Category Archives: States

After the recent Unlock 4 guidelines coming into play and movement starting to normalize, the Uttarakhand tourism sector has started to revive at a slow but steady pace. In order to breathe life into tourism industry during the ongoing COVID-19 scenario, the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) has been coming up with several guidelines which are being issued in accordance with the pandemic. Sharing his views on the revival of tourism industry, Secretary, Uttarakhand Tourism, Dilip Jawalkar, says, “UTDB has been coming up with several schemes during the revival period to support various sectors in the tourism industry. To ease the travel of visitors coming to Uttarakhand, we have removed all kinds of movement restrictions for tourists having the mandatory COVID-19 negative test report. Such people are allowed to enter the state and stay in a hotel for any number of days they want. We are also planning to deploy tourist facilitation counters at all important state borders and provide on-the-spot COVID-19 testing facility to visitors not carrying the COVID-19 negative test reports.” He adds, “Simultaneously, it is our collective efforts at UTDB to constantly be in touch with all the stakeholders and to thoughtfully and mutually come up with apt guidelines, in order to support the industries at every step during these difficult times. For instance, recently we held an online meeting with the stakeholders and effective steps during the revival period of adventure tourism were discussed.” Adventure Tourism contributes to a majority part in the state’s overall tourism industry. Uttarakhand is a heavenly destination when it comes to offering various adventure activities to tourists. White Water River Rafting Rishikesh is the name that pops-up when someone talks about …

Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani has announced Heritage Tourism Policy 2020-2025 for the state to boost international as well as domestic tourism. According to the policy, historical monuments, palaces, and forts constructed before 1950 could be converted into hotels, heritage museums, heritage banquet halls and restaurants provided that ‘basic heritage’ structure is not altered.

After much deliberation from travel trade and associations in India and in the state of UP, Taj Mahal and Agra Fort are all set to be opened for tourists, starting September 21, 2020.

The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) has resumed water sports activities in the state, which were stopped in view of COVID-19. Besides boating, river rafting, kayaking and canoeing have also been permitted. Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism & MD, MPTB said that relevant guidelines have been issued to the managers of the boat clubs in the state. It has been decided to run all boats on 50% occupancy. Speed Boats will now carry three persons instead of six, pedal boats, two instead of four, raft boats four instead of eight and cruise boats, 30 instead of 60. MP Tourism runs boat clubs at several places in the state including Bhopal, Halali, Udaygiri, Tawa, Bargi, Bhedaghat, Hanuwantia, Tighra, Gandhisagar dam, Shivpuri and Orchha.

Andhra Pradesh government has issued the ‘AP Tourism Trade (Registration and Facilitation) Guidelines, 2020’, under which it will be easier for tourism service providers to register themselves. Rajat Bhargava, Special Chief Secretary, Tourism and Culture. AP, said that they will provide a simple mechanism for registration of tourism trade, which would allow them to collect statistical information from service providers and establish a database on tourism for planning and development of tourism in the state.

Uttarakhand Tourism has approved the Tourist Incentive Coupon Scheme, under which tourists opting for e-bookings for their stay in hotels and homestays, will get a rebate of Rs 1000 for a 3-day stay, revealed Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Uttarakhand. “The tourists will be given the discount coupon while registering themselves on the government portal under tourist category. They will then be able to use the coupon during their stay in a hotel or homestay in the tourist spots of the state. The tourist will have to provide his Aadhaar card details while registering to avail the coupon and have to stay for minimum three days in the hotel or homestay. The scheme will also apply for the Char-Dham pilgrims,” said Maharaj. He also revealed that under the scheme the tourists will be given a discount of ₹1000 or 25% of the hotel charge per day, whichever is less. Source: Hindustan Times

The Rajasthan cabinet has approved a new tourism policy for the state. The new policy aims to rebuild the marketing policy for international branding of tourism and promote domestic tourism. The policy proposed to strengthen the tourist assistance force, encourage startups. Two or three prominent monuments and sites will also be developed in every division as ‘Iconic monuments’ or sites. For MICE and wedding tourism, the policy lays out a plan to identify, grade and list facilities. The policy also outlines a scheme for classifying all tourism units such as hotels, paying guest houses. An annual event, ‘Rajasthan Startup Tourism Connect’, will be organised to bring innovation to the sector.

As per the order dated 31 August, 2020 by the Office of District Magistrate, North Goa, there is no requirement for COVID-19 testing for travellers coming to Goa whether by road, rail or air. This is compulsory only for international passengers. Bars have opened, however ban on casinos and river cruises will continue.

Claiming that the hospitality and tourism industry has taken a hard hit during the COVID-19 crisis, JK Mohanty, CMD, Swosti Group; Chairman, HRAO and Hony. Secretary, HAI, has said that state government needs to play a greater role in attracting investments from the private sector by providing attractive incentives for a period of at least 3 – 5 years to make Odisha an attractive destination competing with other neighbouring states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, etc. “Around five thousand additional number of hotel rooms in different star category should be set up to compete with the hotel infrastructure of the other states of India. We, therefore recommend that the Government should allow 30% capital investment subsidy up to a maximum limit of Rs.25 crores and 5% interest subsidy up to 11 years on repayment of term loans. If the subsidy is given only for 3 years, many hotels will come up as required,” he added.

The Agra district administration (ADA) is mulling plans to reopen the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort for tourists in the second week of September. A final date has not been decided yet. However, it is speculated that other ASI protected monuments in the region like Fatehpur Sikri and Sikandara Tomb will open by the end of this month.