Category: India

A group of six women from the Indian Navy created history by successfully crossing Cape Horn through the Drake Passage, which is the roughest stretch of water on the planet. Sailing in Indian Navy Sailing Vessel, INSV Tarini, the team crossed Cape Horn, the Mount Everest of sailing, as part of the Navika Sagar Parikrama expedition, the first ever attempt by an all-women crew from India to sail around the globe. The crew, led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, started their 22,100 nautical mile circumnavigation journey from Goa in September 2017.  In October, INS Tarini reached its first stop in Fremantle, ... Read more

Representational image The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) gears up for the proposed strike by tourist taxi operators on Friday, and assure its members of extending help with regards to their transport requirements for guests on that day. It has also asked stakeholders to let it know about their needs in this regard. This will be the third tourist taxi strike since 2012. “TTAG has spoken to Drishti Marine to arrange for ferry service to transport guests from the airport to Panaji and Verem,” assures Savio Messias, President, TTAG.  TTAG will set up help desks in North and ... Read more

Crowne Plaza, Kochi Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, issues fresh guidelines with aim to streamline hotel classification, to make them simple, transparent and time-bound. Liquor shops and stores on the premises of a hotel other than bars will not be considered for classification under star hotels “with alcohol” category, to remove any ambiguity. Besides, all hotels will now have to mandatorily display their classification status prominently at the reception and on their websites under a separate icon on the opening page, which will display the order of classification issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Unlike previously, ... Read more

Web Desk International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) Kolkata, will open the country’s one and only tourism university. IIHM is investing over Rs. 150 crore in setting up the University out of which Rs. 70 crore has already been invested towards setting up the infrastructure and state-of-art facilities in Salt Lake Electronic Complex Sector 5. IIHM Campus in Kolkatta Named as the IIHM University and is registered under the West Bengal Private University Act, the new institution is a joint venture between IIHM and Institute of Advanced Management (IAM). “Our vision is to co-create one of the finest Tourism Universities ... Read more

Web Desk Photo Courtesy: India.com In what can be called as a historical statement, the Deputy Speaker of the Goa Assembly and BJP MLA Michael Lobo states that the state of Maharashtra is falling short of tourist revenues because it does not allow bikinis in its territory. Lobo made this statement while speaking at one of the events held to mark the Opinion Poll day, where he justifies that bikinis are allowed in Goa because of the Opinion Poll of 1967. At a time when Goa was liberated from the Portuguese rule in 1961, a historic referendum was held in ... Read more

Web Desk The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, in its 24th meeting on January 18, is likely to make changes in the GST Law to facilitate the release of locked input tax credit in tourism and hotel industry. The council is meeting to hold discussions over Narendra Modi’s mission for having a digital-based economy, with a focus on incentivisation of digital payment of taxes under the GST regime. The industry bodies have been mentioning that the lack of input tax credit (ITC) under the GST has impacted the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) segment with cancellations and postponement ... Read more

Union minister for tourism Alphons Kannanthanam stated that the Tourism Industry has generated USD 27 billion in revenue. Around 10 million foreign tourists (FTA) visited the country in 2017. “The tourism sector was doing well with 15.2 per cent more increase in foreign tourist arrival,” says the minister. The foreign exchange earnings went up to 20.2 per cent. “Income from tourism from foreign tourist arrival alone has been 27 billion dollars and if we convert in terms of rupee it would come approximately to 1,75000 crores rupees,” Kannanthanam adds. The tourism sector is contributing 6.88 per cent to the country’s ... Read more

Kites have always been a part of everyday life in India. The dangerous, exuberant game is being recreated at a larger level in Gujarat at the International Kite Flying Festival. The colourful kites adorning the vast skies of Gujarat is a sight to behold. The International Kite Festival is a part of the official celebration of Uttarayan in Gujarat, bringing kite makers and flyers from all over the world to demonstrate their unique creations and wow the crowds with unique and unusual kites. Let’s have a look at this year’s festival, which was held from January 7 to 14… Grand ... Read more

Web Desk India has positioned itself as a destination for medical treatment with people from all parts of the world flocking the land as it quotes reasonable, quality service in health with a cost less than 60-90 per cent when comparing with the rest of the globe. photo courtesy :astermedcity.com With the number of estimated tourist arrivals is expected to double over the next four years, the Indian government forecast that medical tourism would fetch over 6 billion tourists in 2018 and 9 billion by 2020, with the current estimate in value terms of 3 billion dollars. Top list in ... Read more

Web Desk Tattapani in Himachal Pradesh, which is very famous for its hot water springs, is going to have a face-lift soon. “The State Government is committed to promote religious tourism at Tattapani and to restore its lost glory,” says Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. The spring water that is spread over an area of one square kilo metre is said to have curative powers that provide relief from ailments like joint pain, fatigue, stress relief, and poor blood circulation, and reduces fat and skin diseases. Photo Courtesy: holidify “The restoration of springs and ‘Bathing Ghats’ will soon be taken ... Read more

Web Desk Deepika Padukone in Padmavati. Picture Courtesy: India.com The ban on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama ‘Padmavati’ (now ‘Padmavat’) in Rajasthan turns out to be a boon for the tourism in the state. The film that showcases the valour of Rani Padmavati, Maharawal Ratan Singh and the famed Rajput ethos of honour, bravery and sacrifice, has faced the ire of organisations like Karni Sena the Kshatriya Mahasabha. The Mewar region of the state, home to the fabled queen Padmini, has been witness to a phenomenal rise in tourist numbers in December 2017. Chittorgarh Fort. Photo Courtesy: Tourism Rajasthan A ... Read more

Web Desk Photo Courtesy: VisitDubai Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) releases its much-awaited #BeMyGuest campaign video, featuring Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Conceptualised with the aim to strengthen the connection and cultural links between Dubai and India, the video directed by Kabir Khan underlines the importance of audiences from the subcontinent and the vast diaspora as the top source markets for inbound and repeat visitation to the emirate. Photo Courtesy: VisitDubai “Last year I invited my fans around the world to Be My Guest while giving them a glimpse into my Dubai, as part of this ... Read more

The tourist authorities in Kerala have announced that the Chembra peak in Wayanad will remain temporarily closed from January 15, 2018, (Monday) onwards due to the forest fire in the area. Chembra was closed down in February 2017 following a devastating forest fire, which burnt down around 100 hectares of grassland. Chembra peak is the highest peak in Wayanad at 2100 m above sea level.

Web Desk With an aim to boost coastal tourism, the Ministry of Shipping has floated expression of interest for operating passenger ferry services connecting coastal cities such as Thoothukudi, Rameswaram and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Rameswaram “An interactive meeting would be convened with those expressing interest and tender would be floated subsequently,” says S. Natarajan, Deputy Chairman of V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust. Across the country, the governments and other departments are slowly realising the water wealth of the country. If the coastal belts of states are connected, it will by and large boost the tourist inflow ... Read more

Web Desk Ashtamudi Lake. Picture Courtesy: Kerala Tourism The southern coastal district in Kerala, Kollam, is all set to get some exciting projects to boost the tourism in the district. The government of Kerala has approved tourism projects worth Rs. 27 crore in Kollam. Ashtamudi Lake, Kannetti Lake and Vattakkayal are some o the areas which would be getting a new touch. “A tourism project focussing on Ashtamudi Lake is under consideration. The possibilities of Kannetti Lake and Vattakayal will be explored,” says Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said after inaugurating the Kannetti pavilion and lakeside tourism project. Ashtamudi Lake is ... Read more