Category Archives: States

Pramod Sawant, CM, Goa, has informed the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) that the state’s hospitality sector would open fully only after the positivity rate drops below 5%. Tourism activities will not be reopened in Goa until everybody in the state gets at least one dose of the vaccine, he said. The CM added that the administration is aiming to achieve this goal by 31 July. “The government will permit full-fledged opening of the industry when the case positivity rate is below 5%.”

The government of Bihar has allocated a little over Rs13 crore for the development of a new theme park and museum in Prakash Punj, dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh. Prakash Punj covers a 10 acre area at Patna Sahib. It will have two exhibition halls, an auditorium, and even galleries. The development is planned to commemorate the 350th birth anniversary of the Guru.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has asked officials to prepare a roadmap for reviving the tourism sector while utilising the budget allocated to the state tourism department. In a review meeting of the tourism department, Gehlot stressed on effective marketing and promotion of key tourist destinations, fairs and festivals of the state at international level.

Sharing details of his meeting with Goa CM as well as its Tourism Minister, Nilesh Shah, President, TTAG, says, “Our team met the CM along with the Tourism Minister, Chairman GTDC, Chief Secretary, Tourism Secretary, and Director Tourism of GTDC. We have requested them to conduct an image-rebuilding exercise for Goa to undo the negative publicity received by the state during the last two to three months which has affected the image of Goa as a safe and secure destination.”

Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Minister of Tourism, Odia Language, Literature and Culture, Government of Odisha said the Chief Minister is expected to soon announce financial packages for the tourism sector.On the other hand, members of several travel associations have urged the Telangana government to take measures to provide relief to the sector.

M Mathiventhan, Tourism Minister, Tamil Nadu has taken a decision to go ahead with the ongoing work to upgrade amenities and make tourist spots safe from COVID-19 so that these sites are ready to receive tourists, mostly domestic, when they start to travel. The minister took the decision after a review meeting he chaired. A project report is being prepared for upgrading Mamallapuram at a cost of ₹441crore under iconic site category and to develop Rameswaram and surrounding tourist sites at a cost of ₹40crore.

Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog, has said that Maharashtra’s Aurangabad needs both an international airport as well as a state-of-the-art convention centre to boost tourism in the region. Kant announced this at his recent two-day visit to Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC), and added that while other newer cities took time to establish, Aurangabad already has ready infrastructure.

A recent Tweet by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) suggests that an RT-PCR report is no longer required to enter the state. Tourists are, however, requested to enter their particulars on http://covid19epass.hp.gov.on before entering Himachal. HPTDC is also offering a 30% discount on bookings at all its hotels.

The Uttarakhand government has approved a compensation of Rs 29 crore for the state’s tourism industry reeling under the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the compensation package, Rs 10,000 would be provided to registered travel and adventure tour operators, tour and rafting guides. The government will also waive off the interest on loans for homestays.

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has issued detailed guidelines to unlock the state, which also paves way for the entry of tourists into the region. There will be no restrictions of entry of tourist in J&K whether by road, rail or air apart from undergoing a COVID-19 antigen test. Restaurants in hotels can remain functional for in-house guests.