Introduce Travel Experiences Identification Tags, define road trips routes under travel circuits & promote virtual tourism: Rajasthan Studio to PM Modi

 Rajasthan Studio, a startup working on the promotion of traditional art and culture across the country, presented their vision for the local and global theme with regard to the experience economy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a virtual interaction on the eve of National Start-up Day, to be celebrated every year on January 16.

The Jaipur-based company was allowed to present suggestive policies regarding travel and tourism in India to the PM as part of the Startup India Innovation Week 2022. Kartik Gaggar, CEO, Rajasthan Studio presented his views during the virtual conference and suggested new travel policies to be implemented keeping in mind the Local to Global theme.

In its presentation, Rajasthan Studio highlighted policies and measures such as making India the preferred country to travel virtually, introducing Travel Experiences Identification Tags (TEIT), and defining road trips routes under 13 travel circuits.

The interaction with the Prime Minister was organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, where 26 startups from nine states and 11 cities of the country, also gave policy suggestions focused on the Prime Minister's Local to Global theme. Over 150 startups were invited to the discussion and representatives of various startups from Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Noida, and Indore also participated.

Gaggar’s suggestions included creating VR encounters where people can virtually explore monuments in India. He also put across why travel tags are going to be needed to identify authentic travel experiences like boarding the Mumbai local train, heritage walks in Delhi, and more. He concluded by mentioning road travel and how the government should identify and create thematic routes of touring the country.

On this occasion, PM Modi praised Gaggar’s suggestion of virtual travel and suggested that on the onset of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, competition can be organised for the children of schools and colleges all across the country. “Put together experiences, historical facts, and monuments which are compiled by startups like you and further invite the entire country for a virtual tour for the 75th year of Azadi,” mentioned the Prime Minister.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3391/Introduce-Travel-Experiences-Identification-Tags-define-road-trips-routes-under-travel-circuits-promote-virtual-tourism-Rajasthan-Studio-to-PM-Modi

Kerala Tourism launches major initiative to showcase Mystical Malabar

 In order to bring the so far unexplored region of Kerala, Malabar, into the tourism map of the world, Kerala Tourism has launched a major marketing initiative. Titled FAM 2 Malabar500, the initiative will host 500 travel agents and tour operators from India and abroad to see for themselves the tourism spectacle of the Malabar region of the state to help package and promote it to their clients.

The idea is to showcase destinations that mainly fall in 7 districts - Trichur, Palghat, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasargod - as part of the Mystical Malabar. The first batch of around 70 tour operators will be reaching Kannur on January 17, to be hosted by the North Malabar Chamber of Commerce.

This will consist of tour operators from Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolhapur, and they will be taken to various places of interest in Kasaragod, Kannur, and Wayanad districts till January 20.

Kerala Tourism Minister, PA Mohamed Riyas released the logo of the initiative and expressed the hope that the initiative will help place the Malabar region firmly on the global tourism map and attract domestic and international visitors to the region.

The Malabar region of the state has a distinct history, culture and heritage, and landscape that is picturesque. The effort of the state government and the Tourism Minister to spread the tourism benefits evenly to all regions of the state was evident in the successful organisation of the maiden Beypore Water Fest in Kozhikode district last month.

The logo release function was attended by Dr Venu V, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Government of Kerala, and Prasanth Vasudev, Deputy Director - Tourism, Kerala.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3392/Kerala-Tourism-launches-major-initiative-to-showcase-Mystical-Malabar

SAMSUNG CAME UP WITH A LAPTOP THAT CAN BE FOLDED IN FOUR

 Samsung Electronics is so obsessed with promoting its flexible displays that it is starting to use them to create the most bizarre devices of dubious value in terms of design features. In January of this year, a patent application was discovered describing a hybrid laptop, each of the parts of which can be folded in half.

The SamMobile resource told about the outlandish invention of Samsung specialists. The patent application, which appeared on the website of the international organization WIPO, describes the design of a laptop with a detachable keyboard unit. The part of the device endowed with a display can be used as a full-fledged tablet, it is possible to enter information with a pen and a touch interface. The flexible display allows you to fold this part of the device twice more, reducing the area it occupies during storage or  transportation.

Accordingly, the keyboard unit also folds in half. It probably contains the bulk of the battery cells, as well as ports for connecting peripherals. The appearance of such a patent application by no means guarantees the entry of this laptop into the market, but as a concept sample, Samsung may well demonstrate it in the future.

FOLDABLE SMARTPHONE SHIPMENTS TO GROW 10X BY 2023

According to Counterpoint Research’s latest Foldable Smartphone Shipment Forecast; the shipments for 2021 will remain in single digit, at around 9 million units. However, it will still be a 3x growth over 2020; with Samsung dominating with over 88% market share. By 2023, we expect a 10x growth in foldable smartphone shipments. Even with more OEMs entering the foldable smartphone space, we expect Samsung to continue dominating with nearly 75% market share. If Apple is on track to release its foldable smartphone by 2023; it will not only be an inflection point in taking foldables mainstream; but also improve the component yield and scale for the entire supply chain.

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy foldables are highly anticipated smartphones as they are expected to bring major improvements over their predecessors. “With a significant price drop, improved design, and appearance; Samsung is likely to target younger customers with the new foldable Flip smartphone. The new Galaxy Z models will get S Pen support too; which can help absorb existing Note users,” said Senior Analyst Jene Park, who leads the foldables research at Counterpoint.

The premium smartphone market in China will be particularly interesting for Samsung. So, “Despite having a negligible market share, Samsung can secure Huawei’s vacant spot; and its success can contribute towards total shipment and sales volumes for its new foldables,” Park added.

Bengal government relaxes Covid-19 curbs as positivity rate drops

 The West Bengal government on Monday relaxed some of the restrictions imposed due to spiralling Covid-19 cases, as it allowed gyms to reopen and gave permission for jatra (theatre) and outdoor shooting.

The move comes at a time when the positivity rate of Covid-19 cases in the state has dipped from 33.8% on January 9 to 26.4% on Monday.

An order issued by the state government on Monday said that gyms could now reopen with 50% of the capacity every day till 9 pm, provided staff and users were either fully vaccinated or were RT-PCR negative.

Jatra (theatres) have been allowed up to 9 pm with 50% capacity in an outdoor venue. In an indoor venue, a maximum of 200 people may be allowed. Outdoor shootings for films and televisions have also been permitted.

“The daily count of Covid-19 cases had shot up to more than 24,000 on January 9, while on Monday it dipped to 9,385. The positivity rate, too, had dropped during the same period,” said a senior official of the state government.

On Monday, Kolkata registered 1,879 fresh cases of the Covid-19 infection. According to statistics published by the Union health ministry, the weekly positivity rate of Kolkata, which had shot up to 57.9% between January 2 and January 8, has dropped to 53.5% between January 10 and January 16.

“There is no place for complacency and we have to be very cautious at least till the first week of February. The positivity rate of Kolkata, even though it has come down, is still higher than most of the cities including Delhi and Mumbai,” said Sukumar Mukherjee, Mukherjee, is a member of the expert committee that was set up in 2020 to advise chief minister Mamata Banerjee on pandemic-related matters.

While the death toll was 18 on January 9, it has jumped to 33 on Monday. On January 15 and January 16 at least 39 and 36 people had died. The recovery rate has also dropped from 94% to around 90% in the last one week.

It was only on January 2 that the state government imposed restrictions closing down schools and colleges while allowing only 50% workforce in offices and putting a 50% cap on trains and metro. Direct flights from UK were stopped and flights from Delhi and Mumbai were allowed to land only three days a week.

On Saturday, the West Bengal election commission had postponed the polls in four civic bodies by three weeks, even as the state government relaxed some of the restrictions. Marriage ceremonies were allowed to be held with 200 people or 50% of the seating capacity of the venue. Earlier the cap was 50 people. The state also allowed fairs and melas to be organised following Covid-19 protocols.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3396/Bengal-government-relaxes-Covid-19-curbs-as-positivity-rate-drops

Goa tops the list of favourite destinations for Indian travellers

 New Delhi: A majority of Indians would prefer to go local and explore domestic destinations instead of international ones this year with Goa topping the bucket list followed by Manali.

OYO Travelopedia, the annual consumer survey by OYO to study travel intent and expectations among its user base across some of its core markets, including India, Indonesia and Europe, took responses of nearly 3,000 people in December 2021.

As per the survey, 61 per cent of Indians would prefer to go local and explore domestic destinations, while 25 per cent would like to try international as well as domestic trips in 2022.

Despite the excitement to travel, 80 per cent of respondents said safety continues to be a key concern amid the pandemic and the arrival of booster dose would give them the reassurance to travel.

As far as the favourite destination is concerned, Goa topped a third of the respondents' 2022 bucket lists, it said.

"This is followed by Manali, Dubai, Shimla and Kerala," hospitality chain OYO said adding other international destinations on Indian travellers' bucket list include Maldives, Paris, Bali and Switzerland.

When it comes to travel partners, 37 per cent of the respondents said they would like to travel with their spouses or partners. On the other hand, 19 per cent said they would "love to take that much awaited vacation with close friends", while 16 per cent opted for a family vacation, and another 12 per cent preferred solo backpacking.

"A good 16 per cent of respondents said they would like it all!," the survey said. According to OYO Travelopedia, in Indonesia, Bali emerged as the favourite destination for 2022, while in Europe, a majority of respondents opted for Bornholm, the Danish island in the Baltic Sea.

A vast majority of people in the Netherlands said they would love to travel to Austria this year.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3385/Goa-tops-the-list-of-favourite-destinations-for-Indian-travellers

Here's the shortest flight that lasts just over a minute

 Air travel offers different experiences to different people. For some it is the excitement of touching the sky, for others, it is the outpouring of fear within. Longer flights often do not necessarily mean that everyone enjoys it. Travelling by air is not as easy as travelling by car, bus, or train. But what if the flight is limited to a maximum of two minutes? There really is such a plane.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Loganair is the smallest scheduled airline in the world. Loganair is a Scottish regional airline based in Glasgow Airport, near Paisley, Scotland. It is the largest domestic airline in the UK with respect to the number of passengers and aircraft size. But Loganair's LM711 is also the shortest flight in the world.

The island where passengers land
The service runs from the island of Westray in the Orkney Islands to the north of Scotland to the nearby island of Papa Westray. The flight distance is just 1.7 miles (2.7 km). On a day with favourable winds and low luggage, the journey time is 53 seconds. There are two or three daily flights.

Westray is a small island with a population of over eighty people. Many tourists visit this place during the summers. They board a flight from here to Papa Westray Island. Westray is about a 15-minute flight from Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney, the largest island in the archipelago known as the Mainland.

Papa Westray Island is also nicknamed 'Papa' by tourists. It is a beautiful island rich in soil and biodiversity. Papa Westray, the ninth-largest island in the Orkney Islands, covers an area of about 918 hectares. Fewer than a hundred people live here. The island has a beautiful beach, a nature reserve, and a view of migratory birds. The island is also of historical significance as 30 copper coins were discovered during the reign of Charles II and George III.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3386/Here-s-the-shortest-flight-that-lasts-just-over-a-minute

Queensland eyes off quarantine-free travel, 90% double dose milestone

 Queensland will likely reach the critical 90 per cent double vaccination rate this week, the trigger point to open up international travel to and from the Sunshine State.

Flight Centre CEO Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner said it was great news.

“I think it’s great for Queenslanders to be able to travel overseas, there are still some questions of the availability of flights out of here because the airlines become quite wary of governments not necessarily delivering or changing their minds, but I think that has changed now,” he told Scott Emerson.

He said it was a “mixed bag” in terms of the international carriers coming into Brisbane.

“We think the fares, as soon as capacity comes back, will be pretty reasonable, similar to pre-COVID levels.”

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3388/Queensland-eyes-off-quarantine-free-travel-90-double-dose-milestone

Mumbai revises SOP for people travelling from Dubai as Covid cases drop

 The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has withdrawn the additional restrictions that it mandated for passengers flying to the city from the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai. The new rules will be applicable from January 17, the civic body said. In its earlier order, the civic body had mandated compulsory 7-day quarantine and RT-PCR test on arrival for passengers arriving from the UAE. "No special SOP henceforth will be applicable for passengers coming from UAE, including Dubai. Guidelines applicable to international travellers arriving from countries other than countries at-risk will be made applicable to travellers arriving from UAE," the notice said.

However, according to the latest guidelines issued by the civil aviation ministry, which came into effect from January 11, all international travellers have to undergo a seven-day home quarantine.

The daily cases of Mumbai reached the peak of over 20,000 in January and since then, cases have been coming down. On Sunday, Mumbai reported 7,895 infections.

The decision to remove the additional surveillance on people coming from Dubai was taken in a virtual meeting of the civic officials where it was discussed that Mumbai seems to have reached its peak of the third wave.

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday said the state government will be considering reopening schools after the next 10-15 days if the declining trend continues. "Demands are rising from certain quarters for reopening of schools as children are suffering the education loss. We will consider it after 10-15 days as there is a low (rate of) infection among children. The chief minister will take the final call in this regard," the minister said.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3376/Mumbai-revises-SOP-for-people-travelling-from-Dubai-as-Covid-cases-drop

India’s tourism gets a huge push at Expo 2020 Dubai

 Dubai: India’s Tourism Fortnight at EXPO2020 Dubai concluded yesterday with the sector highlighting the country’s core strengths across different areas of tourism including medical, luxury, adventure, sustainability and MICE.

Inaugurated on January 3 by Rakesh Kumar Verma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the inaugural session highlighted the new policy framework by the Ministry of Tourism and unveiled five missions that will boost growth in the sector. The Tourism Sector Floor at the India Pavilion showcased the various facets highlighting India as a tourism destination and the growth potential across different kinds of tourism.

The five missions included were National Green Tourism Mission, to mainstream sustainability in the tourism sector; National Digital Tourism Mission, to digitalise the sector; Sectoral Mission on skill development to ensure that the country has the best trained and qualified manpower to maintain high standards of service; National Mission on Destination Management to focus on ensuring synergy and coordination amongst public and private stakeholders and National Mission on Tourism MSMEs to support and facilitate the start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises.

The inaugural session was also attended by Hoor Al Khaja, Associate Vice President, International Operations – Department of Economy and Tourism of Dubai, where she talked about India’s importance as a global tourist destination.

The Tourism Fortnight comprised various sessions which were presided over by representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and various Indian states including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir among others.


Medical tourism
The session on medical tourism was crucial in highlighting India’s strengths and the ability of the country to offer both modern and traditional systems of medicines, thereby, providing a holistic healing destination across the world.

The session on luxury tourism focused on showcasing the changing face of luxury tourism in India, luxury tourist destinations across the country and initiatives taken by the Government to make travel safe and secure.

The session on spiritual tourism highlighted the opportunities and potential for India to become a hub for spiritual and religious tourism, as the country offers vast cultural and religious diversity.

The session on As a part of World MaMICE tourism was also pivotal in showcasing India’s impressive combination of accommodation and conference support facilities that make the country a successful MICE destination globally.

jlis event, Off the Beaten Path - Travel in the 21st Century, held on January 13, Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, talked about the ways in which the tourism sector in India is evolving.


Given the growing importance of sustainable tourism, the session on sustainable tourism was crucial to address key challenges for the tourism sector and the ways in which the future of tourism can be shaped by sustainable and responsible policies and action by the governments and private sector.

The sessions held during the ‘Tourism Fortnight’ were crucial in showcasing India’s geographical diversity, potential as a tourist destination and highlighting India’s roadmap for the sector.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3379/India-s-tourism-gets-a-huge-push-at-Expo-2020-Dubai

ONEPLUS 9RT SALE IN INDIA STARTS TODAY, AVAIL OF UNMISSABLE OFFERS

 The OnePlus 9RT is slated to go on sale in India today, January 17, allowing OnePlus fans to finally get their hands on the newly launched smartphone. After floating around the rumor mill and making multiple appearances online in the form of leaks, the OnePlus 9RT recently went official in India. The OnePlus 9RT boasts an impressive array of features and top-end specifications. For instance, it packs the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor under the hood.

The front panel houses a 6.62-inch Fluid AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Aside from that, the 9RT houses a 50MP primary camera and is backed by a 4,500mAh battery. The huge OnePlus fanbase in India has been waiting with bated breath to purchase the handset. With the first OnePlus 9RT sale in India kicking off today, they will not have to wait any longer. In the meantime, let’s check out the OnePlus 9RT India price, full specifications, and where to buy the phone.

ONEPLUS 9RT FIRST SALE IN INDIA

The OnePlus 9RT smartphone’s maiden sale in India has started. Interested buyers can head straight to Amazon India or the company’s official online store to purchase the phone. The 9RT is available in two memory and storage variants including one that ships with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage and carries a price tag of INR 42,999. Alternatively, those who are willing to shell out INR 46,999 can go for the slightly larger 12GB RAM+256GB storage model. Those who place their order via Amazon can avail of up to INR 4,000 bank discounts. This brings the original asking price of the handset down to INR 38,999.

Aside from that, you can take advantage of Jio benefits worth INR 7,200. Furthermore, interested buyers can choose between the Hacker Black and Nano Silver color options of the OnePlus 9RT phone.

SPECIFICATIONS

Upfront, the OnePlus 9RT sports a 6.62-inch Fluid AMOLED display that delivers a Full HD+ (1,080 x 2,400 pixel) resolution. Aside from that, the screen offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a Display P3 color gamut. Furthermore, the HDR10+ certified display has a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on top for additional protection. The phone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. Moreover, this processor is paired with up to 12GB of RAM. The device offers up to 256GB of built-in storage.

In the photography department, the 9RT houses a 50MP primary camera with OIS, a 16MP wide-angle sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. The front panel features a single punch-hole cutout that accommodates a 16MP selfie camera. The phone’s dimensions are 162.2 x 74.6 x 8.29mm, and it weighs 198.5g. Moreover, the OnePlus 9RT comes with dual stereo speakers and offers Dolby Atmos support. Also, a robust 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging support keeps the entire system powered up. The device has a USB Type-C charging port.

ALL IPHONE 14 MODELS WILL HAVE A 120HZ REFRESH RATE DISPLAY

 

Analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities has shared a new piece of information about the next-generation iPhone smartphones that Apple will announce this year.

Projected devices are expected to be included in the iPhone 14 series. According to rumors, four models will be presented – iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 mini, as well as iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone Pro Max.

ALL IPHONE 14 MODELS WILL HAVE A 120HZ REFRESH RATE DISPLAY

According to Pu, all upcoming smartphones will be equipped with a display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Of course, the diagonal of the screens will vary. In addition, all new devices will receive 6 GB of RAM.

It is noted that the capacity of the flash drive for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 mini will be from 64 GB, and for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone Pro Max – from 256 GB. In addition, Pro versions will be equipped with a main camera with a 48-megapixel sensor.

However, it should be emphasized that the published information is unofficial. Apple does not give any comments about the new generation of smartphones.

HOW THE PRICE OF THE IPHONE 14 SERIES WILL CHANGE COMPARED TO THE IPHONE 13

One of the tricks made by Apple is the unreasonably high prices for products. It is the large margin that allows the company to make excellent money on iPhone sales and collect the lion’s share of the profits in this market. Fans of the Cupertino company should be prepared for an increase in prices in the iPhone 14 series.

There was a message that Apple will increase the price for a number of models of the upcoming iPhone 14 series. This was announced by a network insider with the nickname LeaksApplePro. According to him, the price increase will affect only Pro versions. In September, the company is expected to present four models; where, in addition to the base model; it will offer the iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The price of the iPhone 14 will remain the same as the iPhone 13 at $ 799.

The iPhone 14 Max will cost $ 100 more ($ 899) than the base version of the series and will debut the company’s lineup. The increase in prices will affect exactly the Pro versions. So, the iPhone 14 Pro can be priced at $ 1099, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max at $ 1190. Against the background of the cost of its predecessors, the rise in price will be $100.

According to rumors, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will receive a 6.1-inch display. For the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max, a 6.7-inch panel is prepared. The smartphones are credited with the A16 Bionic chip, 6 GB of RAM, a 128/256/512/1024 GB flash drive, Touch ID return, a 12 megapixel selfie camera and a 48 megapixel sensor as the key in the main camera.

Goa floor inaugurated at EXPO2020; all set to show its tourism prowess

 Indian state of Goa is all set to showcase its tourism prowess and business opportunities to the global investors at the India pavilion in the ongoing EXPO2020 Dubai. Inaugurating the state's floor on Friday, J Ashok Kumar, Secretary to Chief Minister, Sports & Youth Affairs, Tourism, Industries Trade & Commerce, Handicrafts Textile & Coir, said: "The state of Goa is proud to be a part of the EXPO2020. The state looks forward to this opportunity to showcase its vibrant culture and invite investors to explore our major focus sectors such as Agro & Food Processing, IT & Knowledge-based Industry, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, and Tourism."

Goa will be making a strong pitch to the global investors by showcasing its business capabilities along with its tradition and culture through a series of events exhibiting opportunities across key focus sectors including Education, Tourism, Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology, Agro-based and Food Processing Industries and Aviation, Aerospace and Defence among others.

Swetika Sachan, CEO, Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board said, "I look forward to connecting with the Goan diaspora of the region and discuss the investment potential of the state. IPB is the single window agency of Goa, and we are here to offer the desired support to those looking to Goa for their next investment."

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3377/Goa-floor-inaugurated-at-EXPO2020-all-set-to-show-its-tourism-prowess

Caravan tourism gets rolling in Kerala; big response to govt project

 

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government’s plan to promote caravan tourism in the state is attracting a good response. As many as 226 caravans and 85 caravan parks have registered under the Caravan Tourism Project launched by the Tourism Department.

Applications have been received for opening the parks in all districts and leading the list are Idukki (18 parks), Wayanad (16) and Palakkad (14). Meanwhile, a caravan service has already started functioning in Kochi. Operated by a tour agency in the city, the caravan takes pilgrims from the Cochin International Airport to Sabarimala.

According to officials, among those who have applied to launch caravans are individuals, societies and tour operators. All caravans would be inspected by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) before they are cleared for service. At the same time, permission to set up the caravan parks will be given by the respective panchayats.

As part of its caravan policy, the government is also offering subsidy to buy new caravans. “Subsidy will be given for 300 caravans. In case the operators withdraw from service within five years after registration, the subsidy has to be returned,” said an official.

Meanwhile, subsidy will not be available for caravan parks as no major expenses are involved in setting up the facility, the official pointed out. As part of the project, the Tourism Department has issued instructions to all District Tourism Promotion Councils (DTPCs) to examine the potential of caravan tourism in their respective area and prepare tourism programmes related to the caravan parks.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3361/Caravan-tourism-gets-rolling-in-Kerala-big-response-to-govt-project