Nalco’s Orissa mine production drops after Maoist attack

BHUBANESWAR - Production in Orissa’s state-owned National Aluminium Co Ltd (NALCO) mine has dropped by at least 35 percent as workers have refused to do night shifts following the Maoist attack April 12, officials said Tuesday.

Confident of LTTE rout, Sri Lanka draws tourism plans

NEW DELHI - The Sri Lankan government plans to turn the country’s war-torn northeastern region, which boasts of some of the island’s most scenic beaches, into a tourist attraction as the decades-old conflict with the Tamil Tigers seems to be nearing its end.

Economic slowdown changing travel trends, say experts

NEW DELHI - The economic downturn is unlikely to affect the Indian tourism industry but only trigger a change of travel trends and preferences in the market, according to industry experts.

Despite meltdown, overseas buyers queue to promote Incredible India

NEW DELHI - Despite the global meltdown, India’s oldest travel and tourism mart is seeing a 20 percent increase in overseas buyers, interested in promoting the rich heritage of ‘Incredible India’ abroad.

Switzerland also wants to woo Indian budget traveller

NEW DELHI - Switzerland sees no let up in the inflow of Indian tourists to the European country and hopes to attract even budget tourists in the coming season with accommodations at relatively inexpensive apartments, loaded with Indian food.

Citizens demand heritage city status for Agra

AGRA - Ahead of the polls, several citizens’ groups have asked candidates of various political parties to support their demand for heritage city status to Agra visited by millions of tourists every year.

Druk Air to fly to West Bengal’s Bagdogra from April 18

GANGTOK - Bhutan’s flagship carrier Druk Air will launch a new flight April 18 connecting Bagdogra in West Bengal with Paro in Bhutan and Thai capital Bangkok, it was announced here Saturday.

Poll picks ‘Seven Wonders of India’

NEW DELHI - The Sun Temple, Meenakshi Temple, Khajuraho, Red Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Nalanda university and the Dholavira site were Monday named the ‘Seven Wonders of India’ after a nationwide poll.

Domestic tourist arrivals on the rise in Sikkim

GANGTOK - Domestic tourist inflow into Sikkim is on the rise so far this year, but there has been a drop in foreign tourists visiting the state.

Kerala targets tourists from Sweden, Russia

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala is targeting Russian and Swedish tourists to beat the downturn feared this year, the government said Thursday.

Weather, stadiums make South Africa best choice for IPL

NEW DELHI - South Africa’s ’superb’ weather and stadium capacity and lighting made it a favourite to host the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), said a tourism official from the country.

Goa to crack down on beachwear ‘hurting religious sentiments’

PANAJI - The Goa government will crack down on the sale of clothes, particularly beachwear, carrying images of Hindu deities and quotations of scriptures on them.

Sheraton Park Hotel to join Earth Hour campaign

CHENNAI - A five-star hotel here will switch off its lights at its restaurants for an hour March 28 and serve candle light dinners in support of Earth Hour-2009, a global environmental awareness programme.

Goa government to cancel five-star grading to coastal hotel

PANAJI - Goa Tourism Minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco said Monday that the five-star grading given to Hotel La Calypso would be cancelled after the opposition alleged corruption by tourism department officials in granting the hotel the grade.

India confident of attracting recession-hit tourists with packages

NEW DELHI - The Indian tourism ministry said here Wednesday that it had developed a number of attractive travel packages that were sure to draw in the recession-hit tourists to the country.

Army to investigate officer accused in Malegaon blast

MUMBAI/PUNE - Almost four months after the arrest of a serving officer, Lt. Col. S.P. Purohit, the army has ordered a probe into his alleged role in the Malegaon blast, an official statement said here Tuesday.

Tourists in Rajasthan celebrate festival of colours

JAIPUR - Tourists from India and abroad joined people of Rajasthan in celebrating Holi Wednesday as they painted one another with colours and danced in the streets.

Rock Garden gets Rs.17.4 mn for facelift

CHANDIGARH - The Chandigarh administration has sanctioned a budget of Rs.17.4 million for the beautification and maintenance of Rock Garden, a major tourist attraction here.

Over a million attend Taj cultural fest, but many unhappy

AGRA - More than a million people attended the 10-day cultural extravaganza Taj Mahotsava that ended here Friday, but many were unhappy as it did not showcase traditional culture or have sessions on conservation of heritage buildings.

Kashmir to host international ski championship in March

JAMMU - An international ski championship is being organised in snow-clad Gulmarg resort from March 1, Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism minster said Tuesday.

India’s economic upturn to begin October: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI - India’s economic downturn is ‘temporary’ and the upturn will begin from October as the country’s economy and business are resilient enough to adapt to the changing times of global meltdown, said Home Minister P.Chidamabaram Tuesday.

Delhi has a long way to go for Commonwealth Games

NEW DELHI - In a startling disclosure, a Parliamentary Standing Committee Tuesday said Delhi was running far behind the schedule in preparing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Special tourism awards for Taj, Oberoi for role in Mumbai attack

NEW DELHI - Employees and managements of the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident Tuesday were honoured with a special award for displaying exemplary courage in helping the guests who were trapped during the terrorist strikes on the two hotels in Mumbai Nov 26-29 last year.

Watch Kerala’s coast, countryside in ‘Bidaai’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala’s lush green fields, idyllic backwaters and lagoons are being promoted for honeymoon tourism and glimpses of it can be seen in Star Plus’ daily soap ‘Bidaai’.

Carnival kicks off in Goa

PANAJI - The spirit of festivity descended on Goa Saturday, after the year’s first carnival float parade was flagged off in the capital by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Governor S.S. Sidhu.

Study in Scarlett: Goa refuses to learn (Comment)

It is past 1 a.m. on Anjuna beach. And nearly a year after her body was discovered on the sands here, Goa has disgracefully unlearned every lesson the Scarlett Keeling murder taught.

Chandigarh expects a million tourists in 2009

CHANDIGARH - The tourism industry in Chandigarh is booming, apparently untouched by global recession, and officials say they expect tourist arrivals to the ‘city beautiful’ to cross the one million mark in 2009.

Sri Lankan delegation to visit Surajkund fair

NEW DELHI - Keen on having a fair in Sri Lanka on the lines of the Surajkund Craft Mela, a 11-member delegation from that country will Sunday visit Faridababd in Haryana to witness how the 23rd edition of the event is being held.

Goa Carnival organisers put terror concerns aside

PANAJI - Notwithstanding security concerns in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, the Goa Carnival later this month will take place on the promenade along the picturesque Mandovi river, officials said here Friday.

ITDC looks at overseas foray, hotel in Zambia likely

NEW DELHI - State-run hospitality major India Tourism Development Corp (ITDC), which runs the Ashok chain of luxury hotels, is looking for properties abroad and will finalise a location in Zambia shortly.