Page 11 - Tourism

Indian tourists shun Maldives, island nation feels the pinch: Reports

Indian tourists, who used to flock to the Maldives, are now shunning the island nation and its tourism industry is already feeling the pinch of declined revenue, prompting calls for mending the fence with New Delhi. India has slipped to sixth position in 2024 compared to being a topper in visitor numbers in 2023, prompting voices from the local tourism industry to flag the danger for the tourism-dependent economy of the archipelagic country in the Indian Ocean. A full-blown backlash was directed at the Maldives following derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media by three Maldivian officials after Modi posted photos and video of the pristine Lakshadweep Islands on India's west coast on January 6 on his X handle. According to the Maldives Tourism Ministry statistics, over 17 lakh tourists visited the island nation in 2023, out of which more than 2,09,198 visitors were Indians followed by Russians (2,09,146) and China (1,87,118). The number of .

21 Indians arrested in Sri Lanka for working on tourist visa: Report

Sri Lankan authorities have arrested 21 Indian nationals for illegally operating an online marketing centre in the island nation, violating the relaxed tourist visa norms, a media report said on Wednesday. The 21 Indian men in the age group of 24 to 25, who were in Sri Lanka on tourist visas, were taken into custody on Tuesday by the Department of Immigration and Emigration, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported. After a preliminary inquiry, the department raided a rented house in Negombo city, where those arrested were found operating an online marketing centre. The house had been converted into an office space where computers and other devices had been installed, the report said. Under Sri Lanka's law, those who visit the island nation on tourist visas are prohibited from engaging in any paid or unpaid work. The Indian nationals had used the free-of-charge visa condition that Sri Lanka has granted to a set of countries till March 31 as part of an ongoing pilot project to promote ..

India a travel powerhouse; Agoda will continue accelerated expansion: CEO

Global digital travel platform Agoda will continue the accelerated rate of onboarding of accommodation properties in India, its fastest-growing market and a global travel powerhouse, its CEO Omri Morgenshtern said on Tuesday. The company is also looking to enhance partnerships with local firms in the travel and hospitality sector in the country to tap the huge potential of inbound and outbound traffic from the country. "India is the fastest growing country for us, by far, faster than anybody else. So, we are acquiring (onboarding) properties in India much faster than anywhere else," he told PTI in an interview from Bangkok. On the significance of adding more accommodation properties, he said, "We recognise that bringing more properties in, is a part of localisation because if you want to cater to more Indian travellers from different geographical areas and also from different income levels, then you need to grow". Beyond the metros with four and five-star hotels, he said Agoda is .

ITC inks pact with Narne Hotels and Resorts to open Welcomhotel in Coorg

ITC Hotels on Monday said it has signed a management agreement with Narne Hotels and Resorts to open a 150-key property under Welcomhotel brand at Madikeri hill town in Coorg, Karnataka. "Madikeri is an important market for us. Over recent years, this region has grown in popularity and we saw a niche space for leisure travel. Through Welcomhotel Madikeri we bring the signature hospitality of ITC Hotels to this beautiful city," ITC Hotels Divisional Chief Executive Anil Chadha said in a statement. With this agreement, ITC Hotel group further strengthens its presence in Karnataka, where it currently operates 11 hotels and over 1,300 rooms under various brands including ITC Hotels, Welcomhotel, Fortune and Welcomheritage, he added.

PM Modi spends time at tea estate in Assam, promotes tourism around it

Taking to his X handle, he urged tourists to visit Assam's tea gardens during their visits to the state

$1,780 to spend night in a 'cocoon'? Hotels now betting on sleep tourism

AI-assisted beds, on-call hypnotherapists are taking sleep tourism to the next level

Kerala sets record with 21.8 mn domestic tourist arrivals in 2023

Kerala has set a new record in domestic tourist arrivals in 2023 with 2.18 crore tourist footfalls, a 15.92 per cent increase from the previous year, Minister for Tourism and Public Works P A Mohamed Riyas said on Monday. In 2022, Kerala witnessed 1,88,67,414 domestic tourist footfalls. Significantly, domestic tourist arrivals recorded an increase of 18.97 per cent compared to 2019, the minister told a press conference here. In 2023, Ernakulam district witnessed the highest influx of domestic tourists with 44,87,930 visitors, followed by Idukki (36,33,584), Thiruvananthapuram (35,89,932), Thrissur (24,78,573), and Wayanad (17,50,267). The state also witnessed a healthy increase in international tourist arrivals with 6,49,057 visitors in 2023, as compared to 3,45,549 tourists in 2022, indicating a remarkable growth of 87.83 per cent. Ernakulam district was visited by 2,79,904 tourists from abroad, followed by Thiruvananthapuram (1,48,462), Idukki (1,03,644), Alappuzha (31,403), and

State govts can develop dharmshalas at religious places in MP: CM Yadav

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday invited governments of other states to build dharmshalas (lodging facilities) at prominent religious spots in Madhya Pradesh for the visiting devotees. Yadav chaired a cabinet meeting before leaving for Ayodhya where he, state ministers and their wives are scheduled to offer prayers at the Lord Ram temple later in the day. The chief minister termed the Ayodhya visit a "very important occasion" and said the government will expedite the implementation of various decisions regarding the development of religious spots in MP. "Our government will also make efforts to build a dharmshala (lodging facility) in Ayodhya for pilgrims of Madhya Pradesh. We will also try to provide land to governments of other states for (constructing) dharmshalas at prominent religious places in MP for pilgrims from their states," Yadav said. Since a large number of people from various parts of the country visit the famous temples in Ujjain and Omkareshwar in MP, government

India emerges as top inbound tourist market for Nepal in February

India has emerged as Nepal's top inbound tourist market in February, the tourism authority here said on Saturday, as the key sector in the Himalayan nation is gradually witnessing recovery from the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic. Of the total 97,426 tourists arriving in the country by air route last month, 25,578 were from India, followed by China with 9,180 and the US with 9,089 visitors, according to data published by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). Thailand is in fourth place with 4,799 inbound visitors, while the UK and Bangladesh ranked fifth and sixth in the list with 4,571 and 4,099 tourists respectively. According to NTB Director Mani Lamichhane, though the data showed over 25,000 Indians visiting Nepal in February, the actual number is much higher as a large number of tourists from India visited the country via land route. In January, Nepal received 18,041 visitors from India. The number of tourists arriving via air route in Nepal in February is 33 per cent up from

Rajasthan government plans to announce a new policy to boost tourism

Depending on the tourism sector demand, some changes are made in the policy every year and, accordingly, new policies are introduced

UP religious tourism gets Rs 85K cr boost: Ayodhya, Varanasi top gainers

These projects - planned across leading religious tourism hotspots, including Ayodhya and Varanasi - pertain to hotels, resorts, guest houses, infrastructure development etc

Hong Kong lifts curbs on property market after home prices fell to 7-yr low

Hong Kong's government has lifted curbs on property deals after home prices fell to a seven-year low, adding to the Chinese territory's woes. Finance minister Paul Chan announced the move in a speech presenting the territory's budget, which also raised spending on tourism promotion. He said all curbs, such as extra taxes, imposed earlier to cool the property market would be lifted with immediate effect. Home prices have fallen for nine consecutive months and share prices have languished as a tightening of freedoms in the former British colony has rattled investors. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's tourism has not fully rebounded after it reopened to foreign travellers following the COVID-19 pandemic. China's slowing economy has also impacted Hong Kong's recovery. Chan said the limits on property transactions were no longer necessary amid the current economic and market conditions. The government lifted a 15 per cent stamp duty imposed on non-permanent residents who buy property in Hong Kong

Russia's luxury hotels eye Indian hospitality firms for revival plans

Traditional management contracts and franchising agreements are among the potential collaboration models being explored

Saudi Arabia eyes 7.5 mn Indian visitors by 2030, offers 96-hour free visa

When queried about the Indian market's role in Saudi Arabia, Aldabbagh asserted, 'India is a priority market for Saudi. Last year alone, we welcomed 1.5 million visitors from India

Homestays showing lot of promise with compounding growth: MakeMyTrip CEO

Magow talks about the travel boom in the country and the company's new avenues to drive growth

Visa applications to beat pre-Covid levels in 2024, says VFS Global

In 2023, visa application volumes saw a 16 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth compared to 2022, taking it to 93 per cent of pre-pandemic levels of 2019

Govt to turn spotlight on promoting Lakshadweep, domestic islands

The Union Ministry of Tourism will adopt a sustainable tourism development model to showcase Lakshadweep but is keen on not "overcrowding" the islands to preserve its ecology and ensure that the local environment is not spoiled, a senior government official said. Besides promoting domestic islands, less popular spots in India are being identified to develop tourism and smaller promotional programmes put in place, Director of Ministry of Tourism, Bengaluru office, Mohamed Farouk, said. He emphasised that the Ministry doesn't want to encourage mass tourism in these lesser known destinations at least for sometime so that the beauty and ecological sensitivity of the places are maintained. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's early January visit to Lakshadweep has drawn global attention to the archipelago and its immense tourism potential. He also posted pictures of his undersea exploration on X and shared his "exhilarating experience" after snorkelling in the islands located in the Arabian S

EaseMyTrip announces 5-star hotel in Ayodhya, expects 10x growth in tourism

The co-founder of EaseMyTrip further said that as the hospitality landscape evolves, EaseMyTrip is dedicated to delivering unparalleled travel experiences and improving India's tourism infrastructure

'Turkiye aims 30% rise in tourists from India in 2024, seeks partnerships'

Trkiye, a popular tourist destination, is eyeing a 30 per cent jump in arrivals of Indian travellers in 2024 and looking for partnerships for tourism growth in the two countries, a senior official said. In an interview with PTI, Turkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism Deputy General Director of Promotion Onur Gozet said that the country remains committed to foster bilateral ties in tourism and seamless travel experiences between the two countries. "We attach great importance to the development of our bilateral tourism relations. Therefore, as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we are ready to support the Indian tourism authority to increase the number of Turkish visitors in India," Gozet said. He said they have been in close cooperation with the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), the biggest tourism association in India. Gozet said there is an increasing popularity of Trkiye among Indian tourists with arrivals growing by 17 per cent to an estimated 2.7 lakh visitors in 20

Mount Everest climbers must bring their excreta back to base: Nepal

In its bid to tackle the increasing environmental impact on Mount Everest, Nepal has announced a regulation requiring climbers to manage their own excreta and bring it back to the base camp for proper disposal, it emerged on Thursday. The Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, which covers most of the Everest region, has introduced the new rule as part of wider measures being implemented to combat the persistent problem of waste accumulation on the world's highest peak, the BBC reported. "Our mountains have begun to stink," the report quoted Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, as saying. Extreme temperatures on the world's highest peak at 8,848.86 metres hinder the natural degradation of excrement. "We are getting complaints that human stools are visible on rocks and some climbers are falling sick. This is not acceptable and erodes our image," Mingma said. Climbers attempting Mount Everest and nearby Mount Lhotse will be ordered to buy poo bags at base camps, whi