till the end of the month.” However, restaurants can remain open. Restrictions are only in place for bars. “Dubai Tourism will continuously evaluate the situation in coordination with the ... Read more

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has unveiled an exciting new address showcasing the brand’s signature Swiss hospitality excellence in Vietnam. Mövenpick Resort Waverly Phu Quoc is the first international premium resort to open along Phu Quoc’s idyllic Ong Lang Beach, and is poised to become the destination of choice for family adventures, company trips, dream weddings, romantic honeymoons and more. The hotel features 305 guestrooms, while the adjacent Mövenpick Residences Phu Quoc offers 329 apartment-style residences and 79 pool villas, perfect for families or extended stays. “This opening represents an evolution of the Mövenpick brand in Vietnam, and we are delighted ... Read more

The solidarity of the tourism sector and the individual tourists is a key factor in minimising the spread and impact of COVID-19, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have said. UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili has stated that the COVID-19 outbreak is first and foremost a public health issue. “UNWTO is following the lead of WHO, with whom we have enjoyed an excellent working relationship.” Pololikashvili is in Geneva, leading a high level delegation to the WHO’s headquarters to further advance the two agencies’ coordinated response to the COVID-19 outbreak. He added that the ... Read more

When it comes to booking overseas travel, timing is crucial. Leading global travel firm Skyscanner in its latest report has provided details on how Indian travellers can find the best prices for their flights and hotels. The company’s APAC Travel Trends 2020 Report has found that Indians’ most favoured international destinations were Bangkok (Thailand), Dubai (UAE) and London (England). Now, the company’s Plan like a Pro guide enables customers to make informed choices when it comes to accommodation and travel. Price indices reveal hotel and flight costs, showing travellers precisely what the averages are and when to book in order ... Read more

Karnataka to develop coastal tourism to take on Kerala, Goa   Karnataka has great potential to develop its coastal tourism and the state should take steps to emulate the success of Kerala and Goa in this regard, speakers at the annual state conference of journalists stated in Mangalore on Monday. A session on coastal development and tourism organised as part of the final day of the two-day 35th state conference under the aegis of KUWJ said Karnataka has a beautiful 320 km long coastline, which needs to be exploited better. Speakers at the conference said the success that of Kerala ... Read more

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued guidelines to the hotel industry, detailing the procedure to be followed wherever persons with potential exposure to COVID-19 are housed. The hotel staff at the reception should be well versed in hand and respiratory hygiene and follow due protocol if a guest develop symptoms, the ministry has advised. All guests should be asked about their travel history and information has to be gathered if they have been to any of the affected area in the past 14 days. The hotels should provide alcohol based hand-rubs containing 70% alcohol to guests in ... Read more

In an aggressive bid to make deeper inroads in Europe, Kerala Tourism conducted a string of high-energy road shows by participating in World Travel Market (WTM) London 2019 in November and showcasing its formidable eyeball-grabbing products in the emerging markets of Scandinavian countries Denmark and Finland. Kerala Tourism Director P Bala Kiran led a high-profile official delegation, comprising prominent trade partners like hoteliers, resort owners, tour operators and service providers from the state, to WTM London and roadshows in Copenhagen (Denmark) and Helsinki (Finland). At WTM London, Kerala Tourism set up a spectacular pavilion over 120 sq.mt area with the ... Read more

Having established an unassailable lead, Tropical Titans registered a resounding triple hat-trick in the Champions Boat League (CBL) today when they finished first at the 11th round in Kallada ahead of the finals of the pioneering water event next weekend.  The star team met the expectation of crowd by outshining all their eight competitors yet again by clocking 3:43.91 minutes in the evening’s final race, ahead of spirited Raging Rowers (3:49.95) and Mighty Oars (3:52.00) who came second and third, respectively. Amid loud cheer down the one-km track, the day’s victors also earned the ‘Nerolac Excel Fastest Team of the Day’ ... Read more

The fifth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF 2020) is set to be held from the 16th to 19th of January 2020 at Calicut. With over Four Lakh attendees, KLF 2020 is the second-largest cultural gathering and the fastest-growing literature festival on the continent. Set along the shores of the Arabian Sea by the beaches of Calicut, the festival will bring readers and writers together for inspiration, entertainment, and discussion. The eminent speakers include Literary Luminaries, Booker Prize Winners, Oscar Winners, Jnanpith Laureates, Astronauts, Environmentalists, Head of States, Film & Theatre Personalities, Performers & Artists, Designers, Media Personalities, Sports ... Read more