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Gulmarg receives season’s first snowfall, turns into a winter wonderland

Gulmarg, nestled in the heart of Kashmir, has just seen its first snowfall of the season, marking the beginning of its turning into a winter wonderland. This picturesque destination is renowned not only for its stunning snow-covered landscapes, but also for the colorful lupine flowers that adorn its meadows, a spectacle that begins in mid-June and lasts until the end of July. As winter descends upon the region from December to March, Kashmir undergoes a magical metamorphosis. In Gulmarg, visitors eagerly embrace the arrival of snowfall. Beyond its breathtaking natural beauty, Gulmarg holds a special place in the hearts of winter sports enthusiasts as it also serves as a premier skiing destination that lures visitors from around the world. Gulmarg has been making headlines for more than just its natural wonders. In February 2022, it attracted international attention with the opening of the world's largest igloo cafe, offering a unique and cozy experience against a backdrop of snow-covered peaks. A private venture unveiled a mesmerizing glass igloo restaurant that allowed diners to savor delectable cuisine while taking in panoramic views of the stunning surroundings in 2023. While Gulmarg is synonymous with its winter charms, it offers a wealth of attractions all year round. Visitors can explore the St. Mary's Church, marvel at the grandeur of the Maharaja Palace, chase the cascading waters of Drung Waterfall, and seek spiritual solace at the Maharani Temple. One of the most sought-after experiences is the Gulmarg Gondola ride, an adventure that boasts the title of being the highest and longest ropeway in Asia, providing unforgettable vistas of the region.

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World Tourism Day 2023 – Know what’s in store for us

World Tourism Day is celebrated annually on September 27 every year, in order to raise awareness about the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic significance. From 1980 till now, we have come so far in terms of global tourism, but it is something that keeps on evolving. Tourism is spread far and wide, in various shapes and forms that it becomes imperative that it is a sustainable one. Keeping that in mind, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has kept the theme Tourism and Green Investment this year. History and impact of World Tourism Day As mentioned above, World Tourism Day was first officially celebrated on September 27, 1980. Its main objective was to promote global tourism and to highlight mutual understanding and cooperation among people from different cultures and backgrounds. It is also the best time to reflect on the economic growth that many countries have seen, thanks to tourism. What is Tourism and Green Investment? As per United Nations World Tourism Organisation, it has become imperative for the stakeholders to invest better post Covid-19 pandemic. Calling investments as one of the key priorities, the UNWTO emphasises the fact that post pandemic, the people and the planet need to come back on the path of prosperity. To do that, right investment or better targeted investments is the key. Investing in sectors that will benefit the people and work wonders for the environment at the same time. This World Tourism Day, all international governments, financial institutions, development partners and private sector investors are asked to unite and brainstorm a new tourism investment strategy. Needless to say, anything that comes forth from this, needs to be environment-friendly. Environmental impact of travel also needs to be at the centre of any travel-related discussions. World Tourism Day is a great opportunity to remind and educate people about the benefits and challenges of tourism.

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Mumbai Airport To Temporarily Shut Down Runways On Oct 17 For Maintenance

The Mumbai International Airport, also known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), has announced that both their runaways will be shut down for post-monsoon maintenance work on October 17. Issuing a statement, the airport authorities said that the maintenance activities will take place from 11 am to 5 pm. “As a part of CSMIA’s comprehensive post-monsoon runaway maintenance plan, both runways – RWY 09/27, and RWY 14/32 will be temporarily non-operational on October 17. This scheduled temporary closure is a part of CSMIA’s annual post-monsoon preventive maintenance plan. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has also been duly issued in this regard six months in advance,” CSMIA spokesperson said in a statement. According to the authorities, the primary objective of the scheduled temporary closure is to undertake repair and maintenance activities which are essential to uphold the airport’s infrastructure to the highest standards. “This yearly practice of runway maintenance post monsoons is a part of the series of activities undertaken with precision and meticulous efforts ensuring operational continuity and passenger safety, thus bringing to life to vision of imbibing passenger first approach at the core of our operations,” it said.

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Jammu and Kashmir's famous tourist spot Gulmarg receives season's first snowfall

Gulmarg, an incredible tourist spot in Pir Panjal range of Himalayas, is famous for eye-catching view amid snowfall season as well as season of Lupine flowers World-famous tourist destination Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir, is now witnessing the first snowfall of the season as the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas located here adorns itself with the fresh snowfall. A view of a snow-covered mountain as season’s first snowfall was recorded over higher reaches of Gulmarg on Sunday. Jammu and Kashmir's famous tourist spot Gulmarg receives season's first snowfall (ANI) A view of a snow-covered mountain as season’s first snowfall was recorded over higher reaches of Gulmarg on Sunday. Jammu and Kashmir's famous tourist spot Gulmarg receives season's first snowfall (ANI) Gulmarg is one of the most incredible tourist destinations famous for its eye-catching view during the snowfall season as well as the season of Lupine flowers, which usually begins from mid-June and remains till the end of July. During the snowfall season, people showcase their creativity by making snow sculptures. Apart from its breathtaking beauty, Gulmarg is also famous for winter sports. In addition to being the most popular tourist destination, it is also a skiing destination. In February 2022, the World's largest igloo cafe was opened in Gulmarg, grabbing the eyeballs of the tourists. In 2023, a glass igloo restaurant was developed by a private entity in Gulmarg. The place, having a picturesque view, is also famous for St Mary's Church, Maharaja Palace, Maharani temple, and Gulmarg Gondola, etc.

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Mangaluru International Airport records increase in passenger traffic

Different airlines operating from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) in Karnataka on domestic and international routes recorded good passenger traffic. In the first five months of the present financial year, IndiGo and Air India registered passenger load of 87.5 per cent on the domestic destinations they connect directly. 
 Representation picture On international routes, Air India Express and IndiGo recorded 81.7 per cent passenger traffic, a press release issued by MIA said. Against a seating capacity of 3,21,554 on flights landing at Mangaluru from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, IndiGo and Air India had 2,80,739 passengers. Arrivals from Mumbai saw the highest traffic with 1,12,973 passengers travelling against a seating capacity of 1,23,836. Pune had the least load factor of 69 per cent with 11,078 travellers against 16,062 seats on offer, it said. For domestic flights departing from MIA, Chennai and Hyderabad recorded passenger loads of 89.91 per cent and 89.66 per cent respectively. A total of 10,520 passengers travelled to Chennai against 11,700 seats on offer, while Hyderabad saw 21,370 passengers travel against the available 23,836 seats. Mumbai came third with a load factor of 87.3 per cent with 1,08,695 travelling against 1,23,836 seats on offer

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Vietjet Aviation Academy Becomes Part Of The IATA International Training Network

Vietjet, Vietnam’s leading new-age airline, and The International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a training agreement appointing Vietjet Aviation Academy as IATA’s latest Regional Training Partner (RTP) in Vietnam. As an IATA RTP, Vietjet Aviation Academy will offer IATA Training courses designed by industry experts. These are internationally recognized training programs and are updated frequently to keep pace with the latest regulatory procedures, new standards, and the fast-changing demands of the aviation industry. Philip Goh, Regional Vice President for Asia – Pacific of IATA, said, “We are delighted to partner with Vietjet Aviation Academy to provide training in Vietnam. Having enough trained personnel is key as the aviation industry recovers from COVID-19. Our cooperation with Vietjet Aviation Academy will further support the development of aviation talent in Vietnam and in the region.” Vietjet Vice President cum Chairman of Vietjet Aviation Academy Luong The Phuc shared at the ceremony, “Human Resources are always the focus of Vietjet’s all development plans as well as the aviation industry in general. At Vietjet Aviation Academy, we are providing our trainees with the best learning environment, where everyone can attend IATA courses, receive IATA international certificates and access the most modern training equipment in the aviation industry.” Vietjet Aviation Academy is the leading modern training and research institute in the region and over the world, currently owning three cockpit simulators (SIM) for pilot training, aircraft and passenger cabin mockups, engines, technical parts and functional training rooms, an olympic standard wave pool, a stadium, and engineer training center, etc. which meet international standard training programs for pilots, cabin crews, rosters, engineers, and aviation staffs. Vietjet Aviation Academy not only meets the training and human resource development needs of Vietjet Air but also the aviation industry in the region and the world. To date, Vietjet Aviation Academy has provided training for nearly 395,000 trainee pilots, cabin crews, engineers, staff. With the vision of a pioneering academy in the aviation training, a strategic location in the region and the world, and aligned with IATA Training internationally recognized programs, Vietjet Aviation Academy will be a gathering place for international students to practice, study, create and conquer their dreams of flying and conquering the sky. The cooperation event between Vietjet Aviation Academy and IATA is part of the sustainable development roadmap, research and application of aviation science and technology, training professional and creative aviation human resources to succeed and shine.

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