Travel News June 2007

Top Travel Destinations

Rajasthan trouble hits Golden Triangle tourism

Unseasonal snowfall in Dharamshala brings joy to tourists, businessmen

Himalayan ski village gets a Finnish boost

Sikkim basks in the glory of its tourism achievements

Soaring temperatures elsewhere generate tourism business in Kashmir

Soaring temperatures fail to dampen tourism spirit in Jaipur

Indian tourists may soon get to visit Antarctica

Historic Jantar Mantar illuminated

Rajasthan trouble hits Golden Triangle tourism
Friday, June1, 2007

The continuing unrest by Gujjars in Rajasthan demanding tribal status has severely affected tourism in the Golden Triangle circuit that includes Agra and New Delhi besides the desert state.

Travel agents and hoteliers said several groups of foreign tourists were stranded in Agra and Jaipur while many others had chosen to return to New Delhi to catch a flight back home. 'Hundreds of tourists have extended their stay in Agra hoping things would normalise in a day or two so they can proceed to Jaipur,' Sunil Gupta, chairman of the Uttar Pradesh chapter of the All India Tour and Travel Association, told IANS. He said agents from eight countries in Agra were scheduled to go to Jaipur, but they cancelled their programme and returned to New Delhi.

Rajasthan, New Delhi and Jaipur form the most frequented tourist triangle in India. Rajiv Saxena, another travel agent, said that tourists were facing all sorts of problems due to continued blockade of the Agra-Jaipur highway.

The merchants' chambers have expressed deep concern over the continued violence in Rajasthan, which has left over 20 people dead.

Meanwhile, Gujjars in Agra area bordering Rajasthan held several rounds of meetings to mobilise support for their community in that state. The Agra-Gwalior road traffic was disrupted for some time Thursday. Hundreds of villages in Agra on the border with Dholpur have sizeable population of Gujjars, who have felt bypassed and neglected.

'If the agitation continues for a day longer, it would be a severe jolt to the tourism industry in this Golden Triangle,' said Rakesh Chauhan, president of the Agra Hotels and Restaurant Association.

Source: IANS via Yahoo

Unseasonal snowfall in Dharamshala brings joy to tourists, businessmen
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

An unseasonal snowfall in the Himalayan region is drawing scores of tourists from the plains of north India to Dharamshala, the hilly resort in Himachal Pradesh. These tourists, who are flocking here with families and friends are keen to avoid the scorching heat gripping most of North India.

Dhauladhar ranges in the Himachal Pradesh recently witnessed snowfall, which is unusual for May. This has also brought the chill back in the air, captivating tourists from across the country.

Local traders and hoteliers have also welcomed the change in the weather, and expect their cash registers to ring with greater frequency. 'The month of May is the hottest period in entire India, particularly, in the north part of India till June. This fresh snow in the mountains is going to create wonderful weather in Himachal Pradesh for next three weeks. That makes the coolest, best atmosphere for any traveller who is planning to visit North India, especially Himachal Pradesh,' said Prem Sagar, a travel agent.

Also known as Mini Lhasa, Dharamsala, attracts over 600,000 foreign tourists annually. For many people, it's once-in-a-lifetime experience to revel in the scenic beauty of Dhauladhar Range.

Dharamshala is also home to exiled Tibetans. Their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India from Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, has set up his headquarters in the town. Tourism is the mainstay of the State's economy, generating about 100 million dollars annually.

Source: ANI via Yahoo.

Himalayan ski village gets a Finnish boost
Friday, May 25, 2007

What began as a hunt for timber to build log houses at an upcoming 350 million euro ski resort in the Himalayan slopes of India has blossomed into a vibrant partnership involving the Finnish government, a municipality in the north of the country and a semi-government body supported by the European Union.

This collaboration has brought in Finnish experts in the fields of environmentally sustainable tourism, ecological snow management, resort development and best operational practices.

The Himalayan Ski Village (HSV) aims to create world-class infrastructure at Manali in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to position it amongst the world's best tourism destinations, the project's promoters say.

Even as HSV prepares for its groundbreaking ceremony later this year, the collaboration has already begun showing results. A group of 40 skiers from Manali have just completed a three-week training schedule at three slopes in the Lapland area of northern Finland to become instructors.

Helsinki based Amer Sports, the world largest manufacturer of sporting goods, pitched in by providing equipment and clothing worth $2,200 free to each of the 40 skiers.

The project aims to employ more than 3,500 people when fully developed and HSV will hire more than 70 percent of them from the villages around Manali. HSV has also set up a training institute for winter sports operations. The first phase saw 75 skiers from local villages being trained for the roles of ski instructors, snow safety and search & rescue operations when the resort begins its operations. This group was then whittled down to 40 for advanced training in Finland.

In addition to direct employment, the HSV project will bring indirect employment and business opportunities to the local community through sourcing of local produce like fruits, flowers, milk, and vegetables for daily consumption in the resort and services like adventure and tour operation. These will be linked via specific HSV-sponsored rural development initiatives like cheese making, beehive products and green-house farming.

Source: IANS via Economic Times

Sikkim basks in the glory of its tourism achievements
Thursday, May24, 2007

With a 30 percent growth in tourism-related revenue, Sikkim, the smallest and youngest State in India's North East, is poised for both prosperity and development. The buzzing markets in Gangtok and the number of vehicles plying is indicative of how well things are moving.

"The growth of tourism in Sikkim has been tremendous. I think, in ten years, we have seen about 30 per cent growth. When we initially started this business in way nineties, tourism was almost as good as negative. Now over the years we have seen about 250 thousand domestic travellers which is a real boom to the economic growth in the state of Sikkim for tourism. And as far as the foreign clients are concerned we have about 5-10 thousand people visiting for various aspects of cultural nature and adventure tourism," S.K Pradhan, President of the Travel Agent Association of Sikkim. The region is endowed with diverse tourist attractions and each State has its own distinct features. The attractions and the people of the region constitute the tourism resources at large.

Recently, the fourth Sectoral Summit on Tourism and Hospitality of North Eastern Council was organised here on how to promote tourism in the region. Union Minister for North East Affairs Mani Shankar Aiyar in his address said: "To give them really detailed exposure to all the sectors in which Thai investment can take place. And if it works then you'r really opening the gate to South East Asia." Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has appealed to the Centre to remove some legal barriers to boost tourism.

Representatives of other North Eastern states have suggested measures like improving infrastructure and basic amenities. The North East Summit decided to open hotel management institutes in all states of the region to promote tourism. Today, Sikkim stands out as a model for other North Eastern states as to how the potential of the state can be utilised to its optimum if there is tranquillity, no unstable and uncertain political conditions.

Source: ANI via Yahoo

With constant rise in temperatures in the arid plains in India, many domestic tourists have started pouring in Kashmir to beat the heat bringing some cheer to the people associated with tourism trade who were complaining slump in the tourist arrivals.

“Following some untoward incidents last year the tourist arrivals had ebbed considerably. However, for last some days the tourist resorts like Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg have been witnessing a modest increase in the tourist inflow,” said a tour operator. However, many say that the tourist arrivals have begun to pick up because of the sustained efforts by some government departments and tourism bodies.

“The state government in collaboration with tour and travel operators organized many programmes in different states in India to woo the tourists and it seems that their efforts have borne fruit,” said a senior state tourism official. “The JKTDC is offering many attractive tourist packages to the tourists. The state tourism department in association with the floriculture department set up the Asia’s largest tulip garden along the banks of Dal Lake giving an added attraction to the tourists,” he added.

With the gradual arrival of the tourists the people associated with tourism trade have begun to heave a sigh of relief. “The decline in the tourist rush to Kashmir last year caused me huge financial losses. But now the tourists have started coming back and I have been doing some good business for the last few weeks,” said a Shikara owner.

Houseboat and hotel owners here are hopeful that tourist traffic to Kashmir would further pick up in the coming days. “There is definitely a decrease in the number of tourists visiting Kashmir as compared to the last year, but we hope in the coming days the arrivals would improve,” said Altaf Ahmad, a Houseboat owner.

Source: Greater Kashmir.com

Soaring temperatures fail to dampen tourism spirit in Jaipur
Friday, May 11, 2007:

Despite rising temperatures, Jaipur is witnessing an unprecedented rise in the number of foreign tourist arrivals, thanks to hospitality industry discounts. Dressed in light cotton clothes, summer hats and carrying water, foreign tourists are braving the summer heat to enjoy the wonders of the 'Pink City'.

Most of Northern India is in the grip of a severe heat wave, with Rajasthan recording temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in some places. With the advent of summer, the city normally witnesses a drop in tourist arrivals, but with attractive discounts floated by the hospitality industry, the tourists are finding it hard to ignore the 'City of Palaces'.
"Its very nice, very nice, beautiful sunshine, beautiful palaces, museums, all are very good," said Gidigab, a German tourist.

The tourists are also relishing local drinks to beat the heat. "Lots of water and lassi (a curd-based cold drink), salted lassi. It's better than any other beverage," said, Dennis, a Canadian tourist.

Tour operators have made several changes in the tour itinerary to avoid being out in the open during the day time when temperatures are their peak. The tour starts at 7.00 a.m. and tourists return to their hotels by noon. They only step out again in the evening. Tour operators say that proper advertising and schemes offered by foreign travel agents have made the city a year round tourist destination.

"Jaipur being the major leisure destination, means we are dependant on foreign inbound travel operators. They are now patronising Rajasthan throughout the year," said, Travel and Tour Operators Association Spokesperson Sanjay Kaushik.

With the flow of tourists in summers looking promising, travel pundits are estimating the arrival of 2.5 million tourists in 2007, compared to 1.5 million last year. Rajasthan, home to magnificent palaces, sand dunes, wildlife, and a rich culture, has witnessed a tourism spurt with more than a million foreign and 16 million domestic tourists visiting the State a year ago.

Source: ANI via newKerala.com

Indian tourists may soon get to visit Antarctica
Monday, May 7,2007

If Indian tourists are setting the rest of the world abuzz, why should they be left out of Antarctica, the icy continent with breathtaking scenery, stunning wildlife and a fragile ecosystem?

Almost against its better judgment, India will go along with other countries to allow some tourism to the South Pole — albeit heavily regulated — to introduce the world’s chattering classes to fragile ecosystems. So get set to take a unique vacation to the southernmost tip of the earth — at the bargain price of $7000, and counting!

Hosting its first meeting of the Antarctica Treaty members in Delhi this week is a big diplomatic exercise for India. Not least because India has just got formal permission to build its third station in Antarctica.

The announcement will be made at the end of the consultative meeting next week by the group from over 30 countries, but it’s a significant step for India — the third station on the Larsemann Hills is a scientific and strategic windfall.

According to satisfied members of the Indian delegation, the area where India’s third station is to be built is a unique stretch of ice-free rock around Prydz Bay on the eastern side of Antarctica, which means ships can travel all the way to the station. But a more important piece of scientific fact is, this area was once surgically attached to India, as part of the ancient Gondwanaland, before the land masses broke up and Antarctica floated away to the south of the world.

Senior members of the delegation told TOI that the Indian station was also geologically bang on top of South Pole — something that has scientists here in whoops of excitement. Strategically, this is a big deal for India, particularly as many nations — from Chile to Norway and UK — claim territory in Antarctica. Australia, China and Russia too have research stations in the neighbourhood, hence the importance of India’s presence. India wanted a specially prized spot in the ‘‘managed area’’ and so began a diplomatic-scientific battle, taking Indian negotiators to Edinburgh and Hobart to persuade. Help arrived from the US, which backed up India’s claim and tipped the balance.

In the next couple of years, India will finalise a design for the station, including environment-friendly power and waste systems as well as being responsible for maintaining the environment and wildlife, since the Larsemann Hills is part of Antarctica’s ‘‘managed’’ or protected areas.

But tourism could make or break the icy continent. Instinctively, you want to ban tourism, as science minister Kapil Sibal initially did. But he backtracked because tourists already visit Antarctica — from 10,000 they climbed to 30,000 in the last season. So India figured it was pointless fighting the inevitable. But taking an approach that is more mature and pragmatic, India, along with other countries, will chart out the rules of the game — no bunching of ships, only 100 tourists on the continent at any time, no big tourist ships, stringent eco-standards etc.

These guidelines will be imposed with an iron hand on international tour operators. Of course, tourists’ presence will have an ecological impact and experts argue that Antarctica is more fragile than the Arctic circle where humans actually live. But let them go there — and be responsible about it.

Source: The Times of India

Historic Jantar Mantar illuminated
Friday, May 04, 2007

The 18th century monument Jantar Mantar in the national capital has been illuminated with an eye on the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 as Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni said at least 15 monuments would be illuminated to attract more tourists to this metropolis.

"Conservation and preservation is our primary aim but along with that flaunt them as showpieces of rich cultural heritage," Soni said while inaugurating the illuminations at the Jantar Mantar observatories.

Superintending Archaeologists S.K. Sinha said work is underway at Safdarjung Tomb and Sabzburg in south Delhi. Besides, Delhi Gate, Purana Quila, Dadi Pooti Ka Gombuj and Sher Shah Gate are among the 15 selected monuments that would get this facility. Jantar Mantar, housing five prominent astronomical observatories, have 14 major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars in their orbits, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides.

Samrat Jantar, the largest instrument, is nearly 90 feet high and its shadow is carefully plotted to tell the time of day. It can predict time with accuracy up to one second by measuring the shadow of sun.

ASI, Nehru Planetarium in collaboration with the Apeejay Group, a private business enterprise, conducted the preservation and illumination work at the monument. Raja Sawai Jai Singh-II of Jaipur built the observatories during the early 18th century.

Source: MSN India