Category: News

Helped by the initiatives taken by the government for the sector, the Foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) from tourism reported 20.8 per cent growth to USD 27.7 billion in 2017. The introduction of  e- visa facility under three categories of tourist, medical and business for the citizens of 163 countries was one of the major innovative decisions made by the government, the survey noted. The launch of global media campaign for 2017-18 on various channels, launch of ‘The Heritage Trail’ to promote the world heritage sites in India, launch of international media campaign on various international TV channels,’Paryatan Parv’ celebrations across ... Read more

The Economic Survey of India for financial year 2017-18 was tabled in Parliament today. The survey pegged India’s GDP growth at 7-7.5 per cent in the 2018 fiscal. GST data reveals 50 per cent increase in number of Indirect Taxpayers. The survey also states that Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana account for 70 per cent of India’s exports. India’s internal trade in goods and services is 60 per cent of GDP. Real GDP growth to clock this fiscal is 6.75 per cent. Employment, education and agriculture to be the focus areas in medium term, Says Survey. The survey is ... Read more

The National Centre of Meteorology sends an alert saying fresh to strong winds is likely to continue over the Arabian Gulf and rough to very rough sea at times with wave height 8-10/12 ft till Tuesday morning. In its daily weather forecast, the NCM said that fresh to strong Northwesterly wind and rough sea in Oman sea offshore areas with wave height 4-6/8 ft till Tuesday afternoon. It has also cautioned residents that the winds may peak up from 45-60km/h at times. The temperature, according to the NCM, will range from 12-24C in coastal areas, 11-26C in internal areas, and ... Read more

Burj Khalifa in Dubai is inviting artists to showcase their work on its brand-new LED facade, which has been the centre of attraction of the ‘Light Up 2018’ Downtown Dubai spectacle. Designers and artists can compete by presenting their proposals and have their work displayed on the new facade. Artists from any nationality can submit the work. The submissions can also be made by individuals or groups. Ten creative works by 10 artists will be selected from the entries. The selected works will be displayed on Burj Khalifa’s LED facade. The creative works will also be featured on the tower’s ... Read more

The 4th International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2018, supported by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, organised by International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), kick starts on Sunday at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium in Delhi. The season 4 of the world’s biggest culinary Olympiad will be concluded on February 2 with different rounds being held at Delhi, Pune, Bangalore and the grand finale will be held in Kolkata. YCO 2018 assures to be a much greater event in scale and grandeur. With over 50 countries participating at the culinary extravaganza, YCO 2018 will definitely attract eyeballs. Kenyan student Vivian Asiyo Aketch and her Lecturer Chef David Kariuki at the ... Read more

2017ലെ മികച്ച ഗാനം, ആല്‍ബം, റെക്കോര്‍ഡ്, എന്നീ മൂന്ന് പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ട പുരസ്‌ക്കാരങ്ങള്‍ അടക്കം ആറു പുരസ്‌ക്കാരങ്ങളുമായി ഗ്രാമിയില്‍ തിളങ്ങി ബ്രൂണോ മാഴ്‌സ്. ആര്‍ ബി വിഭാഗത്തിലെ ഗാനം, ആല്‍ബം, പെര്‍ഫോമന്‍സ് പുരസ്‌കാരങ്ങളും, മാഴ്‌സിന്റെ ’24കെ മാജിക്’ ആല്‍ബത്തിനും റെക്കോര്‍ഡിനുമുള്ള പുരസ്‌കാരങ്ങളും, ‘ദാറ്റ് വാട്ട് ഐ ലൈക്..’ മികച്ച ഗാനത്തിനുമുള്ള പുരസ്‌ക്കാരവുമാണ് നേടിയത്. ദ് റെക്കോര്‍ഡിങ്ങ് അക്കാദമി നല്‍കുന്ന അറുപതാമത് ഗ്രാമി പുരസ്‌ക്കാരച്ചടങ്ങ് നടന്നത് മാഡിസണ്‍ സ്‌ക്വര്‍ ഗാര്‍ഡനിലാണ്. അലൈസിയ കാരയാണ് മികച്ച നവാഗത സംഗീതജ്ഞര്‍ക്കുള്ള ബെസ്റ്റ് ന്യൂ ആര്‍ടിസ്റ്റ് പുരസ്‌കാരം നേടിയത്. ഹമ്പിള്‍ എന്ന ഗാനത്തിന് ബെസ്റ്റ് റാപ് പെര്‍ഫോമന്‍സിനും ലോയല്‍റ്റി എന്ന ഗാനത്തിന് ബെസ്റ്റ് റാപ്/സങ്ങ് പുരസ്‌ക്കാരവുമാണ് കെന്‍ഡ്രിക് ലാമര്‍ നേടിയത്. 84 വിഭാഗങ്ങളിലാണ് പുരസ്‌ക്കാരം പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചത്.

Photo Courtesy: tripzilla The Philippines stands to gain in the influx of more Chinese visitors with the first-ever direct charter flight from Xiamen (XMN), a coastal city in Fujian Province of China to Puerto Princesa City (PSS), Palawan starting next month. The Department of Tourism (DoT) paved the way for the creation of the XMN-PPS route which will be launched by February 10 by C&D Travel Service China, a charter operator based in Xiamen, with Philippine Airline (PAL) as the partner carrier. “We continue to welcome more Chinese tourists to the country as part of the improved diplomatic relationship between Manila ... Read more

Acclaimed *Ottanthulal artist Kalamandalam Geethanandan died on Sunday around 8 pm while performing at Avittathur Mahavishnu Temple at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, Kerala. The 58-year-old, who had performed on more than 5,000 stages in India and abroad, collapsed on the stage and died during a stage performance. He was given first aid and taken to a hospital, but could not be saved. Geethanandan had been a faculty member at the Kalamandalam’s Ottanthulal department for more than 25 years. Geethanandan has also acted in many movies including Kamaladalam, Manasinakkare, Thoovalkottaram and Irattakuttikalude Achan. He won Veerasringala and Thullal Kalanidhi award and was the first artist ... Read more

Iran plans to promote Youth Tourism after the Tehran International Tourism Exhibition, the event organized under the Cultural Heritage Handicraft and Tourism Organization of the country mainly focusing the youth and children as the key players behind travel. Pouyan Qaem-Maqami, executive director of the national base for youth tourism told that ‘the country would conduct touring camps for youth as well as recreational programs that will introduce Iran’s natural and historic attraction among youth as well as children. Youth tourism, nowadays, is the fastest growing segment of the industry that includes cheaper accommodation, customised travel for backpackers, educational travelling etc. ... Read more

Sheikha Hessa bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the mother of the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, has died. UAE would observe three days of mourning beginning Sunday. Sheikha Hessa was the first wife of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the UAE when the federation of seven sheikhdoms became a country in 1971. She gave birth in 1948 to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who became president after Sheikh Zayed’s death in 2004. Sheikh Khalifa is also the ruler of oil-rich Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE.

The Chief Minister of Assam Sarbanand Sonwal P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ashok Gajapathi inaugurated the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Integrated Terminal Building at LGBI airport in Guwahati. “Guwahati, our jewel of pride in the North-East, is all set to emerge as an aviation hub, augmenting the much needed capacity in the region,” said Ashok Gajapathi after the foundation stone laying ceremony. The terminal consists of the departure lobby, waiting lounge, check-in counters and boarding lobby. “This new terminal building will further boost regional and South East Asian connectivity,” said Sarbanand.

The Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) has decided to fund a new feature film ‘Unread Pages’ directed by Jahnu Barua. The first film under the state tourism policy will be produced jointly by Hollywood-based Ivanhoe Pictures and Mumbai-based Easterly Entertainment. The film’s main aim is to give exposure to the scenic beauty of Assam on an international platform. It will also be an official announcement of an India-US co-production of a story from Assam for an international audience. It will also be Barua’s first international film. The film, which will be both in Assamese and English, is said to be ... Read more

Telangana government is planning to set up amphitheatre, tribal museum, food court and cottages at Medaram and develop it as a permanent tourist destination. The State government had already brought up Haritha tourism hotel for Rs 7.5 crore and tribal museum for Rs 2 crore. “The tourists are coming to Medaram all along the year hence it has been decided to develop Medaram as permanent tourist attraction. We will bring up amphitheatre, tribal museum, food court, cottages for VIPs etc,” said Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari. Photo Courtesy: Telanganatoday The Museum would showcase the story of Sammakka and Sarlamma. About ... Read more

Yamunotri. Photo Courtesy: wiki The ancient route to Char Dham in Uttarakhand, which is said to have been used by the Pandavas of the Mahabharata some 3,000 years ago, is to be revived. The Char Dham are four places (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri and Rameswaram) which is considered to be the places which will help them attain nirvana. The ancient pilgrim sites in Uttarakhand such as Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath are considered chota Char Dham. The government plans to revive the ancient trekking trail that is said to have been used 3,000 years ago by the Pandavas, the five protagonist brothers ... Read more

പക്ഷി ടൂറിസത്തെ പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കാനൊരുങ്ങി ഒഡിഷ.പ്രമുഖ പക്ഷി നിരീക്ഷണ കേന്ദ്രമായ ചില്‍ക്ക തടാകം കേന്ദ്രീകരിച്ച് പക്ഷി പ്രേമികളുടെ വിനോദ സഞ്ചാരം പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുകയാണ് ലക്‌ഷ്യം .ഇതിനായി മംഗല്‍ജോഡിയില്‍ ആദ്യ ദേശീയ പക്ഷി മഹോത്സവം തുടങ്ങി. കേരളത്തിലെ പക്ഷി സങ്കേതമായ തട്ടേക്കാടിനു അനുകരിക്കാവുന്നതാണ് പക്ഷി മഹോത്സവം.പ്രമുഖ പക്ഷി നിരീക്ഷകര്‍ മുതല്‍ സാധാരണ പക്ഷി പ്രേമികള്‍ വരെ മഹോത്സവത്തില്‍ പങ്കെടുക്കുന്നു.മികച്ച പ്രതികരണമാണ് പക്ഷി മഹോത്സവത്തിന് ലഭിക്കുന്നതെന്ന് ഒഡിഷാ ടൂറിസം സെക്രട്ടറി നിതിന്‍ ജവാലെ പറഞ്ഞു.   ഒരിക്കല്‍ വേട്ടക്കാരുടെ താവളമായിരുന്ന മംഗളജോഡി ഇന്ന് പക്ഷി നിരീക്ഷകരുടെ സങ്കേതമാണ് . സംരക്ഷിത തണ്ണീര്‍ തടമായ ഇവിടെ 250ലേറെ പക്ഷികളുണ്ട്.ഇതില്‍ 120ലേറെ ദേശാടന പക്ഷികളാണ്. പക്ഷികളുടെ സ്വര്‍ഗമാണ് ഇവിടം. അവ വെള്ളത്തില്‍ മുങ്ങി നിവരുന്നതും പറക്കുന്നതും മനോഹര കാഴ്ചയാണെന്ന് പക്ഷി സ്നേഹിയായ എസ്കെ ത്രിപാഠി പറഞ്ഞു. റഷ്യ,കിര്‍ഗിസ്ഥാന്‍,മദ്ധ്യേഷ്യ എന്നിവിടങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്നൊക്കെ ദേശാടനക്കിളികള്‍ മംഗളജോഡിയില്‍ എത്താറുണ്ട്.