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WORLD'S MOST IMPRESSIVE HERITAGE SITES

World's most impressive heritage sites Throughout history, civilisations have left behind a number of architectural marvels, cultural landmarks, and historical sites that stood the test of time. Our world is dotted with heritage sites that offer a glimpse into our collective past and inspire awe and wonder. Here are some of the most impressive heritage sites from around the globe for all the curious travellers. Great Wall of China Stretching over 13,000 miles across northern China, the Great Wall stands as one of the most iconic symbols of human endeavour. Built over centuries to protect the Chinese Empire from invasions, this awe-inspiring structure winds its way through rugged mountains, rolling hills, and vast plains, offering breathtaking views and a tangible connection to China's rich history and culture. Machu Picchu, Peru ​Perched high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Machu Picchu is an ancient Incan citadel shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Built in the 15th century and abandoned during the Spanish conquest, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for its breathtaking beauty, intricate stone masonry, and celestial alignment with the surrounding mountains. Petra, Jordan Carved into the rose-red cliffs of southern Jordan, Petra is an archaeological marvel and one of the most impressive ancient cities in the world. Founded by the Nabateans over 2,000 years ago, this UNESCO-listed site features stunning rock-cut architecture, including the iconic Treasury and the Monastery, which are testaments to the ingenuity of its creators.

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Saudi Arabia eyes 7.5 mn Indian travellers as Riyadh pushes Vision 2030

In Short Saudi Arabia is looking at welcoming 7.5 million Indian tourists by 2030, says Saudi Tourism's Alhasan Aldabbagh Tourism is right at the centre of Saudi Arabia's grand Vision 2030 Pop concerts, sports events, festivals, all are part of Saudi Arabia's plan for the coming years Saudi Arabia has a grand Vision 2030 and tourism forms the core of it. The country expects to host 7.5 million Indian travellers by 2030, from across the business, leisure and religious segments. This aggressive push for tourism also includes various concerts and sports events, says Alhasan Aldabbagh, president of APAC markets at Saudi Tourism Authority. Alhasan Aldabbagh was in the capital for SATTE, where India Today caught up with him. Over a half-hour chat, Aldabbagh tells us that 'discussions were on' about getting various popstars to Saudi Arabia. When we ask if Taylor Swift was among these names, he says, "We'll see... maybe there will be some good news soon." But Taylor Swift or not, Saudi Arabia is quite the destination to visit. The country has its eyes set firmly on Vision 2030. By 2030, the world will see a new Saudi Arabia emerging out of the desert as Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman pushes the pedal on development, infrastructure, and tourism. Saudi Arabia is looking east for tourism, and India is bang at the centre of their scaling-up plans. "I believe if you are true about your objectives and ambition about a market like India... we need to understand the people. And once we understand the people and the differences, and India is a big market - with many cities, with many geographical areas, with many cultures, many languages, and religions... Once we understand that, we can design more customised offers for the different regions. And this is how we will truly become a top destination for the India market," says Aldabbagh. Everything that Saudi Arabia is doing at the moment is aligned towards its Vision 2030. If you were to go on social media - be it X, Instagram or Facebook, you would be bombarded by sponsored ads from Saudi Tourism. The promotion is aggressive, and on a massive scale, so, of course, tourism plays a large part in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. "Tourism links to everything in the vision, because the vision has three pillars: the first pillar is a vibrant society, the second pillar is an ambitious nation, and the third is a thriving economy. You will see that tourism is part of every single pillar because it connects everything," says Aldabbagh.

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Maldives plans to win back Indian tourists by organising roadshows in India

In a bid to attract and win back Indian tourists, a major tourism body of Maldives has announced plans to organise roadshows in famous Indian cities. The island nation saw a major dip in the arrival of Indian tourists after a boycott campaign by several Maldivian officials against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January. But soon the Maldivian ministers realised their mistake as the Indian tourists number continued to decline in the middle of the strained political relations between the two nations. Now the nation is planning to rectify their mistake by conducting the roadshows. These roadshows will be hosted by the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO). The association said that the MATATO has expressed its intention to collaborate closely with the Indian High Commission in Maldives to boost tourism initiatives. They also said that there are plans to launch a comprehensive roadshow across major cities in India and to facilitate influencer and media familiarisation trips to the Maldives in the forthcoming months. The association also said that India is a prime market for tourism in Maldives, adding that they look forward to partnering with prominent travel associations and industry stakeholders across India to enhance the Maldives as a premier travel destination. As per official data released by the Maldives Ministry of Tourism, the island nation also saw a dip in the number of Indian travellers visiting the island nation after the row. Back in 2023, out of over 17 lakh tourists who came to Maldives, the majority were Indians (2,09,198). But, soon after the number of Indian tourists dipped to fifth position. However, now the Maldives is planning to woo Indians back. So, back in January this year, PM Modi visited Lakshadweep and compared it to the Maldives. Soon after Maldivian ministers started making derogatory comments.

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Digi Yatra expected at 14 more airport this month; check full list

As per the latest news reports, Digi Yatra will likely expand to an additional 14 airports this month. This was also informed by Digi Yatra Foundation CEO Suresh Khadakbhavi. As regarding the application, it facilitates contactless passenger movement at supported airports, thereby eliminating the need for physical boarding passes. In late last year, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that the Digi Yatra facility would be implemented at 14 airports during the initial phase, followed by an additional 11 airports during the second phase in 2024. According to a report, the rollout timeline for these new airports hasn't been specified by Khadakbhavi, but if all goes as planned, they are expected to become operational by the end of April. The Digi Yatra initiative aims to cover a total of 38 airports in India by the end of 2024, with 14 airports in the first phase and another 11 in the second. Using Facial Recognition Technology (FRT), the Digi Yatra system identifies passengers and grants them access. This system was launched in December 2022, and it currently serves nearly 5 million users at 13 domestic airports. If reports are to go by, the list of potential new airports that might soon get this Digi Yatra app, includes Bhubaneswar, Bagdogra, Chennai, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Dabolim, Indore, Mangalore, Raipur, Patna, Ranchi, Srinagar, Trivandrum, and Visakhapatnam. Reports further add that efforts are underway to extend the facility to international travellers. Despite concerns over data privacy, Khadakbhavi assured that Digi Yatra doesn't store passengers' data; instead, it remains solely on users' phones under their control. It has also been highlighted in reports issues that were faced by Digi Yatra users in March, where they had to uninstall the old app, download a new one, and re-register, raising concerns about data safety. However, Khadakbhavi did say that passenger data for Digi Yatra is stored encrypted. The Digi Yatra Foundation, a not-for-profit entity, spearheads the initiative, with shareholders including Airport Authority of India (AAI), Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (HIAL), and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL).

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Incentive Travel Is Growing in India as a Performance Booster

Incentive trips are making a comeback, according to FCM Meetings & Events India. The corporate travel firm noted a 30% jump in requests for them in the first quarter from a year earlier. They’re also known as employee reward programs, and they’re big in India: Top-performing staffers get to go to a new destination, and the companies get a way to foster teams and motivate younger and mid-career employees. It’s business, but still a perk. Manpreet Bindra, FCM Meetings & Events Leader, Asia, said both employers and employees prefer incentive trips to vouchers or cash-in-kind. “The Indian business travel market has surpassed pre-pandemic levels and we do expect this segment to continue growing,” Bindra told Skift. Business Travel Spending in India The Global Business Travel Association projects that India will experience an 18% growth in business travel spending in 2024, reaching $38 billion. It also anticipates a full recovery to pre-2019 spending levels by 2025. India is the ninth-largest market globally for business travel expenditure and the fourth-largest in the Asia Pacific region, representing 5.7% of business travel spending. The global incentive travel market is expected to reach $217 billion by 2031, according to a report by Allied Market Research. The rate of growth during this period is expected to be highest in the Asia Pacific. South African Tourism during its recent roadshow in India spoke about how Indian corporates are one of the largest contributors to incentive travel in the country. South African Tourism has kickstarted the third edition of its incentive travel initiative – Corporate Think Tank in India. Nearly half of arrivals to India from South Africa were for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. Around a quarter of those MICE arrivals were for incentive trips. When to Book and Where to Go? FCM has managed incentive trips for Indian startups to large-scale enterprises in not just popular destinations like Thailand and Indonesia, but also emerging destinations like Vietnam. “Companies are looking at destinations with both hotel and air seat capacity as well as the ease of visa procedures for incentive travel,” Bindra said. “The most popular destinations in Asia are Bangkok and Pattaya, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur, and Colombo although Hong Kong and Macau are starting to gain traction again due to the increased air seat capacity as well as tourism marketing initiatives.” One of the biggest impediments to recovery of business travel has been a lack of airline capacity and competition, FCM Consulting had noted in its November trend report. Bindra also highlighted the advantage of a larger booking window. “If companies can confirm their group movements before 6 months of travel, they stand to save more than 20% in airfare,” he said. FCM also advises its clients to book group movements 9 months prior as then fares for full-cost carriers would be about the same as low-cost carriers, Bindra noted. The global average ticket price of flights booked for business travel have been witnessing a significant increase post Covid. FCM noted in February that the Mumbai to London economy fare saw a 25% hike, while business class fares on the route went up by 13%.

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Italy rolls out its long-awaited Digital Nomad Visa; find out how to qualify

Italy has become the newest EU member to introduce a Digital Nomad visa, thereby presenting remote workers with an enticing opportunity to blend work with leisure while exploring the country. Effective as of April 4th, a recent law permits individuals without an EU passport or any other visa to reside and work legally in Italy for an extended period. After years of deliberation by Italian lawmakers, the country's digital nomad visa has finally materialised, which is aimed specifically at remote workers desiring to experience life in this sought-after European destination. According to the Italian government, digital nomads are defined as non-European Union or Swiss citizens possessing high skills and capable of working remotely, either independently or in collaboration with a company. However, do note that obtaining Italy's digital nomad visa is not straightforward. Applicants must have an income three times higher than the minimum level required for exemption from healthcare costs, equating to nearly €28,000 annually or about $30,400. Italy's visa is notably one of the more challenging EU Digital Nomad visas to acquire. Prospective applicants must meet the criteria of being 'highly skilled,' as defined by the Italian Government, which pertains to individuals engaged in highly qualified work activities utilising technological tools enabling remote work, regardless of residency status. This law is enshrined under article 27 of the immigration code, as per the reports. Financial requirements also pose a hurdle, especially concerning Italian healthcare costs. Applicants must be either freelancers or employees with an annual salary of at least €28,000 (slightly above $30,000), with no stipulation that the income must originate from remote work. Furthermore, applicants must hold a minimum of a three-year college degree or a professional licence for their field or demonstrate substantial experience. Additionally, they must exhibit six months of relevant work experience in their desired remote field. Documentation proving accommodation arrangements in Italy and healthcare coverage, either through private means or enrollment in the Italian National Health Service for €2,000 ($2,100) per year, is also required. Family members may potentially accompany the applicant, subject to local police discretion, while individuals with a criminal record within the past five years are automatically disqualified. Interested individuals must apply at their local Italian Consulate prior to arrival in Italy. The visa is valid for one year, with the possibility of renewal within the country. Upon arrival, applicants have eight days to apply for a residence permit, or permesso di soggiorno. Self-employed individuals must additionally obtain an Italian tax VAT number and seek guidance on local tax obligations. Italy now joins Japan in offering Digital Nomad visas, aiming to stimulate economic growth by attracting high-earning foreign workers. Japan's visa targets digital nomads earning over $63,000 annually, requiring proof of private health insurance for the duration of their one-year stay. As per the reports, Romania topped the list in terms of straightforward process while applying for the said visa, while Croatia ranked second with relatively low salary and accommodation requirements. Spain fell in the middle, necessitating in-person applications with varying response times but a modest minimum monthly salary requirement. Cyprus emerges as one of the most challenging countries to obtain a Digital Nomad visa, mandating prior entry to the country and rigorous health screenings. Andorra, Montenegro, and Latvia plan to introduce similar schemes soon, while Germany offers a Freelancer Visa valid for three months, extendable under specific conditions to a three-year residence permit.

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