Page 4 - Tourists

TBO Tek Q4 result: 64% jump in PAT to Rs 46 crore, revenue up 31%

Travel distribution firm TBO Tek Ltd on Thursday said its profit after tax (PAT) rose by 64 per cent to Rs 46 crore in the quarter ended March 2024 from Rs 28 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The revenue during the reporting quarter jumped 31 per cent to Rs 369 crore crore compared to the year-ago period. For FY 2023-24, the PAT stood at Rs 201 crore, up 31 per cent over FY23 while the revenue was recorded at Rs 1,393-crore, an increase of 35 per cent over the financial year ended March 2023, the company said. "FY 24 was a landmark year for TBO. Following our successful IPO, we have recorded another year of remarkable growth, with revenue soaring to Rs 1,393-crore, showcasing 31 per cent increase with adjusted EBITDA at Rs 270-crore," said Gaurav Bhatnagar, co-founder and Joint MD, TBO Tek Limited. The gross transaction value during FY24 surged to Rs 26,536-crore, marking a 19 per cent year-over-year growth, he added. "Our acquisition of Jumbonline has alre

Google maps navigation leads Hyderabad-based tourists into stream in Kerala

Using Google maps to navigate resulted in a tourist group from Hyderabad driving into a stream swollen with water near Kuruppanthara in this south Kerala district, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred late Friday night when the four-member group, including a woman, were going towards Alappuzha. The road they were travelling on was covered by water overflowing from the stream due to the heavy rains and since the tourists were unfamiliar with the area, they drove right into the water body while navigating using Google maps, they said. All four managed to escape unharmed due to the efforts of a nearby police patrolling unit and local residents, but their vehicle was completely submerged under the water. "Efforts are on to pull it out," an officer of Kaduthuruthy police station said. This is not the first such incident reported in Kerala. In October last year, two young doctors died in a car accident which occurred after they allegedly followed directions on Google Maps an

Why has Japan blocked the iconic view of Mount Fuji? All you need to know

The plan garnered headlines in April when officials, frustrated by the constant influx of mainly foreign visitors littering, trespassing, and breaking traffic rules, announced it

Forces deployed at Char Dham to ensure pilgrims' safety: Uttarakhand DGP

Uttarakhand DGP also appealed to pilgrims to take extra precautions during the yatra as many tourists coming from outside do not have experience of hill driving

Rajasthan travel industry seeks infra push to boost wedding tourism

Industry experts say if destination weddings are to be promoted in the state, the government will have to provide good infrastructure at places with heritage properties

India in talks with like-minded countries to regulate tourism in Antarctica

India is working with like-minded countries to promote regulated tourism in Antarctica as a steady increase in the number of tourists threatens to harm the fragile ecology in the White Continent. Discussion on regulating tourism in Antarctica will be on the agenda at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and a meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) scheduled to be held in Kerala's Kochi from May 20 to May 30. "The problem is that tourism in Antarctica is not properly regulated. So this year, there is a discussion on its regulation," M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said in an interaction with PTI editors here. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is hosting the 46th meeting of the ATCM, the highest governing body for Antarctica, and the 26th CEP meeting. Ravichandran also hinted at plans to facilitate visits to Indian research stations in Antarctica for the general public. "Very soon, we will take it up," he said when asked if a comm

Thailand extends visa waiver plan for Indian, Taiwanese tourists for 6 mths

The temporary extension follows the success of the initial waiver in November last year. Indian and Taiwanese tourists are normally eligible to stay in Thailand for 15 days under a visa-on-arrival

Over 196K people including foreigners visited Mizoram in 2023: Tourism Dept

Over 1,96,000 tourists including foreigners visited Mizoram in the year 2023, the state Tourism department said. A total of 1,96,880 tourists visited the northeastern state in 2023 of which 1,93,445 were domestic and 3,435 were foreigners, the state tourism department. With 1,162 tourists, Americans topped the list of foreigners visiting the northeastern state, it said, adding that tourists from other foreign countries including Japan, Australia, Israel, Canada and the United Kingdom, also visited Mizoram last year. The tourist footfall in 2022-23 was over 2.22 lakh of which 2.18 lakh were domestic tourists and 3,551 were foreigners. The tourist footfall in the state was minimal during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was 20,564 in 2020-21 and 1.32 lakh in 2021-22. Mizoram tourism is making headway with a 'responsible' tourism policy that came into force in August 2020. The 'responsible' tourism policy envisages a sustainable development strategy, coordination, strengthening institutio

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

Tourists in Himachal's Spiti shifted to safer places; 650 roads closed

As many as 81 tourists stranded in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley due to closure of roads after heavy snowfall have been shifted to safer places, police said on Monday. Meanwhile, over 650 roads, including five national highways, in the state remained closed for vehicular movement on Monday following several avalanches and landslides caused by incessant rain and snow for the past three days, according to the state emergency operation centre. The 81 tourists stranded in Spiti Valley in Lahaul and Spiti district were on Sunday night shifted to and accommodated in different hotels and homestays there, the police said in a statement. About 290 roads are blocked in this tribal district and several areas are without electricity for the past two days, the statement said. Heavy rain and snow in Lahaul and Spiti has also disrupted the mobile network, it added. On Sunday, an avalanche hit Dara Waterfall near Jasrat village in Lahaul and Spiti, obstructing the flow of Chenab and triggerin

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

Arunachal CM congratulates BRO for rescuing 70 stranded tourists in Tawang

Notably, Personnel from the Border Roads Organization on Friday rescued 70 tourists and locals who were stranded at the Sela Pass due to heavy snowfall

Eiffel Tower working staff goes on strike ahead of Summer Olympics

Eiffel tower working staff has gone on strike due to salary and maintenance issues. The Eiffel tower website advised visitors to check website before heading to the landmark

Taiwan protests China's boarding of tourist boat near Kinmen Island

Taiwan on Tuesday protested China's boarding of a tourist boat, as tensions rise around the Kinmen archipelago, which lies a short distance off China's coast but is controlled by Taiwan. Taiwanese media reported the King Xia, carrying 11 crew and 23 passengers, was boarded by the Chinese coast guard for about 32 minutes on Monday. Taiwan's coast guard escorted the boat back to Kinmen, and it then continued its sight-seeing voyage. Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling told journalists at the legislature on Tuesday that the incident hurt the feelings of our people, created panic among the people, and was not in the interest of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, referring to the 160 km- (100 mile)-wide waterway that separates mainland China from Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory. Premier Chen Chien-jen said Taiwan was seeking to lower tensions in the area, which have escalated as China increased military activities following ...

HP records 6% increase in tourist arrivals in 2023 despite disruptions

Tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh increased from 1.51 crore in 2022 to 1.60 crore last year, despite the disruptions caused by heavy rainfall, floods and landslides in mid-2023. In the first half of 2023, more than one crore tourists -- 99,78,504 domestic and 28,239 foreign -- had visited the state till June. But tourist inflow completely stopped during the monsoon due to heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides, and disruption caused by these, an official said. Himachal Pradesh suffered losses to the tune of Rs 9,905.77 crore due to the July and August rains, and more than 200 people were killed in rain-related incidents and accidents. Several people were also displaced. In one instance, 75,000 stranded tourists had to be evacuated from the state on July 9 and 10 after roads were blocked in the hill state, according to government data. Following the monsoon mayhem, relief and restoration works were undertake on war-footing. The large flow of tourist during the Kullu ...

Tax roadblock to tourism drive: India isn't 1st choice for foreign tourists

India is still not the first choice for foreign tourists and operators because it levies higher taxes and Southeast Asian countries promote themselves more

Places linked with Lord Ram in MP to be developed as tourist spots: CM

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said the Ram Lalla idol consecration at the newly-built temple in Ayodhya was a historic event and announced that places linked with the Hindu deity in the state will be developed as popular tourist spots. Talking to reporters on Monday night, he said the mega idol consecration ceremony in the Uttar Pradesh town heralds the coming of 'Ram Rajya', an ancient concept that denotes a harmonious society without discrimination. "The Ram temple idol consecration ceremony was a historic event. The places where Lord Rama set his foot in Madhya Pradesh will be developed as tourist places," he said at his official residence here which was lit up with 11,101 'diyas' (lamps) and soaked in religious fervour to mark the Ram temple inauguration. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, good governance has been established. In real terms, the coming of 'Ram Rajya'. Nearly 142 crore people stood by the government and demonstrated an example

Ram temple consecration: Ayodhya to be India's biggest tourist hotspot

The grand opening of the Ram temple in Ayodhya may help the town attract at least 50 million tourist a year -- higher than religious tourism hotspots of Golden Temple and Tirupati Temple -- as massive spend on infrastructure such as airports will put the once out-of-the-way town in Uttar Pradesh on the tourism circuit. Brokerage Jefferies in a report estimates that a USD 10 billion makeover of Ayodhya with a new airport, revamped railway station, township and improved road connectivity will likely drive a multiplier effect with new hotels and other economic activities. It "could attract 50 million+ tourists a year". Golden Temple in Amritsar gets an estimated 30-35 million footfalls a year while Tirupati temple sees 25-30 million visits. Globally, Vatican city gets around 9 million tourists every year and Mecca in Saudi Arabia around 20 million. "Religious tourism is still the biggest segment of tourism in India," according to Jeferies. "Several popular religious centres attract ...

Tourist evacuation underway after multiple avalanches trap 1,000 in China

Rescuers evacuated tourists on Tuesday from a remote skiing area in northwestern China where dozens of avalanches triggered by heavy snow have trapped more than 1,000 people for a week, state media said. The avalanches have blocked roads, stranding both tourists and residents in a village in Altay prefecture in the Xinjiang region, close to China's border with Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan. Those injured were being airlifted out on a military helicopter while supplies such as food and fuel were being flown in. State broadcaster CCTV said a snow-blocked road linking Hemu village to major roads was cleared on Tuesday, enabling vehicles to enter and tourists to drive themselves out. Footage showed dozens of tourists dragging luggage over snow-covered areas toward a military helicopter, while a long line of outgoing cars was seen on the cleared road. State media cited the local highway administration as saying the avalanches affected 350 kilometres (220 miles) of roads. Road clearin

N Korea to welcome Russian tourists, country's first since pandemic: Report

Russian tourists reportedly going on a ski trip to North Korea will be the first international travelers to visit the country since its borders closed in 2020 amid the global pandemic lockdown. The report, published Wednesday by the Russian state-run Tass news agency, underscores deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. It also follows the meeting last September between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a cosmodrome in Russia's Far East. Tass did not specify a timeframe but the report brough some surprise to Asia observers who had expected the first post-pandemic tourists to North Korea to come from China, the North's biggest diplomatic ally and economic pipeline. According to Tass, an unspecified number of tourists from Russia's far eastern region of Primorye will first fly to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, where they will visit monuments such as the Tower of Juche Idea, named after the North's guiding philosophy of juche or