In a shocking case, Tamil Nadu Police has arrested a woman from Gudiyattam in Vellore for allegedly chopping of the genital of her husband after an argument over extra-marital affair.
Police said, the woman identified as Sarasu, a 30-year-old mother of four took the extreme step on Thursday night.
The couple had been married for 14 years, but they were living separated for nearly a year. Earlier this month they had come together on the request of their eldest son who had just turned 13 years old.
Even though they were living together, the couple used to fight accusing the other person of having extramarital affair.
On Thursday night, the police said they were fighting well into the night.
The quarrel continued till 2am on Thursday and he went to sleep. Around 3am, Sarasu brought a sharp knife from the kitchen and cut off her husband's penis and left the house with the chopped off part, said special sub-inspector of police A Krishnamoorthy.
The husband, identified as Jagadeesan was taken to a local hospital by his neighbours after they heard him crying with pain.
Police arrested Sarasu while she was on her way to her parents house and recovered the chopped-off part from her purse.
Jagadeesan who was later referred to the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital has undergone a surgery and according to the doctors he is 'out of danger'.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label India Tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India Tourism. Show all posts
Friday, 21 July 2017
INDIA: Trains Serve Contaminated Food, Unpurified Water, Rats And Cockroaches Found On Trains
A joint audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Railways has revealed alarming facts: contaminated and recycled food, unpurified water direct from taps and other edibles unfit for consumption is being served on trains and stations.
Rats and cockroaches were found in many of the 80 trains and 74 stations audited.
Proper menus and bills aren't being issued to passengers either.
While basics suffer, railways focuses on luxuries
This report comes a month after the railways introduced luxury food items from Domino's, KFC, McDonalds and more on select trains and stations.
It's not just food it is working on. In May, it announced it will launch a content-on-demand service to let passengers stream movies and TV shows while travelling.
But luxury has to come after basic services are made ideal.
A Comptroller and Auditor General audit report on the catering services in the Indian Railways, to be tabled in Parliament on Friday, has observed that food articles unsuitable for human consumption, contaminated foodstuff, recycled foodstuff, packaged and bottled items past their shelf life and unauthorised brands of water bottles were offered for sale at stations.
The audit has found fault with frequent changes in catering policy of the railways that have created a state of uncertainty in management of catering services provided to the passengers. An inspection has revealed cleanliness and hygiene are not being maintained, bills are not being given for the food items served in mobile units in trains, besides several deficiencies in food quality.
During the joint inspection of the CAG team and the railways at selected 74 stations and 80 trains, the audit noticed that cleanliness and hygiene were not being maintained at catering units at stations and in trains.
Un-purified water straight from tap was used in preparation of beverages, waste bins were not found covered, not emptied regularly and not washed, food stuff were not covered to protect them from flies, insects and dust, rats and cockroaches were found in trains etc," the audit observed.
Neither were bills provided to passengers for food items served in trains, nor printed menu cards with tariff for the list of items sold in the mobile units were available with waiters and catering managers in any of the trains inspected.
Food stuff served was less than the prescribed quantity, unapproved packaged drinking water was sold,the report has said and pointed out that prices of food articles sold in railway premises was significantly higher than the open market.
A Comptroller and Auditor General audit report on the catering services in the Indian Railways, to be tabled in Parliament on Friday, has observed that food articles unsuitable for human consumption, contaminated foodstuff, recycled foodstuff, packaged and bottled items past their shelf life and unauthorised brands of water bottles were offered for sale at stations.
Articles unsuitable for human consumption, contaminated foodstuff, recycled foodstuff, shelf life expired packaged and bottled items, unauthorised brands of water bottles, etc., were offered for sale on stations, CAG noted.
The report says the mess has been created due to frequent policy changes and the failure of the Indian Railways to take effective steps to bridge the gap to provide necessary infrastructure in terms of base kitchens, static catering units, and automatic vending machines etc.
Blueprint for provision of catering services was not prepared in seven Zonal Railways. The policy of progressive switch over from gas burners to electric power equipment in pantry cars to avoid the occurrence of fire accidents in trains was not followed while manufacturing the pantry cars in Integral Coach Factory, Perambur,the report said.
Earlier this year, catering scam in Indian Railways had made headlines where items as small as curd had been bought at inflated prices.
Now, another malpractice going on in various trains have surfaced, where food is being served at an inflated price. Neelabh Khanikar, through social media, has brought another malpractice to the light.
Bareilly resident, Khanikar, was travelling from Duliajan to Dimapur on the New Tinsukia Rajendra Nagar Patna Express with his family, when he bought two plates of egg biryani.
Khanikar paid Rs 80 for each plate of biryani, but he grew suspicious and went to the pantry is asked for the menu. There, he found that actual price of one plate egg biriyani was Rs 63 instead of charged Rs 80.
Khanikar asked the person concerned why was he charged more than the given price. Since Khanikar was recording video of his conversation, no one spoke anything.
Khanikar was asked to stop recording and talk, but he refused, saying that he will bring the matter to the notice of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
The officials say that they had overcharged by mistake, and didn’t realise the actual price of the food, finally agreeing to return the extra money to him.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Rats and cockroaches were found in many of the 80 trains and 74 stations audited.
Proper menus and bills aren't being issued to passengers either.
While basics suffer, railways focuses on luxuries
This report comes a month after the railways introduced luxury food items from Domino's, KFC, McDonalds and more on select trains and stations.
It's not just food it is working on. In May, it announced it will launch a content-on-demand service to let passengers stream movies and TV shows while travelling.
But luxury has to come after basic services are made ideal.
A Comptroller and Auditor General audit report on the catering services in the Indian Railways, to be tabled in Parliament on Friday, has observed that food articles unsuitable for human consumption, contaminated foodstuff, recycled foodstuff, packaged and bottled items past their shelf life and unauthorised brands of water bottles were offered for sale at stations.
The audit has found fault with frequent changes in catering policy of the railways that have created a state of uncertainty in management of catering services provided to the passengers. An inspection has revealed cleanliness and hygiene are not being maintained, bills are not being given for the food items served in mobile units in trains, besides several deficiencies in food quality.
During the joint inspection of the CAG team and the railways at selected 74 stations and 80 trains, the audit noticed that cleanliness and hygiene were not being maintained at catering units at stations and in trains.
Un-purified water straight from tap was used in preparation of beverages, waste bins were not found covered, not emptied regularly and not washed, food stuff were not covered to protect them from flies, insects and dust, rats and cockroaches were found in trains etc," the audit observed.
Neither were bills provided to passengers for food items served in trains, nor printed menu cards with tariff for the list of items sold in the mobile units were available with waiters and catering managers in any of the trains inspected.
Food stuff served was less than the prescribed quantity, unapproved packaged drinking water was sold,the report has said and pointed out that prices of food articles sold in railway premises was significantly higher than the open market.
A Comptroller and Auditor General audit report on the catering services in the Indian Railways, to be tabled in Parliament on Friday, has observed that food articles unsuitable for human consumption, contaminated foodstuff, recycled foodstuff, packaged and bottled items past their shelf life and unauthorised brands of water bottles were offered for sale at stations.
Articles unsuitable for human consumption, contaminated foodstuff, recycled foodstuff, shelf life expired packaged and bottled items, unauthorised brands of water bottles, etc., were offered for sale on stations, CAG noted.
The report says the mess has been created due to frequent policy changes and the failure of the Indian Railways to take effective steps to bridge the gap to provide necessary infrastructure in terms of base kitchens, static catering units, and automatic vending machines etc.
Blueprint for provision of catering services was not prepared in seven Zonal Railways. The policy of progressive switch over from gas burners to electric power equipment in pantry cars to avoid the occurrence of fire accidents in trains was not followed while manufacturing the pantry cars in Integral Coach Factory, Perambur,the report said.
Earlier this year, catering scam in Indian Railways had made headlines where items as small as curd had been bought at inflated prices.
Now, another malpractice going on in various trains have surfaced, where food is being served at an inflated price. Neelabh Khanikar, through social media, has brought another malpractice to the light.
Bareilly resident, Khanikar, was travelling from Duliajan to Dimapur on the New Tinsukia Rajendra Nagar Patna Express with his family, when he bought two plates of egg biryani.
Khanikar paid Rs 80 for each plate of biryani, but he grew suspicious and went to the pantry is asked for the menu. There, he found that actual price of one plate egg biriyani was Rs 63 instead of charged Rs 80.
Khanikar asked the person concerned why was he charged more than the given price. Since Khanikar was recording video of his conversation, no one spoke anything.
Khanikar was asked to stop recording and talk, but he refused, saying that he will bring the matter to the notice of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
The officials say that they had overcharged by mistake, and didn’t realise the actual price of the food, finally agreeing to return the extra money to him.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Monday, 17 July 2017
INDIA: 16 Tourist Pilgrims Dead, 27 Injured In Bus Accident
At least 16 Hindu pilgrims were killed and 27 others injured Sunday after a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.
The accident took place in Ramban district, about 107 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
This afternoon a pilgrim bus skidded off the road and fell into Nashrana Nallah on Srinagar Jammu highway, a police spokesman said.
At least 16 pilgrims were killed on spot, while 19 are seriously injured and eight others have suffered minor injuries.
Following the accident police and locals rushed to the spot to carry out rescue work and retrieve bodies.
The critical ones have been airlifted to Jammu, while as others with minor injuries have been referred to the nearest hospitals.
The annual pilgrimage to Hindi shrine of Amarnath began on June 29. More than 100,000 pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine perched high in the Himalayas.
Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.
Rescuers transfer the injured near the site where a bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Ramban district, Indian-controlled Kashmir, July 16, 2017.
At least 16 Hindu pilgrims were killed and 27 others injured Sunday after a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
The accident took place in Ramban district, about 107 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
This afternoon a pilgrim bus skidded off the road and fell into Nashrana Nallah on Srinagar Jammu highway, a police spokesman said.
At least 16 pilgrims were killed on spot, while 19 are seriously injured and eight others have suffered minor injuries.
Following the accident police and locals rushed to the spot to carry out rescue work and retrieve bodies.
The critical ones have been airlifted to Jammu, while as others with minor injuries have been referred to the nearest hospitals.
The annual pilgrimage to Hindi shrine of Amarnath began on June 29. More than 100,000 pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine perched high in the Himalayas.
Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.
Rescuers transfer the injured near the site where a bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Ramban district, Indian-controlled Kashmir, July 16, 2017.
At least 16 Hindu pilgrims were killed and 27 others injured Sunday after a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Sunday, 28 May 2017
INDIA: Jet Airways Introduces Third Non-stop Mumbai-London Heathrow Effective October 29, 2017,
Continuing its commitment of providing guests with greater choice, convenience and further strengthening its global footprint, Jet Airways - India’s full-service, premier international airline, today announced the introduction of its third, non-stop, daily service between Mumbai and London Heathrow.
Effective October 29, 2017, and as part of the airline’s forthcoming winter schedule, the new daytime service - 9W 116 will depart from Mumbai at 0905hrs to arrive in London Heathrow at 1335hrs (local time).
On its return, the planned departure for 9W 115 from London Heathrow is at 1530hrs (local time), arriving in Mumbai at 0555hrs, giving guests a head start to their day in India’s economic capital should they wish to make a stopover, be it for business or for leisure.
The new flight will boost Jet Airways’ passenger and cargo capacity between India and the United Kingdom by almost 33 percent, allowing the airline to capitalize on the growing round-the-year demand being witnessed from EU and non-EU countries to India and other emerging economies in the region, on the back of fast expanding relationships in the areas of trade, commerce, tourism, culture, and, education.
The third frequency enhances onward connectivity over London Heathrow to North America with partners Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic.
Jet Airways will now offer improved connection time and 13 destinations over London Heathrow to North America including Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Washington (Virginia).
Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways said, “Jet Airways is delighted to offer a third non-stop service between Mumbai and London Heathrow.
The new frequency will enable us to offer our guests seamless connectivity, choice and convenience with partners Delta Air Lines and Virgin
Atlantic over London Heathrow with a single baggage drop and through check-in. Our world-class experience together with our signature Indian hospitality, makes us stand apart from the competition.” Jet Airways, nominated by TripAdvisor as “India’s Best Airline1” will deploy the biggest aircraft in its fleet – Boeing 777-300ER, offering a three-class configuration that includes the airline’s award-winning ‘First Class’ private suites, 180° lie-flat beds for Business travelers as well as comfortable and ergonomic designed Economy seating, on the new frequency.
Guests will also be able to choose from a carefully-curated menu of delectable international cuisine and experience our cutting-edge in-flight entertainment system, all delivered with the airline’s trademark touch of warm and endearing Indian hospitality.
The new addition will also expand cargo capacity and promote greater access, right from India, SAARC and ASEAN region to London Heathrow facilitating carriage of commodities such as perishables, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, garments & fabrics, seasonal flowers, packaged foods, specialized medical equipment and supplies.
Effective October 29, 2017, and as part of the airline’s forthcoming winter schedule, the new daytime service - 9W 116 will depart from Mumbai at 0905hrs to arrive in London Heathrow at 1335hrs (local time).
On its return, the planned departure for 9W 115 from London Heathrow is at 1530hrs (local time), arriving in Mumbai at 0555hrs, giving guests a head start to their day in India’s economic capital should they wish to make a stopover, be it for business or for leisure.
The new flight will boost Jet Airways’ passenger and cargo capacity between India and the United Kingdom by almost 33 percent, allowing the airline to capitalize on the growing round-the-year demand being witnessed from EU and non-EU countries to India and other emerging economies in the region, on the back of fast expanding relationships in the areas of trade, commerce, tourism, culture, and, education.
The third frequency enhances onward connectivity over London Heathrow to North America with partners Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic.
Jet Airways will now offer improved connection time and 13 destinations over London Heathrow to North America including Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Washington (Virginia).
Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways said, “Jet Airways is delighted to offer a third non-stop service between Mumbai and London Heathrow.
The new frequency will enable us to offer our guests seamless connectivity, choice and convenience with partners Delta Air Lines and Virgin
Atlantic over London Heathrow with a single baggage drop and through check-in. Our world-class experience together with our signature Indian hospitality, makes us stand apart from the competition.” Jet Airways, nominated by TripAdvisor as “India’s Best Airline1” will deploy the biggest aircraft in its fleet – Boeing 777-300ER, offering a three-class configuration that includes the airline’s award-winning ‘First Class’ private suites, 180° lie-flat beds for Business travelers as well as comfortable and ergonomic designed Economy seating, on the new frequency.
Guests will also be able to choose from a carefully-curated menu of delectable international cuisine and experience our cutting-edge in-flight entertainment system, all delivered with the airline’s trademark touch of warm and endearing Indian hospitality.
The new addition will also expand cargo capacity and promote greater access, right from India, SAARC and ASEAN region to London Heathrow facilitating carriage of commodities such as perishables, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, garments & fabrics, seasonal flowers, packaged foods, specialized medical equipment and supplies.
Monday, 22 May 2017
INDIA: Valley Of Flowers National Park
Valley of Flowers National Park is an Indian national park, located in West Himalaya, in the state of Uttarakhand and is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear,snow leopard,musk deer,brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep.
Birds found in the park include Himalayan monal pheasant and other high altitude birds.At 3352 to 3658 meters above sea level, the gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park to the east.
Together, they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km2 and it is about 8 km long and 2 km wide.Both parks are encompassed in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (223,674 ha) which is further surrounded by a buffer zone (5,148.57 km2). This Reserve is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004.
The Valley of Flowers is a high-altitude Himalayan valley that has long been acknowledged by renowned mountaineers, botanists, and in literature. It has been recognized internationally for over a century and is referenced in the Hindu religion. Local people have visited the valley since ancient times.
Indian yogis (Yogesh Mota) are known to have visited the valley for meditation.The Valley of Flowers has many different colourful flowers, taking on various shades of colours as time progressed.The valley was declared a national park in 1982 and now it is a World Heritage Site.
The Valley of Flowers has gained importance as a region containing a diversity of alpine flora, representative of the Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows ecoregion. The rich diversity of species reflects the valley's location within a transition zone between the Zanskar and Great Himalayas ranges to the north and south, respectively, and between the Eastern Himalaya and Western Himalaya flora.
A number of plant species are considered threatened. Several have not been recorded outside of Uttarakhand. Two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park. The diversity of threatened species of medicinal plants is higher than has been recorded in other Indian Himalayan protected areas.
The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA). The Valley of Flowers National Park is the second core zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Seven restricted-range bird species are endemic to this part of the EBA.
The Valley of Flowers is nestled in the upper expanses of Bhyundar Ganga near Joshimath in Garhwal region. The lower reaches of Bhyundar Ganga near Gobindghat are known as Bhyundar Valley. The Valley of Flowers is in the Pushpawati valley 23 km north-northwest of Nanda Devi Park, It lies between 30° 41' to 30° 48'N and 79° 33' to 79° 46'E.
The Valley is 20 km northwest of Nanda Devi National Park across the wide valley of the Bhyundar Ganga. It is one of two hanging valleys lying at the head of the Bhyundar valley,the other being the shorter Hemkund valley which runs parallel some 10 km south. It runs east-west approximately 15 km by an average of 6 km wide, in the basin of the Pushpawati river, a small tributary flowing from the Tipra glacier which descends from Gauri Parbat in the east.
The area lies on the Zanskar range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri parbat at 6,719 m above sea level.
1862: The Pushpawati valley was discovered by Col. Edmund Smyth;
1931: The valley visited by the climber Frank S. Smythe who wrote a book publicising the "Valley of Flowers";
1934: The upper Nanda Devi Sanctuary was reached and described by mountaineers Eric Shipton & Bill Tilman;
1936: Mountaineers Bill Tilman & Noel Odell climbed Nanda Devi;
1939: The basin established as the Nanda Devi Game Sanctuary by Government Order 1493/XIV- 28 of 7/01;
1962: Border disputes closed the area to traffic, altering the local economy;
1974-82: The sanctuary was opened to mountaineering, but the ensuing degradation led to its closure to all users;
1980: The park was established as Sanjay Gandhi National Park by Notification 3912/ XIV 3-35-80; grazing and mountaineering stopped;
1980: The Valley of Flowers was declared a national park by Government Order 4278/XIV-3-66-80 under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, for the conservation of its flora;
1982: The park was renamed Nanda Devi National Park;
1988: The Nanda Devi National Biosphere Reserve established (223,674 ha) with the national park as core zone (62,462 ha) and a 514,857 ha buffer area surrounding both sites; restrictions were imposed on the rights of nearby villagers;
2000: The Biosphere Reserve extended by the government to 586,069 ha and the Valley of Flowers National Park was added as the second core zone (62,462 ha+ 8,750 ha, totalling core areas of 71,212 ha);
2004: The two core zones and buffer zone designated a UNESCO MAB reserve.
The park is administered by the Uttarakhand State Forestry Department, the national Ministry of Environment and Forests, India. There is no settlement in the national park and grazing in the area has been banned since 1983. The park is open only during summer from June to October and it is covered by heavy snow for the rest of the year.
Being an inner Himalayan valley, the Nanda Devi Basin has a distinctive microclimate. Conditions are generally dry with low annual precipitation, but there is heavy monsoon rainfall from late June to early September. Prevailing mist and low cloud during the monsoon keeps the soil moist, hence the vegetation is lusher than is usual in the drier inner Himalayan valleys.
From mid April to June temperatures are moderate to cool (19 °C maximum). The Valley of Flowers also has the microclimate of an enclosed inner Himalayan valley, and is shielded from the full impact of the southwest summer monsoon by the Greater Himalaya range to its south. There is often dense fog and rain especially during the late summer monsoon.
Both Basin and Valley are usually snow-bound for six to seven months between late October and late March, the snow accumulating deeper and at lower altitudes on the shadowed southern than on the northern side of the valleys.
Getting to the Valley of Flowers requires a trek of about 17 km (10.5 mi). The nearest major town is Joshimath in Garhwal, which has convenient road connections from Haridwar and Dehradun, both about 270 km (168 mi) from Joshimath. From Delhi, one can take the train to Haridwar and then travel by bus to Govindghat via Rishikesh.Govindghat is approximately 24 km before another important destination of Badrinath. It is also possible to drive from Delhi to Govindghat, a distance of about 500 km.
Govindghat is a small place close to Joshimath (around one hour distance), where the trek begins. From Gobindghat, shared taxis up to 4 km and then a trek of less than 11 km (8.6 mi) brings trekkers to Ghangaria, a small settlement located about 3 km (about 2 mi) from the valley. One can also hire a porter, mule or helicopter to reach Ghangaria.
The trek from Gobindghat to Ghangaria is common to the Sikh Temple at Hemkund and a trekker is likely to find many Sikh pilgrims on the route.As one nears Ghangaria one is greeted by fields of perfumed wild flowers, wild rose bushes and wild strawberries by the sides of the path. The visitors to Valley of Flowers need to get a permit from Forest Department, at Ghangaria and the permit is valid for three days and visiting and trekking is allowed only during day time.
As visitors are not allowed to stay inside the National park, accommodation can be obtained at Gangaria.Best time to visit is between late July and early September, when the valley is full of flowers, just after the outbreak of monsoon.
The valley has three sub-alpine between 3,200m and 3,500m which is the limit for trees, lower alpine between 3,500m and 3,700m, and higher alpine above 3,700m. The habitats include valley bottom, river bed, small forests, meadows, eroded, scrubby and stable slopes, moraine, plateau, bogs, stone desert and caves. The lower surrounding hills in the buffer zone are thickly forested.
The Forest Research Institute in 1992 recorded 600 species of angiosperms and 30 pteridophytes in the valley and surroundings, discovering 58 new records for the valley of which 4 were new for Himalayan state. Of these plants, 5 out of 6 species globally threatened are not found in Nanda Devi National Park or elsewhere in Uttarakhand: Aconitum falconeri, A. balfouri, Himalayan maple (Acer caesium), the blue Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis aculeata) and Saussurea atkinsoni.
Kala classified 31 species of rare and endangered categories within the national park in 1998. Further his studies report that the dominant family in Valley of Flowers is Asteraceae with 62 species.45 medicinal plants are used by local villagers and several species, such as Saussurea obvallata (brahmakamal) are collected as religious offerings to goddesses Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi.The site is designated a Centre of Plant Diversity.
Characteristic of the sub-alpine zone are high altitude forests which help to retain moisture and snow and support a large number of floral and faunal communities. It is dominated by the uncommon Himalayan maple Acer caesium (VU), west Himalayan fir Abies pindrow, Himalayan white birch Betula utilis, and Rhododendron campanulatum with Himalayan yew Taxus wallichiana, Syringa emodi and Sorbus lanata.
Some of the common herbs are Arisaema jacquemontii, Boschniakia himalaica, Corydalis cashmeriana, Polemonium caerulium, Polygonum polystachyum (a rampant tall weed), Impatiens sulcata, Geranium wallichianum, Galium aparine, Morina longifolia, Inula grandiflora, Nomochoris oxypetala, Anemone rivularis, Pedicularis pectinata, P. bicornuta, Primula denticulate and Trillidium govanianum.In trampled areas where past livestock congregated, Himalayan knotweed Polygonum polystachium is a rampant weed.
The density of wild animals in the valley is not high, but all the animals found are rare or endangered. A total 13 species of mammals are recorded for the park by CP Kala and its vicinity although only he sighted 9 species directly: northern plains grey langur Semnopithecus entellus, flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista, Himalayan black bear Ursus thibetanus (VU), red fox Vulpes vulpes, Himalayan weasel Mustela sibirica, and Himalayan yellow-throated marten Martes flavigula, Himalayan goral Naemorhedus goral, Himalayan musk deer Moschus leucogaster, Indian chevrotain Moschiola indica, Himalayan thar Hemitragus jemlahicus (VU) and serow Capricornis sumatraensis (VU).
The tahr is common, the serow, goral, musk deer and bharal, blue sheep are rare.The common leopard Panthera pardus is reported from lower parts of the valley closer to the villages. Local people have also reported evidence of brown bear Ursus arctos and bharal or blue sheep Pseudois nayaur. A recent faunal survey in October 2004 has established the presence of snow leopard Panthera uncia (EN) in the national park.
The area is within the West Himalayan Endemic Bird Area but there have been no surveys specific to the Valley. 114 species were seen in 1993 in Nanda Devi Park.
Species frequently seen in the valley include lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis, yellow billed and red billed choughs Pyrrhocorax graculus and P. pyrrhocorax, koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha, the nationally listed Himalayan monal pheasant Lophophorus impejanus, found in rhododendron thickets, scaly-bellied and yellow-nape woodpeckers Picus squamatus and P. flavinucha, great and bluethroated barbets Megalaima virens and M. asiatica, snow pigeon Columba leuconota and spotted dove Stigmatopelia chinensis.
The area is relatively poor in reptiles: most often seen are the high altitude lizard Agama tuberculata, Himalayan ground skink Leiolopisma himalayana and Himalayan pit viper Gloydius himalayanus. Along with the flowers are wild bees and many species of butterfly which need to be more researched.
A few of the more evident species are lime butterfly Papilio demoleus demoleus, common yellow swallowtail Papilio machaon, common Mormon Papilio polytes romulus, spangle Papilio protenor protenor and common blue apollo Parnassius hardwickei.
The flora was surveyed and inventoried in 1987 by the Botanical Survey of India, in 1992 by the Forest Research Institute and in 1997 by the Wildlife Institute of India which found five species new to science. A research nursery and seed/rhizome/tuber bank for propagating rare plants and valuable medicinal herbs has been created at Musadhar near the entrance of the site.
Rare and valuable medicinal plants are the subject of special programs. These include Aconitum heterophyllum, A. falconeri, Arnebia benthamii, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Gymnadenia orchides, Megacarpaea polyandra, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Podophyllum haxandrum and Taxus wallichiana.
Research plots have been set up to determine the best way to control the spread of the tall Himalayan knotweed Polygonum polystachium without damaging other plants or the surface of the soil. A first annual survey was conducted in 2004 and will be repeated annually.
Flowers mostly orchids, poppies, primulas, marigold, daisies and anemones carpet the ground.Sub-alpine forests of birch and rhododendron cover parts of the park's area. A decade long study of Prof. C.P. Kala from 1993 onwards concludes that the Valley of Flowers endows with 520 species of higher plants (angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes), of these 498 are flowering plants.
The park has many species of medicinal plants including Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Aconitum violaceum, Polygonatum multiflorum, Fritillaria roylei and Podophyllum hexandrum.
Birds found in the park include Himalayan monal pheasant and other high altitude birds.At 3352 to 3658 meters above sea level, the gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park to the east.
Together, they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km2 and it is about 8 km long and 2 km wide.Both parks are encompassed in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (223,674 ha) which is further surrounded by a buffer zone (5,148.57 km2). This Reserve is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004.
The Valley of Flowers is a high-altitude Himalayan valley that has long been acknowledged by renowned mountaineers, botanists, and in literature. It has been recognized internationally for over a century and is referenced in the Hindu religion. Local people have visited the valley since ancient times.
Indian yogis (Yogesh Mota) are known to have visited the valley for meditation.The Valley of Flowers has many different colourful flowers, taking on various shades of colours as time progressed.The valley was declared a national park in 1982 and now it is a World Heritage Site.
The Valley of Flowers has gained importance as a region containing a diversity of alpine flora, representative of the Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows ecoregion. The rich diversity of species reflects the valley's location within a transition zone between the Zanskar and Great Himalayas ranges to the north and south, respectively, and between the Eastern Himalaya and Western Himalaya flora.
A number of plant species are considered threatened. Several have not been recorded outside of Uttarakhand. Two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park. The diversity of threatened species of medicinal plants is higher than has been recorded in other Indian Himalayan protected areas.
The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA). The Valley of Flowers National Park is the second core zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Seven restricted-range bird species are endemic to this part of the EBA.
The Valley of Flowers is nestled in the upper expanses of Bhyundar Ganga near Joshimath in Garhwal region. The lower reaches of Bhyundar Ganga near Gobindghat are known as Bhyundar Valley. The Valley of Flowers is in the Pushpawati valley 23 km north-northwest of Nanda Devi Park, It lies between 30° 41' to 30° 48'N and 79° 33' to 79° 46'E.
The Valley is 20 km northwest of Nanda Devi National Park across the wide valley of the Bhyundar Ganga. It is one of two hanging valleys lying at the head of the Bhyundar valley,the other being the shorter Hemkund valley which runs parallel some 10 km south. It runs east-west approximately 15 km by an average of 6 km wide, in the basin of the Pushpawati river, a small tributary flowing from the Tipra glacier which descends from Gauri Parbat in the east.
The area lies on the Zanskar range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri parbat at 6,719 m above sea level.
1862: The Pushpawati valley was discovered by Col. Edmund Smyth;
1931: The valley visited by the climber Frank S. Smythe who wrote a book publicising the "Valley of Flowers";
1934: The upper Nanda Devi Sanctuary was reached and described by mountaineers Eric Shipton & Bill Tilman;
1936: Mountaineers Bill Tilman & Noel Odell climbed Nanda Devi;
1939: The basin established as the Nanda Devi Game Sanctuary by Government Order 1493/XIV- 28 of 7/01;
1962: Border disputes closed the area to traffic, altering the local economy;
1974-82: The sanctuary was opened to mountaineering, but the ensuing degradation led to its closure to all users;
1980: The park was established as Sanjay Gandhi National Park by Notification 3912/ XIV 3-35-80; grazing and mountaineering stopped;
1980: The Valley of Flowers was declared a national park by Government Order 4278/XIV-3-66-80 under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, for the conservation of its flora;
1982: The park was renamed Nanda Devi National Park;
1988: The Nanda Devi National Biosphere Reserve established (223,674 ha) with the national park as core zone (62,462 ha) and a 514,857 ha buffer area surrounding both sites; restrictions were imposed on the rights of nearby villagers;
2000: The Biosphere Reserve extended by the government to 586,069 ha and the Valley of Flowers National Park was added as the second core zone (62,462 ha+ 8,750 ha, totalling core areas of 71,212 ha);
2004: The two core zones and buffer zone designated a UNESCO MAB reserve.
The park is administered by the Uttarakhand State Forestry Department, the national Ministry of Environment and Forests, India. There is no settlement in the national park and grazing in the area has been banned since 1983. The park is open only during summer from June to October and it is covered by heavy snow for the rest of the year.
Being an inner Himalayan valley, the Nanda Devi Basin has a distinctive microclimate. Conditions are generally dry with low annual precipitation, but there is heavy monsoon rainfall from late June to early September. Prevailing mist and low cloud during the monsoon keeps the soil moist, hence the vegetation is lusher than is usual in the drier inner Himalayan valleys.
From mid April to June temperatures are moderate to cool (19 °C maximum). The Valley of Flowers also has the microclimate of an enclosed inner Himalayan valley, and is shielded from the full impact of the southwest summer monsoon by the Greater Himalaya range to its south. There is often dense fog and rain especially during the late summer monsoon.
Both Basin and Valley are usually snow-bound for six to seven months between late October and late March, the snow accumulating deeper and at lower altitudes on the shadowed southern than on the northern side of the valleys.
Getting to the Valley of Flowers requires a trek of about 17 km (10.5 mi). The nearest major town is Joshimath in Garhwal, which has convenient road connections from Haridwar and Dehradun, both about 270 km (168 mi) from Joshimath. From Delhi, one can take the train to Haridwar and then travel by bus to Govindghat via Rishikesh.Govindghat is approximately 24 km before another important destination of Badrinath. It is also possible to drive from Delhi to Govindghat, a distance of about 500 km.
Govindghat is a small place close to Joshimath (around one hour distance), where the trek begins. From Gobindghat, shared taxis up to 4 km and then a trek of less than 11 km (8.6 mi) brings trekkers to Ghangaria, a small settlement located about 3 km (about 2 mi) from the valley. One can also hire a porter, mule or helicopter to reach Ghangaria.
The trek from Gobindghat to Ghangaria is common to the Sikh Temple at Hemkund and a trekker is likely to find many Sikh pilgrims on the route.As one nears Ghangaria one is greeted by fields of perfumed wild flowers, wild rose bushes and wild strawberries by the sides of the path. The visitors to Valley of Flowers need to get a permit from Forest Department, at Ghangaria and the permit is valid for three days and visiting and trekking is allowed only during day time.
As visitors are not allowed to stay inside the National park, accommodation can be obtained at Gangaria.Best time to visit is between late July and early September, when the valley is full of flowers, just after the outbreak of monsoon.
The valley has three sub-alpine between 3,200m and 3,500m which is the limit for trees, lower alpine between 3,500m and 3,700m, and higher alpine above 3,700m. The habitats include valley bottom, river bed, small forests, meadows, eroded, scrubby and stable slopes, moraine, plateau, bogs, stone desert and caves. The lower surrounding hills in the buffer zone are thickly forested.
The Forest Research Institute in 1992 recorded 600 species of angiosperms and 30 pteridophytes in the valley and surroundings, discovering 58 new records for the valley of which 4 were new for Himalayan state. Of these plants, 5 out of 6 species globally threatened are not found in Nanda Devi National Park or elsewhere in Uttarakhand: Aconitum falconeri, A. balfouri, Himalayan maple (Acer caesium), the blue Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis aculeata) and Saussurea atkinsoni.
Kala classified 31 species of rare and endangered categories within the national park in 1998. Further his studies report that the dominant family in Valley of Flowers is Asteraceae with 62 species.45 medicinal plants are used by local villagers and several species, such as Saussurea obvallata (brahmakamal) are collected as religious offerings to goddesses Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi.The site is designated a Centre of Plant Diversity.
Characteristic of the sub-alpine zone are high altitude forests which help to retain moisture and snow and support a large number of floral and faunal communities. It is dominated by the uncommon Himalayan maple Acer caesium (VU), west Himalayan fir Abies pindrow, Himalayan white birch Betula utilis, and Rhododendron campanulatum with Himalayan yew Taxus wallichiana, Syringa emodi and Sorbus lanata.
Some of the common herbs are Arisaema jacquemontii, Boschniakia himalaica, Corydalis cashmeriana, Polemonium caerulium, Polygonum polystachyum (a rampant tall weed), Impatiens sulcata, Geranium wallichianum, Galium aparine, Morina longifolia, Inula grandiflora, Nomochoris oxypetala, Anemone rivularis, Pedicularis pectinata, P. bicornuta, Primula denticulate and Trillidium govanianum.In trampled areas where past livestock congregated, Himalayan knotweed Polygonum polystachium is a rampant weed.
The density of wild animals in the valley is not high, but all the animals found are rare or endangered. A total 13 species of mammals are recorded for the park by CP Kala and its vicinity although only he sighted 9 species directly: northern plains grey langur Semnopithecus entellus, flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista, Himalayan black bear Ursus thibetanus (VU), red fox Vulpes vulpes, Himalayan weasel Mustela sibirica, and Himalayan yellow-throated marten Martes flavigula, Himalayan goral Naemorhedus goral, Himalayan musk deer Moschus leucogaster, Indian chevrotain Moschiola indica, Himalayan thar Hemitragus jemlahicus (VU) and serow Capricornis sumatraensis (VU).
The tahr is common, the serow, goral, musk deer and bharal, blue sheep are rare.The common leopard Panthera pardus is reported from lower parts of the valley closer to the villages. Local people have also reported evidence of brown bear Ursus arctos and bharal or blue sheep Pseudois nayaur. A recent faunal survey in October 2004 has established the presence of snow leopard Panthera uncia (EN) in the national park.
The area is within the West Himalayan Endemic Bird Area but there have been no surveys specific to the Valley. 114 species were seen in 1993 in Nanda Devi Park.
Species frequently seen in the valley include lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis, yellow billed and red billed choughs Pyrrhocorax graculus and P. pyrrhocorax, koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha, the nationally listed Himalayan monal pheasant Lophophorus impejanus, found in rhododendron thickets, scaly-bellied and yellow-nape woodpeckers Picus squamatus and P. flavinucha, great and bluethroated barbets Megalaima virens and M. asiatica, snow pigeon Columba leuconota and spotted dove Stigmatopelia chinensis.
The area is relatively poor in reptiles: most often seen are the high altitude lizard Agama tuberculata, Himalayan ground skink Leiolopisma himalayana and Himalayan pit viper Gloydius himalayanus. Along with the flowers are wild bees and many species of butterfly which need to be more researched.
A few of the more evident species are lime butterfly Papilio demoleus demoleus, common yellow swallowtail Papilio machaon, common Mormon Papilio polytes romulus, spangle Papilio protenor protenor and common blue apollo Parnassius hardwickei.
The flora was surveyed and inventoried in 1987 by the Botanical Survey of India, in 1992 by the Forest Research Institute and in 1997 by the Wildlife Institute of India which found five species new to science. A research nursery and seed/rhizome/tuber bank for propagating rare plants and valuable medicinal herbs has been created at Musadhar near the entrance of the site.
Rare and valuable medicinal plants are the subject of special programs. These include Aconitum heterophyllum, A. falconeri, Arnebia benthamii, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Gymnadenia orchides, Megacarpaea polyandra, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Podophyllum haxandrum and Taxus wallichiana.
Research plots have been set up to determine the best way to control the spread of the tall Himalayan knotweed Polygonum polystachium without damaging other plants or the surface of the soil. A first annual survey was conducted in 2004 and will be repeated annually.
Flowers mostly orchids, poppies, primulas, marigold, daisies and anemones carpet the ground.Sub-alpine forests of birch and rhododendron cover parts of the park's area. A decade long study of Prof. C.P. Kala from 1993 onwards concludes that the Valley of Flowers endows with 520 species of higher plants (angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes), of these 498 are flowering plants.
The park has many species of medicinal plants including Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Aconitum violaceum, Polygonatum multiflorum, Fritillaria roylei and Podophyllum hexandrum.
Friday, 30 December 2016
INDIA: Demonetization Has No Effect On Tourism, Says Tourism Ministry
Demonetization has had no impact on the arrival of foreign tourists into the country, data released by the Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday, showed.
According to the data available for the month of November, the number of tourists that came to India grew 9.3% to 8.91 lakh from 8.16 lakh in the same period last year.
The Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) also saw a surge, rising 14.4% to Rs 14,474 crore in November from 11,431 crore in the same period last year.
"Demonetization did not have any impact on the foreign Tourist Arrival and Foreign Exchange Earnings which have shown robust growth over the comparative period lsat year," the Ministry of Tourism said in a statement.
It said that the government had taken a number of steps to ensure that no hardship is faced by the tourists and the industry is not affected."
The government demonetized the use of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from November 8 which took out 86% of the currency (in value terms) from the economy, essentially creating a deep cash crunch situation. Indians were left with no option but to line up outside ATMs and banks to withdraw money within prescribed limits and even foreign tourists who landed in India faced trouble exchanging the currency at airports.
Foreign tourists took to e-tickets and cashless payments at Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monuments. According to the data, in the one month since demonetization (November 9 till December 8) e-ticket sales went up to 28,176 from 2,807 in the previous month (October 9 till November 8). Sales of e-tickets garnered Rs 181.49 lakh in the period compared to Rs 3.10 lakh in the corresponding period.
According to the data available for the month of November, the number of tourists that came to India grew 9.3% to 8.91 lakh from 8.16 lakh in the same period last year.
The Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) also saw a surge, rising 14.4% to Rs 14,474 crore in November from 11,431 crore in the same period last year.
"Demonetization did not have any impact on the foreign Tourist Arrival and Foreign Exchange Earnings which have shown robust growth over the comparative period lsat year," the Ministry of Tourism said in a statement.
It said that the government had taken a number of steps to ensure that no hardship is faced by the tourists and the industry is not affected."
The government demonetized the use of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from November 8 which took out 86% of the currency (in value terms) from the economy, essentially creating a deep cash crunch situation. Indians were left with no option but to line up outside ATMs and banks to withdraw money within prescribed limits and even foreign tourists who landed in India faced trouble exchanging the currency at airports.
Foreign tourists took to e-tickets and cashless payments at Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monuments. According to the data, in the one month since demonetization (November 9 till December 8) e-ticket sales went up to 28,176 from 2,807 in the previous month (October 9 till November 8). Sales of e-tickets garnered Rs 181.49 lakh in the period compared to Rs 3.10 lakh in the corresponding period.
Saturday, 12 December 2015
INDIA: Contribution of Tourism and Hospitality Sector to Economy
As per the 2nd Tourism Satellite Account of India (TSA) - 2009-10 and subsequent estimation for the next three years namely 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13, the contribution of tourism to total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 were 6.77%, 6.76%, 6.76% and 6.88%, respectively. The contribution of tourism to total Employment of the Country during 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 were 10.17%, 10.78%, 11.49% and 12.36%, respectively.
Keeping in view this significant contribution of tourism in economy and employment of the country, Ministry of Tourism makes adequate policies and programmes to attract more tourists. Some of the major initiatives taken by the Ministry of Tourism to attract more foreign tourists in the country are as below:
i. Central Financial Assistance (CFA):
Ministry of Tourism operates various schemes through which Central Financial Assistance (CFA) is provided to States/UTs for overall development and promotion of tourism.
Recently, Ministry of Tourism has launched following two new schemes for development of tourism in thematic manner:
Swadesh Darshan: Swadesh Darshan was launched for development of theme based tourist circuits in a way that caters to both mass and niche tourism in a holistic manner. Twelve Circuits namely North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit and Ramayana Circuit have been identified for development under this Scheme.
National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD): This new Scheme has been launched for the development and beautification of pilgrimage sites to tap the growth of domestic tourists driven by religious sentiments and to augment tourism infrastructure at places of pilgrimage to facilitate pilgrims/tourists. In the first phase, cities namely Amritsar, Kedarnath, Ajmer, Mathura, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Dwarka, Amravati, Kanchipuram, Vellankanni, Guwahati and Patna have been identified for infrastructure development.
ii. Publicity and Promotion:
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, promotes India as a holistic destination in the international markets. As part of its promotional activities, the MoT releases campaigns in the international markets under the Incredible India brand-line to showcase various tourism destinations and products including its cultural heritage.
Moreover, a series of promotional activities are being undertaken in tourist generating markets overseas through the India Tourism Offices abroad with the objective of showcasing Indias tourism potential and promoting tourism to the country. These promotional activities include participation in travel fairs and exhibitions; organising road shows, Know India seminars & workshops; organizing and supporting Indian food and cultural festivals; publication of brochures, offering joint advertising and brochure support, and inviting media personalities, tour operators and opinion makers to visit the country under the Hospitality programme of the Ministry.
The Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to Stakeholders and Tourism Departments of States/Union Territories for undertaking promotional activities under the Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme.
iii. e Tourist Visa (e-TV):
The Government of India has introduced the facility of e-TV for the citizens of 113 countries at 16 airports. Introduction of e-TV is a Path breaking measure by the Government in easing entry formalities in the country.
Government of India has also revised the e-TV fee in four slabs of 0, US$25, US$48 and US$60 from November 3, 2015. Earlier e-TV application fee was US$60 and bank charge as US$2 which was uniform for all the countries. The revision of Visa fee has been done on the principle of reciprocity. Bank charges have also been reduced from US$2 to 2.5 % of the e-TV fee. During the period January to October, 2015 a total of 2,58,182 e-TV holders visited India indicating the success of the new online process.
This information was given by Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Keeping in view this significant contribution of tourism in economy and employment of the country, Ministry of Tourism makes adequate policies and programmes to attract more tourists. Some of the major initiatives taken by the Ministry of Tourism to attract more foreign tourists in the country are as below:
i. Central Financial Assistance (CFA):
Ministry of Tourism operates various schemes through which Central Financial Assistance (CFA) is provided to States/UTs for overall development and promotion of tourism.
Recently, Ministry of Tourism has launched following two new schemes for development of tourism in thematic manner:
Swadesh Darshan: Swadesh Darshan was launched for development of theme based tourist circuits in a way that caters to both mass and niche tourism in a holistic manner. Twelve Circuits namely North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit and Ramayana Circuit have been identified for development under this Scheme.
National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD): This new Scheme has been launched for the development and beautification of pilgrimage sites to tap the growth of domestic tourists driven by religious sentiments and to augment tourism infrastructure at places of pilgrimage to facilitate pilgrims/tourists. In the first phase, cities namely Amritsar, Kedarnath, Ajmer, Mathura, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Dwarka, Amravati, Kanchipuram, Vellankanni, Guwahati and Patna have been identified for infrastructure development.
ii. Publicity and Promotion:
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, promotes India as a holistic destination in the international markets. As part of its promotional activities, the MoT releases campaigns in the international markets under the Incredible India brand-line to showcase various tourism destinations and products including its cultural heritage.
Moreover, a series of promotional activities are being undertaken in tourist generating markets overseas through the India Tourism Offices abroad with the objective of showcasing Indias tourism potential and promoting tourism to the country. These promotional activities include participation in travel fairs and exhibitions; organising road shows, Know India seminars & workshops; organizing and supporting Indian food and cultural festivals; publication of brochures, offering joint advertising and brochure support, and inviting media personalities, tour operators and opinion makers to visit the country under the Hospitality programme of the Ministry.
The Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to Stakeholders and Tourism Departments of States/Union Territories for undertaking promotional activities under the Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme.
iii. e Tourist Visa (e-TV):
The Government of India has introduced the facility of e-TV for the citizens of 113 countries at 16 airports. Introduction of e-TV is a Path breaking measure by the Government in easing entry formalities in the country.
Government of India has also revised the e-TV fee in four slabs of 0, US$25, US$48 and US$60 from November 3, 2015. Earlier e-TV application fee was US$60 and bank charge as US$2 which was uniform for all the countries. The revision of Visa fee has been done on the principle of reciprocity. Bank charges have also been reduced from US$2 to 2.5 % of the e-TV fee. During the period January to October, 2015 a total of 2,58,182 e-TV holders visited India indicating the success of the new online process.
This information was given by Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Thursday, 26 November 2015
INDIA: India, Bulgaria Discuss Ways To Promote Tourism
India and Bulgaria on Monday discussed issues of mutual cooperation for promoting tourism in the two countries. The discussion took place during a meeting here between Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma and his Bulgarian counterpart Nikolina Angelkova.
“They discussed the issues of mutual cooperation for the promotion of tourism sector in both the countries,” the tourism ministry said in a statement. Sharma assured the visiting minister of the cooperation of his ministry in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, saying “all possibilities would be explored for promoting tourism”.
Lack of direct air connectivity between India and Bulgaria was one of the major reasons for the small number of tourists travelling between the two countries, the statement said.
“They discussed the issues of mutual cooperation for the promotion of tourism sector in both the countries,” the tourism ministry said in a statement. Sharma assured the visiting minister of the cooperation of his ministry in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, saying “all possibilities would be explored for promoting tourism”.
Lack of direct air connectivity between India and Bulgaria was one of the major reasons for the small number of tourists travelling between the two countries, the statement said.
Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Know About Indian Outbound Travellers
Indian outbound traveller 1The UNWTO predicts the Indian outbound travel market will account for 50 million tourists by 2020, and its total outbound spending is expected to cross the US$28 billion mark. This, coupled with the country’s new generation of middle class tourists, set to grow even further, makes it a potential tourist goldmine for thousands of destinations and travel businesses.
Market overview
The second most populated country in the world after China, India is a unique and emerging travel market. It is wise to note, however, that being this a relatively poor country, the majority of Indians still cannot ordinarily afford to travel abroad; so the 18 million departures registered in 2014 represents just a small fraction (barely 2%) of the total population.
Nonetheless, there are many positive factors which are responsible for India’s increased demand for outbound travel: one is its national economy, which has been relatively strong within the last decade; another is India’s middle class which is growing rapidly – currently estimated at almost 300 million, it is set to grow from the current 32% to 50% by 2030; and thirdly, the country’s large diaspora and growing openness to the outside world, in particular from the younger generations. Second only to the Chinese, the number of Indian students studying abroad has risen sharply, in recent years, further stimulating travel abroad.
It is no wonder than, that the world of tourism is starting to take note. Among recent examples are:
Tourism Australia, aiming to get 300,000 Indian tourists by 2020;
The South African Tourism Board too, says India has become one of the key tourism generating nations;
Visit Britain aims to capitalise on the two country’s historical ties and widespread use of the English language, to achieve 80% growth by 2020;
And, in a recent interview, TripAdvisor’s President for the APAC region stated the company intends to be India’s top travel website, by the end of this year.
The Indian Outbound Traveller
Although it can be very difficult to generalise the Indian travel market, as specific destinations will tend to cater to very different segments – i.e., VFR (visiting friends and relatives), leisure or business – significant conclusions can nevertheless be drawn.
There is also a strong distinction between the upper-middle class tourists, who often travel on a budget, and a small but extremely affluent segment, looking for all the prerequisites of luxury travel. Although India is classified as a poor and developing country, its luxury travel market is a relatively big one.
The outbound Indian traveller is more likely to be male (65%), between 25-65 years old, well educated, belongs to the upper socio-economic strata of society; and travels mostly for business purposes (40%), leisure (20%) and visiting friends and family (20%). Top destinations include Thailand and the UAE; thought to be selected due to their geographical proximity, relatively relaxed visa entry requirements, abundance of direct flights, strong business relations and a low currency conversion rate, in the case of Thailand.
The APAC region, according to a new intelligence report, is consistently top for MICE travel, whilst the US, Middle East and Europe are expected to have increased visitation levels for both leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel in the next couple of years.
When travelling for leisure, package tours, with the immediate or extended family, are often preferred. Reasons often cited are the benefits of comfort, safety and the greater potential for group discounts. But as the growth of the single person household is set to continue, on par with the country’s economy, the need for stimulating independent travel (FIT) should not be completely discarded.
Also noticeable is the fact that Indians are taking more frequent holidays. According to data from Indian OTA Makemytrip.com, while five years ago, the average person would typically take an international holiday once every 18-24 months; this frequency is now estimated at once every 12-18 months.
Technology needs
Technology wise, and according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRG (Indian Market Research Bureau), India is now thought to be the second largest internet market globally, overtaking the US and only falling behind China. The same report indicated that India had shown a YOY growth of Internet usage of 32% from 2013 to 2014. This growth can be directly attributed to the decrease in hardware costs and the resulting increase in mobile penetration in the country.
Another interesting trend is the use of social media among Indian travellers. Recent research by Amadeus, places Indian travellers as active users, with 47% of Indians stating to use social media frequently during their travels. Likewise, Tourism Australia discovered 74% of all active internet users in urban India used social media; in particular Facebook, the most accessed social platform, followed by Google+ and LinkedIn.
Nonetheless, according to the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) although online distribution channels should be a way forward when it comes to travel purchases, the traditional travel agent still remains tremendously influential in India. The report states 80% of Indian travellers consult with an agent at least during the planning stage. So hotels still need to make sure that both a sound digital strategy, as well as a good relationship with the travel trade, is part of the plan to target Indian travellers.
Market overview
The second most populated country in the world after China, India is a unique and emerging travel market. It is wise to note, however, that being this a relatively poor country, the majority of Indians still cannot ordinarily afford to travel abroad; so the 18 million departures registered in 2014 represents just a small fraction (barely 2%) of the total population.
Nonetheless, there are many positive factors which are responsible for India’s increased demand for outbound travel: one is its national economy, which has been relatively strong within the last decade; another is India’s middle class which is growing rapidly – currently estimated at almost 300 million, it is set to grow from the current 32% to 50% by 2030; and thirdly, the country’s large diaspora and growing openness to the outside world, in particular from the younger generations. Second only to the Chinese, the number of Indian students studying abroad has risen sharply, in recent years, further stimulating travel abroad.
It is no wonder than, that the world of tourism is starting to take note. Among recent examples are:
Tourism Australia, aiming to get 300,000 Indian tourists by 2020;
The South African Tourism Board too, says India has become one of the key tourism generating nations;
Visit Britain aims to capitalise on the two country’s historical ties and widespread use of the English language, to achieve 80% growth by 2020;
And, in a recent interview, TripAdvisor’s President for the APAC region stated the company intends to be India’s top travel website, by the end of this year.
The Indian Outbound Traveller
Although it can be very difficult to generalise the Indian travel market, as specific destinations will tend to cater to very different segments – i.e., VFR (visiting friends and relatives), leisure or business – significant conclusions can nevertheless be drawn.
There is also a strong distinction between the upper-middle class tourists, who often travel on a budget, and a small but extremely affluent segment, looking for all the prerequisites of luxury travel. Although India is classified as a poor and developing country, its luxury travel market is a relatively big one.
The outbound Indian traveller is more likely to be male (65%), between 25-65 years old, well educated, belongs to the upper socio-economic strata of society; and travels mostly for business purposes (40%), leisure (20%) and visiting friends and family (20%). Top destinations include Thailand and the UAE; thought to be selected due to their geographical proximity, relatively relaxed visa entry requirements, abundance of direct flights, strong business relations and a low currency conversion rate, in the case of Thailand.
The APAC region, according to a new intelligence report, is consistently top for MICE travel, whilst the US, Middle East and Europe are expected to have increased visitation levels for both leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel in the next couple of years.
When travelling for leisure, package tours, with the immediate or extended family, are often preferred. Reasons often cited are the benefits of comfort, safety and the greater potential for group discounts. But as the growth of the single person household is set to continue, on par with the country’s economy, the need for stimulating independent travel (FIT) should not be completely discarded.
Also noticeable is the fact that Indians are taking more frequent holidays. According to data from Indian OTA Makemytrip.com, while five years ago, the average person would typically take an international holiday once every 18-24 months; this frequency is now estimated at once every 12-18 months.
Technology needs
Technology wise, and according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRG (Indian Market Research Bureau), India is now thought to be the second largest internet market globally, overtaking the US and only falling behind China. The same report indicated that India had shown a YOY growth of Internet usage of 32% from 2013 to 2014. This growth can be directly attributed to the decrease in hardware costs and the resulting increase in mobile penetration in the country.
Another interesting trend is the use of social media among Indian travellers. Recent research by Amadeus, places Indian travellers as active users, with 47% of Indians stating to use social media frequently during their travels. Likewise, Tourism Australia discovered 74% of all active internet users in urban India used social media; in particular Facebook, the most accessed social platform, followed by Google+ and LinkedIn.
Nonetheless, according to the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) although online distribution channels should be a way forward when it comes to travel purchases, the traditional travel agent still remains tremendously influential in India. The report states 80% of Indian travellers consult with an agent at least during the planning stage. So hotels still need to make sure that both a sound digital strategy, as well as a good relationship with the travel trade, is part of the plan to target Indian travellers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)