Goa tourism industry protests poll restrictions

[The poll circular stipulates that all hotels, restaurants and eateries should be shut by 11pm from January 25 and from 10pm from February 6 to March 6]


Hit hard by the circular issued by poll authorities restricting their timing, the tourism industry has struck back and pressed the officials concerned to do a re-think on the same.


The circular stipulates that all hotels, restaurants and eateries should be shut by 11pm from January 25 and from 10pm from February 6 to March 6.


Members of the travel and tourism association of Goa (TTAG), beach shack owners, and proprietors of small restaurants and eateries met chief electoral officer S Kumaraswamy, chief secretary Sanjay Srivastava, both district collectors and excise commissioner P S Reddy on Friday as per a TOI report.


"We told the authorities concerned not to close eateries. Closing of restaurants is unwarranted. We cannot deprive tourists of food," said travel and tourism association of Goa president Gaurish Dhond.


The delegation assured government authorities that no liquor will be served by any establishment after 11pm. "They were sympathetic to our petition and said they would discuss the matter before taking a review of their decision," Dhond added.


Shack owners welfare society general secretary John Lobo said beach tourism is set to take a severe beating if the circular is implemented.


"We have asked that we should be allowed to serve food at least till 1am," Lobo said. Barnabe Sapeco, Goa chamber of commerce and industry's tourism committee member, termed the circular as "unrealistic".


"It will severely affect the tourism sector and will encourage illegal food stalls to do business. These illegal stalls do not generate revenue to the government. People's lifestyles have changed. A realistic view must be adopted so that people don't suffer," Sapeco said.


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Promotion of domestic tourism stressed- The Hindu

[The Hindu: Passengers admiring the 'Go Kerala' Tourism branded ''Trivandrum Rajdhani Express at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station in New Delhi. A file photo: S. Subramanium]

“It is high time we Indians took necessary steps to ensure proper protection of our ancient monuments which are of high artistic and aesthetic value”, said Prof N. Sreekumar, academic and All Kerala House Boat Owners’ Association secretary.

Prof Sreekumar was delivering the keynote address at the seminar on ‘Tourism – Heritage and Industry’ organised by the Tourism Club at Christian College, Chengannur on Saturday.

He said connoisseurs of art across the globe were very much after India’s aesthetic values that live in her ancient architectural marvels and frescoes.

According to him, labour shortage, pollution problems and misuse of various tourism products, including Ayurvedic massage, are certain issues that warrant immediate attention of the Government and the authorities concerned.

The picturesque Kerala needs a tourism promotion that very well suits its native culture, rural tradition and values encapsulating a unique cultural identity. Tourists from various other parts of the country and abroad visit Kerala to have a nourishing experience of the native art, culture and the serene natural settings here, he said.

Prof Sreekumar who is a Physics professor at SD College, Alappuzha, has stressed the need to promote domestic tourism in a big way, especially in the backdrop of the reported decline in the foreign tourists’ arrival in the previous year.

Dr Jacob George, college principal, inaugurated the seminar and Thomas P. Thomas, Tourism Club co-ordinator, also spoke.


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India Tourism Leads in World Wide Travel Industry

India is one of the best tourist destinations all over the globe. Millions of international tourist visit India each year to know more about this colorful land. The proof of it is that India won the world's leading destination award at the recent World Travel Awards. India took the lead against the likes of London, New York, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro and Sydney to win this title. The cultural and historical wealth of India is the main attraction for international traveler. India's rich heritage attracts tourists from all over the world. India's mixed culture comprises of many different traditions and cultures.

Each and every part of India has something different to share. Each state has some unique customs which are very different from others. Tourists from all around the world come to India to experience the beauty of this majestic land. You can learn the true meaning of hospitality in India as it believes in 'Atithi Devo Bhava' which means a guest is like a god. You will not find any other country in the world which has such vibrant and colorful culture. One of its most attractive features of the Indian culture is its festivals. Different festivals of different religions are celebrated in India with full passion.

India is mythological land as there are countless temples of different Gods and Goddesses. There are many historical monuments and ruins in India. Many of them are declared world heritage site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These sites include many of the famous tourist destinations like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Elephanta Caves, Humayun's Tomb and many more. International tourists literally flood in every year to see these monuments which have witnessed the glorious past of India.

Mother Nature showed her generosity on India by giving it such a vast variety in terms of geographical conditions. Different geographical conditions mean different climatic conditions. Snow covered hills, plain areas, deserts, costal areas, beaches and islands are some of the diverse geographical features which India holds for its visitors. So India has almost every kind of tourist destination you can think of. This geographical diversity also ensures the survival of different wildlife creatures. Different kinds of flora and fauna can be found in different parts of India. It is very helpful in the Ayurvedic medical system (very old and effective Indian medical system) as most of the medicines are made-up from different parts of plants.

Tourism industry is bound to touch heights in India as the world is taking more interest in its great heritage. India's uniqueness is unmatched in terms of the traditional values it has conserved from thousands of years. You can spend your entire life in India traveling and learning about its culture. There is so much to gain and understand that no one will leave empty handed. Every traveler who loves to explore new places will love India. No travel journal is complete if it does not have a section titled called 'A journey to the magical land called India.

To get more information about India Travel Agents and Golden Triangle Tours, Visit- ercotravels.com

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

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Nepal Tourism Board's roadshow in Madurai targets South India for tourism industry promotion - Indiamart

MADURAI: The recently organised roadshow here by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) was aimed to advertise the potential of the hill country has to offer its travellers and also to provide a positive stimulus to its tourism industry.

In 2011, the Nepal Tourism Year, the country attracted 5.44 lakh visitors by air, wherein 1.45 lakh tourists were from India, of which 50 per cent of the arrivals are from south India.

Mr Dhruba Rai of Nepal Tourism Board, said that the Nepal boasts of a variety of attractive tourist spots aimed to attract people of different age groups – from adventure tourism, religious tourism etc and has established itself as the gateway to Mount Kailash-Manasarover.

The road show in Madurai, is aimed to alleviate the mutual growth in the tourism sector. South Indians, especially those from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, preferred to visit religious places and NTB is willing to boost Mount Kailash and Manasarovar in the region.

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Govt sets up panel to promote tourism

To resolve inter-ministerial and industry issues and to promote tourism, the government has set up an inter-ministerial coordination committee for the sector under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Pulok Chatterji.

A Prime Minister's Office release said here Friday that Pulok Chatterji presided over the first meeting of the committee on Thursday and secretaries to government of important ministries were present.

At the meeting, Chatterji said tourism should be seen as development, it should be pro-poor and focus on employment creation.

He emphasised the need to give tourism a major fillip during the 12th Plan so as to more than double the number of foreign tourists arriving in India and further encourage domestic tourism.

The meeting decided to create a sub-committee of Planning Commission, and secretaries of culture, environment and forests, and tourism that will identify potential of tourism in rural, ecology and cultural sectors and submit a report within four weeks.

It also decided that the Ministry of Environment and Forests should finalise its eco-tourism policy at the earliest possible time, duly analysing the feedback it has received from different quarters.

It is imperative that all local stake-holders are involved in promoting eco-tourism.

Among the other decisions were that the culture ministry, in close coordination with tourism ministry, should adopt a pro-active tourism policy, which should promote museums, cultural and heritage sites, besides monuments.

The home ministry has been asked to take steps to facilitate extension of tourist visa on arrival to Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi and Bangalore airports within next year. A coordination committee consisting of joint secretaries of home, external affairs and tourism has been constituted to resolve day-to-day visa related complaints.

The defence ministry's border roads organisation has been asked to expedite ongoing work at Gangtok and Leh roads which are tentatively scheduled to be completed by 2014 and 2015 respectively.

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Many states promoting tourism is great for industry- Economic TimesC

Over the past year. the number of state governments that have been advertising their tourist destinations have visibly increased. Kerala, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have always been pro-active in this sphere, but it is wonderful to see Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Jharkhand come forward with their tourist temptations. 

Even West Bengal has jumped in with advertisements of the Gangasagar Mela (just concluded on Makar Sankrantithis weekend) and Gujarat, which has roped in Amitabh Bachchan in the flesh - not merely hired his delicious baritone-to sing paeans to the Rann of Kutch. 

This seems to be a reiteration of what travel industry veterans know for a fact: the maximum number of tourists going around India are, well, Indians! So while the foreigners will dutifully flock to the valorous sands of Rajasthan and the idyllic backwaters of Kerala (with a short run to the Taj Mahal in Agra and maybe a bit of sun and sand in Goa), it is the Intrepid Indian who will try to go to the farthest reaches of this vast subcontinent to sample its marvels. 

It is time that we all acknowledge this. Given India's patchy infrastructure, it will be a long time before foreigners brave the wilds of the Sunderbans, roam the temple-strewn badlands of Bhind-Morena, trek through the brooding blue hills of the south to a hilltop shrine or go beyond Aurangabad's Ajanta Caves to the Lonar Crater. 

Indian tourists are far more forgiving. Millions of them can deal with bone-rattling roads, indifferent amenities and spartan accommodation - they do so every day when they're not on holiday anyway. And if there is a pilgrimage place somewhere nearby (and there always are, in any corner of India) they will land up there with rare determination, family and food in tow. 

There would be fewer issues about water and insects, contamination and safety standards, or at least more cast-iron constitutions. And that would suit us admirably-honestly speaking- till we ramp up our infrastructure to standards that travelling elites, international and local, would deem suitable. 

The fringe benefit of state governments bringing their tourism destinations into focus is that we may finally move beyond the (admittedly beautiful) cliches of the Incredible India campaign. If there is one thing that ET Travel has taught me, it is that India is far, far more incredible than any campaign can capture. Wonders are hidden round every bend in the road, on the other side of every hillock and down every unbeaten path. There is no need to cling to cliches. 

And everywhere there are startling connections. Like the temple in Panna in Madhya Pradesh that looks like a Venetian palace, which also resembles the ones in Goa ensconced in Christian-inspired buildings. Like the horseshoeshaped falls in Chitrakoot in Chhattisgarh that look so much like the Kuttrallam Falls in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district... Time again, India's unity in diversity becomes apparent to the sensitive traveller... 

All big nations (like China and the US, which also have highly developed international tourism markets) also look inwards, knowing that sheer size will act against any sizeable influx of foreign tourists in all but the most well publicised destinations. Certain places are therefore geared totally for the domestic tourist, though foreign ones are an added bonus. And there are enough numbers to make the option viable. 

In that context, the state governments' renewed interest and faith in the travelling Indian needs to be bolstered by central action. An Incredible India campaign focussing on the Intrepid Indian, perhaps? 

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Indian tourist is going places...- The Asian Age

There was a time Bangkok and Singapore were the favourite destinations for Indian tourists travelling abroad, particularly first-timers.

They still are, but the experienced desi traveller has started going beyond to territories in the southeast in pursuit of pleasure and spirituality.

The ancient temples of Cambodia were a draw for many Indians this New Year.

“The 1970-74 batch of a university spent two nights on Krabi Islands and two at Chiang Mai in Thailand in the first week of 2012.

About 22 families comprising 55 people made the trip,” said H.M. Talha Rahman, chairman of Tamil Nadu chapter of Travel Agents Federation of India.

He said Indian tourists were skipping the usual and discovering new. The two countries that caught their attention this holiday season were Cambodia and Vietnam.

“Everybody is talking Cambodia and Vietnam now. The restored temples at Angkor Wat draw tourists to this ancient Cambodian city with mysterious past and rich cultural heritage,” Mr Talha said, adding that infinite stretches of powdery sand were one of Vietnam’s attractions.

“Elderly people from south Indian families show interest in visiting the Vishnu temple in Cambodia. They combine pilgrimage and leisure in Malaysia and Thailand,” he said.

Karthik Subramanian, who visited the Vishnu temple with wife, was mighty impressed by the ancient civilisation.

“We saw battle scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata on the temple walls. The place is considered the seat of a civilization that dominated South Asia for years,” he said.

Langkawi, an archipelago of 104 islands in Andaman Sea some 30 km off mainland Malaysia, and Kota Kinabalu, one of the fastest-growing cities in that country, were the other new destinations on the radar of Indian tourists this season.

“Honeymoon couples show a lot of interest in these two cities in Malaysia,” said Akbar Holidays South & East India business head Abdul Khalieq.

For first-timers, however, Far-East countries continue to be the hotspots. “We want to see and experience for ourselves why people flock to Singapore and Malaysia,” said R. Meenakshi, who left for a week to Singapore on January 3.

The only hindrance for Indians on the move of late has been the rupee depreciation.

“Compared to 2010-11 Christmas and New Year season, we saw a 20 per cent drop in outflow of tourists this year,” said Mr Rahman.

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