News

France faces second day of travel chaos as strikes continue.

France is facing a second day of travel chaos and school closures after unions said there would be no let-up in nationwide strikes against Emmanuel Macron’s proposed changes to the pensions system. The far-reaching strike, which brought more than 800,000 people on to the streets on Thursday, is seen as the greatest test yet for the centrist president, who has promised to deliver the biggest “transformation” of the French social model and welfare system since the immediate post-war era. Rail workers, air traffic controllers and teachers walked out, leaving transport paralysed and many schools shut. Some schools reopened on Friday, but many classes and canteens were still disrupted. Friday’s transport stoppages will run into the weekend, with almost all high-speed train services cancelled, most of the Paris metro shut down and hundreds of flights axed.

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Chinese airline plans to introduce direct charter flights from Guangzhou to Halifax.

The tourists from China will be able to fly directly to Nova Scotia starting next fall. Premier Stephen McNeil said that this direct charter flight from Guangzhou to Halifax will arrive in next September and another in early October next year.The passengers will fly from Guangdong province’s capital with China Southern Airlines. McNeil credited the partnerships with Governor Ma Xingrui, China Southern Airlines and GZL International Travel Service for being critical to the venture. There are about 5,000 Chinese tourists visited Nova Scotia in 2018. The province’s target is to attract 50,000 Chinese visitors a year by 2024. On average, a visitor from China spends $2,850 in Canada.The China Southern Airlines planes will carry 271 passengers. They will have the option of buying travel packages through GZL, which is 60 per cent owned by the Chinese government. The packages are still being worked out but GZL representatives toured Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and New Brunswick in September to come up with possibilities. China also has come under fire for the mass detentions of its Muslim Uighur population. McNeil reiterated past comments that Nova Scotia can’t impose its values on another country.

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Indonesia to turn East Jakarta lake, reservoirs into tourism destinations.

The Jakarta administration has planned to conduct various events next year at Rawabadung Lake in Cakung, East Jakarta, to get potential tourists to visit it and other lakes in the city. East Jakarta Tourism and Culture Agency head Iwan Henry Wardhana said the agency had long aimed to hold entertainment activities as part of efforts to transform Rawabadung Lake into a local tourist destination. “We have prepared different activities to increase the tourism potential of Rawabadung. Besides entertainment activities like festivals, there will also be some bazaars there,” said Iwan on Tuesday, as quoted by a website. He went on to add that the events were aimed at drawing people’s attention to the lake, which had potential for tourism, thanks to its fishing spots and wisata apung (floating huts for entertainment and eateries). To transform the site into a tourist destination, Iwan said, the East Jakarta administration would collaborate with various stakeholders in the local community. “The plan to make Rawabadung a tourist area was initiated by the locals themselves. They were the ones who first believed that Rawabadung was worth preserving,” Iwan said. He further said that, besides Rawabadung Lake, the administration was also eyeing about 25 reservoirs and lakes in East Jakarta that had similar potential to become local tourist magnets.

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Telangana tourism has developed tourism facilities in Somalisa.

Telangana Tourism is taking new initiatives to promote eco-tourism and tourism in general in the state. The state tourism body has opened an air-conditioned two-storey ferry, and ten three-star cottages at the backwaters of Krishna River towards this initiative. Located in Somasila, Kollapur, which is about 250 km away from Hyderabad, these tourist facilities were inaugurated by Srinivas Goud, Tourism and Culture Minister of State. The three-star cottages have splendid views of the river, and have been constructed in room and dormitory-style. The air-conditioned ferry, on the other hand, has an open-air cafe and an air-conditioned restaurant on the upper deck, so it is set to attract tourists. According to reports, the tourism body is soon going to start a package service from Somasila to Srisailam. According to reports, the authorities are also looking to identify trek routes and water-sports zones that can be developed in the area. You can book an air-conditioned room at Somasila for INR 999, and a non-ac room for INR 500.

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PNR linking feature by IRCTC makes it easy to connect two train journeys.

Passengers using the train services offered by the Indian Railways can now use the IRCTC mobile app, which offers the feature of linking PNR numbers of two interlinked train trips. By using this facility, the passengers can easily get a refund on their train ticket in the event of a missed train. In addition, passengers can also use this feature when no direct train is available to reach from one station to another, and also, if the passenger has booked a ticket for connecting trains to arrive at the desired destination. In case the first train is late and the connecting train is running timely, it is likely for the passenger to miss the second train. Therefore, if the passenger has linked the PNR numbers of both the trains, it is possible to get a refund for the second train he or she missed. PNR linking facility is available on the IRCTC app and website. To link the tickets using PNRs, visit IRCTC's official webpage and click on the 'connecting journey booking' option under the 'Trains' tab. Now, search for the right trains on the website to reach your destination. For the verification of the connecting journey, IRCTC will give an OTP number to the registered mobile number of the passenger.

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Bhutan to charge tourists from India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.

The Royal Kingdom of Bhutan has recently announced that it would be levying charges on tourists from India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Previously, entry was free for all of them. Tourism levies are not new for Buddhist Bhutan, which charges other countries a minimum of $250 per person per day to enter the country. The new fee for these three countries includes a $65 daily Sustainable Development Fee along with a $40 visa fee. These might seem expensive for tourists who are unused to them, but Bhutan sees them as necessary for maintaining its sustainability efforts. With its growing economy, the Kingdom remains concerned about reducing carbon emissions for residents and visitors from all countries. While Bhutan is expecting tourism from India to remain high, newly imposed fees are a risky move, considering that around 65% of tourists in Bhutan are from India alone. Indian tourists might decide to vacation elsewhere, Bhutan is hopeful that the new fees will recompense for potentially lost tourism. Bhutan is aiming for a sustainable tourist business as well as a sustainable, eco-friendly environment at all costs.

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