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Thai cabinet approves air travel bubble agreement with India as flights resume between both nations

After airlines from India and Thailand announced resumption of daily direct flights between both the nations, the Thai Cabinet has also given its approval to the air bubble transport agreement signed by governments of both the countries. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA), Government of India had shared details about the agreement on its website last week but later the Tourism Authority of Thailand had confirmed the agreement is pending approval from the Thai Cabinet. As per the latest statement issued by the Civil Aviation of Thailand and MOCA, Thai and Indian airlines are now allowed to offer flights through the travel bubble scheme between the two countries, allowing citizens and visa holders to travel between Thailand and India. Commercial flights between the two countries have been suspended since March 23, 2020 on the onset of Covid-19. According to the arrangement, commercial flights between the two countries will be allowed to fly passengers of Thai, Indian, Nepal and Bhutan nationalities as well as other nationalities that have visas to enter both Thailand and India. Sharing details, the note from Tourism Authority of Thailand, India office mentioned that foreigners and Thais travelling to India are required to hold a valid Indian visa and Indian nationals and foreigners travelling from India to Thailand must hold a valid Thai visa. According to the ministry, the airlines must make sure all the passengers meet the requirement for entry before issuing boarding passes to the passengers to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Indian tourists make up a large portion of Thailand's tourism market, with more than 1.96 million Indian tourists visiting Thailand in 2019. On an average, Indian tourists spend seven days and approximately 45,000 baht in Thailand. Thai Airways, Thai Smile and Indian carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and Go First have already shared their proposed flights schedule connecting Bangkok and Phuket with Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru. In another update, the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi has informed that processing time for all types of visa applications received for an availing a Thai visa in India will be four days effective February 28. The embassy in an order further asked applicants with their respective visa facilitator VFS Global or BLS International for more details and visa queries.

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Swiss says it will be first airline to use fuel made from sunlight

Swiss International Air Lines and its parent Lufthansa Group have agreed with synthetic fuel group Synhelion to use its solar aviation fuel, the Swiss airline said on Tuesday. "This will make SWISS the first airline in the world to use 'sun-to-liquid' fuel," it said in a statement. The process devised by Synhelion, a spinoff from the Swiss Institute of Technology, uses concentrated sunlight to produce carbon-neutral kerosene, it said. "Our next-generation carbon-neutral solar kerosene is an economically and ecologically viable substitute for fossil fuels," Philipp Furler, co-founder and CEO, Synhelion, said. "The commitment of SWISS and the Lufthansa Group underlines the aviation sector's keen interest in our solar fuel." Synhelion will build the world's first facility for the industrial production of solar fuel in Germany this year, the statement said. SWISS is set to become the first customer for the solar kerosene in 2023. The deal calls for SWISS and the Lufthansa Group to support development of Synhelion's planned commercial fuel production facility in Spain as well.

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Nearly 2 lakh tourists visit Taj Mahal on last day of Shah Jahan's Urs

It was a full house at Taj on Tuesday as nearly two lakh tourists visited the monument for free on the last day of the three-day annual Urs of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The message from the Urs celebrations was clear - peace in the world, end of Russia-Ukraine conflict and safety of the Indians stranded in the war zone. A multi-coloured 1,381-meter-long ceremonial 'chadar', representing different faiths of the country was offered on the graves of Shah Jahan and his consort, Mumtaz Mahal, during the Urs. After offering the "chadar", president of the Khuddam-e-roza (traditional caretakers of the Taj) committee Haji Tahiruddin Tahir said, "We prayed for Indian citizens who are stuck in Ukraine. We want them to come back safely to India." He added that every nation should talk about peace and harmony and spread the message of love. As part of the ritual, the doors of the basement, leading to the original graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, which otherwise remain closed, were opened for public viewing. According to CISF officials, about two lakh tourists visited the Taj Mahal on Tuesday. The entry was free from 2 pm on Sunday and Monday but on Tuesday, the entry was free for the entire day.

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Live, work, play at sea—an experience for globe trotters

Here is a novel cruising experience that can outdo any other cruise ship experiences that you might have had. Did you ever wish that you could stay on the sea forever? Cruising at a slow speed, travelling across the world? Well, Storylines now have something for you in these lines. Storylines is offering residential cruise ships for wanderers who would like to work, play, and live at sea, while travelling the world at the same time. This is your chance to get lost at sea or, at least, something close to it. Narrative, the first residential cruise ship by Storylines, is set to launch in 2024, and will have 547 furnished residences for guests. These on-board homes will have one to four bedrooms, and will be designed in a coastal, or contemporary style. You will also have balconies from where you can romance the sea. You can lease the cruise ship for 12 to 24 years at a cost of $400000. Then, there are those residences that range from $1 million to $8 million. The cruise ship has three pools with sundecks, an outdoor running track, yoga studio, gym, gold stimulators and more. The experience onboard is one of wellness and luxury, so you have some curated wellness services, such as anti-ageing programmes, detox treatments, weight loss programmes, immune therapies and more. You can even bring your pets aboard as there is a pet experience area, where they can have a blast. Global travellers onboard would be happy to know that this is also a great place for foodies, as there are 20 dining and bar options available. You also have a zero-waste farmers market that will offer local products to guests. As far as entertainment is concerned, there is an art studio, movie theatre, and a bowling alley. But we are guessing that the blue sky and endless waters will keep you busy for days on end.

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Kedarnath Temple set to open its doors from May 6

It has been announced that the sacred portals of Kedarnath will open for devotees this year from May 6 at 6:25 AM. As per the reports, after a brief religious ceremony held at the Omkareshwar temple on the occasion of Mahashivaratri, the auspicious time and date have been announced for the opening of the sacred temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Referring to this, the Badri-Kedar temple committee official Harish Gaud added that the temple gates will be thrown open on Vrishchik Lagna, further stating that Kedarnath chief priest Rawal Bhimashankar Ling and Badri-Kedar Mandir Samiti president Ajendra Ajay were also present on the said occasion. Omkareshwar temple of Ukhimath is where Kedarnath is worshipped during winters when the gates of the Himalayan temple remain closed due to snowbound conditions in the area. Gaud added that the panchmukhi (five faced) idol of Lord Shiva will be leaving in an ornate palanquin, decorated with flowers from the Omkareshwar temple here for Kedarnath on May 2.

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MP Tourism and Go Heritage Run organise fourth edition of Khajuraho Heritage Run

The fourth edition of the “Khajuraho Heritage Run” was organised at Khajuraho on 27th February 2022 by Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Go Heritage Run. More than 300 participants were flagged off by Shri Yuvraj Padole, Deputy Director Events & Marketing, Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Shri Meerendra Rana, Regional Manager, Khajuraho, MPSTDC Hotels and Resorts. The magnificent Lakshmana and Vishwanath Temples served as perfect backdrops befitting the mission and purpose of promoting Heritage Tourism destinations. The event attracted running enthusiasts from Khajuraho and adjoining areas and some runners who specially came from as far as New Delhi, many tourists who were in town for the Khajuraho Dance festival also joined the run. The run was divided into 5 km, 11 km and 21 km segments. Special commemorative T-shirts were provided to all and Participation certificates and beautiful medallions were also presented. Ajay Mohan Reddy, Founder, Go Heritage Run was happy with the response received and hoped for larger and also more International participation in the 2023 edition of the run.

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