Page 8 - Tourism Sector

China to ease visa requirements for US travellers in bid to boost tourism

China will ease visa restrictions for people visiting from the United States, the country's latest effort to attract foreign travellers since reopening its borders earlier this year. Starting January 1, American tourists will no longer need to submit round-trip air tickets, proof of hotel reservations, itineraries or invitations to China, according to a notice posted online Friday by the Chinese Embassy in Washington. The simplified application process is intended to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, the notice said. The move comes as China has struggled to rejuvenate its tourism sector after three years of strict pandemic measures, which included mandatory quarantines for all arrivals. While those restrictions were lifted earlier this year, international travellers have been slow to return. In the first half of this year, China recorded 8.4 million entries and exits by foreigners, down from 977 million for all of 2019, the last year

Foreign tourist arrivals in 2023 at 7.24 million till October, says govt

More than 7.2 million foreign tourists arrived in India this year till October, the government said on Monday. Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy said this in a written response to a query in the Lok Sabha. He was also asked if the government is developing some tourist destinations for the promotion of tourism and attracting foreign tourists. Reddy shared data on foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) during the five years since 2018. Foreign tourist arrivals stood at 10.56 million (in 2018), 10.93 million (in 2019), slipping to 2.74 million (in 2020), 1.52 million (in 2021) and 6.44 million (in 2022), according to the data sourced from the Bureau of Immigration. In 2023, the (provisional) foreign tourist arrival figures till October stood at 7.24 million. "The (Union) Ministry of Mines has taken up the proposal to develop infrastructure/facilities of erstwhile Bharat Gold Mines Limited (Kolar Gold Fields) into tourist destination/site with the Ministry of Tourism," Reddy added. In

MoUs worth over Rs 770 cr signed at adventure tourism convention in Gujarat

The annual convention organised by the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India supported by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat was inaugurated today at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar

When 'development' is a zero-sum game

A combination of political ambition and religious nationalism is destroying Uttarakhand's potential, not least for the state's inhabitants

India on course to become 5th-largest market for travel and tourism

In outbound travel, India will be behind only the US, China, Germany and the UK but ahead of Italy, South Korea, Australia, Canada and France, to name only a few

Booking Holdings opens new Bengaluru facility, to create 1,000 jobs by 2026

Online travel and related services provider Booking Holdings, which runs the website booking.com and agoda.com among others, on Wednesday announced the official opening of its centre of excellence in Bengaluru. The new facility which will serve as a hub for specialised and highly skilled technology talent supporting the company's growth and vision, the company said in a press release. With a projected investment of USD 250 million over five years, it is expected that 1,000 jobs will be created in Bengaluru by the end of 2026, the release said. Booking Holdings India General Manager Randhir Bindra said the centre will enable the company to tap into the city's world-class talent pool. It will further accelerate innovation to support transformation of the travel experience and unlock new potential for the company to meet the ever-evolving needs of its business and customers, he added. Initially, the work of the centre will focus on expanding capabilities in fintech, data analytics an

Travelling abroad

India needs a vibrant tourism sector

Up in the air: Adventure sport enthusiasts have places to go

Paragliding in Himachal Pradesh or sailing in a hot air balloon in Rajasthan: The choices are many

Tourism likely to jump by 10-12% this year in poll-bound Rajasthan

Trade experts estimate that the number of tourists visiting Jaipur alone may reach 15,000 to 18,000 per day during the remaining months of this financial year

Rajasthan becomes a year-round tourism hub, even during the hot summers

According to trade experts' estimates, over five crore tourists are expected to visit the state in the remaining three months of the year

India among San Francisco's top market for tourism growth recovery

The city witnesses a large number of Indian tourists visiting friends and relatives, staying in the nearby Silicon Valley

Tourism recovery in Asia-Pacific region strong, robust post pandemic: PATA

The recovery in tourism in the Asia-Pacific region after the COVID-19 pandemic has been "strong and robust" and the numbers have reached about 80 per cent of 2019's figures, the chief of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) said on Thursday. Peter Semone was interacting with reporters during the second day of the 46th edition of the PATA Travel Mart being hosted here from October 4-6. The physical version of the PATA Travel Mart is being held after a hiatus of three years due to the Covid pandemic. "Recovery from 2019 numbers... in the Asia-Pacific region, we are running at about 80 per cent. So there is a recovery and I have to say its strong and robust recovery. "The quality of tourism, in terms of lengths of stays, is better. It seems, when people are travelling, they are travelling a little bit more seriously and in a bit more committed way," Semone said when asked about the recovery made in tourism sector in the Asia-Pacific region. Later on the sidelines, he also shared so

EaseMyTrip, Uttarakhand govt sign MoU to make state a global tourism spot

Online travel tech platform EaseMyTrip and the government of Uttarakhand have signed a memorandum of understanding worth Rs 250 crore to elevate Uttarakhand's tourism sector

World Tourism Day 2023: Theme, history, importance, celebration, quotes

World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on September 27 to promote and bring issues to light about the significance of the travel industry, both financially and socially

Tourism sector from across world to assemble in Kerala for travel expo

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan will inaugurate the first edition of South India's prestigious travel expo Global Travel Market (GTM 2023) at Kovalam, near here, on September 27. State Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas will preside over the inaugural function of the four-day event at The Leela Kovalam, a Raviz Hotel, at 5 pm, an official release said on Monday. Kerala Chief Secretary V Venu will deliver the keynote address on the occasion. Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai will inaugurate the seminar sessions on September 27 at 6.30 pm. It will deliberate on various topics on the theme 'Experience the Essence of South India: Where Culture Meets Nature'. GTM 2023, an annual B2B travel and trade exhibition, is organised by South Kerala Hoteliers Forum (SKHF), Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI), Tavas Ventures, and Metro Media. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan will inaugurate the travel and trade exhibition at Travancore International

New Delhi Declaration provides direction for tourism sector: Govt on G20

A "significant milestone" achieved during the G20 Leaders' Summit here was the "unanimous endorsement" of the pivotal role of tourism and culture in sustainable socio-economic development and prosperity, the Ministry of Tourism said on Sunday. The declaration was announced and adopted by the summit on Saturday. The G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration adopted during the summit underlined the significance of the "Goa Roadmap for Tourism as a vehicle for achieving SDGs", the ministry said in a statement. The summit stands as a testament to India's leadership in fostering global unity and collaboration. It witnessed the convergence of the world's most influential leaders, united by a shared vision for the future, it said. Their collective commitment to addressing global challenges reaffirms the spirit of global cooperation, the statement said. The declaration "provides a new direction for tourism sector with G20 Goa Roadmap outlining the challenges, objectives, opportunities and ...

Economy on growth path; auto, pharma, tourism sectors to add new jobs: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Indian economy was on the path of rapid growth which had led to creation of big opportunities for employment of the youth. Addressing a Rozgar Mela where he distributed over 51,000 appointment letters to the youth, he said automobile, pharma, tourism and food processing sectors were expected to grow at a rapid pace and open up employment opportunities for the youth. Modi addressed the Rozgar Mela virtually as the new appointees in central paramilitary forces, Narcotics Control Bureau and the Delhi Police joined in from 45 locations across the country. The prime minister said India had emerged as the fastest growing economy and would soon be among the top three economies in the world during this decade and bring benefits to the common man. "For any economy to grow, it is imperative that every sector develops. From the food sector to pharmaceuticals, from space to start-ups, when every sector grows the economy will move ahead," he said

Tourism expected to create 130-140 mn jobs by 2030: PM Modi at Rozgar Mela

Addressing the 'Rozgar Mela', PM Modi said India is set to emerge among the top three economies in the world in this decade and bring benefits to the common man

Nearly one-fifth of domestic tourists flocked to Uttar Pradesh in 2022

Over 318 million people visited UP in 2022 (chart 1). It was 540.6 million in 2019. But the 2019 figure included 240.5 million people who had visited it for Kumbh Mela, which happens every few years

Kerala govt launches social media bidding game to promote tourism

After planning to popularise various scenic locations in the state that were featured in hit movies to boost its tourism sector, the Kerala government has come out with another innovative step to woo tourists from across the country and abroad through a bidding game that gives them a chance to win vacation packages at low prices. The game -- called 'Holiday Heist' -- has on offer tour packages at "unbelievably low prices" and if one has a knack for bidding right "in a crazy and creative manner", they will get to enjoy a vacation in God's own country "at incredibly low prices", the Kerala Tourism Department said in a release issued on Sunday. "Powered by WhatsApp, this unique game offers a thrilling bidding experience where the winners can effectively steal tour packages showcasing Kerala's globally acclaimed captivating destinations," the release said. The game revolves around the concept of 'lowest unique bidding' where participants will compete to secure tour packages with their .