Category Archives: Domestic

Tourists choosing other states over Himachal due to special road tax: Former CM

Hitting out at the state government for imposing a special road tax on the entry of buses and taxis registered in other states, former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said tourists prefer other states over Himachal Pradesh in the winter.

In a statement issued, Thakur said that instead of making efforts to revive the tourism sector, the state government is imposing taxes, which is further damaging the tourism industry. Thakur added that if data from various organisations are to be believed, people have cancelled 90 per cent of the advance bookings for the winter. The state transport department has imposed a tax of INR 3,000 to INR 5,000 per day on commercial vehicles registered in other states and plying in Himachal Pradesh from September 1 onwards.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said the state government would reduce the special road tax (SRT) and other taxes levied on tourist buses, tempo travellers and commercial tourist vehicles registered outside the state during an interaction with a delegation of Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association here. Thakur, also the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, said that the government has imposed additional tax on tourist buses and tempo travellers and due to which, every bus operator has to spend an additional INR 20,000-Rs 25,000 on a tour of four to five days.

This, he said, is not viable for them, and they are taking out Himachal Pradesh from their itinerary. If the situation continues, income generated by the tourism sector will be greatly affected and thousands of people associated with it will lose their livelihood, Thakur said. He added that stakeholders in the sector have met the chief minister and expressed their concerns, but so far no meaningful step has been taken by the government. “The CM should think about the loss caused to the tourism industry,” Thakur said, adding that the state government should try to provide support to the sector.

‘Rescind order on tourist guides in Gulmarg’

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti has urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to revoke an order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation. The order directs tourist guides and service providers to be charged as normal passengers for the second phase of the Gulmarg Gondola Project.

Expressing her concerns, Mufti questioned the rationale behind the local administration’s decisions, which she believes are detrimental to the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. She criticised the recent directive in Gulmarg, which makes it mandatory for tourist guides and service providers to pay for the second phase of the gondola cable car, deeming it poorly conceived and nonsensical.

The issue arises from a previous order passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation last month. This order specified that guides and service providers must be charged as regular passengers if they accompany tourists to Affarwat on the second phase of the Gulmarg Gondola Project. Mehbooba Mufti pointed out that this was not the previous practice, as they were allowed to accompany visitors with the assistance of a special pass. She highlighted that these individuals already struggle to make a living that barely sustains their families by assisting tourists. She appealed to Manoj Sinha to reconsider this order, as it could have a profoundly negative impact on their livelihoods.

Rajasthan to unlock tourism potential of lesser-known destinations

The Rajasthan government is all set to unlock the tourism potential of lesser-known places as it has identified two sites in selected districts for their development as new tourism sites. The sites are being developed in various districts, including Alwar, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Bundi, Bharatpur, Banswara, Dausa, Dungarpur, Jodhpur, Jhalawar, Jalore, Jhunjhunu, Karauli, Nagaur, Sirohi, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jaipur, at a cost of INR 70.06 crore.

An official said the move will transform the tourism landscape of the state which offers a range of tourism sites, from desert to hill station. “Two tourist destinations have been identified in districts and development work has started through the Tourism Development Fund,” Gayatri Rathore, Principal Secretary, Tourism, said. She said new tourist places will be developed and the benefits of the tourism industry will be available district-wise in the state.

Director of the Tourism Department, Rashmi Sharma said work is going on at a fast pace to promote tourism in the state. “The tourism department is working in coordination with other government departments like forest, archaeology and Public Works Department for the development of tourism sites,” she said.

“Rajasthan is not just about forts and places, many more sites are there in the state which has great potential to be developed as tourist attractions,” another official said. There has been a record arrival of tourists on extended weekends and New Year, particularly in Jaipur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer which has necessitated development of facilities for tourists, Gaurav Bhatt, a tourist guide, said.

In August, Udaipur witnessed a record surge in the number of tourists. Deputy Director of the Tourism Department in Udaipur, Shikha Saxena said Udaipur continues to be a top destination, drawing visitors from all over to enjoy its natural beauty and serene lakes.

“This year has been quite eventful for Udaipur in terms of tourism. In January, 1,80,000 domestic tourists and 14,215 foreign guests visited,” she said. She also said 1,60,567 tourists flocked to the lake city in the monsoon season. Among them, 1,51,300 were domestic tourists, while 9,267 were foreigners. (Source HT)

Vistara to start non-stop flights between Delhi & Hong Kong from Oct 29

Vistara will start daily non-stop flights between Delhi and Hong Kong, starting October 29, 2023. The airline will operate its A321neo aircraft featuring a three-class configuration on this route. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents.

The airline is offering all-inclusive return fares start at INR 26,499 for Economy, INR 64,999 for Premium Economy, and INR 99,999 for Business Class.

Vinod Kannan, CEO, Vistara, said, “We are delighted to add Hong Kong to our fast-growing global network. Hong Kong is one of the world’s most premier financial and commercial hubs that cCategoriesontinues to draw significant corporate traffic from India. It has also been a very popular destination for Indian tourists. With the addition of Hong Kong, we are now able to offer our customers direct connectivity to and from three of the world’s top financial centres, the others being London and Singapore.”

 

 

Introductory all-inclusive, round-trip fares

Sector Economy Premium Economy Business
Delhi – Hong Kong – Delhi INR 26,499 INR 64,999 INR 99,999
Hong Kong – Delhi – Hong Kong HKD 3,499 HKD 6,299 HKD 11,999

 

Schedule of flights to/from Hong Kong effective 29 October 2023

Sector Flight No. Days of Operation Departure Arrival
Delhi – Hong Kong UK 0101 Daily 21:05 Hrs 05:55 Hrs
Hong Kong – Delhi UK 0102 Daily 08:55 Hrs 13:10 Hrs
* All timings shown are in local time zones, exact timings may differ slightly for respective days of operations

** Subject to regulatory approvals

Flybig to start flights on Bhatinda-Ghaziabad route

Flybig is set to start flights from Bhatinda in Punjab to Ghaziabad. The services are expected to start this week after test run clearance.

As per information, flight from Ghaziabad will fly at 10.30 am and will reach Bathinda airport at 12.10 pm, then at 12.30 pm, the flight will take off from Bathinda and will reach Delhi at 2.10 pm, reports Sukhmeet Bhasin for The Tribune.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ahmed Parray said, “On Wednesday, test run of the flight will be done as flight from Hindon Ghaziabad airport will come to Bathinda and after which it official flights starting off will be decided.”

The services from the local airport here were stopped during the outbreak of the Covid pandemic. Earlier, Alliance Air was running the flights to Delhi and Jammu thrice a week.

Odisha to organise Eco Retreat at 7 locations starting December 1

Odisha Tourism is set to organise its annual camping event Eco Retreat at seven locations offering 220 tents from December 1, 2023. From September 15, tourists will be allowed to book their stays at these seven locations– Konark, Putsil, Sonapur, Daringbadi, Bhitarkanika, Satkosia, and Hirakud.

Lenin Mohanty, Chairman, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), said Eco Retreat has now become the face of Odisha. It has played a pivotal role in promoting sustainable tourism in the state, he said.

Mohanty went on to highlight the broader contributions of the OTDC, emphasiing that the corporation has not only boosted tourism, but also made significant contributions to the state’s economy. By creating employment opportunities and bolstering local businesses, the OTDC has generated a profit of INR 5 crore in the last fiscal year. Furthermore, it has been instrumental in preserving the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty that make Odisha such a unique destination, he added.