ITC Hotels sign Mementos Shimla

Expanding its footprint in the picturesque state of Himachal Pradesh, ITC Hotels has now signed Mementos Shimla. Mementos Shimla sprawls over an area of 10 acres with a total of 297 keys including 40 Villas of four bedrooms each. The 200 sq. mt. luxurious villas offer a marvellous view of the valley and are ideally suited to house large family and friends’ staycations. Widely applauded for their versatile Food&Beverage repertoire, ITC Hotels bring the flavours of their cuisine legacy to Mementos Shimla. The food and beverage options at the property include an all-day dining multi-cuisine restaurant, a bar and a specialty rooftop restaurant. Anil Chadha, Chief Executive-ITC Hotels stated, “Himachal Pradesh is one of the key hill destinations that witnessed huge footfalls post-pandemic. This state has unsurmountable beauty and is truly everyone’s favourite. From ‘white Christmas’ to green glory, our latest luxury outpost Mementos Shimla brings you the best of all seasons. With demand mainly stemming from road trips to nearby destinations, Shimla is poised to receive a high influx of domestic tourism and destination weddings.” Pankaj Gupta, Owner, Mementos Shimla stated, “We are building one of the largest hotels in the hills, in the heart of Shimla and so we had to choose a partner that has the ability and experience in managing large luxury hotels. We are delighted to get ITC Hotels on board with their Mementos brand and are extremely confident that this alliance will deliver an outstanding luxury experience to guests.” Bringing nature’s splendour closer to guests, the hotel offers a great view of the mountains. Uniquely located, Mementos Shimla truly exemplifies the local lush offering all rooms a beautiful view of the rich green forests. Soak in the sunshine, plan a trek or a mountain picnic-each experience promises to be a wonderful memory. The enchanting beauty and serenity of the surroundings create beautiful scenic stories. Already a much sought after New Year destination, Shimla is being seen as a preferred ‘all-time celebration destination’ , Mementos Shimla displays a massive 7500 sq. ft. pillar less banquet space to cater to the rising demand for destination weddings in the hills. Mementos Shimla is equipped with a state-of-the-art fitness centre overlooking an all-weather swimming pool and spa. Be it business, leisure or bleisure, Mementos Shimla is your home away from home. Mementos Shimla is situated in the heart of the city and is just a 30-minute drive from the Shimla Airport and 10 minutes’ drive from the Shimla railway station. The famous Shimla Mall Road is just a 15-minute drive from the hotel.

Read more

Air Ambulances: Game-Changer For Tourist Evacuations

Traveling is undoubtedly an exciting, eye-opening experience that fills the heart, teaches us about life and diversity, and acts as a welcome respite from our everyday reality. There is no doubt that most of us love being tourists for various reasons - be it to explore a new place or culture or simply unwind and take a break from our otherwise hectic lives. Travel comes in multiple forms; it can be a relaxing beach vacation, leisurely exploration, or high intensity like trekking or adventure sports. With the evolving nature of travel, trekking is becoming a new trend among millennials looking for an adrenaline rush and thrill. For those who enjoy the mountains and hills, trekking is curiously fulfilling. However, it's all too easy to get carried away by the excitement. This is where the issue of security arises because life is priceless. You never know what could go wrong on your trip. So, ensuring there is no full stop to your journey, a proper evacuation plan is necessary to travel with peace of mind. That is where air ambulances come into the picture for the evacuation of a tourist. What is it? In a nutshell, an air ambulance is a specially outfitted helicopter/aircraft used to transport sick or injured people in medical emergency scenarios from places not easily accessible by road. An air ambulance is critical in providing immediate evacuation from a remote or medically underserved location to a more appropriate, higher-level medical facility. No full stop on travel with the flying doctors India is one of the most preferred destinations for travelers due to its diverse attractions, which include tribes, mountains, deserts, religions, and beaches. The majority of trip destinations are located in remote areas. Even if sufficient connectivity is available, the level of care required in some circumstances may be advanced. In such scenarios, air ambulances are the most effective alternative. The air ambulance can easily airlift an injured or sick person to and from one location to another. The cutting-edge air ambulance is outfitted with top-of-the-line monitoring, ventilators, oxygen, and emergency boxes, etc. In places like the hills/mountains where people have limited access to road ambulances and the process of transfer is heavily influenced by time, the air ambulance plays a vital role in transporting patients. Looking from a security standpoint, our northeastern states, as well as several pilgrimage sites in mountainous areas, do not have suitable roads and transportation infrastructure, necessitating the need for air ambulances. As per the medical concept, the patient's odds of survival are determined in the first few hours following an injury or complication, which is known as the golden hour. If the patient can be transferred within the golden hour to the proper clinical facility, then there is an excellent chance of recovery. As a result, the air ambulance ensures fast medical assistance while providing a hassle-free experience for families going through difficult circumstances. We ponder several times before spending money; similarly, it is critical to find the proper primary doctor or hospital for your loved one's treatment, especially during the most crucial moment of their lives. Some clinically critical transfers, such as ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation) and organ transport, cannot be done by using surface ambulances, and this is where the air ambulance proves to be a life guardian. Bottomline Furthermore, many people prefer to be in their native place in an emergency scenario; they feel better at ease in the presence of their loved ones or with a doctor who is familiar with their medical history. Air ambulance is a simple solution to this problem. Even after taking all the necessary precautions, the unexpected can always occur. Thus, becoming a life-guardian air ambulance gives you the assurance that you can get home no matter what.

Read more

A bullet train every 60 minutes from Delhi-Agra by 2029-30?

The Delhi-Varanasi High Speed Rail (HSR) or bullet train project would be 958 km long, including a 123km spur connecting Lucknow with Ayodhya, according to the detailed project report (DPR). And if all goes as per the government plan, there would be one bullet train running at top speed of 300 kmph every hour from Delhi to Agra and Agra to Delhi by 2029-30. The entire corridor will be a mix of elevated stretches and tunnels considering the corridor safety requirement. It would have 12 stations and would link all major religious places including Mathura, Ayodhya, Prayagraj and Varanasi. There would be an underground station at Jewar airport as well. The total project cost is estimated at INR 2.28 lakh crore and getting finance would be crucial for execution of the mammoth project. According to the DPR prepared by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHRSCL), which is implementing the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, the bullet trains would make 63 trips in a day between Delhi and Agra; 43 trips per day between Delhi and Lucknow; 18 trips daily between Delhi and Varanasi. In the case of Ayodhya, the DPR has estimated 11 trips per day. Currently, it takes around 11-12 hours to reach Varanasi from Delhi by train. The proposed bullet train would reduce this journey time to barely three hours. The high speed rail connectivity to Varanasi, the heart of eastern Uttar Pradesh, is crucial considering that the current regime has is focusing on changing the profile of Purvanchal by creating world class infrastructure. This move also gains importance as the government makes efforts to place Ayodhya on the world tourism map and high speed connectivity will be a catalyst to bring tourists to the holy city. TOI on January 16 had reported that the one-way fare to Ayodhya from Delhi by the proposed high speed (bullet) train would cost less than travel by air.

Read more

The Rail Journeys to look at opportunities in semi-luxury tourist trains in India

The Rail Journeys, an EbixCash company, and a key consolidator of luxury train journeys in the country, is keen to venture into tourist train operations in India, especially in the light of Indian Railways opening up the sector for private operators. The company has proposed to start semi-luxury trains under Safari Express brand for the Railways to operate on different thematic circuits in the country. “We want to operate the first tourist train making use of the opportunity given by the Indian Railways. We will be branding it as a Safari Express train and will be a semi-luxury tourist train,” said Naveen Kundu, Managing Director, EbixCash Travel Services. The Indian Railways is offering around 3,000 coaches for the private sector to convert to their specs and operate on rental and lease basis as thematic trains connecting tourist destinations in the country. These coaches are also available for outright purchase for private operators. “It’s the first time the Railways is offering coaches to the private sector to operate without tendering or bidding but on a first-come-first serve basis. Coaches can be picked up, renovated, refurbished and operated paying the running cost,” he said. Kundu said that semi-luxury trains are the ideal product for the domestic market. He said that the train will offer all comforts, food and beverage, except liquor onboard. Kundu further said that the company is also keen to get into the luxury tourist train services in the country. The company has expressed its interest in operating the Deccan Odyssey luxury train of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), which is currently in the finalisation stages.

Read more

Qantas announces launch of Melbourne-Delhi from December 22

Qantas has announced that it will launch a brand-new international route from Melbourne to Delhi from December 22, 2021, connecting Victoria to the Indian capital on a Qantas-operated flight for the first time in the airline’s history. The new Melbourne-Delhi flight will operate four times a week. Same day connections will also be available from Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra. Flights from Melbourne to Delhi will initially operate via Adelaide, while flights from Delhi to Melbourne will operate nonstop. This follows the recent announcement of flights from Sydney to Delhi, which start next month. The airline states that when the Sydney to Delhi route went on sale, Qantas saw the “fastest booking surge for flights leaving Australia” since the airline announced its international restart plans in August. Qantas recommenced scheduled international flights from Melbourne on November 22 with flight QF35 bound for Singapore departing at 11.50 am. Qantas Group, CEO, Alan Joyce, said the relaunch of international flights from Victoria will pave the way for long-awaited reunions with loved ones, as well as help the state retain its position as one of Australia’s premier destinations for global travellers. “Victorians have done it tougher than most over the past two years and we think many will see the restart of Qantas international flights as another important step towards life getting back to normal,” Joyce said in a press statement, and added, “We are starting to see more and more Victorians booking a much-deserved international getaway, and as borders open up to international visitors we’re expecting to see them visit Melbourne in large numbers, which will give local tourism and hospitality businesses a boost.” Joyce also went on to commend the successful vaccination drive which he said has helped Australia restart international flights. As Qantas explores new opportunities to broaden its network in response to unprecedented pent-up travel demand, its CEO said that this is also helping the airline bring more employees back to work. Qantas will also relaunch flights from Melbourne-London on November 27 and Melbourne-Los Angeles from December 19.

Read more

RT-PCR must for Maharashtra people flying to Indore

The negative RT-PCR report should not be later than 48-hours of the scheduled arrival time at the airport," airport's officiating director Prabodh Chandra Sharma said. He said that the new quarantine guidelines have been enforced to ensure strict compliance of safety norms for domestic passengers flying from Maharashtra to Indore which includes the mandatory negative RT-PCR test report. "On the spot sampling and tests will be done on passengers arriving at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport from Maharashtra without a negative RT-PCR report. Such passengers will have to bear the cost of the test and will be quarantined till the test report is released," said Sharma, adding, instructions have also been issued to make arrangements for on spot screening of all arriving passengers at the airport. Sharma added that both airlines as well as district health department authorities have been informed about the new travel guidelines and requested to make necessary arrangements. On an average, nearly ten flights from Maharashtra including cities like Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Gondia arrive at Indore airport daily, with an estimated footfall of up to 800 passengers. The restriction about the negative RT-PCR for domestic flyers was revoked in the month of August following decline in the number of cases of Covid-19.

Read more