Tag: tourist
Tourist fined for touching seal & chasing turtle in Hawaii
August 28 (TravelAndy): A tourist from Alabama has been fined USD1,500 for touching a sleeping Hawaiian monk seal and chasing a turtle, said reports.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, monk seals and sea turtles are considered “part of the identity of the islands and hold a special place in the minds and hearts of the people of Hawaii”.
Signage is put up on touristy beaches asking people not to bother these endangered animals.
The man got into trouble after posting videos on his touching a sleeping seal and aggressively chasing a turtle while snorkelling on Instagram. Continue reading Tourist fined for touching seal & chasing turtle in Hawaii
Quake hits Lombok tourism, but industry optimistic
August 9 (TravelAndy): Thousands of tourists are cancelling their holidays in Lombok following the August 5 earthquake that killed more than 100 people. But some reports claim the situation in many parts of the island is not as bad as the viral pictures make you believe.
“There are people in affected areas that can’t get food and water. But we have a site in the south where we are building villas and a hotel called Samara Bay and there was no physical damage,” hotelier Erik Barreto told The New York Times.
Tourism hotspot Bali, which is close by, has also taken a bit of hit in terms of tourism.
It is the simple houses of Lombok’s poor inhabitants that were hardest hit by the quake. While poorly built structures toppled rapidly, much of the island’s tourist infrastructure remains more intact than imagery would suggest, The Telegraph said. Continue reading Quake hits Lombok tourism, but industry optimistic
Bhutan pioneer in tourist-check trend: Report
July 29 (TravelAndy): Bhutan pioneered a trend that the rest of the world is starting to replicate now to check the adverse effects of tourism, Bhutan Times claims.
In the recent past, the residents of Barcelona, Venice and Berlin have protested against mass tourism that have adversely affected their everyday life.
Tourists have also been known to damage historical structures in popular destinations such as Angkor Wat.
The tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan, on the other hand, have been taking measures to discourage mass tourism for quite some time now. The kingdom only saw 254,000 tourists in 2017 and consequently, its popular tourist destinations are hardly every crowded. Continue reading Bhutan pioneer in tourist-check trend: Report
Mount Agung in Bali active again, airports shut
July 1 (Notintown.net): Friday saw a lot of tourists stranded in Bali as the international airport was shut after a volcanic eruption resulted in ash and smoke in the sky, according to officials.
Nearly 450 flights were cancelled early morning at the Ngurah Rai airport after Mount Aging shot smoke and ash some 2000 metres (6500 feet) into the sky.
The shutters on the airport were brought down some early on Friday after a pilot flying overhead found volcanic ash at a height of 23,000 ft. Continue reading Mount Agung in Bali active again, airports shut
Suspension Train in Germany’s odd tourist destination list
June 26 (TravelAndy): The Suspension Train in Wuppertal, locally known as The Wuppertaler Schwebebahn, has been included in a list of “10 odd tourist attractions in Germany you shouldn’t miss” by The Local, Germany.
The Schwebebahn station is right next to the Wuppertal hauptbahnhof. You see the stairs going up on the left just as you leave the station. The beautiful hanging tram, which runs over the river Wupper (from which the town gets its name), feels like a large cable car as it gently sways while running.
It is the world’s oldest railway of it’s kind — 117 years old and still in regular use, the report adds. [Also read: Ride the Schwebebahn in Wuppertal, Germany] Continue reading Suspension Train in Germany’s odd tourist destination list
Goa: Flags and warnings to prevent tourist deaths
June 23 (TravelAndy): “No selfie” signs were put up and red flags installed at prominent tourist spots across Goa on Friday.
This comes following recent tourist deaths, the video of one of which went viral on June 17, said The Indian Express. The deaths have occurred in seaside zones marked dangerous where the victims had ventured into despite warning signs being put up.
The new flags and fresh warnings went up at the most prominent tourist spots in Goa: Baga River, Dona Paula Jetty, Sinquerim Fort, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, Ashwem, Arambol, Kerim in the north. In the south, the signs have gone up at Agonda, Bogmalo, Hollant, Baina, Japanese Garden, Betul, Canaguinim, Palolem, Khola, Cabo De Rama, Polem, Galgibagh, Talpona and Rajbagh. Continue reading Goa: Flags and warnings to prevent tourist deaths
Thailand tourist arrivals slow in May
June 19 (TravelAndy): Thailand’s tourism growth slowed to 6.3 per cent in May as compared to around 10 per cent in the preceding months, Bangkok Post reported.
A representative of Thailand’s tourism ministry Pongpanu Svetarundra said the low season, Ramadan and World Cup were among the negative factors weighing on growth.
Of all visitors last month, a majority of 2 million hailed from East Asia, followed by Europe, South Asia, America, Oceania, Middle East and Africa, he said. Continue reading Thailand tourist arrivals slow in May
Hong Kong visa rejections hit traffic from Kolkata
June 12 (TravelAndy): If you are planning a trip to Hong Kong from Kolkata, have a Plan B ready.
Thousands of rejections of the online pre-arrival registration of visas without allegedly stating a reason have cut down the number visitors from the east Indian metropolis to the autonomous administrative region in China drastically, say reports.
Hong Kong introduced the pre-arrival registration system in January 2017 and the problems started thereafter. Indian nationals earlier did not need a visa to enter the former British colony. Continue reading Hong Kong visa rejections hit traffic from Kolkata
Tulip attraction for Kashmir visitors
March 4 (TravelAndy): The Tulip Garden in Srinagar has added 50 varieties of flowers and north India’s Jammu and Kashmir state government expects a boost in tourist inflow because of that, said The Kashmir Monitor.
Ukraine plans Chernobyl tourism push
February 23 (TravelAndy): Ukraine will develop tourism near the destroyed Chernobyl nuclear power plant, reported Xinhua.
Quoting the Ukraine’s state agency for the Chernobyl zone management, the report said a new hotel and an information centre for tourists will be opened in Chernobyl.
New routes will also be developed for visitors’ access to interesting sites in the area. Continue reading Ukraine plans Chernobyl tourism push
Scottish beef more popular than haggis, salmon
November 19 (TravelAndy): MOO-ve over porridge and haggis….research highlighted by VisitScotland shows that Scottish beef appeals to consumers more than traditional porridge oats, haggis and Scottish salmon.
A topic paper published recently by the national tourism organisation – which pulls together recent food and drink research from a variety of sources to explore the role of food and drink in the visitor experience – shows that Scottish Beef tops a list of Scottish food for its appeal, with 60% of consumers surveyed preferring beef over Scottish salmon (51%), porridge oats (40%), haggis (27%) and berries (27%).
The research also reveals that almost 6 in 10 consumers (57%) most look forward to having tea at a local café, while 56% said that eating fish and chips outside particularly appealed to them during a holiday. Continue reading Scottish beef more popular than haggis, salmon
Hong Kong stops visa-free entry for Indians
December 22 (TravelAndy): Hong Kong has announced the withdrawal of visa-free entry for Indian nationals, with effect from January 23, 2017, said the official website of the immigration department of Hong Kong.
Indian travelers will now have to apply for a pre-arrival registration, which can be completed online, in order to enter Hong Kong.
“Indian nationals must apply for and successfully complete pre-arrival registration online before they can visit or transit the HKSAR visa-free (if seeking to enter the HKSAR during transit). Pre-arrival registration is not required for Indian nationals in direct transit by air and not leaving the airport transit area,” the department said. Continue reading Hong Kong stops visa-free entry for Indians