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The Union health ministry advised international passengers on Tuesday to refrain from eating or preparing meat from wild game (bushmeat) or using products such as creams, lotions and powders derived from wild animals in Africa, besides avoiding close contacts with sick people, including those with skin lesions or genital lesions. The “Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease” issued to the states and Union territories include an annexure — advisory for international passengers — which recommends that these passengers should avoid contact with dead or live wild animals such as small mammals, including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes). It also advises avoiding contact with contaminated materials used by sick people such as clothing, bedding or materials used in healthcare settings or that came into contact with infected animals. Outlining the role of the APHOs and PHOs, the advisory states that they should remain in a state of alert, particularly f

Singapore Airlines on Monday said travel demand is rebounding and the momentum in bookings is picking up as the carrier unveiled upgraded lounges at the Changi airport here under the airline’s SGD 50 million project to further boost its products and services offerings. Reflecting a rebound in travel demand, Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group’s load factor jumped 18 per cent in April and is expected to further increase in the coming months. The group comprises Singapore Airlines and low cost carrier Scoot. “We actually see momentum of bookings picking up for the coming months… We also have seen very healthy pick up in the corporate side of the business ever since Singapore opened fully from April. “We removed the VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) limitations and all of the (COVID) testing (requirements)…,” Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President Commercial at Singapore Airlines, told reporters here on Monday. With the upgradation, SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold lounges at the Changi airport ca

Buoyed by a strong recovery in travel demand in the Indian market, Singapore Airlines plans to increase the number of flights to India where the group is currently operating at around 75 per cent of its pre-pandemic capacity. Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group — comprising full service carrier Singapore Airlines and low-cost airline Scoot — currently serves 13 destinations across India. On Monday, a senior Singapore Airlines executive said the carrier expects to announce more flights to India in the coming months. “The Indian market is recovering very strongly as well. We are seeing good load factors… we will be able to hopefully announce increases in flights over the next two schedules… whether it is for the winter schedule starting from October or even for next year,” Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President Commercial at Singapore Airlines, told reporters at an interaction at Changi airport here. At present, Singapore Airlines operates 73 weekly flights to Singapore from eight Indian c

Aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday said it has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on IndiGo airline for denying boarding to a specially abled child at Ranchi airport on May 7. IndiGo had on May 9 said the boy was denied permission to board the Ranchi-Hyderabad flight as he was “visibly in panic”. As the boy was prohibited from boarding, his parents – who were accompanying him – also decided not to enter the plane. The DGCA had on May 9 formed a three-member team to investigate the incident. “It has been observed that the handling of the special child by the Indigo ground staff was deficient and ended up exacerbating the situation,” said a statement by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A more compassionate handling would have smoothened nerves, calmed the child and obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in denied boarding to the passengers, it mentioned. Special situations deserve extraordinary responses but the airline’s staff failed to rise up to the occasion,

You have to care: Documentary filmmaker Ritesh Sharma from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/wifgRWF

A travelling exhibition shows how several French photographers have made India their muse from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/tRmrn35

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the provision to set aside Rs 100 crore for preparations for the 2025 Maha Kumbh soon after the 2022-23 annual Budget was tabled in the Assembly. The Rs 6-lakh-crore Budget’s religious, regional, and cultural focus was evident as Adityanath highlighted the government’s aim to present the upcoming Maha Kumbh as the biggest “spiritual and cultural gathering”. The Budget made provisions for infrastructure and amenities in Kashi, Ayodhya, Vindhya, and Chitrakoot Dham and the welfare of elderly priests. It also approved Rs 50 lakh to develop an online integrated information system for temples. The government has provided Rs 500 crore to the Public Works Department for the construction of roads for a hassle-free  darshan  of the Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga in Varanasi and the development of Surya Kund in Ayodhya. Adityanath also said the government had provided for the formation of a board for the welfare of elderly priests, integra

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The easing of travel restrictions following two years of strict curbs due to the outbreak of Covid-19 has led to a sharp increase in flight ticket bookings. Fintech major Paytm witnessed strong growth in daily flight bookings amid rising demand for both domestic and international air travel. During mid-January to April, the Paytm app witnessed an over 50% increase in daily bookings despite soaring airfares. This was accompanied by a sharp drop in cancellations, down to 6% from 22% in mid-January. At least 35% of daily ticket bookings on the app have travel dates beyond 15 days, up from 23% in January, indicating stronger customer confidence. Paytm witnessed higher demand for domestic leisure travel, with popular destinations such as Goa and Port Blair registering a 150% and 300% increase in flight bookings, respectively, during January to April. The resumption of scheduled international flights in March also sparked a demand surge. International flight bookings through the Paytm app

Asia-Pacific and the Middle East aviation industry is experiencing green shoots of recovery amid domestic passenger traffic making considerable progress even as international traffic largely remains stagnant, according to the Airports Council International Asia-Pacific (ACI APAC) quarterly report. The industry showed encouraging signs of recovery in the first quarter of 2022— capacity was rebuilding in many parts of APAC and the Middle East ; domestic passenger traffic made considerable progress; cargo growth proved to be resilient and was above pre-pandemic levels, said the report. The report has been prepared in partnership with global engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald. Despite the subdued pandemic environment, airports in the region continued to provide a safe and high service quality for the benefit of their passengers. However, ACI APAC said travel restrictions ranging from mandatory quarantines in designated facilities to pre-departure and on-ar

Overcoming the grim blow dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerala Tourism has bounced back clocking 3.8 million domestic tourists in the first quarter of 2022, marking an impressive growth of 72.48 per cent as compared to 2.2 million footfalls during the corresponding period of 2021, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said on Wednesday. Going by the prevailing trend, Kerala Tourism is set to attract record number of tourists this year on the strength of its globally-acclaimed assets, new products and initiatives like caravan tourism and by exploring the unexplored destinations across the state, Riyas told a press conference here. Releasing the first quarter figures of 2022, the minister said Ernakulam district registered the highest number of 8,11,426 domestic tourists, followed by Thiruvananthapuram (6,00,933), Idukki (5,11,947), Thrissur (3,58,052), and Wayanad (3,10,322). Five districts — Idukki, Malappuram, Kasaragod, Pathanamthitta and Wayanad — registered the highest ever footfa

Construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is being undertaken at a brisk pace, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Trust said in its latest progress report. The ground floor of the  garbha griha  (sanctum sanctorum) will be finished by December 2023, the trust said last week. The remaining work will be done by December 2024. The temple is expected to be opened to the public by early 2024, the trust said. “The temple’s plinth/pedestal heightening work started on January 24, 2022, and it is still in progress…,” the trust said in the latest report. “Granite stone blocks from Karnataka and Telangana are being used to increase the height of the plinth. One block is five metres in length, and 2.5 feet in width, and 3 feet in height. About 17,000 granite blocks will be used in this plinth work. The plinth heightening work may be completed by the end of September 2022.” The temple construction is based on designs by chief architect Chandrakant Sompura, who is being assisted by his sons Nikhil an

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday directed carriers not to offer unserviceable seats to passengers on domestic and international flights. This follows an earlier audit of seats and cabin fittings by the aviation regulator, which found that carriers had many broken or unserviceable seats. In a communication to all domestic airlines, the DGCA said some carriers are offering unserviceable seats to passengers on their scheduled international and domestic operations. “This practice is not only causing inconvenience to the travellers but is also inviting a serious safety concern,” it said. As per Rule 53 of The Aircraft Rules, 1937, all material, including the aircraft seat, have to conform to approved design specifications, the DGCA said. Any part failing to meet the design requirements degrades the requirements of airworthiness, it said. “In view of the above, it is hereby advised to ensure that airlines shall not book passengers beyond the serviceable seats me

An ancient forest has been discovered by a cave exploration team that was found at the bottom of a giant karst sinkhole in Leye County in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. According to  Xinhua News,  the sinkhole measured 192 metres in depth, 150 metres in width and 306 metres in length, with its volume exceeding 5 million cubic meters. Considering the dimensions, the sinkhole can be categorised as a large sinkhole and such giant sinkholes are called Tiankeng or “heavenly pit” in Mandarin. The sinkhole interestingly has three big caves in the sinkhole in the walls, while the bottom has a well-preserved primitive forest with trees that are nearly meters high. Xinhua Net had reported back in early November about the discovery of the giant cluster of sinkholes in the same region. Earlier in 2016 also scientists discovered the world’s largest cluster of sinkholes in northwest China’s Shaanxi province. Basically, the Sinkholes are formed in the ground when Earth’s starts c

The aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday warned airlines against offering unserviceable seats to passengers on their domestic and international flights. Earlier this year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had conducted an audit of seats and other cabin fittings in aircraft of airlines, and found that many had broken or unserviceable seats. In a communique sent to all Indian carriers on Tuesday, the DGCA said that some of the carriers are offering unserviceable seats to passengers on their scheduled international and domestic operations. “This practice is not only causing inconvenience to the travellers but also inviting a serious safety concern as well,” the regulator mentioned. As per Rule 53 of The Aircraft Rule, 1937, all materials including the aircraft seat shall conform to approved design specifications, the DGCA noted. The installation of any part failing to meet the intended design requirements, degrades the requirements of airworthiness, it said. “In view of the a

India was on Tuesday ranked at the 54th place in a global travel and tourism development index, down from 46th in 2019, but still remained on the top within South Asia. Japan has topped the global charts, followed by the US, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austraila, UK, Singapore and Italy in the top ten. The World Economic Forum’s biennial travel and tourism study also showed a recovering sector following pandemic lows, though the recovery has been uneven and challenges remain. The Travel and Tourism Development Index assesses 117 economies, identifying key factors in enabling the sustainable and resilient growth of travel and tourism economies. “COVID-19 shutdowns have re-emphasised the important contribution travel and tourism makes to many economies around the world,” Lauren Uppink, Head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism at the World Economic Forum, said.”As the world emerges from the pandemic, economies must invest in building a strong and resilient environment to deliver th

As the annual Hajj pilgrimage 2022 kickstarts in July with flights starting to operate from India as early as June, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated a two-day orientation-cum-training programme for Haj 2022 deputationists. Naqvi said the Government of India has ended “political deceit of Haj subsidy” with transparency and commitment to “Decisions with Delivery” ad arrangements have been made so that there is no unnecessary financial burden on the Haj pilgrims. He further said that significant reforms have made the process completely transparent with digital India’s “Ease of Doing Haj” online process for Indian Muslims. This year, Hajj for pilgrims will commence on the evening of Thursday 7 July and continue through Tuesday 12 July 2022, corresponding to the 10th of Dhulhijjah 1443 AH. The final date will be decided once the new moon of the month of Dhulhijjah is sighted. The other reforms Naqvi mentioned were abolishing the decades-old Haj subsi

The Indian pavilion was at the 75th Cannes International Film festival to celebrate the 75th year of independence and the Indian cinema. Union Minister Anurag Thakur was present with artists, actors, and directors representing Indian cinema. During his visit, the minister also took a boat ride to the coastal town of Saint-Topez in the French Riviera and paid a visit to Allard Square which has a historical connection to Himachal Pradesh. The town, houses a bronze statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh that was presented by the Punjab government to the people of France. Several French generals served at the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh History of Saint-Tropez Saint -Tropez is a fishing village that once had its own fleet and Army.  It became the first town on its coast to be liberated during World War II. During the 1920s, Saint-Tropez attracted famous figures from the fashion world such as Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli. After the war, it became an internationally known seaside resort

Pilgrims on the Char Dham route have left a heaping mound of garbage in just 15 days since the pilgrimage began, leaving authorities scratching their heads over the environmental consequences. Over 800,000 pilgrims have already visited the Char Dham shrines since the pilgrimage began this year, while another million people who have registered are still to arrive. Tourist and pilgrim numbers are expected to skyrocket with the summer break in the plains beginning shortly. Experts and environment activists warn that the Himalaya’s higher reaches in Uttarakhand had been thrown into a new ecological danger due to the littering by tourists and pilgrims. Garhwal Central University department of geography head Prof MS Negi told Asian News International : “The way plastic garbage has piled up in a sensitive place like Kedarnath is hazardous for our ecology. It will lead to erosion which can cause landslides. We must keep in mind the tragedy of 2013 and remain careful.” Prof Negi was referri

My recent trip to France is not one to be filed under revenge tourism. If anything, group it under the grateful section. There was so much gratitude that I felt just to be able to walk (or run in the early morning) along the banks of the Seine, to be able to simply drop into a local shop and be child-like impressed by the sheer range of wines and beers, and just the overall quality of food and ingredients, from a Michelin-starred meal to simply grabbing a gourmet sandwich as one simply lounges by the riverside with the Eiffel tower for company. Paris is many things, and even though my tryst with France started right here nearly 25 years ago, in the last decade I had come to somewhat loathe it. My work always kept bringing me back to France but I somehow kept trying to avoid Paris, preferring to spend more time in Bordeaux, Lyon or just about anywhere else. The metropolitan big-city nature of Paris was like a layer of tarnish which somehow hid from me all that was good and fun about t

COVID-19 severely hit Tourism and Hotel & Hospitality Sector business and the sector came to a standstill. Before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism was one of the most important sectors in the world economy contributing to nearly 10 percent of global GDP and providing employment to over 320 million people worldwide. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimated a loss of $4 trillion to global GDP because of the losses incurred in the tourism sector. India’s tourism also suffered great losses but with vaccination rollouts and easing of travel restrictions, India’s tourism industry is looking to regain its past glory. Infact the domestic tourism has surpassed 2019 levels. India’s rising middle class and increasing disposable income has supported the growth of domestic and outbound tourism. By 2028, the Indian tourism and hospitality industry is expected to earn 50.9 billion dollars as compared with 28.9 billion dollar in 2018. Rajasthan is Ind

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AirAsia India on Thursday announced that it is offering 50 percent discount on excess baggage fees for passengers taking connecting international flights till June 30. Flyers connecting to international flights from AirAsia India’s domestic flights can now pre-book their excess baggage at the significantly discounted price of Rs 100 per kg, compared to the standard excess baggage charges of Rs 450 per kg when booked online and Rs 500 per kg when booked at the airport, the airline’s statement said. This discounted excess baggage fees can be booked up to two hours prior to domestic flight’s departure, it mentioned. AirAsia India is majority-owned by Tata Sons Private Ltd with a shareholding of 83.67 percent and the remaining stake is with AirAsia Investment Ltd (AAIL), which is part of Malaysia’s AirAsia Group. Last month, Tatas-owned Air India had sent a proposal to Competition Commission of India (CCI) to acquire AirAsia India. from Travel News:Travel and Tourism,Latest Travel N

Considering the high-level security review of the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra, the government has decided to track all pilgrims using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. What are RFID tags? RFID tags are Radio Frequency Identifications. These are wireless tracking systems that consist of readers and tags, which use radio waves to communicate information and identity of people or objects that can be hand-held or built into fixed positions like buildings or poles that can carry short descriptions, encrypted information and serial numbers. How do the RFID tags work? The RFID tags use an antenna and an integrated circuit to communicate with readers using radio waves at several different frequencies, which include ultra-high frequency (UHF), high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF). Messages are sent back by the tag in the form of radio waves that are then translated into data and are analysed by the host computer system. Are RFID tags hackable? Grades of encryption can be in

China has removed some COVID-19 test requirements for people flying in countries such as the United States and shortened the pre-departure quarantine for some inbound travellers, as it fine-tunes its measures to cope with the Omicron variant.The slight relaxations were made in response to factors including the “characteristics of coronavirus variants”, according to notices from Chinese embassies and consulates that did not provide further details. From Friday, travellers from Dallas, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago will no longer need an RT-PCR test seven days before flying, or any antibody test, according to notices issued late on Tuesday from the Chinese embassy in the United States and several consulates.Those travellers will still need to do two RT-PCR tests within 48 or 24 hours of their flights – depending on which airport they are flying out of – plus another pre-flight antigen test, those notices showed. Travel in and out of China has plunged during

Tourism industry experts participated in SATTE 2022, organized by B2B exhibition organizer Informa Markets at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. As many as 36,000 + industry buyers and trade visitors across multiple industry verticals like travel, wedding planning, and corporate travel were present at the three-day event with business opportunities. International destinations like Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Mauritius Tourism Authority, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, New Zealand, South Korea, Utah, Israel, Turkey, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Visit Brussels, Miami, Zimbabwe, Los Angeles and many more exhibited at the expo with the aim of attracting Indian travel players in these countries. Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and others marked their presence at the expo. Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for Tourism, Dr. M. Mathiventhan, Minister f

By Monidipa Dey, The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has been celebrating May 18 as the International Museum Day every year since 1977. The chief aim of the International Museum Day is to raise general awareness about the fact that “ Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples .” Museums, which are a unique place for making new discoveries and imbibing knowledge, have the power to transform the world, by teaching about the past and at the same time opening minds to new ideas and possibilities. Historically museums developed in direct response to the growing human desire to understand the world through the viewing of a collection of objects in closed spaces, which were gathered from the world outside. The collecting and arranging of objects is a common human trait that has been seen in various forms across the diverse human cultures that have been present globally from

Akasa Air, which is planning to start its commercial flight operations in July, on Tuesday said its airline code will be “QP”. Every airline in the world has a designator code. For example, IndiGo’s code is “6E”, Go First’s is “G8” and Air India’s is “AI”. Akasa Air said on Twitter, “Quite Proud to announce our airline code – QP!” The airline, which is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation veterans Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh, received the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in August 2021 to launch commercial flight operations. With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation giving the green light to Boeing 737 Max aircraft in late August last year, Akasa Air signed a deal with Boeing on November 26, 2021 to purchase 72 Max planes. from Travel News:Travel and Tourism,Latest Travel News,Tourism News Today,Latest Travel News Articles | The Financial Express https://ift.tt/WH4XsUE

Ahead of the commissioning of the first phase of the Mopa International Airport in North Goa, State Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte held a meeting with GMR Goa International Airport Ltd, which has won the contract for the project. Khaunte met the officials of GMR Goa International Airport Limited on Monday. The proposed date for commissioning of the first phase of Mopa Airport is August 15, 2022. Talking to reporters, Khaunte said that the Mopa Airport will be a huge game-changer as the existing facility at Dabolim has its own restrictions. Dabolim is an Indian Navy managed airport located inside the Defence base – INS Hansa. Khaunte said that the state tourism department will have to “put its things right” considering the kind of tourists that will arrive after the commissioning of the airport. He said that the airport management and the tourism department will have to work out a ‘consolidated plan’ to increase footfalls in the coastal state. The tourism minister also pointed out

Informa Markets India, a B2B exhibitions organiser, will host a three-day travel trade exhibition to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to conduct business with over 36,000 qualified industry buyers and trade visitors. SATTE 2022 is being billed as South Asia’s leading travel trade exhibition. The 29th edition of the exhibition will be hosted from Wednesday to Friday at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. Industry pioneers from the travel, corporate travel, wedding planning, hospitality and leisure industries, and leading television and film production houses are expected to be present at the exhibition. The event will include interactive sessions and comprehensive exchange between thought leaders and industry stakeholders. There will also be one-on-one interactions with over 1,000 exhibitors from backgrounds such as tour operators, travel agents, state tourism departments, national/international tourism boards, hotels and resorts, travel technology companies, medical tourism,

Kenton Cool, a 48-year-old British national, has scaled the world’s highest peak Mount Everest for the 16th time, becoming the first non-Nepalese to do so, a media report said on Monday. Cool, who hails from Gloucestershire, a county in South West England, reached the top of Mount Everest for the 16th time early on Sunday morning, The Guardian reported, citing the instagram page of Cool. Cool’s initial push for the summit was delayed due to high winds, which forced his team to wait below the peak. Many Nepali guides who help tourists to climb the mountain have completed substantially more ascents of Everest. The current record-holder is Kami Rita, a Sherpa who last week climbed the mountain for the 26th time at the age of 52. In an Instagram post, Cool paid tribute to the local guides, who he said had “worked super hard on our behalf”, calling them the “superheroes of the mountain”, the report said. Cool has previously climbed Everest with other mountaineers. Cool values his achievem

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday laid the foundation stone for a centre for Buddhist culture and heritage in the Lumbini Monastic Zone. Modi’s visit to Lumbini coincided with Vaishakha Buddha Purnima, recognised as the thrice-blessed day that marks the birth, enlightenment, and  mahaparinirvana  of Lord Buddha.   Modi was received by his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba. After landing in Lumbini, Modi tweeted: “Happy to be among the wonderful people of Nepal on the special occasion of Buddha Purnima. Looking forward to the programmes in Lumbini.” At Lumbini, Modi prayed at the sacred Maya Devi Temple and delivered an address at a Buddha Jayanti event organised by the Lumbini Development Trust. The two prime ministers lit lamps near the Ashoka Pillar, located next to the temple. They also watered the Bodhi tree sapling from Bodh Gaya that Modi had gifted in 2014. The India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage will have a universal appeal and be undert

The National Museum is offering a host of online events and offline activities for both adults and adolescents from Monday to Friday on the occasion of the International Museum Day 2022. Among the planned activities are a teachers’ training workshop, in collaboration with CCRT, Dwarka; Mata Sundari College and the Indian Culture portal. This will be followed by a one-day meet of museum educators that will witness the participation of central and state government museums in Delhi. The National Museum is collaborating with Heritage Lab, Access for All, and Flow India for the museum educators’ meet. The meet is the National Museum’s pilot initiative, conceptualised to bring government museum educators together on a single platform to discuss the opportunities and the challenges and achievable solutions. The International Museum Day is a global annual celebration held on or around May 18 and coordinated by the International Council of Museums. Each year, the event highlights a specific