Tag: Incredible India

Tourism Minister KJ Alphons has said that the tourism ministry is very keen to attract more Chinese travellers and is hopeful of boosting their arrivals to 14.4 million in five years. The ministry has introduced a slew of measures which includes promotional events and Mandarin-speaking guides. The minister also informed that the ministry would be setting up its first office at Beijing soon. It also has plans to organize roadshows in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and Guangzhou from August 28 to September 1. “We should aim for 10 per cent of the 144 million Chinese tourists. This can be achieved in five ... Read more

Music pillars of Hampi, Karnataka Ministry of Tourism has identified 17 sites in 12 clusters in the country for development under Iconic Tourist Sites Development Project, pursuant to Budget Announcements of 2018-19. The seventeen sites are: Uttar Pradesh- TajMahal & Fatehpur Sikri; Maharashtra- Ajanta & Ellora; Delhi- Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort & Qutub Minar; Goa- Colva beach; Rajasthan- Amer Fort; Gujarat- Somnath & Dholavira; Madhya Pradesh- Khajuraho; Karnataka- Hampi; Tamil Nadu- Mahabalipuram; Assam- Kaziranga; Kerala- Kumarakom; Bihar- Mahabodhi. “The Ministry shall be developing the above sites in a holistic manner with focus on issues concerning connectivity to the destination, better ... Read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed the Non Resident Indians (NRIs) to contribute for the growth of the country when it is on the ‘rapid path of progress.’ He was addressing Saurashtra Patel Cultural Samaj of the US via video-conference. PM urged each NRI to inspire five foreign families to visit India to give a boost to tourism.  He said the Gujarati Patel community in the US, popular as “hotel motel Patel wallas” can contribute much for the promotion of India’s tourism among their guests by putting slides about the our country on their hotel TVs. “Whenever you get a guest in ... Read more

 “The central ministry is considering receiving the foreign tourists coming to our country by assigning government representatives,” said union minister of state for tourism Alphons Kannanthanam. He was talking to the media after the road show in various American States to showcase Indian Tourism industry under the brand name ‘Incredible India’.

ഇന്ത്യയിലെത്തുന്ന വിദേശ സഞ്ചാരികളെ സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നതിനും സഹായിക്കുന്നതിനും സര്‍ക്കാരിന്റെ ഔദ്യോഗിക പ്രതിനിധികളെ നിയോഗിക്കുന്നതു പരിഗണിക്കുമെന്ന് കേന്ദ്രമന്ത്രി അല്‍ഫോണ്‍സ് കണ്ണന്താനം. അമേരിക്കയിലെ വിവിധ സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളില്‍ ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ടൂറിസം പരിചയപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന പ്രചാരണ പരിപാടി ‘ഇന്‍ക്രെഡിബിള്‍ ഇന്ത്യ’ റോഡ് ഷോയില്‍ പങ്കെടുത്തു മടങ്ങിയെത്തിയ ശേഷം പ്രതികരിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു മന്ത്രി. അമേരിക്കയിലെയും ഇന്ത്യയിലേയും നൂറുകണക്കിനു ടൂര്‍ ഓപറേറ്റര്‍മാരുമായി നടത്തിയ സംവാദപരിപാടിയില്‍ ഈ നിര്‍ദേശം ഉയര്‍ന്നിരുന്നു. ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്ക്, ഷിക്കാഗോ, ഹൂസ്റ്റണ്‍ എന്നിവിടങ്ങളിലെത്തിയ സംഘം വിവിധ ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥരുമായും ചര്‍ച്ച നടത്തി. കേന്ദ്രമന്ത്രി അല്‍ഫോണ്‍സ് കണ്ണന്താനം, ജോയിന്റ് സെക്രട്ടറി സുമന്‍ ബില്ല, എന്നിവരുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തിലായിരുന്നു പര്യടനം. ഷിക്കാഗോയില്‍ ഫെഡറേഷന്‍ ഓഫ് മലയാളി അസോസിയേഷന്‍ ഓഫ് അമേരിക്കയുടെ കണ്‍വന്‍ഷനിലും അല്‍ഫോണ്‍സ് കണ്ണന്താനം പങ്കെടുത്തു. അതാതു സ്റ്റേറ്റുകളിലെ കോണ്‍സല്‍ ജനറലും, ഇന്ത്യന്‍ സമൂഹം ആയിട്ടുള്ള സംവാദം കൂടുതല്‍ ഇന്ത്യന്‍ സമൂഹം ഇന്ത്യയിലേക്ക് നിക്ഷേപം നടത്തുവാന്‍ താല്‍പര്യം പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചു. സെയ്ന്റ് ലൂയിസ് സിറ്റി ഒരു പുതിയ മാര്‍ക്കറ്റ് ആയിട്ടു ഈ യാത്രയില്‍ കണ്ടെത്തുകയും, അവിടെ ഉള്ള ധാരാളം ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ... Read more

Almost 30 tourist destinations in the states will be enhanced with a cost of Rs 590.97 crores, said Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Once the project is completed, Amritsar would be the centre of tourist activity, with its 11 destinations on the list. This will be done with the aid of Asian Development Bank worth Rs 344 Crores. Apart from this Rs. 96.67 Crores will be availed from the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, aiming at revamping religious and historical cities. Rs. 50 Crore will be sanctioned under the Prasad scheme for Amritsar city. The department has set aside ... Read more

Till now tourists need to apply for travel documents such as the protected area permit (PAP) and the restricted area permit (RAP) before visiting Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Sikkim. And, now, as part of its plans to attract more tourists, the government is proposing to remove restrictions for foreigners who want to travel to these destinations. The restrictions can be removed only if the home ministry and the defence ministries approve the proposal since some areas in the north-east are considered sensitive due to a long history of insurgency in the region. “The ministry has proposed opening up the north-east for tourists. In ... Read more

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has announced that the monthly Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) through tourism in India during the month of March 2018 were Rs.17, 294 crore as compared to Rs. 14, 667 crore in March 2017. The FEEs was Rs 12, 985 crore in March 2016. The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms in March 2018 over March 2017 was 17.9 per cent, compared to the growth of 13.0 per cent in March 2017 over March 2016. FEEs during the period January- March 2018 were Rs 52, 916 crore with a growth of 15.5 per cent, as compared ... Read more

It was just days back that one of the major cement companies in India, Dalmia Cements, adopting the Red Fort under the Adopt a Heritage project. Though it has created some sparks across the country, the ministry is going ahead with its plans to continue the project to the selected 95 heritage site. Minister for Tourism K J Alphons said the centre has plans to add more sites under the project. However, the minister ensured that it will be done only in consultation with the  public. Sites like beaches and parks beyond the 95 envisaged by the ministry will find ... Read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Government is taking initiatives to develop infrastructure for Buddhist tourism in an attempt to connect Southeast Asia to the important Buddhist sites in the country. “We are developing infrastructure for Buddhist tourism, which is going to connect Southeast Asia with the important Buddhist sites of India. I am also very pleased that the government is a partner in the restoration of many Buddhist temples which also includes the centuries old Anand Temple in Bagan, Myanmar,” Modi said in his monthly radio programme “Mann Ki Baat”. The Prime Minister said the country has inherited Lord ... Read more

Ministry of Tourism has signed an MoU with Dalmia Bharat and the Archaeological Survey of India to adopt the iconic Red Fort monument in New Delhi and Gandikota Fort in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project. The ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme, launched by President Ram Nath Kovind on World Tourism Day in September last year, invites government and private parties to operate and maintain heritage sites. With a budget of more than Rs 5 crore per year, Dalmia Cements joins “monument mitras” including other private sector companies, which will look after the operations and maintenance ... Read more

The Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Tourism, Gvt of India, K J Alphons said that the government is taking all measures to double the tourists inflow in India in next three years. ‘Foreign tourist inflow in India last year grew by 15.6 per cent and receipts grew by 20.2 per cent. Our targets are very high and we want to double the tourist inflow and receipts in three years,’ he said. The minister also said it is possible to achieve the target as India has a lot of potential and a 5,000 year old history, which no other country in ... Read more

Google Arts and Culture have partnered with the Ministry of Tourism to unveil a 360-degree virtual reality video for the global “Incredible India” tourism campaign. As part of the partnership, Google Arts and Culture will provide users with an immersive 360-degree view of India’s heritage, festivity, spirituality and adventure. The video will showcase users a 360-degree view of some of the most iconic destinations in India including Qutub Minar, Amritsar’s Golden Temple, Vitthala Temples at Hampi and Goa’s easygoing vibe. “India is an iconic destination that offers unique experiences of climate, geography, culture, art, literature and food. We want to ... Read more

The Assam Tourism ad featuring the state’s brand ambassador Priyanka Chopra, has been nominated for an award which is considered to be the ‘Oscar for Ad Films’. The state’s rich culture is beautifully captured in this 3.30-minute long video. The ad film features the traditional masked dancers of Majuli and the cymbal-clanging Bhortal dancers from Barpeta and Guwahati. The ad features Priyanka draped in Muga Mekhela Chador, showcases the rich cultural heritage and the exotic beauty of nature across the state. The advertisement has been nominated under three categories, viz, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, and Best Direction. “We have only received the intial ... Read more

The 12-member inter-ministerial committee, set up to “frame guidelines describing circumstances and occasions on which the national anthem is to be played or sung”, is likely to suggest that cinema halls should not play the national anthem before screening a film. The committee, headed by Special Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Brij Raj Sharma, is likely to suggest that the playing of 52-second long anthem before screening will interrupt the screening of the film, and create disorder and confusion instead of adding dignity to it. The panel, set up on December 5, 2017, was given six months’ time to come up with statutory ... Read more