Page 2 - Indian Tourism

Madhya Pradesh, France sign PoU to boost cultural, tourism ties for 3 years

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Madhya Pradesh, France and a French language institute here on Friday to strengthen long-term cooperation in the field of culture and tourism. This will make Madhya Pradesh a new centre of cultural and tourism cooperation between India and France, an official said. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and French Ambassador to India Dr Thierry Mathou hailed the agreement and said it will further strengthen cultural relations between the two countries, which already share strong ties in multiple fields. The agreement, signed in the presence of Yadav at his residence 'Samatva' in Bhopal, seeks to strengthen long-term cooperation between France and Madhya Pradesh in the field of culture and tourism, the official said. The tripartite MoU was signed by French Ambassador Mathou, MP's Principal Secretary (Tourism and Culture) Shiv Shekhar Shukla and President of Alliance Francaise de Bhopal, Akhilesh Verma. The language institute, ..

Philippines sees travel surge from India after visa-free entry approval

India-to-Philippines travel jumps 28% as visa-free access and new Air India flights position the country as a preferred Southeast Asian destination for tourists

J-K LG inaugurates control centre in Katra to oversee tourists activities

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday launched a control centre to boost real-time surveillance on pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi to ensure their safety. The Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) has been set up at the cave shrine in Reasi district. "The security forces had conducted a joint review of the route and all aspects related to security, safety, and smooth yatra. Based on the joint suggestions made by the Police, Army, and CRPF, an Integrated Command and Control Centre has been set up here from a security perspective," Sinha told reporters in Katra. Built at a cost of Rs 20 crore, the centre will unravel "a new era of safe and seamless pilgrimage begins," he added. The ICCC has been housed at the Spiritual Growth Centre in Katra, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Anshul Garg said. The centre has a network of 700 CCTVs, with features like gesture recognition, facial recognition, and PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom),

Travel bodies join hands to revive Kashmir tourism post-terror attack

Tourism associations express solidarity with Jammu and Kashmir after Pahalgam terror attack; hoteliers offer discounts as confidence-building begins

India can become powerhouse in cruise tourism: Thomas Cook India MD

India has the potential to become a powerhouse in ocean and river cruise tourism, even as volatility of airfares and infrastructural gaps like limited availability of quality hotels pose challenges for the domestic market, Thomas Cook India Managing Director and CEO Mahesh Iyer said. In an interview with PTI, he highlighted that cruise holidays have emerged as a highly viable travel option by eliminating the complexities of multiple visas, offering seamless travel between destinations and an all-inclusive proposition of accommodation, dining, entertainment and sightseeing in one experience. "With government initiatives like the Cruise Bharat Mission and Maritime India Vision 2030, we foresee positive growth and expansion in this segment," the Thomas Cook India MD and CEO said. Further, outlining obstacles for the country's travel and tourism sector, he said challenges include infrastructural gaps like limited availability of quality hotels, particularly in the 3-star plus range, whi

Amid India-Pak tensions, foreign arrivals, domestic travel likely to dip

Operation Sindoor and fears of escalation prompt cancellations, travel advisories, and concerns for both leisure and business travel across northern India

India set to emerge as 'MICE capital' of world: Tourism minister Shekhawat

Emphasising on the construction of state-of-the art exhibition and conference complexes in various parts of the country, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday said India is all set to emerge as the "MICE capital" of the world. MICE or 'Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions' refers to business and tourism driven by mega events. "After 2014, India has shown a tremendous growth curve in infrastructure, be it the construction of roads spanning over 1,50,000 km, new railway stations, semi high-speed trains, inland waterways and more than 150 operational airports. All these have contributed to India's prowess with regard to MICE events," Shekhawat said. "The confidence was also built following India's hosting of the G20 Summit. The entire world is now looking at India with awe and curiosity. In times to come, India will emerge as the MICE capital of the world," the minister said. Shekhawat was addressing a gathering at the inaugural session of a two-day ev

60% tourists cancel Kashmir travel plans after Pahalgam terror attack

Around 30% tourists say they may consider a trip to Kashmir in three years time: Report

Pahalgam attack triggers mass cancellations of trips from eastern India

The Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives has triggered widespread panic in eastern India's travel industry, with tour operators reporting widespread cancellations of scheduled tours to Jammu and Kashmir. Industry leaders in Kolkata, a key hub for travel to Jammu and Kashmir, claimed that the incident could undo years of recovery and growth that followed a long period of militancy in the valley. The attack marks the first time in recent memory that tourists were specifically targeted, heightening safety concerns among travellers. "This is madness," said Bilolaksha Das, chairman of the eastern chapter of the Travel Agents Federation of India. "There had been terror attacks in Kashmir before. But never before were tourists identified and killed. The entire tourism industry and all its partners revolving around Kashmir, both in the valley and various parts of India, will go for a toss after this incident," he said. Das told PTI that tour operators have been receiving calls non

India's heritage site footfall up 19% since 2019, ticket revenue down 2.83%

India's centrally protected ticketed monuments experienced an over 19 per cent surge in footfall in 2023-24 compared to the pre-pandemic levels but this did not translate into higher revenue from ticket sales, which dropped by 2.83 per cent, official data shows. An analysis of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) data, presented in the Rajya Sabha, covering 143 monuments shows a complex recovery picture for these key heritage sites, contextualised by broader national trends reported in the Ministry of Tourism's 'India Tourism Data Compendium 2024'. The total footfall across these listed monuments increased by 19.35 per cent from approximately 4.60 crore in 2019-20 to 5.49 crore in 2023-24, the data showed. However, despite the surge in the number of visitors, the combined revenue from ticket sales at these monuments saw a decline of 2.83 per cent during the five-year period, dropping from Rs 312.54 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 303.70 crore in 2023-24. This suggests a shift in the ...

Indians turn to spiritual travel: Allahabad, Varanasi searches soar 200%

Between January and March this year, both domestic and international travellers showed increased interest in cities known for their religious and cultural significance

India's sustainable tourism market to touch $216 mn: MakeMyTrip founder

India's sustainable tourism market is set to grow to USD 216 million in a decade from a modest USD 37 million at present, MakeMyTrip Founder and Chairman Deep Kalra said on Wednesday. Addressing a travel conclave organised by the MakeMyTrip Foundation, Kalra highlighted the enormous potential presented by the sustainable tourism growth opportunity. "India's sustainable tourism market is still modest in size. It's about 37 million in dollar terms. Today should be in crores ... about Rs 320 crores right now, but growing to USD 216 million in 10 years time, will be among the fastest growing markets," he observed. The MakeMyTrip founder and chairman further shared that in terms of sustainability, today, only 1 to 2 per cent of all tourism in India can be called sustainable, and that's a stark contrast from international numbers in terms of enablers. He informed that globally, sustainable tourism is set to grow to a whopping USD 11.4 trillion in ten years time, from about USD 3.12 trill

India's travel & tourism sector to grow 7% over next 10 years: WTTC

The travel and tourism in India offers an extraordinary opportunity with the sector expected to grow by 7 per cent in the next ten years, World Travel & Tourism Council President and CEO Julia Simpson said on Wednesday. In her video message to the India Travel & Tourism Sustainability Conclave 2025 here, she said the contribution of travel and tourism to the Indian economy is soon expected to reach global average of 10 per cent. "In India, 7 per cent of the Indian economy depends on travel and tourism. The global number is 10 per cent and I know the way India is growing at the moment that you will soon be getting to that sort of number," Simpson said. She further said, "The large numbers we talked about it was worth about 230 billion US dollars and what was interesting is, over the next 10 years, we're expecting travel and tourism in India to grow by 7 per cent. This is an extraordinary growth opportunity." Simpson also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for investing in ...

Taj Mahal tops ASI ticket revenue list for five years straight: Govt

Mughal-era mausoleum Taj Mahal was the top earning ASI-protected monument through ticket sales in the last five years, according to data shared by the government. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data in a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. He was asked the amount that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has received from selling entry tickets to various monuments in the last five years, year-wise and monument-wise; and the monuments that have received the highest income through sale of entry tickets in the last five years. In his response, the minister shared the data in a tabular form for cycles of financial years ranging from FY19-20 to FY23-24. According to the data, Taj Mahal earned the top slot for all five years. The Mughal-era architectural wonder was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century and it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. In FY19-20, the Agra Fort in Agra and Qutu

India tops Nepal's tourist list in Jan despite decline in visitor numbers

India remains Nepal's largest source of foreign tourists in January, but the number of visitors from the country saw a slight decline in the month, according to official data released on Monday. Of nearly 80,000 foreign tourists who visited Nepal last month, 20,485 were Indians, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said. This marks a 15.1 per cent decrease compared to January 2024, when 24,139 Indians arrived in the country by air. Indian tourists primarily enter Nepal through border points, using road and vehicle routes, but NTB's records only account for those arriving by air. China, Nepal's second-largest tourism market, saw a contrasting trend. In January, 8,191 Chinese tourists visited Nepal, reflecting a 12.7 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The US ranks third among Nepal's top tourist sources. In January, 8,063 Americans visited the Himalayan nation, marking a 14.9 per cent increase from the previous year. Other key sources of tourists included Bangladesh

Key tourism events of 2024: 'Chalo India' and Kaziranga international mart

Inauguration of the country's first sunken museum at the Humayun's Tomb complex in Delhi, launch of a global campaign that seeks to make diaspora members ambassadors of Incredible India and an international mart at Assam's Kaziranga were some of the highlights of the tourism sector in 2024. With the upcoming Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj next year and a humongous number of pilgrims expected to gather in the holy city for the religious congregation, the tourism ministry is also eyeing to showcase and celebrate the cultural diversity of the country aiming to draw both domestic and international tourists. Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh this time will be from January 13 to February 26. The year also saw major changes in the top leadership of the ministry with senior BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat taking charge as the Union tourism minister after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections succeeding G Kishan Reddy who was allotted the portfolio of coal. Soon after taking charge, he had said his

Indian tourism sector to double to $523 years in 10 years: WTTC chief

The Indian tourism sector is expected to double in size to USD 523 billion in the next 10 years, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) President and CEO Julia Simpson. WTTC works with governments on issues of the travel and tourism industry, and is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of the sector. The travel and tourism sector employs 45 million people in India, and is going to double in its value. In 10 years, the sector is going to be worth USD 523 billion in India, more than double the present size of USD 256 billion, Simpson told PTI in an interview. In 10 years, the tourism sector in India will be providing jobs to 63 million people, she said. India is one of the most beautiful and amazing countries in the world, Simpson said. Tourists and visitors across the centuries have been attracted to its shores and wonderful cities. India continues to welcome the world with open arms and the Indian hospitality is incredible, she added. Tourism

Singapore to Kazakhstan: Top destinations Indians can explore in 2025

By 2024-end, the outbound tourism market is projected to reach $18.8 billion, with growth expected to climb to $55.4 billion by 2034

India in top 3 contributors to tourism emissions in decade to 2019: Study

India, the US and China, were together responsible for 60 per cent of increase in tourism emissions between 2009 and 2019, a study has found, attributing it largely to population and a strong growth in travel demand. China's domestic tourism expenditure expanded by 17 per cent per year over the past decade and pushed global emissions up by 0.4 gigatonnes, followed by domestic tourism in the US (0.2 gigatonnes) and India (0.1 gigatonnes), the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found. Rising income levels, especially among the "emerging economic powerhouses of China and India", too could be a driving factor, researchers led by those at the University of Queensland, Australia, said in the study. They tracked international and domestic travel for 175 countries during 2009-2019 and found that greenhouse gas emissions from tourism have been growing more than two times faster, compared to those from the rest of the global economy. Carbon footprint from tourism was foun

Indian bus attacked in Bangladesh, alleges Tripura's transport minister

Tripura's Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury alleged that a bus on the way to Kolkata from Agartala was attacked in Bangladesh. The incident happened on Bishwa Road in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria district, he said. "A Sahyamoli Paribahan bus on the way from Tripura to Kolkata was attacked in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria Bishwa Road. The incident terrified Indian passengers on the bus. The bus was maintaining its lane when a truck intentionally hit it. At this point, an autorickshaw came in front of the bus, and the bus and the auto-rickshaw collided," Chowdhury said in a post on Facebook on Saturday, sharing photos of the bus. "Following this incident, locals started threatening Indian passengers on the bus. They also raised anti-India slogans and hurled expletives at the Indian passengers, giving them life threats. I strongly condemn the incident and urged the administration of the neighbouring country to ensure the safety of Indian passengers," he added. Buses operate between Kolka