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Malanad-Malabar River Cruise to change Kerala's tourism face from February 15

Kerala Tourism is launching the pioneering Malanad-Malabar River Cruise project next week, rolling the first of the 11 types of boat-rides that provide individual thematic experiences and attracts tourists to the the state's less-explored areas. The inaugural cruise boat will enter the waters on February 15 as part of the innovative project that aims to brighten the waterways in the northern districts of Kannur and Kasaragod. The first service will be on the route linking Parassinikkadavu and Pazhayangadi. The project will also help showcase the Malabar regions culture, rich with local legends and folk arts. The endeavour envisages 48 boat terminals and jetties along seven rivers across the districts of Kannur and Kasaragod. The work on two terminals is over. Upholding the principles of Responsible Tourism, the project also ensures the participation of the local population. "It guarantees a better livelihood to the people around.They include the fisher folk, farmers, drivers of cabs and auto-rickshaws, handicraft workers and handloom labourers,"said Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran. KTDC will run the boats, six of which are being manufactured, in the first phase, by the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation. The project is being implemented by the governments. Inland Navigation Department and state-owned KEL, with T V Madhukumaras the architect. Principal Secretary of Kerala Tourism, Rani George said the state-of-the-art boat terminals at Parassinikkadavu and Pazhayangadi in Kannur district have been completed at a cost of Rs 7.5 crore. "Both the government and private parties would run the cruises," she said. "As for the rest of the project, 90 per cent of the work on the terminals and jetties is complete. The cruise project had, in September 2018, been sanctioned Rs 80.37 under the Swadesh Darshan scheme that promotes rural tourism circuits." Kerala Tourism Director P Bala Kiran said the developmental work was fast progressing under the scheme. "The Malanad-Malabar project will get world-class cruise packages once the Swadesh Darshan enters its second phase," he said. The cruise project is being carried out along the rivers of Mayyazhi, Valapattanam, Ancharakkandi, Kuppam, Perumba,of Kavvayi, Thejaswini and Chandragiri rivers besides the sprawling Valiyaparamaba backwaters. Not limiting to just trips down these waterways, the concept features cruises based on the varied themes of North Malabar culture. For instance, the Mayyazhi river cruise will give the tourist an experience of Kalarippayattu martial art, while the Anjarakkandy package will commemorate the anti-British struggles of Pazhassi Raja and the regions spices. The other thematic cruises are on Malabari cuisine, Birds and Agriculture (along the Valapattanam river). Besides, there is the Mangrove cruise (Kuppam), Music cruise (Perumba), Handloom and Handicraft cruise (Kavvayi andValiyaparamba), Water Sports and River Boating CruiseValiyaparamba), (Thejaswini), Model Responsible Village cruise (Valiyaparamba)and Yakshagana cruise (Chandragiri). Overall, the plan is to bring Malabar out of its near obscurity. It will effectively work as a tool for the economic development of places up the state, authorities said.

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Jaipur inches back to normal tourism after COVID-19

COVID-19 forced the entire world to stay home and this brought tourism to a halt. Positive signs were seen over the last few months and especially during the festive weekends last year. Latest travel trends including weekend getaways, family travel, and introduction of new tourism attractions started contributing to the upward trajectory of domestic travel. Since the reopening of hotels towards the end of August 2020, and also the launch of the vaccines, people have started moving out and tourist destinations are now seeing the return of travelers. People are now traveling without any fear, though only to domestic locations. Outbound travel and travelers are still a distant reality. Jaipur, the Pink city in the desert state of Rajasthan has always been the top destination for travelers. Very close to Delhi and an ideal weekend getaway, Jaipur is famous for its forts like the Amber and Nahargarh Forts, museums, handicrafts, block printing, shopping experiences, Jantar Mantar, the astronomical marvel and a UNESCO world heritage site, and Hawa Mahal among many others. Pre-COVID events Various events used to be organised in Jaipur like the light-and-sound show at Amber Fort, illuminations at Hawa Mahal, at the astronomical marvel, Jantar Mantar, etc., had to be cancelled during the lockdown because of coronavirus. The foreign as well as domestic tourist footfall dwindled and came to zero. Going forward, as the pandemic is waning and tourism activities have started to pick up, Rajasthan Tourism also took the cue and devised a few new events and also restarted some old and popular events that used to attract a lot of tourists. This initiative will further boost tourism in the state in the field of culture, history and heritage. New initiatives Night Sky Tourism They recently started a new chapter, namely Night Sky Tourism, Jaipur already is on the astronomical map of the world vide Jantar Mantar, that was built in 1734 by Sawai Jai Singh II, and now, the city will have the new Night Sky Tourism to provide an opportunity to city-dwellers, students, researchers and tourists to observe the night sky with the help of telescopes and other astronomy equipment free of cost. The project was inaugurated recently by the state government’s Minister of Art & Culture in the presence of the Chief Secretary, with an objective to bring more tourists to Rajasthan. The initiative will enable people to view celestial bodies on special occasions from different spots across Jaipur. Jaipur also witnessed the restart of the much-loved light and sound show at Amer Fort on the Republic Day, and everyone got enthralled when the fort lit up in the brightest colours and the mesmerising voice of superstar Amitabh Bachchan echoed through its chambers. Incidents from Amer’s history are presented in the evening show with great finesse through folk narratives, beautiful music and stunning visuals. After ensuring complete adherence to the COVID guidelines, the unique presentation has been revived by the fort administration. Amber Palace or more popularly known as Amber Fort, situated on the top of a hill overlooking Lake Maota provides a great backdrop for a spectacular Sound and Light Show in the evening. The symphony of lights makes the ambiance hypnotic as the whole fort comes to life as the lights light up the night sky. At a short distance of 11 kms from Jaipur, Amber Palace built in red sandstone and marble is one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture that was the ancient capital of the Kachhawah rulers. The original palace was built by Raja Man Singh in 1592 and additions were made later by Sawai Jai Singh. Illumination at Hawa Mahal Impressive architecture of Hawa Mahal also was illuminated at night in the city. Known as the ‘Palace of the Winds’, it is the most visited tourist attractions in the city. This beautiful five-storey palace was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh and is located in the heart of Jaipur. The palace is built of red and pink sandstone, and is in a pyramid shape with 953 windows or ‘Jharokhas’ on the outside walls. Because of the Purdah system, Rajput royal ladies were not supposed to be seen by strangers or appear in any public area. Hence Hawa Mahal was built as an extension to the nearby City Palace and allowed the royal ladies to enjoy every day street scenes and royal processions without being seen from the honeycomb shaped and beautifully carved peep hole sized windows.

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Dubai's tourism sector all set to bounce back with India as the largest source market

Dubai and India historically have close travel and trade links. In 2019, when Dubai attracted a record of 16.73 million international overnight visitors, a 5.1 per cent increase compared to 2018, contributing to 11.5 per cent of its GDP, India's footprint there was very visible with a whopping 2 million visitors, making Delhi-Dubai and Mumbai-Dubai among the top ten busiest routes in the world. Last year, however, was a dampener for the tourism sector, world over. Blame it on the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which restricted public movement and slowed down the global economy, completely disrupting the normal life of people. The ongoing pandemic had its impact on Dubai's economy as well but the emirate managed to come out of it largely due to clever management of lockdown and unlock processes, supply chains and timely and strategic deployment of technology that immensely helped in controlling the outbreak of the virus. "Between July and November 2020, we welcomed over 1.1 million overnight visitors. India was once again our biggest international source market. As many as 286.3K tourists from India visited us," a top government official told. Tourists started flowing into Dubai, thanks to the emirate positioning itself as a safe tourism destination with enhanced safety measures and emboldened by a 'Safe Travels' stamp from World Travel & Tourism Council. Besides these measures, Dubai's industry leaders too reinvented strategies to give tourism the much-needed boost. These include hygiene protocols such as venue fumigation, temperature checks, disinfection, sanitisation and deep cleaning of all touch points, in addition to wearing masks and gloves. "Dubai has not received as many as international tourists last year, but, with Covid-19 still around, it is quite understandable. What is more important is Dubai opened its doors to international tourists very early and it managed to receive a large number of tourists despite a global health scarcity. This only shows the confidence of tourists who keep flocking to the emirate," said Thomas Mathew, who works for a Kerala-based travel agency. Meanwhile, in an interesting development, it was recently disclosed that a campaign launched in December to encourage more domestic tourism in the UAE did attract 950,000 domestic tourists, generating $272 million. Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Mohammad Al Gergawi, said the campaign marked the beginning of a solid collaboration among federal and local tourism entities that succeeded in bringing people, citizens and residents together and discover UAE's hidden gems, especially after a critical time that created physical distance. Between May 2020 and October 2020, the number of domestic tourists in the UAE doubled, compared to 2019 and here too the domestic tourism sector was largely driven by Indian expats (11 per cent) after the UAE nationals (40 per cent). "Now that the Covid scare is subsiding and life is slowly coming back to normal. This year there would be an identical surge in international and domestic tourism in Dubai. Going by experience, I won't be surprised, if the sectors are once again driven by tourists from India or Indian expats," Mathew added. That explains the importance of India's footprint in the success of Dubai's tourism industry.

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UK to start mandatory quarantine for travelers on February 15

The UK will require travelers from coronavirus hot spots to quarantine starting February 15, the government said, adding flesh to a policy first announced last month. Arrivals from countries on the UK’s travel ban list will be required to isolate for 10 days after arrival in government-approved accommodation, the Department for Health and Social Care said Thursday in a statement. The government said it’s seeking bids from hotels near airports and ports to support the program. The announcement comes after days of confusion over how soon the government would implement a policy it announced last month as a key tool to stop mutations of the coronavirus that may be more resistant to vaccines from entering the country. “In the face of new variants, it is important that the government continues to take the necessary steps to protect people and save lives,” the government said in the statement. “With increased police presence at airports and more physical checks at addresses to make sure people are self-isolating, we are taking decisive action.” At present, 30 countries including the whole of South America, a swath of southern Africa and Portugal are on the travel ban list after new variants that emerged in Brazil and South Africa in recent weeks heightened concerns. ‘Too little, too late’ The opposition Labour Party’s home affairs spokesman, Nick Thomas-Symonds, criticized the announcement as “too little, too late.” “It is beyond comprehension that these measures won’t even start until 15 February,” he said. “We are in a race against time to protect our borders against new Covid strains. Yet hotel quarantine will come in to force more than 50 days after the South African strain was discovered.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson is hoping to use the country’s so-far successful vaccination program as a springboard to reopen the country from its third lockdown, which started last month. He has said schools will open from March 8 at the earliest, and has promised to publish a plan for easing the restrictions in the week of Feb. 22. Keeping out vaccine-resistant strains of Covid-19 is crucial to that effort. The Times late Thursday reported that ministers are also considering a certification system for Britons, to allow them to travel to countries that may require proof of inoculation upon entry. Australian advice Health officials have held a series of meetings with more than 60 companies and industry representatives in the aviation, maritime and hospitality industries. Formal contracts will be awarded to hotels, with former Vice Chief of Defence Staff, General Gordon Messenger, advising the government on the delivery of the program, according to the statement. “We are now working at pace to secure the facilities we need to roll out managed quarantine for British nationals returning home from the most high risk countries,” the government said. Further details will be set out next week. Health Secretary Matt Hancock earlier said he’d spoken with his Australian counterpart to seek advice about how to quarantine travelers in hotels. His officials are also liaising with New Zealand authorities. Both nations have had mandatory quarantine for months. Stronger measures “We’ve strengthened measures at the border and we’re clear that there’s more that needs to be done,” Hancock told broadcasters. “We will be bringing forward further measures, but we’ve got to get this right.” More than 110,000 people in the UK have died from coronavirus, compared to 909 in Australia. Johnson said last month that ministers were exploring compulsory quarantine in hotels for all arrivals, before the government announced a plan limited to people coming from regions designated as high risk. Arrivals in the UK are already required to show a negative Covid-19 test and isolate for 10 days, but there’s no set location, making enforcement difficult. They face fines if they are caught not complying. Critics point out that people are allowed to use public transport to reach the place they plan to self-isolate.

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Dates revealed for Rajasthan's Magnetic Fields Festival!

The annual edition of Magnetic Fields at the 17th-century Alsisar Mahal had to be postponed last year due to the COVID pandemic. However, as per the latest reports, this year, the boutique festival will be launching a more intimate affair called the Magnetic Fields Nomads. Nahargarh Ranthambhore, a palace-sized property, owned by Alsisar Hotels and located near Ranthambore National Park, will host a three-day, open-air gathering of creatives and community, and will be hosting only 400 attendees from March 19-21, 2021. This will be done while strictly adhering to health and safety protocols outlined by the Rajasthan state Reportedly, the sale of the tickets will go on sale on February 10, 2021. Stretched across an area of 20 ac of land, this fortress nestled amidst thousands of trees, makes it a great venue to host a socially-distanced limited sized gathering. During this event, you can expect a jungle safari, pool parties, and garden picnics. Those who have been regulars at Magnetic Fields, will recognise aspects, the wellness offerings at Magnetic Sanctuary, and much more. Attendees can also be a part of new elements like culinary experiences at The Chef’s Table. While Magnetic Fields represents an exciting vision of modern India, the Magnetic Fields Nomads is another aspect of introducing new concepts and experiences to attendees. As regarding health and safety protocols, no day tickets will be available, whereas all attendees will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result that they had undertaken at a certified test centre not before 24 hours of checking into the hotel. Referring to this, the tram handling the festival stated that they have reimagined the structure and scaled it down considerably so that they can execute and produce an environment that incorporates protocols to ensure that everyone is safe and protected. They added that this year, their focus will be on championing and supporting local excellence in food, culture and music as they are gearing up to cautiously celebrate the encouraging signs of revival in India.

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Families make beeline for Goa, boost tourism

The memes on Instagram and Twitter will tell you how Goa has emerged as the most popular destination among domestic travelers ever since the ban on travel was lifted post lockdown. The destination, once perceived as a hotspot for Russian tourists, wild parties and hippies is witnessing a gradual makeover and has emerged as preferred destination for families amid the pandemic. Hotels of course are not complaining. Not only is this helping them get better occupancies but also has bumped up revenues as families tend to spend more time at the hotel and on F&B. Meanwhile room rates too are crawling back to pre-pandemic average. Every year about two lakh foreign tourists come to Goa on chartered flights. This year even though this chunk has been missing, hotels clocked occupancies of 70 per cent in November to January period. “We are seeing huge family groups driving down to Goa. About 35 per cent of our guests are from Maharashtra and Bangalore now who are taking drivecations to the beach destination. So there are groups coming with kids, grandparents and house helps too,” explains Ranju Singh, Complex General manager of Novotel Goa Candolim and Novotel Goa Resort & Spa. Looking at the growing number of young guests, Novotel Candolim has added fun slides to kids’ swimming pool giving them a mini water park experience, however is waiting for government permission to operate. Similarly DoubleTree By Hilton in Panaji is offering activities for kids and families seeing a surge in bookings from family groups. “The fourth quarter has been a remarkably strong period. Domestic travel is rebounding and the lockdown fatigue has led to many families booking holidays to safe hotels. We have curated itineraries that include immersive experiences for families, especially kids,” says Melville John, General Manager, DoubleTree By Hilton Goa- Panaji. Hyatt Hotels which runs three properties in Goa- Hyatt Centric Goa, Grand Hyatt Goa and Alila Diwa Goa- has witnessed a similar trend. “The destination has surely seen a strong demand from domestic travelers, especially from families looking at celebrating a birthday or anniversary away from home, and also from professionals who want break from work from home. Before the pandemic, international travellers approximately contributed up to 35 percent at 5-star hotels in Goa. The gap is obviously there as foreign travel remains restricted, but an increased demand from large family groups is helping hotels recover,” said Jaco Le Roux, Area Vice President, South India, Hyatt Hotels. Alila Diwa Goa offers a mini theatre projecting animated movies for the kids in the afternoon, while Grand Hyatt Goa has an adventure park for kids. ITC Grand Goa has seen occupancies peak in December. The property is offering ample activities to kids and adults to spend time outdoors on the beach. Anil Chadha, COO of ITC Hotels points at busier days ahead for hotels. “The vaccine brings good joy and is helping decrease the anxiety among travelers. So we are moving in the right direction. We have reason to be optimistic about the future,” he says. Goa for sure has emerged as a year-round destination for family vacationers.

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