All posts by Swagata Basu
Indigo adds Udaipur to its air map
October 8 (TravelAndy): Indian budget carrier Indigo is going to start daily flights to Udaipur in Rajasthan from New Delhi and Mumbai.
Four daily non-stop flights to Udaipur, two each from New Delhi and Mumbai, will start from November 1.
This new destination marks Indigo’s 34th destination in India and 39th across the world. Continue reading Indigo adds Udaipur to its air map →
Chhattisgarh forests open for tourists
October 7 (TravelAndy): Chhattisgarh opened its wildlife reserves, parks and tiger reserves for tourists from October 1, said reports.
These wildlife sanctuaries, parks and tiger reserves will remain open for tourists till June 30, 2016, after which they will be closed for the rainy season.
Raman Singh, the chief minister of Chhattisgarh and state forest minister Mahesh Gagda have appealed to the citizens and tourists to protect wildlife and biodiversity while they visit these forest areas. Continue reading Chhattisgarh forests open for tourists →
All-India travel card in the making
October 6 (TravelAndy): A single smart card is set to become the licence to travel in several modes of transport, reported The Times of India.
Identified as the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), this will facilitate travel in the metro railway of Mumbai, Delhi and all other cities that offer metro connectivity.
This card can also be used to travel in public buses and suburban railway. Apart from travel, this card will also be able to be used in the payment of parking fees. Small purchases such as newspaper can be made by using this smart card. Continue reading All-India travel card in the making →
North Thailand starts rail tourism
October 5 (TravelAndy): Thailand has started special train rides in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Lampoon and Lampang, in an attempt to boost tourism in those areas, reports said.
A train with the capacity of carrying 250 passengers per trip has been allotted for this route.
The campaign of north-bound trains was flagged off from Chiang Mai on October 3 and October 4. It will be followed by a trip to Mae Mo festival scheduled to be held on November 28 and November 29. Continue reading North Thailand starts rail tourism →
Tipu palace now disabled-friendly
October 4 (TravelAndy): The Tipu Sultan summer palace in Bengaluru has become the first disabled-friendly monument in the state of Karnataka and the third in India, reported The Hindu.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) along with Arushi, a Bhopal-based NGO, have developed tactile paths within the palace premises. These paths would assist physically challenged visitors.
Braille signage have also been incorporated to help visually impaired people comprehend the information on the historical monument. Continue reading Tipu palace now disabled-friendly →
Trichy-Penang direct flight starts
October 3 (TravelAndy): Malaysia-based low-cost airline Malindo Air has started direct flights between India’s Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) and Penang in Malaysia.
The bi-weekly flight is operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
The flight will depart from Penang airport at 8.30pm and reach Trichy at 9.40pm. The return flight will leave Trichy at 10.30pm and reach Penang at 4.45am, the next day.
“We hope that this new air link will help to boost the tourism, encouraging Indian tourists to come more often and stay longer in the country,” said Tourism Malaysia director Noor Azman Samsudin in Chennai, reports said. Continue reading Trichy-Penang direct flight starts →
India to host paragliding world cup
October 2 (TravelAndy): Airports Authority of India (AAI) is going to host India’s first paragliding world cup in Himachal Pradesh from October 23 to October 31.
The actual paragliding competition will kick off from October 24 and will be held in the Bir Billing area of Kangra district in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
A total of 130 pilots from 35 countries have reportedly confirmed their participation in this event. Continue reading India to host paragliding world cup →
Guwahati hub to promote Northeast tourism
October 1 (TravelAndy): The Indian government is developing the airport in Guwahati in order to promote tourism to the country’s northeastern states.
The states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim make up India’s northeast.
Tourism minister Mahesh Sharma said INR1,200 crore had been sanctioned to make the Guwahati airport into a tourism and air-connectivity hub for the Northeast. Continue reading Guwahati hub to promote Northeast tourism →
Budget accommodation portal debuts
September 30 (TravelAndy): Online travel service provider Goibibo has launched GoStays, where travellers can book standardised budget rooms across India.
The company has introduced GoStays in its mobile and desktop applications.
The facility now curates rooms across 72 cities and 862 properties. Continue reading Budget accommodation portal debuts →
Kerala chalks temple tourism plan
September 26 (TravelAndy): In an effort to attract pilgrim tourists, the state of Kerala in India has decided to develop the Ayyarvattom Maha Sudarshana temple in its Kozhikode district. The project kicks off from October 3.
The work undertaken by Kerala tourism include construction of guest rooms for travellers, improving basic amenities and beautification of the place.
This temple, situated in Eravannur region of Kozhikode district, is the the only temple of Lord Maha Sudarshana in India. Continue reading Kerala chalks temple tourism plan →
Batik Air starts Jakarta-Bengkulu flight
September 25 (TravelAndy): Batik Air, a subsidiary of Indonesian low cost carrier Lion Air, launched a new route between Jakarta and Bengkulu on Wednesday.
Daily flights from Jakarta to Bengkulu are scheduled to depart at 4pm and the return flights will depart from Bengkulu at 7.50pm. The schedule is based on western Indonesian time.
Bengkulu, a province of Indonesia, is situated along the south west coast of Sumatra. Among the popular tourist spots are the Tapak Paderi beach and the old Fort Marlborough of British origin. Continue reading Batik Air starts Jakarta-Bengkulu flight →
Literary fest in lap of Himalayas
September 22 (TravelAndy): Kumaon Literary Festival, an travelling five-day event that will be held in two venues, will kick off in the beautiful Kumaon Himalayas of India from October 23.
While the events of first three days will be held in the village of Dhanachuli, the remaining two days’ events will take place in the popular tourist destination of Nainital in India’s Uttarakhand state.
The discussions will be based on folklore, history, food and culture of the Kumaon Himalayas. Poetry inspired by Kumaon hills will be recited. A trek to Dhanachuli village is also on the cards. Continue reading Literary fest in lap of Himalayas →