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TravClan Gears up for its Grand Opening at SATTE 2022

Trusted by 15,000 Travel Agents, TravClan, India's fastest growing B2B Travel Platform is delighted to kickstart its physical trade exhibitions at the opening of the 29th edition of South Asia's Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) at the Indian Expo Mart in Greater Noida from today till 20th May 2022. To celebrate the positive recovery sentiment across the travel industry, the 2022 edition of SATTE will serve as a one-stop platform to enable people from diverse tourism segments to engage, conduct business, and share knowledge with thought leaders. Cofounders and Senior Management of TravClan are all set to engage with relevant Travel Agents, vendors, suppliers, and other stakeholders of the travel and tourism industry to expand its business. They will be presenting a series of sessions and workshops at Hall No 10 & 11 to showcase a range of Travel Agent solutions based on technology which includes- - B2B Portal for Flights and Hotels at Booth No. C201, - Life-Time Free Website at Booth No. B220 - B2B Holiday Packages for Top International and Domestic Destinations at Booth No. B144 The company will also highlight how it remained competitive and able to meet the changing trends and demands of the Travel industry during the turbulent period of the market. The excitement doesn't end here, TravClan has exciting rewards for their pre-registered users. Pre-book a slot at SATTE with the Team TravCaln by clicking here - https://bit.ly/Tc_Satte

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Forest areas in Goa to be developed as ecotourism destinations

The Goa government’s new focus is on developing eco-tourism in the state. The state’s forest and forest parks will come under this development plan. Goa has, in total, six wildlife sanctuaries – Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem Wildlife Sanctuary and Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary. The state has one national park – Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park. Under this project, various wildlife parks will see improvements in the infrastructure and creation of safe camping areas and jungle trails for visitors. New plans will be centred around giving a wholesome wildlife experience to the visitors to these parks, and that includes getting to see wild animals. These forest areas are a part of Goan hinterlands. For those curious, hinterland is an area away from the coast or any big river or a heavily populated area. These are mostly thick forests that are rich in biodiversity. Various species of plants, animals and amphibians thrive in these heavily forested areas. A large part of Goan hinterland falls under the Western Ghats, popular as a birding as well as herping destination.

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Japan to conduct “test tourism” this month as step to full re-opening

The Japanese government announced today that it will begin conducting “test tourism” in the form of limited package tours in May as a way of gathering information prior to a full reopening of the country to tourism. The Japan Tourism Agency said that it would start allowing small group tours to enter later this month as “test cases” to gain information for a broader resumption of tourism at an unspecified future date. Tourists who have been triple-vaccinated and come from the United States, Australia, Thailand and Singapore will be allowed to take part in the tours, which will be strictly planned in conjunction with travel agencies and accompanied at all times by tour conductors, it said in a statement. “This venture will allow us to verify compliance and emergency responses for infection prevention and formulate guidelines for travel agencies and accommodation operators to keep in mind,” it said. The move to receive such tourists, currently not allowed to enter due to border control measures in response to COVID-19 in Japan, comes as the country faces growing pressure from the international community and domestic businesses to reopen the border. If there are no major problems, the government will gradually expand the range of foreign tourists allowed into Japan, government sources said. On a television program Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that a major concern over the border control measures is when and how far Japan will reopen its borders to foreign tourists. “We will conduct an experiment soon” to start reopening borders next month or after, he said. Through the project, the government will see whether tourist movements will be adequately managed and whether coronavirus infections among participants will be dealt with appropriately. During the trial phase, small groups of foreign travelers will visit sightseeing spots based on fixed itineraries in order for the government to see whether it can grasp their movements. Japan will not allow individual tourists, for the time being, the sources added. Kishida initially intended to launch the trial in December last year, but the rapid spread of the omicron coronavirus variant delayed the start. The government is also expected to decide as early as this week to raise the daily cap on the number of people allowed to enter the country to around 20,000 from the current 10,000. In late April, private-sector members of a government panel on an economic and fiscal policy called for relaxing the daily arrival cap and easing additional immigration procedures. Kishida said during his trip to London earlier this month that Japan would review its COVID-19 measures “in stages” after consulting with public health experts and bringing them in line with other Group of Seven nations. The government closed Japan to all non-resident foreign visitors on Nov. 30 in response to the emergence of the omicron variant. Since March 1, controls have been relaxed on entries for businesspeople, foreign students, technical intern trainees and others entering for non-tourism purposes. The cap on arrivals from overseas per day was raised from 3,500 in November to 5,000 on March 1, 7,000 on March 14 and to the current 10,000 on April 10. Prior to the pandemic, the number of foreign visitors to Japan had been expanding. The figure reached almost 32 million in 2019, as the government was boosting tourism as a driver of economic growth with a goal of 40 million in 2020, the year the Tokyo Olympics were initially scheduled to be held, although they were postponed to 2021 amid the pandemic. However, amid COVID-19 travel restrictions, the number of foreign visitors dropped to 245,900 in 2021, the lowest since 1964 when comparable data became available, according to the Japan Tourism Agency. Compared with the pre-pandemic year of 2019, the figure plunged 99.2 per cent. As the government looks to resume letting foreign tourists in, businesses that depend on them are finally seeing a ray of hope in the likely revival of inbound tourism. Yoko Kikuchi manages an umbrella store on the Nakamise shopping street running to Senso-ji temple in Tokyo’s Asakusa district, a popular spot for foreign visitors before the pandemic. The 77-year-old said that while activity was up since anti-COVID restrictions were eased in March, it was “still nothing like before,” adding, “I hope that the street will get its energy back with foreign tourists returning.” Keisuke Ishikawa, a 52-year-old owner of a bamboo crafts store in Arashiyama, a popular tourist area in Kyoto, welcomed the news that Japan is expected to reopen to foreign tourists finally. “A lot of Japanese come on weekends and holidays, but I used to expect sales from inbound tourists on weekdays. I’ve waited and waited for this,” he said.

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Karnataka Tourism starts domestic roadshows from Delhi

Karnataka Tourism has started the domestic tourism promotions from Delhi with a roadshow. Around 12 travel and tourism stakeholders participated in the roadshow and interacted with the domestic buyers. The Tourism Board will organise road shows in the north Indian cities of Chandigarh (May 21), Jaipur (May 23) and Lucknow (May 25) in the first phase of domestic tourism promotions. According to a senior official of the Karnataka Tourism, road shows will be organised in 19 cities in the country in this season. Through the road shows, Karnataka tourism is showcasing the state as a destination for leisure, adventure, wildlife and wedding destination. Speaking at the roadshow, Anil Oraw, Regional Director - North, India Tourism, Government of India extended all support for the travel trade in the Northern region to organise familiarisation (Fam) trips for tour operators interested in promoting Karnataka. Karnataka Tourism will be hosting the Karnataka International Tourism Expo (KITE) later this year to promote the state in the domestic and international markets. Buyers from 100 countries will be invited to participate and promote Karnataka as a tourism destination, a senior official said. At the roadshow in Delhi, representatives from the travel trade associations also participated apart from active participation from industry stakeholders. Rajiv Mehra, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), PP Khanna, President, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), Neeraj Malhotra, Chairman, TAAI Northern Region, Ravi Gosain, Vice President, IATO and S Mahalingaiah, Chairman of the Karnataka Chapter of IATO were present at the event.

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Experience Ladakh the Hemis way, the big festival to kickoff soon

The annual celebration of Ladakh's Hemis Festival is right around the corner. Block the dates because come July 8-9, you need to be in Ladakh for the two-day Hemis Festival. On the tenth day of the lunar month, also known as Tse-Chu, Hemis Festival is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. The grand Hemis Monastery is located in Ladakh; during the festival time, you will get to see the monastery all decked up and ready for the grand cultural celebration. This is also the best time to experience the Ladakhi culture. The locals, in their traditional best, gather in the monastery courtyard where the main celebration takes place. Lamas in traditional attires and colourful masks open the festival with cham, also known as the masked dance. The stunning masks and headgears have different meanings and are of cultural significance. Short history of Hemis Festival Back in the 8th century, it was believed that the locals were tormented by evil spirits and demons. It was Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rimpoche, who saved the day and people started celebrating this win over evil. Basically, the Hemis Festival is celebrated to keep negativity at bay and welcome new life that is filled with hope and positive energy. It was through Guru Padmasambhava that Tantric Buddhism was introduced in the Himalayan region. Hemis Festival is also a celebration of Buddhism and Tibetan culture. Festival high points The Cham Dance or the God Dance is the main attraction of the festival. It is only performed by the monks and lamas as it has religious significance. Things to keep in mind Since Hemis Festival is a religious festival, visitors are always requested to respect the local culture and the festival environment in general. Proper clothing is advised, and do carry sun protection as it is an outdoor event. Photography inside the prayer hall and monastery museum is strictly prohibited.

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Nepal PM Deuba inaugurates second international airport near Lumbini

Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday inaugurated the country's second international airport built by China that will help connect Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and a major tourist and pilgrimage destination, to Buddhist circuits in South Asia as well as to the rest of the world. The USD 76 million Gautam Buddha International Airport was inaugurated on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and also held comprehensive talks with his Nepalese counterpart Deuba to expand bilateral cooperation in multiple areas, including in hydropower, development and connectivity between the two neighbouring countries. Prime Minister Modi and his entourage arrived in Lumbini on a special Indian Air Force helicopter from Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. The IAF helicopter landed at the helipad constructed near the International Buddhist Prayer Centre and Auditorium in Lumbini. The new airport in Bhairahawa, 19 kilometers from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lumbini, is funded by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank and OPEC Fund for International Development but built by China's Northwest Civil Aviation Airport Construction Group. The construction of the airport is part of China's ambitious forays into mega infrastructure projects in the Himalayan nation. The opening was marked by a successful landing of an international commercial flight, according to a press release issued by ADB Nepal office. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Deuba said the opening of the airport is an historic day in Nepal’s aviation and tourism sectors and will contribute to the country’s overall development and prosperity in the long run. Speaking on the occasion, ADB Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois congratulated the Government of Nepal on the completion and opening of the airport despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. Cauchois said the airport will form a cornerstone of the country’s overall development by facilitating tourism, expanding trade and economic activities, generating local employment opportunities, and improving international air transport access to migrant workers and people living in the nearby provinces. The new airport facility, which can accommodate wide-body airplanes, features a 15,169-square-metres terminal building and a new runway of 3,000 metres. Besides, an advanced Instrument Landing System will be used in GBIA, a first for Nepal, to allow aircraft landing even in reduced visibility. “The opening of the airport is a moment of pride for the country. As Nepal’s second international airport, it will serve as an alternate for Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, and airlines will no longer have to divert to other countries in the event of bad weather or other technical issues,” said Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale. ADB supported the Nepal Government in upgrading and building the GBIA through the South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development Project. The total cost of the airport construction is $76.1 million. Of this, ADB’s contribution is about USD 37 million in loans and grants, while the OPEC Fund for International Development contributed about USD 11 million in loan. The rest is funded by the Government of Nepal. During his visit to Lumbini, Prime Minister Modi along with his Nepalese counterpart Deuba laid the foundation stone for a technologically-advanced India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini. Once completed, the Centre will be a world-class facility welcoming pilgrims and tourists from all over the world to enjoy the essence of spiritual aspects of Buddhism, projecting India's growing soft power.

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