Travel curbs may be lifted by mid-Nov: Tourism ministry

Travel curbs may be lifted by mid-Nov: Tourism ministry

Swati.Mathur@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:01.11.2021

The government is expected to lift all Covid-related travel restrictions by mid-November, the tourism ministry said during the first Conference of Tourism and Culture Ministers of Southern States.

“All flight restrictions should be lifted by November

15. However, complete restoration of international flight operations will take a little longer since airlines will gradually ramp up operations to pre-pandemic levels. Covid restrictions imposed by other countries may also continue for a little longer,” director general (tourism) Kamala Vardhan Rao recently told TOI.

Union culture and tourism minister G Kishen Reddy said there is no bigger confidencebooster for reviving tourism than vaccination. Vaccination and tourism will go hand-inhand, Reddy said, adding “we should use these challenging times as an opportunity to rethink, regenerate and reinvent the tourism sector”.

He also said the tourism ministry has identified 20 countries (Australia, Canada, USA, France, Germany and the Gulf Countries, among others) that send the highest number of foreign tourists to India and is working closely with the ministries of external affairs and home to appoint senior tourism officers in Indian missions in these countries to promote and publicise Indian tourism products.

Tourism ministers and officials of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, host state Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry addressed the event.

While Tamil Nadu called for state participation in a national homestay policy, Kerala and Pudducherry backed greater syngergies between southern states to maximise their tourism potential.

Full report on www.toi.in

4L pilgrims at Char Dham shrines in over a month

Dehradun:

Over 4 lakh pilgrims have visited the Char Dham shrines in the Garhwal Himalayas between September 18 and October 31, with the maximum footfall of over 2 lakh in Kedarnath, according to the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board, reports Gaurav Talwar. The yatra underwent a four-month delay because the Uttarakhand high court had refused to allow it until it was satisfied with government’s preparations.

As per current restrictions, only fully vaccinated people, or those with a Covid-negative report, are allowed to visit the shrines. Almost 2.22 lakh pilgrims visited the Kedarnath shrine, while 1.26 lakh came to Badrinath. Over 32,000 pilgrims visited Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines, each, according to the Devasthanam Board.