Tourists

Tourists flock to Rajasthan as Delhi chokes on post-Diwali pollution

Hotel occupancy is hovering between 70 and 80 per cent, out of which domestic tourists account for 95 per cent

'All tourist accommodation providers in Sikkim must contribute to TSD fund'

The Sikkim government has ordered all tourist accommodation providers in the Himalayan state to contribute to the Tourism Sustainable Development (TSD) fund, an official said. The Tourism and Civil Aviation department of the state government, in an order, directed all tourist accommodation providershotels, resorts, homestays, bed and breakfast establishments, and service apartmentsto contribute Rs 50 per tourist to the TSD fund or face punitive action, the official said. Accommodation providers collect Rs 50 fee from each tourist during check-in and remit it to the government, which monitors the payment through the Atithi Guest Information System. The Sikkim government started collecting money under the Tourism Sustainable Development Fund in March 2025 to support sustainable tourism development, including improving tourism infrastructure and facilities like roads and connectivity. Additional Director, Tourism, Tenzing Gelay Bhutia said that it has come to the notice of the departm

Datanomics: Delhi's Red Fort 4th-largest attraction for domestic tourists

The Red Fort reopened after the recent blast and ranked fourth among centrally protected monuments for domestic visitors in FY25, drawing 2.88 million tourists and remaining a key heritage attraction

Rajasthan govt planning two policies to boost tourism, employment

Another would be New Comprehensive Tourism Policy, which will give impetus to tourism infrastructure, employment generation and experience-based tourism

Datanomics: Indians' leisure overseas travel saw sharp uptick in 2024

Among top 10 destinations for Indian travellers in 2024, Thailand led with 92.93 per cent visiting for leisure, followed by Singapore (47.34 per cent) and Canada (43.09 per cent)

Nepal unrest: Bus carrying Indians 'attacked' near Kathmandu; many injured

An Indian tourist bus returning from the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu was allegedly attacked by protesters amid the ongoing unrest in Nepal, leaving several passengers injured, the bus driver has claimed. The alleged incident took place on September 9 near Sonauli on the India-Nepal border, when the agitators targeted the bus carrying 49 Indians. Stones were reportedly pelted, shattering windows and injuring passengers, including women and the aged, the driver claimed. According to reports, the local authorities admitted the injured to a hospital in Kathmandu, while the remaining passengers were flown back to India on a special plane arranged by the Indian Embassy with the help of the Nepalese government. Talking to reporters in Sonauli here, bus driver Ramu Nishad said: "We were returning after having darshan (at the Pashupatinath temple), when suddenly a mob surrounded our bus and attacked without reason. There were women and elderly people among the passengers, but the ...

Domestic tourist visits to J-K during Jan-June stood at over 9.5 mn: Govt

The figures for domestic tourist visits (DTVs) to Jammu to Kashmir during January-June this year stood at more than 95 lakh, according to data shared by the government. Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data in a written response to a query on whether the Centre is aware of the decline in tourist footfall and business losses in Jammu and Kashmir during the peak tourist season following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi also asked if any assessment was made by the government on its economic impact on local tourism-dependent stakeholders. "No such assessment has been made by the Ministry of Tourism on economic impact on local tourism-dependent stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir," Shekhawat said. In his response, he shared year-wise tabulated data for domestic tourist visits (DTVs) and foreign tourist visits (FTVs) from 2020 to 2025. This data is provided by the state tourism department. Based on the latest information received

China extends visa-free entry to 74 countries to draw more tourists

Foreign tourists are trickling back to China after the country loosened its visa policy to unprecedented levels. Citizens from 74 countries can now enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, a big jump from previous regulations. The government has been steadily expanding visa-free entry in a bid to boost tourism, the economy and its soft power. More than 20 million foreign visitors entered without a visa in 2024 almost one-third of the total and more than double from the previous year, according to the National Immigration Administration. This really helps people to travel because it is such a hassle to apply for a visa and go through the process, Georgi Shavadze, a Georgian living in Austria, said on a recent visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. While most tourist sites are still packed with far more domestic tourists than foreigners, travel companies and tour guides are now bracing for a bigger influx in anticipation of summer holiday goers coming to China. I'm practical

Summer holidays put pressure on wallets as costs increase by 25-30%

Hotel, flight rates climb over increased demand, geopolitical disruptions

Religious tourism turns key revenue stream for travel, hospitality firms

Religious and spiritual tourism has been the fastest growing segment for us across the portfolio, says Jatin Khanna

Uttarakhand chokes under tourist rush; Delhi man dies in Mussoorie jam

Mussoorie and other tourist destinations in Uttarakhand witnessed massive traffic congestion over the weekend, leading to the death of a 62-year-old man from Delhi

IAF evacuates 33 people, including 2 US nationals from Sikkim landslides

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday said it has deployed its assets as part of its humanitarian-assistance efforts in the wake of devastating landslides in Sikkim, and evacuated 33 people, including two US nationals, from the remote Chaten region. In a post on X, the IAF also shared photos of the rescue operation. "In response to the devastating landslides in Sikkim, #IndianAirForce Mi-17 helicopters rapidly launched #HADR Ops -- airdropping relief supplies, inserting NDRF teams, and evacuating 33 stranded individuals, including two US nationals, from the remote Chaten region. #IAF remains committed to saving lives. #SavingLives #HarKaamDeshKeNaam #HADROps," it said. Earlier in the day, officials said the Indian Army is working relentlessly under extreme weather and hazardous terrain conditions to assist local residents and stranded tourists. Army personnel have established a walkway to north Sikkim's Lachen village, which was completely cut off due to multiple landslides ...

More than 100 stranded tourists evacuated safely from Sikkim's Lachung

The evacuation of the stranded tourists from Lachung began this morning with coordinated effort from the local administration

IATO urges govt to set up ₹1,000 cr board to boost foreign tourist inflow

This request follows IATO's repeated concerns over India's slow recovery in FTA numbers compared to 2019 levels

Saudi Arabia unveils 'TOURISE' platform to chart future roadmap for tourism

Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced the launch of a global platform which seeks to create a "powerful partnership" between public and private sectors and chart a future roadmap for tourism. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb launched the platform, 'TOURISE', and also announced that the TOURISE Summit will be held in Riyadh from November 11 to 13. The announcement was made in the Saudi capital during a press conference that was attended virtually by a large number of journalists from around the world. TOURISE is a "bold new initiative", structured for year-round impact through collaboration, and will be anchored with a high-profile global advisory board. In his address, the Saudi minister said the platform seeks to chart the course for tourism for the next 50 years. It will bring public and private sectors together. He said this initiative is "no ordinary endeavour". Saudi Arabia seeks to deliver practical, visible and permanent solutions, and this initiative will

Foreign tourist arrivals strongly correlated with travel search: RBI report

Inbound tourism to India has rebounded strongly post-Covid, with search trends and foreign exchange data pointing to the sector's key role in employment and growth

Domestic travellers redirect their travel plans to northeastern states

India-Pakistan tensions and IPL match suspensions are prompting travellers to cancel trips to border states and shift focus to the northeast, say industry executives

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

Rajasthan govt charts strategy to develop adventure tourism segment

The official said that the plan, which is part of the state's tourism policy, is to provide a framework to entrepreneurs to set up adventure tourism projects in the state

Datanomics: Terror attack casts shadow on tourism sector of Jammu & Kashmir

As many as 23.6 million tourists visited the UT in 2024, double the number in 2021. This enthusiasm may be broken, at least for a while, by the militant attack on Tuesday