TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS - September 2022
Sep 2022
Feb 01, 2024
UNWTO Becomes 'UN Tourism'
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) entered a new era with a new name and brand: 'UN Tourism'. With this new brand, the Organization reaffirmed its status as the United Nations' specialised agency for tourism and the global leader of tourism for development, driving social and economic change to ensure that people and planet are always centre stage.
UN Tourism's new tagline, 'Bringing the world closer' inspires the design concept of its new symbol: a Pangea shaping a human figure in action. This evolution from the former globe symbols reflects the organisation's emphasis on the dynamic nature of tourism and on putting people first.
With 160 Member States and hundreds of private sector affiliates, UN Tourism has its headquarters in Madrid, Spain, and regional offices in Nara (Japan) covering Asia and Pacific, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) for the Middle East, as well as forthcoming regional offices for the Americas (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Africa (Morocco).
Jan 29, 2024
World's Largest Cruise Ship Sets Sail
The world's largest cruise ship is set for its maiden voyage, but environmental groups are concerned that the liquefied natural gas-powered vessel - and other giant cruise liners to follow - will leak harmful methane into the atmosphere.
Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas set sail from Miami with capacity for 8,000 passengers across 20 decks.
The ship is built to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which burns more cleanly than traditional marine fuel but poses greater risks for methane emissions. Environmental groups say methane leakage from the ship's engines is an unacceptable risk to the climate because of its short-term harmful effects.
Jan 20, 2024
Kerala Bets Big on Heli-tourism to Attract Visitors
Tourism Kerala is diversifying its tourism appeal by emphasising its heli-tourism initiative in hilly regions and positioning itself as a premier wedding destination with the aim to attract more tourists.
As per Kerala Tourism Director P. B. Nooh, Kerala has distinguished itself as a top responsible tourism destination. Kerala's commitment to responsible tourism ensures that travelers act responsibly, and a portion of the expenditure contributes to the improvement of local communities.
Nooh announced the introduction of the 'Sky Escapes' heli-tourism initiative, designed to boost tourism in hilly terrains through helicopter services. The state government will collaborate with private entities to promote this initiative.
Jan 14, 2024
Goa Launches New Model of Regenerative Tourism
The Goa government launched a model for "regenerative tourism," to become the first state in the country to do so. The approach aims to redefine tourism by promoting environmental restoration, cultural preservation, and community empowerment.
The launch of the model follows the G20 Tourism Ministers working group meet in June 2023, that came up with the Goa road map for tourism as a method for achieving the sustainable development goals.
With the launch of the 'Ekadasha Teertha', Goa gave Indian tourism a fresh look with an emphasis on spirituality, indigeneity, cultural and civilizational nationalism, and conscious tourism.
Jan 13, 2024
Indian Passport 80th Strongest
The Indian passport remained the 80th strongest in the world, the same as last year (2023), according to the 2024 Henley Passport Index. However, the Indian passport now gives its holders visa-free access to 62 countries as against 57 in the 2023 Henley Passport Index. Two years ago, India was at the 87th spot.