Puri Rath Yatra
Kerala Voted as Asia’s Best Tourist Destination
The readers of SamrtTravelAsia.com have voted Kerala as the best Asian holiday destination replacing past weeks favorites Bali, Phuket and the Maldives. Bali and Phuket were voted as second and third most favorite holiday destinations in Asia.
India, a safe place for foreign tourists
India is fast emerging as Asia’s top spiritual, medical and rural tourism destination and is a safe place for foreign tourists, Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee has said.
Orissa Travel Mart, to be held in August-September 2010
Orissa Tourism is planning to organize Orissa Travel Mart (OTM) this year. The proposed travel mart, according to
Debi Prasad Mishra, Minister of Higher Education and Tourism, Government of Orissa, will be organised some time in August/September, this year.
Olive Ridley Turtles at Rushikulya Beach in Orissa
For the 2010 nesting season, the first arribada took place in the Gahirmatha beach in the second week of February. This beach is a protected area under the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary.
Karnataka to develop beach tourism
The southern state Karnataka budget has given special emphasis towards promoting tourism in Karnataka in general and its coastal districts in particular, said tourism minister Janardhana Reddy said.
New tourism campaign to woo Chinese tourists
India tourism, has stepped up its ‘Incredible India‘ campaign to woo Chinese tourists amid projection that over 54 million Chinese were expected to travel abroad this year to spend an estimated $6.86 billion.
Importance of Eram in Basudevpur, in the tourism map of India
Eram also known as the `second Jalianawala Bagh’ where the British forces killed 28 persons on September 28, 1942 was also very important as the only woman martyr of the freedom movement in Orissa, Pari Bewa, also fell to the British bullets there.
Egypt Tourism Authority starts tourism campaign in India
Egyptian envoy Mohamed Higazy says that India is a country with which Egypt shares cultural synergies and affinities that go far back in
history and this had prompted the launch here of a new tourism campaign.
UK Borders Agency suspends student visas from India, Nepal, Bangladesh
The UK Immigration Service, now known as “UK Borders Agency” has suspended the applications process for student visas from northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh after a dramatic upsurge in numbers and allegations of fraud.
New visa regulations will limit medical tourism
New visa requirements oblige travelers on tourist visas for more than 90 days to take a mandatory two-month “time-out” before returning to the country. The unexpected visa rule changes were prompted by revelations that Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley and his associate Tahawwur Rana had visited India on fake multiple-entry visas. The duo were arraigned in October in Chicago on charges of plotting an attack on India that killed 160 people in Mumbai. Foreign governments have protested at the new rules. The US issued an advisory asking its citizens to review their travel plans to India. Permission to re-enter without a 2-month gap may be granted on the submission of a detailed itinerary and supporting documents such as ticket bookings, but it may take most of the gap period to process the documentation. The new visa rules will apply to anyone needing a visa to come to India, even to people of Indian origin. Although there is a system of medical visas, the process is complex and off-putting, so most medical tourists come on normal tourist visas.
Eco-friendly Colors to Night Tourism in West Bengal
The Kolkata night life will soon throb with music and the sights and sounds of history. The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) is preparing to take up a project to overhaul the existing son-et-lumiere at Victoria Memorial and replace it with an “intelligent 
dynamic light-and-sound show”. The newage eco-friendly system will have low power consumption, generate less heat, save energy and have a longer shelf life.
Also on the anvil are illumination of four heritage buildings Nakhoda mosque, Town Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral and Dakshineswar temple. Add to that another son-et-lumiere show at the Park Street Cemetery for which talks have started. Here, plans are to organize a light-and-sound show with a narrative on the city’s history, that of the cemetery and the personalities buried there.
Kamat Hotels to develop heritage hotels in Odisha
Kamat Hotels India Ltd (KHIL) has signed a lease agreement of sixty years with Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC). Likewise, Kamat Hotels has acquired the heritage palace ‘Mahodadhi Niwas’ in Puri and also the Eco Resort at Ramchandi, in Konark, in addition to the Parikud Palace and Rambha Palace, which are located near the Chilka Lake.
Of the three heritage properties acquired by Kamat Hotels, Mahodadhi Niwas opened for business on November 28, 2009. In the first phase, Mahodadhi offers 12 rooms and an additional 60 are expected to be developed over the next phase. KHIL is presently involved in restoring Parikud and Rambha Palaces, which will be commissioned in a phased manner in 2010.
Update 1: Manipur Tourism Festival 2009 – showcasing rich Manipuri culture
Manipur Tourism Festival 2009 has started with fanfare on Friday at Hafta Kangjeibung in Imphal.
The festival is one of the main platforms to display the uniqueness of the culture of Manipur. Manipur festival aims at promoting tourism in the north-east by showcasing the richness of the Manipuri culture and heritage, by portraying its art and culture and exhibiting crafts, indigenous sports along with tourist spots of the state.
In all, 300 stalls including representatives from outside the state have participated in the festival. The most attractive aspect of the festival this time is the participation from Thailand.
Manipur Tourism Festival 2009 in a New Look
The Manipur Tourism Festival 2009 is going to be held at the Hatta Kangjeibung ( Palace ground), Imphal East from December 10 to 19.
Highlights of this year`s festival:
- Showcasing of extreme sports like BMX cycles
- Demonstration cum friendly competition will be held by the expert cyclists from Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, apart from local talents
- Adventure tours: cycles expedition from Imphal to Ukhrul, Siroy Lily and Dzuko valley areas will be held.
- Different items of foods including from Myanmar are also going to be made available at different stalls.
- Indigenous sports like Polo (Sagol Kangjei) will be played
- Display of famous dances like Raj Leela and other tribal dances