Category: News

Tourism industry is one which suffers the most due to the sudden and recurring harthals. In a decision coming as a great relief to the tourism industry, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the tourist sector will be exempted from the harthals and strikes at a whole-party meeting on Tuesday. The meeting led by Chief Minister raised concern over the dip in tourism sector due to frequent harthals. The meeting stressed that wrong message about state is being send to the tourists during these harthals. All political parties attended the meeting extended welcomed this move and extended full support to ... Read more

For the first time, an International Rail Coach Expo (IRCE) to focus on Rail Coaches and train sets, is being held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, from 17th to 19th May, 2018. Many reputed rail car and equipment builders will be showcasing their technology and products to be held at the ICF RPF Parade Grounds, Chennai. It will be a unique platform to bring different suppliers under one roof and create synergy for “Make in India”. The expo is being hosted by Integral Coach Factory, popularly known as ICF, under the Ministry of Railways, in coordination with CII (Confederation of Indian ... Read more

Lords Hotels & Resorts has announced its plans to launch its fifth hotel in Nepal at Nepalgunj. The new hotel, Kalptaru Lords Inn, is a seven-storied premium property, which has seventy-seven rooms including five premium suites and one presidential suite. Kalptaru Lords Inn will commence operations under the Lords Hotels & Resorts brand by the end of May 2018. Lords Hotels & Resorts presently operates Mirage Lords Inn in Kathmandu and is scheduled to launch a resort in Budhanilkantha and two other hotel properties in Birjung and in Bhaktapur. “It is with pleasure that we inform about our new sign up of ... Read more

As a plan to promote Dubai as a favoured destination for Chinese travellers, the Dubai tourism authority has signed an agreement with Chinese internet giant Tencent on Tuesday. As per the statement issued by Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), the association will lead the Tencent network to spread out Dubai’s marketing reach and access within China. China is considered as one the quickest budding markets for the Emirate. There were reports on Sunday that a senior government delegation from Dubai headed to China for signing agreements with Tencent and a number of other leading companies, with ... Read more

Kerala Tourism’s ‘Project Muziris’ has been chosen the Best Innovative Tourism Project at the Global Star Awards 2018. Noushad P M, Managing Director of the Muziris Projects has received the award at the event held in New Delhi. Project Muziris was picked for the award as it has added to Kerala’s array of attractions. Project Muziris will help reinstate the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris, which makes a part of Central Kerala, the award committee said. The Government of Kerala has initiated the Muziris Heritage Project to reinstate the historical and cultural significance of the legendary ... Read more

Didier Dogley takes charge as the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Seychelles. Formerly, the minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, he was assigned the new portfolio in a Cabinet reshuffle announced by President Danny Faure. Dogley has already moved into his new office at Botanical House. Didier Dogley was first appointed Minister in February 2015, and assigned the Environment, Energy and Climate Change portfolio. He had previously held high level positions in that same ministry including the post of Director General, Principal Secretary and Special Advisor. “In a world where unspoiled natural landscapes and seascapes are ... Read more

Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has recently organised a destination showcase for Maldives in Mumbai, India, branded as Maldivian Night. More than 200 travel professionals from the two countries attended this exclusive event, hosted at the Four Seasons, Mumbai. Maldivian Night was conducted as a business networking event, where Maldivian hoteliers and Travel agents had the opportunity to meet with more than 150 prominent travel agents and tour operators from India. Around eight Maldivian companies took part in the business networking event. The event was concluded with an entertainment evening, to promote and feature Maldives Travel Awards. ... Read more

Iceland’s low fare transatlantic airline, WOW air, announces the launch of its flight operations in India from December 7, 2018 with incredibly low airfares. The airline is planning weekly direct flights between New Delhi and Keflavik airport in Iceland that will connect to multiple destinations in North America and Europe. “We are thrilled to launch our operations in India, a diverse country with tremendous potential. Our launch is in sync with India’s aviation growth story and we look forward to being part of it with our very affordable fares to North America and Europe on board brand new Airbus A330neos. ... Read more

The state government of Jammu and Kashmir has recently opened an alternate seven kilometre track to the Vaishno Devi shrine, atop a hillock overlooking Katra town in Reasi district of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). Tarakote Marg will be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 19. N N Vohra, Governor of J&K, who is also the chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVSB), took the new track during a visit to the shrine on Sunday and reviewed the preparedness for its operationalisation. The new route between Banganga and Adhkuwari is opened with an aim to decongest ... Read more

Acacus Technologies has just signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to bring driverless technology to Dubai’s roads by 2020. The company is all set to revamp the entire fleet of Dubai Police’s cars so that the city’s streets will be patrolled by driverless vehicles by 2020. The MoU was signed by the general command of the Dubai Police department, major-general Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police and founder and CEO of Acacus Technologies, Talal Ben Halim. Acacus will install the self-driving functionality in the existing fleet of cars and other types of vehicles used by Dubai Police. “We are proud to contribute ... Read more

New Zealand has confirmed that it plans to impose tourist tax and could be implemented by early 2019. The Tourism Minister, Kelvin Davis, while talking at a tourism conference in Dunedin last week assured to the media that an official announcement will be there soon. The plan is to initiate a NZ$25 (US$17) tourism charge for the international tourists. It is estimated that this will bring in a revenue of NZ$75 million (US$52 million) for the tourism sector and its maintenance. The fund will also be utilized for creating world-class facilities for the visitors without making the residents pay for ... Read more

This Ramadan, break your fast and experience a floating iftar launched by Boardwalk’s BBQ Donuts at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. The iftar will feature favourites such as shish taouk, lamb kofta, falafel, kibbeh and fattoush, with a variety of fruit and local sweets to top it all off. Each float can accommodate up to eight people at a time, with an à la carte option also available with a customisable barbecue package. The tables in BBQ Donuts are decorated in the traditional colours of the region, along with a wide selection of Middle Eastern treats. The Queen Elizabeth 2 ... Read more

In an effort to uplift Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple as a global pilgrimage centre, revamp plans has been proposed by the Singapore based not-for-profit organization, the Global Citizen Forum (GCF) and its Founder-President & Global Thought Leader Dr M, adopting the values of Advaita and One World. The new plans include the overall development of the temple including restoration and the display of temple wealth with the temple premises and on shrines. It is believed that the restored, decorated look of Sree Padmanabha deity will generate whopping revenue up to USD 1 billion every year and it’s expected to go ... Read more

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, and Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport, announced that they have renewed and expanded their partnership until the end of 2022. Emirates has been an F1 Global Partner since 2013, and the renewed agreement will see the airline enjoy an expanded branding and consumer activation presence at over 15 races on the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar across Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and South America. The renewed agreement, which came into effect at the start of the current 2018 season in March with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, also includes Emirates ... Read more

Emirates, the largest international airline in the world, announced it will start a daily service between Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh, and Dubai, from 1 October 2018. Edinburgh will become Emirates’ second destination in Scotland after Glasgow and its 8th in the United Kingdom after the airline starts its daily service to London Stansted in June. The new service will be operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three class cabin configuration, with 8 private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class. The Scottish capital, with its Old Town ... Read more