Page 39 - Hospitality Recreation
Modi to flag off Train 18 on Feb 15
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the indigenously built Train 18, called the Vande Bharat Express, on February 15 from here, a Railway Ministry official said.
Two detained in connection with harassment of Belgian tourist
Two men were detained on Wednesday in connection with an incident where a Belgian national was forced to leave India within a day after being allegedly harassed in Delhi, police said. They were identified as Bona alias Jitendra (47), a resident of Laxmi Nagar and Mohammad Ansar (42), a resident of Wazirabad village, they added. "We have detained two persons. They are being questioned in connection with the incident to ascertain their role," Madhur Verma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) said. The travel agent, Imran Latha (30), was arrested on Tuesday. Latha and his brother allegedly cheated her by selling a cheap hotel package and making her believe that her original booking was cancelled because of protests near the hotel, the officer had said. The Belgian national, who arrived in Delhi on December 6, was harassed by several people, including an auto-rickshaw driver and a travel agent, following which she left India the next day, the police had said. The tourist informed ...
'The world trusts us': Vietnamese proud to host Trump-Kim summit
Vietnamese young and old expressed their delight Wednesday after hearing their country had been chosen for the second face-to-face meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The communist-run Southeast Asian country was announced during Trump's State of the Union address as the location for the high-profile summit due to take place later this month. It follows the pair's historic handshake and brief declaration on denuclearisation at their inaugural meeting in Singapore in June last year. The pick brings prestige to the former US foe-turned-ally and is symbolic for Vietnamese of a certain generation, who welcomed the move. "Our country now has a new position and the world trusts us," Pham Van Thau, an 82-year-old communist party member, told AFP in Hanoi. "The summit will help the world understand more about Vietnam." The precise location for the summit -- to be held on February 27 and 28 -- has not been announced, though both the capital Hanoi and .
Need to bust rackets that fleece & harass tourists: Alphons
Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons said Wednesday rackets that fleece tourists have to be busted, two months after a Belgian tourist was forced to leave India within a day after being allegedly harassed in Delhi. "I have written to the police commissioner and an arrest has already been made in the case. India is a safe place and such isolated incidents happen once in a while. However, it's important that when they happen, we take immediate action. The important thing is to bust such rackets in the country in which tourists are fleeced and harassed," he told PTI. The Belgian national, who arrived in Delhi on December 6, was harassed by several people, including an auto-rickshaw driver and a travel agent, following which the victim left India the next day, the police had said. The travel agent, Imran Latha (30), was arrested on Tuesday. Latha and his brother allegedly cheated her by selling a cheap hotel package and making her believe that her original booking was cancelled because of ..
High speed train for Pathankot-Jogindernagar track
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday flagged off a new high speed train on the British-era Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow rail gauge line that will reduce travel time between Baijnath and Pathankot towns by nearly two hours.
Shivaji statue to be in equestrian pose: Official
The proposed statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea off the Mumbai coast will be in the classic equestrian pose synonymous with the Maratha warrior king, a top official said here on Wednesday.
Working Indian women embrace bike services in big way
It was raining hard, a time when cabs usually cancel rides blaming the waterlogged roads and jammed traffic.
Flamingo Transworld Successfully Hosts the Summer Travel Mela - 2019
/ -- Flamingo Transworld (P) Ltd recently held a successful Summer Travel Mela. The event, which was marked at all the branches of Flamingo Transworld across India, invited people to have an interface with the staff as the organization showcased its popular customized tour packages. The event marks a major milestone in the breathtaking 21-year journey that the company has achieved offering customized international travel packages and unique experiences. Over the years the company has constantly revamped and augmented its selection of international holiday packages bringing more excitement, savings, and destinations. That is why events such as the Summer Travel Mela are vital in the company's calendar of events as it gives the market an opportunity to check out available holiday package options and get all questions answered. The Flamingo Summer Travel Mela was held about a month ago and lasted a whole day. A massive 3000+ people attended the event and got a first-hand experience of ..
Pakistan to form new agency to build tourist-friendly country
Pakistan is planning to form a government agency for promoting the country as a tourist-friendly nation so as to attract foreign tourists, local reports said on Tuesday.
Chennai: Porur gets its first eatery where 'Robot Waiters' welcome customers
Chennai's Porur gets its first 'Robot Restaurant' where robots not only serve as waiters but also interact with customers in English and Tamil.The eatery, which is located in Chennai's Mugilivakkam-Porur, has a team of seven robots designed in blue and white. They offer a warm welcome to the customer and bring meals and exotic drinks to their table.A female robot at the reception gives a response to customers' queries and guides the customers about their table numbers.Moreover, the restaurant serves Indo-Asian cuisines and it has a theme of a Golf and Black.Each robot in the eatery costs around Rs 5 lakh. The hotel staffs of the eatery have been well trained to operate the robots. The staff will stay in touch with the makers of the robots so that they can guide them in case of an emergency. "We have three branches in India. The robots will interact with customers and guide them with the table numbers. As there was no Robot Restaurant in India before, we worked on it and got ...
Golconda Masters 2019: In a first, PGTI aligns with OWGR
The Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA) and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the official sanctioning body of professional golf in India, has announced the fifth edition of the Golconda Masters Golf Championship 2019 which will be held from February 6 to 9.The event marks the beginning of a new era in Indian golf as PGTI has aligned itself with the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system for the first time.The tournament will witness participation of 124 golfers. Besides India's leading professionals, the field will also feature professionals from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Australian countries.The Golconda Masters 2019 will be the first-ever PGTI event to offer world ranking points.While speaking to ANI, Hyderabad Golf Association president J Vikramdev Rao said, "The Hyderabad Golf Association is happy to be associated with the fifth edition of the Golconda Masters being conducted by The Professional Golf Tour of India and being held at the Hyderabad Golf Club course from ..
Leopard cub enters house, lies under cot; Captured in hours
A leopard cub created a flutter as it strayed into a house and ensconced itself under a cot before forest personnel managed to trap it in a village in the hilly Nilgiris district Tuesday, police said. The house owner, Rayan, returning from work in the afternoon, heard a roaring sound from inside the house and when he opened the door his son who accompanied him found the leopard, later estimated to be 3-4 years old, in the bedroom. Showing presence of mind, he and his son ran out and locked the door from outside. On information, forest department officials with a veterinarian reached the spot in Ippadi village, about 90 km from here, and placed a cage just in front of the door. After a wait of a few hours, they succeeded in making the leopard leave the bedroom and walk toward the door and ultimately into the cage, much to the relief of the villagers.
Man arrested for harassing Belgian tourist
A 30-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly harassing a Belgian tourist in December after which she left Delhi within a day, police said. The accused, identified as Imran Latha, hails from Khayyam Chowk in Srinagar and is a resident of east Vinod Nagar. He is a travel agent and owns a shop in NDMC market in outer circle of Connaught Place, they said. "He is being interrogated to identify and find out the whereabouts of two others who brought the Belgian national to his shop in an autorickshaw," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma said. He, along with his brother, interacted with the Belgian national and cheated her by selling a cheap hotel package and made her believe that her original booking was cancelled because of protests near the hotel, the officer said. She informed the Belgian embassy about the incident which got in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which in turn wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik. The MEA stated ..
When there's no escaping the snow, it's time to make merry! (Societal Feature)
Summer is for toil and winter for socialising. No one knows this better than Lahaulis, residents of Himachal Pradesh's picturesque Lahaul Valley. When there is no escaping the snow and the temperature plummets below minus 15 degrees Celsius, for the locals it is time to celebrate.
PATA adventure mart to be held in Rishikesh
An international travel trade event will be held at Rishikesh in Uttarakhand from February 13 to 15 to explore the potential of adventure tourism business in the state, officials said. "Uttarakhand is proud to host the PATA Adventure Travel Mart and Responsible Tourism Conference, where the state will showcase its huge potential in adventure tourism sector for those associated with the trade from across the country and abroad," said Tourism Secretary Dilip Jawalkar. As many as 49 stalls will be put up at the mart, he said. Jawalkar, who held a meeting at the venue on Tuesday to review preparation for the event, said 50 buyers and as many sellers from across the country and abroad will interact with each other during the three-day event, where participants will be taken on a tour of Rishikesh and adjoining areas.
Sisodia complains to Gadkari about 'faulty' design of service road
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Tuesday wrote to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, complaining about the "faulty" design of a service road along the National Highway-9 passing through his constituency in east Delhi. In his two-page letter, Sisodia, who is an MLA from Patparganj in east Delhi, demanded cleaning of the drain, which is currently causing waterlogging on the service road. He also complained to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari about the faulty design of utility duck on the road. The deputy chief minister gave a 10-day ultimatum to resolve the issue, failing which he will stand with locals to demolish utility duct. He also demanded making arrangements for parking sewer-jetting-machines to clean the drain.
Experience the Spirit of Hong Kong This Chinese New Year
/ -- From fireworks display to well-wishing rituals, there's something for everyone is this ancient festival Chinese New Year also known as the spring festival is the most famous Chinese festival celebrated at the turn of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is impossible not to be caught up in the energy of this festival as one can see themselves squeezed into the crowded temples to pray for good fortune, festive markets, auspicious food and shock red lanterns that adorn the city. Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will be hosting a special Chinese New Year Night Parade featuring a splendid line-up of 9 floats, and 25 Mainland, international and local performing groups. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/817875/Chinese_New_Year_Hong_Kong.jpg ) With fabulous parade of floats, international and local performers, stunning fireworks show over the harbour, heart pounding actions at the race track, this ancient festival has a unique Hong Kong flavour. The Chinese Zodiac moves .
IHCL forays into HP with a hotel in Shimla
Tata group hospitality arm Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) on Tuesday said it has forayed into Himachal Pradesh with the opening of its first hotel in Shimla. The design and architecture of the hotel, Taj Theog Resort & Spa, echoes colonial charm reminiscent of hill station appeal, IHCL said in a statement. With this new addition, the company has expanded its resort portfolio which is the largest in India, IHCL MD and CEO Puneet Chhatwal said. "The state has great tourism potential and we look forward to expanding our footprint to showcase the pristine beauty of this region," Chhatwal said.
PM urges youths to emulate app-based cab service to promote homestays
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday asked tech-savvy youths to emulate the pattern of app-based cab aggregators to exploit the vast tourism potential of India by promoting the concept of homestays. The prime minister was responding to a question posed by a student on how to exploit the tourism potential of Orissa. "I believe that the youth can start a big business in tourism on the pattern of Uber (an app-based cab service). Today, I have so many youths in front of me who are into technology. You come forward and I assure you that you can go beyond Uber," he said. "You can develop an app so that a tourist can plan his entire trip from the time he leaves his home to going back. You can develop such a mechanism through crowdsourcing and connect the world," Modi said. The prime minister said India had a lot of potential in tourism but it had shown tardiness. "The first condition for tourism is that you to learn to take pride in your things. We always downplay our things, if we do not ...
Kerala features in CNN Travel's 19 places to visit in 2019
In an affirmation of its alluring tourism credentials, its stunning backwaters and its sumptuous cuisines, Kerala has been featured in the list of 19 exalted places across the globe that CNN Travel has recommended tourists to visit in 2019. "This area of India has it all: sun, sea, sand, good food, houseboats, culture and wildlife. Its spectacular natural landscapes think palm trees and sprawling backwaters lend the region the nickname God's Own Country," said CNN Travel. Kerala's backwaters, a chain of lagoons and serene lakes parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, are an idyllic place to stay on a houseboat; they also offer an opportunity to see India at a relaxing pace. "Kerala's backwaters are famous for a reason: a nexus of waterways linking the region's villages and best explored via kettuvallam a traditional wooden houseboat. It's worth spending anywhere from a single afternoon to a week on one of the many rental houseboats on offer, enjoying the sights and sounds drifting by," .