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April, 2005
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Shimla's cherry orchards calling tourists

     Shimla: It's cherry time in Himachal Pradesh and the landscape is covered with flowering cherry gardens concentrated in Kotgarh, Shilaru and Baghi in Shimla district, besides some parts in Kullu district. The cherry season continues for the entire month of April. In countries like Japan and some Western European countries, cherry trees in full bloom promote tourism. Cherry farming was introduced in the state as an alternative crop about two decades ago. The trees grow to a height of about fifteen to twenty feet. The cherry trees start flowering in the first week of April and this continues through the month. By May the trees bear seeds. This period extends till about mid-June. However, both farmers and the government have been unable to harness its potential as a tourist spot. "The cherry orchards are located near the national highway in the Narkanda region, which is already a place of tourist attraction. The location has therefore caused some amount of curiosity among the tourists and they often enquire about the orchards. However, we have not received any incentives from the government or the private sector to develop these orchards. If some concessions can be made, we could probably become more popular in Himachal and eventually carve a niche for ourselves in India and also abroad," said Amin Chand Sharma, a cherry farmer from Shilaru. Cherry farming has a bright business side too. To promote sales, the farmers have built huts along the national highway, from where they sell cherries during the peak season. Cherry farmers are aware of the incentives given to apple producers. They are of the opinion that similar incentives must be given to them. What the farmers are demanding is support from the government, especially in the area of marketing. "I have heard that people are engaged in cherry farming and that this has promoted tourism. But I'm not much aware of it. And I'm sure that neither the tourism department nor the government know any better," said Ajay Kainthla, cherry farmer from Kotgarh. In Himachal Pradesh, cherry farms are spread across 2,000 hectares of land. Honey bees are reared in the orchards for cross-pollination. As a result of good returns, cherry farms are gaining in popularity among the farmers in the state. If the cherry farms are developed for tourism, this could give double benefits to the farmers in the state. The cherry farmers are convinced that it is not only they who would benefit from it but the cherry farming could also promote economic development and eventually become a source of revenue for the government.
- April 20, 2005

Yoga in Goa attracts foreign tourists (Go to Top)

     Panaji: Goa is a land of sea, sunshine, serene nature and moderate climate and there is plenty of sunshine. The attractive sunshine might be over here with the onset of summer, but not the tourist shine as big hotels and resorts continue to lure them with value added services like Yoga workshops. Yoga, which has become very popular in the west, is a big draw for the foreigners. The hotels come out with special packages offering Yoga workshops and seminars with the stay. With the onset of harsh summer, the yoga classes have become an alternative to the beaches for foreign tourists. According to Swami K.G. Jagdeesha Vaidyar, a Yoga expert in Ramada Caravela Resort, Yoga draws a large number of foreign tourist, who mainly come to Goa to relax and Yoga works for them as an effective healthy stress buster. "Yoga started in India but it is popular all over the world. The main reason are it benefits body and soul," said Swami K.G. Jagdeesha Vaidyar. He explains that the ultimate aim of Yoga is salvation, but in today's modern life, Yoga has become essential in curing both physical and mental ailments. "People's main problems are stress and tension. Yoga improves health, immunity, increases energy vitality," added Swami K.G. Jagdeesha Vidyar. Alexander from Russia is happy that practicing Yoga has improved his mental as well as physical health. "I have read about it in books and I practiced it. I have been benefiting from it. I think all my body is good. I have no disease," said Alexander. The combination of sea beaches and natural therapy makes Goa, one of the most happening tourist destinations in the country.
- April 15, 2005

Tourists stay back in Goa (Go to Top)

     Panaji: The summers of Goa have mesmerized the foreign tourists to the extent that they have extended their holidays despite the tourism season coming to an end. Generally, tourist season starts from October and ends by March. However, Goa's sunny weather has made, mainly the foreign tourists, decide to stick onto the beach for an extended period of time. In order to get their skin tanned, they lie down to the exposed sunshine areas and the heated sand. They are very fond of having fawn coloured skin and keep trying to acquire that complexion."One can find beautiful sand and sea in Goa. We come here to get that suntanned look on our body," said Alice, a Scottish tourist. "I just love sun coming on my face and skin. I like the brown colour of skin. It's very beautiful and I come here to get this colour,"said Olcombe, a tourist from Holland. During this period, business for the beach side shacks and restaurants dwindle away. But this time, foreign tourists can be seen spending more time in Goa, leading to more business in the city. "As compared to the last two seasons, this season has been a very good one. I have seen an increase of 25% to 30% in the tourists this year," said Sanjay Sharma, shack owner Palolem Beach. Variously known as "Pearl of the Orient" and a "Tourist Paradise", the state of Goa is located on the western coast of India in the coastal belt known as Konkan. It has a coastline of 125 kilometres. The Goan coast runs almost uninterrupted in a straight line and faces the Arabian Sea. The edging of sandy beaches is broken by the spill of the seven rivers into the sea, and by rocky outcrops that demarcate one beach from another. Another interesting fact about Goa is that the beaches here are at least a million years old. The tides wash them twice a day; the monsoons redesign them twice a year. So, even if youve visited all the beaches of Goa in a single year, youll find that theyve changed when you return next year. Not very drastically changed, perhaps, but they would certainly have been subtly altered. This is what makes Goas beaches so attractive: theyre always new, always exciting. tourism is the mainstay of Goa's economy. To attract more number of tourists the government is trying to bring in value addition through event related tourism. One such initiative is government backing for the International Film Festival for which Goa has been made a permanent venue. However due to influx of tourists the sea shores are getting overexposed and overcrowded.
- April 13, 2005

Security beefed up on MP railway tracks (Go to Top)

     Gwalior: Security has been beefed up along the railway tracks and other installations along the Dabra Shivpuri region after the notorious Gadaria gang threatened to rob the Mumbai-Delhi bound Rajdhani Express. Gadaria gang, which has been placed in the T-1 category - the most wanted target by the Madhya Pradesh police, had forwarded a letter to the police informing about their baneful intentions. The threat was received on Tuesday. Besides beefing up the security, search operations along the forests of Sindh are on. The state police, Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police personnel are on high alert. "GRP received the information that T1 Gadaria gang would rob the Rajdhani train. We have launched search operations along the railway tracks. Even at fixed points we have beefed up the security so that if someone tries to rob the train, he is killed in the encounter. About 70 security men have been deployed along Sindh and Gwalior region," said Ashok Bhadoria, SHO, Dabra. Guards have been deployed in the Rajdhani Express. Security men are also looking after other trains in order to thwart any untoward incident. "Though we have received the information about Rajdhani only, but tracking operation is also being launched in other trains ," added Bhadoria. Gadaria gang has been involved in a number of heinous crimes including murder and abduction. The gang had mercilessly shot down 13 unarmed villagers at Bhawarpura about 8 months ago.
-April 13, 2005

Want to beat the heat! Welcome to Shimla (Go to Top)

     Shimla: With mercury shooting up in the plains, hilly terrains have again become the numero-uno destination of the tourists. And when one is going to a hilly region, the first choice is obviously Shimla. As a result, Shimla has started drawing tourists in huge numbers, coming here not only to cool climes but also for the city's architectural heritage. The pleasant climate, green forests, and magical mountains makes Shimla an ideal destination in summers when most of the India is bearing the scorching heat. All small hill resorts like Kufri, Naldera, Mashobra and Fagu in the surrounding areas of Shimla offer a tranquil environment with the natural Himalayan scenic beauty which uplift the moods of the travellers. "This is the first time when I have visited Shimla. It is not only a very nice and pleasant place but also a very beautiful one. People are good and I have not seen such a place in my life before. It is really a thrilling experience," said Rama Krishan Rao, tourist from Karnataka.

     April to July period is the peak season for the tourism industry in Shimla. During this season, the city receives around 12,000 to 15,000 visitors each year. "We have a pretty good season during April to July period. In this season, many tourists pull off a trip to Shimla as the climate here is very good. They come with a perception that they will find an excellent weather away from the scorching sun, down the hills. It reflects the biggest boom in business. Taxi drivers, horse riders, hoteliers, and guides expect a very good business and are benefited from it," said Surinder Chauhan, travel agent in Shimla. "It is the best time when everybody such as hoteliers, photographers, porters can earn a lot in this season. I earn somewhere in the range of Rs.100 to Rs.200 per day. I am glad to earn such a huge amount," said Abdul Samad, porter from Kashmir. Shimla contain buildings of high historical, architectural and technological significance. The 'Kathkuni' or 'Kathkundi' style of building is something unique to this part of the world. This design has evoked an enormous seismic response. -April 12, 2005

GET Lionel India forays into Sports Tourism (Go to Top)

     Bangalore: GET Lionel India, a KK Birla group travel company, has announced plans to make a foray into sports tourism with a focus on promoting sporting lifestyle and leisure activities among children and adults. The company has launched a joint marketing initiative with SportzVillage, a Bangalore-based organization, which focuses on sports education for children, corporate sporting events and promoting of sports-related tour itineraries for school children in the age group of 9 to 15 years. The first such group is scheduled to leave in May for Goa. Further activities under this umbrella will be rolled out across the metros in a phased manner. Sports Tourism is a growing niche market in India. It is estimated that in the next three years over a 100,000 Indians will travel exclusively for watching sports-related events internationally. This trend will be particularly significant with football, cricket, tennis, golf and formula one enthusiasts. Announcing this initiative in Bangalore, Gaurav Sundaram, CEO of GET Lionel India and Director Asia- GET, said: "GET Lionel has strong operational capabilities and credibility in managing sports-related tourism in India. We firmly believe that promoting sports tourism, is integral to the development of a sporting culture in the country, especially amongst children. Saumil Majmudar, Director of SportzVillage, said: "As one of India's leading grassroot-level professionally-run sports organization, SportzVillage's mission is to "Create Champions in Life" through the magical medium of sports.

      The sports tourism initiative will go a long way in providing a high-quality sporting experience as well as help develop a passion for sports and fitness in children and adults. We are pleased to partner with GET Lionel India and combine their domestic and international travel expertise with our professional sports services for children and corporates." Get Lionel India is a specialist corporate travel management company, wholly owned by the K.K. Birla Group. It provides end- to-end travel management solutions to various Indian and multinational corporates. The company currently has a presence in six key metros -- Delhi, Mumbai,Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata with its headquarters in Bangalore and several client onsite locations. SportzVillage is India's leading grassroot level professionally run sports organization that provides high-quality sports services to children and corporates. Founded in 2003, SportzVillage aims to make sports, health and fitness a way of life for children and adults. SportzVillage works with leading corporates and sponsors to leverage the magic of sports for individual, organizational and community development.
-April 12, 2005

Belgian tourist guide marries an Indian girl (Go to Top)

     Agra: Bhangra beats became the spicy background score or rather the star attraction of a church wedding. For it was a culture exchange in true sense and nothing could stop citizens from two different nationalities, from dancing to the foot tapping beats, as a Belgian tourist guide Keon married an Indian girl Mita at St.Mary's Church., Agra. It was love at first sight for the two when they first met four months back at a five star hotel where Mita worked as a receptionist. "My family was very positive about it as we follow the same religion. We both are Christians," told Mita. Even the bridegroom's family took just ten minutes to give their consent and came especially to India for the wedding. "I was obliged to know about India as I am a tourist guide. But I find the people of Indian very hospitable and my wife helps me understand all the cultural differences." She said. For the bride's sister Rosaline it was a unique opportunity to share two different cultures.
-April 8, 2005

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