Search Results

· Hotels must not drop rates to increase occupancy, instead they should adapt to ‘new normal’ - embracing innovative technologies and being creative with offerings · Global set of transparent hospitality standa rds relating to health, safety and hygiene will be key in regaining trust of travellers Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2 June 2020: Developing a global set of transparent hospitality standards relating to health, safety and hygiene will be key to regain the trust of travellers in a post COVID-19 landscape, a panel of industry experts explained during the opening day of Arabian Travel Market’s inaugural virtual event, ATM Virtual. ‘The Hotel Landscape in a Post-COVID-19 World’ session which took place on Monday 1st June, discussed the importance of hotel brands providing both hospitality workers and consumers with confidence that their property, and indeed the wider destination, is safe and secure to visit. The panel which was moderated by industry consultant Gemma Greenwood, also included Tim Cordon, Senior Area Vice President for Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group, Christopher Lund, Head of Hotels, Colliers International, Middle East & North Africa, Simon Casson, President of Hotel Operations, EMEA, Four Seasons and Raki Phillips, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. “There has never been a global pandemic of this scale in modern times, building confidence will be key as we look ahead to the post-COVID-19 hospitality recovery. Not only is it important that our workers have confidence that their health and wellbeing is of prime importance, but for consumers too. They will need full reassurance that our properties are safe, secure and following the highest standards when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness,” said Cordon. “Our properties rely predominantly on corporate and business travel. So, having a global standard will be essential before we start to see large organisations send their employees all over the world again. It is important that everyone can understand that what’s being offered is consistent and trustworthy.” While the global pandemic has severely impacted the hospitality industry worldwide, the MENA region alone has witnessed an estimated 42% decrease in occupancy since March, according to the latest data from Colliers International, with many people forced to cancel or postpone their travel plans in the first half of the year. Phillips said: “Our industry is very resilient and will recover and for this reason it’s important that hotels don’t drop their room rates. Tourists will come back, we are already seeing this in Ras Al Khaimah where we are lucky to have large, spacious resorts with some offering private villas, making the implementation of social distancing measures much easier. Hotels need to adapt to a new normal with increased sanitisation at the forefront, while being creative with their offerings and embracing innovative technologies which can help differentiate them from their competitors.” Travellers still want to go on holiday, but safety has now become a top priority over price, location, facilities, and services. In preparation for the resurgence, it is crucial hospitality companies can provide consumers with peace of mind by implementing and virtually showcasing the stringent hygiene and deep cleaning procedures performed rigorously across their properties. “One way of achieving this consumer trust, and I believe the hospitality industry in the UAE is leading the way in this respect, is by partnering with accreditation agencies such as the Bureau Veritas to ensure your property is following disinfectant and sanitisation protocols implemented by government bodies and abiding by the highest levels of hygiene. Passing these audits provides your property with a label that guests can view and take reassurance from,” said Lund. “In addition, the implementation of immersive technologies that provide potential guests with virtual 3D tours of properties, as well as phone apps which allow you to enter your hotel room, change the temperature, call the elevator, book excursions and order room service are going to be vital in helping hotels recover and stand out from their competitors.” Casson added: “At Four Seasons we have been spending a lot of time exploring how the new guest journey, from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave, will look. While we are doing everything we can to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our guests, it’s important that we continue to work with our local partners, such as airlines, airport transfer providers and activity and tour guides, to ensure they are abiding by the same level of santisation and hygiene. Consistency across the entire experience is key.” The hospitality industry will be a recurring theme throughout the three-day virtual event and will include a series of roundtables including ‘Will hygiene surpass price, facilities and services, in the ‘new normal’ hotel experience’, ‘Effects that COVID-19 could have on food-driven travel’ and ‘The Changing Face of Luxury Family Travel’. The third and final day of the debut ATM Virtual will feature an interview with Wizz Air CEO, Joszef Varadi, taking place from 10:00am – 10:45am GST (7.00am – 7.45am BST), while the International Travel Investment Conference summit, will discuss sustainable investment measures for the Middle East travel and tourism sector to restore travellers’ confidence post-pandemic. A webinar titled ‘What are you doing to energise your operational performance?’, which will discuss the power of data analytics in helping to maximise performance and the responsible tourism session, ‘The Implications of Covid-19 for Responsible Hospitality’, will also take place on day three. Concluding the event is the Influencers’ session titled ‘Make Your Connection: Influencers as a Key Part of the Marketing Mix – COVID-19 The Road to Recovery’. This session will feature a panel of prominent travel and lifestyle influencers discussing the importance of creating relevant, engaging, and impactful travel and lifestyle content in the current climate of best practices. A special networking event focusing on the Influencer Tourism market will follow. There will also be a series of independently moderated, roundtables designed to discuss emerging hot topics such as domestic travel, luxury travel trends, corporate travel, food travel and tourism recovery plans. Day three will kick-off with the ‘Will Hygiene Surpass Price, Facilities and Services, in the ‘New Normal’ Hotel Experience?’ live webinar from 10am – 10.45am GST (7am – 7.45am BST), moderated by Hotelier Middle East editor Claudia de Brito. Other round tables are available on demand and include ‘The Future of Corporate Travel’ led by Breaking Travel News; The Changing Face of Luxury Family Travel hosted by Destinations of the World News; ‘The New Normal: What the Future Looks Like for the Hotel and Tourism Industry’ and ‘Middle East: The New Asian Source Market’ both by Trav Talk Middle East, as well as TTN Middle East’s ‘Challenges Faced Today by the Travel Providers’ and ‘Latest travel updates, projections and upcoming trends and focus on near-, mid- and long-term travel prospects’. The Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the Italian Tourist Board are both Gold sponsors of ATM Virtual. ATM Virtual runs until Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event, please visit: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

● A joint survey by Ivy Alliance, CCT and PATA has found that 60% of Chinese intend to travel in 2020 and 45% are willing to travel abroad ● According to China Tourism Academy, 155 million Chinese tourists travelled overseas in 2019 ● Chinese visitors spent $277.3 billion in 2018 making it the top outbound market With the spread of coronavirus under control and domestic leisure travel growing, Middle East travel professionals are now looking to China to initiate international tourism. A joint survey conducted by the Ivy Alliance Tourism Consulting, China Comfort Travel Group (CCT), and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), was discussed by a panel of experts during the three-day ATM Virtual event that is currently taking place. The Virtual ATM China Tourism Forum, took an in-depth look at the potential of the Chinese outbound leisure market post COVID-19’s closed borders and what overseas destinations and attractions can do to reassure and convince Chinese tourists, that their destination is safe to visit. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director Middle East, Arabian Travel Market, said: “In China we are already witnessing the green-shoots of recovery and many industry experts are looking to China to kickstart international tourism.” Moderated by Dr. Adam Wu, the panellists for this session, included Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman, International Institute of Peace for Tourism (IIPT) and former Secretary General of the UNWTO; Helen Shapovalova, Founder & Director, Pan Ukraine; Lisa Dinh, Tourism Director, VIA Outlets and Tony Ong, Chief Business Officer and Vice President of HCG International Travel Group, which has over 7000 local travel agents across China focusing on outbound travel. Dr. Rifai, opened the debate comparing COVID-19 to other crises that the industry has faced in the past. “After 9/11, people had to get used to security restrictions such as removing their shoes and belts, no liquids, now that is a way of life. People are now afraid to travel, but things will change, new protocols will be introduced and the quicker that happens the more trust and confidence will be communicated, bringing travellers back.” He also added that governments need to cooperate by signing bi-lateral agreements and an international certification programme would help to standardise levels of sanitisation and general protocol. Helen Shapovalova commented that ecotourism would be major trend when international travel restrictions were lifted. “Natural settings with green open spaces, mountains, rivers and fresh air will play a big part post COVID-19.” Shopping has always been a top attraction for Chinese tourists especially luxury goods and Lisa Dinh, expected changes here as well, balancing risk management with the customer experience. “Trust is the new currency. The demand is still there, but health and safety and relationship building will be key. Training will be essential to changing mindset.” Other issues discussed included, technology, the role of international industry associations and why destinations need to change their propositions, safety, trust and consumer confidence were often cited throughout the hour-long debate. Returning to the survey, nearly half of those questioned said they preferred group tours but given the coronavirus outbreak, many Chinese would now travel, in smaller groups catering for better social distancing. Tony Ong remarked, “Groups will be smaller, reduced to 10-50 people, which will probably happen one to two months after the borders have opened.” Other sessions today (Tuesday 2nd June) included, ‘Bouncing Back: Tourism Strategies for the Future’ and ‘Catapulting Resilience Through Technology and Analytics’. Videos of both sessions are now available on demand – to view them, please log on to atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/ The third and final day of the debut ATM Virtual will feature an interview with Wizz Air CEO, Joszef Varadi, taking place from 11am – 12pm GST (8am – 9am BST), while the International Travel Investment Conference summit, will discuss sustainable investment measures for the Middle East travel and tourism sector to restore travellers’ confidence post-pandemic. The responsible tourism session, ‘The Implications of Covid-19 for Responsible Hospitality’, will also take place on day three, followed by the Influencers’ session titled ‘Make Your Connection: Influencers as a Key Part of the Marketing Mix – COVID-19 The Road to Recovery’. This session will feature a panel of prominent travel and lifestyle influencers discussing the importance of creating relevant, engaging, and impactful travel and lifestyle content in the current climate of best practices. A special networking event focusing on the Influencer Tourism market will follow. Concluding the event is a webinar titled ‘What are you doing to energise your operational performance?’, which will discuss the power of data analytics in helping to maximise performance. There will also be a series of independently moderated, roundtables designed to discuss emerging hot topics such as domestic travel, luxury travel trends, corporate travel, food travel and tourism recovery plans. Day three will kick-off with the ‘Will Hygiene Surpass Price, Facilities and Services, in the ‘New Normal’ Hotel Experience?’ live webinar from 10am – 10.45am GST (7am – 7.45am BST), moderated by Hotelier Middle East editor Claudia de Brito. Other round tables are available on demand and include ‘The Future of Corporate Travel’ led by Breaking Travel News; The Changing Face of Luxury Family Travel hosted by Destinations of the World News; ‘The New Normal: What the Future Looks Like for the Hotel and Tourism Industry’ and ‘Middle East: The New Asian Source Market’ both by Trav Talk Middle East, as well as TTN Middle East’s ‘Challenges Faced Today by the Travel Providers’ and ‘Latest travel updates, projections and upcoming trends and focus on near-, mid- and long-term travel prospects’. The Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the Italian Tourist Board are both Gold sponsors of ATM Virtual. ATM Virtual runs until Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event, please visit: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 1 June 2020: During the opening session of Arabian Travel Market’s inaugural virtual event, ATM Virtual, aviation industry veteran Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, has outlined the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry, as well as the measures implemented by the company in response to the pandemic. Speaking during an interview with respected aviation expert John Strickland, Director of JLS Consulting, on the opening day of the virtual event, Sir Tim, said: “I don't think in my career I have seen anything like this, it is a huge structural change to our industry. In general terms, we have seen a US$15 trillion torpedo hit the global economy and its crippled many, many sectors, with transportation and leisure just a few of the casualties.” “My own belief is there is sufficient resilience in the global economy to take this trauma as long as it doesn’t go on for too long. If we can accept there is a finite point where we will see the back of this, with adjustments to the way we go about our lives, the way we go about our business, and our travel aspirations, we will see things moving back to some kind of normality during the course of 2021,” he added. With many fleets around the world grounded and potentially some not coming back, Sir Tim, who has dedicated 35 years to growing Emirates Airline to become the largest long-haul airline in the world and helping transform Dubai into a major global travel hub, also discussed the future of the airline. “Planning for resumption is quite complicated, needless to say, we have a 24/7 watch on it as countries start to relax their access requirements but I see some difficulties as I don’t believe they will open at the pace we would like. I think there will be a degree of what they started to call the bubble effect, i.e. countries selecting other countries that are relatively COVID free and therefore allowing services between those countries. “We’ve seen the beginning of this and until we get much more clarity on quarantine, flight protocols and how airports are going to handle these passengers when they eventually get moving, it’s still early days in terms of understanding what is going to happen.” Speaking more generally about the aviation industry, Sir Tim concluded by outlining the important role that governments play around the world, understanding what the airline industry requires, he said: “The aviation business is in a critical and very fragile state at the moment and needs all the help it can get. Access, getting passengers and freight moving again, not necessarily to the levels pre-COVID, but at least getting things going to give the cash lifelines they need, otherwise I’m not optimistic that some of the carriers here today, having already been significantly bailed out, will get through the next few months.” The aviation industry will be a recurring theme throughout the three-day virtual event and will include an interview with aviation heavyweight, CEO of Wizz Air, Joszef Varadi on Wednesday 3 June. Varadi is set to discuss the measures implemented by the budget airline which has enabled it to continue operating during the pandemic. He will also be discussing the forthcoming opening of Wizz Air’s subsidiary in Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company. In addition, a webinar by Cirium, the data intelligence experts, will showcase the power of analytics in supporting business performance. The webinar, which takes place on the final day of ATM Virtual, will be led by Cirium’s Paul Trewin and Seera Group’s Data Vice President, Louise Blake. The webinar, which will be focused on the aviation industry, and will utilise Cirium’s years of analytical experience, will highlight the power of analytics and outline new ideas for incorporating analytics into team performance. ATM Virtual features a range of comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, and one-to-one meetings. Highlights on day two will include The Virtual ATM China Forum, which will focus on the recovery of outbound travel from China, taking place from 11am – 12pm GST (8am – 9am BST) and the debut Travel Forward Virtual event, featuring the ‘Catapulting Resilience Through Technology and Analytics’ session. A live webinar titled ‘Bouncing Back: Tourism Strategies for the Future’ will see a range of industry experts discussing how the long-term tourism development strategies implemented by the region’s governments will become a catalyst for recovery when travel patterns adjust to the new norm. Travel Forward will include Facebook-led session, ‘Conversational Commerce for Travel brands’, which will look into the potential of conversational commerce and how it can help businesses keep their customers connected and engaged. The day will conclude with the ‘Technology and the New Normal’ session, hosted by Uber, which will discuss how technology can support businesses post-Covid-19. There will also be a series of independently moderated, roundtables designed to discuss emerging hot topics such as domestic travel, luxury travel trends, corporate travel, food travel and tourism recovery plans. Day two will kick-off with the ‘Effects that Covid-19 could have on food-driven travel’ live webinar from 10am – 10.45am GST (7am – 7.45am BST), moderated by Caterer Middle East editor Simon Ritchie. Other round tables are available on demand and include ‘The Future of Corporate Travel’ led by Breaking Travel News; The Changing Face of Luxury Family Travel hosted by Destinations of the World News; ‘The New Normal: What the Future Looks Like for the Hotel and Tourism Industry’ and ‘Middle East: The New Asian Source Market’ both by Trav Talk Middle East, as well as TTN Middle East’s ‘Challenges Faced Today by the Travel Providers’ and ‘Latest travel updates, projections and upcoming trends and focus on near-, mid- and long-term travel prospects’. Also, key travel editors and leading travel and tourism experts have written blogs on topical subjects spanning not just regional but international industry verticals. The Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the Italian Tourist Board are both Gold sponsors of ATM Virtual. ATM Virtual takes place from today, Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event, please visit: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

EazyDiner will now also power takeaway and delivery from Safe+ select restaurants at a 5% commission only EazyDiner – India’s largest eating out platform, continues to believe that eating out will come back in a safe way. With its extended operations in Dubai, EazyDiner is already seeing a healthy revival in the eating out. With high focus on safety and hygiene protocols, EazyDiner has launched Safe+ Dining for diners and restaurant employees. A comprehensive hygiene and safety protocol monitoring will be done by EazyDiner by vetting and validating restaurants before onboarding them on Safe+ and also continuing to review via periodic visits. The EazyDiner app will also allow diners to give real-time feedback on hygiene standards of the Safe+ restaurant. Speaking on the launch, Chairman of the Board for EazyDiner, Kapil Chopra, says – “Safe+ Dining will be offered to those restaurants which adhere to the strict guidelines ensuring health and safety of both diners and restaurant employees. We are launching an additional feature of delivery and takeaway with select restaurants at a commission of only 5% - the lowest in the industry. Besides ensuring higher revenues for restaurants, Safe+ will also aid in the discovery of restaurants for diners and alliance partners. Additionally, restaurants will also benefit from access to data to know who is ordering from their restaurants and service their customers better.” EazyDiner also runs the country’s most premium membership dining program, EazyDiner Prime, spanning over 2100 premium restaurants across 15 cities. EazyDiner will also be able to showcase its partner restaurants and their offerings to premium diners as it also runs EazyDiner Prime for top Indian and international banks premium cardholders. These include American Express Centurion, American Express Platinum, Citibank Ultima, Citibank Prestige, Citibank Gold, IndusInd Pioneer, Axis Bank Burgundy, Axis Bank Reserve, HDFC and SBI, which constitutes to millions of high-end diners using the app. Safe+ also comes with stringent guidelines for takeaway and delivery as an added revenue and profit opportunity for select restaurant partners across India. As an immediate solution, in key markets, EazyDiner will work with a secure delivery partner, having employees on payroll- not outsourced or freelanced- enabling constant and periodic health-checks as well as access to health history of these delivery personnel over period of time. As a long-term measure for sustainable operations, EazyDiner recommends restaurants set-up their own delivery fleets, hiring their own delivery personnel, for a stronger end-to-end control on safety, hygiene and food quality. Aggregated delivery fleets that have teams moving between multiple restaurants and services are not safe from a hygiene standpoint- also not allowing for consistent health and hygiene monitoring or addressing any illness symptoms. EazyDiner will also provide restaurants with LiveTable, a top of the line software, to enable effective management of operations for delivery and takeaway. This will be provided at no charge to the restaurants for use over the next 3 months. What is Safe+ Dining? In a recent survey, after nearly 60 days of quarantine, 69% percent of EazyDiner users said they would like to go back to their favourite restaurants for a meal within a week of opening. Rohit Dasgupta, CEO EazyDiner says “The big question in eating out will be how safe is the restaurant kitchen and the restaurant itself? An additional visible proof of the restaurants’ hygiene and cleanliness practices will definitely be welcome. Digital ordering and digital payments at restaurants are just 10% of the ‘contact’ experience, the critical bit is food preparation in the kitchen where there is high human involvement. ‘Contactless dining’ in most cases is just a marketing gimmick, a way of repacking an existing product without giving deep thought to the end product. Marketing gimmicks will not work in the current crisis and pandemic situations demand real thought through products which can solve the problem being faced by diners and restaurants.” Key Highlights of Safe+ Dining: 1. Real-time safety and hygiene rating of restaurants by EazyDiner users when they eat at a restaurant. 2. Broadcasted live feed of the kitchen or an opportunity to see the kitchen processes. Transparent display of sanitisation and hygiene policies to the customer on the app or on demand at the restaurant. 3. E-menu on EazyDiner app for self-ordering or menu sent to you on WhatsApp when reserving a table. Digital bill payments on EazyDiner app to ensure minimal contact and quicker check-out through PayEazy. 4. Feedback and review for all Safe+ activations to take immediate measures for any gaps that diners point out leading to a 360-degree improvement cycle. Safe+ Dining initiatives by the restaurants will include a display of self-declaration on the measures that they are taking on the following: · Residential accommodation hygiene and sanitation of the restaurant employees · Raw material supply chain sanitisation · Restaurant team temperature checks everyday along with hygiene practices on shift including usage of gloves and masks · Sanitization measures before and after every guest use of a table and also all guest use items including plates, glasses and cutlery As a team of ex-hoteliers and restauranteurs, EazyDine understands how restaurants run. It is feasible for EazyDiner to see beyond technology and create a 360-degree product to enable a true Safe+ experience for our customers while at the same time helping restaurants to achieve the same. Safety, hygiene and sanitization is an on-going process and if not reinforced- will start failing. This will be the underlying construct of Safe+ dining. Dining which ensures that people are safe, no matter which side you access it from.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 31 May 2020: Travel trade professionals from across the world will gather online tomorrow (Monday, 1st June 2020) for the first day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Virtual, a newly-launched three-day event for the region’s tourism community. The debut event, which will run from 1-3 June 2020, will place a focus on emerging trends, opportunities, and the challenges which are directly impacting the travel and tourism industry amid the COVID-19 global health pandemic. Over the course of three days, ATM Virtual will feature comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, and one-to-one meetings, as well as facilitating new connections and offering a wide range of online business opportunities. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), said: “Our debut event not only underscores ATM’s mission to support and guide the region’s vast travel and tourism industry during and beyond COVID-19, but it also demonstrates our commitment to delivering positive business and networking opportunities to the entire community, during even the most challenging times. “With up to four live high-level sessions each day, industry experts will address a range of topics including a road map to recovery, tourism strategies for the future, the hotel landscape in a post-COVID-19 world, and the resilience of the travel industry, as well as exploring the ‘new normal’ that lies ahead, emerging travel technology and sustainability trends.” Kicking off proceedings, the opening session ‘A Conversation with Sir Tim Clark’ will take place from 11:00am – 12:00pm GST (8.00am – 9.00am BST) on Monday 1st June. The President of Emirates Airline will speak to John Strickland about his time at the airline, its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its plans for the future, as well as unveiling Emirates strategy, including planned fleet and network changes. Another key event taking place on the first day is ‘OTAs & Distribution for Tours & Attractions post-COVID’. Run by Arival, the global research authority on the tours, activities and attractions sector, this session will focus on the rise of online travel agencies, the re-opening of operations, and what this means for tour and attraction operators across the Middle East. Meanwhile, other highlights from day one include ‘Communicating and Building Confidence Now’ and ‘The Hotel Landscape in a post-COVID-19 World’ sessions. Day two will feature The Virtual ATM China Forum. Taking place from 11:00am – 12:00pm GST (8.00 – 9.00am BST), the forum will focus on the recovery of outbound travel from the country and how Chinese travellers have been changing their way of accessing information about foreign destinations. The packed agenda will also feature the debut Travel Forward Virtual event. Over the course of three days, suppliers and senior executives will be provided with innovative insights of what travel technology has to offer beyond 2020. Addressing the impact of COVID-19, the event will help bridge the gap between uncertainty and resilience during these unprecedented times. Highlights of on the second day will include the following sessions: ‘Catapulting Resilience Through Technology and Analytics’ and ‘Conversational Commerce for Travel Brands.’ Another highlight of our second day will be live webinar ‘Bouncing Back: Tourism Strategies for the Future’ which will see industry experts including Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief of Investment, Strategy and Tourism Marketing for the Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and Keith Tan, CEO, Singapore Tourism discuss how the long-term tourism development strategies implemented by the region’s governments will become a catalyst for recovery when travel patterns adjust to the ‘new norm’. Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief of Investment, Strategy and Tourism Marketing, Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia, said: “As global travel restrictions ease, our focus is on ensuring that Saudi Arabia is ready to welcome visitors as soon as they are ready to travel. We are collaborating across the public and private sectors, to safeguard the wellbeing of visitors, while continuing to invest in high quality tourism experiences. Saudi Arabia offers endless appeal to the modern traveler. We are optimistic about the future of tourism in the Kingdom and we remain committed to our long-term targets.” Drawing the debut ATM Virtual to a close, the third and final day, Wednesday 3rd May, will include highlights such as an interview with Wizz Air CEO, Joszef Varadi, the International Travel Investment Conference summit and a webinar titled ‘What are you doing to energise your operational performance?’ which will discuss the power of data analytics in helping to maximise performance. Also, on the third day will be the Responsible Tourism session, ‘The Implications of Covid-19 for Responsible Hospitality’, with an interview between Harold Goodwin, the WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor, and Inge Huijbrechts, Global Senior Vice President Responsible Business and Safety & Security, Radisson Hotel Group. Inge will be speaking about the latest thinking on post-COVID-19 hospitality, managing hotels and the supply chain and about advancing the responsibility agenda when resources are limited. The Influencers’ Summit will also take place the last day and will include a session entitled ‘Make Your Connection: Influencers as a Key Part of the Marketing Mix – COVID-19 The Road to Recovery,’ featuring a panel of prominent travel and lifestyle influencers including Abdullah al-Jumah, Author, Lawyer and Influencer and Talel al-Rashed, Hospitality and Gastronomy Expert, who will discuss the importance of best practices and how to create relevant, engaging and impactful travel and lifestyle content in the current climate. This will be followed by a special networking event focusing on the Influencer Tourism market. Meanwhile, a series of independently moderated, pre-recorded on-demand roundtables have been designed to discuss emerging hot topics such as domestic travel, luxury travel trends, corporate travel, the challenges faced by travel providers and agencies and tourism recovery plans. And, one-to-one pre-scheduled 30-minute meetings between editors, exhibitors, and buyers will also take place, while live video sessions will include Q&As and polls which will be run alongside the presentations to enable audience interaction. Curtis added: “In addition, a host of hour-long speed networking sessions, between key buyers and exhibitors, will culminate in over 900 5-minute meetings that can then be extended into more in-depth meetings where a business need is identified. “Targeting exhibitors from this region predominantly, the dedicated networking events will feature one Middle East-focused session per day, as well as sessions for buyers, focused on purchasing European and Asian products, plus a session specifically targeting Chinese buyers.” As well as addressing the impact the global health pandemic has had on the hospitality industry, the debut ATM Virtual will provide travel professionals with a wealth of information, advice and support to cope with the current crisis and planning for the future. Arabian Travel Market would like to thank the Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the Italian Tourist Board for their support of ATM Virtual as Gold Sponsors. ATM Virtual takes place from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event as a visitor, please log on to: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/ For media registrations, please go to: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/media

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 27 May 2020: Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has confirmed that the Chairman of the International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC) and former UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, will host a virtual summit as part of ATM Virtual. The summit, which is titled ‘Restructuring to Attract Sustainable Development and Customers in the New World Order’ and takes place on Wednesday 3rd June between 12.15pm - 1.45pm GST (9.15am - 10.45am BST), will examine sustainable investment measures for the Middle East travel and tourism sector and the strategies to restore travellers’ confidence post-pandemic. “We are living in unprecedented times for the tourism industry, which is facing its toughest challenge ever. Stay home means no travel, and no travel means no tourism. This ITIC summit is vital at this critical time and I am therefore pleased to be part of ATM Virtual, who I commend for facing the challenges and ensuring the industry is in direct contact during these difficult times,” said Dr. Rifai. Moderated by BBC Presenter and broadcaster Rajan Datar, a series of topics will be discussed throughout the day including prospects for Dubai’s travel and tourism industry in the post-COVID-19 era. The summit will feature two expert panel discussions where World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) ambassador and director of ITIC Gerald Lawless will address the initiatives to be taken to revive the travel and tourism industry to secure sustainable investment in the region, as well as how to reposition your business to kick start when the pandemic comes under control. The panel discussions will also focus on the part governments must play in helping sector recovery, the expectations of the industry going forward, and how travel and tourism businesses can plan for their financial future. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “We are delighted to be working with ITIC to reflect on the financial impact COVID-19 has had on the tourism sector and to garner their insights and advice on strategies to restore visitor confidence and how the industry can begin to recover during these difficult times.” “We must all think together, out of the box, and imaginatively. This is our real historic test. The Middle East has proven in the past that it is robust and can bounce back. I am saddened by what we are living through but optimistic that the recovery will be positive,” concluded Dr. Rifai. The panel discussion The initiatives to be taken to revive the travel and tourism industry to secure sustainable investment in the region will take place from 12.30 pm – 1.15 pm GST (9.30 am – 10.15 am BST) and Repositioning your business to kick start when the pandemic comes under control from 1.15 pm – 1.45 pm GST (10.15 am – 10.45 am BST), both on Wednesday 3rd June. Arabian Travel Market would like to thank the Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the Italian Tourist Board for their support of ATM Virtual as Gold Sponsors. ATM Virtual takes place from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event please visit:atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

One of the most eagerly awaited sessions during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) three-day ATM Virtual event that takes place from 1-3 June 2020, is undoubtedly The Virtual ATM China Tourism Forum. The debate will take an in-depth look at the potential of the Chinese outbound leisure market now that China seems to have the viral outbreak under control and domestic tourism is growing once again. Many Middle East travel professionals will be looking for insight into the current state of the market and more importantly, how and when to start planning for inbound Chinese visitors. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director Middle East, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Travel and tourism professionals around the globe will not need reminding that the global industry has been hit badly by the effects of Covid-19 – but in China we are witnessing the green-shoots of recovery. “The relatively swift rebound of domestic travel during the May Golden Week Holiday in China for example, underscores the bullish view of certain analysts regarding China’s integral role in leading the global tourism industry post Covid-19’s closed borders. “Some hoteliers in China were reporting occupancy levels for the recent national holiday in excess of 45% with resort markets close to 70%, a significant improvement from the overall average of 30% occupancy, confirming leisure demand is robust.” Specifically, The Virtual ATM China Tourism Forum will focus on the potential recovery of outbound travel and how Chinese travellers have been changing the way that they access information about foreign destinations and making contacts with local hotels, tour operators and ground handlers. Moderated by Dr. Adam Wu, the panellists for this session, which takes place on day two (Tuesday 2nd June) at 11am to 12pm GST (8am to 9am BST), include Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman, International Institute of Peace for Tourism (IIPT) and former Secretary General of the UNWTO; H.E. Khalid Jasim al-Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; Helen Shapovalova, Founder & Director, Pan Ukraine; Lisa Dinh, Tourism Director, VIA Outlets and Tony Ong, Chief Business Officer and Vice President of HCG International Travel Group, which has over 7000 local travel agents across China focusing on outbound travel. The experts will share their opinion and experience on how to overcome the current crisis by identifying new buying patterns, new demand streams and innovative ways of reaching customers as well as of course enhancing existing partnerships. “We have an impressive line-up of tourism experts and Dr. Wu’s credentials are exemplary. He is CEO of CBN Travel & Mice and World Travel Online, which is the leading outbound travel portal on the China Wide Web providing destination information in Chinese to the entire outbound travel trade and millions of Chinese travellers,” added Curtis. With it being a live session, members of the online audience will also have a chance to ask questions, through a Q+A function at the end of the discussion. In addition, viewers will also have an opportunity to share and exchange thoughts and ideas, during a speed networking session, immediately following the panel debate. Another highlight of ATM virtual, will be a series of hour-long speed networking sessions, between key buyers and exhibitors, will culminate in over 1,400 5-minute meetings that can then be extended into more in-depth meetings where a business need is identified. “For exhibitors from this region, the dedicated networking event will also include one specifically targeting Chinese buyers,” said Curtis. Over three days, ATM Virtual, will also feature a host of comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, one-to-one meetings, as well as facilitating new connections and offering a wide range of online business opportunities. With up to four live high-level sessions each day, industry experts will address a range of topics including tourism strategies for the future, the hotel landscape in a post-COVID-19 world, and the resilience of the travel industry, as well as exploring emerging travel technology and sustainability trends, amongst other key topics. Sessions on the first day of the virtual event include, amongst others, ‘Communicating and Building Confidence Now’ and ‘The Hotel landscape in a post-COVID-19 world’. Day two will also include the sessions entitled, ‘Bouncing Back: Tourism Strategies for the Future’ and ‘Catapulting Resilience Through Technology and Analytics’. On day three, the event will conclude with the International Travel Investment Conference summit, ‘Restructuring to attract sustainable investment and customers in the new world order’. Arabian Travel Market would like to thank the Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the Italian Tourist Board for their support of ATM Virtual as Gold Sponsors. ATM Virtual takes place from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event please visit: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

It is a flagship event of Touriosity Travelmag, to be held in Kolkata on Friday, the 21st and Saturday, the 22nd of August 2020. After the tremendous success of the first edition of the conference held at IIHM Global Campus in Kolkata on 23rd August 2019, we are happy to announce the second edition of the Conference. www.icstglobal.com The conference will be an ideal platform for high-level theoretical research and empirical studies with policy-relevant analysis in regard to tourism and allied industries. It is designed to be an influential and challenging intellectual confluence not only for the business world but also for the society at large. The conference is an open platform for collaborations with National and International public and private research institutions, governmental bodies, professionals, representatives of industrial groups active in the policy arena and various stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry. We are collaborating with a number of national and international organisations for this conference.

Bavaria-based Outdooractive, Europe’s largest outdoor portal for hiking, cycling, mountain biking and skiing, has acquired UK-based ViewRanger, featuring a range of additional destinations and exceptional routes and trails, across the globe. ViewRanger, which is based in Cambridgeshire, in the UK, is a GPS navigation app which runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Android smartphones and watches.It is used by more than 4.6 million explorers around the world to plan, navigate, and share outdoor adventures. ViewRanger also works with more than 600 organisations – including national parks and major outdoor brands – who publish and promote route guides through the app; and is used and trusted by more than 500 Search and Rescue teams across Europe, the US and Canada. Hartmut Wimmer, the Founder and CEO of Outdooractive, commented, “Our two brands complement each other perfectly and we have already been working closely with ViewRanger to consolidate our combined routes and showcase additional destinations to a wider community of subscribers across both platforms. “Our users share a passion for exploring and enjoying the outdoors. By bringing together insider tips from travel writers and tourism partners with recommended routes from publishers and other enthusiasts, we help them to plan their adventures. “As such, Outdooractive is becoming the platform of choice for international outbound operators and outdoor enthusiasts wanting to connect with specialist outdoor trade partners, national and regional tourist boards, as well as agents and other professionals. Craig Wareham, the co-founder of ViewRanger said, “Integrating our technology with the Outdooractive platform, not only improves the user experience, but adds significant value, to trade professionals looking for a comprehensive resource.” The outdoor adventure market in Europe and the UK, is expecting major growth, as social restrictions, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, are gradually lifted. Initially research suggests that staycations and local tourism will be the first to recover, but given time international visitors will want to experience the great outdoors as well. “We firmly believe that healthy activities in tranquil open countryside, staying in small family-run guesthouses and hotels, will be in great demand, and offers a more sustainable alternative to busy beach resorts and other mainstream attractions. “Indeed, creating awareness of hidden gems off-the-beaten track means visitors are encouraged to stay longer to discover a region, generating greater value for these destinations,“ added Wimmer. According to the CBI adventure tourism in general contributes greatly to local economies, with approximately two-thirds of the money spent on adventure travel staying on location. This can reach up to €350 per day per visitor on average and experts predict that the European market will grow by an average annual rate of over 20%. The Adventure Tourism Trade Association (ATTA) estimated that the global market was worth €580 billion in 2017. Outdooractive has also recently announced the acquisition of mountNpass, the market leader in France for cycling tourism. Its digital cycling network includes 8,000 recommended cycling routes and 120,000 subscribers an exciting addition for keen cyclists. Outdooractive now connects tourism stakeholders with a global outdoor-community of 7.3 million.

New Delhi, May 19, 2020 – FYI Health, a community health monitoring solution exclusively designed for enterprise use launched today in India. Backed by former cricketer and current member of the Lok Sabha, Gautam Gambhir, FYI Health allows companies of all sizes to create a safe environment for their workforce by enabling a daily health check-in for employees, employers and guests visiting the corporate eco-system and contact tracing, if and when required. FYI Health is unique to the work community it is deployed in and provides employers with a health dashboard that showcases the overall health index of employees in a corporate location, that allows them to take timely and pre-emptive action pertaining to flagged cases and those vulnerable to transmission. FYI Health works on herd intelligence. It qualifies each user to contribute to the community on the enterprise network within an establishment such as a hotel, factory, corporate office, schools and more. Hence, it presents any establishment that has FYI Health with a business continuity plan and social immunity against any challenging health emergencies. Early adopters include the Radisson Blu Hotel in Dwarka, Delhi and educational institutions such as - Ramjas School (R.K. Puram, Delhi) and Lilawati Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School (Shakti Nagar, Delhi), that have committed to deploying FYI Health to secure their corporate environment and workforce. “FYI Health is a pioneering effort and is a much-required innovation in the fight against Covid-19 and the potential rebound if any. It provides companies and its employees a win-win, easy to use health-tech product. It gives employers the control to further their goal of keeping their workforce safe and to employees the privacy and control they desire over their own data”, said Gautam Gambhir. “We are in the thick of this fight against Covid-19 and all indicators point to this being long drawn. My personal backing and support to FYI Health comes from my own desire to contribute towards helping fight this crisis in whatever way I can. Testing and tracing are vital measures in helping reduce the virus spreading”, he added. Once deployed at any of its location by a company, its workforce that use the location become a part of the FYI Health safety net and their health status is captured on the system in real time. In case of any health red flag, FYI Health identifies all employees that are exposed to possible transmission of the virus through a highly secure Bluetooth based contact tracing technology solution. This enables the corporate administrator to take speedy action and secure all vulnerable employees. User and data privacy, which is a predominant focus of FYI Health is achieved by ensuring that all user data is stored locally on the user’s mobile phone and is automatically deleted every 21 days. Only in the case of a confirmed case displaying Covid-19 symptoms, is the contact data made available to the administrator for informing the potentially exposed, so that they can get tested. Available on Android currently and for iOS shortly, FYI Health is a subscription based pricing model and is available on its website at www.fyihealth.in. “In a recent survey by FYI Health with India Inc. employees, we found them to be stressed to return to the workplace after the lockdown, owing to health concerns. The survey made other interesting discoveries, chief among them being that employees expect their employers to deploy innovative solutions to protect their health. Employees said they would comply with such measures despite perceived inconveniences for the larger good of the organization and their co-workers”, said Yash Raj Gupta, Founder & CEO, FYI Health. “With FYI Health, companies can build a health index for their organisation that puts them in the driver’s seat by being aware of any potential health safety concerns in real time and can take action with both isolating the user and mapping out their contact history, when the need arises. FYI Health can help employers empathetically address employee concerns about their health and the assurance they need on their return to the workplace”. A recent survey by FYI with employees of India Inc. confirms that the pandemic has raised the expectation that employees have of their employer towards their health. An overwhelming 99% employees said that they would like to see a system of Corporate Health Responsibility (CHR) made mandatory for employers, just like there is in force a system of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Currently with the launch of this solution and in the long term, FYI Health is focused on offering innovative solutions that allows companies to enable Corporate Health Responsibility (CHR) actions.

Local tourism and domestic travel are expected to lead the UAE and wider GCC’s recovery from COVID-19 as we begin to see the easing of lockdown restrictions, according to the latest research released ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Virtual, a newly-launched three-day event that will take place from 1-3 June 2020. The research from Colliers International, in partnership with ATM, revealed the percentage of bookings to Abu Dhabi within a 48km radius increased from just 20% in January 2020 to 43% in March. While, in Dubai, the percentage rose from 19% to 36%. Adding to this, research by Sojern, suggests staycations are expected to become the most popular choice of travel in the short to medium-term, with data revealing hotel bookings to Abu Dhabi within a 48km radius accounted for 77% of all bookings in April and domestic travel from Dubai accounting for 91% of searches and bookings within the same radius. With this in mind, ‘The Hotel Landscape in a Post-COVID-19 World’ session taking place on Monday 1st June from 1.30 pm – 2.30 pm GST (10.30 am – 11.30 am BST), will focus on the hospitality industry, exploring the profound impact of COVID-19 on the Middle East’s hotel sector as well as outlining what the landscape is likely to look like when travel resumes and what will be considered new ‘norms’ in terms of guest behaviours and expectations. Confirmed session panellists will include Tim Cordon, Senior Area Vice President for Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group and Christopher Lund, Head of Hotels, Colliers International, Middle East & North Africa, and will be moderated by Gemma Greenwood. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: "The global COVID-19 health crisis severely impacted worldwide travel, tourism, events, and leisure activities, with many people being forced to cancel or postpone their travel plans in the first half of 2020. However, what we are now beginning to see is a sense of pent up demand due to an eagerness among the larger populace to make up for lost time and cancelled plans. “Travellers still want to go on holiday, but safety has become a top priority. As a result, the staycation trend is expected to grow in the coming months, with residents keen to take a break away from their home for a few days in a location that is familiar to them, whilst flights are grounded, and international travel restrictions still in place." Families and solo travellers are expected to be among the first market segments to start travelling and making new reservations, according to the research from Colliers. In addition, Millennials and Gen Z are being touted as the most eager to travel, as they seek a change of scenery following long lockdown periods across the globe. In preparation for the travel and tourism recovery - on a local, regional and international level - it is crucial hospitality companies can provide future guests with peace of mind by implementing and virtually showcasing the stringent hygiene and deep cleaning procedures performed rigorously across their properties. In addition, the implementation of immersive technologies that provide potential guests with virtual 3D tours of properties and their facilities, as well as customised online booking experiences will be vital in helping hotels stand out from their competitors. “As travel and tourism begins to return, it is crucial that hotels add value to their existing offerings with incentives such as F&B discounts for in-house guests, free upgrades and booking flexibility that enables free cancellation if personal circumstances were to change as well as reinvented loyalty programmes with increased offers and points in an attempt to stimulate demand through their existing customer bases,” Curtis said. Also on the agenda, there will be a series of hospitality-focused roundtables including ‘Changing face of hotels in terms of design and sanitisation,” which will discuss how hotels can effectively integrate hygiene and new stringent cleaning protocols into key brand messaging as well as exploring whether hygiene and safety will become more important for guests than price, facilities, and services in the 'new normal' hotel experience. ‘Changing face of F&B travel’ will address the effects of COVID-19 on food-driven travel in the region, and indeed across the globe. A panel of F&B experts and influencers will explore how hotels can provide a safe middle-ground for food adventures as well as the impact a lack of travel from GCC countries could have on Asian food capitals. ‘The Changing Face of Luxury Family Travel’ will discuss how personal space and wellbeing peace of mind has become paramount, what impact this will have on luxury family travel, from new preferential destinations and accommodation to the factors shaping the decision-making process. Curtis said: "As well as addressing the impact the global health pandemic has had on the hospitality industry, ATM Virtual, will discuss in-depth a road map to recovery for the wider travel and tourism industry, identifying the trends and opportunities that are likely to shape the future as well as the 'new normal' that lies ahead.” Over the course of three days, the debut ATM Virtual will feature comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, and one-to-one meetings, as well as facilitating new connections and offering a wide range of online business opportunities. ATM Virtual takes place from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event as a visitor, please log on to: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

If you’re single right now and looking to mingle virtually, you’re not alone. In fact, you may be among the more than 100,000 Bumble users globally who have updated their dating profiles to mention that they are quarantining. To help star-crossed matches connect from afar, Airbnb is releasing a collection of Bumble-approved Online Experiences perfect for spicing up virtual dates and engaging with each other in fun, meaningful ways. Lean into your shared culinary cravings with a wine class with an expert in Portugal or a how-to on Mexican street tacos. Or virtually sneak away to a hidden date-night spot, like the secret Amsterdam jazz club, a live show with sangria and drag queens in Lisbon, or Japan's oldest brewery for sake secrets. Other Online Experiences perfect for virtual dating include: ● Turkish Fortune Coffee Reading (New York, New York) ● Fall in Laugh (Lisbon, Portugal) ● Tarot Reading with Mak Jagger (Austin, Texas) ● Meet the Wooly Sheep of My New Zealand Farm (Rotorua, New Zealand) ● GINspiration History & Cocktails at Home (Bath, United Kingdom) ● Discover the Rhythms of Puerto Rico (Hatillo, Puerto Rico) ● Pasta with Luca & Lorenzo (Florence, Italy) ● All about Coffee with a Pro Taster (Bogotá, Colombia) ● Drink and Draw (Lisbon, Portugal) ● Farm to Table from the Mediterranean (Klis, Croatia) While having the backup of other guests from around the world on an Online Experience with you and your match may help put first date jitters at ease, those who want to sneak away for quality time together can opt for private bookings and request specific booking dates. Booking seats through this feature has been gaining popularity, as they have tripled since pre-pandemic bookings. Bumble recently announced the launch of its new virtual dating tools, including a “Virtual Dating” badge that will appear in users’ profiles who are open to date via video chat. This badge allows Bumble users to find and filter their prospective matches based on who is looking to date virtually. During this time when it’s best to take dates virtual, Bumble has also expanded its distance filters to allow users to match with anyone in their country. Launched in April 2020, Online Experiences unlock unprecedented access to inspiring hosts across the world, including Buddhist monks, sommeliers, magicians, and more. Whether visiting the dogs of Chernobyl, bringing the flavors of India to life at home, or making cheese with a mama goat and her kid in Malibu, guests have the chance to connect with new people and travel virtually from their own living room. For more information on virtual first date ideas, visit airbnb.com/online-experiences.

From nature’s lap to your plate In order to better protect the earth, reduce carbon footprint and support sustainable and responsible tourism, The Residence Bintanhas set about unique ways to nurture and care for its surroundings as well as for social upliftment of the community. The Earth Basketismore than an initiative, itis a transformative experience that brings one closer to nature by indulging in sustainable development and earth-friendly agriculture. The vision behind this initiative goes beyond the boundaries of food and agriculture but also has naturally steeped into the area of animal feeding and compost making, using natural ingredients. The resort’s very own organic farm boasting over thirty different types of herbs and vegetables from simple basil leaves to freshly picked water spinach, corn or eggplants. It goes without saying that the food is 100% organic and is absolutely fresh, without any use of any chemical fertilizers. The ways that the resorts are looking to transform their surroundings naturally will gradually focus on socially uplifting the nearby villages by training the locals how to grow their fruits and vegetables and also create their own compost. Looking at a post Covid-19 world where the new norm linked with travel will derive from being more responsible, sustainable and conscious towards the environment, The Residence Bintan is looking forward to creating a safe and stronger future Few of the proud efforts have come into being and most of the food that is consumed at the resort is produced in-house, including local vegetables, fruits and fish, some of those which are not available in the nearby retail stores as well. Guests are encouraged to take a tour into the fabulously built area with aesthetics, for example; used bottles are placed for lights and a number of activities to indulge in, from planting a sapling on one’s name to feeding the animals and probably petting them too. With the success at Bintan, The Residence Maldives at Dhigurah too, has its own Earth Garden flourishing with fruit, herbs and vegetablestended by the caring hands of thegardeners; a step towards sustainability. Embark on a gastronomic adventure and savour the Earth's delights in the Earth Garden!

The SafeStay initiative includes a comprehensive manual, which will serve as a guide to ensure stringent health and safety measures across the three resorts located in Hatton, Weligama and Yala. “Industries must take an in-depth look at their processes” said Malik Fernando, Managing Director of Resplendent Ceylon, “hotels and other tourism accommodation have a huge responsibility, requiring specific attention to build confidence and protect guests and staff.” Resplendent Ceylon, part of the family owned Dilmah Tea Company, is the pioneer in luxury experiential travel in Sri Lanka and the sole Sri Lankan members of Relais & Chateaux, the global fellowship of individually owned & operated luxury hotels and restaurants. Tea Trails, Cape Weligama & Wild Coast Tented Lodge, form an enchanting circuit from tea fields to clifftop beach & safari lodge. Despite their resorts being small and isolated, spread out over large areas with private villa & bungalow experiences, Resplendent Ceylon is one of the few luxury boutique properties to create a guide of this nature and the company believes that such a manual is essential to build confidence as tourism resumes. “Our mission now includes helping others in the industry as responsible citizens in the fight against the pandemic.” said Maheesha Ratnayake, Chief Operating Officer, “Our expertise in paying attention to detail is now more critical than ever.” Resplendent Ceylon will make its SafeStay Health & Safety protocol available to all hotels and tourism accommodation locally and globally, as the company sees the need to work together at a time like this. The manual seeks to ensure the health and safety of guests, teams, their families, and communities. It covers logistics and transport, guest and staff contact areas, emergency response, safety equipment, chemicals, maintenance as well as communications. Contents will be updated with new recommendations as they develop. Mandatory training of staff on the standard is already taking place at all three resorts, as the country is now relaxing restrictions, and domestic travel is expected to commence shortly. Resplendent Ceylon looks forward to welcoming guests back to Sri Lanka, maintaining their renowned standard of excellence, as well as enhanced levels of safety and hygiene. The entire guide can be downloaded at the link below and more information can be accessed at www.resplendentceylon.com

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 13 May 2020: Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has confirmed aviation industry veteran Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airlines, and CEO of budget airline Wizz Air, Jozsef Varadi, will speak at the inaugural ATM Virtual, which takes place from 1-3 June 2020. According to the latest analysis from the International Air Travel Association (IATA), the COVID-19 crisis will see global airline passenger revenues drop by US$314 billion in 2020, a 55% decrease compared to 2019. In a series of seminars and interviews led by respected aviation expert John Strickland, Director of JLS Consulting, ATM Virtual will look at the measures airlines are undertaking to counteract the direct impact the pandemic is having on their business. Sir Tim, who has dedicated 35 years to growing Emirates Airlines to become the largest long-haul airline in the world, and in the process has helped transform Dubai into a major global travel hub, will discuss his time spent at the company, and its response and the procedures implemented to deal with the current COVID-19 pandemic. The future strategy of Emirates, with a focus on making flying safer through technology implementation, will also be highlighted. Complementing the line-up of aviation heavyweights is CEO of Wizz Air, Joszef Varadi. Thanks to the implementation of new regulations by the airline, Varadi was able to ensure Wizz Air was able to continue operating during the pandemic. A major discussion point during the event will be the opening of Wizz Air’s forthcoming subsidiary in Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company, which will further underscore its market position in the budget airline sector. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The airline industry continues to face deteriorating conditions with global airline passenger revenues predicted to fall by over 55% in 2020. To address these issues, we have brought together two of the most influential figures in the airline industry to discuss their procedures and strategies for the future.” In addition to the two speakers, a webinar by Cirium will break down the power of analytics in supporting business performance. Through decades of experience, Cirium has been instrumental in supporting aircraft manufacturers, airports, and airlines, amongst others, to shape the future of their businesses and support the travel industry. Sir Tim Clark will be interviewed on Monday 1 June, 11am to 12noon (8am to 9am BST), followed by the interview with Jozsef Varadi on Wednesday 3 June, 11am to 12noon (8am to 9am BST). The webinar by Cirium is scheduled for 3 June, 5:15pm to 6pm (2:15pm to 3pm BST). ATM Virtual takes place from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event please visit: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 10 May 2020: Arabian Travel Market (ATM), recently hosted the first digital ATM Advisory Board meeting with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and hospitality industry dominating the discussion. The Board will continue to provide guidance on industry themes, challenges, growth opportunities and future strategies in the Middle East travel and tourism sector, however, this will now be set against a backdrop of COVID-19 and how the industry can adapt to the ‘new norm’. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The Advisory Board is a cross section of industry leaders who provide an insight based on firsthand experience of the trends impacting the tourism industry. Their knowledge ensures ATM continues to act as a voice for the industry by providing support and direction during these difficult times. “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the travel and tourism industry, like many others, to a halt, with very little indication of when the recovery will begin. It is therefore imperative we continue to listen and understand where we are as an industry, what the future could potentially look like and what we can do to work together to aid the recovery when it comes. ATM continues to play a crucial role in supporting the industry to achieve this.” The meeting addressed the impact COVID-19 will have on the international trade show arena through discussions focused on the key learnings from businesses during the pandemic and the resulting changes to the industry. It also provided an insight into the ‘new normal’ for the tourism industry, and the approach to dealing with new social distancing measures, reliance on domestic tourism and the impact of airline restrictions. Three phases of recovery were identified during the discussion. Phase one will focus on domestic travel and the local market, the second phase will be regional travel, and finally the international market when borders begin to open again. It was also agreed social distancing, health, hygiene, and safety will be prioritised over offerings, for those who want to travel. To that effect, hotels will be subject to full sanitisation and the implementation of complete social distancing in restaurants and at all public facilities. It is anticipated customers will also demand more information on the way hotels or restaurants support and re-educate staff on, amongst others, the way tables are serviced or the implementation of new house-keeping procedures. This is underscoring a need for an overhaul of the entire marketing, product development and service offerings to change, to give confidence to the consumer. Recovery was discussed with the overarching consensus indicating this will depend on how the situation evolves, with emphasis placed on listening, market research and insights while maintaining an element of flexibility so the industry can adapt as the situation develops. To support the industry, the organisers of ATM have announced the launch of ATM Virtual, a three-day event delivering positive business and networking opportunities to the region’s vast travel and tourism community. Taking place from 1-3 June 2020, the event will feature comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, one-to-one meetings, as well as facilitating new connections and offering a wide range of online business opportunities. Board attendees included: Al Mohannad Sharafuddin, Founder and Chairman, Arabian Falcon FZ LLC Chris Newman, Chief Operating Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group Gregory Fuller, Director, Brand Activation, Brand & Event Marketing Operations, Dubai Tourism Haitham Mattar, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia Jeff Strachan, Director, Dubai College of Tourism John D. Davis, Chief Executive Officer – MENA, Colliers International John Northen, Executive Director – Hotels Division, NEOM Mark Willis, Chief Executive Officer – Middle East & Africa, Accor Hotels Mohamed Awadalla, Chief Executive Officer, TIME Hotels Mona Faraj, Founder & Managing Director, Insight-Out Consultancy Mellissa R Pitt- Chalmers, Vice President Global Sales, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International, Inc Pierric Duthoit, Sector Lead Branding – Middle East & North Africa, Google Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority Registrations for the ATM Virtual are open. To register as a visitor, please click here. For media registrations, please click here.

New Delhi, May 6, 2020 – With the coronavirus having irrevocably changed the nature of work and the state of mind of India Inc. employees, FYI, a health-tech community product, undertook a first of its kind survey conducted by MindMap Advance Research. As India Inc. prepares for offices to open post the lockdown, the survey assesses the anxiety level of employees and records a strong desire to do what’s right by their co-workers by complying to new health monitoring compliances, along with a high degree of awareness of changes in routine that await them. The survey strongly suggests that employees expect their employers to take responsibility to ensure a healthy and safe environment for them. An overwhelming 93% of employees are anxious to return to office, reveal the survey findings announced today. They fear on account of their health being compromised. The new normal of a post pandemic world has raised the expectations employees have of their employer towards their health. All employee polled, an overwhelming 99% said that they would like to see a system of Corporate Health Responsibility (CHR) made mandatory for employers, just like there is in force a system of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Nearly 85% expect their employers to sanitize the office space, implement and enforce safety guidelines and advisories and seek out new and innovative ways to protect their health while they are in the office. These expectations are balanced by a recognition among employees that it would require them to participate in efforts that employers take to make their health a priority. 82% said that they would agree to participate in measures that require them to be monitored, while 18% said that they would comply if the privacy of their data was assured. A high sense of solidarity and doing the right thing by their co-workers emerges strongly among employees, with 96% confirming that they would embrace and comply with health monitoring initiatives, despite the inconvenience. Employees expect the new normal to bring changes and are cognizant of what these could be. 81% said that employees would resume work only in batches, while 73% expect employers to enforce work from home as an ongoing process. A post pandemic world offers employers an opportunity to win the hearts of their employees and customers by deploying stronger solutions for the overall wellbeing of their workforce, said a majority of the respondents. While 81% of employees strongly feel this will be the case, 16% said that this has always been an expectation, regardless of recent events. Covid-19 has left all of India Inc.’s professionals anxious on several accounts. While a majority, 59% are concerned about their health, 25% said they are anxious about their financial situation, while 16% fear that the crisis will be a prolonged one and this uncertainty lends to high anxiety. “It may be an understatement to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way we live and work. This event has very quickly served as a tipping point to unprecedented change in the mind-set and attitudes of people, to both life and work. Our survey informs India Inc. of the new priorities they would need to juggle when it comes to the health and safety of their employees. India Inc. employees are clearly stressed on account of their health and that needs to be managed on priority. Evidence supports the fact that happier and secure employees are more productive and perform their jobs better while those under stress, perform worse”, said Yeishan Goel, Cofounder, FYI. [Corporate Health Responsibility (CHR) emerges as a mandatory ask from employers, akin to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Key findings: - 99% employees want employers to be held accountable for CHR, akin to CSR - 85% expect their office spaces to be sanitized before they return - 83% employees want employers to seek innovative solutions to monitor and safeguard their health - 96% employees will comply with health initiatives of employers regardless of the inconvenience] Methodology FYI undertook this survey in the last week of April 2020. The survey was conducted by MindMap Advance Research with 560 India Inc. employees across small, medium and large enterprises in major metro cities of Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Of these employees, 85% were male and 15% were female.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 6 May 2020: Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has officially announced the launch of ATM Virtual, a three-day event that will take place from 1-3 June 2020. The event, which underscores ATM’s commitment to delivering positive business and networking opportunities to the region’s vast travel and tourism community, will focus on emerging trends, opportunities, and the challenges which are directly impacting the tourism industry amid the COVID-19 global health pandemic. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Our debut virtual event provides us with the opportunity to work closely with the ATM community and ensure we can support the travel and tourism industry in rebounding as quickly and efficiently as possible. “We will address the impact the global health pandemic has had on the travel and tourism industry and discuss a road map to recovery, identifying the trends shaping the future of the industry and the ‘new normal’ that lies ahead.” ATM Virtual, which will take place over three days, will feature comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, one-to-one meetings, as well as facilitating new connections and offering a wide range of online business opportunities. With up to four live high-level sessions each day, industry experts will address a range of topics including tourism strategies for the future, the hotel landscape in a post-COVID-19 world, and the resilience of the travel industry, as well as exploring emerging travel technology and sustainability trends, amongst other key topics. Sessions on the first day of the virtual event include, amongst others, Communicating and Building Confidence Now and The Hotel landscape in a post-COVID-19 world. Day two will include the Virtual ATM China Forum and Networking sessions as well as Bouncing Back: Tourism Strategies for the Future, and Catapulting Resilience Through Technology and Analytics. On day three, the event will conclude with the International Travel Investment Conference. The packed agenda will also feature interviews with high-calibre aviation keynote speakers providing a detailed update on the aviation industry. It will also feature a session run by Arival, focused on the rise of online travel agencies (OTAs), the re-opening of operations, and what this means for tour and attraction operators across the Middle East. One-to-one pre-scheduled 30-minute meetings between editors, exhibitors, and buyers will also take place, while live video sessions will include Q&As and polls which will be run alongside the presentations to enable audience interaction. A series of independently moderated, pre-recorded on-demand roundtables have been designed to discuss emerging hot topics such as domestic travel, luxury travel trends, corporate travel, and tourism recovery plans. Also, key travel editors and leading travel and tourism experts will be writing blogs on topical subjects spanning not just regional but international industry verticals. While a host of hour-long speed networking sessions, between key buyers and exhibitors, will culminate in over 1,400 5-minute meetings that can then be extended into more in-depth meetings where a business need is identified. “For exhibitors from this region, the dedicated networking event will also have one Middle East-focused session per day, as well as sessions for buyers, focused on purchasing European and Asian products, plus a session specifically targeting Chinese buyers,” added Curtis. In addition to ATM Virtual, the WTM Portfolio has launched a new online portal, the WTM Global Hub, which went live on 23 April 2020. The portal, which was set up to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world, will offer the latest news and advisory to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face up to the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic. The platform, which will provide content in English, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese, will provide a wide range of webinars, podcasts, videos, news and blogs from key industry figures, providing travel professionals with a wealth of information, advice, and support to cope with the current crisis and plan for the future. ATM Virtual takes place from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event please visit: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

COVID-19 has had a major impact on all human life and not just in India but globally. Tourism as a sector is naturally hugely impacted with no movement happening either domestically or from across the border. But owing to technology, it is possible to visit places and destinations virtually and plan our travels for a later date. In these unprecedented times, technology is coming handy to maintain human contact and also keep faith that times will be good to be able to travel again soon. Keeping this in view, the Ministry of Tourism has launched its "DekhoApnaDesh" webinar series from today to provide information on the many destinations and the sheer depth and expanse of the culture and heritage of our Incredible India. The first webinar, which was part of a series that shall unfold, touched upon the long history of Delhi as it has unfolded as 8 cities, each one unique in its character and leaving behind traces which makes Delhi the magnificent city that it is today. The webinar was titled " City of Cities- Delhi's Personal Diary'. The Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (I/C) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel said that the series of  webinars shall be an on-going feature and the Ministry would work towards showcasing the diverse and remarkable history and culture of India including its monuments, cuisine, arts, dance forms. natural landscapes, festivals and many other aspects of the  rich Indian civilization. The core of the session based itself on tourism awareness and social history. Laced with interesting anecdotes the session which was conducted by the India city walks for Ministry of Tourism, had enthusiastic participation with 5546 persons registering and many interesting questions were raised which depict the interest of the participants. The webinar shall be available in public domain soon. It will be availableon the Ministry’s social media handles- IncredibleIndia on Instagram and Facebook. The next webinar is on the 16th of April from 11 am to 12 noon and shall take visitors to the amazing City of Kolkata. [Source: 14 APR 2020 4:20PM by PIB Delhi]

The Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India has launched portal www.strandedinindia.com on 31st March 2020, with a view to identify, assist and facilitate foreign tourists who are stranded in various parts of India due to the lockdown situation necessitated by the COVID19 global pandemic. Such tourists would need to log on to the portal, provide some basic contact information and narrate the nature of issues being faced by them, if any. In the first 5 days of its operation, 769 foreign tourists from all over the country registered on the portal. Every State Government and Union Territory Administration has identified a Nodal Officer for assisting such foreign tourists. The 5 Regional Offices of the Ministry of Tourism are constantly coordinating with the Nodal Officers regarding the Support Requests logged on the portal, for facilitating ground support to the foreigners, if so required. The Tourism Ministry Regional Offices are also coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration and FRROs regarding Visa issues being faced by stranded foreigners. Requests for movement within the country/ state and for transfer to home country of such tourists are also being coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and with the respective Embassy/ High Commission/ Consulate. The utility and efficacy of the portal has led to stranded foreign tourists being contacted over e-mails, telephones and also in person depending on the nature of support required by them. They have been connected with the relevant foreign office of their home country in India and provided various information updates on flights out of India to their home countries. Wherever required, they have been provided medical assistance, food and accommodation. A lady, who is an American citizen, was stranded in Supaul district of Bihar amidst the COVID19 lockdown, while her son was undergoing a surgery at Delhi. The portal facilitated the required inter-ministerial, inter-departmental and State-Centre coordination and secured her a special transit-permit to travel to Delhi. She has safely reached her destination and expressed her gratitude for the efforts put in by all the concerned agencies. Two Costa Rican citizens, who had come to Chennai for a surgery (medical tourism), were stranded at Chennai after the surgery. Close coordination with the State Government, the Costa Rican Embassy and the hotel in which the tourists were staying helped in soothing the frayed and panicked nerves of the tourists. They are now safe and well. An Australian tourist with his family was stranded in Ahmedabad. The tourist has epilepsy and ran out of medication prescribed by Australian doctors due to the lockdown. The portal led to the tourist being reached through the office of the District Collector. He was provided with sufficient medication and was also offered food and local transportation. Now, they are comfortable and safe. The above are just a few of the many occasions in which the portal helped many foreigners in getting critical assistance at a crucial time. In the coming days, the portal will continue to serve its purpose and the Government are committed to the cause of ensuring the comfort and well being of our foreign guests during their stay in India. That is the spirit of “Atithi Devo Bhava”, the mantra that drives Incredible India! [Source: 06 APR 2020 11:59AM by PIB Delhi]

Pursuant to the Budget Announcements of year 2018-19 and year 2019-20 Ministry of Tourism has identified 17 sites in 12 clusters in the country for development as Iconic Tourist Sites namely Taj Mahal & Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh), Ajanta & Ellora (Maharashtra), Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort & Qutub Minar (Delhi), Colva (Goa), Amer Fort (Rajasthan), Somnath & Dholavira (Gujarat),  Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), Hampi (Karnataka),  Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Kaziranga (Assam), Kumarakom (Kerala) and Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar). The Ministry shall be developing the above sites in an integrated manner with focus on issues concerning connectivity to the destination, better facilities/experience for the tourists at the site, skill development, involvement of local community, promotion & branding and by bringing private investment. Availability of land free from all incumberances for the proposed developments under the scheme is the responsibility of the respective State Governments/UT administrations. This information was given by the Minister of State (I/c) of Culture and Tourism, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today. [Source: 16 MAR 2020 5:55PM by PIB Delhi]

Meghalaya, the abode of clouds, is a one-of-a-kind state in India with the most beau­tiful green hills covered in clouds, lakes, mesmerizing waterfalls and mysterious caves. To top it all, it has rainfall through­out the year, bringing alive the natural beauty of the place. The state is dominated by the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills and its tribes are not only very colourful, but also display a rich culture, music and dance. Food here also has a unique charm. The state’s capital city of Shillong is so beautiful that it has inspired writers and poets since more than a century to come and write about it. The capital city is a big tourist at­traction. Cherrapunji and Mawsynram are known as the wettest place on earth, one being the former record holder, the other being the current one. Cherrapunji is also known for its living root bridges, an indi­genous method of constructing bridges that has earned the awe of people around the world. Mawlynnong is the recent tourist favourite, having been awarded the distinction of being Asia’s cleanest village. The Mawsmai Caves, Siju Caves, mono­liths across the length and breadth of the state, Indo-Bangladesh border at Dawki and the forest areas of the state, especially the Nokrek National Park and Mawphlang Sacred Grove, also cast a spell on visitors. With so much to see and experience in this state in the northeastern region of India, one can easily spend one whole week indulging in all that it has to offer. But in this article, we decided to restrict ourselves to the beautiful waterfalls only. Meghalaya has some of the tallest falls in India. The following are some of the most noteworthy ones. 1. Kynrem Falls Kynrem Falls is a waterfall located in the Khasi hills on the eastern belt. It is a three storeyed falls. It cascades down from a hill gloriously for about 1,000 feet. Kynrem Falls is located in the Thankarang Park in the Cherrapunji region. Be­cause of its location it is spectacular throughout the year as the flow of water is perfect. Once inside the park, one has to do a downhill trek through the forests to reach the waterfall. There is a bridge from where one can marvel at the waterfall. It is also one of the highest waterfalls in Meghalaya and is ranked the 7th highest in India. The other attraction here is the Shiva Rock, also known by many other names like Pillar Rock or Mothorp. From this rock, one can get amazing views of Meghalaya. This waterfall is located about 16 km from Cherrapunji. 2. Elephant Falls Elephant Falls is a very popular sightsee­ing location for both tourists and locals in Meghalaya. This is because it is located closest to the capital city of Shillong. The falls cascades through three tiers for which it is known as KaKshaid Lai Pateng­Khohsiew, which, in the local language, translates to three step waterfalls. The flow of the water is quite heavy, making huge sprays around. One has to go down all three levels to see the full waterfall. It is covered by thick greenery all around. The Elephant Falls is so named because there used to be a rock here that resembled an elephant. It was however, destroyed during an earthquake. The water itself flows over rocky surface. During winter, when the flow is less, one can see the shal­low bed of the water, which is a brilliant green. Shillong Peak is located close by; it offers splendid views of the city. 3. Seven Sisters Falls Seven Sisters Falls is a very popular water­fall in India. It is also known as Nohsngithi­ang Falls or Mawsmai Falls. It is located in Cherrapunji, near the Mawsmai Village. It is called the Seven Sisters Falls because there are seven segments through which the waterfall cascades, making it look like seven different waterfalls located side-by-side. It is one of the highest waterfalls in India, ranked 4th, plunging down over 1,033 feet from the top of the Khasi hills. The waterfall is absolutely mesmerizing as it cascades down limestone cliffs of the Khasi hills. The white expanse of the waterfall is covered in lush greens. This waterfall almost dries up during winter, but it is voluminous during monsoon. The Seven Sisters Falls is located about 2 hours from the city of Shillong. 4. Nohkalikai Falls Nohkalikai Falls is amongst the most beau­tiful waterfalls in Meghalaya, located at a distance of 7 kms from Cherrapunji. It has the highest plunge in India. The water cas­cades down from an altitude of 1,115 feet forming a pool below. Water in the pool is green in summer and blue in winter. It is a truly picturesque waterfall. But there is a very depressing story behind this waterfall. Folklore has it that a lady jumped into this wa­terfall after discovering that her second husband had killed her daughter from first marriage and cooked her meat to feed the mother. 5. Dainthlen Falls Dainthlen Falls is located in Sohra, close to Cherrapunji. There is an interesting story as­sociated with it. It is said that there was a huge serpent called Thlen that lived in the caves near the falls. The locals however found it destructive and killed it to free themselves from its hands. Thlen is the Khasi word for python. Today there is a scenic park here and the place is a very fa­mous picnic spot for the locals and daytrippers. 6. Langshiang Falls The Langshiang Falls are located in the west Khasi Hills. It is formed from the water of River Kynshi. The Langshiang Falls are really massive. It has a single plunge and a height of more than 1,000 feet making it one of the highest water­fall in India. It is surrounded by the Sangrian for­ests. The falls are best viewed from the village of Mawpon. A small trek to the Nongkhnum river island is a popular activity here. One has to reach Nongkhnum to view Langshiang. 7. Bishop and Beadon Falls Bishop and Beadon Falls are one of the most pleasant waterfalls in India. It is a rare treasure in Meghalaya. These are twin falls. Bishop Falls is a three-tiered waterfall with a heavy stream, flowing down an altitude of 440 feet while Beadon falls creates foam crashing down rocky slopes surrounded by green forests. The water falls into a deep gorge of the Umiam River. The falls ultimately end up flowing through Suna Valley. These falls can be reached from Shillong, after a short trek from Maw­lai. The location of these falls in a forested area gives visitors the opportunity of view­ing wildlife also. The location is perfect for picnics. There is a platform to view the falls from a distance. 8. Sweet Falls Sweet Falls are located near the Happy Valley. It is located remotely and is not very frequented by tourists, yet popular with the locals. It is surrounded by hills and thick green forests filled with mostly pine trees. Although only about 315 feet in height these falls are said to be very dangerous. People are prohibited to trek till the point of the falls since many accidents have occurred due to the slippery rocks here. Locals also believe that this falls is haunted. However, one can enjoy its scenic beauty from Happy Valley. The falls are located very close to the city centre of Shillong. 9. Borhill Falls The Borhill Falls are situated near Dawki. Dawki is a wonderful location with cliffs and the Umngot river, on the Indo- Bangladesh border. Borhill Falls is a little remote, so it is less treaded on by tourists. The falls are at their best during monsoon since the flow of water is heavy. The water from here ultimately flows into Sylhet in Bangladesh. Great views of the Khasi hills are on offer here. The Bangladesh border can be seen from this place, and this is an added attraction for tourists. One can camp on the banks of the Umngot here or go swimming or boating all the way up to the Bangladesh border. 10. Mawphlang Falls / Umkawang Falls Mawphlang is a mesmerizing place near Cherrapunji and Shillong with some hidden treasures of Meghalaya. It is also known as the Umkawang Falls. The caves, and sacred forest of Mawphlang located nearby are simply awe-inspiring. The Mawphlang Sa­cred Grove is a mysterious forest, that has many legends associated with it. The falls has a long cascade through multiple tiers. The falls end into a small pool of clear water. One has to do a short trek before reaching the falls. 11. Krang Shuri Falls One of the lesser known falls, Krang Shuri is to be found in West Jaintia Hills, about 30 km from the town of Jowai. Visitors have to pass through a forest with slippery stones to reach here. The most jaw-drop­ping aspect of this falls is the colour of the water of its plunge pool. It is a beauti­ful shade of deep copper sulphate blue. Reaching here is worth all the pain. It looks like a perfect dream. The best part is that the place is less crowded. 12. Rainbow Falls This is often referred to as Meghalaya’s best kept secret. This falls is located in Non­griat village, about 18 km from Cherrapunji. At Nongriat, vehicles do not ply and you have to see around on foot. One has to descend about 3,500 steps to reach this postcard perfect vil­lage. Inside the village, the sky is hardly visible as the trees form a canopy around. The falls lies se­cluded deep inside the forest and it takes about 1.5 hours trek from the double decker bridge to reach here. The falls plunges into a pool of deep blue that invite visitors to take a dip. But one should be careful with the slippery rocks. 13. Tyrshi Falls Located on the Jowai-Shillong Road, this is another beautiful but lesser known falls of Meghalaya. It is often called Jowai’s answer to Shillong’s Elephant Falls. Reaching it involves some trek, but the trip is worth all the pain. The surroundings of the falls is blessed with abun­dant beauty, so much that you would not like to come back. No ticket is required to visit here and there are no crowds. So one can enjoy the sound of gushing water amidst the serenity.

It is a goal for all Indians to spend a vacation in Goa, once in a life. It is thought to be the place where fun combines with serenity to give visitors the ultimate holiday experience. Spending time in the breathtaking beaches throughout the coastline of the state is perhaps the only reason people get so attracted to Goa. What often goes neglected is the fact that Goa is also a prime Western Ghats location making it the abode of some of the best waterfalls in the country. The following are the ones not to miss: 1. Dudhsagar Falls The Dudhsagar Falls is one of the most celebrated waterfalls in India. The name itself speaks for its beauty – dudh meaning milk and sagar meaning ocean, implying that it is a heavy flow of foamy milky white waters. The waterfall is located on the border of Goa and Karnataka in the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctu­ary and Mollem National park. It originates from the Mandovi River and cascades down a height of 300 m. There is an incessant gushing sound of the waters which adds to the beauty of the place. It is surrounded by lush green forests. One can reach Dudhsagar Falls from Kulem Station and then take a vehicle to reach Mollem (6 km). 2. Netravali Falls Netravali falls is one of the most attractive falls in Western Ghats. It is located in the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary and can be reached by a 2 hours’ drive from Madgao. Birdwatching must be done here as the sanctuary is frequented by birds. A number of wildlife species can also be spotted here. Panthers, cobras, hornbills and loris are common here. 3. Savari Waterfall Savari Waterfall is located in Sanguem. It is situated in Eastern Goa and is known for the wildlife surrounding it. The activities one can undertake here are trekking, mountain climb­ing and a memorable jungle walk exploring the wildlife. 4. Mainapi Waterfall Mainapi Waterfall is also located in Netravali. It is smaller than the main Netravali waterfall. It is tucked away in the interiors and is less intruded upon by tourists. One can trek till the main loca­tion of the waterfall but the trek takes about 2 hours. It is a slightly difficult trek as the path becomes very steep at places. Swimming is a popular activity here. 5. Kesarval Falls Kesarval Falls are located in Verna plateau, 20 km from Panaji. It is also known as Kesarval Spring which is famous for its medicinal elements. The word Kesarval translates to ‘eagles’ as it is said to be a house of the eagles. The waterfall is stun­ning as there are beautiful forests around, with mainly betel palm trees. There is a winding trail through the forest to reach the water­fall. Swimming is a popular activity here. 6. Surla Waterfalls Located in Belgaum on the Goa Karnataka border, it is a spectacular place with good trekking options. During monsoon, the beauty of the place is enhanced. The trek begins from the rocky banks of the Kalsa River, crosses the Kalsa waterfall and then reaches Surla, ending at Surla valley. 7. Charavane Falls This falls is located in Charavane in Goa near the city of Valpoi. It is located in the Mhadei Wildlife sanctuary and therefore offers great trekking options through pic­turesque green landscapes. The Charavane Falls has a beautiful cascade and is sur­rounded by greenery. 8. Kuske Waterfall Kuske Waterfall is one of the smallest waterfalls in Goa. It is also a seasonal one and has volume only during monsoon. It is located in Canacona near the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary. It falls from a good height. The colour of the water is milky white making it quite serene for an iso­lated getaway. 9. Bamanbudo Waterfalls Bamanbudo waterfalls are located at the Ambeghat. It is a very pretty waterfall, situated right on the road, hence easier to locate. The interesting thing to do here is go bird watching. It is a pristine waterfall located in South Goa, and remains still unexplored. The crowd here is very limited, thus making it perfect for visiting. 10. Tambdi Surla Tambdi Surla is a spectacular waterfall located inside Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife sanctuary. The waterfall is surrounded by thick forests, which bring out the prettiness in the cascade. There is a temple at the bottom of the waterfall. One has to trek through the forests to reach the fall. 11. Arvalem waterfall Arvalem or Harvalem waterfall is located in Sanquelim. It is a splendid waterfall cascading down 50 metres from a hill. There is a park and a view point to marvel at the waterfall. It is great for swimming as well as picnics. The Arvalem Rock Cut caves, Mayem Lake and the Rudreshwar temple are nearby attractions.

Odisha is a state that is located prominently on the eastern coast of India. In addition to offering a lot of cultural experience, both historical and tribal, Odisha also has a wonderful treasury of nature’s blessings. What is better is that some of these historical heritages are located in these picturesque natural surroundings, so travellers have a wonderful time in this state. The following is an account of the major beaches in the state: 1. Chandrabhaga The Chandrabhaga Beach is one of the finest beaches of the state of Odisha. It is located about 30 km from Puri city. It is located very close to the Sun temple of Konark. A unique fact about the beach is that it was considered to be a place for natural cure for leprosy. Since the beach is so close to the Konark temple, a number of cultural activities take place here from time to time. Chandrabhaga Beach is very well maintained. So much so that it became Asia’s first beach to get the coveted Blue Flag certification. This certification is a tag that the beach is an environment friendly and clean beach, and that It has amenities of international standard for tourists. According to mythology, Krishna’s son Shamba used to worship the Sun God to get cured of his leprosy. He worshipped the Sun on the mouth of the Chandrabhaga. The river then dried up and turned into a very dry land with only just a narrow stream of water. It then became a religious spot since his disease was gone. Another lore says that Chandrabhaga, the daughter of a sage became the interest of the Sun God. He came down to profess his love for her, but Chandrabhaga refused to give herself to him. In a rage, the Sun God chased her, until she jumped into the river and killed herself. This way she protected her chastity, and hence the river became sacred. During winter, people take a dip in the water to offer their prayers to the Sun God. This place is also famous for its sunrises. Chandrabhaga has remained a place of interest for the romantics, poets and artists. While the beach at Puri is crowded, this one is serene. There is a large community of fishermen here, from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh here, who have settled down here since it is very rice in aquatic resources. The places to visit around Chandrabhaga include a lighthouse from which the vast Bay of Bengal is seen in all its glory. The Chandrabhaga Mela takes place here every year. It is a festival that continues for seven days in honour of the Sun God, Surya. One can even enjoy the water activities here like sun bathing, swimming and even surfing. The best time to visit the beach is either around February or during autumn to winter months when the weather is most pleasant. The nearest airport and railway station are at Puri. There are also state buses connected to other parts of Odisha. 2. Chandipur Chandipur is a magnificent beach in Odisha. It is located in Balasore. It is also known as Chandipur-on-sea because the water subsides upto 5km from the shore during low tide. This happens twice a day, until the high tides bring back the waves again, which is an uncommon phenomenon. The unique phenomenon draws a lot of tourists here. The pretty beach is lined with coconut trees and casuarinas. There is a fishermen’s community close by as well as a thriving fishing market at Mirzapur which is located at the confluence of the Budhabalanga River with the sea. The sea here is rich in marine resources. The horseshow crabs are found in abundance as the receding property of the sea supports its habitat. From Chandipur one can go for sightseeing to a number of places. The Devkund waterfall is ideal for trekking. A number of water sports are also available here because of the high waves of the Bay of Bengal. One can even go for a ride into the sea on a fisherman’s boat. For the spiritual, there are a number of temples such as Panchalinegeswar, Khirachora-Gopinath temple, Chandipur Beach, Emami-Jagannath temple and the Nilgiri Jagannath temple. The beach, lined with coconut trees is pleasant for simply walking along and tourists prefer to do so as the water recedes. The beach is very popular with tourists because of the vanishing sea! Winter is the best time to visit Chandipur beach. The nearest railway station is at Balasore. From Balasore it is easily accessible by taking a bus or a local taxi or auto. 3. Gopalpur Gopalpur beach is located in a town of the same name in Ganjam, Odisha. Gopalpur is a majestic Bay of Bengal beach. It is located very close to the Andhra Pradesh border and is known as the commercial hub of Southern Odisha! The beach used to be a famous port during the ancient ages; the port is currently in ruins. It used to serve as a trade route with Burma. Rice used to be imported from Rangoon through this port, and the British East India Company had built large warehouses and godowns here. A new port reconstruction is under way. Otherwise it was a small fishing village which has now blossomed into a thriving tourist destination. The beach is a calm and quiet location with soft sand dunes, casuarinas and coconut trees all around. The tourist attractions at Gopalpur are aplenty. The old jetty in Gopalpur is a popular attraction. This jetty was an important point for trade and commerce as the sailors used to travel to Indonesia and Rangoon from this jetty. The Light House at Gopalpur is also quite popular with tourists. One can view the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal till the horizon from up above. Good photography opportunities are also available here. The rows of cashew nut trees here are also quite splendid. Cashew nuts are exported from here after processing. At the nearby Dhabaleshwar, there is a temple called Dhabaleshwar Temple. A beach festival is organized here every year in the month of December. Apart from the natural splendours, the backwaters of Gopalpur are ideal for a number of adventure water sports. A host of activities such as rowing, swimming, paddle boating, water scooter, scuba diving and wind surfing can be enjoyed here. One can even see sailing boats on the water. The best time to visit the Gopalpur Beach is during winter. 4. Puri Perhaps the favourite holiday spot in the east, Puri and its beach has been a major crowd puller through the ages. Puri is most visited by tourists from Bengal and a favourite with the Bengalis. Puri is also a place of pilgrimage for various reasons. It is located on the deltaic region of river Mahanadi. Puri is characterized by fine white sands and the city on the other side. The sunrises seen from here are surreal. The waves are quite lively, bouncing off against the shoreline. The beach is famous for being very family friendly. Sand sculptures on the beach are a common sighting here. There are many vendors on the beach, selling various types of souvenirs, toys and food. One can go on a horse or camel ride along the sand. There are rows of hotels and restaurants just outside of the beach. There are also plenty of lifeguards around on patrol in case there is an emergency while bathing in the sea. There are many things to see in Puri. The temple of Lord Jagannath is an important place for pilgrimage. It was built in the 12th century AD and is the most important of the Char Dhams. Most of the treasures of this temple have been looted by various invaders. During the Rathyatra festival, the whole of Puri gets crowded with millions of devotees from all over India, with the massive chariots being pulled across the city from the temple. The Beach Festival here takes place every year in November. There are fishing villages nearby. The fishermen set out during sunrise in search of fresh seafood that get caught in their nets. Puri is accessible from Bhubaneswar or through a direct train from many neighbouring states. It is connected directly through railway with Calcutta, and it is just an overnight journey from here. On one side of Puri is the Bay of Bengal and on the other is the Puri city. The Chilika Lake is also not very far away. The beach is divided into a few distinguished parts. The Chakratirtha side is calmer. The Swargadwar is more bustling. Other places to visit are Markandeshwar Tank which is a sacred bathing spot; Gundicha Temple, the District Museum, the Raghunandana library. A dance festival happens every year at the Konark Sun temple which must not be missed.

There are many interesting lines, borders and passes around the world that tourists find interesting. This Snap­shot is a listing of all those attractions which must be in your bucket list when you visit any of these destinations next time. 1. Equator, Quito, Equador The Equator is the latitudinally the longest imaginary line on the surface of the earth, diving the globe into two equal halves – the Northern and the Southern hemispheres. The Equator is a line where there are no change of seasons. One of the countries through which the Equator passes is Equador. There is a point on this country at the city of Quito, where the world is divided into two halves, and is known as Mitad del Mundo, literally translating to ‘middle of the world’. The Tourism department of the country has made sure that this point is as tourist friendly as possible and has developed it into an interesting travel destina­tion. The point is situated in a park, where one has to pay $2 as entry fees. Inside the park there is the Ethnographic Museum atop which there are breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. 2. Vatican City and Rome - Country within a city One of the most majestic cities on Earth, Rome is filled with cathedrals, churches, monuments with the best art and archi­tecture. And a major part of it lies in the Vatican city, the coun­try of the Pope, Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and many more celebrated artists. But the most curious thing about this place is that this small country grew up inside a city! The gor­geous ornate gate in Rome serves as an entrance to the Vatican. Naturally, the country shares its borders with a full city. There are many attractions in the Vatican city, including the grand St Peter’s basilica, Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Square and many more. 3. Greenwich, UK Much like the Equator, the most important longitudinal line across the globe of the earth is the 0 (Zero) degrees longitude that passes through Greenwich in London, giving shape to time standards across the globe. This point is known as Greenwich Meridian where the standard of time is set at Greenwich Mean Time. There is a royal palace at Greenwich which is known as the Palace of Placentia. It dates back to the 15th century, and was the birthplace of many Tudors, including the famous King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. Greenwich became a popular tourist destination because of its maritime connections. Many important buildings were constructed here; among these were the Vanbrugh Castle and the National Maritime Museum. 4. North and South Korea A lot of political tension in Korea resulted in the land being divided into North and South Korea. The border of the two countries now has become a wildlife sanctuary. Because of the divide, the land remained isolated in the border region making it a spot where wildlife has thrived. This strip of land is known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone, where both countries have come to a mutual agreement to conserve natural resources and wildlife. A number of rare species of animals are found here - from endangered cranes to rare Siberian tigers, as well as roe deer, gorals and wild boar. 5. Poland – Ukraine border The border between Poland and Ukraine was born after Ukraine had lost its independence to the Soviet Union. In a turn of po­litical events, the parts of the two countries were divided be­tween the European Union and the Ukrainian SSR. The border is marked by the signature Polish and Ukrainian flag colours – yel­low and blue, and red and white. This is the longest border be­tween The Soviet and the EU, and the most frequently crossed by. Millions of people cross over from the Soviet into Europe through this border each year. It is an important smuggling and illegal immigration route through the numerous road, rail, pas­senger and cargo crossings that are heavily policed at the same time. Polish artist Jaroslaw Koziara created two giant fish images on each side of the border as a sign of the unity between the two countries. 6. Quadripoint in Africa. There is only one place on earth where four countries have met at a single point. This sounds really amazing, and quite unbeliev­able too. In Africa, the countries of Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana have come to an intersection which can only be termed as the Quadripoint of Africa. There are no fancy monu­ments or distinction marks between the four countries here, but the point is located in the middle of a river that cuts between the countries. 7. Dead Sea The Dead sea has a number of significances. Not only is it the only sea where people can stay afloat and never drown, it is also a shared waterbody between three major countries – Jor­dan, Israel and Palestine. Because of its high salt content, it is impossible to drown here, and tourists come here to witness the unique phenomenon of floating freely on the water. The high salt content also makes it impossible for animals or plants to thrive here, hence giving the sea its name. From this sea, the land areas of the three countries can be viewed. The salt sea is surrounded by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west. It is a very popular retreat in the Mediterranean basin. 8. Bomdi La Towards the north-eastern part of India, there is a breathtaking pass at the Indo-China border, in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Known as Bomdi La, this pass is situated close to the pictur­esque Tawang. The small town of Bomdila is perched along the border, surrounded by the imposing Himalayas. The Bomdi La pass is characterized by Buddhist monasteries and apple or­chids. There are many trekking trails, with the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary lying close by. The influence here is mostly Tibetan. 9. US and Russia - Diomedes islands If one takes a close look at the globe of the earth, one will notice how the United States of America and Russia come very close to a meeting point, separated only by a few groups of islands. The Little Diomedes and the Big Diomedes are a part of USA and Russia, separated by only 2 and a half miles of water. That also means that USA and Russia are as close as two and a half miles to each other! The space between the two Diomedes islands is also where the International Date Line passes through, which is another important longitudinal line, crossing which one gains or loses a day! The islands are located in the Bering Strait, a part of the Arctic Ocean between the two continents. 10. Costa Rica and Panama border The border between Costa Rica and Panama is an interesting geographical demarcation between the two nations. The border runs between the Pacific and the Caribbean coasts through the Cordillera Central. The border begins at the mouth of the Six­aola River in the Caribbean Sea, following the valley of this river to its influx in the Yorkin River. It then continues to the summit of the Cordillera de Talamanca, which separates the Caribbean waters and Pacific waters. The border meets the ridge that di­vides the water bodies into Golfo Dulce and the Charco Azul Bay. Until the end at Punta Burica on the Pacific Ocean. All of these points are important tourist attractions. 11. The Alps-Adriatic border It becomes quite interesting when countries are not merely di­vided by imaginary political boundaries but by actual geographi­cal landforms. The Alps are the most important mountain range in Europe and the Alps-Adriatic is a region where three coun­tries have met. It is the intersection of Austria, Italy and Slovenia. The borders of these countries are found at this junction, the boundaries marked by the Alps – The Karavanke running be­tween Austria and Sloveniam the Carnic Alps running between Austria and Italy and the Julian Alps running between Italy and Slovenia. 12. The Triple Frontier In South America, three of the major nations have come into a mutual meeting point, which has been termed as the Triple Frontier! The countries of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay share a tri-border area at this junction, where the Iguazu and the Par­ana rivers meet. It is a breathtaking site where the rivers meet from two directions and converge into one, giving rise to three lands, namely the three countries stated above. The cities of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), Puerto Iguazú (Argentina) and Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) are located near the confluence, or in other words, the international border. It is a very popular tourist spot, where the Tancredo Neves bridge can be seen, connecting the the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazú and its Brazilian counterpart, Foz do Iguaçu in the Región de las Aguas Grandes. Each country has built an obelisk at this international convergence, in its own national colours. Visitors can see all three countries from the top of each of these obelisks. 13. Stark contrasts of Haiti & Dominican Republic border This is yet another interesting international border. If one gets an aerial view of the two countries, one will clearly see how dif­ferent the two countries are, and will be able to clearly define a line of divide between the two countries based on how the landmark appears. It was because of the different environment policies of the two countries that they have different looks. While Haiti sees its forests as a valuable resource, Dominican Republic sees it as a place of conservation. Hence, on one side of the border on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic there is dense growth of forests, while on the other, there is dearth of greenery as these have been cleared off for the economic need for charcoal by the country. The border has been defined by planting trees separately along the line. 14. Pangong Lake, India Another beautiful travel destination on a border is the Pangong Lake, located on the Indo-China border, created in the recent times. The Pangong Lake located in the Ladakh district of Jam­mu and Kashmir in India is shared between India and China af­ter China claimed and occupied parts of India. The western part of the lake falls on the Indian side while the eastern part falls on the Aksai Chin or China occupied India, thus marking the lake as an international border. The pristine clear blue waters of this lake, surrounded by lofty mountains is a sight to behold! The lake is one of the biggest craze amongst tourists in India at the moment after it featured in the Bollywood blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’. 15. US & Canada Two of the biggest nations of the world and sharing the largest border is the United States of America and Canada. The bor­der is non-militarized, to keep the peace intact between the two neighbouring countries. The Peace Arch, located in Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia (near Vancouver), is a symbol of the open borders. The border is characterized by a number of geographical features. The great Lakes are a major part of the natural border, dividing the great lands. There are eight Canadian provinces and thirteen US states that share bor­ders, including Alaska which does not share any direct border with USA but is a part of the mainland of Canada. 16. Nathu La, Sikkim, India One of the most picturesque passes on the Indo-China border and one of the most popular tourist destinations at the moment is the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. The pass is one of the three open trading border posts between China and India, the others being Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh and Lipulekh at Uttrakhand. Fol­lowing political turmoils, and shutting down, Nathu La was re-opened in 2006. The pass is an important route for Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimages as well as for trade. Nathu La is located at a height of 14,140 feet from the sea level and offers wonderful views of the Himalayas. The word translates to ‘listening ears’ in Tibetan and forms a part of the ancient Silk Route. 17. German-Polish border One of the major turnarounds in history was the marking of the border between Germany and Poland during the World War I and the series of events that followed. Currently it is known as the Oder–Neisse line. It stretches from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Czech Republic in the south. It is known as the Oder-Neisse line because the two rivers of Oder and Neisse meet here, marking a natural border along the two nations. 18. Argentina and Chile Border The third longest international border, after USA-Canada and Kazakhstan-Russia borders is the Argentina-Chile border. Not only is it the third longest border in the world but also the long­est border in South America. To denote the separation between the two countries, a statue of Christ the Redeemer has been built high atop the Andes mountains to symbolize peace be­tween the two countries. This statue separates the countries of Argentina from Chile along the Andes and on the islands of Tierra del Fuego. The city of Mendoza in Argentina is one of the largest cities situated near the border. The northern point of this very border is also a tripoint where the nations meet Bolivia in the Atacama desert. The border then extends southwards to the Strait of Magellan upto the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. 19. The highest border in the world If one had to go to China from Nepal, one would have to cross the Mount Everest! Indeed it is the tallest mountain on the earth that separates the nations of Nepal and China. Sitting at the border of the two countries, the imposing Mt. Everest is an ideal point of demarcation between the large sprawling China and the small kingdom of mountains tucked away in the Himalayas - Nepal. The Friendship Bridge is built across the Bhote Koshi over the border with China and Nepal. However, Nepal shares it border along the Everest with the Tibet Autonomous Region which is a part of China. This border splits Mount Everest at its summit, making it the highest border in the world at a whop­ping 29,000 feet above sea level. 20. Indo-Pak Attari-Wagah Border After the partition of India, one of the borders that were defined between Pakistan and India at Punjab grew to be an important landmark. There is a place on the border called Attari-Wagah border where since 1959, there is a flag-lowering ceremony be­ing held by the two nations every day! The ceremony is con­ducted by the military forces of both the countries with much pomp and grandeur, marking it a popular tourist spot. There are specially trained soldiers who put up a show and march to the drumbeats amongst cheers from crowds on both sides of the border, until the lowering of the flags at sundown. This retreat is known as the Beating Retreat Ceremony and is a common travel destination in India. 21. Akhaura border Beating retreat The Akhaura border is an international border between India and Bangladesh at Agartala, Tripura. The fun part is that one can get a free visa to enter Bangladesh from India here! The check-post at Akhaura has a beautiful building, which provides transport area to trucks and other vehicles carrying good be­tween the two countries. There is also a retreat ceremony, much like the Wagah flag lowering ceremony, that is held here. The ceremony, more than signifying rivalry, portrays peace and co­operation between the two neighbouring countries. 22. Strait of Gibraltar The mystic Strait of Gibraltar has divided Spain and Morocco geographically. Appearing like a small strip of water dividing the two continents at this point, the Strait of Gibraltar has immense historical and natural significance. The famous Rock of Gibral­tar, juts out on the Mediterranean Sea making it a near point of connection between the continent of Africa and Europe at this region. The Strait of Gibraltar crossing is possible through the proposed Euromed Transport project, as swimming through it is dangerous, considering the number of sharks that infest the waters. 23. US - Mexico border Politically, the most controversial border of today, the mammoth US-Mexico border has too much importance attached to it. Ex­panding for over 3000 miles, this border has been a gateway for people migrating from Mexico to USA for ages now, and the most frequently crossed one at that! But these are not its only significances. The border has a number of important landmarks on it. There is a bridge over Lake Amistad on which a monument has been built with statues of the national birds of both USA and Mexico; it happens to be the same bird, eagle. The border passes through 23 US counties. The borders stretches from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Gulf of Mexico in the west. The border stands majorly on desert terrains. It starts from the Gulf of Mexico, runs through Rio Grande river, Chihuahua, El Paso in Texas, then onto the Sonoran desert to the Colorado river delta and San Diego-Tijuana and reaches the Pacific Ocean ultimately. Texas has the longest part of the border running through it. There is a good deal of trade and exchange of goods happen­ing over this border. The crossing of the border takes place by roads, walkways, railroads and even ferries. 24. Ban Gioc Waterfall The countries of Vietnam and China share a natural border at the Ban Gioc waterfall. The Quay Son River forms the border be­tween Vietnam and China, and hence, the waterfalls that form here are shared by both Vietnam and China. For a better view of the cascade, bamboo rafts have been deployed by both the countries to see the waterfalls in all their glory. While on the rafts, tourists coming from each side of the border can meet and greet each other! The Ban Gioc Waterfall is 350km away from the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. 25. Netherlands and Belgium – A shared town A border can perhaps not get more bizarre than this! There is a small town called Baarle in Baarle-Nassau which is shared by two important European countries – the Netherlands and Belgium. A network of borders splits the town between the Netherlands and Belgium. It is structured in such a way that several parts of the Netherlands are completely surrounded by a piece of Bel­gian territory which is in turn surrounded by The Netherlands! Great confusion was created after a number of land swaps and treaties between the two countries. What is interesting is that, the border of Netherlands and Belgium at Baarle runs through a cafe! There are white crosses along the ground indicating the boundary between the two countries. These white crosses run through many villages, houses and roads being an international border at the same time. 26. Iguazu Falls A waterfall that is also an international border? Yes, that’s true. The Iguazu Falls are one of the seven Natural Wonders of the world. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it also forms a natural border between the two great nations of Brazil and Ar­gentina. The Iguazu Falls are a part of the Iguaza National Park that is shared by both Argentina and Brazil. The Iguazu Falls also happen to be one of the biggest falls, comparable to the largest one of them all – the Victoria Falls in Africa. Thousands of tour­ists visit the spectacular falls every year. 27. Jelep La Jelep La is a pass between Lhasa and Sikkim. It connects Tibet to India, being a gateway to the natural wonders of the Hima­layas on both sides. The word Jelep La translates to ‘the lovely level pass’, is located at an altitude of 14,000 feet. The beau­tiful Menmecho Lake flows below the Jelep La Pass. One can reach Jelep La through Kalimpong or through Gangtok. The older route is that of Kalimpong, passing through the pristine towns of Pedong, Rhenok and Kupup. The route from Gangtok, crosses the towns of Sherathang, with the Changu Lake situ­ated nearby and the Nathu La passing parallel. The Jelep La is a beautiful pass, with rhododendrons in full bloom on either side. On the Tibetan side, the path stretches towards Chumbi Valley of the Tibetan Plateau. Amongst all the Indo-Tibetan passes, the Jelep La is the most level pass, and hence the name. 28. Karakoram Pass The Karakoram Pass is a mountain pass between India and Chi­na in the Karakoram Mountain Range. One may note that the Karakoram Pass is the highest pass on the ancient caravan route between Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Basin. The Karakoram Pass has a dark history associated with it. The land is barren, with negligible supply of fodder, making it impossible for animals to thrive. What was even more dreadful was that the bones of the dead animals would be strewn as a trail on the pass marking the way! 29. Khyber Pass One of the historical passes and a subject for many writers down the ages is the Khyber Pass which is a mountain pass that divides Afghanistan and Pakistan. It connects the town of Landi Kotal, near the Afghanistan and Pakistan border, to the Valley of Pe­shawar, among the Spin Ghar mountains. The Khyber Pass is an essential part of the ancient Silk Road, adding a lot of value to the cultural, economic, and geopolitical significance of the countries through which it passes. The Khyber pass has been an important trade route between Central Asia and the Indian Sub­continent for ages and currently forms part of the Asian High­way or AH1. The summit of the pass is at Landi Kotal in Pakistan. 30. Dawki, Meghalaya, India A considerable area of Meghalaya is shared with Bangladesh, which gives rise to international borders in the North Eastern Indian state. The picturesque Meghalaya or the abode of clouds gives way to the Bangladesh plainlands from the borders at Dawki. It is a town located in the Jaintia Hills. The Dawki bridge over the Umngot River can also be used for going to the other side. This is a suspension bridge built by the British during the pre-independence era. The Dawki-Tamabil border crossing be­tween India and Bangladesh is used for ferrying passengers and cargo and for transportation of coal. Dawki-Tamabil is one of the few border crossings by road between India and Bangla­desh. One can reach Dawki from Shillong’s Barabazar by availing of the shared transport facilities. On the other side, Tamabil in Bangladesh has a bus station which is connected to Sylhet. 31. Norway and Sweden border The long land border between Norway and Sweden amidst the mountains is a peaceful retreat with it turning into a skiing destination, with people crossing between the nations in skiis on the snows in the highlands. The Scandinavian mountains divide the two nations, also forming borders with Finland for the two nations. There are also railway crossings here, and only an Identity card is required to pass over to either side of the border. There are stone cairns built on the border that marks many parts of the border. 32. Spain and Portugal Spain and Portugal’s friendly relations are evident from their longitudinal border, one that can be crossed as easily as by foot! One of the oldest in the world, the border dividing the two neighbours is referred to as ‘la Raya’ which means ‘the stripe’ in Spanish. The Portugal-Spain border is 1,214 km long making it the longest uninterrupted border in the European Union. The border is however not defined between the Caia River and Ribeira de Cuncos. There are also bridges across the international border at the Guadiana International Bridge and the Lower Guadiana International bridge. For the adventurous traveller, there is a zipline across the border between Sanlucar de Guadiana in Spain and Alcoutim in Portugal, through which one can zip through the two countries in a matter of a few minutes!

Mountain vacations are loved by most of us, but not all mountains are ‘storybook perfect’. Here is a list of 21 such mountains around the world that are unique in one way or the other, some indeed unbelievable, others magical or otherworldly. But one thing is common to all of them, each one deserves a visit at least once in the lifetime of every traveller. 1. Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines Can you imagine being in a forest of numerous chocolate mounds? Yes, the Chocolate Hills offers you such an incredible experience. They are located in the Bohol Province of Philippines and there are about 1,268 such hills spread across 50 sq km of land. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these are popular tourist attractions. They are conical shaped with a height of 30-50 meters and evenly covered with green grass. These grasses, when dried up, turn chocolaty brown in color. Therefore, tourists visit usually when the grasses dry up, rather than seeing it all green, which is not in harmony with its name. It is believed that these hills were formed ages ago, with mixed actions of coral deposition, dissolution of limestone by rainfall, works of ground water, surface water and erosion. There are several caves and springs in them and are divided by well-developed flat plains. Despite the many fairytale legends describing their origin, the actual reason of formation of these hills remains a mystery to the geologists till date. They look so alike each other that it is very difficult to believe that these hills are actually not manmade. Apart from being uniform in shape, they also have almost same heights. 2. Magnetic Hill, Ladakh, India The super astonishing Magnetic Hill is situated near Leh in Ladakh at an altitude of 11,000 ft. Tourists crowd this place every now and then to witness the magic of nature. This hill is said to have magnetic power to pull cars up the hill without any engine-power. The hill is sometimes also termed as Gravity Hill or Mystery Hill and is indeed one of nature’s mysteries and the natives have a number of stories to tell about the magical magnetic power or spiritual power behind it. However, study suggests that this hill has no magnetic disturbance at all. It is simply the Optical Illusion Effect, the Illusion similar to that of Ames room. Objects on a perpendicular plane seem leaning upwards may actually be downward sloping creating a visual illusion. Upon the hill, there is a mystery spot where the outline of the adjoining land creates an optical illusion of an uphill slope which actually is a downhill slope. This mysterious route is known as the gravity road. Hence, the cars seem to roll up which actually is rolling down from the mystery spot through the gravity road simply due to gravity. Located on the Leh-Kargil-Srinagar national highway, this place is popular with tourists. 3. Pancake Rocks, New Zealand The Pancake Rocks are one of the greatest forms of nature’s art one could ever imagine. Huge piles of pancakes lying on the Earth’s plates and walking on those could surely be an adventurous journey. Hence, thousands of visitors flock this place to experience yet another mysterious creation of nature. These are actually eroded limestone structures that layer the sea surface and present the look of pancakes. Situated in the West Coast of South Island in New Zealand, on the rim of the west edge of the Paparoa National Park, these giant pancakes of nature took a long time in formation, an estimated period of 30 million years. Interestingly, the unique rocks have numerous huge blowholes in them and during high tides it is a thrilling experience to watch the tides break through the holes. Hundreds of natural sculptures are formed by the work of enormous forces of wind, waves and rain. There are several hundreds of huge stacks of pancake formations lying on the coast ready to be feasted on, albeit, with eyes. Currently, this place is a major tourist attraction and has many twisting paths around the rock formations and staircase like ways, yet to be explored. 4. Five Finger Mountain, Azerbaijan The Five Finger Mountain or the Besh Barmag in Azerbaijan is a legendary tourist place. The view of a rock, mounted with five tall peaks almost resembling a human’s five fingers spouting out, is indeed a wonder. Driving on the Baku - Quba Highway, a traveller’s eyes would definitely get struck with the marvellous view of this nature’s 1,253ft gift. It is situated in Khizi Rayon and near distant to the Caspian Sea. The mountain is ages old, as estimated with the water marks that are found on its body. These tidal marks which tourists flock to view are from the Ice Age. This mountain is a popular pilgrim’s attraction and has many religious sagas woven around it. The fingers were, according to sagas, of a local boy called Sum, a Jew, who died while fighting a monster. There is also a tank right at the foothill of this mountain, a popular one as it was believed to be filled with tears of the lover of Sum. Among several other stories, it is believed that the Prophet had received the sacred 10 commandments on this mountain. Hundreds of tourists gather to witness this holy wonder and unique five-finger-like rock headed mountain. 5. Rainbow Mountain, China Forming a part of the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park of Gansu Province in China, these multicoloured mountain peaks look more like an artist’s canvas, full of bright colours. These otherworldly mountains are often revered to as the most colourful mountains in the world. The mountains were formed millions of years ago by layers of sandstone and mineral deposits. The geological park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. 6. Sugarloaf Mountain, Brazil The famous Sugarloaf Mountain at Rio de Janeiro stands 1,299 ft above the sea level. Lying at the mouth of Guanabara Bay of Atlantic Ocean, this mountain is a very popular tourist destination. The shape of the mountain is in semblance to a concentrated sugarloaf, hence the name follows. It is also known as Pao de Acucar which means ‘a sugarloaf’ in Portuguese. From the Sugarloaf, one can experience the mesmerizing view of sunset in the ocean with the view of the entire city with startling night lights making this a romantic affair. It is not just the sunset or the drink or the food here that attracts millions of tourists every year, but also the glass-walled cable car going atop the mountain which is a great attraction. This cable car was built way back in 1912, though rebuilt couple of times afterwards, a ride on it remains memorable for anyone who takes it. It ascends the mountain fall of 1400 meters and gives an excellent view of the ocean touching the bay and the Rio city. The cable car leaves from the ground at Babilona Hill and goes to Urca Hill, another beautiful peak, and then finally to the Sugarloaf once every 20 minutes. 7. Superstition Mountains, Arizona, USA For those who believe in fairy tales, the Superstitions Mountains of Arizona is their ultimate destination. This is a range of mountains in the east of Phoenix in Arizona. It is a major amusement place for the natives of Phoenix metropolitan area. This range falls in the officially elected Superstitions Wilderness Area. There are multiple natural features embedded in this area to make it a leisurely place for visitors. Especially this place can be real delight for those who love trekking. Fairy-tale landmarks make it more romantic and interesting. Every spot has its own significance and treasure to be explored. The spots have strange names like Weaver’s Needle, Miner’s Needle, Peralta Canyon, Freemont Saddle and so on and they attract thousands of visitors. Rock climbing, trekking and hiking are the major events that people seek in here. Revolving around the folklore of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mines, every landmark is designated in connection with a sequence in the story. Mainly with a desert climate, this area has very less sources of water, and the temperatures rise high during summer. Interestingly, this mountain was once known as Sierra de la Espuma which means ‘mountain of foam’ in Spanish. 8. Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa The Table Mountain is located close to Cape Town in South Africa. It is a natural wonder and a major tourist attraction in the country. This flat-top mountain was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in November 2011. It forms a part of Table Mountain National Park and is featured in the National Flag of Cape Town. The Table Mountain is one the oldest formations of Earth, six times older than the Himalayas and five times as old as the Rockies. The process of formation is believed to have taken over 300 million years. The cliff of this mountain is very steep around the summit and hiking of different difficulty levels is a popular sport here. There are various pathways on the side of the mountain and is therefore a sought after trekking destination for many adventure seekers around the world. The Platteklip Gorge route is the most popular with tourists and making it to the top through this route is quite an achievement as it is an extremely steep climb. Also, a major crowd pulling attraction of this flat-top mountain is the cable car ride, which gives a breathtaking aerial view of the beautiful Cape Town City and further into the Atlantic Ocean. 9. Valley of the Ten Peaks, Canada This unique valley in the Banff National Park of Canada is one of nature’s glorious beauties. Anybody can get lost in nature’s paradise by counting truly what nature offers in this valley. The Moraine Lake in the centre is crowned by ten beautiful mountain peaks giving it a picturesque view. The ten notable peaks were originally named by numbering them from one to ten in the Stoney First Nations Language by an early explorer named Samuel Allen. Gradually, the mountains were renamed. The valley of the ten peaks is almost secluded but is nonetheless a popular tourist spot. The Moraine is a glacially fed lake. It is half square kilometer in area and lies 6,183 ft above the sea level. When the glaciers melt down and fill the lake almost to its brim, the reflection of the ten peaks on the lake makes this a panoramic affair. The color of the lake is blue, which is due to refraction of light off the rock floor sediments. The Canada Parks authority provides various trail conditions which are timely varied with different restrictions. The valley has several hiking and trailing options for the adventurers, however, many a times restricted due to grizzly bear threats. 10. Mount Roraima, South America Mount Roraima which is also known as Mon­te Roraima in Portuguese and Cerro Roraima in Spanish is a giant flat topped mountain in the Pakaraima Range of Mountains in the Guiana Highlands The Pakaraima moun­tains are a chain of tepui plateaus in South America. The giant flat topped mountain is a magnificent sight to behold, but that’s not the only reason why it is significant. It has another unique claim to fame and that’s pre­cisely why the mountain has found place in this issue of Touriosity. Mount Roraima is about 14 miles long, 9,094 feet high and 31 square kilometre in area, making it quite a gigantic structure. It is bounded on all sides by cliffs that rise about 1,300 feet tall. There are many waterfalls that originate from here thus making it the source of many rivers in South America in­cluding that of the Amazon and Orinoco river systems. In addition, it is the highest point in Guyana, while Brazil and Ven­ezuela have higher mountains. Part of the mountain falls in the Canaima National Park in Venezuela. Mount Roraima is also significant because it is at the foot of this giant mountain that the three South American countries of Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana meet, thus making it an important tri-point international bor­der. 85% of its territory comprises of the Venezuelan border, 10% of the territory comprises of the border of Guyana and only 5% of it falls along the Brazilian border. The mountain has very unique flora and fau­na. It has also held a significant role in the culture and local legends. Some indigenous people consider the mountain to be the stump of an ancient giant tree (it quite looks so) that bore all the fruits and vegetables of the world. Mount Roraima presents unparalleled beauty that is unique in every sense. The tabletop mountain structure is regarded by scientists as one of the oldest geological formations of the earth dating back to around two billion years. 11. Moose’s Tooth Mountain, Alaska, USA For those who love challenging treks, the Moose Tooth Mountain offers several trails of various difficulty levels. The Moose’s Tooth is a rock peak in the East of Ruth Gorge in Central Alaska Range. It is a famous mountain peak among the mountaineers. It has a low elevation as compared to some of the major peaks in Alaska. Nevertheless, it is not very easy to climb. The other mountains in the complex also have rather interesting names like ‘Eye Tooth’, ‘Sugar Tooth’ and ‘Broken Tooth’. What makes it all the more interesting is that the shapes of these peaks have a vague resemblance to their names. The climb from west ridge to the east ridge is difficult but, normally is reached by the south western side of the peak. The Moose’s Tooth was first climbed by four Germans, through the Northwest Ridge in 1964. In the July of 1975 three climbers, Jon Krakauer, Thomas Davies and Nate Zinsser discovered a relatively convenient route to the main peak, through couloirs on the south face. They named the route as ‘Ham and Eggs Route’ which is the most popular route on the mountain till date. 12. Ore Mountains, Germany The Ore Mountains in Central Europe forms a border between Saxony and Bohemia. This is indeed a must visit place for those who want to acquire an idea about Earth’s abundance of mineral-treasure. This mountain has grown over time, from the ancient age to the modern and has witnessed several human strategies to mining, exploration and industrialization. The border between Germany and the Czech Republic is to the north of this mountain. Tourists flock here in quite large numbers. The beauty of the mountain lies in its natural ores. Also the unique Bohemian Forest which was discovered in the 12th century is a great tourist attraction. These mountains are one of the most geologically researched into mountains in the world. Following the discovery of large number of ore mines, this place has acquired top interest with geologists. The formation has taken a long time and has gone through the process of dissection, by which the entire range has been added up with river valleys and also a strange steep towards Bohemia which is steeper than the German border. There are various protected nature reserves and natural monuments in these mountains. 13. Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel Mount of Olives or Mount Olivet is located in the east of Jerusalem’s Old city. It used to be covered with olive groves once, hence the name. This mountain holds a lot of importance for Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. It is believed that Jesus Christ gave a final prophecy here. It has been also referred in the New Testament as the route to Jerusalem and it was here that Jesus stood and wept over Jerusalem. This unique mountain is visited by thousands every year not for its unusual beauty or religious significance but also for seeing the graves of many historically significant personalities. The mountain has also been used as a Jewish cemetery for long and has about 150,000 graves in it including those of many significant Jewish personalities. There are also several man-made burial caves. On the upper slope, the tombs of Prophets are situated, while down under various soldiers and notable officials are also buried. Apart from the graves there are more to see in this mountain, like the Church of all Nations, Tomb of Zechariah, Mary’s Tomb, Seven Arches Hotel, Emek Tzurim National Park and Temple Mount Antiquities Salvage Operation among others. 14. Black Hills, South Dakota, USA An aftermath of a volcanic eruption can never be imagined to be so stunning. Burnt trees, burnt rocks, resulting in a unique hill and a popular tourist spot are the Black Hills in the USA. These are a series of hills ranging from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota to Wyoming, USA. They appear gorgeous in black, and create several interesting options to explore in its cradle. There are quite a few tourist spots in the hills. The historic town of Deadwood is situated here. The largest monument in the world, the Crazy Horse memorial, also stands here. There are National parks, beautiful enormous peaks, coal mines, gold mines, specialty mineral ore mines and dense forests. The Ponderosa Pine Forest is located close by. Tourism is currently a flourishing industry, and many people reside here to explore the complex and unusual vegetation on the hills. The main tourism towns are Deadwood, Hill City and Custer. Several cultural events like motorcar or bike rallies are held here from time to time. Biking on the hills is a true pleasure. The scenic beauty of the hills has now indeed made it a tourist paradise. 15. Zhangjiajie Pillars, China There are as many as 3,000 pillars of karsts, that look like unique pillar mountains, at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Zhangjiajie National Park. The park consists of quartz-sandstone peaks that were formed during Middle and Upper Devonian period. Erosion and weathering has resulted in the unique pillar-like shape of the mountains. The highest pillar here was the inspiration behind the Hallelujah Mountain in the Hollywood movie of Avatar, and had accordingly been named Hallelujah Mountain thereafter. 16. Rainbow Mountain, Peru This mountain, thanks to the immense popularity on social media of late, is on its way to become the second most visited tourist attraction in the country of Peru after Machu Picchu. Variously known as Vinicunca, Winikunka, Montaña de Siete Colores and Montaña de Colores, this unique mountain is an easy day-trip from Cusco. The mountain is covered by shades of red, yellow, orange and blue, giving it the popular name of Rainbow Mountain. Until very recently though, the existence of this unique mountain was not known as the mountain was always covered by Andean Snow. But due to climate change, the snow started melting about 5 years back revealing its beautiful colours. While the phenomenon was actually alarming and environment concerns should have taken over, instead it drew attention of the tourists who started flocking here for photo ops. The beautiful striping of colours here is mainly due to mineral deposits and weathering. To reach here one must drive or take a bus from Cuzco and then trek for 7 km roundtrip. 17. Unique mountains of Moorea Moorea is an island of volcanic origin that is dotted with mountains of unique sizes and shapes. It is located in the archipelago of Society Islands in French Polynesia, 17 km from Tahiti. The mountainous landscape presents a very unique picture of the island. The highest mountain in the island is Mount Tohiea (1,207m), followed by Mount Rotui (899m), Mount Mouaroa with the evocative shape (880m), Mount Mouaputa (830m) that has a hole on the top, Mount Tearai (770m) and Mount Tautuapae (769m). All these mountains resulted from a volcanic eruption of a larger mountain here which made parts of the original mountain get scattered on the sea. Today it presents a unique landscape. 18. Brown Bluff, Antarctica It is a unique volcano mountain in Antarctica with a flat top. Being situated on a beach that is frequented by Adélie and Gentoo penguins for breeding, this mountain becomes all the more important and favourite with tourists. 19. Kirkjufell Mountain, Iceland This mountain is one of the most photographed places in Iceland. It is a uniquely conical mountain in Iceland that is often referred to as the Church Mountain. Due to its sheer beauty, it even made to one of the episodes of Game of Thrones. In the vicinity of the mountain are beautiful beaches and the famous Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfalls making the trek to the mountain all the more rewarding. The one and half hour trek to the top of the mountain can be very challenging, but those bravehearts who make it up there, are often rewarded with the view of breathtaking dancing northern lights, especially in autumn or winter. 20. Preikestolen, Norway Not technically a mountain, this is a flat rocky cliff top overlooking the abyss rises to an altitude of 604m. To maintain the natural look of the place, no fences have been placed here, consequently this may become a little dangerous. However, the place is frequented by tourists all year round. 21. Trolltunga, Odda, Norway It is a rocky cliff that juts precariously out of a mountain horizontally (like a tongue, and hence the name) over the Ringedalsvatnet Lake in Odda in Hordaland County of Norway, 84 km from Bergen. While the altitude of the cliff is 1,100m in total, it hangs at a height of 700m from the lake. This is one of the best places for hikers and trekkers.

For an ardent lover of nature, it is difficult to ignore the majestic UNESCO designated World Heritage site of Western Ghats in India. If one makes a trip to this glorious region once, the innumerable and varied attractions of the imposing mountains are sure to beckon him again and again. The landscapes, full of lush greenery, are absolutely marvellous, and create the perfect picture post card settings. Adding to the sublime beauty of the region are the numerous waterfalls which are literally a treat for sore eyes. Words alone may not be sufficient to describe the charming waterfalls dotting the landscapes. Only a firsthand experience will help the reader to soak in their enchantment and allurement. The 1600 km long Western Ghats, a group of hills running parallel to the western coast of India, is also one of the world’s ten ‘hottest biodiversity hotspots’. It is extremely rich in flora and fauna and is home to innumerable species of flowering plants, mammals, birds and amphibians. The range commences from Gujarat’s border with Maharashtra, and runs right through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, before ending at Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India. For the travellers, these mountain ranges provide an array of trekking prospects and opportunities to explore wildlife. The not so adventurous can simply hang out in the cooler climes of the innumerable pretty locations dotting the region. The major hill ranges of the Western Ghats are known as the Sahyadhris, Nilgiris and Anaimalai Hills. The Ghats are home to some stunningly beautiful and magnificent hill stations amidst serene natural surroundings. Ooty, Coonoor and Kodaikanal (all in Tamil Nadu) are the more popular ones. Here is a list of five of the lesser known, yet pleasant hill locations in these mountain ranges. KUDREMUKH Kudremukh is a small town located at the Chikmagalur District in Karnataka. In local parlance, ‘Kudremukh’ means ‘horse-faced’, and this refers to the extravagantly beautiful and picturesque view of the side of a mountain that looks like the face of a horse. With its rolling grasslands and thick dense forests, the place is also well known for bio-diversity conservation and is identified as one of the twenty five hot spots in the world. To reach Kudremukh one can board private or state operated buses from the nearby Kalasa town. A visitor to Kudremukh should not miss out on an opportunity to visit the Kudremukh peak, situated at an altitude of approximately 6214 feet above sea level. The views one will be treated to from top of the peak are spectacular. Particularly, that of the Arabian Sea is mesmerizing. The location is also ideal for the adventure-minded who are on the lookout for trekking opportunities and exploring the forests. Home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, the lion-tailed macaques can be easily spotted near the Kudremukh Peak. In this tiny hill station, another major attraction is the Kudremukh National Park. It is home to animals like sambar, lion-tailed macaque, wild pig, tigers, wild dogs and leopards. To reach the park, one can take local buses, autos or rickshaw. However, in order to explore the entire national park, tourists need prior permission from the authorities. Accommodation: There are plenty of forest lodges and guest houses to take care of your accommodation needs. One may also check out the set of five guest houses and resorts run by the various wings of Karnataka Forest Department. The guest houses offers accommodation in permanent structures as well as in tents. For those who would like to splurge, the Silent Valley Resort with cottages amidst picturesque locales is the best option. Double occupancy cottage rates start from Rs. 4000. (Ph. No. +91-824-2211672). The budget options are Hotel Chandan and Seethanadi Nature Camp. The latter has two options available, dormitory accomodating upto 14 people where per person charges comes up to Rs. 300 and tents sleeping two persons costing Rs. 1500 (both rate includes the entry fees for the National Park) Contact No. 09480807650 Major distances: Kalasa – 22 kms, Chikmagalur – 25 kms, Bangalore – 340 kms. MALSHEJ GHAT This quaint little town is a mountain pass in the Western Ghats range in Pune district. It lies nestled between the lofty rugged hills of the ghats. Being here, one realizes how being away from the scorching sun and oppressive heat of the plains can have an invigorating effect on the senses. The refreshingly cool weather and splendid beauty of nature at Malshej Ghat will inevitably captivate any visitor. The charming little town is an ideal summer retreat of a different kind. The place is rich in flora and fauna. Bird lovers, especially, will be delighted to have close encounters with a large variety of the winged species such as quails, rails, crakes, flamingos and cuckoos. Malshej Ghat is also renowned for the large number of migratory birds which fly into the region between the months of July and September. Visitors at this time of the year should also not miss out on the mating dance of the pink-legged flamingos which indeed is a spectacular sight. Accommodation: Malshej Ghat can conveniently make a day-trip from Mumbai or Pune but for those who would love to relax, staying is recommended. There are budget hotels in Malshej Ghat to accommodate those who look for budget options. There are star rated hotels too that provide the ultimate in style and opulence. Since the area is at a considerable distance from a small town, there are not many posh restaurants and shopping malls. The Flamingo Hill, a resort run by MTDC – Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation is in the vicinity. (Contact no. +91-22-22024482) Other than the MTDC resort, there are other private resorts like the Ranvara Residency located by the picturesque backwaters of Pimpalgaon Joga Dam which are also good stay options. Accommodation is also available in a nearby village called Madh, 6 km away from Malshej ghat. Major distances: Mumbai – 160 kms, Pune 130 kms SAKLESHPUR Sakleshpur is a small pleasant hill station nestled amidst serene surroundings of the Western Ghats. Located at an altitude of approximately 3114 feet above sea level, Sakleshpur is an ideal, rejuvenating getaway for jaded city travellers. Located near the Bangalore – Mysore highway, the hill station is easily accessible. Sakleshpur is also well known as a major producer of coffee and cardamom in India. Nowadays, Sakleshpur is turning out to be a popular destination for trekking enthusiasts. The Bisle Forest Reserve trek as well as the Kumara Parvatha trek is worth undertaking. Those who are not hardcore trekkers should not worry; taking long and leasurely walks around the town can also be quiet rewarding. Accommodation: In and around Sakleshpur there are quite a few resorts and homestay options to cater to all the different categories of tourists. Some of these resorts are cuddled amidst absolutely serene natural surroundings. Some of the homestay options are Prakritik Homestay, Swastha Homestay, Nyrit Villa Homestay and Megha Homestay. The discerning tourist can also check out The Hills resort (+91-9535511771). At this luxurious resort, travelers can allow their tired mind and bodies to recuperate and rejuvenate amidst the lush green mountainous surroundings of the resort. Hotel Ashrita is a mid budget option (+91-8173-243050 / 243412) Major distances: Mysore – 155 kms, Bangalore – 223 kms. ROTTI-KALLU This place is located just 24 km from Sakleshpur at an altitude of 3700 feet above sea level. The natural surroundings at Rotti-Kallu are absolutely heavenly. Accommodation: There is a homestay option at Rotti Kallu by the same name as the hill station. The resort, spread over 20 acres, amidst beautifully decorated landscapes, is equipped to cater to all the varied needs of travellers. Major distances: Sakleshpur – 24 kms, Mysore – 183 kms, Bangalore – 250 kms KEMMANAGUNDI This charming hill station is situated about 250 km from Bangalore at an altitude of approximately 4700 ft above sea level. Popularly known as the KR Hill Station, this quaint place was the summer retreat of Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV. A visitor to Kemmanagundi can expect to be completely enthralled by the spectacular views of the valleys. Gushing waterfalls and mountain streams amidst the coffee estates combine to add to the picture perfect serenity of the place. There are innumerable things to see and do while at Kemmanagundi. The Karnataka Horticulture Department maintains a guest house right on top of a hill. The department also maintains a rock garden and a rose garden on top of Kemmanagundi. From the guest house, a narrow trek route leads to the Z point with awesome views of the valley. Shanti falls is also on the trek route to Z point. Accommodation: There are homestay options at affordable rates here. The only private hotel is the Kemmanagundi Hotel (+91-8261258148, +91-8261258259). The hotel charges on per-person per-day basis. For single person, the per-day the rate is Rs 1750 and for two days it is Rs 3300 (food and lodging inclusive). The location is ideal to unwind and rejuvenate the mind of many a stressed-out urban dweller. Major distances: Sakleshpur – 71 kms, Mysore – 171 kms, Bangalore – 252 kms The best time to visit the Western Ghats: The best time to visit the ghats is during the monsoon season when the entire region is washed by the rains.