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Khushvinder Singh is part of a 12-member group from Jammu who reached Katra before dawn to pay obeisance at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. The shrine along with other religious places across the Union Territory reopened for devotees on Sunday morning after remaining closed for almost five months due to the COVID-19 outbreak. “I used to come to the shrine at least once every month to offer my prayers. I feel blessed to be back on the first day of the reopening of the shrine,” the 48-year-old Singh told PTI. Singh had reached Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine, around 4 am and was among the first batch to offer prayers at the sanctum sanctorum – the holy cave which is the ultimate destination of the pilgrims. The gates of the shrine reopened for the devotees around 6 am and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) Ramesh Kumar was seen taking last m

Loy River Song, Thailand’s latest ultra-private luxury river cruise, has officially launched on the Chao Phraya River, charting a route from modern day Bangkok to Siam’s ancient capital of Ayutthaya, Offering a collection of itineraries ranging from two days/one night to four days/three nights, Loy Pela Voyages allows guests to choose the experience that best suits their travel plans. In keeping with the spirit of a bygone era, the décor of the four-stateroom Loy River Song is dominated by precious antiques and rare Thai silks. Discretely incorporated into the timeless design of the staterooms are upscale modern-day amenities: king-size beds, ensuite bathrooms, air-conditioning, separate his-and-her vanities and modern dressing tables. A combination of King and Queen cabins, they range in size from 20 to 30 square metres and are ideal for extended families or groups of friends travelling together. Traditional craftsmanship and regional influences evoke the elegance of old Siam, while i

VitrA, the leading bathroom solutions brand of Eczacıbaşı Building Products Division in Turkey introduces its technologically advanced V-Care Smart Toilet. Designed by multi-award-winning German design studio NOA in collaboration with the VitrA Design team, V-Care Smart Toilet provides an innovative, user-friendly, fully customizable personal hygiene washing experience. V-Care Smart Toilet, the new generation of shower toilets from VitrA, redefines the standard by combining the functionality of a toilet and the cleaning properties of a bidet into a stylish WC that can seamlessly integrate into your bathroom. Washing with water after using the toilet is becoming increasingly popular as people understand the health benefits. It offers all the features of a modern WC along with added advantages of a touch-free toilet, elegant look and a technologically advanced bathroom. This remote-control VitrA innovation offers the ultimate in sanitation and comfort with its self-cleaning bidet nozzle

Indian Philanthropic Community comes together to support 10 million+ migrant workers; launches the Migrants Resilience Collaborative platform (MRC) Aimed towards support safety, security and mobility of migrant workers and their families in 100 districts and cities across India Focus on jobs in the construction and textile sector Steering Council to comprise of foremost philanthropists and industry leaders from across sectors – Vidya Shah, CEO, EdelGive Foundation, Anu Aga, Former Chairperson, Thermax Limited, Rati Forbes, Director, Forbes Marshall Group, Arun Maira, Former Member, Planning Commission of India, Kumar Gera, Chairman, Gera Developments Pvt. Ltd, Ashif Shaikh, Co-Founder, Jan Sahas, Lalita Vadia, Former migrant worker Mumbai, August, 2020: India’s leading philanthropists have come together to introduce the Migrants Resilience Collaborative (MRC), India’s largest grassroots-led multi-stakeholder collaborative of nonprofit, philanthropic, and private sector actors commi

Jalesh Cruises offers FREE COVID19 rapid testing to all its passengers Mumbai: After four months of the country experiencing lockdown, home confinement, restricted movements and no summer vacations, it is now time for some unbelievably good news! As part of its Mission Begin Again, t he Indian Government has announced that it will permit cruise ships to commence sailing from 1st October. In the light of this major development, Jalesh Cruises announces the commencement of its cruise MV Karnika from Friday 6th November 2020. In line with its commitment to its valued passengers to offer an enjoyable, safe and secure holiday in your home (away from home) on the sea, Jalesh Cruises will offer all passengers FREE rapid Covid19 and all other flu related testing at the time of embarkation! Passengers will receive their test results in 15 minutes, board the ship without any fears or worries and set sail into the blue sea and the bright horizon. Start planning your much deserved and well-earne

India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) posted a notable performance for the financial year 2019-20 despite severe impact of COVID-19 on the tourism, travel and hospitality sector during last quarter of financial year including lockdown in the second half of month of March’20 which brought entire industry to a standstill. Total Income during the year was Rs. 357.49 crore and Revenue from operations was Rs. 336.27 crore. The Corporation posted profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 42.68 crore and profit after tax (PAT) of Rs. 26.12 crore from both continued and discontinued operations. FY 2019-20 has been a crucial and important year for ITDC, especially in view of the ongoing disinvestment. The profit is result of several proactive initiatives taken by the organization during the year e.g. overall reduction in costs, process improvement, realignment of business policy & processes etc. to improve its productivity and efficiency.

A gang of girls or a band of boys, Switzerland has something for ever yone! This friendship day, while talking to your best friends, don't just dream but plan ahead for your next escape. The country is the perfect destination for a vacation with your best friends! With snowy alps, beautiful lakes, gorgeous architecture and the best food, Switzerland will make sure you all leave with a suitcase full of memories! For the crazy adventure junkies Interlaken is a Swiss town nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and is known as Europe’s top adventure sport destination. It is located at Bernese Oberland in the shadow of three highest peaks in the Alps- Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. With activities ranging from SkyDiving to Skiing, Interlaken is a haven for adventure enthusiasts. We recommend skydiving- A notch above gliding on the adventure scale, The rush of jumping from an aircraft and plummeting towards the ground at 200 Km/hr is like no other. Add to that the stunning landscape of

KOH SAMUI, Thailand (July, 2020) — The Banyan Tree Group, one of Asia’s leading hotel brands for sustainability and environmental awareness, has announced that it will launch a range of organic, plant-based menus at its resorts around the world, starting in Thailand later this year. The Singapore-based Group said it has embarked on several collaborations covering different areas of the food chain, such as championing local procurement and sustainably sourced food through a partnership with two-star Michelin Chef James Noble. Together, Banyan Tree and Noble have broken ground on ORI9IN, a 350-acre gourmet organic farm in the fertile mountains of Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. Aside from supplying no fewer than 15 Michelin chefs at some of Bangkok’s most elite restaurants, MasterChef-turned sustainable farmer Noble said the joint venture will also include an on-site farm-to-table organic restaurant which is slated to open in October this year. Banyan Tree currently has three hotels in T

Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste and a flood of toxic chemicals end up in the world's rivers and oceans, endangering wildlife and threatening sources of clean drinking water. In a 30-minute special, ‘Going Green’ meets the entrepreneurs racing to stem the tide of pollution. From bioplastics to non-polluting dyes for textiles, CNN discovers the innovations that could reshape some of the world's most wasteful industries and protect our precious waters.   Highlights include: Growing up on the Indonesian island of Bali, activist and filmmaker Gary Bencheghib began preserving Bali’s coastline from plastic waste when he was 14. A decade on, he is now turning his focus to Bali’s rivers and streams. Bencheghib is installing 100 trash barriers and an online monitoring platform to arm the island with much needed data to control plastic waste, before it ever reaches the ocean. With Indonesia one of the world's biggest contributors of plastic waste to the oceans, the

New Delhi, July , 2020: As Delhi-NCR slowly unlocks itself in phases, Bharti Realty’s Worldmark Aerocity is leading the commercial sector in innovative dinning-in experience by setting forth examples through its avant-garde solutions to COVID-19 challenges. They are leading the way in hygienic practices of retail food establishments to provide a contemporary, safe and hygienic environment to all diners. Worldmark Aerocity’s ‘The Walk’, home to some of the top gourmet restaurants, cafes, and bars in Delhi-NCR, is following a strict repository of measures to ensure a comfortable and convenient dining experience for its customer. This is being done while maintaining its upscale dining standards of providing world class food through contactless dining. One of the crucial steps of contactless dining being followed by the restaurants is doing away with paper menus. They are instead offering QR codes that diners can scan using their smartphones at their respective tables and view the menu

Mumbai, July 2020: In line with EU guidelines, Switzerland has lifted entry restrictions for travellers from 21 countries*, including Australia and Canada which are considered epidemiologically safe with regards to the COVID-19 situation. Travellers from certain regions will have to go into quarantine for 10 days after entering the country. Though Switzerland is one of the few countries in the world that has been able to control the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation is in constant flux and restrictions can change at any given time. Switzerland systematically started relaxing its Covid-19 restrictions in phases, by 15th June Switzerland opened its borders for travellers from the Schengen zone and the United Kingdom. As of July 20, 2020 the country is open to Algeria, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay. As the country opens its borders with a gradual relaxation of rules,

The Maldives is now open for travelers to plan their next exotic getaway. The destination is known for its spectacular beaches, turquoise coastlines and much more that you have been dreaming about while hunkered down at home. Paradise awaits at The Residence Maldives at Falhumaafushi and Dhigurah makes its home on one of the largest islands in North Malé Atoll called Gaafu Alifu. A jewel among a string of coral atolls, lagoons and white sands with a kilometer-long bridge that connects the two pristine resorts. The Residence Maldives at Falhumaafushi and Dhigurah have thoughtfully designed unique packages and offers that include experiences like blissful relaxation, spa pampering, culinary pleasures, romance under the stars and playful days in the sun. The Residence Maldives at Falhumaafushi embodies the heart and soul of pristine island seclusion that are perfect for an intimate escape. As a part of its latest offerings, the resort has launched E-Gift Vouchers that let you save more,

Kolkata, July 2020 : Siddha Group, Eastern India’s leading real estate developer, launched two new towers at Siddha Galaxia , one of the most cherished projects in Rajarhat. Siddha Galaxia created waves as it introduced the World’s Longest Rooftop Skywalk in Kolkata. It drew tremendous appreciation from media as well as prospective buyers. The apartments, in a very short time span, were almost sold out. Fast forward to 2020, Two New Towers are now launched giving new hope for home-buyers who longed for but missed out owning an apartment at Siddha Galaxia. Besides, the World’s Longest Rooftop Skywalk is taking shape by connecting the first 4 towers, Phase 1 and II of the Project are complete and handed over. “We are extremely happy to announce the launch of the new towers at Siddha Galaxia. I am proud to say that this project had set a new benchmark in the real estate industry when it was launched. The Rooftop Skywalk changed the game, inviting people to enjoy a sky-life experience wi

[INDIA]. – July 2020 – For more than 100 years, Hilton hotels around the world have set the stage for the world’s most coveted and important meetings, events and entertainment gatherings – from star-laden award shows and movie sets to energetic political conventions, global conferences and wow-worthy weddings. Today, that tradition continues – even at a safe distance. To address safe group travel practices and evolve today’s event experience, Hilton today announced a global, industry-leading cleanliness and customer service program specific to meetings and events. Hilton EventReady with CleanStay is the next phase of the company’s recently launched Hilton CleanStay and was shaped by extensive research and feedback. “At Hilton, we’ve always believed in the power of in-person connections and take pride in the exceptional experiences our teams create in partnership with event professionals,” said Chris Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton. “In today’s new normal, we know that people pla

India Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (ITDC), a public sector undertaking (PSU), under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has signed an MOU with AIIMS, New Delhi to come together and monitor the situation to prevent COVID-19 infection and implement preventive measures that can be taken up by ITDC across its hotels and offices to provide a safe, hygienic and healthy environment to guests and staff. Talking about the MOU Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture said, “The MoU between ITDC and AIIMS to fight the COVID 19 battle is a commendable and appreciable step taken by ITDC. We need to win over our fear & do everything possible in order to revive the tourism industry, which is one of the key contributors to the country’s GDP. This move by ITDC would be helpful in rebuilding trust & confidence of international as well as domestic tourists.” “The ongoing pandemic has had a severe impact on the trav

Bhopal, 9 July 2020: A 10 day long culinary journey of flavourful and authentic Amritsari food – Amritsar Da Swad- will begin from Friday at Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal. The Festival will be held at Hotel’s multi cuisine restaurant MoMo Cafe from 12.30 to 9 pm. During the festival city’s diners will relish wholesome flavour of the culinary landscape of Amritsar. The food lovers may also get these dishes home delivered. Rakesh Upadhyay, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal informed this in a press release here on Thursday. He said “Amritsari Cuisine it is one of the most distinct and popular Indian cuisines and comes from the region of Punjab situated partially in India and Pakistan. During the festival our chefs will be preparing arrays of scrumptious and exotic vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes in traditional culinary style, particularly the tandoori”. Ravish Mishra, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal said “Food isn’t just food in Punjab, it is an unrivalle

With the launch of its first E-Gift P latform , Palazzo Versace Dubai engages discerning travellers to ‘gift an experience’ to remember – whether as a treat for oneself, or the perfect surprise to show appreciation to a loved one, or an immersive escape for a special occasion . This platform is designed to offer a distinct selection of indulgent stay, spa, dining experiences and more at the hotel. O ne can also add a personalised message while e-gifting the voucher experience, to say ‘Thank You’, ‘I love you’ or just ‘I’m thinking of you during these difficult times’. It is perfect for guests wanting to plan their next splendid holiday at Dubai’s most fashionable address, or gift a range of signature experiences at the property to their family, friends or even business associates. There are a wide range of stay options and hotel amenities to choose from, and guests can look forward to enjoying unparalleled comfort in the opulent settings at Palazzo Versace Dubai once again. Palazzo

India, July 02, 2020 – Hilton today announced the launch of its limited time ‘Dream Away’ offer, which is now available for travelers across all Hilton hotels in India. Hilton ‘Dream Away’ offers several benefits & formidable experiences to guests looking to reconnect with friends and family or travelling for business. To avail the Dream Away offer, travellers need to book their room(s) by 15th July 2020 for stays until March 31, 2021. Hilton Honors (loyalty program) members get an additional 5% savings while Non-members can avail upto 30%. Guests can cancel 24 hours prior without any fee and need not provide advance deposit at the time of booking. Early check-in and late check-outs are also offered, pending availability. Travelers will have another opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the Hilton Dream Away offer when the booking window reopens on 7th August 2020 (limited duration) for stays until March 31, 2021. In addition, Hilton has commenced a worldwide roll-out of a new

July 1st, 2020, New Delhi: With the economy re-starting its engine, the Hospitality and Tourism industry is also gearing to make a come-back. Intending to embrace the new normal and discuss the way forward, Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) hosted a webinar on ‘Preparedness of Hospitality, Travel & Tourism industry in the present scenario of COVID 19’ on 30th June 2020. The webinar was joined by Shri. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, C&MD, ITDC ; Smt. Meenakshi Sharma DG(T) , Ministry Of Tourism ; Shri. Suman Billa, Director, Technical Cooperation & Silk Road UNWTO ; Shri. Pronab Sarkar, President, IATO ; Shri. Subash Goyal, Honorary Secretary, FAITH ; Shri. PP Khanna, President, ADTOI, and Shri. Amaresh Tiwari, Vice Chairman, ICPB representing various segments of Hospitality, Tours and Travels. Valuable inputs were received from the panellists who were also of the views that if all the stakeholders come together to support each other during such testing times, the

Delhi, July 01, 2020 : JLL, the largest real estate consultancy firm in the country has recently conducted a survey with 15 leading hotel operators in India having adequate presence across hotel segments in both business and leisure markets. The survey was conducted to understand the effects of the pandemic on development and opening of new hotels, as well as the support required for the sustenance of the sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstill, with hospitality, travel and tourism sector being the most affected due to travel restrictions across the world and within India. In order to gauge the impact of the pandemic, following the survey, JLL Hotel and Hospitality Group has launched a whitepaper titled ‘ Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Hospitality Industry.’ According to the survey, only 20% of the operators believe that their hotels could bounce back to 2019 Revenue Per Available Room or RevPAR levels within 6 to 12 months. Whilst 60% believe that their portf