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Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav: Tourism Ministry organizes Heritage walk in Bastar, Chhattisgarh

In continuation to the programmes being held under Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav, a Heritage walk was today flagged off by District Development Commissioner Samba, Anuradha Gupta here. The Heritage walk was held to draw attention of people towards the rich Heritage of Samba district. Speaking on the occasion, the DDC said that young and old alike need to preserve, protect and purse our rich heritage and culture, monuments and sites depicting centuries old history. The walk was flagged off from the main bus stand to Samba Fort. The DDC was accompanied by Additional District Development Commissioner Tilak Raj Shastri; Additional Deputy Commissioner, Suram Chand Sharma; District programme officer, Anu Behl; Chief Planning Officer, Sukhleen Kour and other district and sectoral officers. Angnwadi workers of ICDS Project were the participants of the programme. Later, the District Development Commissioner also visited Government Girls High School and distributed certificates among the participants of a Painting Competition held as part of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.

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Emirates unveils latest Dubai Expo 2020 livery

Emirates has revealed a head-turning A380 livery dedicated to carrying the messages of Dubai Expo 2020 worldwide. A bold departure from the airline’s traditional white and gold paint scheme, the bright blue aircraft livery features large-scale graphics in vivid green, orange, pink, purple and red. The scheme runs across the fuselage and all the way up to the tail and fin, interlaced with the distinct ring-shaped Expo 2020 Dubai logo. Special ‘Dubai Expo’ and ‘Be Part of the Magic’ messages run across both sides of the fuselage. The engine cowls also carry the Expo 2020 Dubai messages and dates of the event. The Emirates red belly branding, which can be only seen when the aircraft is flying overhead, has been replaced by the opportunity-themed orange ‘Dubai Expo’ branding. The livery was designed, painted, produced and installed in-house by the teams at Emirates. It is not just a decal, but a complete paint project, and is by far the largest the airline has ever embarked on. The paint on A6EEU, the aircraft chosen for the livery, was completely stripped. After that, eleven colours were applied on the aircraft in a careful, methodically sequenced manner. A ‘wild spray method,’ electrostatic spray guns and conventional cup guns were used to put on the different colours, using over 2,500 sqm of tracing and masking material. Decals were then applied on the engine cowls and, as well as the image of the Emirates cabin crew holding the message boards adjacent to the aircraft’s exits. The process of painting the livery design and applying the decals took 16 days and 4,379 man-hours to complete.

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Vaccinated travellers can visit Bangkok from November 1

Thailand is all set to reopen in a phased manner, so tourists can soon land in Bangkok for a holiday. According to Thailand health authorities, the country is opening in four phases, and Bangkok will begin to accept fully vaccinated travellers as early as November 2021 onwards. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced that the first phase of reopening will start on November 1, but the pilot phase will begin from October 1. During the pilot phase, four beach destinations will reopen. In the first phase, Thailand will reopen all areas of Bangkok, Krabi and Phang-Nga, and designated areas in Buri Ram (Mueang), Chiang Mai (Mueang, Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, and Doi Tao), Chon Buri (Pattaya, Bang Lamung, Na Jomtien, and Sattahip), Loei (Chiang Khan), Phetchaburi (Cha-Am), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin), and Ranong (Ko Phayam). During the second phase, which will start from December 1, Thailand will reopen its famous art and culture, and border destinations. Tourists will be able to travel to 20 provinces in Thailand after the commencement of the second phase. Tourists will be able to travel to Nakhon Ratchasima, Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Narathiwat, Nong Khai, Pathum Thani, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat,Phetchabun, Phrae, Rayong, Khon Kaen, Samut Prakan, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Trang, Trat, and Yala. Thailand has always been one of the most preferred destinations for Indian travellers, and tourism is a major economic activity in the country. With the reopening of Thailand, Indian travellers can finally look forward to this beautiful destination. Not only Bangkok, Thailand is also known for its spectacular beaches, that are honeymoon destinations for couples

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Bali to reopen for international travel In October

The Indonesian tourism minister has announced Bali will be reopening for international tourism in October. After multiple plans have to reopen have been delayed, the central government says Bali will be ready to receive international tourists. After finishing a meeting that took place at the Bali Tourism Polytechnic on 24 September that was attended by several government officials to evaluate the preparations from the Bali provincial government in reopening the border for international visitors, the Tourism and Creative Economic Minister, Sandiaga Uno announced that the central government has planned to reopen the international travel corridor in October. “We have discussed this program to reopen our border for international travellers, and I will bring this to our next meeting with the Maritime and Investment Coordinator Minister, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on 30 September,” Sandiaga said. The plan to reopen the border was initiated after receiving reports from Bali Vice Governor, Cok Ace about the recent Covid-19 transmissions in Bali that have significantly reduced and have been properly handled. “After being informed that Bali is handling Covid-19 transmissions properly, Luhut immediately instructed us to prepare the reopening procedures by October 2021.” Sandiaga added. While no specific details were provided on the which countries would be welcome in Bali and the exact date of the reopening, multiple reports have cited that the island will only be open for vaccinated tourists and will require testing for entry.

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Taiwan delegation expresses interest in working with Kerala Tourism

A Taiwanese delegation which was on a three-day trip to Kerala on Tuesday met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas and expressed interest for cooperation with the state in the tourism sector. The Kerala government hosted the delegation, led by Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC) Director-General Ben Wang, which experienced the hospitality and beauty of Kerala. The delegation, which reached the state to understand the culture and unique tradition of the state, visited Lokame Tharavadu, a contemporary art exhibition to revive the heritage of Alappuzha on Monday. The delegation also visited Kumarakom. Susan Cheng, the Deputy Director-General of TECC was also part of the delegation. The team told Minister Riyas that their experience was even better than what they have heard about the state. "The minister explained the hydel tourism, water tourism and the helicopter tourism which are being planned to be implemented in the state. The discussion also included foreign investment in the tourism sector," a release issued by the Tourism department said. The Lokame Tharavadu exhibition is being organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation with the support of the state government at seven venues in Alappuzha. The exhibition will go on till November 30.

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Tourism activities can resume in Sarawak from Friday (Oct 1), says state Tourism Ministry

Tourism activities and attractions can resume operations in Sarawak from Friday (Oct 1), subject to strict standard operating procedures (SOPs). The reopening of the tourism sector follows the state disaster management committee's announcement that Sarawak's southern zone would join the rest of the state in Phase Three of the National Recovery Plan on Friday. The state Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry said permitted activities included accommodation in hotels and homestays, special interest tourism activities such as golfing and other sports and recreation activities and ecotourism. Activities at tourist attractions and arts, culture and heritage premises, including museums and galleries, were also allowed. In addition, spas, reflexology and massage centres could operate in compliance with the SOPs. The ministry said all tourists must be fully vaccinated, while children below 17 years old who were not vaccinated must remain with their vaccinated parents at all times. "It is compulsory for all tourists to have digital vaccination certificates in the MySejahtera app or the original vaccination cards issued by the Health Ministry. "Individuals who have yet to receive their Covid-19 vaccinations are not allowed to join tourism activities," the ministry said in a statement Wednesday (Sept 29). It said tourists must obtain a police permit for interstate and inter-district travel and apply for approval to enter the state via the EnterSarawak website or app. They must also produce a negative Covid-19 test result taken within three days before arrival in Sarawak. During travel, tourists should monitor their health regularly and seek treatment if they show any symptoms. They must show their vaccination certificates or cards upon request by the authorities or premises management. The ministry said tour agencies and tourism service providers must ensure that their staff were fully vaccinated before operating tourism activities. "Random RTK antigen tests should be done for the staff, bus drivers and tour guides," it added.

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