Ladakh will soon have a snow sculpture as tourist attraction

 Ladakh will very soon have a snow sculpture as a new tourist attraction. On Monday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed Ladakh Lieutenant Governor (LG) RK Mathur about the same and said that in winter this year, a snow sculpture will be introduced in Ladakh. The snow sculpture will also create job opportunities for the locals.

The LG said that once the snow art is properly established in the region, Ladakh will start the Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in some years. Ladakh concluded its very first Ice and Snow-Sculpture Workshop on February 11, 2022 which was organised by Kangding Snow and Ice Sculpture Association along with Ladakh Police at Sangtakchan.

During the concluding ceremony, the LG said, “I see no logic in leaving Ladakh in winters. This is the time to earn here. My theory all along has been that while summers are great here (Ladakh), I would like to say that winters are greater, much better.”

He also called out Ladakhi youth who are absolutely talented, especially in creative fields. The LG also promised to support and assist with the machinery needed for making ice sculptures. The Union Minister further said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also prioritised Ladakh.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3680/Ladakh-will-soon-have-a-snow-sculpture-as-tourist-attraction

SpiceJet Launches Direct Flight On Delhi-Khajuraho Route

 Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia flagged off the first direct flight between Delhi and heritage city of Khajuraho on last Friday. With this, 405 routes would be operationalized under the UDAN-RCS scheme. SpiceJet was awarded the Delhi-Khajuraho-Delhi route under the RCS-UDAN 3.0.

The inaugural event was also graced by Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, MoCA; Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet; Vishnu Datt Sharma, Member of Parliament, Khajuraho and many other dignitaries.

The airline will be operating flights on 2 days of the week – Friday and Sunday, and will deploy its Q400, 78-seater turbo prop aircraft designed for shorter distance flights on the route. SpiceJet is India’s largest regional carrier and the strongest supporter of UDAN scheme. The airline operates 65 daily flights under UDAN connecting 14 UDAN destinations to various parts of the country. At present SpiceJet services Gwalior and Jabalpur airports in Madhya Pradesh. With Khajuraho, it will be their 15th UDAN destination.

Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said, “Khajuraho is world’s pride, and it is the gateway for Madhya Pradesh’s cultural and art prowess and religious diversity, and it has a significant importance in Madhya Pradesh’s Past, Present and Future.”

The minister further emphasized “Apart from Khajuraho, we have 4 airports in Madhya Pradesh with Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur. In the past 7 months, Madhya Pradesh has seen 40% increase in flights per week, amounting to 759 flights per week as on 18 February 2022. Apart from that, 2 new FTO (Flight Training Organizations) will come up in Khajuraho which will help in training our commercial pilots. We have set our aim to construct 100 airports and 1,000 new air routes by 2024-25. Till now, 65 airports have been constructed, and 403 air routes are operationalized. Air Passengers also saw an increase from 6 crore in 2012-13 to 14.5 crore in 2021-22. We are fully committed to Hon’ble Prime Minister Vision of UDAN - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik.”

Khajuraho airport was established in the year 1978 with flight services to Delhi, Agra, Varanasi. MoCA has invested Rs 50 crore in Khajuraho airport and advance facilities were incorporated in the airport with installation of instrument landing system, a 1,20,000 sq ft new terminal building, night landing facility, recarpeting of runway and new ATC towers. The flight begins couple of days before the start of the Khajuraho dance festival.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3678/SpiceJet-Launches-Direct-Flight-On-Delhi-Khajuraho-Route

New Zealand expands Pacific quarantine-free travel

One-way quarantine-free travel to New Zealand will be extended to include Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa, a senior official said on Friday. From 11.59 pm on February 27, eligible travellers from Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa will be able to enter New Zealand without entering managed isolation
and quarantine facilities or self-isolation on arrival, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Aupito William Sio said in a statement, adding that this is in recognition that these countries have no Covid-19 community cases.

"Initially travel will be open to people who have a right to reside in New Zealand and
those covered by border exceptions. There will be no predeparture test required, but non-New Zealand citizens must be vaccinated," Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying.

If travellers transit another quarantine-free travel country (like Samoa or Vanuatu) they will still enter New Zealand with no isolation or quarantine required. If travellers transit a non-quarantine-free travel country (like Australia or Fiji), they will be subject to the same entry and testing requirements as other travelers from that country, he said.

The New Zealand government has announced its plan for the staged opening of the borders, which will make it easier for many more people to reconnect and travel to New Zealand from other parts of the world, Sio said. Opening up to travellers from parts of the Pacific where Covid-19 risks are low is part of this plan.

New Zealand currently has quarantine-free travel for travellers coming to New Zealand from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau and Vanuatu. "Extending this to Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa is an important step in further reconnecting with our Pacific whanau (communities), bringing significant social and economic benefits and reflecting the importance of links across the region," he said

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3669/New-Zealand-expands-Pacific-quarantine-free-travel

IndiGo takes delivery of its first A320 neo plane powered with sustainable aviation fuel

 The country's largest airline IndiGo on Friday took delivery of its first aircraft from Airbus that operated on a blend of sustainable aviation fuel and normal fuel.

After the plane landed at the airport here from France on Friday, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said the airline is also talking to a lot of manufacturers on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).


While SAF is yet to be approved for commercial flights, various test flights, powered by such fuel, have been operated. SAF will reduce carbon emissions. "IndiGo has taken delivery of its first aircraft operating on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Airbus... This is the first international flight operated
by any Indian carrier using SAF," the airline said in a release.

The A320 neo plane -- which took off from Toulouse in France on Thursday and landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here on Friday had a blend of 10 per cent SAF and 90 per cent normal fuel, according to airline officials.

Emphasising that IndiGo is committed to sustainability, Dutta said, "By 2050, we will be carbon neutral... It is not just a promise, we have an action plan in place".

Over a period from 2016 to 2023, the airline is aiming at a 16 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, he said while speaking at an event at the airport to mark the arrival of the aircraft. Dutta said the airline is talking to a lot of manufacturers, including Shell, and the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun.

"They assure us... that as volumes pick up, cost will come down. It is a little bit of a chicken and egg; the airline needs to get the volume then the refiners and producers will bring the cost down. That's why we are all making baby steps. Let's start the journey, start consuming SAF so that refiners can start
producing more volumes. That is where we are," he said while responding to a question.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3671/IndiGo-takes-delivery-of-its-first-A320-neo-plane-powered-with-sustainable-aviation-fuel

Swadesh Darshan Scheme's Eco Theme gets six projects

 Eco Circuit is going to be on the fifteen thematic circuits for development in the country, under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. The Ministry of Tourism has identified this theme in order to promote eco-tourism in the country. A total of six projects have been sanctioned for this theme.

G Kishan Reddy, Minister of Tourism, Government of India has written a reply at the Rajya Sabha with this information. The Tourism Ministry has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI). The purpose of the MoU is to take measures that will help to promote and support sustainability initiatives in the tourism sector.

Eco tourism is the buzzword for travel in these times, as countries are becoming more and more eco friendly, and are understanding the burden that weighs on the environment. India too has gone in the eco friendly way in certain tourism aspects, a prime example of this is the state of Sikkim.

According to reports, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued guidelines for sustainable ecotourism in the country. Its guidelines talk about preparing an ecotourism plan including the carrying capacity capacity analysis-based description of the eco- tourism site. It also talks about monitoring the various eco tourism sites in the country.

The Government of India had launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15 to develop theme-based tourist places in the country.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3672/Swadesh-Darshan-Scheme-s-Eco-Theme-gets-six-projects

Indonesia changes quarantine norms for certain travellers

 Travelling to Indonesia is all set to get easier. As per the latest developments, international travellers who have already received their COVID-19 booster shots, will now be permitted to visit this country with a three-day quarantine period. This was recently informed by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

While addressing a virtual press conference, Pandjaitan added that starting from next week, the quarantine period for incoming travellers, both Indonesian citizens and foreigners, who have already received COVID booster shots, will now be reduced to just three days.

Reports further added that those incoming travellers who have been vaccinated with two shots, will however, have to undergo quarantine for five days. Plus, the visitors will be required to carry out entry and exit polymerase chain reaction swab tests, and will be allowed to leave the quarantine centre if their test result comes negative.

As of now, the Southeast Asian country is grappling with the third wave of COVID-19 that has been triggered by the new and more contagious variant of COVID, Omicron. To tackle the crisis situation, the authorities have also limited the capacity of working from the office to a maximum of 50 per cent for, and allowing the rest work from their homes

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3651/Indonesia-changes-quarantine-norms-for-certain-travellers

Bullet Train between Mumbai-Nagpur: Journey of 766 km to be covered in just 3.5 hours

 Mumbai-Nagpur Bullet Train! Soon, passengers can travel between Mumbai and Nagpur in less than four hours! Indian Railways had proposed to introduce high-speed rail services between Nagpur and Mumbai in Maharashtra. According to Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Patil Danve, the Mumbai – Nagpur Bullet Train services will cover a distance of around 766 kilometres in just 3.5 hours, along the soon-to-be-ready Samruddhi Expressway. At present, it takes approximately 12 hours to reach the city of Nagpur from Mumbai by road. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mumbai – Nagpur high speed rail corridor is being prepared by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is also implementing the country’s first, Mumbai – Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.

Last year, the officials said that a series of surveys have been completed for the Mumbai – Nagpur Bullet Train project, including the aerial survey, lidar survey, environmental impact assessment (EIA) as well as social impact assessment (SIA). The Mumbai – Nagpur high speed rail project will pass through as many as 10 districts. According to NHSRCL, the proposed plan for Mumbai Nagpur High Speed Rail Corridor will connect the city of Mumbai with cities/towns like Nagpur, Wardha, Khapri Deport, Pulgoan, Malegaon Jahangir, Jalna, Karanja Lad, Mehkar, Shirdi, Nashik, Aurangabad, Igatpuri, Shahapur.

The aim of Samruddhi Expressway (Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg), which is being constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, is to provide connectivity to the last mile with the best public transport facilities for easy and quick movement of both, people as well as goods. The Samruddhi Expressway is said to enable a large population in Maharashtra to have easy access to major centers in the state for a wide range of self employment as well as wage employment opportunities, trade, education, business, health care, and other necessary services.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3640/Bullet-Train-between-Mumbai-Nagpur-Journey-of-766-km-to-be-covered-in-just-3-5-hours

Jammu’s Bagh-e-Bahu gets musical fountain and light and sound show

 A Musical Water Fountain with Laser, Light & Sound Show showcasing the cultural heritage of Jammu today inaugurated at Bagh-e-Bahu, Jammu by the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha.

The majestic and captivating musical fountain and sound and laser beam light show just nearby the ropeway will give a boost to the tourists flow at Jammu.

The Lt Governor said that the Musical Water Fountain with Laser, Light & Sound Show is the first of its kind in the Jammu Region. This innovative project will showcase cultural heritage & take the tourism in Jammu to new heights, he added.

The Lt Governor observed that the unique amalgamation of heritage and modernity developed while keeping in mind the importance of historic Bahu fort will add to the aesthetics of Jammu city.

Jammu offers spiritual and scenic richness that is divine. It has vast tourism potential and we are developing 37 offbeat destinations in Jammu Division that will boost the economy and provide large number of jobs to the people, observed the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor said that the government is working on mission mode to transform the tourism sector of Jammu division and developing tourist places which were neglected for years.

Jammu is a treasure trove of culture, spirituality, tradition and literature. The beauty of Jammu division is truly mesmerizing and tourists have plenty of scenic locations to explore, observed the Lt Governor.

The project has been fitted with German-made equipment and will be the first of its kind fountain in North India. In this project the fountain, music frequency and sound in the third, with the water and air going high up in the water waves to create colorful scenes.
Water screen gets prepared in the fountain with the help of modern technology and on it with the help of laser, the beauty, culture, heritage of Jammu city will be depicted.

According to an official of Tourism department, in this light and sound show of 15 to 20 minutes, tourists will get a chance to know the whole city and it will boost the tourism flow in Jammu.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3643/Jammu-s-Bagh-e-Bahu-gets-musical-fountain-and-light-and-sound-show

IATA urges Centre to reopen international air routes

 Global airline body IATA on Monday urged the Centre for “swift normalisation” of international flight operations and called for discontinuation of air travel bubbles.

The plea came on a day when the health ministry’s revised guidelines for international travellers kicked in, allowing passengers quarantine-free entry into the country besides dispensing with the need for on-arrival RT-PCR tests. “IATA [International Air Transport Association] welcomes the opening of India to international travel without quarantine from today. We urge that this development be followed swiftly by the normalisation of scheduled international flights to and from India, and the discontinuation of India’s air travel bubbles, “ said Philip Goh, IATA’s regional VP for Asia Pacific. ”The resumption of scheduled flights was paused due to the Omicron variant wave and it is now time to move forward and normalise international air services,” he added.

India banned international flights almost two years ago on March 22, 2020. The Centre subsequently unveiled the Vande Bharat mission for Indians stranded across the world and started gradually permitting a limited number of commercial flights by entering into a bilateral “air bubble” arrangement with some countries. Today, it has this tie-up with 35 countries.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3645/IATA-urges-Centre-to-reopen-international-air-routes

Dalma, Dimna, Rankini Temple, Jubilee Park and Burudih Dam to be made tourist circuits

 Dalma, Dimna, Rankini Mandir, Jubilee Park and Burudih Dam will be beautified and made more exciting and mentioned in bold in the Jharkhand tourism map. Plans are also afoot to expand the tourism circuit by providing connectivity to Baharagora, Dhalbhumgarh and Ghatshila. A meeting of the District Tourism Promotion Committee chaired by East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner, Suraj Kumar was convened at the District Collectorate office.

DC Suraj Kumar, in the course of the meeting informed Suraj Kumar informed that extensive efforts were on at Dalma range to promote eco-tourism in the realms of jungle trekking, introduction of jungle safari and construction of bamboo huts for tourists to spend their time and enjoy jungle ambience.

Suraj Kumar informed, ‘There are plans to connect Dalma, Dimna Lake, Rankini Temple, Jubilee Park and Burudih Dam in a single circuit. Necessary steps are being taken for tourism development and beautification as integral parts through single circuit connectivity,” and added, “Work is on to connect the tourists by creating another circuit connectivity in the regions of Baharagora, Dalbhumgarh and Ghatshila.”

An allocation of Rs One crore has been provided to develop five tourist spots. “There are plans to provide motor boat services to tourists at the Burudih Dam. it is our endeavor to develop this spot as a big, weekend destination for tourists,” the DC stated.

MLAs Saryu Roy, Ramdas Soren, Sameer Mahanty and Mangal Kalindi also suggested new tourist places. Saryu Roy suggested that the Bhuvaneshwari Temple, Shri Krishna Temple, HUDCO Park, Forest Department’s park at Ghorabandha, HUDCO Dam among others could be developed to catch tourists’ attention. He said, “The Sone Mandap and the Town Hall in Sidgora could be developed as centres for nurturing art talents in line with Audrey House in Ranchi. Moreover, the area below Bhuvaneshwari Temple in Telco can be developed for eco-tourism.”

Ramdas Soren said that Burudih Dam in Ghatshila, Dharagiri Waterfall in Basadera under Kalchiti Panchayat, Dhalbhumgarh’s Heritage Village, Amadubi, Siddheshwari Pahar in Musabani, Galudih Barrage, Kashida Shiv Mandir, eminent litterateur, Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay’s House in Ghatshila and Pandav Shila could be developed as ideal tourist spots.

Sameer Mahanty suggested, “To add to the tourism circuit of East Singhbhum, Gotashila Temple and hilly areas in Chakulia including Tulsibani Shivram Ashram, Khodipahari, Bend, Tetul Dungri Jagadhatri Temple, Jyoti Pahari and the heritage Chitreshwar Mandir in Baharagora are highly prospective spots for tourism.”

Mangal Kalindi mentioned beautification of Dimna Lake at the foot of the Dalma Range, Hathikheda Temple, Chhotabanki Dam, Ma Mangala Mandir, Haludbani Water Falls, Sita Park and Waterfall were potent tourist attractions. The MLA representative of Jamshedpur West proposed the arrangement of boating and walking track in Domuhani Ghat, beautification of Dimna Lake, Bhatia Park and Bistupur Ram Mandir should also be parts of tourism development plans.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3625/Dalma-Dimna-Rankini-Temple-Jubilee-Park-and-Burudih-Dam-to-be-made-tourist-circuits

UAE travel: List of countries vaccinated residents can enter without a negative PCR test

 Some Gulf and East and Western European countries have withdrawn the conditions for travellers from the UAE to carry negative Covid-19 PCR test prior to their departure, thanks to the massive vaccination campaign the government has carried out over the past year.

The UAE is the world’s most vaccinated nation, with 96 per cent of the population fully vaccinated. In November 2021, the UAE had reached a landmark with 100 per cent of its eligible population receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.

In addition, all the UAE airlines have also listed detailed country-by-country guidelines for residents and foreign travellers related to Covid-19 certificates and vaccinations.

Most of the UAE airlines follow the guidelines issued by the relevant authorities in those countries, however, the national carrier Etihad Airways has mandated that all travellers carry a negative Covid-19 PCR certificate irrespective of the requirements of the destination country of the passenger.

“You must take a PCR test to travel with Etihad Airways even if the country you are travelling to does not require one,” Abu Dhabi-based UAE national carrier Etihad Airways said in a statement on its website

A flydubai’s spokesperson said the budget carrier follows the guidelines issued by the relevant authorities. “We continue to update flydubai.com with the latest travel restrictions, and we encourage our passengers to keep up to date with the latest regulations on the Iata Travel Centre so that they are prepared and ready to travel for their whole journey,” said the spokesperson.

According to Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates’ website, the UAE’s vaccinated residents and citizens can travel to eight countries without taking a negative Covid-19 test. These include Bahrain, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Lebanon, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3626/UAE-travel-List-of-countries-vaccinated-residents-can-enter-without-a-negative-PCR-test

Indians appreciate vacations with loved ones more compared to pre-pandemic days, states OYO survey

 Indians appreciate vacations with loved ones more now as compared to pre-pandemic days and one-third of them have already made travel plans to celebrate Valentine's Day together, according to a global consumer survey by hospitality technology platform OYO. Nearly 62 per cent of Indian respondents were looking to treat their loved ones to a quick getaway to a nearby destination, as per OYO's global Valentine's Day consumer index 'Let Love In With Travel 2022'.

Stating that travel plays a huge part in bonding with loved ones, the OYO survey said the world took this for granted until the pandemic pulled the brakes on travel plans.

"Two out of three respondents said they appreciate vacations with loved ones more today than pre-pandemic days. Indian respondents don't take their holidays for granted anymore," it added.

When it comes to Valentine's Day destinations, a majority of Indian travellers prefer to spend the day by the beach in Goa, followed by the cozy hillside of Manali, it said.

Nearly 38 per cent of them said they travel to spend quality time and share meaningful experiences with loved ones, while 26 per cent travelled for a break from the routine and another 25 per cent for the love of exploring new places and cultures.

"A whopping 84 per cent also believe that travel strengthens their relationships with loved ones," the survey said.

A majority of Indian respondents voted for Paris as the city that best defines the statement 'Love is in the air', followed by Goa and Kolkata.

However, as for India's top international wishlist for Valentine's Day, the survey said, "With 28 per cent each, India remains divided between Paris and Maldives. Switzerland takes the third spot."

As for dream proposals on the day, 31 per cent of the respondents said they would "prefer the question to be popped on a cruise during sunset in Goa", while "18 per cent said they would say yes while enjoying snowfall at a homestay in Himachal Pradesh".

In Germany, according to the survey one in two respondents would love to spend Valentine's Day by the beach, while 70 per cent preferred spending the day with their partners or spouse, followed by family.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3627/Indians-appreciate-vacations-with-loved-ones-more-compared-to-pre-pandemic-days-states-OYO-survey

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Raffles the Palm Dubai

 Raffles the Palm Dubai is offering some extravagant surprises for couples this Valentine’s Day.

Matagi, known for its unique Itameshi cuisine, has a spectacular eight-course Valentine’s Day dinner to try, for example.

The dinner is Dihram850 per person, with a serene ambience perfect for the occasion.

DJ Hilde will set the mood with romantic tunes all throughout the night.

As a parting gift, guests will be treated to petit fours at the end of their meal.

The relaxed jazz lounge Sold will be hosting a three-course meal, prepared by the expert team of chefs, paired with a bottle of the finest bubbly, red or white grapes for Dhs599 per couple.

Couples can also opt for a beverage package that includes a choice of selected sparkling, red or white grapes bottles.

Looking for an outstanding afternoon tea?

Head to the Blüthner Hall Afternoon Tea for mesmerizing interiors and delicious bites.

The soft drinks package is Dhs220 per person, or you can get a glass of bubbly and canapé for Dhs350 per person, complete with chocolate-dipped berries.

Plenty on offer, then, ahead of the big day!

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3628/Celebrate-Valentine-s-Day-with-Raffles-the-Palm-Dubai