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TOURISM IN THE NEWS
This section shares developments in tourism across the country as highlighted in the media. On clicking a Title, you can read the article online or where possible redirected to the respective website.
Karnataka Forest Minister Ramanath Rai told The Pioneer the policy would look into all aspects to safeguard critical and sensitive forest areas. “Eco-tourism is a new concept and Karnataka is interested in promoting it. We are in the process of identifying new spots though safeguarding the environment will be our priority, for which we will formulate guidelines,” he added.
Principal Secretary Tourism, Sajal Chakraborty who had recently been to these sites said, “It in shambles. Layers of paintings are coming out. Once its gone it will never come back.” However Chakraborty confessed that the department is “nothing” compared to the entities that are active in the region.
The State government has initiated steps to protect the Varkala cliffs and make it a UNESCO geo-heritage site, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday.
District Collector N. Padmakumar has banned shikkara boats and other small boats from operating on lakes and other waterbodies in the district for the next 30 days. The order is as per Section 144 (1) and (2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.PC), 1973.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India is targeting the hospitality sector and hospitals in Tamil Nadu to promote solar energy as an alternative. To demonstrate this, the Centre has partnered with the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Environment Fund (GEF) to conduct programmes based on solar power for market development.
The district authorities in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan have started preparations to ban hotels and restaurants functioning in the Sonar Fort, one of the living forts in the world. Plans are also being made to make the Fort a horn-free, and polythene-free zone, according to a TOI report.
The sun-kissed tranquil beach at Suryalanka near Bapatla in Guntur district, where Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has developed a property – Haritha beach resort, is witnessing a flurry of activity ahead of a beach festival proposed to he hosted by the Tourism Corporation this month-end.
The Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) is working on an ambitious project to utilize the water-bodies in the State to develop a new tourism circuit. Under this plan, work will be taken up to develop the infrastructure in ten selected ghats and jetties along the Brahmaputra River.
The State government will hold talks with various trade unions of fishermen again to allay apprehensions raised by the fisherfolk over the seaplane project and start services at the earliest.
The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has agreed to a proposal of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) for adopting six monuments under the Campaign Clean India, stated a PIB release. This initiative is part of ONGC’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
At the initiative of Ministry of Tourism under the aegis of Dr.K.Chiranjeevi , Archeological survey of India (ASI) has agreed to the proposal of ONGC for adopting six monuments under Campaign Clean India. The six monuments/tourist destinations are: Taj Mahal at Agra, Ellora Caves in Maharashtra, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Red Fort in Delhi, Golkonda Fort Hyderabad and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed pollution control boards across the country to close down all units, including hotels, running without the consent to operate under the air and water acts. A letter containing the order sent by Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) dated June 3 was received by the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) on Tuesday, could shut down over 50% of industries and hotels in Goa, operating without the consent under the acts.
K C Venugopal, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India and Member of Parliament of Alappuzha Lok Sabha Constituency, has said that the first phase of the Alappuzha Mega Tourism project will be completed within three years. The decision comes after reports about the lack of safety measures for Backwater Tourism in the district located in Kerala, Deccan Chronicle reported.
The Tamil Nadu (TN) Tourism Department plans to provide tourist-friendly facilities along highways by establishing high-standard amenities at an interval of 50 kms. Both private and corporate promoters would be encouraged to take part in the project.
Around 32 five-star hotels in Delhi today signed an MoU with the Department of Environment, Delhi Government, to preserve natural resources by complying with Green Hotel Guidelines.
The Government of Goa has constituted a marketing and promotion committee to finalise branding plans and marketing strategies for tourism and other promotional and marketing related matters. The committee is constituted under the chairmanship of the state's tourism minister.
Despite spending a hefty sum in ferrying Indian Navy’s decommissioned submarine, INS Vagli, to Chennai from Visakhapatnam last month and sanctioning an amount for the project, the Tamil Nadu Maritime Heritage Museum project of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) is likely to get delayed due to stringent environmental norms, J.V. Siva Prasanna Kumar reported in Deccan Chronicle.
Kerala on Sunday became the first state in the country to launch an amphibian seaplane service — to be performed by a vehicle that can fly and move on water and land — for tourism purposes.
The whirring of a propeller teamed with the rumble of an engine prompted everyone assembled at the hangar of the Cochin International Airport Limited’s Maintenance Overhaul and Repair facility to gaze at the low flying aircraft that whizzed about overhead.
State-owned Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd plans to acquire a domestic company offering tour operating services. Its travel services arm, Balmer Lawrie Tours and Travel, garnered revenues of Rs 1,132 crore during 2012-13, accounting for nearly 44 per cent of the company’s net sales.
Speaking at an event here, Bhardwaj said, “The Delhi Metro is a pleasure to see and has eased the congestion there. But, here, it has destroyed the outlook of the City.” The Governor made this observation while speaking on the need to rejuvenate the tourism industry which has suffered over the past decade due to heavy construction activity and destruction of the environment.
The State government will soon announce a new tourism policy to give a fillip to tourism-related activities, Minister for Higher Education and Tourism R.V. Deshpande said here on Sunday.
Kerala Industries and Information Technology Minister P K Kunhalikutty Thursday said some invisible forces were trying to stall the state's progress on all fronts but refused to identify them.
There is hardly any archaeological site in this country that is as rich in history, vast in expanse, spectacular in sight and complex in nature as Hampi. Conserving this medieval city, integrating it with its surroundings and enriching the tourist experience, is a challenge.
With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) giving the green signal on Thursday, the much awaited seaplane project of the State is set to take off from the Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam by May-end.
Backwater destination of Kumarakom will be declared as a global destination for responsible tourism, seeking to link the local community with hospitality industry.
In a bid to lobby for policy changes for the industry and press for its long standing demands, about 10 tourism and hotel associations of India have come together to form Federation of Association in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH).
In order to allow free passage for wildlife, the local advisory committee (LAC) of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) has proposed no go zones for resorts in 23 villages close to the tiger reserve.
The people of Vizag are upbeat about business and employment prospects with the Vizag-Bhimili corridor project getting underway and Union tourism minister Chiranjeevi promising a plethora of other projects to make Vizag a tourism hotspot.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India has granted in-principle approval for setting up 15 Greenfield airports across the country, out of which physical work at six airports—Gulbarga, Hassan, Shimoga in Karnataka, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, and Shirdi in Maharashtra, has already commenced, a release stated. K C Venugopal, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India, said that necessary action for project development, including acquisition of land, financing of the airport project, etc.,
The foundation stone for the Rs 45.89-crore beach corridor tourism circuit project between Visakhapatnam (Vizag) and 17th century Dutch township of Bheemunipatnam was recently laid by Dr K Chiranjeevi, Minister of State with Independent Charge for Tourism, Government of India.
The Goa State Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) is contemplating issuing notices to coastal panchayats over their inaction over illegal constructions in CRZ areas within their jurisdictions. Presently, over 1,500 cases of such violations are pending before the GCZMA.
While states are asking for more and more central assistance, tiny Himalayan state Sikkim sets a target to be self reliant after being debt free by the end of 12th plan period. But the question remains -how far achievable the target is?
The sudden decision of the Tourism Department to construct tourist cottages abutting Coringa mangroves has evoked severe criticism from environmentalists.
A few taps on your mobile phone would be enough to get all information about tourist destinations of Bengal, courtesy a mobile-based tourism application project of the state tourism department.
Summer for the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has been exceptionally good, with all its three resorts in Pune division reporting 100 per cent occupancy for the last few weeks. Naina Bondarde, regional manager, MTDC, said the water park at the Karla resort too witnessed a large footfall over the last few weeks.
The Goa Tourism Department has adopted a new marketing strategy to the state nationally and internationally. Dilip Parulekar, Minister for Tourism, Woman & Child Development, Government of Goa, said at the recent Goa Assembly about the new methods of marketing used for promoting the state by his department.
In a bid to boost tourism, Maharashtra will this year spend nearly three times the money it spent last year to market not only the state’s destinations, but also its culture and cuisine.
Over 3,000 travel agents across the country will voluntarily shut shop tomorrow in order to protest against the zero commission policy followed by airlines and range of other issues affecting their business and threatening their survival like the impending Weekly Settlement system, disparity in fares etc.
The Government of West Bengal plans to introduce a special police force for tourist destinations in the state soon, as per The Hindu Business Line report.
The role of Government in tourism development has been redefined from that of a regulator to that of a catalyst. Apart from marketing and promotion, the focus of tourism development plans is now on integrated development of enabling infrastructure through effective partnership with various stake holders.
India is one of the top tourist destinations in Asia, according to findings from a CNN global travel survey. The results also position the country as the region’s fourth fastest growing tourist destination and the third most attractive business for investment opportunities, after China and Hong Kong, a release stated.
Long considered by many as the best time of the year to visit this hill station, summer is also viewed as the worst from the environment and pollution point of view.
The Chennai bench of the National Green Tribunal on Tuesday dismissed a petition which challenged decisions, including industrial area notification for the proposed Aranmula airport project and the no-objection certificate granted by the state government for it.
The Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt. Ltd. (MEHAIR), which operates seaplane services in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has received all necessary aviation, tourism and security clearances, and is ready to launch seaplane services in Maharashtra with Mumbai as its base.
The Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt. Ltd. (MEHAIR), which operates seaplane services in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has received all necessary aviation, tourism and security clearances, and is ready to launch seaplane services in Maharashtra with Mumbai as its base. MEHAIR will also start a commuter service from Juhu to Nariman Point for Rs 750, according to report in Mumbai Mirror.
The sacred spots of India, shrines with their own calendars of auspicious days, attract an unbelievable number of devotees and tourists — both desi and foreign — round the year.
A global tribal rights group today launched a tourism boycott of Andaman Islands until the "degrading practice" of conducting 'human safaris' to see the 400-strong Jarawa tribe is stopped.