NEWS    
 
  • 'Visit India' scheme will rejuvenate tourism sector: GOI

    • Despite recession impacting the country's tourism sector, the Government today dispelled fears of tourists' shortage saying the "Visit India" scheme will rejuvenate the sector and promised enough hotel rooms for visitors to New Delhi during the Commonwealth Games. Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee expressed confidence that the growth momentum achieved during the period leading up to the meltdown will once again pick up when the "Visit India" scheme is launched from April. He said during the period of the scheme, which will remain in vogue for nine months, inbound tourists will get one free airline ticket on purchase of one ticket along with one night complementary stay in the hotel booked by the visitor. "Visit India" scheme comes when the dual impact of the global meltdown and the Mumbai attacks hit the sector hard, with the tourist inflow dipping by 17.5 per cent in January. Around one lakh tourists are expected to visit Delhi to witness the sporting extravaganza.

    		 
     
  • India : To boosts tourism sector with incentives to ASEAN visitors

    •     The Indian government is looking to Southeast Asia to boost its tourism sector and is giving incentives to visitors from ASEAN countries. After destinations like the UK and US impacted by the global meltdown, India is turning its attention to destinations closer to home, like Singapore, Malaysia Indonesia and Thailand. The government is planning to give long-term, multiple entry visas to visitors from ASEAN countries and has been actively organising promotional events in the ASEAN countries to showcase its tourism potential

     

    		  
     
  • India Tourism : Royal Rajasthan on wheels, started its maiden journey

    • Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, a regal train chugging across the land of maharajas in western India, Sunday started its maiden journey, with the government promising to launch similar services in more states. The luxury train is a joint venture by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and the Indian Railways. The seven-day sojourn on the Royal Rajasthan train promises to be a heady mix of Rajasthan's pristine historic experience. With a carrying capacity of 82 people, the train will have 13 deluxe saloons and one super deluxe saloon, four service cars and two restaurant bars. A top-class spa and wi-fi facilities are also in the offing. The itinerary of the train will be the same as the Palace on Wheels: it would leave Delhi and start on its week-long journey through Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Sawai Madhopur among other places before terminating the run at Delhi.

     

    		  
     
    • Robust Hotels' Chennai property to open doors by 2009 End

    Robust Hotels plans to inaugurate its five star hotel property in Chennai by December 2009. The company bought the property as a superstructure for close to Rs 300 Crore and is now investing another Rs 200 Crore to complete the hotel, which will be managed by Hyatt. The 18 floor property (ground plus 14 floors and three basement floors) will have 334 rooms and six F&B outlets spread over 6,00,000 sq ft. Robust Hotels is a SPV floated by Saraf Group of Hotels, which owns two hotels in Nepal (Hyatt Regency and Yak & Yeti) and one each in Mumbai (Grand Hyatt) and Delhi (The Grand).

    		 
     
  • Dabur to invest Rs 120 cr in lifestyle retail biz

    • Home grown FMCG major Dabur India on Monday said it will invest Rs 120 crore in the next three years on its beauty and lifestyle retail initiative - H&B Stores. "We are looking at about 100 H&B stores by 2010 entailing an investment of about Rs 120 crore," Dabur India Vice Chairman Amit Burman told reporters on the sidelines of India Economic Summit in New Delhi. The company plans to expand its retail outlets to over 1,000 stores by the 10th year of operation and is looking at establishing stores ranging from 1,500 sq ft to 6,000 sq ft in size.