Category: News

Social media giant Facebook-owned platform Instagram introduced the active status to users through the new feature showing “Active At” of the user’s Insta friends. The new Instagram feature is very similar to the “Last Seen” on WhatsApp. photo courtesy:instagram This feature is available with the people whom we frequently message as well as people whom you don’t follow. Anonymous reports state that Instagram is now testing text-only stories as well as screenshot alert that notifies the user about an unidentified privacy breach. Text-only stories are gaining more popularity nowadays besides multimedia contents, as Instagram is currently testing new filters to ... 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

  Madavoorpara. Photo-Courtesy: Praveen-Kattayikonam Kerala State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran inaugurates the Rs. 7 crore historic Madavoorpara tourism project, on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. “Madavoorppara would become a major tourist centre in the district once the Rs. 7 crore development work by Uralungal Labour Cooperative Society completes. The project is expected to be completed in a-year-and-a-half,” says the minister. The 300-ft-high natural wonder at Chenkottukonam would be having cottages, adventure zone, amphitheatre, cafeteria, walkways, and green huts.  The cave temple at ‘Madavoorpara’ is believed to have been built around the 8th century A.D. The site, at present, has a children’s ... Read more

Web Desk Sao Paulo   The World Health Organization warns travellers to Sao Paulo stating the destination is at risk for yellow fever. WHO is also recommending that all international visitors to the state be vaccinated. However, Brazil’s Health Ministry said in a statement that things are not that worse and updated map of at-risk areas, which includes only certain parts of the state and city. The ministry said that the WHO’s more-cautious recommendation for foreigners was made in light of the fact that it is impossible to know where visitors might travel once they arrive in Sao Paulo state. ... Read more

Web Desk Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has announced its plans to open a third property to its portfolio in the Philippines. Located in Metro Manila, the Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Quezon City, is scheduled to open by Q4 2021. The new hotel will have 350 guestrooms and suites as well as 250 residences. All 600 units will offer state-of-the-art technology and upscale amenities, making the hotel ideal for both short and extended stays. The new Manila hotel will also feature two upscale restaurants serving Chinese and international cuisine respectively, plus a chic rooftop restaurant and ... 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

 Web Desk Photo Courtesy: Ramada Muscat (Representative image) Oman is soon to have two brand new hotels from Wyndham Hotel Group and Oman-based contracting firm Al Khaleel Group, under the brand Ramada. Ramada Encore, a three-star hotel offering 140 deluxe rooms and 24 suites, will be located along Sultan Qaboos main road in Al Ghubrah, close to Muscat International Airport. The property will feature state-of-the-art business facilities, leisure amenities, a rooftop cafe and pool as well as male and female fitness centres and all-day dining restaurants and coffee lounge. Photo Courtesy: Ramada Muscat (Representative image) The second hotel, which is ... Read more

Web Desk Marriott International launches its third property in the UK and the second in Stratford under its experiential hotel brand Moxy Hotels. The 294-bedroom Moxy London Stratford is located very close to the Stratford International Station. Moxy is an affordable hotel for every budget with the soul of a boutique hotel. Marrying smart service and technology with contemporary style, Moxy is do-it-yourself made easy. Photo Courtesy: Marriott “Our Fun Hunter guests continue to seek inspiration from their travel. The new Moxy London Stratford will offer guests a cocktail at check-in, spontaneous games in the lively communal spaces, and an ... 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: Cubatravel Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, is all set to achieve new record in tourism by receiving five million foreign visitors this year. “2018 will be the year of the five million tourists. It will also be a year of major investments,” says Manuel Marrero, Minister for Tourism. The government’s 2030 tourism development plan foresees building 224 new hotels and expanding another 32 establishments with high occupancy rates, to boost visitor numbers. Cuba’s tourism industry currently offers 68,000 hotel rooms, and the plan calls for raising that figure to 103,000. In 2017, around 4.7 ... 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