Tag: tourism

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “While protecting public health is paramount, blanket travel bans cannot be the answer. They have not worked in the past and they will not work now. “If a comprehensive and quick turnaround testing regime were in place at airports across the country to test all travellers before they depart, it would ensure only those infected with COVID-19 are isolated and are prevented from travelling. There would be no need for countries to introduce damaging and counterproductive wholesale bans on UK travellers. “People should not be deterred from travelling because they simply can’t find ... Read more

Starting 2021 with a fresh mind, it’s time to take a look inside our ‘tabigokoro’ or our ‘travel hearts’ and see what’s been hiding. According to a recent survey, in 2021 we will be more likely to go to places which have been on the top of our bucket lists for years, and for many people that is nowhere else than Japan! However, once we’re there we shouldn’t feel rushed and pressured to visit as many places as possible. Japan is all about celebrating those small experiences and little joys. The 100 soundscapes of Japan, understanding your ‘ikigai’ reason for living, ‘kuidaore’ self-indulgence, observing ... Read more

Residents and visitors enjoying the latest edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will have even more chances to win great life-changing prizes with a host of super giveaways. The 26th edition of the longest-running retail celebration, organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), features amazing raffles with incredible rewards worth millions of dirhams up for grabs throughout DSF, which ends on 30 January 2021. Among the mega prizes to be won is an AED6 million W Motors Fenyr SuperSport, 45 INFINITI QX60 vehicles, 45 brand-new Nissan vehicles, AED1 million in cash prizes and 25kg of gold. WIN ... Read more

Siem Reap province will reorganize the National Cycling Championship and the 25th Angkor International Half Marathon this month after the postponement due to the COVID-19 crisis. The update was shared yesterday by Mr. Nou Chamroeun, Secretary-General of Cambodian Cycling Federation, adding that the 2020 National Cycling Championship will take place on Jan. 23, and the Angkor International Half Marathon 2020 on Jan. 24. The events aim to engage people with sports for their health, friendship, and solidarity, and to mobilize funds for humanitarian activities. In 2019, Angkor International Half Marathon attracted over 10,000 national and international runners from many countries, ... Read more

Chicamocha Canyon, which was one of the locations selected for the 2009 campaign to select the seven natural wonders of the world, is about an hour from the city of Bucaramanga, in the department of Santander. This tourist destination is one of the most beautiful in the country and is home to Chicamocha National Park, where you can connect with nature and enjoy a wide range of sports and cultural activities. If you’re a fan of adventure or extreme sports, you can paraglide over 3280 feet high through the heart of this magnificent canyon. As you skim through the air ... Read more

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched its new high-level guidelines for inclusion and diversity in the Travel & Tourism sector, which have been compiled to support businesses of all sizes and provide an inclusive work environment for all employees. Research has shown that by supporting a diverse and inclusive workplace companies experience benefits such as greater profitability, increased creativity and innovation, and a happier workforce. The ‘Inclusion & Diversity Guidelines’ were compiled from insights and frameworks developed by private sector leaders in Travel & Tourism including Hilton, Airbnb, Accessible Travel Solutions and JTB Corp, leading DMOs, such as IC ... Read more

Paris, along with the rest of the world, has faced a health crisis that has had an enormous impact on the tourism industry. The whole sector has demonstrated its resilience and proven, week after week, its ability to reinvent itself and adapt in order to offer visitors to the capital truly unique experiences that comply with the current health and safety measures. To shine the spotlight on Paris’s tourism professionals, the Paris Tourist Office releases a press kit every month that includes the latest openings, new attractions and exclusive interviews. Just to highlight initiatives in the French capital being taken ... Read more

Under the prevailing circumstances, one would not get surprised if Hong Kong, the world’s most visited city is termed as a “Bus Cemetry”.  Scores of tour buses and coaches lying idle, in the parking lots are gathering dust at the container port of northern Hong Kong. These coaches have been staying off the road and lying idle for more than 10 months since the government authorities have put a stop on non-resident arrivals into the city due to the Covid-19 virus scare. By end of November, things are expected to turn even worse as the Government would be putting brakes ... Read more

Companies in about half-a-dozen sectors, including hospitality, aviation, travel and tourism, are likely to seek the benefit of one-time loan restructuring which will kick in from September, bankers have said. There may not be a rush for restructuring from corporates as only those sectors which are having cash flow problems are likely to go in for loan recast to avoid the tag of ‘restructured account’, a PTI report said quoting bankers. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) are already covered under the ongoing restructuring scheme which was tweaked earlier this month to cover those impacted by COVID-19 crisis, PTI said. ... Read more

Western Railway has decided to hike the cost of platform tickets by up to five times in various cities under its jurisdiction. This steep hike means that a platform ticket which used to cost Rs 10 will now cost Rs 50. The new ticket price will be effective at close to 250 stations in the five divisions under the Western Railway zone including Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. In a statement, the Railways said platform tickets will be sold at the new rates to avoid crowding at platforms, in light of the spread of the corona virus. This ... Read more

During India’s 73rd Independence Day today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to travel to at least 15 tourist destinations within India by 2022. He also said that there is a “huge” scope to improve India’s tourism sector in his address to the nation from the Red Fort. The PM also said that India has so much to offer and that if domestic tourism increases it will, by default, attract international tourists. “I know people travel abroad for holidays but can we think of visiting at least 15 tourist destinations across India before 2022, when we mark 75 years of ... Read more

Visa fees in Pakistan will be made easier according to a new visa regime announced by the government. The government has announced plans to relax visa restrictions for visitors from 90 countries, including US and European Union, in a bid to boost its tourism sector. The Press Information Department of the Ministry of Information in Pakistan issued a circular highlighting the changes of the visa regime. These changes include: visa on arrival for 50 countries; family visit: 5 years multiple entry visa in 7-10 working days; border crossing will be open/non restricted; and unprecedented liberalisation of visa regime. Cabinet minister ... Read more

Tourism has been playing a vital role in the economic development of India; the contribution of the tourism sector to the GDP is around 10 per cent in 2018 as per recent reports of ‘Statista’. As per the report tourism accounted for over USD 250 billion in 2018 covering around 10 per cent of India’s economy of USD 2.5 trillion. According to a Travel and Tourism Economic Impact 2018 India report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP (including wider effects from investment, the supply chain and induced income impacts), ... Read more

Tourism sector of Spain saw slow growth in 2018, as the rival countries like Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia recovered during the time. It was revealed by a report by industry lobby group Exceltur The sector ratcheted up USD 162 billion in sales, 2 per cent more than in 2017, as per a recent report; while that growth was slower than in previous years. In 2017, it had increased by 4.5 per cent and in 2016 by 5 per cent. On Wednesday, the government had acknowledged that 2018 had been another record year in terms of foreign visitor numbers, which reached ... Read more

Peter Kerkar, Group CEO, Cox & Kings shares his views on trends that are set to define travel in 2019. Travel to influence For millennials, travelling to new places, exploring new experiences, trying out new cuisines and interacting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds has become an intrinsic part of their lifestyle. This passionate generation of travellers is more likely to make their travel decisions based on the travel posts of their peers on social media because social media is a more authentic source of information. At the same time, it is important for them to capture their best travel ... Read more