News

Venice to cap tourist group sizes at 25 to combat overcrowding

Venice, one of the world's most iconic and heavily visited cities, is implementing new regulations starting Thursday (August 1) to manage the flow of tourists and preserve its unique cultural heritage more efficiently. The latest measures include limiting the size of tourist groups to a maximum of 25 people and prohibiting the use of loudspeakers by tour guides. The new rule is expected to reduce the impact of large crowds on the city’s limited infrastructure and ensure a peaceful environment for residents. The decision to cap tourist group sizes is part of a broader initiative to protect Venice’s fragile ecosystem and historic architecture, which have long been under pressure from the millions of visitors who flock to the city each year. By restricting group sizes, local authorities hope to minimise congestion, particularly in the narrow streets and alleys of the city centre. The new rules also extend to the nearby islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello, which are popular destinations for daytrippers. In addition to the group size limitation, the ban on loudspeakers aims to mitigate noise pollution. Tour guides will no longer be allowed to use amplified devices to address their groups, a practice that has often disrupted the peace and quiet of the local residents. This measure is intended to enhance the quality of life for Venetians, who have long voiced concerns about the noise and disruption caused by mass tourism. Non-compliance with these regulations will result in fines ranging from 25 to 500 euros ($27-541). Originally scheduled to come into effect in June, the implementation of these measures was delayed until early August to allow for a smoother rollout. These new regulations follow Venice's groundbreaking initiative in April, when it became the first city globally to introduce a payment system for visitors. The pilot scheme aimed to reduce the number of day trippers during peak periods and manage overcrowding more effectively. Spanning just 29 days, the experiment ended in July, and a consultation period is now underway to determine the future of the project. There are exceptions to the new regulations on group sizes. Children under two years of age are not counted towards the group limit, and student groups or those on educational trips are exempt from the restrictions. These measures reflect a nuanced approach to tourism management, balancing the needs of visitors with the preservation of Venice’s unique character and the well-being of its residents.

Read more

Shimla set to become home to the world’s second largest ropeway

Good news coming from the mountains! Shimla is all set to make a groundbreaking journey in urban transportation with the construction of the world's second-largest ropeway project (the first longest is located in Bolivia, South America and is 32 km long). The ropeway project is scheduled to begin in March 2025. This ambitious initiative is led by the Ropeway and Rapid Transport System Development Corporation (RTDC). The main motive of this is to ease the city's traffic congestion and boost travel efficiency in the mountain. The venture is not only an important step toward unrabnising Shimla's transport infrastructure but also promises to generate substantial employment opportunities in the region. Let’s have a look at 10 important facts about the upcoming ropeway project: World's second largest ropeway: Starting in March 2025, Shimla will see the construction of the world's second-largest ropeway project, which promises to transform urban transport in the hill city. Budget: The ambitious project will span 13.79 km and cost INR 1734.70 crore. It will feature 13 boarding and de-boarding stations along with one turning station. Objective: The project aims at easing traffic congestion and adding to transportation efficiency in the mountain region. The ropeway will also offer a sustainable commuting option for Shimla's residents and visitors. Government contribution: As per reports, the Himachal government will cover 20 percent of the project’s cost, amounting to around INR 346.94 crore, with the remaining 80 percent financed through a loan from the New Development Bank. Capacity and future: Initially, the ropeway will handle 2,000 passengers per hour, with plans to expand this capacity to 6000 for two-way travel by 2059. Technological and environmental focus: The project emphasises modern technology and minimal ecological impact, aiming to enhance Shimla's transport infrastructure in an eco-friendly manner. Existing ropeways: While India has around 20 ropeways, the world’s longest ropeway, at 32 kilometers, is located in Bolivia, South America. There are approximately 25,000 ropeways globally. Job: The project is expected to create 250 direct jobs and over 20,000 indirect employment opportunities, contributing significantly to the local economy. Route and Stations: The ropeway will include 13 boarding stations, such as Taradevi, Judicial Complex, Chakkar, Tutikandi, New ISBT, Railway Station, and others, ensuring widespread accessibility throughout Shimla. Ease traffic: The Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Sunder Singh Thakur, noted that the ropeway would ease congestion in Shimla and is expected to be a milestone in the town's transportation development.

Read more

Travelport agrees multi-source content deal with Finnair

Finnair has expanded its agreement with Travelport to include both New Distribution Capability (NDC) and traditional content and servicing capabilities. The move means that Travelport+ users will be able to access multi-source content from Finnair, including ancillary services. In a statement on Tuesday (30 July) the companies said they are “currently collaborating” on the rollout of the carrier’s NDC content through the platform. Finnair VP of global sales and channel management, Jenni Suomela, said: “This collaboration with Travelport will elevate our NDC programme as we continue to scale and drive adoption among agencies and travel retailers.” Travelport global head of air partners, Damian Hickey, added: “We are committed to delivering retail-ready multi-source content that our agency customers can easily sell and service for partners like Finnair, because modern travel retailing needs to work seamlessly for everyone.” The agreement follows recent NDC distribution deals for Travelport with the likes of Etihad, Emirates, and Spanish carrier Iberia.

Read more

Mindtrip’s Start Anywhere the Future of Flexible Travel Planning

Mindtrip, an AI-powered platform designed to revolutionize travel planning, has introduced a groundbreaking feature called Start Anywhere. This new functionality allows travelers to instantly create their dream itineraries from any source of inspiration for the first time. Whether it’s a snapshot from a travel website, a post by a content creator on social media, or an article from a well-known publication, Start Anywhere enables users to easily upload a screenshot or URL to Mindtrip. In just seconds, the platform processes the content and generates a fully customizable itinerary or list. Catering to all types of travel—from leisure and adventure to business and group trips—Start Anywhere breaks down the traditional boundaries of travel platforms, offering a flexible and intuitive way for people to plan and experience their journeys. “People don’t plan travel in a linear fashion, yet the travel industry continues to offer only platforms that do just that,” said Andy Moss, Co-founder and CEO of Mindtrip. “However, at Mindtrip, we believe that planning for the adventure should be as fun as the adventure itself. We’ve developed Start Anywhere to enable people everywhere to turn all of the incredible travel content online into something actionable. You want recommendations for 36 hours in Miami? Now you have it. With reports showing that 75 percent of people find travel inspiration on social sites or online, we are excited to see what travelers do with this game-changing technology and how it will transform the way we all approach planning vacations.” Designed with a socially savvy audience in mind, Start Anywhere is remarkably easy to use. Users can sign up for a Mindtrip account and simply capture the URL of a travel website, blog post, YouTube video, or a screenshot of travel content from Instagram, TikTok, or a favorite publication. After uploading it to Mindtrip, the platform’s AI quickly translates the content into a comprehensive itinerary. This includes daily recommendations for activities, places to visit, and dining options, all tailored to the user’s preferences and the content provided. If users have already booked a hotel or flight, Start Anywhere has them covered as well. They can upload a screenshot of their receipt or forward a confirmation email to Mindtrip, and the platform will create a detailed itinerary that aligns with their travel dates and locations. Start Anywhere also offers Creators a new revenue opportunity. By joining the Mindtrip Creator program, they can generate a unique Magic link and embed it in their travel content, whether in descriptions, posts, bios, or comments. When someone clicks on the Creator’s Magic link, Mindtrip generates a personalized itinerary or list based on the Creator’s recommendations, turning their insights into actionable travel plans for their audience. Mindtrip compensates Creators for each new user registered through their link, allowing them to earn extra income while providing added value to their followers. “As travel content creators, Start Anywhere is super helpful,” said The Criders. “To be able to turn our content into actionable recommendations for our followers, just by including a link, is not only time-saving, but also a game changer for travelers.”

Read more

Antara River Cruises recognised for sustainability excellence

Antara River Cruises is selected as a finalist in the Best Sustainability Initiative category by the prestigious UK-based Wave Awards 2024, celebrating their 10th anniversary this year. This recognition highlights the effort and vision of the pioneers of river cruising in India. With a fleet of nine vessels, Antara River Cruises offers a slow and sustainable way to explore India, allowing guests to discover new cultures and destinations along the waterways, immersing them in unforgettable experiences. Their various itineraries offer fantastic opportunities for anyone looking to explore South Asian culture in some of its most ancient regions, perfect for leisure travellers, history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and nature lovers. “This is an extremely proud moment for us at Antara River Cruises. We are delighted to be chosen as one of the finalists in the sustainability category by Wave Awards, the cruise industry’s leading event. These awards celebrate excellence in the cruise holiday sector, and it is indeed a great honor for us to be counted among the best in the river cruising business,” said Raj Singh, Chairman, Exotic Heritage Group, promoters of Antara River Cruises. Last year, Antara River Cruises won the Magellan Award for the World’s Longest River Cruise. The Antara Ganga Vilas was awarded Silver in the Overall River Cruising category at the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards 2023. The rivership sailed from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Dhaka in Bangladesh, traversing 3200 km over 51 days, across 2 countries, 5 states, and 27 river systems. Early this year, Antara River Cruises launched two-cabin catamarans to traverse the Bhitarkanika mangrove wetland in Odisha, also known as the ‘mini Amazon of India’, on India’s first hybrid solar electric + fuel-powered boats. “As a business that is conscious of responsible and sustainable travel, we have developed and implemented various environmental and socially conscious policies both on and off-board to ensure our positive contribution to ecology and economic development,” added Singh. Antara River Cruises has undertaken several sustainable measures, including using solar power for electrical onboard usage, installing water and wastewater treatment plants, utilising highly effective oil-water separator machines, and maintaining a plastic-free environment with biodegradable items and refillable metal water bottles. Other sustainability initiatives include the use of energy-efficient LED lights, shore power connections on jetties to reduce generator usage, hospital-grade silencers on cruise generators to reduce noise pollution, and changing room linens and towels every other day unless required or requested. The company also employs lower-polluting ‘green’ fuel for power and navigation. On a broader footing, Antara River Cruises is directly engaged in wildlife and habitat conservation projects in partnership with NGOs. These initiatives underscore their commitment to sustainable travel and responsible tourism, setting a benchmark in the river cruising industry.

Read more

Gujarat betting big on tourism with its upcoming lion-leopard safari park

As per the latest development, tourists visiting the enchanting white desert of Kutch and the serene beaches of Diu will soon have the opportunity to take part on thrilling wildlife trails, thanks to an exciting development in Gujarat. If reports are to go by, the state government’s proposal to establish lion-leopard safari parks has received approval from the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI), marking a significant advancement in both tourism and wildlife conservation efforts. The twin safari parks, set to be developed along the lines of the existing Devalia safari park, will be located at Narayan Sarovar in Kutch and Naliya-Mandvi (Una taluka) in Gir Somnath. These parks aim to enhance Gujarat’s tourism landscape while contributing to wildlife conservation. Nityanand Srivastava, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), announced, “The CZAI has given its final approval. We will now submit the proposal to the Supreme Court for its endorsement, as these sanctuaries will be established on forest land.” Earlier this year, the Supreme Court mandated that forest land must receive prior approval before being designated as zoos or safari parks under the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act 2023. This new regulatory step ensures that the establishment of such parks aligns with legal and environmental standards. The proposed Narayan Sarovar safari park is expected to be a major attraction for Kutch, offering enclosures for both lions and leopards in the region’s unique flora and fauna. Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Kutch, Sandeep Kumar, added that this safari park will significantly boost tourism by providing visitors with an immersive wildlife experience in the region. Similarly, the Naliya-Mandvi safari park, announced earlier this year by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, will be situated about 8 km from Diu and will also cover nearly 400 hectares of forest land. In a broader move to boost wildlife conservation, the Gujarat state government had decided in March to create multi-species safari parks across the state. Departing from the traditional single-species safari model, these new parks will showcase a variety of animal species, offering visitors a richer and more diverse experience. In addition to these safari parks, the CZAI has approved the establishment of a cheetah breeding center in the Banni area of Kutch. This center, covering over 500 hectares, will be India’s first facility dedicated to the breeding of cheetahs. The state forest department has been working diligently since March to prepare the site, which will feature special open-to-air isolation enclosures designed to support the mating behavior of cheetahs. Three such enclosures, totaling 120 square meters, will be constructed, with separate areas designated for males and females. Gujarat’s new wildlife initiatives promise to enhance the state’s tourism appeal while advancing conservation efforts. With the addition of these safari parks and the cheetah breeding center, Gujarat is set to become a key destination for wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists alike.

Read more