Page 3 - Indian Tourism

40 tourism projs get approval to boost lesser-known destinations in India

Forty projects worth over Rs 3,295 crore and spanning 23 states have received nod from the Centre for developing lesser-known destinations into iconic sites and promote a more balanced distribution of tourists across the country. As per the directives of the Department of Expenditure, the Ministry of Tourism issued operational guidelines for Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) for the development of iconic tourist centres, officials said. The Ministry of Tourism circulated the SASCI guidelines to the state governments with a request to formulate and submit the project proposals to the ministry, which are iconic in nature and can create impactful destinations, they said. By the last date of submission, October 15, 2024, a total of 87 project proposals were received costing more than Rs 8,000 crore, a senior official in the ministry said. Thereafter, the Ministry of Tourism in line with the guidelines and as per the procedure or criteria, ...

Army enhances camaraderie; Kukis, Meiteis work together: General Dwivedi

Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi has said the force plays a pivotal role as a melting pot and noted that members of the Kuki and Meitei communities from Manipur operate in the same unit with great harmony. Being a casteless Army, it enhances the camaraderie and diminishes the fault lines, he said delivering a lecture here on Wednesday. Notably, Manipur has been rocked by ethnic clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities since last year. Delivering a lecture on 'Role and Contribution of Indian Army in Securing India's Growth Story', under General BC Joshi Memorial Lecture Series, General Dwivedi also talked about Agniveers and said these young individuals are shaped by discipline and knowledge. The Army is an apolitical force which draws its human capital from all over the country, he said. At the lecture organised by the Department of Defence & Strategic Studies (DDSS) of the Savitribai Phule Pune University, the Army chief also spoke about the internal security ..

Total foreign tourist arrivals stood at 9.52 million in 2023: Govt

The contribution of tourism sector to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) for 2022-23 stood at five per cent, the government informed Parliament on Monday. In a written response in the Lok Sabha, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also said that in 2023, the total foreign tourist arrivals stood at 9.52 million. Among these, tourists who travelled for leisure holiday and recreation accounted for 46.2 per cent while the share of Indian diaspora was 26.9 per cent, according to data shared in the response. The minister said as per the third Tourism Satellite Account, 2015-16, the percentage contribution of tourism sector to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) for 2018-19 stood at 5.01 per cent, while the share for 2022-23 was five per cent. For 2020-21, it was 1.50 per cent and 1.75 per cent for 2021-22. In response to another query, the minister said that to facilitate the visit of foreign nationals to come to India for medical treatment, the government

Delhi govt allows Aerocity restaurants 24x7 ops to boost tourism, revenue

In a push to enhance tourism and drive economic growth, the Delhi government on Wednesday granted approval for 24-hour operations of restaurants in Aerocity, a prominent hospitality zone near the IGI Airport. Already home to some 4-star and higher-rated hotels operating around the clock, Aerocity will now see its restaurants follow suit, offering greater access to diverse dining options, an official statement said. It said Chief Minister Atishi approved the proposal aimed at attracting more tourists and increasing government revenue through enhanced licensing fees. This 24x7 model is not only expected to enhance visitor experiences but also contribute significantly to the state's revenue, the statement added. The initiative mirrors a similar policy in Haryana's Gurugram, where restaurants have seen revenue gains by operating extended hours in exchange for extra fees. Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi government approved 24-hour operations for an additional 111 shops and commercial ...

Indian tourism industry leaders spotlight UP as safe travel destination

Travelling across India is safer and easier for tourists, Indian tourism industry leaders have said, promoting the country, especially Uttar Pradesh, as a premier tourist destination for Singaporeans. Their remarks came as they participated in the ITB Asia, a travel trade show held in Singapore From October 23 to October 25. We need to educate global travellers about the attractions in Uttar Pradesh and make UP known more and above the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, said Rahul Wadhwa who leads CAL India Tours and Travel. He estimated a growth of 10 per cent across the UP travel agency business. Further, Wadhwa said his Agra-based travel business was seeking collaborations globally to tie up travel arrangements and promote the state as well as India as a tourist destination. There are a growing number of five-star hotels and continuing investments in highways that make travelling across India, including UP, as seamless as the tourists expect, said the travel industry veteran of 33 ...

Preserving heritage: PM Modi invites ideas for Lothal's maritime complex

The National Maritime Heritage Complex will revive ancient Lothal as a mini-replica of the historic dock city. At the heart of this complex will be an iconic 77-metre lighthouse museum

Indigenous tourism to contribute $67 bn to global economy by 2034: WTTC

Indigenous tourism is projected to contribute USD 67 billion to the global economy by 2034, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). 'Supporting Global Indigenous Tourism,' a report released by the world tourism body at its recent Global Summit at Perth in Western Australia showcases the role of indigenous tourism in driving economic growth, particularly in remote regions, and its vital contribution for cultural preservation and community empowerment. Speaking at the summit, Julia Simpson, WTTC president and CEO said, Indigenous tourism is not only about showcasing rich cultural traditions; it is about empowering communities, creating sustainable jobs, and ensuring that Indigenous people are in control of their own stories and economic futures. This report demonstrates the immense potential of indigenous tourism to drive economic growth, particularly in remote regions, while preserving invaluable cultural heritage. As global demand for authentic experiences ...

India in focus for Booking.com global expansion plans, says country manager

Online reservation platform Booking.com sees India as a "big priority" in terms of its global expansion plans and a long-term strategic player in the travel and tourism space, Santosh Kumar, the firm's Country Manager for India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, said. In an interview to PTI, Kumar said the company is betting big on India and it continues to invest "very heavily" in the country's market. Brazil and Japan, too, are priority markets for Booking.com as it looks at further expansion in markets apart from the US, he said. "When you look at Booking.com and also Booking Holdings, the parent company... post-pandemic, our domestic business has also grown very significantly... It (India) is a very big priority. We continue to invest very heavily in this market and we are really looking at India as a long-term strategic player," Kumar told PTI. Booking.com traditionally was started in Europe, and that's where it has grown very significantly over the years, he said. "US is a

India to give 100,000 free visas to foreign tourists: What you must know

The free visa offer is part of the Ministry of Tourism's new "Chalo India" campaign

Sluggish foreign tourism recovery impacts India's hospitality industry

The post-pandemic recovery in India's inbound tourism is lagging the global trend

World Tourism Day 2024: Five best off-beat sites to explore in India

On this World Tourism Day 2024, explore these five off-beat destinations offering serene views in India that will be quenching the thirst of all fellow travellers and adventurous

PM Modi urges Overseas Friends of BJP members to help promote tourism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the members of the Overseas Friends of BJP to help promote India's tourism in the US to encourage Americans to explore India. Modi made the remark on Monday in a meeting with a delegation of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) in New York, during his three-day visit to the US, an official said. OFBJP met with Prime Minister Modi on Monday, September 23 in New York. He said that the Indian diaspora are ambassadors of India. He urged OFBJP members to work with Americans to promote tourism in India by asking their American friends, OFBJP President Adapa Prasad told PTI on Tuesday, a day after the meeting. Following the meeting, Prasad said OFBJP is planning a virtual meeting with its nationwide members to convey the message and chalk out a strategy to promote tourism. This would help build a people-to-people relationship between the two countries, he said. The India-US relationship is driven by people-to-people ties, Prasad asserted. He said as mor

Airlines, hotels make up 70% of India's $53 billion travel market: Deloitte

In 2023, airlines and hotels made up 70% of India's $53 billion travel market, with corporate travel valued at $10.6 billion. By 2030, the Indian travel industry is expected to touch $97 billion

Surge in demand of 'Visa at Your Doorstep' among UK travellers to India

There has been a significant surge in demand for the "Visa at Your Doorstep service amid a growing number of UK visitors choosing India as a travel destination, visa facilitation service VFS Global said on Tuesday. According to the latest Ministry of Tourism statistics, Britain featured among the top three source countries for foreign tourist arrivals making up a 9.82 per cent share between January and June this year. It comes as overall foreign tourist arrivals to India increased by around 64 per cent compared to previous years. The Visa at Your Doorstep (VAYD) service has recently experienced a significant surge in demand, said Anirudh Singh, COO of Europe and CIS region at VFS Global the technology services provider for governments and diplomatic missions, including the Indian mission in the UK. "The demand for convenient and personalised services is rising, and our VAYD service is perfectly positioned to meet this growing need. Equipped with mobile kits for biometric capture, o

Lessons from Wayanad: Goa to impose Rs 1 cr fine for illegal hill cutting

Under the proposed amendment to the rules, the department plans to curb illegal hill cutting activities by imposing a fine ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore, depending on the size of the plot

'My Tirth India' spiritual startup temporarily shuts down: What went wrong?

The decision comes months after the demise of Sahara India's Subrata Roy, who was the principal shareholder and investor in the firm

Indian tourist bus that plunged into Nepal's Marsyangdi River pulled out

An Indian tourist bus which plunged into the Marsyangdi River in central Nepal last week, killing 25 Indian pilgrims, was pulled out on Monday, authorities said. The bus with an Uttar Pradesh registration was pulled out from the river by using a crane after closing the Mugling-Anbukhaireni road section of the national highway for four hours since Monday morning, according to Deputy Spokesperson of Armed Police Force Shailendra Thapa. The bus veered off the highway and fell into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi River at Abu Khaireni in the Tanahun district of the Gandaki province last Friday. The accident killed 25 pilgrims from Maharashtra. The driver and his assistant from Uttar Pradesh were also killed. The accident also injured 16 others. The accident site lies on the national highway, some 90 km west of Kathmandu. Initially, a single crane was used to pull the bus out, but then another crane was put to use to complete the task. Passengers were stranded on the highway for hours whi

Rajasthan must announce tourism policy before investor meet: Industry execs

Investors will know about government facilities and subsidies for investments in tourism

Bangladesh crisis hits India's tourism: 90% drop in Bangladeshi visitors

The situation worsened two weeks ago when former PM Sheikh Hasina resigned amid student protests, resulting in temporary flight disruptions and suspension of all visas except those for medical reasons

Tripura govt to relocate LCS after Bangladesh objects to expansion

The Tripura government has decided to relocate a land customs station (LCS) from Manughat to Murticherra in Unakoti district following objection of the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) to expansion of the existing facility, an official said. Around 100 acres of land was acquired for building warehouse, parking area among other facilities at Manughat LCS and the foundation stone was laid by former state industries minister Tapan Chakraborty but work could not progress as the BGB protested the proposed facelift, citing the Indira-Mujib Pact which stated that no construction activity could be undertaken within 150 yards of the international border. To explore the feasibility of a new location for the existing LCS, an administrative team headed by Deputy Director of Industries and Commerce Department, Swapan Mitra, visited a spot near Murticherra, around 10 km from the existing LCS. "Today, we visited a new location for LCS, Manughat as development of infrastructure at the existing site h