Category: News

Goa’s tourism season will start from 4th October 2018, with arrival of the first chartered flight from Russia, carrying tourists. It was informed by Savio Messiah, President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG). Goa has its conventional visitors from Russia and the UK to cheer the tourist season, though there is competition from the Middle East and European countries. Now a days Goa does not have an off season, as the domestic tourists who come from across the country makes it lively throughout the year, even in monsoon. The state’s lone airport has been receiving a good ... Read more

India and Usbekistan signed 17 agreements for cooperation in various sectors, including tourism, visa free travel for diplomats, national security, training of diplomats and human trafficking The agreements were signed during the visit of the Usbekistan’s Presiden Shavkat Mirziyoyev in New Delhi on Monday, 1st October 2018. The agreements signed between the two countries include cooperation on agricultural and related sectors, science and technology, military education and in health and medical science sector. A MoU for cooperation in the pharmacy sector also signed. Other areas of cooperation include prevention of human trafficking and illicit narcotic drugs. An agreement also signed ... Read more

Marriott International reveals Robust expansion plans across Africa. The hospitality major said it is also expecting to increase portfolio by 50 per cent with over 200 hotels and 38,000 rooms by 2023. From the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Nairobi, Kenya, Marriott International today announced rapid expansion plans across Africa. Strong demand for select-service brands and conversion opportunities are driving the momentum of growth for the company, amplified by five new hotel signings. The new signings will further consolidate Marriott International’s presence in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa and mark the company’s entry into Mozambique. The signings put ... Read more

Chinese National Day Celebrations at Tian’anmen Square China’s National Day holiday marked massive tourist activities across the country. As per reports from the Ministry of Tourism, around 122 million Chines people travelled around the country on Monday, 1st October 2018. This is 7.54 per cent more than that of the same period in last year. Revenue from domestic tourism for a single day reached around USD 15 billion, which is 7.19 per cent more than last year. This was revealed by the National Tourism Data Center. China has been celebrating their 69th Anniversary of the formation of People’s Republic of ... Read more

Backwaters of Alappuzha are in the process of revival after the chaos of the rain and floods. In order to convey the message that Alappuzha is ready to receive tourists to its backwaters, the Alappzuha District Tourism Promotion Council is organizing a campaign with the tag line ‘Back to Backwaters’. The authorities are planning to have boat rally from the finishing point of the Nehru trophy boat race.The event will start on 5th October at 8:00 Am, with a bike rally of women, which will start from Alappuzha beach and conclude at the boat race finishing point. A photo exhibition ... Read more

Tocklai Tea Research Institute Foundation stone for a Tea Tourism Center has laid by Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Assam at Tocklai Tea Research Institute in Jorhat on 30th September 2018. The Tea Tourism Center to be built under the signature project of the state, ‘Uttaran Scheme’. Speaking on the occasion, Sonoval said that the tea industry of Assam has been facing tough competition in the world tea market, especially due to entry of new countries in the tea production sector. “In order to put up with the challenging situation, the state tea industry have to upgrade the quality of ... Read more

An encouraging response to the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) has prompted the idea of a much spacious permanent venue from the next edition of what is already the country’s biggest tourism event, organisers said on Sunday. KTM-2020 will also be plastic-free even as the September 27-30 venue of the biennial event took exceptional care to ensure cleanliness, they told a press conference. The just-concluded edition saw 35,000 buyer-seller meets, 15,000 of them involving delegates from foreign countries. Kerala Tourism Secretary Rani George emphasised that KTM-2018 has enabled a general change in public perception that last month’s deluge has crippled the ... Read more

Rajasthan, famous for its historical tourism destinations, bagged three national awards this year during the National Tourism Awards 2016-17. It was announced at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on the occasion of the National Tourism Day. Rajasthan won the sought after top position in the categories of Best Film Promotion Friendly State and Use of Information technology, Social media, and website. Meanwhile, the state shared the award for Comprehensive Development of Tourism with Goa. Kuldeep Ranka, the Principal Secretary of Rajasthan tourism department, Pradeep Kumar, Director of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) and Punita Singh, joint ... Read more

Paragliding in Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh Tourism development projects worth Rs 1,892 are coming up in Himachal Pradesh as per official sources. Union ministry has sanctioned the amount to strengthen the infrastructure of the tourism destinations under the scheme ‘Nai Raahein Nai Manzilein’ (new paths and new destinations)’. Under the project, the state government aims at encouraging home-stays through the private sector. Nature walks, eco-trails, treks, trips to orchards and other attractions would be promoted in these circuits. Development of infrastructure will be of utmost priority. Road connectivity, accommodation and provision of basic amenities in new places in Bir Billing, ... Read more

ACI chief Angela Gittens hands over the award to CIAL operations senior manager Manu G. (Photo Courtesy: Indian Express) Cochin International Airport (CIAL) has secured third place in the Airport Service Quality survey conducted by Airports Council International (ACI), a non-profit organisation representing the world’s airports.  The award was in the Asia-Pacific region, 5 to 15 million passengers category. CIAL achieved this award based on facilities provided by the airport, such as car parking, check-in services, food, entertainment and toilets. Around 6 lakh passengers have participated on the survey conducted by ACI. Kochi Airport, which runs on solar power, has ... Read more

Nefertiti, the Egyptian themed luxury vessel of the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC), will be launched by the end of October, charting a new course in cruise tourism in Kerala. This was announced on Sunday by Mohammed Hanish, Managing Director of KSINC, on the sidelines of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) 2018, the biggest tourist conclave in the country at Willingdon Island here, where the vessel was showcased. Mohammed Hanish said Hon’ble Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to inaugurate the luxury vessel. Equipped with 3D theatre, air conditioned hall, sun deck, banquet hall, bar – lounge and an ... Read more

Kerala made milestone advances in tourism by charting steps to stir up the crucial industry that contributes to a tenth of its economy, as the country’s biggest travel event concluded on Sunday by vowing to reinvigorate the sector recovering from last month’s natural calamity. The four-day Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) has announced plans to reinvent its decade-old responsible tourism, update customised packages, strengthen tools of publicity, broaden the tourism map and deck up heritage spots to woo more travelers to God’s Own Country. The event held from September 27-30 had 35,000 business meets involving 1,635 buyers (545 of them from 66 ... Read more

The hill state of Sikkim has got its first airport only recently and it is expected to be fully operational by October first week. The state and the residents are expecting that the new airport will bring fortune for the state in the form of tourism and agricultural development. The airport at Pakyong was inaugurated on September 24 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Spread over 990 acres, the airport is located 35 km south of Gangtok. At 4,500 feet above sea level, it is among the five highest airports in the country. “This new airport has created a sensation among ... Read more

Foreign tourist witness traditional coir making, as part of responsible tourism in Kerala The Kerala government is aiming at generating 5 lakhs jobs in the tourism sector through its responsible tourism programme in the next three years, irrespective of the setback experienced by the tourism industry following the rain and flood during August this year. “Responsible tourism will be the key to the aspiring government plan of generating 5 lakhs job opportunities by 2021,” said Rani George, Kerala Tourism Secretary. She was addressing the tourism industry in the Kerala Travel Mart at Kochi, which has been taking place since 27th ... Read more

Kerala is on its path of revival, after a month long catastrophe due to rain and flood. Various activities are going on in different parts of the state to reinstate its past glory. As part of the rebuilding endeavours, Kabani Community Tourism and Services, a Kozhikode based tourism company, is organizing an event in the name ‘Nambu – Naam Anbode (we, with love), to encourage collective farming at Wayanad. Under this programme, the organizers are planning to undertake over six acres of land to cultivate rice. Several farmers and about hundred patrons will join hands to produce rice, where the ... Read more