Category: News

Wayanad, renowned tourism destination in Kerala, popular for its natural scenic beauty and wildlife, is getting back to normal after the disastrous rain and flood. In order propagate the revival of the tourism destination; Wayanad District Tourism Promotion Council (WDTP) is organizing an inter-state bike rally with the tag line, “Wayanad Beckons’. Pookode Lake C K Saseendran, MLA of Wayanad District and N S K Umesh, Wayanad Sub-collector will jointly flag off the programme at Pookode Lake on 21st September 2018, at 9 a.m. The Bike rally to cover Bengaluru, Mysuru, Ooty and Coimbatore and will be back by 23rd ... Read more

There are hundreds and thousands of yoga instructors ans practitioners in the country and, it is difficult to identify the certified instructors. It is to help people identify the certified instructors that the AYUSH ministry has come up with a mobile-based app to help users locate certified yoga instructors and institutes around them. The app, commissioned by the ministry, regulates alternative systems of medicine, including yoga. The app lists yoga instructors and institutes that have been validated by experts from the Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN) under the ministry. Instructors and institutes interested in getting certified will ... Read more

Kericho Tea Plantation (Photo courtesy: jamiiforums.com) Kenya plans to grant loans at discounted interest rates to the hospitality industry to promote green tourism. It was informed by Jonah Ormoi, the chief executive officer of State-owned Tourism Finance Corporation. “We will extend loans at below market rates to the hospitality sector in order to ensure that the tourism sector has a low carbon footprint,” Ormoi said during a forum on sustainable trends in the MICE (Meetings Incentives Conference and Exhibitions) tourism sector. Repayment of the loan should only be started after 24 months from the date of loan.  The authorities expect ... Read more

Golden Temple, Panjab Navjot Singh Sidhu, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister of Punjab, states Tourism is going to be the major revenue earner of the state. He was speaking to the media in the India Tourism Mart 2018. The government is striving to make tourism contribute 20 per cent to the state’s GDP. “The State has a vivacious culture and lively people who are ready to open their homes and hearts to welcome guests from all over the world,” said Sidhu while interacting with the media. “Golden Temple is the largest visited monument in India which sees a daily footfall ... Read more

With an aim to position Tanzania as a favourite destination in India, the Tanzania Tourist Board organised a roadshow in New Delhi to showcase its diverse tourism offerings. “Tourism is the number one foreign currency earner in Tanzania. The total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP is 17.2 per cent and is forecast to rise by 6.6 per cent in 2025. In 2017, tourism contribution to direct and indirect employment measured over one lakh jobs. This is expected to rise by 2.7 per cent in 2025,” said TTB Managing Director, Devota Mdachi. Tanzania is endowed with some of Africa’s world ... Read more

Munnar ghats witness a visual extravagance once in 12 years – blooming of Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana). Mostly the flowers start blooming from July. However, due to rain and floods, the blooming has delayed this year. Neelakurinji flowers are usually visible at Vattavada and Rajamala region of Munnar. This year, a nearby valley of Kolukkumalai also blessed with Neelakurinji blooms. Advocate Haroon, a media person hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, has made a journey to Kolukkumai to experience the visual treat. Kolukkumalai is a tea plantation; spread across 500 acres and around 8000 feet high from sea level. It is said to be ... Read more

Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, Kingdom of Morocco, Mohamed Sajid and Minister of State for Tourism (IC), Government of India, K J Alphons held a bilateral meeting on Tourism Cooperation between India and Morocco in New Delhi. During this meeting both the Ministers agreed to enhance the tourism cooperation between India and Morocco and to work towards increasing tourist arrivals between both countries. This meeting was followed by signing of an agreement of cooperation. India Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (ITDC) has signed a MoU with La Societe Marocaine D’Ingenierie Touristique, also known as Moroccan Agency for Tourism ... Read more

Rani George, Kerala Tourism Secretary presents the ‘Sun is out’ presentation to the media After the devastating floods, Kerala tourism is bouncing back with rigorous promotion programmes by the Ministry of Tourism. Kadakampally Surendran, Tourism Minister of Kerala, along with Rani George, Tourism Secretary and P Balakiran, Tourism Director, have conducted a press meet in Delhi, as part of the first ever India Travel Mart. Rani George has made a presentation of Kerala’s revival activities with a title ‘Sun is out’. The presentation expounded how Kerala is getting back to normal from the havoc of the flood. After the presentation ... Read more

IndiGo has launched its 5th service to Singapore with the commencement of additional services from Kolkata and Tiruchirappalli. The new flights are designed to cater to business and leisure travellers who are constantly on the lookout for new and affordable flying options. “We are pleased to operate our first daily non-stop flights between Kolkata-Singapore and Tiruchirappalli-Singapore starting September 15. IndiGo has completed 12 years of successful operations in the India market as a low cost carrier, and adding new flights to its network will further augment the connectivity that we aspire to provide to our customers. It is our constant endeavour ... Read more

The government is taking a slew of measures to increase the number of tourists visiting India from China. And, as part of this initiative, the ministry is planning to appoint a strategic adviser for the Chinese market. The strategic adviser is appointed to advice and coordinate strategies to attract more inbound tourists from China. This was revealed by KJ Alphons, Minister for Tourism, Government of India, at the India Tourism Mart in New Delhi. “As a destination India is doing phenomenally well and is growing well above the global average. In the meantime, Chinese market continues to be a concern for India ... Read more

Houseboat industry of Kerala, mostly concentrated in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts, is spreading its focus to other regions such as Eranakulam and Malabar. The Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) has sought the permission from the authorities to set up a houseboat terminal-cum-hub on Kadamakudy Island. “They can also operate from DTPC’s boat terminal at Marine Drive. The Chittoor-Cheranalloor route and the water body on the north western parts of the city are ideal to operate and berth them. We intend to procure a few boats once the houseboat hub is realised at Kadamakudy,” said S Vijayakumar, DTPC Secretary. One ... Read more

Emirates airline’s fully-enclosed First Class Private Suites, launched in November last year on its Boeing 777 aircraft, has been awarded gold by Future Travel Experience (FTE) in the “Up in the Air” category. The FTE Global Awards celebrate the outstanding efforts of organizations that have gone the extra mile to improve the passenger experience both on the ground and in-flight. The “Best ‘Up in the Air’ Initiative” category recognizes the top three initiatives that have helped to improve the passenger experience and/or significantly enhance operational efficiency during the in-flight phase of the travel process. The awards ceremony took place at ... Read more

Union Tourism Minister Alphons K J today invited the global tourism stakeholders to visit Kerala supporting the flood-hit state. “Though it was hit by one of the worst floods in the century, Kerala is emerging from the deluge at an amazing pace,” he said inaugurating the India Tourism Mart in New Delhi today. “The tourism centers and hotels in Kerala have been fully opened after the floods. I’m inviting you to visit this beautiful place,” he said addressing the gathering. “If Kerala will submit a detailed project on the renovation of Pamba river, the central government will take all the ... Read more

Gorkhnath temple at Uttar Pradesh is going to have a face-lift with a project cost of Rs 6.5 crore. The renovation works will be carried out with the assistance from the Central Government. The authorities are planning to have a light, sound and laser show in the temple premises. Historic stories of Indian mythology and culture will also be narrated. Distinct equipment and engineers are invited from France to install machines and music units. Other than this, the entire temple premise will be adorn with lights, in a way that it would be visible from an airplane passing above the ... Read more

Yoga is India’s greatest gift to the world, said Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India. Suman Billa was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the India Tourism Mart in New Delhi. “Give us 15 days, we will make you 5 years younger,” he said while talking about the importance of yoga and the different yoga practices followed in the country. The Tourism Ministry is organising the India Tourism Mart (ITM) from 16th to 18th September, 2018 in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with the support of State /UT ... Read more