Latest News
Greece, also known as the Hellenic Republic is blessed with a long coastline, beautiful weather & rich history. No wonder then that it is such a popular
place for tourists to head to when visiting Europe. Being just 6 hours away from India by flight it is also the closest country in Europe for Indians.
In Greece, Santorini, Mykonos & Athens are some of the most visited places in Greece. But other than tourism the Greek PM wishes to encourage a variety of sectors to grow in his country. And with this goal in mind the Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis is set to visit India. Before the year ends he plans to visit India with important members from the business community in Greece. He sees India as a key partner and is happy with Indian companies seeking investment opportunities in Europe. Greece is situated at a very favourable position geographically in Europe & can be developed as an easy access point for African & Asian powers into Europe. The country wishes to encourage foreign investment in various sectors like pharmaceuticals & aviation in Greece. Greece VISA requirements have changed. To know more get in touch with us.
03/02/2023:
Hong Kong is offering 5,00,000 free air tickets!! Under its “Hello Hong Kong” tourism campaign the city is getting ready to welcome tourists from all over the world & for this they will be offering 5,00,000 air tickets to Hong Kong for free. Along with this the city has also announced complete lifting of COVID restrictions with no more isolation or quarantines needed for international tourists. The project will be launched in March in partnership with national airline companies & will go on for the next six months. Under this projects various games, lucky draws, buy-one-get-one-free offers will be included to select who will win the free tickets. Tickets will also be given to Hong Kong residents & the offer will also be first opened for South Asian tourists. Many special offers & vouchers will also be available during this period for the benefit of inbound tourists. If every person who wins a free ticket gets along at least two more family members the tourism in Hong Kong will receive a big boost according to the Government.
02/02/2023:
After two years of deep crisis of Covid-19 , Travel industry was expecting some good schemes for the industry. Union budget 2023 has provided some relief to Tourism sector. The Indian Railway which is the most preferred mode of travel & which is most economical and fastest mode of transport for many & also with an extensive network all over India received a great boost in this Union Budget – 2023 which brought cheer to the sector. It has been estimated that tourism will contribute to 9.9% of the total GDP of India by the end of this decade. Keeping this in mind the Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman announced various schemes like development of new helipads, airports & water aerodromes to increase connectivity, identification & development of new tourist destinations, setting up ‘Unity Mall’ in various districts of states which will focus on exhibition & sale of local handicraft, products which have earned
GI tag & made by the local artists of that region, etc. The best example of GI Tag is Wooden articles like Toys of Sawantwadi and Silk Sarees made at Mysore. Indian passengers travel abroad but miss on equally good destinations so to promote Indian Destinations amongst Indian tourists, special promotion under ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative, upskilling of labour will be undertaken which will encourage the younger generation to participate in the tourism sector. Under the Digital India Scheme the Government has announced that an app will be developed to upgrade the tourism experience for Inbound and Domestic tourists.
01/02/2023:
Nepal who has close cultural ties with India has offered 2 Shaligram stones to The Tempe city of Ayodhya where the rebuilding of the Ram Mandir is in full swing. Shaligram – a special stone which is found only in the River Gandki in Nepal is considered a symbol of Bhagwan Vishnu & Shri Ram is his 7th Avtaar / incarnation. The Shaligrams are being transported in trucks and many devotees are flocking to the trucks to have darshan before the truck moves on towards
its final destination of Ayodhya. The murtis of Shri Ram & Mata Sita will be crafted out of these stones & placed in the temple complex. Uttarpradesh is becoming a famous destination because of Ayodhya along with Prayagraj & Varanasi. The cities are quickly developing into a favourite destination for many Indians and becoming a MUST DO destination for all the Inbound tourists. According to the numbers reported, Varanasi has recorded more hotel bookings than
Goa in 2022 and expected to grow in coming years. Once Ram Mandir at Ayodhya is open to all the Hindu devotees it is expected that tourism on this circuit will increase in leaps & bounds. We suggest a small 4 nights tour starting from Lucknow with Ayodhya-Prayagraj & Varanasi with stay of two nights each at Prayagraj and Varanasi.
31/01/2023:
Last year on the occassion of PM Modi’s birthday eight cheetahs had been flown in from Africa to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park. Cheetahs were once plentiful in India but due to over-hunting & habitat destruction they became extinct. Hence after the successful migration & integration of the 8 cheetahs South Africa & India have signed an agreement under which 12 cheetahs will be brought to India from Africa every year for the next 8-10 years. The first batch under this agreement is expected to arrive in February 2023 & these cheetahs will be distributed across various national parks in India. This is expected to provide a boost to eco-tourism. Eco-tourism which involves participation by local communities, conservation of local flora & fauna & sustainable development of tourism is the need of the hour & has been the focus of various state governments across India when developing tourism opportunities. This project is
expected to help attain this goal. The locals too will benefit from this arrangement as varied options of livelihood centering around these animals, their protection & care will become available to them.
30/01/2023:
Rajasthan has achieved great success in promoting tourism by redeveloping & maintaining its historical monuments. Inspired by their success the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) has decided to follow in their footsteps. Pune & its surrounding territories which are richly populated with ancient wadas, temples, historical forts will now receive some long overdue attention from the Government. This move will also be cheered by the public which had been requesting for conservation of the city’s heritage since long. The Holkar Wada at Wafgaon, Chandrachud Wada at Kanhersar, Bhuleshwar temple in Daund & many Maratha-era forts & temples are the ones in focus for redevelopement at the moment. A detailed survey has been ordered of the existing structures & conservation efforts will begin after
proper study of the report. Development & maintenance of these historical sites would create new tourist attractions in the state & lead to an increase in rural tourism.
28/01/2023:
One of the most happening place in South India is Pondicherry or Puducherry now in limelight because of “The Pondicherry Heritage Festival (PHF)” happening between 1st Feb to 15th Mar 2023, one and half month long event is with the theme of “Responsible Tourism”. Organizers are in view that – Puducherry is promoted very well as tourist destination but now they need to have balance between tourism and maintaining the ecosystem of the city. The event will be full of activities like Quiz shows & creativity contests with discussion in local school. As always Food Festivals showcasing local delicacies, fun activities like cycling, kayaking, wetland photography contests will be organized which will all contribute towards raising awareness about the environment. While India is celebrating its 75th year of Gaining her Independence, World is celebrating 150 Birth Anniversary of Shri Aurobindo. In view of these events many happening actives are planned. Other events like Handicraft & handloom exhibitions, poetry reading sessions, dance & music performances by popular artists are also organized for the festival.
27/01/2023:
India will be Presiding the G20 summit this year, and during its tenure it has been decided to organizing the first ever Global Tourism Summit in New Delhi in the month of April India will highlight investment opportunities; it will have special focus on Cruise. Amusement Parks, Theme Parks, Medical & Wellness Tourism along with Adventure Tourism will be highlighted in this global event. The Government will also introduce Swadesh Darshan 2.0 which will aim at
promoting sustainability in tourism development. The Government of Maharashtra will be having special focus on MICE tourism along with leisure tourism to its costal stretch which is more than 720kms. Special interest tours for back packers and inbound tours will be promoted to mangrove parks & aquariums.
25/01/2023:
India, one of the most popular destinations for tourism celebrates 25th January as National Tourism Day. Blessed with a rich history, varied climate, welcoming people & with the Government’s constant efforts Indian tourism is booming. Way back in 1948 the first committee was set up to promote tourism in order to help aid the country’s economic & financial growth. Eventually a separate Tourism Department was created in 1958. Since then there has been no looking back for Indian Tourism. From ancient temples like the Chardham, historic monuments like Taj Mahal & Hawa Mahal, serene beaches at Goa, or the romantic valleys of Kashmir India has something to tempt everyone with. On this day the Government organizes several workshops & programs to highlight popular & even lesser known places in India, opportunities for development of new destinations & to create awareness about the importance of Tourism.
24/01/2023:
Starting from 23rd Jan 2023 20901 Mumbai Central – Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express will also halt at Borivali. It will arrive at Borivali at 06:23hrs and depart at 06:25hrs. Similarly 20902 Gandhinagar Capital – Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express will also halt at Borivali. It will reach Borivali at 19:32hrs & depart at 19:34hrs. Also from 30th May 2023 20901/20902 Mumbai Central – Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express will run on all days EXCEPT Wednesday.
23/01/2023:
Tired of the usual vacations to Europe, Australia & Singapore? Why not try something different this year by visiting Israel! A small country with a diverse climate Israel is considered as Holy Land by followers of three religions – Christianity, Islam & Judaism. Hence popular destinations include Jerusalem, Nazareth, Haifa & Tel Aviv. Israel’s newly elected PM Benjamin Netanyahu will be scheduling a visit to India in the first half of this year. India & Israel have been long term allies & the Prime Ministers of both the countries too share a great rapport with one another.
21/01/2023:
For the Republic Day 2023 parade on Kartavya Path Maharashtra’s tableau will showcase the 3.5 Shaktipeeths of Maharashtra, an apt representation of the divine feminine power. The 3.5 Shaktipeeths include Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur, Tuljabhawani of Tuljapur, Renukadevi of Mahur & Saptashringi of Vani near Nashik. A team of 30 people led by Rahul Dhansare will be responsible for completing this tableau for the parade.
20/01/2023:
Rajasthan ~ the land of the Maharajas, their palaces, forts & vast deserts is all set to get a revamp! In line with PM Modi’s Swaccha Bharat Abhiyaan the Government of Rajasthan will be focusing on maintenance of cleanliness & hygiene at tourist spots. The Government plans to set up or increase the number toilets, garbage bins, potable water drinking facilities, eateries around various tourist hotspots & will also focus on creating awareness about maintaining
& keeping them clean. Taking into account the problems faced by the differently-abled tourists the Government plans to add ramps & elevators at various sites so that they can move about independently with minimal help. Prepaid taxi booths will also be set up to ensure safe travel without the hassle of bargaining for lower costs. Other plans include setting up display boards which provide all the basic information to tourists which will greatly aid solo travelers.
Monuments & Wildlife Zones will have museums built to display information about the history of that place. Lastly under the “adopt a monument” scheme the state along with the private stakeholders will ensure the proper preservation & management of the historical monuments.
19/01/2023:
The New York Times list of 52 destinations for 2023 features Kerala at #13, the only destination from India to find a place in the prestigious list! And this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone given the amount of efforts the state Government puts in to promote tourism. While Kerala is best known for its beaches & backwaters this time the Government is preparing 100 new destinations for travelers. Local authorities, Government & the local people will be
brought together and villages will be developed & connected to offer a unique experience to tourists. The tourists will get to explore relatively new, lesser known areas far from the maddening crowds & experience living in a rural setting. Currently the Government will be focusing on developing Kumarakom, Maravanthuruthu and Vaikom. Another unique experience will be caravan tourism with “Keravan Kerala” through which tourists would be able to visit &
stay at remote areas where there are limited or no accommodation facilities & other resources.
18/01/2023:
Tourists from all over the world love visiting Egypt. The land of the Pharaohs, Spinhx & the pyramids, the country linking Northeast Africa with the Middle East, the country which was home to the ancient Egyptian civilization. But which country do the Egyptians love? India of course! Egypt’s Deputy Minister For Economic Affairs has called India an interesting destination for Tourism because of the different cultures. She found the Indian people welcoming & hospitable and added that there is a lot of similarity between Indians & Egyptians with their liking for food, music & religion. Meanwhile the President of Egypt El-Sisi is all set to visit India for the Republic Day Parade this year. India & Egypt have been allies for long & this visit will also boost friendly ties between the two nations.
17/01/2023:
While planning trips, booking tickets & dreaming of the dream vacation excites every traveler, almost all will agree that the visa process is something most of us dread. From making checklists of documents to paperwork to scheduling appointments & attending interviews its a hectic task even if everything goes smoothly. Hence what will be met with a big cheer from all travelers planning to visit India is the opening up of an avenue to apply online for the Indian visa. Simply visit https://www.indiavisa-online.org/visa to apply for an Indian visa. Citizens of various countries from Europe
(Finland, Iceland,Netherlands), Asia (Philippines, Russia, Singapore), North & South America (Chile, Brazil, USA) among many others will be able to avail this facility. This facility is available for 24hrs a day, 7 days a week.
16/01/2023:
The Himalayan country of Nepal is sandwiched between India & China. Known for its majestic mountain ranges & home to Mt. Everest it is a dream destination of every addevnture seeker. Other than its famous trails it is also a religious hub for Hindus & Buddhists with many pilgrims visiting temples like Pashupatinath and the Boudhanath Stupa. Nepal shares religious & cultural ties with India & is a favourite destination for many Indian’s first trip abroad.
Usually the PMs of Nepal choose New Delhi as the first place to visit after being sworn in. Keeping up with this tradition Nepal’s newly sworn in Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda who is also the chairpeson of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal will be paying an official visit to India soon. This will also be his first visit abroad after becoming PM. While the exact date is yet to be finalized it is being said that he might visit India in late February or early March. The Nepalese PM is looking forward to enhance ties with India & develop a balanced relationship with India, China & USA.
03/12/2022:
Irish Citizens who wish to visit India can now receive visas from Indian Government
23/11/2022:
Travelers coming to India will no longer need to fill up the AIR SUVIDHA form or undergo an RT-PCR test.
23/09/2022:
Bhutan is now open to tourists. There are no COVID-19 vaccination requirements to enter Bhutan & no quarantine period.
05/08/2022:
Akasa Air will launch its maiden commercial flight on 7th Aug 2022.
15/06/2022:
Indian travelers arriving from Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia can now avail Visa-on-arrival at Malaysia.
14/06/2022:
South Korea announces no international traveler is required to quarantine on arrival irrespective of their vaccination status. However COVID-19 testing will still be in effect and travelers will have to submit a negative COVID-19 test result. Travelers must do a PCR or RAT before departing to Korea.
30/05/2022:
Leh (Ladakh) admin has recently made it mandatory for toursists to undergo 48hrs of acclimatization before heading to higher altitudes
20/05/2022:
Chardham pilgrims will have to mandatorily register themselves before commencing their journey. No pilgrim will be allowed to go beyond Rishikesh without registration. The Government has also urged the pilgrims to start their journey only after checking the available registration slots on the portal of Uttarakhand Tourism Department.
17/05/2022:
Kashmir receives highest number of tourists in last ten years, 6 lakhs in past 4 months
16/05/2022:
Europe to drop mandate for face masks during air travel next week
12/05/2022:
From August fully vaccinated Indians can now travel to New Zealand without self-isolation on provision of a negative pre-departure test. Negative RAT will be required on arrival and on day 5/6.
11/05/2022:
Haridwar to have an international airport soon. The proposal has been approved by the Centre and search for land is on.
