Page 49 - Hospitality Recreation

International kite, sweet festivals to begin from Jan 13

: A three-day international sweet and a kite festival would be held here from January 13 here. Announcing this to reporters, Telangana tourism and culture secretary Burra Venkatesam said, 'Unity in Diversity' is the buzzword for the second edition of the sweet festival as participants from across the country are expected to take part in the event. It would be fantastic to see more than 1,000 sweets at the event, he said The kite festival which is in its fourth edition would be a big attraction as more than 40 players from 20 countries and over 100 from within the country would be participating, Venkatesam said.

Balloon festival in Pollachi from January 13

: The fifth edition of the Tamil Nadu International Balloon Festival (TNIBF 2019) is beginning at nearby Pollachi from January 13. The festival would feature 10 hot air balloons from eight countries. This year, the highlight would would be the specially shaped balloons - White CAT from Germany, Ice-cream from Belgium and Angry Birds from the USA, a press release said here. The brain-child of Benedict Savio of Global Media Box, the three-day festival is being organised in association with The Slaves Restaurant and the Department of Tourism, Tamil Nadu, the release said. A musical fest with performances by the likes of actor-singer Andrea & Band at the inaugural day among the various other innovative food pop-ups and a dedicated kids carnival are the other attractions, it said. The balloon festival is expected to be the largest crowd-puller in the tourism calendar of Pollachi, it added.

Chaddar trek: Insurance, acclimatisation made compulsory for tourists

Tourists from this year have to undergo a compulsory health check-up and get medical insurance to get permission to trek the 'frozen Zanskar riverine route' in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh region in view of casualties, officials said. The decision was taken as every year four to five deaths and several injuries are reported during the trek, they said. People have to brave inhospitable conditions to trek the frozen river at an height of 11,150 feet. The average temperature during the day is minus 10 and between minus 20 and 25 degrees Celsius in the night, the officials said. Ice forms and breaks and changes colour on the river every few hours. In some place the Chaddar or ice sheets do not form, they said In view of safety and security of those undertaking the 100-km Chaddar or Zanskar trek between January and February, the Leh administration has issued several guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs), Deputy Commissioner Avny Lavasa said. The trek on the Zanskar river in the

Eyeing world record, 5,000-kg 'khichdi' being cooked at Ramlila Maidan

Preparations began at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday for cooking 5,000 kg of "samrasta khichdi" for the"Bhim Mahasangam", a gathering of people from the backward classes organised by the Delhi BJP. The "khichdi" was being prepared with 400 kg rice,100 kg lentils, 350 kg vegetables,100 kg desi ghee, 100 litres of oil,2,500 litres of water and 250 kg spices, one of the cooks said. The 5,000-kg "samrasta khichdi" is being cooked in one utensil, with rice and lentils collected from around three lakh Dalit households in the national capital with an aim to set a world record. "A world record of cooking 3,000 kg of khichdi in one utensil is in the name of Nagpur chef Vishnu Manohar. The same person will set a new record by cooking 5,000 kg of samrasta khichdi in one utensil at the event," the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Delhi unit chief, Manoj Tiwari, had said earlier.

Buying land and then building hotel has become unviable: Hotelier

Buying land is one of the main issues plaguing the hospitality industry, says hotelier Abhishek Goel. "Constructing a hotel after buying a land has become unviable. It's impossible right now to purchase land in the heart of the city, or even outside like this hotel, construct a full-fledged hotel and break even in less than 20 years," says Goel, the owner of Regenta LP Vilas. The 29-year-old says his establishment, which is managed by Royal Orchid Hotels, was possible because they had land. "(If) we had to buy even land, it would've been impossible." This is the problem in the hospitality sector. It is time-intensive and capital-intensive, Goel says, adding that the return that needed to come, as compared to a real estate or other project, was very long term. Talking about the Goods and Services Tax (GST), he is of the opinion that it had helped the hotel industry. Elaborating, he said during the VAT (value added tax) regime, there was no clarity regarding which products would have ...

Record USD 3.1 million paid in New Year's tuna auction at Japan's new market

A Japanese sushi entrepreneur paid a record USD 3.1 million for a giant tuna Saturday as Tokyo's new fish market, which replaced the world-famous Tsukiji late last year, held its first pre-dawn New Year's auction. Bidding stopped at a whopping 333.6 million yen for the enormous 278-kilogramme (612-pound) fish -- an endangered species -- that was caught off Japan's northern coast. Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura paid the top price, which doubled the previous record of 155 million yen also paid by him in 2013. "It's the best tuna. I was able to buy a delicious, super fresh tuna," the sushi restaurant chain owner proudly told reporters. "The price was higher than originally thought, but I hope our customers will eat this excellent tuna," Kimura said after the auction. Tsukiji -- the world's biggest fish market and a popular tourist attraction in an area packed with restaurants and shops -- moved in October to Toyosu, a former gas plant a bit further east. Opened in 1935, Tsukiji ..

Goa's iconic Raj Bhavan building now on state's tourism map

Goa's iconic Raj Bhavan, a 16th century colonial structure, is now on Goa's tourism map.

Uzbekistan extends visa-free travel to Germans in tourism bid

Uzbekistan said Friday it will allow German citizens to visit for up to 30 days visa-free to boost tourism as the ex-Soviet country emerges from long-term isolation. Germany will be the second European Union country after France to gain visa-free travel to Uzbekistan, which has opened up somewhat since the death of its long-reigning hardline leader Islam Karimov in 2016. Germans will be able to enter the central Asian nation visa-free from January 15, the Uzbek tourism committee said Friday, three months after authorities granted French citizens the same 30-day visa waiver. The impoverished country is highly dependent on commodity exports and has made developing tourism a priority. In particular the government is keen to show off the lavish Silk Road heritage of cities such as Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand. According to the Uzbek tourism committee, 18,094 Germans visited Uzbekistan in 2018, almost five times as many as in 2016. Reform-touting Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev is set ..

Tourists hunker down as Storm Pabuk hurtles towards Thailand

Tourists marooned on Thai islands hunkered down Friday as Tropical Storm Pabuk carved its way towards the kingdom, forcing airports and ferries to close and bringing downpours and massive sea swells. Boats were recalled to shore across the Gulf of Thailand, while two key airports -- Koh Samui and Nakhon Si Thammarat -- were shut until Saturday, leaving tourists who remain on islands now cut off from the mainland. Meteorologists said Pabuk, the first tropical storm in decades to strike during the peak holiday season, had intensifed Friday morning and was due to make landfall imminently. "Ten thousand tourists are still on Koh Phangan," said Krikkrai Songthanee, district chief of the island which neighbours Samui and is famed for its full-moon parties. "But I talked to foreigners last night and they are not scared, they understand the situation," he told AFP. The eye of the storm is forecast to pass over Nakhon Si Thammarat, sparing the tourist islands to the north from a direct ...

Candyskin Launches it's First Retail Outlet in Mumbai

/ -- The past few years have witnessed the boom of retail industry and e-commerce, which has led to a major facelift in lingerie shopping too. Lingerie brands now not only have their own retail outlets but also are available across all online market places. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/598602/Candyskin_Logo.jpg ) One such new age lingerie brand is Candyskin - launched in early 2017, started by the sister duo of Richa and Riya Kalra, Candyskin has been creating a buzz in both the online and offline market with their premium fashion lingerie in pop colours, basics and functional styles. Having conquered the online market, increasing their reach in the offline unorganised retail sector, launching in Central Malls, Candyskin has completed their full circle in a span of only 24 months, launching their first standalone store in Mumbai (Veera Desai Road, Andheri West). Standing tall on the main road in Andheri West, is the plush Candy Pink and White, 450 sq. ft. Candyskin store ..

Tourists hunker down as Storm Pabuk has Thailand in its sights

Tourists marooned on Thai islands hunkered down Friday as Tropical Storm Pabuk edged closer, forcing airports and ferries to close and bringing downpours and massive sea swells hours before its expected landfall. Boats were recalled to shore across the Gulf of Thailand, while two key airports -- Koh Samui and Nakhon Si Thammarat -- were shut until Saturday, leaving tourists who remain on islands now cut off from the mainland. "Ten thousand tourists are still on Koh Phangan," said Krikkrai Songthanee, district chief of the island which neighbours Samui and is famed for its full-moon party. "But I talked to foreigners last night and they are not scared, they understand the situation," told AFP. Pabuk, the first tropical storm in decades to strike during the peak holiday season, is expected to make landfall on Friday evening with the eye passing over Nakhon Si Thammarat further to the south. "But all tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand including Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao will ..

Justin Bieber serenades Hailey

Singer Justin Bieber serenaded Hailey Baldwin outside a hotel before heading out on a date night.

Mahindra to develop Murud as global tourist destination

Realty major Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. (MLDL) and Maharashtra government on Thursday signed an agreement to develop Murud as an eco-friendly global tourist destination, an official said here.

IT raids popular eateries, hotel chains

Income Tax officials raided the offices of some well-known hotel chains over alleged tax evasion.

Rajasthan Tourism to go back to its campaign 'Padharo Mhare Des'

Rajasthan Tourism is all set to welcome travellers with its grand old campaign 'Padharo Mhare Des' replacing 'Jane Kya Dikh Jaye'-- launched by the previous BJP government -- according to Sreya Guha, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism.

Eat 'Kadaknath', not grilled chicken: MP agri centre to Kohli

The head of an agri science centre in Madhya Pradesh wants Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli to stop eating grilled chicken and switch over to the 'Kadaknath' chicken, rich in iron and whose meat and blood are black. In a letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Kohli, Jhabua-based Krishi Vigyan Kendra's senior scientist and head Dr I S Tomar said 'Kadaknath' has low cholesterol and high protein and iron content, and suggested the cricketer to switch over to this chicken breed. Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) are agricultural extension centres of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research. In a chat show, Kohli had said he prefers grilled chicken and mashed potatoes for lunch. He is currently in Australia, playing the fourth and last Test match of the series in Sydney, which India lead 2-1. India won the last Test in Melbourne by a convincing 137-run margin. Kadaknath chicken breed is unique for its black colour due to its black-feathers. Its black ...

Chewing the fat with Pakistan's BBQ masters

The sweet aroma of mutton smoke drifts through a maze of crumbling alleyways, a barbecue tang that for decades has lured meat-eaters from across Pakistan to the frontier city of Peshawar. The ancient city, capital of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has retained its reputation for some of Pakistan's tastiest cuisine despite bearing the brunt of the country's bloody war with militancy. University student Mohammad Fahad had long heard tales of Peshawar's famed mutton. "Earlier we heard of Peshawar being a dangerous place," he told AFP -- but security has improved in recent years, and he finally made the hours-long journey from the eastern city of Lahore to see if it could live up to the hype. "We are here just to see what the secret to this barbecue is," he says, excitedly awaiting his aromatic portion in Namak Mandi -- "Salt Market" -- located in the heart of Peshawar. The hearty cuisine comes from generations-old recipes emanating from the nearby Pashtun tribal lands along ...

Quantity, quality of tourists to Goa dip, chintan baithak needed: Deputy Speaker

Anxious about the drop in number of tourists to Goa as well as "low quality tourism" Goa's Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo on Wednesday said the coastal state, which is a known tourism destination, needs to have a "chintan baithak" to resolve the crisis.

Train 18 to start journey between New Delhi-Varanasi soon

Train 18, developed indigenously by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), will make its first journey between New Delhi and Varanasi, Railway Ministry officials said on Wednesday.

Train 18 will run from Delhi to Varanasi: Goyal

The Train 18 will run from Delhi to Varanasi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed on Wednesday, saying the run-time would be eight hours, about "one-and-a-half-times" faster than the fastest train on the route. While the railways had been saying that it had proposed two routes for the train, Delhi to Bhopal and Delhi to Varanasi, this is the first time that the route has been officially confirmed. "We have successfully tested the train and the suggestions are being incorporated. Very soon the train will be dedicated to the nation and we have requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi flag it off. This train will run between Delhi and Varanasi in eight hours and the fastest train between the two cities takes 11.30 hours," Goyal said. "This train has amenities of international standards, is Wi-Fi enabled, CCTV cameras and it has no locomotive or engine. It is a trainset. It will cover the 750-km route at a maximum speed of 160kmph," said Goyal, who inspected the rake at the New ...