News

Andaman and Nicobar to get country’s first-ever water aerodromes.

The Andamans might soon be home to the country’s first-ever water aerodromes. As per the reports, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is in the process of seeking environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for three, first-of-its-kind water aerodromes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Reportedly, AAI is planning to develop water aerodromes in Swaraj Island, Shaheed Island, and Long Island with a total investment of INR 50 crores and sought clearance for preparing the Terms of Reference (ToR) separately for three airports. These airports are part of the 10 water aerodromes that the centre is planning to develop. Reports state that the Civil Aviation Ministry recently informed that it has invited bids for three unserved airports/airstrips in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and one under-served airport on the Lakshadweep Island in the fourth round of regional air connectivity scheme. The Director General of Civil Aviation also issued licensing norms last year for water aerodromes, from where planes can take off and land. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is planning to operationalise 1000 routes and more than 100 airports in the next five years. The same will be achieved by first focusing on the priority areas. It is expected that incoming tourists at the proposed project locations will eventually lead to an increase in the footfall of tourists, thereby boosting tourism and hotel business in the region.

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Ongoing strikes in France to cause more travel misery on Monday.

The transport strikes which began over a month ago were set to continue on Monday with unions vowing to battle on despite an apparent fall in public support and a steep drop in the number of strikers. In Paris, transport authority RATP said there would be a slight improvement in the level of services compared to last Friday but overall travel around the capital would remain "very disrupted". In reality that will mean all Metro lines would function partially on Monday albeit far from offering a normal service to strike-weary commuters. Many individual Metro stations on these lines will remain closed however. Almost 80 percent of scheduled high-speed TGV trains would run on Monday as well as a similar number of low-cost Ouigo TGV trains. Intercité trains that link France's cities and Transilien commuter services in the greater Paris region will be running a third of the normal number of train services Regional TER trains will operate abut 60 percent of usual services. SNCF is keen to stress that thousands of tickets are available for TGV and Intercité trains until Wednesday, many at a reduced rate. A new poll published Friday showed a majority of 61 percent still support the strike, although that was five points lower than a December 19 survey, according to pollster Odoxa. The strikes have been ongoing since December 5, upsetting travel plans and hitting shops and other businesses over the key Christmas period. After a month of disruptions, Macron will on Monday hold his first cabinet meeting of 2020. The following day discussions with union leaders are set to resume, but so far neither side has appeared ready to give much ground. Unions have called another day of mass demonstrations for Thursday, when teachers, hospital workers and others are expected to join the strike.

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First snowfall of 2020 in Manali, Shimla

Popular tourist destinations Shimla and Manali experienced the first snowfall of 2020 which dipped the temperatures to a large extent in Himachal Pradesh. According to the news reports, the temperature went down below the freezing point by up to 3-4 degrees Celsius in the towns of Kufri and Keylong freezing point, according to the Shimla Meteorological Department. There was snowfall in Manali, Kullu district, on Saturday morning, while it snowed for up to 6.4 cm in Shimla in the afternoon. On the other handm it snowed for up to 0.2 cm in Kalpa region of the tribal Kinnaur district. Apparently, the much-awaited snowfall has come like good news for the owners of tourist accommodations as this would attract more tourists to the aforementioned destinations. Reportedly, the MeT department has circulated a yellow warning for thunderstorm along with hail and lightning at remote areas in plains, low lower and middle hills on January 6 and 7. These color-coded warnings are issued to alarm the residents about the impending or probable bad weather conditions which have the power to cause a lot of damage to life and property. The colour yellow is the least harmful in this category. There was rain in parts of Bhuntar (8.8 mm), Seobagh (6.2 mm), Sundernagar (10.2 mm), Chamba and Manali (2 mm each). Keylong recorded the lowest temperature in the state at minus 10.5 degrees Celsius, Kapla recorded temperature of minus 3 degrees Celsius and it was minus 1.2 as well as 0.6 degree Celsius in Manali and Dalhousie respectively. The lowest temperature in Solan, Shimla and Dharamshala was 2, 0.7 and 2.8 degrees Celsius respectively. In Himachal, only Una remained warmer at 22 degrees Celsius.

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Sri Lanka re-launches free visa on arrival scheme for India and other countries.

Sri Lanka is now offering free tourist visa service for 48 countries, including India till April 30, 2020. News has it that Sri Lanka has allowed free visa-on-arrival till April 30 for the residents of 48 countries. Tourism Minister of Sri Lanka, Prasanna Ranatunga, told the press that the nation is trying to rebuild the tourism industry which was affected by the Easter Sunday bombings that killed about 258 people. As a security measures, the Sri Lankan government has decided to stop offering visa-on-arrival to citizens of 39 countries. A large number of foreign tourists in Sri Lanka have been from India since a long time. It is also one of the closest and favourable exotic nations where most Indian would prefer to spend their vacation days. Sri Lanka being a Hindu dominated country is preferred by travellers from India.

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The foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia drifts up in first 10 months.

The number of foreign holiday makers visiting Indonesia from January to October edged up 2.85 percent to 13.62 million people on yearly basis. The foreign visitors from the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries coming to Indonesia in the period rose, the most, 17.78 percent during the period on yearly basis, said the bureau’s head Kecuk Suhariyanto. Malaysia was the most contributing country to the number of Indonesia’s foreign tourist arrivals in the first 10 months with figures 2.58 million (18.94 percent) followed by China, Singapore, Australia and Timor Leste, which contributed 1.77 million (13.01 percent), 1.55 million (11.38 percent), 1.15 million (8.42 percent) and 1.02 million (7.48 percent) respectively. Still, the number of foreign holiday makers from Asian countries, excluding those of the ASEAN member nations, edged down the most 10.28 percent during the period on a 12-month basis due to the sluggish global economic growth. The government has revised downward the target of foreign tourist arrivals into the country this year by 2 millions to 18 millions partly due to catastrophes, according to tourism ministry. In 2018, a total of 15.8 million foreign travelers came to Indonesia, the bureau said.

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India ranks 34th in Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index.

Government is committed to make policies and programmes for the development and promotion of tourism and the year 2019 witnessed several steps in this direction. As the sector has the capacity to boost the economy, foreign exchange earnings and provide a large number of jobs at every level, tourism Ministry is continuously consulting and collaborating with other different stakeholders to boost the sector. Reducing E-visa fees, decreasing GST rates on hotel room booking and opening 120 new peaks for mountaineering are among the major highlights of Tourism Ministry in 2019. Along with these several steps taken under Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD Scheme and various other events of Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat were also undertaken during the year. AIR Correspondent reports that in the year 2019, India’s rank in Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index of World Economic Forum has moved to 34th position from 65th rank in 2013. Foreign Tourist Arrivals also registered a growth of 3.2 percent last year. The government is working to develop thematic circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme and 77 projects amounting over Rs 6035 crore have been sanctioned till date under this scheme. An initiative called - 'Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan' has been launched for developing tourist amenities at heritage and tourist sites and making them tourist-friendly. E-visa has been further liberalized and visa fee on e - visa has been substantially reduced to increase tourism competitiveness of the country. The Government has also opened more than 120 mountain peaks for mountaineering and trekking for promoting adventure tourism in the country.

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