The Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission (RTM) on November 3 won the Global Responsible Tourism Award 2023 for promoting sustainable and women-inclusive initiatives. The state won the award instituted by the Responsible Tourism Partnership and International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) in the ‘Best for Local Sourcing - Craft and Food’ category. London-based ICRT selected the Kerala RTM as a joint winner along with Eswatini, the erstwhile Swaziland, a landlocked country in southern Africa, renowned for eco-friendly Ngwenya Glass. Kerala’s RTM was selected for the award for l
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore issued a warning on November 6, stating that individuals planning to visit Malaysia during the Deepavali holiday should anticipate “very heavy traffic” at both the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. Travellers are advised to account for additional waiting time for immigration clearance from November 9 to November 14, given the upcoming public holiday on November 12 and the year-end school holidays. ICA advises motorists to check the traffic conditions at both checkpoints on the Bukit Timah and Ayer Rajah expressways before em
On November 2, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) installed beehives along the India-Bangladesh border fence in West Bengal to deter incidents such as cutting the hedge for cattle smuggling and other crimes while also creating livelihood opportunities for the local population. The first-of-its-kind initiative has been launched by BSF’s 32nd battalion in the border areas of Nadia district. The force has partnered with the Union Ayush Ministry for this project, which has provided the border-guard force with the beehives and the necessary expertise to install them on the alloy-made smart
On November 7, UK Prince William and The Earthshot Prize named Acción Andina, GRST, WildAid Marine Program, S4S Technologies, and Boomitra as the 2023 Winners of The Earthshot Prize in Singapore. The award ceremony – the first to be held in Asia – recognised environmental innovators with solutions to battle climate change and save the planet. The five winners, chosen from among the 15 innovators and entrepreneurs named as 2023 prize finalists, were each awarded a £1 million prize to help scale their solutions and accelerate their growth and impact. The work of this third cohort of th
The Italian region of Calabria is providing €28,000 (about Rs 25 lakh) to individuals who are open to moving to small villages, with an aim to fight its declining population. However, the applicants should be no older than 40 years, must be ready to move within 90 days once approved, and set up a either a new venture or accept existing offers for specific professions sought by the region. Famous for its stunning coastal beauty and mountainous landscapes, Calabria, over the years, has faced a significant population decline. To address this issue, it has planned this scheme. Under the plan
Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 2 fully reopened to passengers on November 1 after three and a half years of extensive upgrade work. Besides adding over 21,000 square metres to the existing building, the project has introduced features like a digital waterfall and a digital sky for passengers to marvel at while they wait for their flights. The Wonderfall is a multimedia digital waterfall display at the departure hall that stands at four stories and 14 metres high and is complemented by a landscaped garden. The transit area at the all-new Terminal 2 features a stunning new Dreamsca
Kerala’s Kozhikode and Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior have been declared as City of Literature and City of Music by UNESCO. On the occasion of World Cities Day, observed on October 31, UNESCO unveiled a prestigious list of 55 new creative cities, and Kozhikode and Gwalior made it to the list for their commitment to culture, creativity, and innovative urban planning. Kozhikode met the stringent criteria, boasting a multitude of literary institutions, extensive experience in organising literary events, and a high level of literary education. The city’s literary activities, characterised by b
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Singapore Airlines on October 29 unveiled plans to expand its services with five additional flights between Hyderabad and Singapore. The event was attended by senior officials from GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), key representatives from Singapore Airlines, and various airport stakeholders, who gathered at the terminal to celebrate the airline’s two decades of operation in the region. These new flights aim to meet the growing demand for comfortable long-haul travel to Singapore, which serves as a convenient transit point for travell
Kenya plans to end visa requirements for all Africans visiting the East African nation by the end of the year, said President William Ruto at the Three Basins Climate Change Conference in Brazzaville, Congo, held from October 26 to 28. “By the end of this year, no African will be required to have a visa to come to Kenya,” said Ruto in his speech, which was met with resounding applause. President Ruto underscored the potential benefits of eliminating visa requirements for citizens of African countries, emphasising the positive impact it could have on trade and opportunities. Accor
In a move to boost tourism, Thailand has waived off visa requirements for travellers coming in from India and Taiwan from November 2023 to May 2024, said a government official in a statement on October 31. Arrivals from India and Taiwan will be permitted to stay in Thailand for duration of 30 days. India has emerged as Thailand’s fourth-largest source market for tourism this year, after Malaysia, China, and South Korea, with approximately 1.2 million arrivals. In September, Thailand had eliminated visa requirements for Chinese tourists. The country had 11 million arrivals from Chin