Madhubani is one of Bihar’s districts that borders Nepal. It is home to unique art forms, heritage and culture, which have not yet been adequately identified, let alone promoted. As we go ‘vocal of local,’ it is time to revisit this long-neglected national treasure and firmly establish it on the global tourism map. Why Madhubani? The mighty Ganges divides the thirty-eight districts of Bihar into two distinct regions – North and South. Madhubani is part …
Udaipur evokes magic in the minds of the traveller, and has seen a steady growth in infrastructure, enabling it to host prestigious global conferences and celebrity weddings. DI talks to the scion of the royal family, Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, to uncover some of the secrets of its success. How has the city grown in the last two decades and more importantly, in the last five years? As a city, not in terms of tourism. I …
It was on 2nd June 2014, at the stroke of midnight, that the princely state of Andhra Pradesh, was divided into two; a new state of Telengana was created. Away went the jewels in the crown, such as capital city of Hyderabad and the Char-minar, the Hussein Sagar Lake and the proverbial Hyderabadi Biryani as well… Imagine the crisis – the name is STILL Andhra Pradesh, but you have a mutated strip of landmass minus …
We are all familiar with the sweeping scale of Indian heritage and culture, and its cumulative impact on projecting the nation’s soft power, a crucial component for travel and tourism. But soft power is intrinsically linked to hard power, argues Amish Tripathi – a renowned writer turned diplomat, whose books have offered ground-breaking perspectives on Indian history and mythology. It is no coincidence, therefore, that India’s unprecedented clout in global affairs in the first century …
The need for a resilience framework to ensure a stronger comeback for travel, tourism and hospitality sectors, has never been more profound. COVID-19-induced challenges have underlined the need for calibrating strategies to place tourism and travel, and related businesses, at centre stage for the state’s economic recovery. CII Delhi recently conducted an e-conclave titled ‘Building Delhi for a New World’ to highlight the challenges and moot the road ahead. Senior industry leaders suggested opportunities and …
Souvagya Mohapatra, Executive Director of Mayfair Group of Hotels, Chairman of FICCI Eastern Region Tourism Committee, Co-Chair of CII Eastern Region Tourism Council and Co-opted Executive Committee member of FHRAI has much on his plate. As a senior member of several industry associations, he has been making representations to state governments and the central government, outlining the industry’s pressing concerns. As the chief executive of the Mayfair Group, he has a tough task of getting …
Envisaging SOPs and establishing well-laid-out mechanisms to ensure a seamless experience, safety and well-being of pilgrims arriving at the Holy Shrine were the central themes of the recently conducted webinar titled ‘Way forward for tourism & Shri Vaishno Devi Yatra- Post COVID-19.’ Industry experts and government functionaries discussed a slew of measures that are likely to instil much-needed confidence among devotees hoping to undertake the coveted trip to the Temple. Here are some excerpts from …
Perfunctory measures won’t cut now, believe stakeholders, regional and national. In the recently conducted webinar titled ‘Tourism Insight and Strategies to the Covid-19 Crisis’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in Bhubaneshwar, industry leaders advocated for a proactive stance from the government. They asked for immediate relief measures to stem the downward slide that threatens the very existence of businesses and is likely to render millions without employment in the tourism and hospitality …
This article attempts to address essentially the destination managers/ decision makers/ marketing managers in Tourism Boards/ DMO/ etc whose main role is to promote and market the bouquet of tourism products available to the country/geographical region/area of business. Covid-19 is now nudging the destination managers/ brand managers to re-position, re-brand, re-market, re-promote, re-communicate its array of tourism products. Scenario facing tourism marketers post Covid-19 lockdown Any industry or sector which by its very nature does …
Kerala Tourism has again extended support and assistance to foreign tourists who could not return home due to the ban on international flights which was effected to prevent the spread of COVID 19. The Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany came forward to operate charter flights to repatriate the German nationals and European Union nationals stranded in India. Those tourists who are asymptomatic and have completed 14 days in Kerala or tested negative were …
Odisha’s new campaign is about being India’s Best Kept Secret. Indeed, this is the truth as the state has everything going for it, but perhaps lack of connectivity, infrastructure support, and inadequate funding for tourism have not allowed the kind of tourism centric growth that the state should have witnessed. There have been sporadic bursts of energy, one hopes this time around it would sustain and develop into a long term strategy of economic and …
A month after the creation of Ladakh as a Union Territory, Amita Sarwal spent a week there. She, met various Ladakhis, visitors, and tour operators. Each one had a similar concept – advocating and upgrading Ladakh’s charms! Standing majestically on a hillock, is the circa-1820 Stok Palace, a recognised landmark in Ladakh. Residing here, in what has been turned into a boutique heritage hotel, is H.E. Raja Jigmed Wangchuk Namgyal. The owner is well aware …
The Jaipur Literary Festival has indeed become as integral to Rajasthan’s already vibrant annual calender, so much so, it is now vying for space amongst tourists as its legendary festivals. Precursor to some 200 more such festivals, its best tribute must be the clones it has fostered in India and overseas. Founded in 2006, it is described as the world’s largest free literary festival. That’s not too difficult a feat given it is in India, …
Celebrating the cathartic spirit of Kondotty culture, IQRA: Kondotty Sufi Fest, 2019 was conducted by Thakkiya Foundation for culture and development on 16th and 17th November 2019 at Qubba Premises, near Calicut Airport. Storytellers, poets, eminent musicians created the aura of the fest and transformed it into an event unlikely to forget. One of the major highlights of the festival was the procession with Muttum Vilijiyum from Kalothu Thakkiya to Kondotty Thakkiya. Other than that, …
Maharashtra state government has given the go-ahead to privatise 22 forts under its jurisdiction. On the lines of Rajasthan and Goa, the new tourism policy promulgated by the state government would enable private players and consortia to manage 22 forts that are not under the purview of the ASI. These structures are categorised under class 2, meaning they are of lesser historical significance and can be developed by interested parties. Besides resorts, the new policy …
The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) along with its regional Association the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) have appreciated the Government’s plan to introduce a five-year electronic tourist visa against a fee of $80 along with easing several e-Visa regulations and reduction of other charges. The Tourism Ministry has also hinted at introducing a one-month e-Visa for foreign tourists at a fee of $25. FHRAI has stated that …
