Category Archives: States

In a major boost to Andhra Pradesh’s adventure tourism sector, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has received over 130 applications from companies eager to launch operations. In response, the government has issued detailed guidelines covering operator registration, safety standards, security protocols, environmental protection and local employment, aiming at regulating the sector and ensuring tourist safety.

Expressing concern on the recent proposal to increase excise duty on liquor in Maharashtra, HRAWI in a letter to Ajit Pawar, Deputy CM & Minister of Finance & Excise, Maharashtra, said the proposed hike is expected to cause a sharp rise in the retail prices of alcoholic beverages reportedly between 14% to 60% across various categories, with the steepest increase in IMFL.

Ajay Jain, Special Chief Secretary for Tourism, Visakhapatnam, has called for positioning the city as a global-standard tourism destination. He urged officials to create awareness campaigns promoting adventure, water sports, and cruise tourism. Highlighting the potential to host major national and international events, he said that the city should have 10,000 star-rated hotels.

With the support of its members in Bihar, ADTOI has launched its fifteenth state chapter at a ceremony on 28th June 2025 in Patna. It was attended by state govt. officials, stakeholders of the industry from the state, ADTOI MC Team led by Ved Khanna, President, and members from Bihar. Nand Kishore, MD Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation of Patna was the Chief Guest. This initiative of ADTOI shall make the Chapter Office Bearers to work closely with the State Tourism authorities and stakeholders in the State to bring more domestic tourists to the state. The Chapter Chairman is Prabhat Kumar, Visit Bihar Destination Management, Secretary is Rajesh Kumar, Indian Tourist Bureau, the Treasurer is Sachin Sharma, Shyam Forex Tours & Travels. Khanna in his address emphasised the necessity of having State Chapter for coordination with State Tourism authorities and the stakeholders in the State to bring winds of change in the progressive growth of tourism that will bring economic benefits to the state in many ways. Members are requested to extend their full support to our Bihar Chapter in promoting the destinations in the State among the domestic tourists to increase the tourist traffic in the State. The association has also signed an MoU with Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority to jointly organise ‘ANDHRA PRADESH – ADTOI NATIONAL TOURISM MART-2025 from 17-19 September 2025 in Visakhapatnam. This initiative aims to position Andhra Pradesh as a leading destination for domestic tourism and will serve as a unique platform for industry stakeholders, tour operators and travel professionals to collaborate and showcase the diverse tourism offerings of the region.

Nikhil Sharma, MD & COO, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “With the opening of D Square Statue of Unity Kevadia, a member of Radisson Individuals, we further strengthen our footprint in Gujarat. This hotel offers a distinct blend of local character and modern hospitality, in line with our strategy to grow our portfolio in emerging leisure destinations across the country. We are proud to contribute to this transformation by offering high-quality hospitality that complements the area’s cultural richness and sustainable development focus.”

Underscoring that MSMEs, including boutique hotels and local catering services, are crucial to the MICE segment in India, Barun Gupta, General Manager, ExpoInn Suites & Convention, said, “Boutique is the new big. These enterprises make India event-ready, but to grow, they need low-interest infrastructure loans, policy stability and public-private partnerships.”

In a significant push to the tourism sector, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) signed 82 MoUs for investments amounting to ₹10,329 crore during the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Conclave Tech AI 2.0. The pact spans wellness, eco-tourism, caravan tourism, hospitality infrastructure, homestays, and digital solutions.

Goa is set to welcome more tourists from Kazakhstan, as charter operators show strong interest in expanding seasonal flights. During recent B2B meetings in Almaty, Goa Tourism’s sustainable travel offerings and its new campaign, #GlowOnArrival, sparked interest among Kazakh tour operators, opening up fresh business opportunities.

Puducherry is targeting around 30 lakh tourist arrivals by 2030, said K Lakshminarayanan, Tourism Minister. Currently, the Union Territory sees 19 lakh domestic and 1 lakh international tourists annually. The govemment plans to boost infrastructure and promotions to further position Puducherry as a key tourism destination in South India.

MoU Signed Between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to Promote Tourism Successful Conclusion of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board’s Roadshow in Lucknow Stakeholders from Tourism Businesses, Tour Operators, and the Hotel Industry Participated Dharmendra Lodhi, Tourism Minister and Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary Tourism Highlight the State’s Tourism Strengths With the objective of fostering cooperation and partnerships among tourism businesses, tour operators, travel agents, and hotel industry stakeholders of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board successfully organised a roadshow at Hotel Taj Mahal in Lucknow on Wednesday, June 25. The event was held in the context of preparations for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart and the Regional Tourism Conclave. The roadshow was graced by Rajendra Shukla, Deputy Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh as the chief guest, with the distinguished presence of Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture, Tourism, Religious Trusts and Endowments, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and Jaiveer Singh, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Uttar Pradesh. Pankaj Tripathi, Renowned actor, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Culture, and Religious Trusts & Endowments Department, and Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, along with Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, lent further prestige to the event. On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to promote tourism, with a special focus on the research and development of Shri Ram Path Gaman, Shri Krishna Pathey, and the Buddhist Circuit. Rajendra Shukla, Deputy Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh remarked that when a region witnesses an industrial revolution, a green revolution, and a tourism revolution, its development gains unprecedented momentum. Such regions create …