Category Archives: Domestic

Kashmir receives nearly 1mn tourists during Jan-April: Director Tourism

In a major boost for the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir, Raja Yaqoub, Director Tourism Kashmir has said that nearly 1 million tourists have visited the Valley in just the first four months of this year.

Addressing the stakeholders meeting organised by the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) at the Radisson Collection Hotel, Yaqoub said the number of foreign tourists has seen a staggering 61 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

“Kashmir is already a branded and attractive destination. We need more promotion here,” Yaqoub stated.
He revealed that the tourism department will be conducting a tourism development conference by inviting stakeholders from across the country. Plans are also afoot to organize an Ambassadors’ meet to catalyse foreign tourist arrivals.

“Tourism is one of the mainstays of the economy. The successful hosting of G20 events will have a direct positive impact on foreign tourism arrivals,” Yaqoub said.

(Source: Greater Kashmir)

Former Minister raises concerns of soaring airfares to Kashmir hampering tourism

Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, Chairman of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and former Revenue Minister has voiced serious concerns over the escalating airfares to Kashmir, reports Rising Kashmir.

“It’s not just tourists who are affected,” Yaseen said in a statement. “Students studying in and outside Kashmir valley, as well as those requiring urgent medical attention outside the valley, also face difficulties due to the rising airfares.”

Hakeem said the escalating airfares present a pressing issue for the Kashmir tourism industry. The increased costs make family travel packages prohibitively expensive, dissuading tourists from visiting Kashmir, he added.

The PDF chairman urged the government to promptly address the issue of rising airfares, especially as the tourism season in Kashmir is at its peak. “Compared to international destinations like Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, air travel to Kashmir has become disproportionately expensive for tourists,” he said. Yaseen called for government intervention to regulate airfares, similar to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Chennai.

The former minister further advocated for the operation of additional flights to stabilise airfares, while also recommending the imposition of price caps during peak demand periods. These measures are crucial for ensuring the sustainability of Kashmir’s tourism industry, he said.

 

Uttarakhand partners with Starscapes to promote Astro Tourism

The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) has joined hands with Starscapes, an astro-tourism company, to introduce Nakshatra Sabha, a new initiative to provide a comprehensive Astro Tourism experience to people.

The campaign will offer a range of activities, including stargasing, special solar observations, astrophotography contests, camping under the stars, and more.

The initiative aims to bring together astronomy enthusiasts, adventurers, and travellers to marvel at the wonders of the cosmos, as reported by ET Travel.

The Secretary of Tourism for the Government of Uttarakhand expressed excitement about the project, highlighting the state’s potential to become a prime destination for astronomy-focused travel.

With its abundant forest cover, nature-based tourism, convenient access to major cities, and well-established hospitality sector, including homestays, Uttarakhand is well-positioned to attract Astro Tourists worldwide.
Scheduled to kick off in early June at George Everest in Mussoorie, Nakshatra Sabha will continue until mid-2025, featuring a series of immersive events at various locations across Uttarakhand. These events will explore potential night sky sites in districts such as Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Nainital, and Chamoli, along with seminars and webinars led by experts in the field.

In addition to offering local residents professional training and skill development opportunities, the campaign seeks to boost local economies and advocate for preserving night skies. By fostering a community of ambassadors dedicated to dark sky conservation efforts throughout Uttarakhand, Nakshatra Sabha will work towards implementing a region-wide dark sky preservation policy over the coming year.

Starscapes will collaborate closely with local communities, travel and tourism partners, and homestay communities to provide training and ongoing support for these initiatives.

GITB in Rajasthan from May 5-7 to highlight ‘Wed in India’ theme

The Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB) 2024, scheduled to be held in Jaipur from May 5 to 7 will feature the “Wed in India” theme. It is noteworthy that Rajasthan is the most popular destination for destination weddings in the country and around the world. During the GITB, panel discussions will be organised with international and national-level wedding planners to discuss the Wed in India concept.

According to officials from the Tourism Department, Rajasthan’s destination weddings are quite popular among both domestic and foreign tourists. Therefore, organising the Wed in India Expo during GITB will prove to be quite instrumental in establishing Rajasthan as a premier destination for destination weddings.

During GITB, 11 international-level wedding planners and 30 national-level wedding planners have been specially invited to materialise the Wed in India concept, and highlight Rajasthan’s significant role in it.

It is noteworthy that Rajasthan is home to 75% of the country’s heritage forts and havelis, and what’s more, nearly a 100 of these heritage sites are being utilised for destination weddings.

Countries Participating in GITB:
Countries such as Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Sri Lanka, England, the USA, and more than 50 other nations will be represented by over 250 delegates during GITB, covering various sectors of tourism.

Schedule Highlights:
On May 5th, the Wed in India Expo will be held at the Maharani Mahal Rambagh Palace from 9:45 am to 4:30 pm. The official inauguration ceremony of GITB will take place at Jay Mahal Palace at 6:30 pm. On May 6th and 7th, an exhibition will be held at the JEC Hall in Sitapura from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, along with B2B meetings with foreign tour operators to promote tourism in the state. On May 8th, foreign tour operators will also be taken on a tour of Rajasthan.

Participation from Other States:
Apart from Rajasthan, other states including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha will also participate in GITB. Organizations such as FICCI, Indian Heritage Hotels Association, Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators, and Hotels and Restaurant Association of Rajasthan will also play significant roles in GITB.

Assam’s Orang National Park to shut on May 15, reopen in October

Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam will shut down for tourists starting May 15, marking the end of tourist season.

Authorities of the Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam have declared that both Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari activities for visitors will be halted from May 15 onwards.

According to a notice issued by the Divisional Forest Officer of Mangaldai Wildlife Division, “Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari for visitors/tourists in Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve shall remain closed starting May 15, 2024, until further notice, for the tourist season 2024-25.”

This move comes after the Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve announced the suspension of elephant safaris from May 1 and jeep safaris from May 16.

The tourist season for all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Assam typically kicks off in October and wraps up in mid-May the following year.

Railways to unveil Vande Metro for intra-city transportation in July

After a huge success of semi-high speed Vande Bharat trains, the Indian Railways is planning to launch the first Vande Metro to transform the intra-city transportation system, a senior official closely associated with the project told news agency PTI.

“All preparations are going on to start its trial run from July 2024 so that its services can be offered to people as soon as possible,” the official said.

Vande Metro will have several new features keeping in mind the travel needs of the city dwellers. It will be based on the latest technology to acquire high acceleration and deceleration which will help it cover more stoppages in less time.

“We have set a target to roll them out this year. Its testing will start in another couple of months. Besides having automatic doors and high comfort quotient, it will have many such features which are not available in currently running metro trains,” the official said, adding the details of its additional features along with pictures will be shared for people very soon.

As per the PTI report quoting Railways sources, it will have a unique coach configuration. Four coaches will constitute one unit and a minimum of 12 coaches will make one Vande Metro.

For starters, the Railways will launch a minimum of 12 Vande Metro coaches and will increase coaches up to 16 as per the demand on the route, the report added.

“Initially, we will have a 12-coach metro but it can be extended to 16 coaches depending on the demand and need of the city,” the official said. He added that the city which will have the first Vande Metro is being worked out.