Check out the latest news and updates about the travel and tourism industry from around the
world.
1. Char Dham Yatra 2024: Kedarnath to open on May 10, Badrinath on May 12, bookings to open soon
The Char Dham Yatra 2024 of Hindu pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri in Uttarakhand will be opening shortly for devotees. The portals for Sri Kedarnath Dham will open on 10th May at 7 AM and the Badrinath Dham will open on 12th May at 6 AM. Doors to the Gangotri Dham will open during Akshay Tritya and dates for both Gangotri Dham and Yamunotri Dham will be announced shortly.
Thousands of devotees visit the Char Dham Yatra every year for its profound spiritual significance. The Yatra usually only takes place between April / May to October / November due to weather conditions. Ajendra Ajay, Chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee said that he has plans to allocate sufficient funds in the upcoming budget for passenger facilities, aiming to accommodate an even larger number of devotees looking to opt for the Char Dham Yatra Uttarakhand Tour Packages.
2. Italy finally rolls out its Highly-Anticipated Digital Nomad Visa for Non-EU Citizens
Effective from 4th April 2024, non-EU citizens are now eligible for an enticing opportunity ‘to blend work with leisure while exploring the country’ with the Digital Nomad Visa. This new law permits individuals without an EU passport or any other visa ‘to reside and work legally in Italy for an extended period’.
To be eligible, applicant must:
- Have income that is three times higher than the minimum level required for exemption.
- Hold a minimum of a three-year college degree or a professional licence.
- Be either freelancers or employees with an annual salary of at least €28,000.
- Exhibit 6 months of relevant work experience and some other criteria.
For those looking to visit Italy for only tourism, apply for the Schengen Visa online, which also takes you to nearly 25 other countries in the EU Zone.
3. ‘Looking to Boost Travel Amid Strained Ties’, Maldives Travel Association to hold Roadshows in India
Amidst a deep slump in the influx of Indian tourists to the Maldives, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has held talks with India’s High Commissioner in Male, Munu Mahawar. The organisation’s statement said, “In this trajectory, plans are currently underway to launch comprehensive road shows across key Indian cities and to facilitate influencer and media familiarisation trips to the Maldives in the upcoming months.” While India remains a crucial tourist market to the Maldives, MATATO states that they look forward to partnering with prominent travel associations and industry stakeholders across India”.
Incentives like cheap hotels and all-inclusive Maldives Tour Packages can be lucrative options for bringing back Indian tourists.
4. Now experience seamless Air Travel from Kerala as Thiruvananthapuram International Airport joins the DigiYatra system
Under the system’s latest expansion programme across 14 airports across India, Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will also be incorporating the DigiYatra system. With the incorporation of this facial recognition technology, passengers can easily bypass long queues at checkpoints by simply uploading their boarding passes onto the DigiYatra app on their smartphones.
Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dabolim, Indore, Mangaluru, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Srinagar, and Visakhapatnam, are other airports that will benefit from the DigiYatra system.
5. Travel from Kerala’s Kozhikode to Lakshadweep’s Agatti for Rs.5000 with IndiGo
Following recent events, there has been a high surge in enquiries for affordable Lakshadweep Tour Packages and bookings for cheap hotels in Lakshadweep. From 1st May, IndiGo Airlines has announced direct daily flights from Calicut International Airport to Agatti via Kochi. This first-of-a-kind daily service will be facilitated by ATR aircraft carrying 70-80 passengers at one time. Estimately, air ticket prices for this route would be Rs. 5,000- 6,000.
6. Tokyo: Pink Blankets of Cherry Blossoms pull in record number of Tourists and Locals
Covered in pretty blankets of pink, Japan’s Tokyo is pulling in thousands of tourists and also locals to the city’s prime cherry blossom viewing spots, like the Chidorigafuchi Park. The dark brown tree branches, adorned with pink and white cherry blossoms are not only a picturesque marvel but also hold immense symbolism for the Japanese.
Many foreign tourists have planned their Japan Tour Packages, especially around the ‘Sakura season’ to experience this delightful wonder. Plus, the country’s Japan eVisa facility for certain nations has drawn in more visitors.
7. Avoid spoiling your Bali Trip! Watch out as Scammers are taking over the Popular Tourist Destination
Several tourists have reported signs of tampered ATMs like chips in card machine readers or using skimmers to collect card numbers. Since Bali Tour Packages are quite popular, more tourists means crowded tourist spots. This is a perfect opportunity for scammers to direct tourists to use compromised ATMs, that either steal data or charge huge withdrawal charges.
The Bali Sun has advised tourists, especially in crowded tourist places in Bali, to use ATMs only at banks or trust places. It also recommended settling daily ATM limits on banking loss to avoid huge scams.
8. Indian Railways to soon become the ‘World’s Largest Green Network’, probably by 2025
Indian Railways’ latest reports cite ‘complete electrification with a dedicated fund of INR 6,500 crore in the fiscal year 2025’. The entire board gauge railway network will be fully electrified, with an earmarked interim budget of INR 6,500 crores, probably by the end of 2025. With this success, Indian Railways will become the world’s largest environmentally friendly rail system. It has also set a target of attaining zero carbon emissions by 2030.
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9. Air India to facilitate Southeast Asia Expansion with the latest New Delhi- Ho Chi Minh City Route
The global airline, Air India has announced its latest launch of non-stop services between Delhi in India and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) in Vietnam starting from June 1, 2024. As Vietnam is a popular tourist destination with an easy Vietnam Visa online process and vast options of affordable Vietnam Tour Packages, this latest addition to the airlines’ Southeast Asia expansion plan will provide travellers with enhanced connectivity and convenience. The route has flights scheduled for five days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
10. Ayodhya: Ahead of Ram Navami, Foreign Travellers to be subject to 14-day mandatory COVID-19 Quarantine
Ahead of Ram Navami 2024, flight tickets to Ayodhya are in high demand. Foreign travellers planning to visit Ayodhya will have to adhere to certain public health and safety measures like undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine period upon arrival as part of Ayodhya district’s proactive efforts to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Elaborating on the preparations, an official stated “In anticipation of the Ram Navami festivities and the influx of foreign visitors, we have arranged four specialised quarantine wards within the district hospital. Foreign visitors displaying COVID-19 symptoms or those deemed at risk will be promptly isolated and provided with medical attention as necessary.”
11. France, Russia, India and UK issue Travel Warnings amidst Israel- Iran War Tensions
As tensions rise in the Middle East, over Iran’s retaliation to Israel’s attack this month on its consulate in Damascus, Syria. Amidst tensions between Israel and Iran and Israel’s apartheid over Palestine, several countries including France, Germany, Russia, Poland, India and the UK have issued travel advisories against travelling to Israel and wider regions.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Indian citizens who are in the two countries should observe “utmost precautions about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum”.
With so much to see and experience in the world, who wouldn’t be excited to travel? Head over to Akbartravels.com and find solutions to all your worries related to visa applications, flight tickets, and hotel bookings. What else? We have the best budget holiday packages available to make your holiday truly peaceful.
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