ministry of tourism

Govt reaches out to corporate houses in drive to save monuments

The project, which was facing some delays at the finance ministry end, was expedited a few months ago after Rajasthan cadre officer Govind Mohan took over as culture secretary. Many firms have already adopted monuments under the scheme, and work on 12 has begun. The show has on display Indian knowledge systems and contributions from prominent personalities such as Chanakya, Swami Vivekananda and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Egypt presents newly discovered finely decorated ancient tombs near Cairo

Egypt on Saturday displayed a series of recently discovered, finely decorated ancient tombs at a Pharaonic necropolis just outside the capital Cairo. The five tombs, unearthed earlier this month, date back to the Old Kingdom (1570 B.C. and 1069 B.C.) and the First Intermediate Period that spanned more than a century after the collapse of the old kingdom, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.Egypt presents newly discovered finely decorated ancient tombs near Cairo

Industry body FAITH pitches for commercial flights operations in full strength

"Both of those two lines of businesses have been completely closed, rendering huge distress, unemployment and financial burden on employees and enterprises of the Indian travel industry in the absence of that work," FAITH said.

Job postings in Travel & Tourism sector sees 4% rise in Dec: Report

The report is based on data from the Monster Employment Index, a broad and comprehensive monthly analysis of online job posting activity conducted by Monster India. It is also encouraging that the Ministry of Tourism and the Indian government have taken several steps in the past year to strengthen the hospitality and tourism industry in India, helping employers gain momentum in the space.

Watch: IRCTC offers 'Divya Kashi Yatra' pilgrimage tour by 'Dekho Apna Desh' AC tourist train

Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) , the premier travel and tourism company under Ministry of Railways is also one of the largest operators of mass tourism in the country. The company has been operating a number of tourist trains on the various theme based tourist circuits identified by Ministry of Tourism under 'Dekho Apna Desh' scheme to promote the growth and development of domestic tourism in the country.Watch: IRCTC offers 'Divya Kashi Yatra' pilgrimage tour by 'Dekho Apna Desh' AC tourist train

TAAI urges Centre to relax norms for IATA-accredited travel agents, make registration automated

The services sector is the largest contributor to the GDP and travel trade is the most significant one among all, the statement quoted TAAI president Jyoti Mayal as saying. "Travel trade fraternity needs to be educated and upgraded continuously."

HAI asks Delhi government to keep “Classified” Hotels out of the purview of the New Excise Policy

HAI has also called for a uniform policy for charging corkage/service facilities apart from seeking implementation of a policy to charge license fee in the absence of fixed per event charge which can be levied to customers

Kerala to create database of people aged 30+ for early detection of lifestyle diseases

Speaking on the occasion, George said, "The Kerala government is in a process of creating a database of all those who are above 30 years of age in all households for early detection of lifestyle diseases and provide necessary treatments. This will be done at the Panchayat level with the help of all local bodies, MPs and MLAs."

Tourism looks to spread its wings post pandemic upheaval

"Our ranking in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum has improved from 52 in 2015 to 34 in 2019 among 140 odd countries," says Minister of Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy

Government appoints tourism officers in 20 missions abroad

Government in order to boost the tourism sector has appointed tourism officers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and 13 other countries.

No visas for those travelling via land route; tourists taking flight, waterways to be allowed

On October 7, the home ministry announced the easing of restrictions on visas and international travel, banned since March 2020 due to the pandemic. From November 15, all individual foreign nationals will be allowed to enter India after observing Covid-19 protocols.

Fresh visas for chartered flight tourists from Oct 15, for others from Nov 15

India will issue fresh tourist visas to foreigners coming to the country in chartered flights from October 15, the union home ministry said on Thursday.

Ministry of Tourism urges states to drop mandatory RT-PCR clause for fully vaccinated tourists

Currently, only some states like Maharashtra and Sikkim allow entry to fully vaccinated travellers without negative RT-PCR reports. States such as West Bengal (for travellers from Mumbai, Pune and Chennai), Karnataka, Goa and Chhattisgarh still ask for negative RT-PCR reports, irrespective of double vaccination status.

Tourism ministry initiates proposal for including tourism in concurrent list of the constitution

The ministry said it has also requested the ministry of finance to 'sympathetically consider' granting an infrastructure status for hotels in cities with a population of up to 5 million instead of the current stipulation of 1 million to give a boost to investments in the accommodation sector after industry stakeholders reiterated this request in a meeting in June this year.

From spirituality to food, India’s services exports have much to offer beyond IT

India offers a host of services such as telecom, tourism and information and broadcasting. But the tech sector gets the most attention as it brings in a major chunk of the pie. Now, the pandemic has opened a window of opportunity to exploit the potential in other segments too.

Projects in Bihar, Kerala sanctioned for development of rural circuits: Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy

In a reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Reddy in a written statement said that the Swadesh Darshan Scheme is planned for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits for the development of tourism infrastructure in the country.

Tourism ministry organises tourism promotion event for Kashmir

Lt. Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha and tourism and culture minister Prahlad Singh Patel will address the delegates at the inauguration of the event.

Post-pandemic tourism: Ministry floats strategy to promote medical, rural, MICE tourism

The Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Development of Rural Tourism in India seeks to develop and promote local products through tourism to generate income and jobs in rural areas and empower local communities.

Foreign travelers may avoid India for quite a while

As per the Ministry of Tourism, the number of foreign tourist arrivals shrank to 0.21 million in the April-December period of 2020, compared with 7.75 million a year earlier.

Centre will take conscious decision on easing international travel restriction: Tourism Secretary

"On one hand these are the largest market, on the other these are the countries where the disease is still increasing at a very rapid pace. So a very conscious decision will have to be taken matching our urge to reduce the restrictions on travel with the health-related concerns," Singh said.

Tourism ministry spent around Rs 37 crore in 2019-20 to promote domestic tourism: Minister

"The Ministry of Tourism obtains media plan and releases campaigns through the Bureau of Outreach Communication (BOC), Doordarshan and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).The campaigns are for all states of India and are not state-specific," the minister said.

No plans to approach GST Council for reducing tax on all hotel rooms to 12 per cent: Tourism minister Prahlad Patel

The threshold limit for applicability of 28 per cent GST rate was increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500 per room per day by the finance ministry. The basis for determination of the applicable rate has been changed from declared tariff to actual tariff, Patel said.

Indians to prefer local travel in post-pandemic phase: Venkaiah Naidu

"I assume that in the immediate post COVID-19 phase, most of them would prefer to travel local. This presents a huge opportunity for the Indian hospitality industry," he said.

Covid-19: Ministry of Tourism partners with QCI to launch SAATHI initiative for hotels

This initiative has been taken to sensitize the industry on Covid-regulations formulated by the Centre and state governments and instill confidence amongst the staff and guests.

Ministry of Tourism launches SAATHI app for hospitality industry on World Tourism Day

The ministry said SAATHI is an initiative of the tourism ministry with the Quality Council of India to assist the hospitality industry in continuing to operate safely and instill confidence among staff, employees and guests about the safety of the hotels and units.

80% work completed on Development of Ayodhya project: Ministry of Tourism

The Swadesh Darshan Scheme is aimed at the integrated development of theme based tourist circuits and the ministry said it is developing tourism these infrastructure in the circuits.

View: The time is ripe for India's hospitality industry to pull together and revive itself

Companies have also used the pandemic to re-innovate themselves. They are strengthening the marketplace model of distribution, enhancing technological offerings, identifying good inventory, offering standardised experiences for guests and further driving the ‘What you see is what you get’ concept of empowering customers to choose what they want. The transformation in the budget and economy segment has been the most drastic.

COVID-19 effect: No formal study yet, but indications of major revenue loss, says tourism ministry

In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said due to the fact that the sector is largely unorganised, the impact can be assessed only in due course.

Ministry of Tourism launches "DekhoApnaDesh" webinar series

The ministry said the webinar series will provide information on the many destinations and the 'depth' and 'expanse' of the culture and heritage of India. The first webinar on Tuesday touched upon the history of Delhi and was titled " City of Cities- Delhi's Personal Diary'.

16 seaplane routes identified for regional connectivity under UDAN scheme

Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the seaplane projects in the 'Chai pe Charcha' meeting, a unique and innovative meeting platform of the ministry officials to bring about the changes in the Indian maritime sector.

Saudi Arabia to launch $4 billion tourism development fund

The Tourism Development Fund will launch equity and debt investment vehicles to develop the tourism sector in collaboration with private and investment banks, the ministry said in a statement.

Covid-19 Impact: Now, travel from home virtually

Sensing a long-term lull in overseas travel, the Ministry of Tourism launched ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, a webinar series hosted by experts who will share key nuggets and information on destinations like Varanasi, Pondicherry, Ladakh, Kolkata and Lucknow.

Coronavirus: Rs 3,570 crore loss due to cancelled events, need govt support, says IEIA

The impact of COVID-19 outbreak on exhibiting and trade show industry has been unprecedented with multiple global and national events being postponed or cancelled in the country, IEIA said in a statement.

'India's tourism sector may lose Rs 5 lakh cr, 4-5 cr jobs could be cut due to COVID-19'

Of the total losses, the organised sector in the industry -- branded hotels, tour operators, travel agencies which are the mainstay of the sector - may be hit the hardest with an estimated loss of around Rs 1.58 lakh crore, according to Confederation of Indian Industry estimates.

Plan your dream wedding with an Arabian Nights twist at Oman's adults-only Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa

Oman is becoming the next destination wedding hot-spot for Indians.

Budget 2020: Govt proposes to set up Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed the setting up of an Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation under the Ministry of Culture.

Communication blockade is breaking down Kashmir's crafts economy: Here's a ground report

The continued communication blockade in Kashmir has left the state’s artisans in the lurch during the lucrative festival season. The revenue losses for craftspeople across Kashmir this festival season could add up to Rs 300 crore, assesses an expert on the sector connected with the Craft Development Institute in Srinagar, requesting anonymity.

Tourism ministry sanctions projects worth Rs 190.46 cr in 3 states

A meeting was held between tourism minister K J Alphons and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on 10th January 2019 to discuss the plan for development of Sarnath under the Buddhist circuit theme of the Swadesh Darshan scheme.

Projects worth Rs 109.21 crore sanctioned for development of spiritual circuit in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh

The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned two new projects under Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes for Kerala and Uttar Pradesh for Rs. 109.21 crore, the ministry said in a statement.

73 projects sanctioned over Rs 5,800 crore under Swadesh Darshan scheme: Govt

Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons said projects for development under the scheme were identified after consultation with the state governments/UT Administrations.

KJ Alphons inaugurates tourist facilitation and information centre at IGI Airport

This counter will be manned by 2 staff members and a supervisor to answer the queries of the tourists and also guide them with information.

ITDC inks MoU with Government of Kingdom of Morocco to strengthen tourism ties

India and Morocco share strong historical, economic and political ties and the signing of the MoU will further strengthen and develop this well-established relationship, the ministry of tourism said in a statement.

‘Paryatan Parv’ to be organised from 16th to 27th September, 2018

The Parv is being organised with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of tourism for all.

Ministry of Tourism to promote north east states

While all the other states are given 50% central financial assistance for organizing fairs and festivals, 100% assistance would be provided to the north eastern states.

Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India on his evolving sense of style

Maddah definitely likes to put comfort over style.

Israel to give 750,000 euros to Air India for launching Delhi-Tel Aviv flight

The Ministry of Tourism will approve a grant to Air India in response to their request and according to the conditions of the directive, said Lydia Weitzman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Tourism.

Watch: Govt considering complete exit from ITDC?

In a bid to push more divestment, ET Now learns from top sources, the government is now in favour of complete exit from India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and is likely to sell its entire 87 per cent stake in the loss-making hotel business. The 'proposal' is still at nascent stage and will require 'in-principle' nod from the cabinet. Ruchi Bhatia brings you all the exclusive details.Watch: Govt considering complete exit from ITDC?

Compared to other destinations, India very safe: K J Alphons

"We are 1.3 billion people. How many incidents take place in India? Very, very few. But of course these are unfortunate incidents and should not happen," Alphons told .

Tourism ministry considers setting up tourism offices in US, UK, Russia

The ministry of tourism is considering setting up government-run tourist offices in key markets such as the US, UK and Russia in a bid to attract more tourists to India.

Ministry of Tourism launches investors' summit to fund state projects

The summit is being organised in association with industry body CII and Tourism Finance Corporation of India.

How Israel became the new Dubai for avid travellers

Business, pilgrimage, history, nature and night life are beckoning the evolved travellers of Bengaluru.

India's tourism potential needs to be tapped: Economic Survey

As per industry estimates, the total market size of Indian tourism and hospitality sector stood at $117.7 billion in 2014 and is expected to touch $418.9 billion by 2022.

Israel sees 49% increase in Indian tourist arrivals in two years

Hassan Madah – Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism India said, “India is one of the world's fastest-growing outbound tourism markets and an important emerging market for us.

Government open to hearing hospitality industry's plea regarding Supreme Court liquor ban

Industry experts are estimating statewide liquor revenue losses of around Rs 50,000 as a result of the ban.

Centre sanctions Rs 98.35 crores for a Heritage Circuit in Assam

This amount is sanctioned for development of the Tezpur, Majuli and Sivasagar circuit under the scheme of Swadesh Darshan

Israel plans to ease visa norms to woo Indian tourists

The marketing budget has been increased by ten times to USD 2.5 million compared to what it was two years ago, Director General of Israel's Ministry of Tourism, Amir Halevi said.

Soon you can travel to Israel with easier visa norms

Israeli government has also been striving hard, though unsuccessfully, for a while to attract Bollywood filmmakers to shoot their films here.

Tourism forex earnings up 17.8 pc to Rs 16,097 crore in January

FEEs during the month of January, 2017 were Rs 16,097 crore as compared to Rs 13,669 crore in January, 2016.

Budget: Rs 1,840.77 crore allocated to tourism ministry

The ministry would be receiving a little over Rs 250 crore more in the 2017-18 fiscal as compared to the ongoing financial year for which it was allocated Rs 1,590.32 crore

Varanasi: Big budget projects galore in PM Narendra Modi’s constituency

No state govt officials came on record on coordination gap between the state and Centre, but ground reports suggest there are pockets where all is not well.

Monsoon sale by airlines gives wing to tourism sector: Tourism Secretary

Airlines like Air India announced their Monsoon Sale, offering domestic flight tickets starting from Rs 1,199.

No plan 'as of now' to appoint brand ambassador for Incredible India campaign

In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma also said no committee has been constituted by his ministry for the purpose.

NBCC bags Rs 188 crore contract from Tourism Ministry

The work involves construction of Indian Culinary Institute in Noida amounting Rs 98.5 crore and Indian Culinary Institute in Tirupati.

Israel witnesses 44% growth in Indian tourist arrivals in October 2015

With snow-capped mountains, desert regions, water sports and historic sites, Israel is rapidly gaining popularity in India as an emerging tourist destination.

New 'Paryatan Bhavan' to focus on energy conservation

The 'Paryatan Bhavan' will feature a solar-power rooftop system, rainwater harvesting facility, recycling of water through sewage treatment plant and low water discharge fixtures.

Delhi’s IGI Airport wins National Tourism Awards for 2013-14

“There were two categories of awards for Best Airport. One award for Class X cities- Delhi, Greater Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru. The other award was for Rest of India,” DIAL said in a release.

Poor sanitation would mar tourism: Pranab Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee today said "inconsistent sanitation standards" at tourist sites would have a negative impact on tourism.

Rajasthan government appoints Lalit Panwar as RPSC Chairman

Senior IAS officer Lalit K Panwar was appointed as the Chairman of Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), a state government order said.

Wide disparities in health outcomes: JP Nadda

The government today said there were wide disparities in terms of health outcomes such as maternal and infant mortality rates, reflecting variation in terms of availability of health services.

Absence of policy badly affected tourism in Mizoram: CAG

"The fact pointed to gross under-performance of tourist establishments as well as uneconomical maintenance of assets by state tourism department officials," report said.

Indian aviation experts to inspect Nepal's international airport

A team of Indian aviation experts will arrive here tomorrow to inspect any possible damage to Nepal's only international airport due to the powerful April 25 quake.

Startup ecosystem in Koramangala is a huge support to us: Mukul Garg, Co-founder, Tripigator

"By next month we will hit GMV annual rate of $2 million and be operationally profitable," he says.

Govt mulling to sell 8 ITDC hotels to strategic investors

The government is mulling to sell eight loss-making ITDC hotels to investors and will soon work out the modalities of valuation and mode of sale.

India, China to sign pact to enhance bilateral ties in tourism

India and China will sign a fresh agreement on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to that country starting tomorrow.

'India by the Nile' festival to boost Egypt's tourism

The tourism industry dwindled due to many violent attacks by militants since the January 2011 revolution that toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak.

Harijan ashram's 'toilet gallery' a picture of neglect

A 'toilet gallery' created out of Mahatama Gandhi's vision at Harijan ashram in the city to spread the message of social empowerment, remains neglected.

ITDC pays nearly Rs 4 crore as dividend to Tourism Ministry

India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) today handed over Rs 3.73 crore as dividend for the finacial year 2013-14, to the Ministry of Tourism Minister.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates five-day cultural festival 'Sanskriti'

The foreign tourists should carry with them vision of beauty and wisdom of the country and not pictures of its unclean places, the Minister said

Street food fest to have hundreds of vendors from across India

Amritsar's Tejinder to Telangana's Shankar, harassed by local administration officials and loved by masses who lap up fares they serve, street vendors from across India.

ONGC joins 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', adopts Jantar Mantar

ONGC had recently signed a tripartite MoU with ASI & Tourism Ministry for cleanliness & conservation of various iconic historical monument of India.

'Make in India' will be even bigger than 'Incredible India': Amitabh Kant, DIPP Secretary

The 'Make in India' initiative launched by the government will have a bigger impact as it reflects a new mindset of growth in India, a senior official said.

India to soon to get its own 'Times Square' in Mumbai

On the lines of Times Square, a 15 foot high flag of India, made of hard transparent materials and lit from within is being proposed for the area.

NDMC to fast track stalled Delhi Town Hall redevelopment plan

An ambitious restoration plan for the nearly 150-year-old Town Hall in the city is likely to be "fast tracked" by this month.

Government to set multilingual helpline for tourists by March 2015

Tourism Minister Shripad Naik said the Ministry is making all efforts to ensure that the infoline commences by March 31, 2015.

Centre likely to consider converting INS Vikrant into museum

The Union Tourism Ministry has been asked to examine the feasibility of converting former Indian Navy warship INS Vikrant into a maritime museum.

Chhattisgarh tourism allotted Rs 113.5 crore to revamp its hotels

Chhattisgarh tourism board, which was recently allottedRs 113.5-cr project prioritisation by the Ministry of Tourism, will aim at privatisation of its hotels in the coming year.

Ministry of tourism brings out new, minute guidelines for star luxury hotels

All four-star, five-star and five-star deluxe hotels will have to install blackout curtains and provide luggage racks, portable or fixed, for two large suitcases.

Startups like Trabblr, Thrillophilia and others tap into a niche market for easy travel

With rising disposable income and increasing willingness to travel, Indians are now looking for unique travel experiences.

Adventure tourism business booms in India; but many pitfalls need to be addressed

Despite this seeming growth in the industry, adventure tourism remains a relatively small market, compared to the West.

Jaypee Palace Hotel wins ‘Best Hotel Based Meeting Venue’ award

Spread across 25 acres, the hotel has 341 rooms and a business center which can accommodate up to 1500 delegates.

Shipping Ministry to develop 15 lighthouses as tourist spots

After opening Chennai lighthouse overlooking the Marina beach for public, the Shipping Ministry now plans to develop 14 heritage lighthouses as tourist sites.

FHRAI welcomes move to enhance infrastructure lending list of RBI

Hospitality sector's financial sustainability will be enhanced with the government deciding to include hotel projects of over Rs 200 crore each, anywhere in India, irrespective of star rating in the infrastructure lending list of RBI, according to industry body FHRAI.