Page 2 - Tourists

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

Over 500 tourists from Pune stranded in J&K, many seek immediate return

More than 500 tourists from Pune are currently in Jammu and Kashmir and efforts are underway to arrange special flights for those who wish to return in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the district administration said on Wednesday evening. Speaking to PTI from Srinagar, Girish Naikwadi, a cost accountant with an energy firm here, said his 14-member group has decided to end their tour. "We are not in a position to continue our trip. We want to return to Pune as soon as possible, especially since we have small children with us," he said. Naikwadi said his group was in Gulmarg, about 50 km from Srinagar, when the attack took place. "We somehow reached Srinagar today. Our original plan was to travel to Amritsar on April 25, but after this incident, no one in the group feels like going ahead with the trip," he said, adding that they could secure hotel accommodation in Srinagar only till Wednesday. Another tourist, Harshal Pandit, said he and his family would return to Pune on ..

Pahalgam pony operator dies protecting tourist, tackles armed terrorist

Pahalgam terror attack: Syed Adil Hussain Shah, the sole breadwinner for his family, was among the 26 killed on Tuesday

More flights, capped fares, food provided at Srinagar airport: Aviation min

Pahalgam terror attack: Aviation Ministry assures tourists of hassle-free flight changes and cancellations. Food and water provided at Srinagar airport

South African Tourism sees India as top APAC mkt for international arrivals

This comes after 75,541 Indian tourists visited South Africa last year, with 63 per cent from Mumbai

Indian Army evacuates tourists, locals stranded in Gulmarg snowfall

The Chinar Warriors corps of the Indian Army has responded to a distress call from civil administration to evacuate tourists stranded in Gulmarg district of the territory, said Chinar Corps on Saturday.The tourists and civilians were stranded due to unprecedented heavy snowfall in tourist destination Gulmarg and the subsequent closure of the road to Tanmarg.Responding to the call, the Army personnel evacuated 68 civilians, including 30 men and women each and eight children and provided meals, shelter and medication to 137 tourists.In a social media post on X, Chinar Corps, Indian Army wrote, "Chinar Warriors responded to a distress call from civil administration to evacuate tourists stranded due to unprecedented heavy snowfall in tourist destination of Gulmarg and the subsequent closure of the road to Tanmarg. Providing assistance in evacuation of 68 civilians including 30 ladies, 30 gentlemen and 8 children along with provisioning of hot meals, shelter & medication for a total .

2000 vehicles stuck in Anantnag, CM Omar Abdullah promises relief measures

Around 2,000 vehicles were stuck at Qazigund town in Jammu and Kashmir's (J-K) Anantnag following the valley's first snowfall of the season on Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.CM Abdullah mentioned that he has spoken with the Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag about the current situation, adding that heavy vehicles are being allowed to move & efforts are on to clear the rest of the stranded vehicles."In a post on X on Friday night, CM Omar Abdullah said, "Just spoke to DC Anantnag about the current situation of the road between Qazigund & the tunnel. The icy conditions have caused traffic to back up. The stranded vehicles, in both directions, are slowly moving & where necessary being assisted."He added that DC was on the spot with his team. "I've instructed him to ensure that vehicles with families & children must be given priority.""If necessary arrangements for overnight shelter will be made. The DC is accompanied by an ambulance in case of any medical .

Kullu Police rescue 5,000 stranded tourists amid heavy snowfall in Himachal

Kullu police said that a rescue operation was launched on December 27 after about 1,000 vehicles got stranded in Solang Nala

Dehradun admin orders to maintain law and order due to tourist influx

The order will be effective from the date of issuance till 20 January 2025, as per an official release

Vehicles stuck, tourists stranded after snowfall in Manali; 700 rescued

According to officials, around 1,000 vehicles were stuck in a long traffic jam, prompting police to launch a rescue operation and shift around 700 tourists to safe places

Many feared dead as small plane crashes into popular tourist town in Brazil

A small plane crashed into a Brazilian town that is popular with tourists on Sunday, killing several people, local officials said. Eduardo Leite, governor of Rio Grande do Sul state, said in a statement on X that no passenger survived the crash in Gramado town, and that the plane had capacity to carry nine passengers. Authorities did not immediately say how many passengers or crew were on board. Brazil's Civil Defence Agency said the plane hit the chimney of a home and then the second floor of a building before crashing into a shop in a residential neighbourhood. More than a dozen people who were on the ground were taken to hospitals with injuries including smoke inhalation. Gramado is in the Serra Gaucha mountains and is popular with Brazilian tourists who enjoy the cool weather, hiking spots and traditional architecture.

Investment summit, events keep hotel industry happily busy in Rajasthan

There are more than 2,500 big and small hotels in Jaipur

South Africa holds great tourism potential for Indians: SA minister

South Africa holds immense potential as a as premier travel destination for the Indian market, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said after returning from a recent visit to India. De Lille led a South African delegation on a mission to directly engage with Indian tourism traders, tour operators and associations, business leaders and the media to work in closer collaboration to improve tourists from India to South Africa. This mission was aimed at building relationships through interactions and engagements with tourism trade, captains of industry as well as other relevant stakeholders in the tourism value chain, whilst emphasising tourism as a tool for economic growth, de Lille said as she also commented on showcasing South Africa's tourism offerings during the country's G20 presidency. South Africa took over the presidency of the G20 grouping from Brazil on December 1 this year. India, as a key partner and one of South Africa's most dynamic tourism markets, holds immense potential

As tourists discover Finland's Santa Village, locals call for crowd control

Shuffling across icy ground on a cold December afternoon, lots of tourist groups poured into Santa Claus Village, a winter-themed amusement park perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle. They frolic in the snow, take a reindeer sleigh ride, sip a cocktail in an ice bar or even meet Saint Nick himself in the capital of Finnish Lapland, Rovaniemi, which happily calls itself the official hometown of Santa Claus." The Santa Claus Village theme park, which attracts more than 600,000 people annually, is especially popular during the holiday season. This is like my dream came true, beamed Polish visitor Elzbieta Nazaruk. I'm really excited to be here. Tourism is booming in Rovaniemi which has hotel and restaurant owners, as well as city officials, excited as it brings lots of money to the town. However, not everyone is happy about the onslaught of visitors, 10 times the town's population, each year at Christmas time. We are worried about the overgrowth of tourism. Tourism has grown so .

Laos govt vows justice in alcohol poisoning case that killed 6 tourists

The Laotian government on Saturday officially acknowledged the mass poisoning that has killed at least six tourists, promising it would bring perpetrators to justice. Two Australian teenagers and a British woman died from suspected methanol poisoning after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos. An American man and two Danes also died, though their exact causes of death have not been released. A New Zealander also has been sickened. In a short statement released to the media, the Lao government said it was profoundly saddened over the loss of lives of foreign tourists in the town Vang Vieng and offered its condolences to the families of the victims. The Government of the Lao PDR has been conducting investigations to find causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law, it said. Laos is a one-party communist state with no organised opposition and the government keeps a tight lid on information. In this case, officials have released almost no ...

New Zealand may charge visitors to tourist sites; govt seeks feedback

The government is seeking feedback on a range of proposals to modernise how it manages these areas, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said Friday in Wellington

J&K CM Abdullah calls for sustainable, high value tourism policy in state

Recognising the role of tourism as the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir's economy, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday called for a more sustainable and visitor-focused approach in the UTs tourism sector. He highlighted the importance of shifting tourism efforts from high volume to high value, emphasising quality over quantity. Abdullah was speaking at a high-level meeting which was convened to review the functioning of the Tourism Department at civil secretariat here, an official spokesperson said. Asking the department to chart the way forward for a more sustainable and visitor-focused approach, the chief minister highlighted the potential of tourism to create substantial employment opportunities for youth. There is a need to treat tourism as a structured, long-term endeavour, rather than an ad-hoc activity, by adopting a tourist-centric perspective. We need to enhance the tourist experience, so visitors are more likely to revisit and recommend J&K as a destination, he said. The