Category Archives: States

IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) National Committee & Kerala State Committee, in their online meetings held on 15th June 2021, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister and Tourism Minister of Kerala for taking a step to form Welfare Board for the employees working in tourism industry. The formation of a Welfare Board for Travel and Tourism Industry employees was one of the essential demands submitted by IAAI to CM & Tourism Minister on 31st May 2021.

Kerala Travel Mart Society (KTM) is organising a COVID vaccination drive in collaboration with the Kerala Tourism Department, to give priority to those who are working in the tourism sector. The aim is to make Kerala the first 100% tourism vaccinated state in India by providing complete vaccination to those working in the tourism sector and other tourism associates. The motive of KTM is to declare the tourism sector safe by vaccinating everyone who is a part of it. This is essential for the re-opening of tourism in Kerala. To reach this goal, the tourism department has introduced priority vaccination for the age group of 18-44 years and has appointed nodal officers to carry out this task. In addition to this, district-wise KTM members have been appointed as liaison officers to assist nodal officers with this initiative. Baby Mathew Somatheeram, President, KTM Society, has informed that KTM has also launched a vaccination drive in collaboration with private sector hospitals to expedite the vaccination of people of all age groups who are working in the tourism sector. For more information on this vaccination drive and its coordination, KTM has launched a help desk (Phone No. 9747720077). Somatheeram has requested all members of the tourism sector to utilise this opportunity and get vaccinated. This will help the industry prepare for a safe re-opening of the tourism sector in Kerala and restart businesses soon.

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.