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International Mountain Day 2023: World’s top 5 highest mountains

As we celebrate International Mountain Day on December 11, 2023, it's a perfect occasion to take a virtual tour around some of the Earth's towering giants. Mountains not only shape the physical landscape, but also hold cultural, ecological, and spiritual significance. So, let's embark on a virtual journey and explore the five highest peaks across the globe, and understand the vital role they play in our planet's ecosystem. Standing tall at a height of 8,848 m, Mount Everest is the world's highest peak, and is nestled in the Himalayas on the border between Nepal and Tibet. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this mountain has captured the imagination of adventurers and mountaineers for centuries. Climbing Everest is an arduous and perilous feat, yet the allure of Everest persists, drawing individuals to conquer it and enjoy scenic views from the top of the world. K2 holds the title of the second-highest peak globally and stands at a height of 8,611 m. Located on the China-Pakistan border in the Karakoram Range, K2 is renowned for its treacherous conditions and challenging ascent. Climbers face steep slopes, unpredictable weather, the reason why it has a formidable reputation that adds to the allure of conquering this peak. Despite its lower elevation compared to Everest, K2 is considered by many as a more difficult and dangerous climb. Nestled between Nepal and India, Kangchenjunga stands at 8,586 m and is the world’s third highest mountain. Revered by the local communities, the region surrounding it is rich in biodiversity, showcasing a diverse range of flora and fauna. As we celebrate the International Mountain Day, it's crucial to recognize the ecological importance of such mountains and the need to conserve them. Set adjacent to Mount Everest, Lhotse stands at an imposing height of 8,516 m, making it the fourth highest mountain in the world. Connected to Everest by the South Col, Lhotse shares its challenging terrain with the world's highest peak. Climbers attempting to summit Lhotse often do so as an extension of an Everest expedition, adding an extra layer of complexity to an already demanding endeavor. Makalu stands at a height of 8,485 m, and is located in the Mahalangur Himalayas, southeast of Mount Everest. This mountain is celebrated for its distinctive pyramid shape and challenging ascent. Known as the Great Black’ due to its dark rock and ice faces, it remains a formidable peak that demands respect from even the most seasoned climbers.

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UNESCO declares Thailand’s Songkran festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage

Come April 2024, Thailand will have a very good reason to celebrate Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year in a much bigger way than ever before. Very recently, UNESCO formally recognised the Songkran in Thailand, Traditional Thai New Year Festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. This designation solidifies the cultural significance and importance of the Songkran festival. For those curious, Songkran is a festival that is celebrated in Thailand every year in the month of April. In mid-April, the rice harvest is followed by this festival, which also marks the traditional commencement of the Thai New Year. Traditionally, this festival celebrates familial reunions, people pay respects to Buddha, family elders and their ancestors. The festival has traditional ceremonies like pouring water on elders’ hands as a gesture of respect and humility, asking their blessings. And out in the public areas, Songkran festivities become louder and more fun. Everyone comes out on the streets and splash water on one another using buckets and hoses! Songkran Festival is celebrated over a period of three days, out of which, the first day is dedicated to elders. The first day of Songkran is officially National Elderly Day. The second day is for the family, and officially marks National Family Day. There is also the ritual of Bathing the Buddha Image where devotees pour fragrant water over Buddha’s statues at temples and at home. The ritual of throwing water on one another is not only for fun, it is also symbolic. It symbolises washing away one's sins. However, it’s a different matter that the ritual is one of the most fun things you will take part in Thailand.It is important to note that this recent development in Thailand means Songkran Festival joins the list of other cultural attractions like Khon (2018), Thai Massage (2019) and Nora (2021).

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Japan: Yokohama unveils ambitious plan to boost tourism through sustainability and innovation

Japan's Yokohama city, a popular tourist destination, aims for a smart tourism revolution with sustainable and tech-savvy initiatives. Yokohama city of Japan is a popular tourist destination and further intends to grow its tourist influx by making the city more sustainable and smart. To realise this vision, Yokohama City organised the Y-Ship global event. It aimed to establish an innovative and smart city with collaborations with start-ups from across the world and companies from Asia-Africa's emerging countries. Mayor Taake Haru Yamanaka explained the history of Yokohama and appealed for the cooperation of participating countries to realise the Smart city vision. Toru Hashimoto, the organizer of Y-Ship, said that Yokohama has been a city that created new technologies to be introduced into Japan since the opening of the port some 160 years ago. "There are major urban problems and climate change around the world, and various new innovations are necessary. Together with our colleagues from all over the world and people; developed countries and developing countries, we will create new innovations in Yokohama. This is an international conference aimed at this purpose," he said. He added that many international collaborations are expected through this event and the Japanese incinerator company has established a Branch in the Philippines to develop its business further. Hashimoto further said that it is very important to have a city that is "liveable, safe and secure". "I think it is necessary to make Yokohama a low-carbon, eco-friendly city that can embrace everyone. After establishing it, Yokohama will be respected all over the world, and I think there will be more friends who would like to try to build a town like Yokohama together with us," stated. Joji Kitamura from Amcon said, "Since we are doing business both domestically and internationally, I think we can look forward to our business in Asia". A participant from the Philippines admired Y-Ship's achievement and said that this is something he would like to see in his city. "It's very different from our city. It's very nice. Everything is very nice. You can walk around and it's very pretty. The park is very nice and it's very modern. It's something that you would also like to see in our city. We have already established ties and we want to build it much stronger," the participant said. The Yokohama city has already confirmed its charm and is now prepping to grow up as a more sustainable, innovative and liveable city. Y-Ship is indeed a launching event to a glorious future.

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2023 Capacity Building Scheme by MoT to tap nature-tourism potential of Ramsar sites

Central to this endeavour is the Alternative Livelihood Programme, a facet of the Amrit Dharohar initiative. The main objective is to empower and train local community member residing near Ramsar sites. By partnering with the Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM) and the MoEFCC, the initiative aims to fortify nature tourism at these sites while concurrently offering alternative means of livelihood for the local populace. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) recently initiated an impactful project known as the Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme-2023. This collaborative effort took flight on December 8, 2023, at Sultanpur National Park, a designated Ramsar Site nestled in Haryana. Particularly emphasizing nature-tourism and its integral role, the joint effort between MoT and MoEFCC aims to tap into the nature-tourism potential of Ramsar Sites countrywide. Sultanpur stands out as one of the initial five priority Ramsar Sites identified in the first phase, alongside Bhitarkanika and Chilika in Odisha, as well as Yashwant Sagar and Sirpur in Madhya Pradesh. These sites have been earmarked for targeted training programs under the Alternative Livelihood Programme (ALP), showcasing the commitment to fostering local communities. Also central to this endeavour is the Alternative Livelihood Programme, a facet of the Amrit Dharohar initiative. The main objective is to empower and train local community members residing near Ramsar sites. By partnering with the Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM) and the MoEFCC, the initiative aims to fortify nature tourism at these sites while concurrently offering alternative means of livelihood for the local populace. The first phase focuses on Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, where, in conjunction with the State Forest Department, 30 individuals from the local communities will undergo comprehensive training to become certified nature-guides. The Amrit Dharohar initiative was introduced by the MoEF&CC earlier in June 2023 as a part of the budget announcement for 2023-24. Its core mission revolves around spotlighting the distinctive conservation significance of Ramsar Sites across India while actively creating employment avenues and bolstering local livelihoods. The collaboration extends beyond governmental bodies to encompass a network of formal and informal institutions, ministries, agencies, and individuals, all rallying together for this noble cause. The inauguration of this event was done by Manisha Saxena, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, in the presence of Dr Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Prof Alok Sharma, Director of the Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management, officials from MoEF&CC, and senior officials from the Haryana Forest Department, among others.

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2023 Travel Recap: Indians prefer tried-and-tested destinations, reveal Agoda

As we’re nearing the end of 2023, Agoda has revealed the top travel locations of the year Indian travellers. Domestically, New Delhi and NCR was the most booked and for Indians travelling abroad, Thailand’s capital Bangkok leapfrogged Dubai to claim the top spot. Additionally, Agoda rankings also revealed that in terms of foreign travel preferences, Ind tend to favour short-haul destinations around the region. Bangkok, Dubai, Bali, Singapor and Pattaya have emerged as the top five outbound destinations. As the year draws to a close, digital travel platform Agoda unveiled the top destinations for Indian travellers in 2023. Domestically, like in 2022, New Delhi and NCR was the most booked destination on Agoda. For Indians traveling abroad Thailand’s capital Bangkok leapfrogged Dubai to claim the top spot. The rankings with the most booked destinations on Agoda underscore a distinct inclination among Indians for tried-and-tested destinations, showcasing a preference for all-time favourites that have lots to offer to any type of traveller and no matter how frequently they are visited. When it comes to international travel choices, Indians consistently favour short haul destinations across the region. Chart topper Bangkok and fifth most popular destination Pattaya are poised to further strengthen their appeal, with the recent announcement of visa-free travel for Indians to Thailand. The other most popular destinations for Indian travellers are Dubai in second, Bali in third, and Singapore in fourth.

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Sri Lanka records USD 1.8 bn tourism revenue till Nov

Sri Lanka recorded USD 1.8 billion tourism revenue till November this year, 78.3 per cent from the corresponding period previous year, as per Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) dat Lanka welcomed 151,496 international tourists in November, the highest monthly number visitors it received in 2023, official data showed. The revenue earned from tourism increased to 205.3 million dollrs in November 2023, which is over twice the revenue in November 2022, according to the latest data. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry told parliament on Thursday that the tourist arrivals will spike in 2024 with more airlines coming into the country, Xinhua news agency reported. Sri Lanka welcomed 151,496 international tourists in November, the highest monthly number of visitors it received in 2023, official data showed. Sri Lanka's cumulative tourist arrivals for the first 11 months of the year stand at 1.27 million, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Tourism is one of Sri Lanka's top foreign revenue generators. In late November, the government waived visa fees for nationals from China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan to boost tourism in the coming season.

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