STATES

The Rajasthan state cabinet has approved the state Tourism Policy 2020, which is aimed at rebuilding the marketing  strategy for international branding of tourism and promote domestic tourism. It also proposes to strengthen the tourist assistance force and encourage start-ups in the sector. Manas Dwivedi With a vision to re-position …

Zahoor Qari, Chairman, TAAI – Jammu & Kashmir Chapter, shares that travel agents in the valley had been suffering even before the lockdown began, but with the pandemic the situation has only worsened. He says that setting aside of a Kashmir-specific tourism package is the only way out. Nisha Verma …

Three experts from three key source markets – United States of America, United Kingdom and Italy – discuss where the inbound opportunities for Indian travel agents lie and how they can tap them. Each expert believes in the strength of India as a tourist destination and urges the industry and …

Faraway Tree Hospitality, a pure B2B operator that specialises in holiday packages to the Andaman Islands, shares an update on the destination and how ready their on-ground team is to receive your clients during these challenging times. They also claim that today, it is one of the safest places to …

The pandemic seems to have forced Goa Tourism to do some house-cleaning and re-look at tackling short and  long-term issues such as curbing illegal hotels and improving data collection that follows a faulty system and pegs the number of arrivals in the state approximately 20 per cent short of actual …

Even as tiger reserves and safaris stand closed from July to September every year due to rains, Madhya Pradesh is uncertain about discounting entry fee at its monuments to attract tourists. Hazel Jain The ‘Heart of India’, Madhya Pradesh, has re-opened many tourist spots such as its state-run and private …

Data is going to be the main focus for Goa Tourism Development Corporation as it not only aims to bring all its  tourism stakeholders on to a single online platform but also set up AI-run chat-bots for tourists. GTDC has also come up with Registration Facilitation Centres for those who …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently chaired a review meeting on the development projects undertaken in Varanasi. During the meeting, he directed that certain projects be expedited without compromising on quality, and that the expansion and modernisation of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport be prioritised. Nisha Verma The presentation made to …

While tourism takes its own time to recover, the state has decided to focus on upgrading and strengthening its infrastructure – both physical as well as in terms of policy. The state will soon launch a crackdown on illegal accommodation operators and encourage them to register, for more transparency. Hazel …

Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray, Cabinet Minister of Tourism and Environment, Government of Maharashtra, talks to Hotel & Restaurant Association (Western India) members in a freewheeling digital interview. Hazel Jain The young and dynamic minister who is pro-tourism and a friend of the hospitality industry, discussed plans for the state with Gurbaxish …