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Winter games organised to boost tourism in Gulmarg

The tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir’s Gulmarg District on Saturday started winter games here in an effort to boost tourism. Seven different winter sports competitions like alpine skiing, snow cycling, snowmobile race, sledging, ATV race, snow tube race have been organised. The winter games are an extension of the carnival organised by the tourism department on the occasion of New Year and will help attract tourists, especially those who are interested in winter sports. “We are trying to make Gulmarg full of festivities so that tourists can enjoy their visit here,” said Nisar Ahmad Wani, Director Tourism, Kashmir. Wani further said that the festivities will continue till the time Gulmarg is covered by snow. He added, “We are trying to provide a platform for youths so that they can divert their energy for something positive and enjoy the snow. Through this, we want to convey a message to people around the world that we are ready to receive tourists.” “Gulmarg is a famous ski resort around the globe. There will be no foreign tourists this year due to COVID but will definitely attract the national tourists,” said Huma Rashid, a resident of the area. People have appreciated the steps taken by the government of J&K to promote tourism as well as winter sports.

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Nilgiri Mountain Railway resumes train operations between Mettupalayam and Ooty

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) finally restarted their passenger operations between Mettupalayam and Ooty on December 28, 2020 ever since temporary suspension of services in March 2020. According to the TOI, the steam engine-driven train having four compartments and a total of 180 seats reached Ooty by 12:30 PM. The train was packed to full capacity during its post-lockdown run. Reportedly, prior to the regular passenger services of the NMR were introduced, charter services by a private firm were in progress since the first week of December. However, this invited a lot of flak from everywhere. News has it that the train had 180 passengers on board on the first day of operation. The Railway Minister had recently tweeted to announce to the resumption of NMR. He wrote that the UNESCO world heritage site will restart operations from December 31. K Natarajan, managing trustee, Heritage Steam Chariot Trust, told the TOI that tourists were waiting for the resumption of NMR train operations after the e-pass was relaxed to the hill district. NMR runs on the highest and longest meter gauge in Asia. It courses through beautiful valleys and breathtaking beautiful mountains.

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Survival to Revival: North-East set to lead tourism rebound in India in the New Year

The Dima Hasao Autonomous Council is busy giving final touches to plans to welcome tourists to the hill district of Assam in the New Year. A new entrant to the North-East region's tourism map, the Dima Hasao district is an eye-catching destination ideal for trekking, rafting, zip lining and rock climbing. Haflong, the district headquarters, is Assam's only hill station. "Only the locals participated in our festivals organised after the restrictions were lifted. In the New Year, we will be welcoming visitors from outside the state and rest of the country," says Jonola Bathari, an official at the tourism department of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council. Those festivals include the annual Falcon Festival held in November in Umrangso and the Judima Festival, held this year in Gunjung, a paragliding centre near Haflong, in December. Aided by its stunningly diverse culture and landscape, the North-East region comprising Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura is hoping the tourism sector (hit hard by a global pandemic) would switch gears in 2021. "The survival time is over and we are now on revival mode," beams E B Blah, president, North East India Tourism Confederation (NEITO). In December, the government and private sector officials from the region who came together at the eighth edition of North East Festival held in Assam's capital Guwahati talked up its tourism potential. "Post-pandemic, the North-East has a great role to play in India's recovery," said Jitendra Singh, who heads the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, in an online speech from New Delhi at the North East Festival held as a hybrid edition during December 19-20. Industry leaders, from Assam's tribal-dominated Dima Hasao to the nature-endowed Chandel in Manipur, are eager to kickstart a delayed tourism season in the North-East. While Nagaland is closed to tourists, all other states in the region are allowing visitors, some of them like Manipur without COVID-negative tests. "The focus of the North-East Festival is to assemble the stakeholders to launch the tourism season," says Shyamkanu Mahanta, a cultural entrepreneur and promoter of Delhi's North East Festival and the popular Rangali cultural event in Guwahati.

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To Boost Assam Tourism Floating Restaurant to Come up Near Bogibeel Bridge

In a bid to boost tourism in the state of Assam, the Indian Railways has provided its vacant land near Bogibeel bridge for the creation of facilities for a floating restaurant. According to a tweet from the Ministry of Railways, the “Floating Restaurant” will help in boosting eco-tourism in the region. The Bogibeel Bridge was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the year 2018. The Bogibeel bridge connects the south bank of the Brahmaputra river in Assam’s Dibrugarh to Silapathar in Dhemaji bordering Arunachal Pradesh. It is to be mentioned that it is Asia’s 2nd longest rail-cum-road bridge and has a serviceable period of around 120 years. It is the 5th longest bridge in India after Bhupen Hazarika Setu, Dibang River Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The bridge was constructed by a consortium of construction companies headed by Hindustan Construction Company. Post the inauguration Bogibeel Bridge has become a tourist destination. Visitors from different areas come to see the longest rail cum road bridge of India. The rush of tourist has increased and often tourists are seen taking selfies on the Bogibeel Bridge.

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COVID-19 vaccine to be provided free of cost across India, says Health Minister

As India on Saturday began the dry run for COVID-19 vaccinations across states and union territories, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the coronavirus vaccine will be provided free of cost in the national capital. On being asked about the same, Jain said, "Yes, medicines and treatment are being provided for free in Delhi, anyway." Commenting on the development, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, "Not just in Delhi, it will be free across the country." The statement by Satyendar Jain and Dr. Harsh Vardhan came at a time when the country is conducting a dry run for vaccination. In Delhi, the dry run began at three sites, which were visited by the union health minister. Earlier on Thursday, the Centre had stated that the activity was set to be conducted by all state and union territory administrations on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation, and identify challenges. "Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Shahdara, Urban Primary Health Centre, Daryaganj, and Venkateshwar Hospital, Dwarka, are the three sites in Delhi which have been selected for the dry run of the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccine in the national capital," a senior official said on Saturday. A video conference was also held under the chairmanship of the Delhi health secretary on Friday for conducting a dry run for COVID vaccination at three selected sites, one each in Central District, Shahdara District and southwest district, according to the latest health bulletin. From installing freezers to setting up cold chain equipment, arrangements are being made at a Delhi government hospital here for storing the vaccine, whenever it arrives. The Delhi government is fully prepared to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccine to 51 lakh priority category persons in the city in the first phase of vaccination, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said on December 24. These persons include the healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged above 50 and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities.

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Targeting revenue from Yachts Tourism; Andaman approves SOP for visiting Yachts

Targeting revenue as well as jobs and to facilitate the visiting international yachts in seeking permissions for landing and visiting specific spots, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has now formulated a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the visiting Yachts. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands besides the beauty have most of the required infrastructure to attract Yachtsmen from around the world - a well developed port, fuel, water, provisioning, communications and an airport. Andaman Administration believe that if Yacht Tourism is promoted it would result in arrival of a large number of very affluent tourists who have yachts based in the Andamans and bring valuable tourist revenue to the Andaman Islands. The presence of many affluent tourists will also create demand in every conceivable sector of the economy leading to new business opportunities and investment in the Islands. As per information, the SOP for visiting Yachts has now been approved by the A&N Administration and the Port Management Board, A&N Islands agencies for grant of timely permissions required for the sailing yachts visiting Ports of A&N Islands. “The SOP has provisions for Procedure on Arrival, Procedure for Acceptance and Clearance, Inter Island Cruise Procedures, Departure Procedures and other General information required for visiting Yachts,” sources in Andaman Administration said. The luxury yacht market is one of the high paying professions in the world with skills that are in demand worldwide. Further, in the longer term, a fleet of yachts based in the Andaman Islands will also create demand for marinas and luxury property development. Recently in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as is the case around the world, has suffered to a great extent in the past one year. Now, with the situation slowly coming under control and the focus is back on revival of economy in the country considerable efforts are being made by the A&N Administration towards kick-starting Tourism activities in the Islands. It is believed that approving SOP for visiting Yachts will have a long term positive impact on Andaman Tourism.

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