Rajasthan eagerly awaits the boost from the state government to catch on with its competitors in India. Harsh Vardhan reports how other states are marching ahead leaving the one time king much behind them!
Look, how Kerala impresses all!
Kerala has done it by showing the way to entire India! Aymanam, a village close by the fabulous tourist destination Kumarakom, has now become the first model Responsible Tourism (RT) Village in Kerala, announced the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinyari Vijayan, while announcing the second Kuttanad Package of Rs 2447 crore. So this village now will be marketed globally as a model RT Destination, officially so to happen thanks to Kerala Tourism Department.
Aymanam was the first among the 13 selected village panchayat which implemented all the programmes envisaged under the RT Initiative and plugged the RT concepts into all the developmental activities of the village panchayat.
Aymanam was popularised by Arundhati
Aymanam was popularised by Arundhati Roy in her Booker Prize Winning Novel ‘God of Small Things.’ — “It’s a village which is home for over 600 artists from diverse fields. There are 10 temples and interior canals as well, 108 house-boats registered here so far.” said K Rupeshkumar, State Coordinator of Responsible Tourism Initiative , Kerala.
Forests open in West Bengal from September 23
Forests in West Bengal are being opened for tourists from September 23. Every year, the forests close down for two months due to the monsoon, this time, they were out of bounds since the beginning of the lockdown in March. The state government wants to do it ahead of the festive season approaching season as the prolonged closure was bleeding the tourism economy.
WB’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Ravikant Sinha said guidelines will be issued for tourists and the details will be decided soon.
Paragliding reopens in Bir Billing
Paragliding has reopened for tourists at Bir Billing in Himachal’s Kangra district from September 16… it takes off from an altitude of approximately 8000 feet and lands at around 4300 feet. Praveen Kumar, who heads the Himachal Adventure at Bir Billing, said, ‘On first day 40 flights took off. It will escalate in October.’
A major portion of the tourists is generated from neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. Despite the state having lifted the restrictions, stakeholders are aware that the business yet cannot be aspired to be serving in a similar manner like any of the previous seasons. Although some bustling is expected for the month of October. At least, September would consume the time to decipher any course related to business and tourism through the adventure sport.
Goa Minister proposes reducing 50pc licence fee
Goa’s Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said he has proposed reducing 50 per cent of the licence fees chargeable to beach shacks. The shacks offer liquor, soft drinks, eatables to tourists at a friendly price and also a place to sit to consume such items. The shacks are road side and great fun for visiting community to enjoy Goan styles?
Rajasthan’s Tourism Policy fails to lure trade
What news from Rajasthan? A new Tourism Policy was approved during September by the State Cabinet. Private players are in a fix how to support or react: they say the policy so far does not show a financial arm nor involvement nor an innovative off-beat approach. The sector is in tears, EB&W Media was informed by a septuagenarian Thakur whose four properties were in disarray for past many months.