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Uttarakhand to allow trekkers to scale glaciers in Kumaon from April 15

The Uttarakhand tourism department would allow trekkers to climb the Pindari, Kafni and Sunderdhunga glaciers in the Kumaon region between April 15 and June 15. Subsequently, the glacier trek routes would be closed during monsoons and will be opened again between September 15 and October 15. Officials said that they have started making necessary preparations for trekkers who wish to scale the glaciers. Sanjay Pandey, executive engineer, public works department, Kapkot (Bageshwar), said, “A bridge is being constructed over the Pindar river (that originates from Pindari glacier) and rest houses are being prepared in the region for trekkers." Meanwhile, the announcement has rejuvenated the local trekking industry, including porters and mule operators. For the last two years, trekking activities in the Kumaon region have remained disrupted due to the pandemic. After the first and second wave of Covid-19, glacier trekking was opened for tourists intermittently but the tourism department didn't receive many takers. This time though, with Covid-19 restrictions having been eased, authorities are expecting a high influx of trekkers this year. Prior to the Covid outbreak, the Kumaon region used to host about 2,800- 3,000 trekkers on an average every year, said Prakash Singh Dhanu, a tourist guide. He added that a majority of tourists opt for the Pindari glacier trek (12,300 feet above sea level), which is considered to be one of India's easiest glacier trek. Lata Bisht, district tourism officer of Pithoragarh, said, "Tourists must get themselves registered with the state forest department before undertaking the glacier trek. They would need to come to the department's Kapkot centre to register themselves. The online registration facility has not been launched yet but it is in the pipeline."

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Singapore earmarks stimulus money for tourism recovery

The Singapore government has earmarked nearly SGD 500 million (USD 367 million) to boost the recovery of its tourism industry, said Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry. Singapore recognises that it will take a few years for international travel to fully resume, but that in the immediate term, the country needs to speed up the recovery of the tourism sector, Xinhua news agency quoted Tan as saying to local media. Singapore will be dedicated to differentiating itself from other destinations, putting the focus on creating attractions and events with sustainability, and business tourism, said Singapore Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Keith Tan. Singapore has recently opened its borders to fully vaccinated travellers without requiring Covid-19 testing or quarantine.

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Tourist arrivals in Israel nearly double in Q1

The number of tourist arrivals in Israel during the first quarter of 2022 has jumped by 98.2 per cent year on year, according to data issued by the country's Central Bureau of Statistics. The number of arrivals in January-March reached 303,400, up from 153,100 in October-December 2021 and 16,800 in the first quarter last year, reports Xinhua news agency. In March alone, 167,300 tourists arrived in Israel, a gradual rise from 89,900 in February and 46,200 in January. In March 2020, following the Covid-19 outbreak, Israel closed its borders to foreign nationals, apart from exceptional cases. In 2021, Israel gradually allowed the entry of tourists, but in late November it closed the borders again after the spread of the Omicron variant. At the beginning of 2022, Israel permitted entry of vaccinated and recovered tourists and then in March, of all tourists, vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, leading to the recent jump in tourist arrivals.

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'More beautiful than Europe': Indians flock to Kashmir's lakes, boats

India's Kashmir region is attracting record tourists after the easing of pandemic restrictions and some improvement in the security situation, bolstering local businesses. Tourist arrivals are set to touch a ten-year high this year after more than 340,000 tourists have come since January, local tour operators and government officials said, despite restrictions on foreign tourists and some Tourism plunged in Kashmir after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration stripped the region of its special status and autonomy in 2019, and later as the Covid-19 pandemic cut domestic and foreign tourist inflows. "We are seeing the highest-ever tourist arrivals in Kashmir this year with 0.18 million tourists arriving in March only," Sarmad Hafeez, Tourism Secretary for Jammu and Kashmir told Reuters, adding April arrivals could surpass March. Along with horticulture and agriculture, tourism is an important industry for Kashmir, contributing about 7 per cent to its economy, according to government data. Touting itself as "Paradise on Earth, Kashmir is home to Dal Lake, which was a favourite centuries ago for Mughal emperors escaping the summer heat of India's plains. The lake's famous houseboats are major attractions along with the nearby Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden, Asia's largest, and the region's mountains and glaciers. Hafeez said an advertising campaign across major Indian cities and the opening of new destinations was attracting more tourists. Boatman Wali Mohammad Bhat, 54, said he had no work during the pandemic, "But, now I am earning 1,000 to 1,500 rupees (USD 13- USD 20) a day and we expect a good tourist season ahead." Advance bookings Many hoteliers and houseboat owners said tourists have booked rooms in advance for the next couple of weeks, and the earnings helped them to pay part of their debts. After a gap of years, hoteliers, taxi drivers and tour operators are doing a brisk business, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, 75, a tour operator in Srinagar said. "Hotels room tariffs have gone up by over 30 per cent from the pre-Covid period, and there is a huge rush for bookings," he said. The rush is so strong that tour operators said they are having a hard time finding bookings for their clients as hotels are between 80 per cent to 90 per cent full and air fares have increased. "Hotel rooms are not available in good locations," said Pronab Sarkar, a New Delhi-based tour operator and the past president of the Indian Tour Operators Association. Mohammad Yasin Tuman, Managing Partner Mascot Travels. But, the tourists are not bothered. Navdeep Singh and his wife Gurpreet Kaur came to Kashmir from Australia, saying they were mesmerised by its beauty. "I have travelled all over Europe but this place is more beautiful. People are warm and friendly and we didn't see any kind of trouble here," he said.

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Non-EU airlines must compensate EU travellers for delays

EU travellers who book flights through a European airline can claim compensation in the event of a major delay of the connecting flight - even outside Europe, a court ruled on Thursday. In its judgement, the European Court of Justice said that the entirety of a journey that was subject to a single reservation fell under the EU's rules on flight delays, even if the flight was operated by a non-EU airline. The case involved a journey booked through German carrier Lufthansa for three passengers from Brussels to San Jose in California, with a stopover in Newark. The passengers arrived in San Jose with a delay of 223 minutes and over the three hours that guarantees inconvenienced travellers a right for compensation under EU rules. The flight was entirely operated by United Airlines, and the Luxembourg court said the US airline was on the hook to compensate the three passengers since the journey began in Belgium, an EU member state. The decision confirmed that the passengers were eligible to receive the maximum amount compensation of 600 euros (USD 650) each under the rules.

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San Francisco International Airport Welcomes Indians

With the resumption of international flights operations in India ahead of the upcoming summer vacation season, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is excited to welcome Indian travellers and offer them a high-quality airport experience. With seamless access, thoughtful amenities, sustainable design and inspiring artwork and exhibits, SFO is well-equipped to cater to the needs and interests of its guests and ensure safety and hygiene. SFO has an eclectic mix of bookstores, gift shops, travel outfitters, designer brands and luxury boutiques. Many retailers are local, featuring authentic San Francisco souvenirs and merchandise. San Francisco and the Bay Area are world-famous for local, fresh cuisine. The works of art at SFO are made possible through two distinct programs: SFO Museum and the San Francisco Arts Commission. SFO Museum, a division of SFO, presents a series of rotating exhibitions displayed in the terminal galleries, as well as the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum located in the International Terminal. The San Francisco Arts Commission, an agency of the City and County of San Francisco, curates the collection of permanent art displayed throughout the airport.

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