Page 4 - Tourism Sector

Lakshadweep's 'one-stop' tourism guide website launched by Thrillophilia

Lakshadweep tourism: Rajasthan-based travel platform Thrillophilia has announced a dedicated online platform for Lakshadweep for all travel-related information

Various initiatives taken to boost tourism in Andaman & Nicobar: Chief secy

The Andaman and Nicobar administration has taken numerous initiatives to attract more tourists to the archipelago, including granting access to uninhabited islands, allowing beaches to remain open till late night and reaching out to more airline operators, a top official said. Speaking to PTI, Chief Secretary Keshav Chandra said that there will also be eco-friendly tourism infrastructure in four islands and 11 tourist sites. "The administration has taken various initiatives towards promotion of tourism... like development of a five-star property at Megapode in Port Blair in PPP mode, leasing out land at Radha Nagar Beach in Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island)," he said. "Beaches are now being opened during late night hours for tourists to enjoy the heavenly sight of the landscape as well as the bio-luminescence. Efforts are being made to reach out to more airline operators that will lead to competitive and affordable pricing of tickets for tourists," he added. The administration is also

Airport to new resorts, Lakshadweep tourism is in for an upgrade: Details

Lakshadweep tourism: Some of the key infrastructure development projects lined up in Lakshadweep include an airport upgrade, resorts, and improved utility services among others

As India-Maldives row heats up, all you need to know about Lakshadweep

The Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India's smallest, is spread over an area of 32 sq km and consists of 36 islands and coral reefs in the Laccadive Sea

Diplomatic row leads Maldivian storm spread to travel, trade, celebland

As #BoycottMaldives trended, a travel technology firm decided to indefinitely suspend all flight bookings to the island nation. Meanwhile, searches for Lakshadweep shot up manyfold

Maldives' envoy summoned by govt amid diplomatic row over ministers' remark

The development comes a day after three Maldives ministers were suspended for their "derogatory" remarks on PM Modi, which triggered a massive nationwide boycott call against the island nation

EaseMyTrip suspends flight bookings to Maldives over tourism row with India

Maldivian ministers mocked PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, stating that India could not compete in terms of tourism

Maldives govt suspends 3 ministers for 'derogatory remarks' against PM Modi

All three had made scathing remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Lakshadweep. The government is currently trying to make the Union Territory a major tourism destination

Puneet Chhatwal takes over as FAITH chairman; will also remain Prez of HAI

Chhatwal is the managing director and chief executive officer at Indian Hotels Company Limited. He will be taking over from Nakul Anand, the former executive director at ITC Hotels

Business Standard wishes a safe and joyful New Year 2024 to all

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

China to ease visa requirements for US travellers in bid to boost tourism

China will ease visa restrictions for people visiting from the United States, the country's latest effort to attract foreign travellers since reopening its borders earlier this year. Starting January 1, American tourists will no longer need to submit round-trip air tickets, proof of hotel reservations, itineraries or invitations to China, according to a notice posted online Friday by the Chinese Embassy in Washington. The simplified application process is intended to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, the notice said. The move comes as China has struggled to rejuvenate its tourism sector after three years of strict pandemic measures, which included mandatory quarantines for all arrivals. While those restrictions were lifted earlier this year, international travellers have been slow to return. In the first half of this year, China recorded 8.4 million entries and exits by foreigners, down from 977 million for all of 2019, the last year

Foreign tourist arrivals in 2023 at 7.24 million till October, says govt

More than 7.2 million foreign tourists arrived in India this year till October, the government said on Monday. Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy said this in a written response to a query in the Lok Sabha. He was also asked if the government is developing some tourist destinations for the promotion of tourism and attracting foreign tourists. Reddy shared data on foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) during the five years since 2018. Foreign tourist arrivals stood at 10.56 million (in 2018), 10.93 million (in 2019), slipping to 2.74 million (in 2020), 1.52 million (in 2021) and 6.44 million (in 2022), according to the data sourced from the Bureau of Immigration. In 2023, the (provisional) foreign tourist arrival figures till October stood at 7.24 million. "The (Union) Ministry of Mines has taken up the proposal to develop infrastructure/facilities of erstwhile Bharat Gold Mines Limited (Kolar Gold Fields) into tourist destination/site with the Ministry of Tourism," Reddy added. In

MoUs worth over Rs 770 cr signed at adventure tourism convention in Gujarat

The annual convention organised by the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India supported by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat was inaugurated today at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar

When 'development' is a zero-sum game

A combination of political ambition and religious nationalism is destroying Uttarakhand's potential, not least for the state's inhabitants

India on course to become 5th-largest market for travel and tourism

In outbound travel, India will be behind only the US, China, Germany and the UK but ahead of Italy, South Korea, Australia, Canada and France, to name only a few

Booking Holdings opens new Bengaluru facility, to create 1,000 jobs by 2026

Online travel and related services provider Booking Holdings, which runs the website booking.com and agoda.com among others, on Wednesday announced the official opening of its centre of excellence in Bengaluru. The new facility which will serve as a hub for specialised and highly skilled technology talent supporting the company's growth and vision, the company said in a press release. With a projected investment of USD 250 million over five years, it is expected that 1,000 jobs will be created in Bengaluru by the end of 2026, the release said. Booking Holdings India General Manager Randhir Bindra said the centre will enable the company to tap into the city's world-class talent pool. It will further accelerate innovation to support transformation of the travel experience and unlock new potential for the company to meet the ever-evolving needs of its business and customers, he added. Initially, the work of the centre will focus on expanding capabilities in fintech, data analytics an

Travelling abroad

India needs a vibrant tourism sector

Up in the air: Adventure sport enthusiasts have places to go

Paragliding in Himachal Pradesh or sailing in a hot air balloon in Rajasthan: The choices are many

Tourism likely to jump by 10-12% this year in poll-bound Rajasthan

Trade experts estimate that the number of tourists visiting Jaipur alone may reach 15,000 to 18,000 per day during the remaining months of this financial year

Rajasthan becomes a year-round tourism hub, even during the hot summers

According to trade experts' estimates, over five crore tourists are expected to visit the state in the remaining three months of the year