Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said an agency would be appointed for integrated management of beaches, which would include round the clock cleaning of the shoreline. “The integrated module for beach management will include tourism information centre, convenience centre, beach cleaning round the clock, surveillance cameras, proper illumination. Since police can’t be posted round the clock at beaches, the tourism department will employ personnel to curb illegal activities like touting, unauthorized vending,” the minister said. 

JK Mohanty, CMD, Swosti Group, has said that the Ministry of Tourism should include Odisha in their Incredible India campaign worldwide. “Odisha has many natural and heritage sites. However, it’s missing from the MOT’s Incredible India campaign. I request the MOT to include it in the campaign so that it gets foreign tourist arrival too,” he said. 

National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is likely to decide to reduce the gap between the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and the precaution dose from nine to six months. The health ministry has received several representations seeking to allow the administration of the precaution dose of Covid vaccine to those who are compelled to travel urgently because of employment, for admission to foreign educational institutions, for participation in sports tournaments, as part of India’s delegation in bilateral or multilateral meetings, or for business commitments. 

As summer travel approaches, Lotus Destinations will conduct a quick webinar on Costa Cruises and Carnival Cruises, for the travel trade, today at 3 pm IST. Be Summer ready by attending this important webinar which will focus on the itineraries. To register, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Tourism, has said that the Global Media Campaign, which was stuck up due to some issues in the government of India Ministry of Finance level, is now set to be launched in May. “We are in dialogue with the Ministry of Finance and I hope to get those issues sorted out quickly, so that we be able to launch our digital and TV campaigns along with the participation in all the marts. And I think this just process will start in the month of May, if all clearances are received by then,” he said. 

Citing the unprecedented rise in inflation, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has requested the GST Council to evaluate the present GST structure for the hospitality sector and appealed for it to be rationalized. FHRAI has suggested that all F & B revenue of hotels be delinked from their hotel room tariff slabs and allowed to charge GST at 5 per cent without ITC under the composite scheme and 12 per cent GST with ITC.   

In its ambitious plans for expansion in Asia-Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group plans to add 100 hotels to India by the end of 2025, according to CEO Federico Gonzalez. “In India, we should surpass 100 hotels this year. If I look at India, I don’t know why we should not have 200 hotels there by 2025. We are looking at India’s development and the speed of change in India. If India is growing at 7 per cent, that means more GDP than many European countries,” he said.  

The Tourism Office of Spain – Mumbai, along with Ibiza Tourism, will conduct an exclusive webinar titled ‘Know Ibiza’ for the travel trade on Thursday, May 5 at 3 pm IST. Sign up today for the Spain Specialist Program (SSP) and register now to attend the webinar. The webinar will conclude with an exciting quiz on the destination and the winner will leave with a free trip to Ibiza. For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Cappadocia hosted an extraordinary number of visitors in the first quarter of 2022. The museums and archaeological sites in the region were visited by 305,275 people in the first three months of the year, increasing by 54% compared to the first quarter of 2021. See Cappadocia from the sky, stay in caves The best way to see Cappadocia’s magical landscape is a hot air balloon ride in its incomparable skies. The colourful balloons launch around five ‘o clock in the morning, usually from the village of Göreme, and visitors can enjoy sweeping views of Pigeon Valley, Zemi Valley, Love Valley and Pasabağ Monks Valley, along with the famous fairy chimneys and other fantastic rock formations during the ride. Bring a camera! For guests seeking an authentic Cappadocian experience, the area’s cave hotels are the perfect accommodation. Rock-carved rooms in cave hotels bring history and modern amenities together in a luxurious blend. After a full day of sightseeing, the best way to spend the evening is to relax in the lounge of a boutique cave hotel with a glass of fine local wine. From Göreme to Ürgüp on horseback As the ‘land of beautiful horses, it is fitting to go horseback riding in Cappadocia. The area’s ranches offer guided horse-riding tours on beautiful, sure-footed ponies. Watching the sunset over the Red Valley while astride a horse is an unforgettable experience. While horses can cover more ground, travellers can also see many sights on foot. The peaceful Ihlara Valley is a perfect place to walk or hike. In the valley, there are gazebos along the Melendiz stream where trekkers can enjoy tea or a coffee. Jeep and ATV safaris are also available, …

With a steady decline in the number of Covid cases and ease in restrictions pertaining to COVID-19, IntrCity, India’s leading mobility platform, revealed the findings of a travel survey to better understand Indian travellers’ behaviour and preferences while travelling inter-city. Results illustrate that with long due vacations, visiting family on weekends and work trips, Indians are enthusiastic to travel and yet cautious about hygiene & sanitisation. The importance of hygiene and safety among travellers has skyrocketed. 65% travellers prioritise travelling with an on-board washroom facility, while 60% prefer GPS tracking enabled buses. Indian travellers prefer SmartBuses and are willing to pay more for the additional amenities. Female travellers prefer safety, while men prefer punctuality when choosing the mode of travel.  Travellers still prioritise safety and hygiene, while travelling inter-city For inter-city travellers, hygiene comes first, followed by safety and punctuality in that order, which is fairly similar to the results of last year’s survey. Even when the pandemic begins to fade, a bias toward hygiene and sanitisation signals a more permanent change to the ‘new normal.’ Hygiene and safety are the top two criteria that impact mode of transportation selection, followed by cost and punctuality as the joint third most significant factor. Nearly 2/3rd of all respondents have stated a clear preference for a SmartBus over a regular bus. More encouragingly, even more respondents (75%) are willing to pay more for these benefits, compared to a regular bus. Out of these benefits, an automated GPS system and an on-board washroom facility comprise two of the most popular features for travellers.    Intercity travellers generally view GPS tracking on their bus as an ideal choice, with 60% saying it will make …