Page 4 - Indian 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

Domestic travel operators to see 15-17% revenue growth in FY25: CRISIL

Rising domestic tourism and increasing propensity to travel overseas will expand the revenue of India's tour and travel operators by 15-17 per cent this fiscal, Crisil Ratings said on Thursday. Factors like improving infrastructure, rising disposable incomes, a behavioural shift in travel patterns, and the government's increasing focus on boosting domestic tourism will further support the sector's revenue growth. The assessment was based on an analysis of the country's four major travel operators, who account for about 60 per cent of the sector's revenue. "The credit profiles of travel operators, too, are expected to remain healthy, supported by strong balance sheets and steady operating margins of 6.5-7 per cent, in line with last fiscal, resulting in sizeable cash flows and continuing low reliance on debt," Crisil Ratings stated. In the domestic tourism market, growth is being fuelled by 'micro holidays' (e.g., quick getaways or staycations over long weekends), growing spiritual

Budget 2024 gives boost to religious tourism: Bihar, Odisha in focus

Budget 2024: In Bihar, the Vishnupad Temple Corridor and the Mahabodhi Temple Corridor are set to undergo comprehensive development

Gujarat tourist footfall up 17% as visitors flock famous spots this summer

Over 1.35 crore tourists flocked to famous destinations in Gujarat during this summer vacation, marking a 17 per cent increase compared to the previous year, the state government said on Wednesday. From April 1 to June 10 this year, more than 1.35 crore tourists visited 12 prominent attractions and pilgrimage sites in the state. This is a notable rise from the 1.14 crore tourists who visited during the same period in 2023, a government release stated. Key tourist spots included the Statue of Unity, Atal Bridge, Riverfront-Flower Park, Kankaria Lake, Somnath Temple, Ambaji Temple, Pavagadh Temple, Dwarkadhish Temple, Science City in Ahmedabad, Vadnagar, Gir and Devalia Safari Parks, and Ahmedabad Metro Railway. Ahmedabad district and Ahmedabad city, which has been declared India's first UNESCO World Heritage City, emerged as top tourist destinations in the financial year 2023-24. Ahmedabad district welcomed 4.26 crore visitors, while the city itself attracted 2.25 crore tourists, th

After waterfall tragedy, Pune admin releases safety measures for tourists

The Pune administration has outlined a series of safety measures for hazardous tourist locations in the district which includes identification and demarcation of dangerous areas, the presence of lifeguards and rescue teams, and the installation of warning boards. The move comes after the incident on Sunday when a woman and four children were swept away at a waterfall near the Bhushi Dam, a well-known picnic spot in the picturesque Lonavala hill station of Maharashtra's Pune district. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the urgent need for improved safety protocols at popular tourist destinations. Furthermore, the tranquil setting of the Pavana Dam in Lonavala has also been marred by a series of tragic drownings, underscoring the critical importance of implementing enhanced safety measures in the region. During the monsoon season, a large number of tourists visit the Bhushi and Pavana dams, Lonavala, Sinhgad, Malshej and Tamhini and other places, ...

Budget-friendly International Trips From India 2024; check the list below

If travelling is your thing and you want to explore the world without stretching your budget, then are the top destinations to cover under your budget

SpiceJet halts Hyderabad-Ayodhya flights, less than 2 months after launch

SpiceJet has discontinued direct flights between Ayodhya and six other cities amid tourism decline in the city

Summer travel rises 40% this year, travel sector see buoyant demand

As Indian travellers pack their bags to escape the scorching heat, there has been a 40 per cent on-year increase in summer travel this year, with hospitality and travel services providers noticing buoyant demand. Although the ongoing general elections have had a minor impact on corporate and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) business, hotels are finding increased retail business with beach destinations still fighting it out with hill stations for the favoured holiday site. "Those in the Northern part of the country head to the hills to escape the heat. There is also movement from the cities to nearby tourist or leisure destinations. Industry sources estimate a 30 to 40 per cent increase in the summer travel this year as compared to last year," Hotel Association of India, President and Radisson Hotel Group Chairman-South Asia, KB Kachru told PTI. MakeMyTrip Co-Founder & Group CEO Rajesh Magow said, "Summer is always one of the biggest quarters of the year in

Religious tourism is spurring real estate growth in India's pilgrim towns

Record tourist influx and government investments drive property prices up in temple cities

Shivpuri: The stronghold of Scindias left behind on the tourism map

Even though Shivpuri is well-connected by roads and identified as one of the important tourist destinations of Madhya Pradesh, it has yet to fully capitalise on its tourism potential

Looking forward to greater economic cooperation with India: Sri Lanka Prez

Sri Lanka is looking to accelerate greater economic cooperation with India with the tourism sector taking the lead, the island nation's President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Thursday. India's status as a rising economic giant and Sri Lanka's location as a strategic logistics hub will complement each other in driving forward the two economies, he said while addressing the opening of Indian firm ITC Hotels' first overseas property, ITC Ratnadipa here. "I have no doubt that this icon (ITC Ratnadipa) will help increase tourism into Sri Lanka, more particularly from India. Now these are part of the vision statement which Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and I signed last year on how do we integrate our economies and we get closer," Wickremesinghe said. The economic background, the convertibility of Indian rupees, all have now been laid, he said, adding,"so this is the start. I think more than any other sector we identified this (tourism) is one which you can start." He further said, ...

Vrindavan's 70-storey skyscraper temple would boost Indian tourism: ISKCON

A skyscraper Krishna temple in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh would emerge as a major display of Indian culture internationally and would boost tourism in India and local economy, a top ISKCON leader said. There can't be a broken infrastructure for spirituality and temples can't be in perpetual disrepair, Chanchalapathi Dasa, vice chairman and co-mentor of the Global Hare Krishna Movement and senior vice president of ISKCON Bangalore told PTI in an interview. Being built at a cost of USD 80 million, Vrindavan Heritage Tower will be 70 floors high and 210 metres. And another example, I'll tell you, our honourable prime minister has been making a statement, giving a call to the Indian diaspora. Please bring five Americans from America to bring them to India and show them India. When you bring them to India, of course anybody who's coming from any part of the world, when they're coming to India, they're looking for spirituality," he said. Of course they may see good airports. All those thin

As tulips bloom, Jammu & Kashmir hopes to harvest a bounty of tourists

Industry, government officials believe region will improve its tourist footfall this year

Ayodhya on track to become world's biggest spiritual destination: IHCL CEO

Indians travelling because of higher disposable income and priorities have changed: Puneet Chhatwal

Religious tourism to create 200,000 jobs in 4-5 years, says NLB Services

Religious tourism is expected to create up to 2 lakh job opportunities in the next 4-5 years, global technology and digital talent solutions provider NLB Services CEO Sachin Alug said. Religious tourism has been gaining momentum in India and is expected to grow annually at over 16 per cent between 2023 and 2030, Alug said. According to him, the segment accounts for 60 per cent of domestic tourism. "In the next 4-5 years, religious tourism is anticipated to create up to two lakh job opportunities. With a projected revenue of USD 60 billion by 2028, religious tourism will open employment avenues for both temporary and permanent workers," Alug told PTI. According to industry reports, the number of overnight journeys for pilgrimages went up post-Covid and there was a 14 per cent rise in donations in 2021-2022, he said. The recent inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya could further boost religious tourism, he said. "The inauguration of Ram Mandir alone is expected to add nearly 25,000

Goa, MakeMyTrip ink pact to promote state's culture, sustainable tourism

The Goa government and online travel firm MakeMyTrip on Thursday signed an agreement to promote the state's cultural heritage and culinary traditions to make it into a year-round destination, moving beyond the sun, sand and beaches, according to a statement. As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a public-private partnership, MakeMyTrip will highlight the state's inland cultural richness and culinary traditions, which usually take a back seat to popular coastal attractions by curating a cultural map of Goa, pushing various initiatives to promote the multi-faceted state, the Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, and MakeMyTrip said in a joint statement. "Our collective vision of 'Goa Beyond Beaches' is to bring the hidden splendours of the state to the forefront, celebrate its rich cultural heritage, take tourism to the hinterlands of Goa and ensure sustainable and regenerative tourism practices that preserve our natural resources for generations to come. Our partnership ..

ITDC looking for new biz opportunities, strengthening regional offices: MD

State-owned India Tourism Development Corporation Ltd is looking for new business opportunities besides strengthening its existing verticals as it seeks to carry forward the momentum of record financial performance of last fiscal, according to its Managing Director M R Synrem. The company which offers hospitality, travel and tour, events and engineering related consultancy services, plans to strengthen its offices in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata with an aim to develop these as regional hubs for its businesses. "We want not to only expand but whatever we have now to take it a notch further ahead, take it much higher and look at new business opportunities also for ITDC as a company," Synrem told PTI on the sidelines of the launch of the company's new mascot 'Adyant' and a fresh tagline. On the new business opportunities, he said, "We have won a bid for a new duty free shop at the Vizag (Visakhapatnam) airport. We participated in the competitive bid and we have won it. It is a new thing

Lakshadweep tourism: Island to receive Rs 3,600 cr infrastructure upgrade

Infrastructure upgrade initiative to include port facilities, roads, and beachfront amenities across Lakshadweep islands to boost domestic tourism

Budget 2024: What did FM Nirmala Sitharaman say on domestic tourism

From interest-free loans to Lakshadweep and island connectivity, here is everything Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on tourism in the Interim Budget 2024