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Rajasthan's Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary notified as India's 52nd tiger reserve

The Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary in Rajasthan was notified as India's 52nd tiger reserve on Monday, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said.' This is Rajasthan's fourth tiger reserve after Ranthambore, Sariska and Mukundra. "Pleased to note Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve has been notified today. The 52nd Reserve of India will conserve biodiversity and bring in ecotourism and development to the area. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modiji, we are committed to preserving our wildlife," Yadav tweeted. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had given in-principle approval to make Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining areas a tiger reserve on July 5 last year. "The newly notified tiger reserve includes the tiger habitat between Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in the northeast and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve on the southern side and facilitates dispersal of tigers from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve," Yadav tweeted. The floristic diversity of this new tiger reserve makes it an important area for research and education. Historic and cultural sites like Bhimlat, Ramgarh palace would encourage eco tourism and provide employment opportunities to local communities, he said. Wild animals like Indian wolf, leopard, striped hyena, sloth bear, golden jackal, chinkara, nilgai and fox can be seen in the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve. According to "Status of Tigers in India" report released in 2019, there are 2,967 tigers in 20 states across the country.

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Saudi gears up for its grand debut at SATTE 2022

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) will make its debut at the 29th edition of South Asian Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) 2022, India’s leading travel and tourism trade exhibition from 18-20 May 2022. STA is responsible for raising awareness of Saudi, the authentic home of Arabia, as a world-class, must-visit tourism destination. The Saudi pavilion will provide a platform for the travel trade to engage directly with and build relationships with STA representatives and key partners, showcasing the breadth and diversity of the country’s dynamic tourism offering. “Saudi has embarked on an ambitious programme to drive inbound visitation from India, inspiring local trade partners and the traveller to explore the undiscovered beauty and wonder of the country,” said Alhasan Aldabbagh, Chief Market Officer – APAC, Saudi Tourism Authority. “SATTE is one of the most prominent platforms for promoting tourism in South Asia and through our debut participation, we have an opportunity to highlight Saudi’s authentic Arabian culture, pristine nature, diverse landscapes and a rapidly expanding entertainment offer.” “As we continue to open up to the world, India is an incredibly important key source market for Saudi and presents a wealth of possibility for trade partners, to grow their business and to ultimately, create a new exciting destination for Indian travellers.” SATTE 2022 attendees will have an opportunity to visit the Saudi pavilion at B12 and engage in one-on-one meetings with the attending delegation to learn more about the world’s biggest new destination.

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Digital Kumbh museum to come up by 2025 in UP's Prayagraj

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh plans to set up a Digital Kumbh Museum ahead of the 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. The ‘Digital Kumbh Sangrahalaya’ (museum) will be constructed at Arail and is being touted as a major attraction for religious tourism. Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said, “We are looking for appropriate land and once it is acquired, construction will be completed expeditiously.” The proposal to set up ‘Digital Kumbh Sangrahalaya’ at a cost of around INR 200 crore was prepared before Kumbh 2019 and the tourism department had also started work but it could not take off due to the pandemic. “But there is still enough time to construct the museum by 2025,” he said. The 100feet high three-storey museum will be built at Arail. The museum will depict the glory and ancient heritage of Sanatan Dharma. The visitors will learn about sages, seers and the traditions of Kumbh, Maha Kumbh. The CEO, Prayagraj Mela Authority and vice chairman of Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PDA), Arvind Kumar Chauhan, said that the building of ‘Digital Kumbh Sangrahalaya’ will be in the shape of a Kumbh Kalash. The museum will be ready in 15 to 20 months once the land is identified and acquired. As per plan, there will also be light and sound shows and cultural programmes will also be held regularly at the Digital Kumbh Museum.

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Jaipur to host Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart from July 22-24

The Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart is scheduled to be held from July 22-24 in Jaipur, Principal Secretary Tourism of Rajasthan, Gayatri A Rathore informed. In an elaborate presentation, Rathore said that Rajasthan is not only a favoured destination for tourism but also for investment in tourism and its allied projects. “This is supported by the fact that the largest number of memorandums of understanding and the letters of intent were signed in the tourism sector for the Invest Rajasthan Roadshows: INR 11,906 crore for 363 projects which will generate an employment of 57,138 persons.” The Principal Secretary further said that along with its cultural and royal heritage, Rajasthan is also a huge destination in arenas of wildlife, eco-rural, wellness, leisure, pilgrimage, weddings, etc. The Rajasthan Tourism Policy, she said, has further accentuated the scope of Rural Tourism, Film Tourism, and Heritage Tourism. She hoped for the pro-active participation of stakeholders in the forthcoming RDTM in July. “The recent budget announcements including the tourism and hospitality sector being given the benefits of the industry has galvanised the sector,” she said The Director of Tourism, Rashmi Sharma has announced the heritage certificates for five projects which were handed over to them during the roadshow. The certificates are more elaborate and aesthetically designed. Three short films prepared by the Department of Tourism were also screened on the occasion. These films were on the recently held Rajasthan Diwas celebrations, the World Heritage Sites in Rajasthan and the Cuisines of Rajasthan. The roadshow was well attended by the stakeholders in the tourism sector.

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Jabalpur airport upgrade works, in Madhya Pradesh, to be completed by year-end: Official

The works to upgrade Jabalpur airport in Madhya Pradesh at a cost of INR 412 crore being carried out by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation is likely to be completed by the year-end, an official said on Sunday. The airport serves as the gateway east Madhya Pradesh, especially Mahakaushal region, and will boost tourism to sites like Kanha National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park as well as the marble cliffs and waterfalls at Bhedaghat. “The tentative date for completion of the project is December 2022 and the new terminal building is likely to be commissioned by March 2023. The apron of the airport is expected to be completed within two months. Then it would be possible to park five aircraft at a time, up from two at themoment,” Jabalpur Airport Director Kusum Das told PTI. “The work had slowed down due to the Coronavirus pandemic but has now picked up speed. As part of the upgrading work, a new terminal building, ATC tower, technical block, category VII fire station, extension of runway and associated works to cater the operations of AB320 type of aircraft etc., are coming up,” the official added. A press statement said the new terminal building, measuring 1,15,315 square feet, will have the capacity to handle 500 passengers during peak hours, will have three aerobridges, advanced baggage screening system, food court in the landscape area and car parking for over 300 vehicles. The proposed terminal building will have glimpses of vibrant tribal Gond paintings, local handicrafts, murals and popular tourist destinations of Madhya Pradesh. It said the Madhya Pradesh government had handed over 483 acre of land to Airport Authority of India (AAI) for the development of the airport in 2015, which has taken the total land under the airport to 774 acre.

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SATTE 2022: Travel trade exhibition to discuss steps to revive tourism industry, boost growth

Informa Markets India, a B2B exhibitions organiser, will host a three-day travel trade exhibition to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to conduct business with over 36,000 qualified industry buyers and trade visitors. SATTE 2022 is being billed as South Asia’s leading travel trade exhibition. The 29th edition of the exhibition will be hosted from Wednesday to Friday at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. Industry pioneers from the travel, corporate travel, wedding planning, hospitality and leisure industries, and leading television and film production houses are expected to be present at the exhibition. The event will include interactive sessions and comprehensive exchange between thought leaders and industry stakeholders. There will also be one-on-one interactions with over 1,000 exhibitors from backgrounds such as tour operators, travel agents, state tourism departments, national/international tourism boards, hotels and resorts, travel technology companies, medical tourism, adventure tourism, spa and wellness centres, among others. The event will bring together speakers from a cross-section of the industry to express views about the industry at present and steps to revitalise and reshape its future. With the travel sector slowly regaining momentum following resumption of international travel after two years in the doldrums, SATTE 2022 will become an epicentre for dialogues on the revival of the travel industry while also coming up with innovations to accelerate growth, the organisers said. “The travel sector worldwide went through a roughshod due to the effects of coronavirus and as it is swiftly opening up with India projected to see a rise of 53 million industry jobs by the end of 2029 and estimated to grow up to $125 billion by 2027.” He added: “With key international and domestic presence, turnkey facilities for business and content rich conferences, and notable stakeholders’ and association support, SATTE aims to help harness the strategy adoption discussions to revive the industry.”

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