The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently announced that international passenger flights will not start operation until June 30, however, the restriction will not apply to international all-cargo flights, and scheduled flights under the travel bubble arrangements. Ban on scheduled international flights has been in place since March last year. Although international flights have […]

After being in the skies for 15 years, GoAir has rebranded itself as ‘Go First’ as the airline focuses on ultra-low-cost business model amid the aviation industry grappling with pandemic headwinds. The announcement on May 13 also comes amid reports that the airline was preparing for an initial share sale to raise funds for its […]

The Nepal government has decided to allow once-a-week flights to China, Qatar and Turkey as all international flights, except two flights per week to India, have remained suspended in the country’s efforts to curb a deadly new wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, a Minister said on May 29. Authorities had suspended almost all international flights […]

When plotted on a graph, the curve of Bhutan’s COVID-19 vaccination drive shoots upwards from the very first day, crossing Israel, the United States, Bahrain and other countries known for vaccinating people rapidly. Those countries took months to reach where they are, painstakingly strengthening their vaccination campaigns in the face of rising coronavirus cases. But […]

The number of one-horned rhinos in Nepal’s wildlife sanctuaries has increased by more than a hundred, marking a positive milestone in the Himalayan nation’s conservation efforts. According to the results of the latest census, Nepal’s rhino population has risen to 752, from 645 in 2015. Nepal is among only a few countries where greater one-horned […]

The government has eased the earlier protocol for tourist travelling Nepal. Travelers now will not have to stay on quarantine. Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the Government of Nepal has issued a new circular regarding Tourism arrival and management protocol. As per new guideline, all tourists visiting Nepal must follow below. 1. […]

While reopening the e-visa facilitation for international visitors, India has reduced the number of countries eligible for the e-visa facility to 156 from the earlier 170. The major omissions in the new list of countries by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, are the UK, China, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, Hong Kong and […]

Kerala’s successful Responsible Tourism model has made a mark at the recent Africa Travel Week by World Travel Market (WTM) Africa. Rupesh Kumar, State Responsible Tourism Mission Coordinator, Kerala, presented the Kerala case study at the session on ‘How can Tourism Create more Value for Local Communities’. It was the first time somebody from India […]

Sri Lankan Airlines has announced further expansion of its existing codeshare with the OneWorld partner, Qatar Airways to new destinations in North America and Europe. The airline’s codeshare would expand across 10 cities in 06 countries covering Canada, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Scotland, Ukraine, and Turkey. This is the third phase of the recent expansion of the […]

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced plans to grow its brand footprint in India – one of Hyatt’s top three growth markets globally – by more than 70% by 2023. With over 20 executed managed and franchised agreements, Hyatt will add over 3,600 keys to its existing portfolio of 32 Hyatt-branded hotels across eight distinct brands […]

Holders of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards are no longer required to carry their old passports while travelling to India. The circular further states that the timeline for re-issuance of OCI cards has been extended until 31 December, 2021. The OCI guidelines that have been in force since 2005, state that an Overseas Citizen […]

Nepal on 25th March, enforced new travel rules removing the quarantine requirements for foreign tourists who have got both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, in an attempt to give a boost to pandemic-depressed travel and tourism business in the country. According to new travel protocols, posted on the website of the Tourism Ministry on 25th March […]

Sri Lanka has joined the list of destinations that is easing entry restrictions for tourists who have had their Covid-19 vaccine – reducing their mandatory quarantine time on to just one day. After this, though, they must still abide by the nation’s “bio-bubble” restrictions for seven days (rather than 14). Previously – since January – […]

Nepal is expecting hundreds of foreigners to attempt to scale the highest Himalayan peaks despite the pandemic. The Department of Tourism in Kathmandu said 17th March that more than 300 foreigners have expressed interest in climbing Mount Everest this spring. There’s similar interest for other mountains too, said Mira Acharya, a director at the department. […]

Maharashtra Tourism will be introducing the colonial carriages into Mumbai streets once again to charm the visitors and tourists to the city. In the first phase, 12 of these e-carriages will run at the city’s renowned landmarks such as the Gateway of India, Marine Drive and Nariman Point. The battery operated carriages will have GPS […]

DGCA has further extended the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger flights till April 30, 2021. However, the civil aviation authority in a circular goes on to mention that the restriction will not be applicable for flights specifically approved by DGCA and international all-cargo operations. DGCA in the circular also mentions that international scheduled flights […]

Despite the lingering impact of COVID-19 on hospitality sector, Royal Orchid Hotels has announced the opening of eight new hotels across India. The new properties under brands Regenta Resort, Regenta Central and Regenta Inn are in Bengaluru, Noida, Goa, Jaipur, Ajmer, Mashobra (Himachal Pradesh) and Udaipur. “We are on a path to set up 100-plus […]

To provide easier air travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, global airlines’ body IATA plans to launch its travel pass by the end of March and is also in talks with Indian authorities and carriers for using the pass in India. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has around 290 airlines as members, including Air India, […]

India Tourism Singapore regional office has stated a series of webinars across ASEAN region under the banner ‘India Tourism Reconnect’ in order to kick-start tourism capitalising on the massical vaccination drive that is happening across the globe. These virtual meetings are aimed at reconnecting the Indian Tourism industry with stakeholders in key markets and start […]

Inaugurating the Maritime India Summit 2021 through video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that his government is committed to invest in transforming port and waterways infrastructure in a way which is not seen before. He said that the Ministry of Port Shipping and Waterways has created a list of 400 investable projects in […]

Minister of Agriculture Uttarakhand, Subodh Uniyal, President (All India Akhada Council) Narendra Giri, Chairman, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Acharya Balakrishna inaugurated the seven-day long International Yog Festival 2021 on 01st March. The festival is being jointly organized by Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) and Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN). Calling Rishikesh the motherland of yoga, Uniyal while […]

The government of India plans to set up four water aerodromes in Andaman & Nicobar Islands this year, as it looks to develop the union territory as a tourist destination that can compete with the likes of Maldives and Mauritius. “We recently sent a team from Andaman & Nicobar to the Maldives so that the […]