Kashmir witnessed a sharp uptick in tourism with 600,000 travellers visiting the Indian union territory in the first four months of 2022. Catch an exclusive ground report on how tourism returned to the valley.

South Asia Diary: Kashmir logs record tourist season

Thailand is giving away 1 million cannabis plants for free as it decriminalises the drug. The country's health ministry aims to use cannabis to boos tourism & generate revenue. Which other countries have legalised weed? Palki Sharma reports.

Gravitas: Thailand is giving away 1 million cannabis plants

Visitors are once again jamming the narrow streets of Barcelona's Gothic quarter as global travel bounces back from the pandemic, reviving tensions over mass tourism in the Spanish port city. 
&nbsp; 
Hotel occupancy in the city rose in April, which included the Easter long weekend, to nearly 85 percent, close to its pre-pandemic levels, according to the Barcelona Hotel Guild. 
&nbsp; 
"There are more and more cruise ships, more and more tourism, more and more massification," said Marti Cuso, a high school biology teacher who has long campaigned against mass tourism invading the city centre.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
"This has been a shock after two years of pandemic," said Cuso, 32, who had hoped the city would use the pandemic pause to change its tourism model. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Cuso, who grew up in the Gothic quarter, said he enjoyed the calm that descended on the neighbourhood, which is normally flooded with tour groups visiting its mediaeval buildings. 
&nbsp; 
After receiving a record of nearly 12 million visitors at its hotels and tourist apartments in 2019, arrivals plunged by 76.8 per cent in 2020, mirroring declines across Europe. 
&nbsp; 
"People reclaimed the squares, children played in the streets again," said Cuso. The pandemic also showed the dangers of having an "economic monoculture based on tourism," he said. 
&nbsp; 
"The majority of residents who worked in tourism found themselves out of work overnight," said Cuso. Tourist arrivals in Barcelona had risen steadily before the pandemic and the tourism sector accounted for around 15 percent of the economy of Spain's second-largest city before the health crisis. 
&nbsp; 
'Control the damage' -

The boom in tourism sparked a backlash, with regular protests, including one in 2017 where vigilantes slashed the tyres of an open-top tourist bus and spray-painted its windshields. 
&nbsp; 
Barcelona residents identified tourism as the city's main problem in a poll carried out that year by city hall. 
&nbsp; 
"We must change the model to reconcile the two worlds. We can't have the tourists' city on one side and the city of locals on the other," Francesc Munoz, who heads an Observatory studying Urbanisation at Barcelona's Autonomous University, told AFP. 
&nbsp; 
With terraces once again full of tourists drinking sangria, Barcelona's leftist city hall said recently it plans fresh measures to tame the sector. 
&nbsp; 
Access to the busiest squares could be restricted and the circulation of tourist buses more tightly regulated. 
&nbsp; 
Barcelona city hall has already cracked down on illegal listings on online rental firms like Airbnb and banned tour groups from entering the historic La Boqueria market during peak shopping times. 
&nbsp; 
"Tourism is an important economic, social and cultural asset for Barcelona," said Xavier Marce, the city councillor in charge of tourism. 
&nbsp; 
"We need to optimise the benefits and control the damage. This is the debate which all European cities are having," he added. 
&nbsp; 
'Find a balance' -

Marce rejected the argument that the city did not use the two-year slump in arrivals due to the pandemic to change the city's tourism model. 
&nbsp; 
"Two years have not been lost. It is very difficult to solve the problems of tourism when there is no tourism," he said. 
&nbsp; 
Tour guide Eva Marti, 51, said she understands the concerns of residents, but believes formulas must be found to maintain an activity which provides a living to many locals. 
&nbsp; 
"During this 13 years I have worked as a guide, it is harder and harder to show tourists around," she said in a reference to measures such as rules limiting the size of tour groups to 15 people in some areas. 
&nbsp; 
"We have to find a balance," she added at a sun-drenched esplanade in the Gothic quarter before taking a tour group back to their cruise ship in Barcelona's port. 
&nbsp; 
Cuso, the anti-mass tourism campaigner, agreed with her. "We are not asking for zero tourism. There will always be tourism, but we have to have a diversified city, where tourism coexists with other types of economic activity," he said. 
&nbsp;

Visitors are once again jamming the narrow streets of Barcelona's Gothic quarter as global travel bounces back from the pandemic, reviving tensions over mass tourism in the Spanish port city.

Visitors are once again jamming the narrow streets of Barcelona's Gothic quarter as global travel bounces back from the pandemic, reviving tensions over mass tourism in the Spanish port city. Hotel occupancy in the city rose in April, which included the Easter long weekend, to nearly 85 percent, close to its pre-pandemic levels, according to the Barcelona Hotel Guild. "There are more and more cruise ships, more and more tourism, more and more massification," said Marti Cuso, a high school biology teacher who has long campaigned against mass tourism invading the city centre. "This has been a shock after two years of pandemic," said Cuso, 32, who had hoped the city would use the pandemic pause to change its tourism model. Cuso, who grew up in the Gothic quarter, said he enjoyed the calm that descended on the neighbourhood, which is normally flooded with tour groups visiting its mediaeval buildings. After receiving a record of nearly 12 million visitors at its hotels and tourist apartments in 2019, arrivals plunged by 76.8 per cent in 2020, mirroring declines across Europe. "People reclaimed the squares, children played in the streets again," said Cuso. The pandemic also showed the dangers of having an "economic monoculture based on tourism," he said. "The majority of residents who worked in tourism found themselves out of work overnight," said Cuso. Tourist arrivals in Barcelona had risen steadily before the pandemic and the tourism sector accounted for around 15 percent of the economy of Spain's second-largest city before the health crisis. 'Control the damage' - The boom in tourism sparked a backlash, with regular protests, including one in 2017 where vigilantes slashed the tyres of an open-top tourist bus and spray-painted its windshields. Barcelona residents identified tourism as the city's main problem in a poll carried out that year by city hall. "We must change the model to reconcile the two worlds. We can't have the tourists' city on one side and the city of locals on the other," Francesc Munoz, who heads an Observatory studying Urbanisation at Barcelona's Autonomous University, told AFP. With terraces once again full of tourists drinking sangria, Barcelona's leftist city hall said recently it plans fresh measures to tame the sector. Access to the busiest squares could be restricted and the circulation of tourist buses more tightly regulated. Barcelona city hall has already cracked down on illegal listings on online rental firms like Airbnb and banned tour groups from entering the historic La Boqueria market during peak shopping times. "Tourism is an important economic, social and cultural asset for Barcelona," said Xavier Marce, the city councillor in charge of tourism. "We need to optimise the benefits and control the damage. This is the debate which all European cities are having," he added. 'Find a balance' - Marce rejected the argument that the city did not use the two-year slump in arrivals due to the pandemic to change the city's tourism model. "Two years have not been lost. It is very difficult to solve the problems of tourism when there is no tourism," he said. Tour guide Eva Marti, 51, said she understands the concerns of residents, but believes formulas must be found to maintain an activity which provides a living to many locals. "During this 13 years I have worked as a guide, it is harder and harder to show tourists around," she said in a reference to measures such as rules limiting the size of tour groups to 15 people in some areas. "We have to find a balance," she added at a sun-drenched esplanade in the Gothic quarter before taking a tour group back to their cruise ship in Barcelona's port. Cuso, the anti-mass tourism campaigner, agreed with her. "We are not asking for zero tourism. There will always be tourism, but we have to have a diversified city, where tourism coexists with other types of economic activity," he said.

Mass tourism returns to Barcelona - so does debate 

With hotels and houseboats fully booked and tourists queuing up for shikara rides on the famous Dal Lake, Kashmir Valley is witnessing record-breaking tourist footfall in the past one decade.&nbsp;

According to the tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir, 600,00 tourists have visited the valley in the past four months—the highest in the last ten years.

And with Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) starting in June, the government expects the numbers to grow further.

''As you know&nbsp;the winter season, i.e., from January to March, has been good, and even the April figures have been better. More than 600,000 tourists have arrived in the first four months of this year, which is turning out to be a great tourism season and year for Kashmir. Given the fact that the pilgrimage is also happening, tourism in the valley will get a further push. This time, we will be welcoming tourists for yatra as well as other destinations. It's a good sign for the tourism industry. We suffered&nbsp;a lot due to the pandemic. As we see the figures, and keeping in mind the holidays across India, we expect a lot of tourist arrivals. We are also exploring new tourist destinations,'' said G N Itoo, Director, Tourism Department.&nbsp;

The tourism industry in the Kashmir Valley had incurred huge losses in the last three years. Following the revocation of Article 370 and the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the world, the tourism sector in the valley went out of business.&nbsp;

''It's true that around 500,000 to 600,000 tourists visited the valley in the last few months. This is the first time after decades that we are seeing so many tourist arrivals to the Kashmir Valley. We suffered a lot during the Covid pandemic. But after witnessing tremendous tourist footfall, we are hopeful that momentum will continue to grow further,'' said Manzoor Ahmad, travel operator.&nbsp;

One of the main factors Kashmir is seeing a plethora of tourists is the heatwave conditions that have been wreaking havoc in the northern parts of the country. With temperatures hovering around 20 degrees Celsius, people are thronging to the valley to get respite from unrelenting summers.

“This is my second visit to Kashmir. I came in 2014 for the first time and witnessed snowfall. Tulip Garden was so beautiful. I am sure millions of people have come here and it looks much more developed now. It's a great place and everyone should come. Those who don't are missing out on something beautiful,'' said Nimisha Kapadia, a tourist.

The preparations for the Amarnath Yatra are currently in progress with the government expecting around 500,000 to 600,00 people to take part in the pilgrimage this year.

With hotels and houseboats fully booked and tourists queuing up for shikara rides on the famous Dal Lake, Kashmir Valley is witnessing record-breaking tourist footfall in the past one decade.

With hotels and houseboats fully booked and tourists queuing up for shikara rides on the famous Dal Lake, Kashmir Valley is witnessing record-breaking tourist footfall in the past one decade. According to the tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir, 600,00 tourists have visited the valley in the past four months—the highest in the last ten years. And with Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) starting in June, the government expects the numbers to grow further. ''As you know the winter season, i.e., from January to March, has been good, and even the April figures have been better. More than 600,000 tourists have arrived in the first four months of this year, which is turning out to be a great tourism season and year for Kashmir. Given the fact that the pilgrimage is also happening, tourism in the valley will get a further push. This time, we will be welcoming tourists for yatra as well as other destinations. It's a good sign for the tourism industry. We suffered a lot due to the pandemic. As we see the figures, and keeping in mind the holidays across India, we expect a lot of tourist arrivals. We are also exploring new tourist destinations,'' said G N Itoo, Director, Tourism Department. The tourism industry in the Kashmir Valley had incurred huge losses in the last three years. Following the revocation of Article 370 and the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the world, the tourism sector in the valley went out of business. ''It's true that around 500,000 to 600,000 tourists visited the valley in the last few months. This is the first time after decades that we are seeing so many tourist arrivals to the Kashmir Valley. We suffered a lot during the Covid pandemic. But after witnessing tremendous tourist footfall, we are hopeful that momentum will continue to grow further,'' said Manzoor Ahmad, travel operator. One of the main factors Kashmir is seeing a plethora of tourists is the heatwave conditions that have been wreaking havoc in the northern parts of the country. With temperatures hovering around 20 degrees Celsius, people are thronging to the valley to get respite from unrelenting summers. “This is my second visit to Kashmir. I came in 2014 for the first time and witnessed snowfall. Tulip Garden was so beautiful. I am sure millions of people have come here and it looks much more developed now. It's a great place and everyone should come. Those who don't are missing out on something beautiful,'' said Nimisha Kapadia, a tourist. The preparations for the Amarnath Yatra are currently in progress with the government expecting around 500,000 to 600,00 people to take part in the pilgrimage this year.

Kashmir tourism breaks records, arrivals highest in 10 years

In a push toward eco-friendly tourism, Soyasambu Conservancy in Kenya is ditching jeeps and electric vehicles to use Camels for safari. The tourists could be seen riding on camelbacks to observe the wildlife in it untamed form.&nbsp;

This step is sure to reduced levels of pollution in conservancy as smoke emitting vehicles will be less and less.&nbsp;

"I choose this eco-tourism method over other methods of toourism over other options because even though electric vehicles are good, you are still leaving (Carbon) footprints," said Adrien Allan. He added that not all areas of the safari were accessible by vehicles while riding camels or walking on foot did not throw up any such challenges.

This mode of transport may be a win-win for tourists and wild animals. Animals may get scared or even aggressive towards vehicles perceiving them to be foreign objects. Proximity to camels is not likely to elicit such a response from them. This in turn, may allow tourists to go nearer to animals and observe them in their habitat.

Conservationists are welcoming the step.

Another argument in favour of use of camels is that camels do not step on small animals like rabbits when they move around. This may not be true in case of vehicles which may result in loss of wildlife.

However, use of camels may also draw the ire of animal rights activists who may call such use of camels 'cruelty to animals'.

Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

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In a push toward eco-friendly tourism, Soyasambu Conservancy in Kenya is ditching jeeps and electric vehicles to use Camels for safari. The tourists could be seen riding on camelbacks to observe the wildlife in it untamed form.

In a push toward eco-friendly tourism, Soyasambu Conservancy in Kenya is ditching jeeps and electric vehicles to use Camels for safari. The tourists could be seen riding on camelbacks to observe the wildlife in it untamed form. This step is sure to reduced levels of pollution in conservancy as smoke emitting vehicles will be less and less. "I choose this eco-tourism method over other methods of toourism over other options because even though electric vehicles are good, you are still leaving (Carbon) footprints," said Adrien Allan. He added that not all areas of the safari were accessible by vehicles while riding camels or walking on foot did not throw up any such challenges. This mode of transport may be a win-win for tourists and wild animals. Animals may get scared or even aggressive towards vehicles perceiving them to be foreign objects. Proximity to camels is not likely to elicit such a response from them. This in turn, may allow tourists to go nearer to animals and observe them in their habitat. Conservationists are welcoming the step. Another argument in favour of use of camels is that camels do not step on small animals like rabbits when they move around. This may not be true in case of vehicles which may result in loss of wildlife. However, use of camels may also draw the ire of animal rights activists who may call such use of camels 'cruelty to animals'. Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Kenya: Eco-friendly tourism sees tourists riding camels when on safari

In Kenya the tourism sector is undergoing a tectonic shift. Camel rides are being touted as an alternative low impact way for engaging the tourists.

Kenya pushes for eco-friendly tourism

In pics: UK's first LGBTQ+ museum opens in London

A Russian influencer and her husband will be deported from&nbsp;Bali&nbsp;after staging a nude photo shoot on a sacred tree in violation of local culture, officials on the Indonesian holiday island said Friday.

Alina Fazleeva, who has thousands of followers on Instagram, posed naked on a 700-year-old banyan tree at a temple in Tabanan district.

The picture, which was taken by her husband Andrey Fazleev, was uploaded to Instagram and went viral, irking Balinese communities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-invasion-russian-president-vladimir-putin-to-give-doomsday-warning-to-west-476985">Ukraine invasion: Russian President Vladimir Putin to give 'doomsday' warning to West</a>

Mountains, trees and other natural features are considered holy in Balinese Hindu culture, as they are thought to be the homes of the gods.

"Both of them are proven to have carried out activities that endanger public order and do not respect the local norms," Bali immigration chief Jamaruli Manihuruk told reporters Friday.

"So, they will be sanctioned with deportation."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: European Union states block sanctions on Russia oil

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The husband and wife will be banned from Indonesia for at least six months, and also had to participate in a cleansing ceremony at the sacred area in accordance with local belief, he added.

Fazleeva apologised on her Instagram account in English and Bahasa Indonesia, acknowledging that she "made a big mistake".

"There are a lot of sacred places in&nbsp;Bali&nbsp;and not all of them have information signs about it, as in my case," she said.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

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"And, it is very important to treat these places and traditions with respect".

Bali's Governor Wayan Koster said his administration would no longer tolerate disrespectful tourists.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-top-diplomat-hints-at-more-sanctions-even-as-agency-proposes-amendments-to-oil-embargo-against-russia-476959">EU top diplomat hints at more sanctions, even as agency proposes amendments to oil embargo against Russia</a>

Almost 200 people were deported from the holiday island last year, some of them for violating Covid-19 protocols.

Last month, a Canadian actor and self-proclaimed wellness guru was also facing deportation from&nbsp;Bali&nbsp;after a video went viral of him naked at holy Mount Batur while doing the Haka, New Zealand's Maori ceremonial dance.

A Russian influencer and her husband will be deported from Bali after staging a nude photo shoot on a sacred tree in violation of local culture, officials on the Indonesian holiday island said Friday.

A Russian influencer and her husband will be deported from Bali after staging a nude photo shoot on a sacred tree in violation of local culture, officials on the Indonesian holiday island said Friday. Alina Fazleeva, who has thousands of followers on Instagram, posed naked on a 700-year-old banyan tree at a temple in Tabanan district. The picture, which was taken by her husband Andrey Fazleev, was uploaded to Instagram and went viral, irking Balinese communities. Also read | Ukraine invasion: Russian President Vladimir Putin to give 'doomsday' warning to West Mountains, trees and other natural features are considered holy in Balinese Hindu culture, as they are thought to be the homes of the gods. "Both of them are proven to have carried out activities that endanger public order and do not respect the local norms," Bali immigration chief Jamaruli Manihuruk told reporters Friday. "So, they will be sanctioned with deportation." Watch | Gravitas: European Union states block sanctions on Russia oil The husband and wife will be banned from Indonesia for at least six months, and also had to participate in a cleansing ceremony at the sacred area in accordance with local belief, he added. Fazleeva apologised on her Instagram account in English and Bahasa Indonesia, acknowledging that she "made a big mistake". "There are a lot of sacred places in Bali and not all of them have information signs about it, as in my case," she said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE: "And, it is very important to treat these places and traditions with respect". Bali's Governor Wayan Koster said his administration would no longer tolerate disrespectful tourists. Also read | EU top diplomat hints at more sanctions, even as agency proposes amendments to oil embargo against Russia Almost 200 people were deported from the holiday island last year, some of them for violating Covid-19 protocols. Last month, a Canadian actor and self-proclaimed wellness guru was also facing deportation from Bali after a video went viral of him naked at holy Mount Batur while doing the Haka, New Zealand's Maori ceremonial dance.

Bali to deport Russian couple for nude photos on sacred tree

Uganda is witnessing a post-pandemic boom in domestic tourism. Domestic tourism is helping the Ugandan economy.

Uganda sees a surge in domestic tourism as it witnesses a post-pandemic boom

The bordering areas in North Kashmir are turning into tourist destinations. The Tourist department of Jammu and Kashmir government has recently added 75 new destinations to their list. As the guns have gone silent on the borders, areas close to LoC are turning into tourist hubs

Boosting Tourism along the LoC, border towns of J&K welcome tourists

India's Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing a major tourist influx in last 4 months. Kashmir has entered an era of Tourism boom with the help of Indian Army.

Tourism boom in Kashmir: Indian Army helps boost Kashmir tourism

The guns have gone silent on the borders for over a year after the agreement of ceasefire was signed between India and Pakistan. The people living on the Line of Control are finally living a life in Peace. And now the government along with the locals is also promoting these bordering areas as the new tourist destinations.&nbsp;

The bordering areas in North Kashmir have been thrown open for the public. Areas like Keran, Gurez, Tangdhar, Machil and Bangus are the new tourist destinations which have been added to the list by the tourism department.&nbsp;

With breathtaking views&nbsp;of Hills and water tributaries, these places are being promoted as the adventure tourism destinations.&nbsp;

&nbsp;''We have been witnessing to a lot of gunfire and shelling in this area. We used to have ceasefire&nbsp;violations every day and shelling on our homes. But with the ceasefire we are finally living a normal life. We are extremely happy after the ceasefire between the two countries. It has come as a blessing for us. We are finally breathing normally. We used to live in bunkers earlier and we are hoping that we don't see those days again. We don't have money to invest in making hotels. That's why we have made homestays. This will give us employment and we will be able to generate income. The view that you get in Keran, I challenge you if you can find this view anywhere in the world. You can see PoK from here.'' said Waqar Majaz Khan, homestay owner, Keran.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kerala-becomes-latest-indian-state-to-make-wearing-masks-in-public-mandatory-amid-surge-in-covid-19-cases-474261" hreflang="en">Kerala becomes latest Indian state to make wearing masks in public mandatory</a>

The Indian army has played a major role in opening these areas for the Public. The whole security setup in these areas is under the Indian army and they are not only protecting these areas but also promoting them as tourist destinations. The locals of the area say that without the Indian army, it would not be possible to welcome tourists in these areas.&nbsp;

''We are thankful to the Indian army. We get a lot of support from the army, and they are with us 24/7. Tourism is also coming to this place because of the Indian army. It's a beautiful&nbsp;place and we are making our homes into home stays. It's completely peaceful here after the ceasefire and we hope people&nbsp;from across the country will visit us. '' Raja Suhail Khan, Nambardar.

The Tourist department of Jammu and Kashmir government recently added 75 new tourist destinations to their list. 38 destinations are in the Kashmir region while 37 are in Jammu. The government has drawn plans for these areas to build infrastructure keeping in view the ecosystem of these places. They are also providing opportunities for the locals of these areas to generate employment and economy.&nbsp;

''The main thrust is to promote rural tourism and in rural tourism also we have identified offbeat destinations&nbsp;75 in total, out of which 38 from Kashmir and 37 from Jammu. The focus is to highlight these destinations. Border areas like&nbsp;Gurez, Keran Machil and Tangdhar. These are the areas falling under the scheme, the plans have been drawn and we are in consultation with district administration and India army to promote these areas for adventure&nbsp;tourism.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-pm-modi-says-covid-jabs-for-kids-a-priority-urges-caution-at-meet-with-cms-474290">PM Modi says COVID jabs for kids a priority, urges caution at meet with CMs</a>

There is also an effort for the locals to have opportunities&nbsp;in the tourism sector. They can have homestays, become guides and introduce adventure sports. This will improve the economy and showcase these areas as good tourism spots. However, these are eco sensitive areas and we can't have huge concrete structures in these areas. We are focusing on tents and home stays which will open opportunities&nbsp;for the locals in these areas. They can offer a homely experience&nbsp;to the tourists. For youth, tented accommodation&nbsp;can prove a game changer for them. '' G N Itoo, Director Tourism.&nbsp;

As Kashmir witnessed record breaking tourist arrivals in the last 4 months, all major tourist destinations in Kashmir Valley like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg are fully booked for the next two months. Government says with the promotion of these sites, it will help cater the huge influx of tourists coming to the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

The guns have gone silent on the borders for over a year after the agreement of ceasefire was signed between India and Pakistan. The people living on the Line of Control are finally living a life in Peace.

The guns have gone silent on the borders for over a year after the agreement of ceasefire was signed between India and Pakistan. The people living on the Line of Control are finally living a life in Peace. And now the government along with the locals is also promoting these bordering areas as the new tourist destinations. The bordering areas in North Kashmir have been thrown open for the public. Areas like Keran, Gurez, Tangdhar, Machil and Bangus are the new tourist destinations which have been added to the list by the tourism department. With breathtaking views of Hills and water tributaries, these places are being promoted as the adventure tourism destinations. ''We have been witnessing to a lot of gunfire and shelling in this area. We used to have ceasefire violations every day and shelling on our homes. But with the ceasefire we are finally living a normal life. We are extremely happy after the ceasefire between the two countries. It has come as a blessing for us. We are finally breathing normally. We used to live in bunkers earlier and we are hoping that we don't see those days again. We don't have money to invest in making hotels. That's why we have made homestays. This will give us employment and we will be able to generate income. The view that you get in Keran, I challenge you if you can find this view anywhere in the world. You can see PoK from here.'' said Waqar Majaz Khan, homestay owner, Keran. Also read | Kerala becomes latest Indian state to make wearing masks in public mandatory The Indian army has played a major role in opening these areas for the Public. The whole security setup in these areas is under the Indian army and they are not only protecting these areas but also promoting them as tourist destinations. The locals of the area say that without the Indian army, it would not be possible to welcome tourists in these areas. ''We are thankful to the Indian army. We get a lot of support from the army, and they are with us 24/7. Tourism is also coming to this place because of the Indian army. It's a beautiful place and we are making our homes into home stays. It's completely peaceful here after the ceasefire and we hope people from across the country will visit us. '' Raja Suhail Khan, Nambardar. The Tourist department of Jammu and Kashmir government recently added 75 new tourist destinations to their list. 38 destinations are in the Kashmir region while 37 are in Jammu. The government has drawn plans for these areas to build infrastructure keeping in view the ecosystem of these places. They are also providing opportunities for the locals of these areas to generate employment and economy. ''The main thrust is to promote rural tourism and in rural tourism also we have identified offbeat destinations 75 in total, out of which 38 from Kashmir and 37 from Jammu. The focus is to highlight these destinations. Border areas like Gurez, Keran Machil and Tangdhar. These are the areas falling under the scheme, the plans have been drawn and we are in consultation with district administration and India army to promote these areas for adventure tourism. Also read | PM Modi says COVID jabs for kids a priority, urges caution at meet with CMs There is also an effort for the locals to have opportunities in the tourism sector. They can have homestays, become guides and introduce adventure sports. This will improve the economy and showcase these areas as good tourism spots. However, these are eco sensitive areas and we can't have huge concrete structures in these areas. We are focusing on tents and home stays which will open opportunities for the locals in these areas. They can offer a homely experience to the tourists. For youth, tented accommodation can prove a game changer for them. '' G N Itoo, Director Tourism. As Kashmir witnessed record breaking tourist arrivals in the last 4 months, all major tourist destinations in Kashmir Valley like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg are fully booked for the next two months. Government says with the promotion of these sites, it will help cater the huge influx of tourists coming to the Kashmir Valley.

As guns go silent on borders, areas close to LoC promoted as tourist destinations

Venice imposes tax and reservation system for travellers

Tourism industry in Greece was facing the heat of the pandemic from past few years. Now, it prepares for tourist season as Greek govt lifted COVID restrictions.

Greece prepares for tourist season as Greek govt lifts COVID restrictions

Ten people were killed after a tourist bus collided into a car in southern Egypt on Wednesday.

Among those killed include four French, one Belgian and five Egyptian tourists.

A clip circulating online purportedly showed a tourist bus in flames with people trying to put out the fire. WION could not verify the authenticity of the video.

Fourteen others —eight French and six Belgians —were taken to hospital with "broken bones, bruises and superficial injuries", governor of the southern province of Aswan Ashraf Attia&nbsp;said, according to AFP.

The injured tourists are said to be in a stable condition.

The accident took place on the 300 kilometres (186 mile) road connecting Aswan and the famed Abu Simbel temple further south.

This is the second accident that has taken place in a week. On April 8, a bus crashed on a highway near the Red Sea, killing three including two Polish tourists.

Egypt has been reporting thousands of traffic accidents every year. Poor transportation and safety records, poor enforcement of traffic laws are just some of the examples cited for such deadly accidents.

According to Egypt’s official statistics agency, there were around 10,000 road accidents in 2019, the most recent year for which statistics are available, leaving over 3,480 dead. In 2018, there were 8,480 car accidents, causing over 3,080 deaths, reports AP.

The series of accidents come at a time when Egypt has been struggling to keep its tourism industry running that has been marred by Covid pandemic and low tourist turnout on the account of political upheaval after the country's 2011 Arab Spring revolution.

The tourism sector employs some two million people in a country of 103 million and generates more than 10 per cent of GDP.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ten people were killed after a tourist bus collided into a car in southern Egypt on Wednesday. Among those killed include four French, one Belgian and five Egyptian tourists.

Ten people were killed after a tourist bus collided into a car in southern Egypt on Wednesday. Among those killed include four French, one Belgian and five Egyptian tourists. A clip circulating online purportedly showed a tourist bus in flames with people trying to put out the fire. WION could not verify the authenticity of the video. Fourteen others —eight French and six Belgians —were taken to hospital with "broken bones, bruises and superficial injuries", governor of the southern province of Aswan Ashraf Attia said, according to AFP. The injured tourists are said to be in a stable condition. The accident took place on the 300 kilometres (186 mile) road connecting Aswan and the famed Abu Simbel temple further south. This is the second accident that has taken place in a week. On April 8, a bus crashed on a highway near the Red Sea, killing three including two Polish tourists. Egypt has been reporting thousands of traffic accidents every year. Poor transportation and safety records, poor enforcement of traffic laws are just some of the examples cited for such deadly accidents. According to Egypt’s official statistics agency, there were around 10,000 road accidents in 2019, the most recent year for which statistics are available, leaving over 3,480 dead. In 2018, there were 8,480 car accidents, causing over 3,080 deaths, reports AP. The series of accidents come at a time when Egypt has been struggling to keep its tourism industry running that has been marred by Covid pandemic and low tourist turnout on the account of political upheaval after the country's 2011 Arab Spring revolution. The tourism sector employs some two million people in a country of 103 million and generates more than 10 per cent of GDP. (With inputs from agencies)

10 tourists, including 4 French and a Belgian, killed in horrific Egypt bus crash

Kashmir Valley has broken all the previous records of tourist arrivals in the last three months. The valley saw more than 3,40,000 tourist arrivals in the months of January, February and March. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The March month saw the maximum tourist arrivals of 1,80,000 tourists. After years, such a huge number of tourist arrivals have been witnessed in the Kashmir Valley. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The tourist rush pushed the government to increase the number of flights running at Srinagar Airport. Around 92 flights operate daily from Srinagar airport with the passengers numbering around 15,000. &nbsp; &nbsp;

In the last seven days of April, 58,000 tourists have come to the valley. The Tulip Garden was opened in the last week of March and on April 2, more than 50,000 people thronged the garden. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-from-april-10-all-above-18-years-eligible-for-booster-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine-469351" hreflang="en">India: From April 10, all adults eligible for booster doses of COVID vaccine</a>

''We had around 60,000 tourists coming in the month of January. In February, it went up to 1,00,000 and in March, we had a record-breaking number of 1,80,000 tourists coming to this place. In the last 7 days of April, we have already had 58,000 tourist arrivals. Around 8,000 arrivals are happening per day. So, in the last three months, it has crossed the 3,00,000 number. It's very encouraging to see our efforts yielding results. We expect more tourists to come in future,'' said Ahsan Ul Haq, Deputy Director, Tourism. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Around 3,00,000 tourists have visited the Tulip Garden so far. The government says looking at the figures, it seems all the previous records of people thronging the garden will be broken. The travel agents in the valley say that all five- and four-star hotels and properties are fully booked for next two months. Even the mid-range hotels are booked till June. &nbsp; &nbsp;

''Tulip Garden was opened recently, and we have had a good season. It started from January and continued through February. All our hotels and houseboats are completely booked, and bookings have been made for the next two months. Kashmir is completely sold out. We have a good flow of tourists now and till June, everything in the valley is booked and we are sure all previous records will be broken,'' said Waseem Gousani, travel agent. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Spring is one of the most beautiful times to visit the valley. The Jammu and Kashmir tourism department organised many spring festivals to attract more and more tourists and prolong the spring season. This year, the department hasn't confined the spring season only for tulips but other gardens as well. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Indian wedding season: 4 million weddings, Rs 5 trillion business

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The tourists from across the country are enjoying these beautiful gardens and hill stations of the Kashmir Valley. &nbsp; &nbsp;

''It's very nice and different. People scare you a lot but it's very safe because of the Indian army. It's very secure, I can see a lot of tourists coming here. It's fun. I found a lot of people in Gulmarg. Post covid tourism has increased everywhere. I want to tell everyone to pack your bag and come,'' said Sheryl Louis, a tourist. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The tourists present in the valley said that they are happy to see Kashmir tourism flourishing after so many years. ''It's a beautiful place and I wish many people would come here. It's really a paradise and we only used to see this on TV and Bollywood films. It's worth visiting and experiencing it yourself. It will help local people and they will earn their livelihood. Locals will get a lot of business. Due to covid, they must have lost a lot of business and now, they are recovering. It's like nature is calling us. We have seen people from across India visiting here. We are happy over here and it was fun,'' said Asumita Louis, another tourist. &nbsp; &nbsp;

''It's a dream come true and it's very beautiful. There was no fear. Every place here is beautiful. There is so much tourist rush, we had to be in a queue at Gondola Gulmarg for more than one and a half hours. We went to Pahalgam and Gulmarg. Everyone needs to come here and experience this,'' said Jyoti Mehrotra, another tourist. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The tourist inflow has surprised all the officials, who work with the tourism department. Officials working at the gardens of Srinagar say that they have never seen such a rush. &nbsp; &nbsp;

''This year, all records have been broken. Last Saturday, we saw a huge number of tourists, around 10,000 people visited us that day. Due to Ramadan, we can see locals aren't coming in huge numbers but tourists in huge numbers are still coming. Everyday around 3,000 tourists come to this garden,'' said Khurshid Ahmad, official, Nishat Garden.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The government hopes, the numbers will increase more in the coming months.

Kashmir Valley has broken all the previous records of tourist arrivals in the last three months. The valley saw more than 3,40,000 tourist arrivals in the months of January, February and March.

Kashmir Valley has broken all the previous records of tourist arrivals in the last three months. The valley saw more than 3,40,000 tourist arrivals in the months of January, February and March. The March month saw the maximum tourist arrivals of 1,80,000 tourists. After years, such a huge number of tourist arrivals have been witnessed in the Kashmir Valley. The tourist rush pushed the government to increase the number of flights running at Srinagar Airport. Around 92 flights operate daily from Srinagar airport with the passengers numbering around 15,000. In the last seven days of April, 58,000 tourists have come to the valley. The Tulip Garden was opened in the last week of March and on April 2, more than 50,000 people thronged the garden. Also Read | India: From April 10, all adults eligible for booster doses of COVID vaccine ''We had around 60,000 tourists coming in the month of January. In February, it went up to 1,00,000 and in March, we had a record-breaking number of 1,80,000 tourists coming to this place. In the last 7 days of April, we have already had 58,000 tourist arrivals. Around 8,000 arrivals are happening per day. So, in the last three months, it has crossed the 3,00,000 number. It's very encouraging to see our efforts yielding results. We expect more tourists to come in future,'' said Ahsan Ul Haq, Deputy Director, Tourism. Around 3,00,000 tourists have visited the Tulip Garden so far. The government says looking at the figures, it seems all the previous records of people thronging the garden will be broken. The travel agents in the valley say that all five- and four-star hotels and properties are fully booked for next two months. Even the mid-range hotels are booked till June. ''Tulip Garden was opened recently, and we have had a good season. It started from January and continued through February. All our hotels and houseboats are completely booked, and bookings have been made for the next two months. Kashmir is completely sold out. We have a good flow of tourists now and till June, everything in the valley is booked and we are sure all previous records will be broken,'' said Waseem Gousani, travel agent. Spring is one of the most beautiful times to visit the valley. The Jammu and Kashmir tourism department organised many spring festivals to attract more and more tourists and prolong the spring season. This year, the department hasn't confined the spring season only for tulips but other gardens as well. Watch: Indian wedding season: 4 million weddings, Rs 5 trillion business × The tourists from across the country are enjoying these beautiful gardens and hill stations of the Kashmir Valley. ''It's very nice and different. People scare you a lot but it's very safe because of the Indian army. It's very secure, I can see a lot of tourists coming here. It's fun. I found a lot of people in Gulmarg. Post covid tourism has increased everywhere. I want to tell everyone to pack your bag and come,'' said Sheryl Louis, a tourist. The tourists present in the valley said that they are happy to see Kashmir tourism flourishing after so many years. ''It's a beautiful place and I wish many people would come here. It's really a paradise and we only used to see this on TV and Bollywood films. It's worth visiting and experiencing it yourself. It will help local people and they will earn their livelihood. Locals will get a lot of business. Due to covid, they must have lost a lot of business and now, they are recovering. It's like nature is calling us. We have seen people from across India visiting here. We are happy over here and it was fun,'' said Asumita Louis, another tourist. ''It's a dream come true and it's very beautiful. There was no fear. Every place here is beautiful. There is so much tourist rush, we had to be in a queue at Gondola Gulmarg for more than one and a half hours. We went to Pahalgam and Gulmarg. Everyone needs to come here and experience this,'' said Jyoti Mehrotra, another tourist. The tourist inflow has surprised all the officials, who work with the tourism department. Officials working at the gardens of Srinagar say that they have never seen such a rush. ''This year, all records have been broken. Last Saturday, we saw a huge number of tourists, around 10,000 people visited us that day. Due to Ramadan, we can see locals aren't coming in huge numbers but tourists in huge numbers are still coming. Everyday around 3,000 tourists come to this garden,'' said Khurshid Ahmad, official, Nishat Garden. The government hopes, the numbers will increase more in the coming months.

Tourism in Kashmir breaks all records as 3,40,000 visitors throng valley in 3 months 

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is now being forced to lift the state of emergency. However, the anti-Rajapaksa protests continue over power cuts, food shortage. The island nation is also facing economic crisis and fallout on tourism.

Sri Lanka's economic crisis and fallout on tourism and more

Thousands of tourists thronged Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar on the very first day of its opening. The tourism industry is hoping that there will be a record number of tourists visiting the valley to enjoy the beautiful visuals of the Tulip Garden.

Tourists flock to Asia's largest Tulip garden in Srinagar, India

It took one electricity bill to crush Dimitris Diavatis' hopes that his Greek summer resort could bounce back to its pre-pandemic health this year, even with bookings pouring in.

The amount was more than double what he paid this time last year when the hotel was not even open. After two sluggish summers, the irony was not lost on him: "We won't make a profit in a good year," he said. "It'll be eaten up by inflation."

Greece - like the other&nbsp;tourism-dependent economies on the euro zone's Mediterranean fringe – is seeing signs of a much-needed recovery in visitor numbers in 2022 after two largely lost years. As in Spain, Portugal and Italy, the sector is a huge employer and contributor to state revenues.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/london-hundreds-of-women-march-in-a-bid-to-end-violence-and-misogyny-459556">London: Hundreds of women march in a bid to end violence and misogyny</a>

But across the region, the pandemic has changed the&nbsp;face&nbsp;of&nbsp;tourism. Hotels were already grappling with higher fuel bills and inflation which a further energy price surge in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine will only make worse.

The dislocation of labour markets caused by COVID-19 has left entrenched staffing shortages, while Italian tourist officials concede that pandemic-era holidaying – with its emphasis on hygiene, cleanliness and space – is a big challenge for its ageing infrastructure.

Meanwhile, a market for more modest, small-scale vacations is opening up: In Spain and Portugal, a reluctance among many tourists to travel far is accentuating the trend for stays in rural areas in tents, campers or motorhomes.Industry and government officials in Greece are forecasting revenues will reach 80-90% of the record seen in 2019, when 33 million tourists brought in 18 billion euros in revenues, worth a fifth of national output.

Yet a bumper season is unlikely to offer much relief to struggling businesses which emerged from a decade-long financial crisis in 2018 only to have the pandemic bring global travel to a halt two years later.

So acute is the problem of soaring heating oil, gas and electricity prices that the president of the Greek&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;confederation SETE, Yiannis Retsos, wrote to ministers in January urging them to provide financial support, saying it was "objectively impossible" for year-round hotels to the cover their costs, especially after the quieter winter months.

The highly indebted countries of&nbsp;Europe's south were also bracing for the&nbsp;European Central Bank to remove the stimulus that has kept their borrowing costs down.

Although the Ukraine war has left the interest rate outlook uncertain, the&nbsp;southern&nbsp;fringe still badly needs its&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;sectors to get back to work given the economic hit the conflict is set to deliver.

Speaking a day after the invasion, which Russia calls a "special operation", Greece's Retsos said it was too early to gauge its impact on the&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;sector.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/radio-free-europe-with-roots-in-the-cold-war-suspends-operations-in-russia-459548">Radio Free Europe, with roots in the Cold War, suspends operations in Russia</a>

More than a week into the conflict, there has been no noticeable increase in cancellations across the region.

Russian tourists only make up a very small proportion of the sector in&nbsp;southern&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;- 2% of revenues in Greece in 2019 and around 1% of nightly hotel bookings in Portugal. Turkey - outside the&nbsp;European Union - is a more popular destination.

But with&nbsp;European gas prices already at record highs, and this likely to feed into inflation globally, the concern in countries like Greece is the conflict will only worsen an already bleak outlook, further crimping guests' spending power and increasing providers' costs.

NO END TO COSTS

Even hotels that were shut during winter worry they will not be able to shoulder the extra burden, having already agreed prices with tour operators last summer, said Babbis Voulgaris, head of the Corfu hoteliers' association.

Resort owner Diavatis, who also owns a year-round boutique hotel and a waterpark complex on the island, agreed.

"This will be a real crisis for us," he said. "I won't say it's worse than the pandemic because at least we're open. But we didn't lose money then. Now we're heading towards losing money."

The Greek government has spent over 42 billion euros in pandemic support measures since 2020 to keep businesses and households afloat and about 2 billion euros since September to subsidise power bills through March. For hoteliers, the support does not go far enough.

"In the summer, with the air-conditioners working, the refrigerators, the kitchen, everything - I don't how when this will end," said Costas Merianos, who owns a small family-run hotel on Corfu's Ionian coast.

Across the sea in Italy, lockdowns and energy prices have forced many hotels to shut for good, said Marina Lalli, president of the Federturismo industry association.

And while Lalli was hopeful&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;could inch closer to 2019 levels this year, Italy&nbsp;faces the additional problem of being "a mature tourist destination with mature hotel structures that need to be renewed," she said.

"In the post-COVID era, tourists are even more attentive to quality, they want a guarantee of cleanliness and want to feel safe."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/invading-russian-military-forces-belt-maker-to-weave-camouflage-webbing-for-ukrainian-troops-459565">Invading Russian military forces belt-maker to weave camouflage webbing for Ukrainian troops</a>

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Greece said it was opening its&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;season as early as March 1 this year to meet demand but, like in Italy, Spain and Portugal, the season will not begin in earnest until the Easter break in April, a litmus test before the vital summer months.

Both Greece and Italy are racing to fill job shortages as the pandemic forced workers abroad for better paying jobs or into different sectors with less uncertain prospects.

In Greece, the&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;minister even appealed to refugees fleeing Ukraine, offering them residence and work permits to fill 50,000 job gaps in hospitality.

Demand for Spanish holidays was looking very strong this year, according to the vice-president of industry association Exceltur, Jose Luis Zoreda, thanks to Spain's high vaccination rates and the easing of pandemic restrictions in its big markets, the UK and Germany.

"There is a strong, accumulated travel appetite in&nbsp;Europe," Zoreda said, forecasting an "explosion" of&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;from Easter onwards, but also lower profit margins due to inflation and energy prices.

Exceltur, however, also found tourists were seeking a different experience. In 2021, campsite rentals were up 19.2%, flat rentals were up by 16%, rural homes by 11%. Hotel usage fell by 8%, a decline also driven by fewer business trips.

In January, new motorhomes and camper vans sales were up 34.1% on an annual basis, according to the Spanish Association of the Caravanning Industry and Trade (ASEICAR).

"The 'all-in-one' holiday model has been left behind," Yescapa, an online motorhomes and camper vans rental company, told Reuters.

Nico Aro, who rents out a camper van on the island of Tenerife, says he has not been able to enjoy it himself since he bought it last March because requests keep coming in from Italy, France and Belgium. His biggest problem is that he cannot find another one to buy because they are in great demand.

"I have benefited from the pandemic," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chile-creates-national-park-to-save-glaciers-459542">Chile creates national park to save glaciers</a>

The appetite for "slower"&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;has also grown in Portugal, where the sector played a crucial role in its recovery from the 2010 debt crisis.&nbsp;Tourism&nbsp;stood at about 15% of GDP in 2019 but fell to 8% in 2020.

"There's an increasing number of people looking for places with fewer people," said Helder Martins, president of Algarve's main hotel association. "I don't believe that they will return to just wanting the sun and the beach."&nbsp;

The centuries-old "schist villages", built from the stone of a mountainous region clad in pine trees, are roaring back to life after being abandoned over the years by young Portuguese seeking work elsewhere.

"This summer is filling up fast," said Sonia Cortes, who owns a small five-room hotel in the Janeiro de Cima schist village, where construction workers are rebuilding traditional houses.

"The beginning of the pandemic was really difficult for those who lived off&nbsp;tourism," she said. "(But then) those in bigger cities looked for villages like this one where they could feel safe."

There was a 30% increase in the number of night stays at schist villages from 2019 to 2020-21, said Bruno Ramos, who works for an agency promoting&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;there.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Europe's largest nuke site was on fire

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-invasion-europes-largest-nuke-site-was-on-fire-459083/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Still, back in Greece, Merianos, the Corfu hotel owner, has a more sober view of the months ahead.

"I'll be happy if at the end of the season I don't owe my staff, I don't owe the state, I don't owe the energy provider - even if I'm left with 10 euros in my wallet," he said.

It took one electricity bill to crush Dimitris Diavatis' hopes that his Greek summer resort could bounce back to its pre-pandemic health this year, even with bookings pouring in.

It took one electricity bill to crush Dimitris Diavatis' hopes that his Greek summer resort could bounce back to its pre-pandemic health this year, even with bookings pouring in. The amount was more than double what he paid this time last year when the hotel was not even open. After two sluggish summers, the irony was not lost on him: "We won't make a profit in a good year," he said. "It'll be eaten up by inflation." Greece - like the other tourism-dependent economies on the euro zone's Mediterranean fringe – is seeing signs of a much-needed recovery in visitor numbers in 2022 after two largely lost years. As in Spain, Portugal and Italy, the sector is a huge employer and contributor to state revenues. Also read | London: Hundreds of women march in a bid to end violence and misogyny But across the region, the pandemic has changed the face of tourism. Hotels were already grappling with higher fuel bills and inflation which a further energy price surge in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine will only make worse. The dislocation of labour markets caused by COVID-19 has left entrenched staffing shortages, while Italian tourist officials concede that pandemic-era holidaying – with its emphasis on hygiene, cleanliness and space – is a big challenge for its ageing infrastructure. Meanwhile, a market for more modest, small-scale vacations is opening up: In Spain and Portugal, a reluctance among many tourists to travel far is accentuating the trend for stays in rural areas in tents, campers or motorhomes.Industry and government officials in Greece are forecasting revenues will reach 80-90% of the record seen in 2019, when 33 million tourists brought in 18 billion euros in revenues, worth a fifth of national output. Yet a bumper season is unlikely to offer much relief to struggling businesses which emerged from a decade-long financial crisis in 2018 only to have the pandemic bring global travel to a halt two years later. So acute is the problem of soaring heating oil, gas and electricity prices that the president of the Greek tourism confederation SETE, Yiannis Retsos, wrote to ministers in January urging them to provide financial support, saying it was "objectively impossible" for year-round hotels to the cover their costs, especially after the quieter winter months. The highly indebted countries of Europe's south were also bracing for the European Central Bank to remove the stimulus that has kept their borrowing costs down. Although the Ukraine war has left the interest rate outlook uncertain, the southern fringe still badly needs its tourism sectors to get back to work given the economic hit the conflict is set to deliver. Speaking a day after the invasion, which Russia calls a "special operation", Greece's Retsos said it was too early to gauge its impact on the tourism sector. Also read | Radio Free Europe, with roots in the Cold War, suspends operations in Russia More than a week into the conflict, there has been no noticeable increase in cancellations across the region. Russian tourists only make up a very small proportion of the sector in southern Europe - 2% of revenues in Greece in 2019 and around 1% of nightly hotel bookings in Portugal. Turkey - outside the European Union - is a more popular destination. But with European gas prices already at record highs, and this likely to feed into inflation globally, the concern in countries like Greece is the conflict will only worsen an already bleak outlook, further crimping guests' spending power and increasing providers' costs. NO END TO COSTS Even hotels that were shut during winter worry they will not be able to shoulder the extra burden, having already agreed prices with tour operators last summer, said Babbis Voulgaris, head of the Corfu hoteliers' association. Resort owner Diavatis, who also owns a year-round boutique hotel and a waterpark complex on the island, agreed. "This will be a real crisis for us," he said. "I won't say it's worse than the pandemic because at least we're open. But we didn't lose money then. Now we're heading towards losing money." The Greek government has spent over 42 billion euros in pandemic support measures since 2020 to keep businesses and households afloat and about 2 billion euros since September to subsidise power bills through March. For hoteliers, the support does not go far enough. "In the summer, with the air-conditioners working, the refrigerators, the kitchen, everything - I don't how when this will end," said Costas Merianos, who owns a small family-run hotel on Corfu's Ionian coast. Across the sea in Italy, lockdowns and energy prices have forced many hotels to shut for good, said Marina Lalli, president of the Federturismo industry association. And while Lalli was hopeful tourism could inch closer to 2019 levels this year, Italy faces the additional problem of being "a mature tourist destination with mature hotel structures that need to be renewed," she said. "In the post-COVID era, tourists are even more attentive to quality, they want a guarantee of cleanliness and want to feel safe." Also read | Invading Russian military forces belt-maker to weave camouflage webbing for Ukrainian troops SOMETHING DIFFERENT Greece said it was opening its tourism season as early as March 1 this year to meet demand but, like in Italy, Spain and Portugal, the season will not begin in earnest until the Easter break in April, a litmus test before the vital summer months. Both Greece and Italy are racing to fill job shortages as the pandemic forced workers abroad for better paying jobs or into different sectors with less uncertain prospects. In Greece, the tourism minister even appealed to refugees fleeing Ukraine, offering them residence and work permits to fill 50,000 job gaps in hospitality. Demand for Spanish holidays was looking very strong this year, according to the vice-president of industry association Exceltur, Jose Luis Zoreda, thanks to Spain's high vaccination rates and the easing of pandemic restrictions in its big markets, the UK and Germany. "There is a strong, accumulated travel appetite in Europe," Zoreda said, forecasting an "explosion" of tourism from Easter onwards, but also lower profit margins due to inflation and energy prices. Exceltur, however, also found tourists were seeking a different experience. In 2021, campsite rentals were up 19.2%, flat rentals were up by 16%, rural homes by 11%. Hotel usage fell by 8%, a decline also driven by fewer business trips. In January, new motorhomes and camper vans sales were up 34.1% on an annual basis, according to the Spanish Association of the Caravanning Industry and Trade (ASEICAR). "The 'all-in-one' holiday model has been left behind," Yescapa, an online motorhomes and camper vans rental company, told Reuters. Nico Aro, who rents out a camper van on the island of Tenerife, says he has not been able to enjoy it himself since he bought it last March because requests keep coming in from Italy, France and Belgium. His biggest problem is that he cannot find another one to buy because they are in great demand. "I have benefited from the pandemic," he said. Also read | Chile creates national park to save glaciers The appetite for "slower" tourism has also grown in Portugal, where the sector played a crucial role in its recovery from the 2010 debt crisis. Tourism stood at about 15% of GDP in 2019 but fell to 8% in 2020. "There's an increasing number of people looking for places with fewer people," said Helder Martins, president of Algarve's main hotel association. "I don't believe that they will return to just wanting the sun and the beach." The centuries-old "schist villages", built from the stone of a mountainous region clad in pine trees, are roaring back to life after being abandoned over the years by young Portuguese seeking work elsewhere. "This summer is filling up fast," said Sonia Cortes, who owns a small five-room hotel in the Janeiro de Cima schist village, where construction workers are rebuilding traditional houses. "The beginning of the pandemic was really difficult for those who lived off tourism," she said. "(But then) those in bigger cities looked for villages like this one where they could feel safe." There was a 30% increase in the number of night stays at schist villages from 2019 to 2020-21, said Bruno Ramos, who works for an agency promoting tourism there. Watch | Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Europe's largest nuke site was on fire Still, back in Greece, Merianos, the Corfu hotel owner, has a more sober view of the months ahead. "I'll be happy if at the end of the season I don't owe my staff, I don't owe the state, I don't owe the energy provider - even if I'm left with 10 euros in my wallet," he said.

Southern Europe grapples with changing face of tourism

Venezuela's tourism minister on Thursday said the country will&nbsp;increase&nbsp;state airline&nbsp;flights&nbsp;to its ally&nbsp;Moscow, as many countries around the world, led by the United States and Europe, block Russian planes from their airspace.

President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last week provoked a battery of sanctions from the United States and its allies, including airspace being closed to Russian-flagged&nbsp;flights.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finally-us-navy-recovers-crashed-f-35c-lightning-ii-aircraft-from-south-china-sea-458883">&nbsp;Finally, US Navy recovers crashed F-35C Lightning II aircraft from South China Sea</a>

"Venezuela&nbsp;is ready to continue receiving Russian tourists," Minister Ali Padron tweeted on Thursday, after a phone call with the head of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency.

They agreed "to guarantee the continuity of regular&nbsp;flights&nbsp;through the Venezuelan airline Conviasa and&nbsp;increase&nbsp;connectivity," he wrote.&nbsp;

Russian tourism to&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;soared in May 2021 when the two countries opened a direct route between&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;and Caracas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/melinda-gates-calls-meeting-epstein-abhorrent-slams-ex-husband-bills-friendship-with-him-458921">Melinda Gates calls meeting Epstein 'abhorrent', slams ex-husband Bill's friendship with him</a>

Moscow&nbsp;has been a key ally of&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;since the government of the late president Hugo Chavez.&nbsp;

Chavez's successor Nicolas Maduro has expressed support for Putin in the past week, calling actions taken against&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;"crimes" and "madness", although he advocated for peace negotiations with Ukraine to continue.

Venezuela's tourism minister on Thursday said the country will increase state airline flights to its ally Moscow, as many countries around the world, led by the United States and Europe, block Russian planes from their airspace.

Venezuela's tourism minister on Thursday said the country will increase state airline flights to its ally Moscow, as many countries around the world, led by the United States and Europe, block Russian planes from their airspace. President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last week provoked a battery of sanctions from the United States and its allies, including airspace being closed to Russian-flagged flights. Also read | Finally, US Navy recovers crashed F-35C Lightning II aircraft from South China Sea "Venezuela is ready to continue receiving Russian tourists," Minister Ali Padron tweeted on Thursday, after a phone call with the head of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency. They agreed "to guarantee the continuity of regular flights through the Venezuelan airline Conviasa and increase connectivity," he wrote. Russian tourism to Venezuela soared in May 2021 when the two countries opened a direct route between Moscow and Caracas. Also read | Melinda Gates calls meeting Epstein 'abhorrent', slams ex-husband Bill's friendship with him Moscow has been a key ally of Venezuela since the government of the late president Hugo Chavez. Chavez's successor Nicolas Maduro has expressed support for Putin in the past week, calling actions taken against Moscow "crimes" and "madness", although he advocated for peace negotiations with Ukraine to continue.

Venezuela announces increase in flights to Moscow

With the glittering parades, towering floats and sultry samba postponed by the omicron variant,&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;will have a carnival week without much carnival this year -- bad news for a&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;industry already battered by the&nbsp;pandemic.

In a world without Covid-19, this would have been the week a deluge of tourists -- more than 2.1 million in 2020 -- descended on Rio de Janeiro for a free-for-all of street parties and spectacular, all-night parades.

Instead, industry experts predict Rio and other tourist destinations to be relatively low-key, with a smaller number of visitors -- mainly Brazilians traveling domestically.

That is adding to the agony of a&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;industry only just starting to recover&nbsp;from&nbsp;near-collapse in 2020.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-rains-floods-hit-eastern-australia-456814">Deadly rains, floods hit eastern Australia</a>

"It's been very traumatic," said Alexandre Sampaio, head of hotel and restaurant federation FBHA, citing official figures showing the&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;industry's revenues plunged 35 percent in 2020.

The industry rebounded only partially in 2021, growing around 20 percent.

Carnival week will still have concerts, parties and balls in Rio -- limited to 70 percent capacity, with vaccine and mask requirements.

But omicron led authorities to cancel carnival street parties for the second straight year, and postpone the famed samba school parade competition until April.

"We'll see some revenues"&nbsp;from&nbsp;the rescheduled parades, "but it won't come anywhere near pre-pandemic&nbsp;levels," said Fabio Bentes, an economist at the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and&nbsp;Tourism&nbsp;(CNC).

Bentes predicts carnival-week revenues one-third below pre-pandemic&nbsp;levels.

His research indicates the&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;industry, which accounted for 7.7 percent of&nbsp;Brazil's economy before the&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;-- 551.5 billion reais ($110 billion) in direct and indirect revenues in 2019 -- has lost $94.1 billion in the past two years, and more than 340,000 jobs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-from-floods-landslides-climbs-to-146-in-brazil-454774">Death toll from floods, landslides climbs to 146 in Brazil</a>

Call of the journey

Brazil&nbsp;is a bucket-list destination for many people, with the Amazon rainforest, the Pantanal wetlands, the colorful colonial capital of Salvador, the stunning waterfalls of Iguacu and myriad other must-sees -- not to mention Rio and carnival.

But the country has been hit hard by the&nbsp;pandemic, with nearly 650,000 deaths -- second only to the United States.

The numbers have improved with more than 70 percent of the population now fully vaccinated.

But visitors have been slow to return.

Flavio Miranda is waiting for&nbsp;business&nbsp;at the base of Corcovado mountain, where Rio's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue spreads his arms over the city.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mudslides-flooding-kill-nearly-100-in-brazils-imperial-city-453879">Mudslides, flooding kill nearly 100 in Brazil's 'imperial city'</a>

Miranda, a 52-year-old driver&nbsp;from&nbsp;a nearby favela, sells tours of the city's attractions.

He spent eight months without work when the&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;arrived, relying on food handouts to feed his family of four.

Tourists "are returning, but it's slow," he told AFP, saying his income is down about 80 percent.

"This place used to be&nbsp;bursting with tourists. Now there are hardly any."

Nearby, Miguel Viana, a 27-year-old engineer on vacation&nbsp;from&nbsp;Portugal, was on his way to visit the statue.

"The call of the journey was stronger than the&nbsp;pandemic," he said with a laugh.

But he is among the few. International tourist numbers remain at just five to seven percent of pre-pandemic&nbsp;levels, Sampaio estimates.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/national-tourism-day-2022-here-is-a-list-of-a-few-stunning-tourist-attractions-in-india-447288">National tourism day 2022: Here is a list of a few stunning tourist attractions in India</a>

&nbsp;Local&nbsp;tourism

Experts say the drop in foreign tourists has been partially offset by more Brazilians traveling domestically, themselves wary of flying overseas.

"We used to mainly&nbsp;travel&nbsp;abroad. But we had been isolated so long, we wanted to start traveling again. So we decided to start with&nbsp;Brazil," said&nbsp;Maria Augusta Rosa, 40, a civil servant&nbsp;from&nbsp;the central city of Goiania vacationing in Rio.

Experts predict a full recovery for&nbsp;Brazil's&nbsp;tourism&nbsp;sector&nbsp;only in 2023 -- if there are no more unpleasant surprises in the meantime.

In Manaus, the "capital of the Amazon," Remy Harbonnier, a French tour operator who specializes in rainforest lodges and river cruises, said client and revenue numbers at his company, Heliconia, remain around 80 percent off pre-pandemic&nbsp;levels.

Watch |&nbsp;Over 160 killed in Brazil floods, Bolsonaro promises federal assistance

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-160-killed-in-brazil-floods-bolsonaro-promises-federal-assistance-455137/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He hopes to cut that to 50 percent this year, he says.

But that will depend on events.

"Now we're worried about the situation in Ukraine. It's a bit scary," he said.

"We just try to tell ourselves, we've gotten through two years of Covid, we'll get through an armed conflict in Europe."

With the glittering parades, towering floats and sultry samba postponed by the omicron variant, Brazil will have a carnival week without much carnival this year -- bad news for a tourism industry already battered by the pandemic.

With the glittering parades, towering floats and sultry samba postponed by the omicron variant, Brazil will have a carnival week without much carnival this year -- bad news for a tourism industry already battered by the pandemic. In a world without Covid-19, this would have been the week a deluge of tourists -- more than 2.1 million in 2020 -- descended on Rio de Janeiro for a free-for-all of street parties and spectacular, all-night parades. Instead, industry experts predict Rio and other tourist destinations to be relatively low-key, with a smaller number of visitors -- mainly Brazilians traveling domestically. That is adding to the agony of a tourism industry only just starting to recover from near-collapse in 2020. Also read | Deadly rains, floods hit eastern Australia "It's been very traumatic," said Alexandre Sampaio, head of hotel and restaurant federation FBHA, citing official figures showing the tourism industry's revenues plunged 35 percent in 2020. The industry rebounded only partially in 2021, growing around 20 percent. Carnival week will still have concerts, parties and balls in Rio -- limited to 70 percent capacity, with vaccine and mask requirements. But omicron led authorities to cancel carnival street parties for the second straight year, and postpone the famed samba school parade competition until April. "We'll see some revenues" from the rescheduled parades, "but it won't come anywhere near pre-pandemic levels," said Fabio Bentes, an economist at the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC). Bentes predicts carnival-week revenues one-third below pre-pandemic levels. His research indicates the tourism industry, which accounted for 7.7 percent of Brazil's economy before the pandemic -- 551.5 billion reais ($110 billion) in direct and indirect revenues in 2019 -- has lost $94.1 billion in the past two years, and more than 340,000 jobs. Also read | Death toll from floods, landslides climbs to 146 in Brazil Call of the journey Brazil is a bucket-list destination for many people, with the Amazon rainforest, the Pantanal wetlands, the colorful colonial capital of Salvador, the stunning waterfalls of Iguacu and myriad other must-sees -- not to mention Rio and carnival. But the country has been hit hard by the pandemic, with nearly 650,000 deaths -- second only to the United States. The numbers have improved with more than 70 percent of the population now fully vaccinated. But visitors have been slow to return. Flavio Miranda is waiting for business at the base of Corcovado mountain, where Rio's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue spreads his arms over the city. Also read | Mudslides, flooding kill nearly 100 in Brazil's 'imperial city' Miranda, a 52-year-old driver from a nearby favela, sells tours of the city's attractions. He spent eight months without work when the pandemic arrived, relying on food handouts to feed his family of four. Tourists "are returning, but it's slow," he told AFP, saying his income is down about 80 percent. "This place used to be bursting with tourists. Now there are hardly any." Nearby, Miguel Viana, a 27-year-old engineer on vacation from Portugal, was on his way to visit the statue. "The call of the journey was stronger than the pandemic," he said with a laugh. But he is among the few. International tourist numbers remain at just five to seven percent of pre-pandemic levels, Sampaio estimates. Also read | National tourism day 2022: Here is a list of a few stunning tourist attractions in India Local tourism Experts say the drop in foreign tourists has been partially offset by more Brazilians traveling domestically, themselves wary of flying overseas. "We used to mainly travel abroad. But we had been isolated so long, we wanted to start traveling again. So we decided to start with Brazil," said Maria Augusta Rosa, 40, a civil servant from the central city of Goiania vacationing in Rio. Experts predict a full recovery for Brazil's tourism sector only in 2023 -- if there are no more unpleasant surprises in the meantime. In Manaus, the "capital of the Amazon," Remy Harbonnier, a French tour operator who specializes in rainforest lodges and river cruises, said client and revenue numbers at his company, Heliconia, remain around 80 percent off pre-pandemic levels. Watch | Over 160 killed in Brazil floods, Bolsonaro promises federal assistance He hopes to cut that to 50 percent this year, he says. But that will depend on events. "Now we're worried about the situation in Ukraine. It's a bit scary," he said. "We just try to tell ourselves, we've gotten through two years of Covid, we'll get through an armed conflict in Europe."

Brazil tourism sector tries to rise from pandemic ashes

Cuba is struggling to reawaken its tourism industry after months of pandemic-induced slumber as U.S travellers stay away, threatening to derail the communist-run government's plan to haul the Caribbean island's economy from a deepening crisis.

Covid: Cuban tourism industry struggles. Is Cuba suffering from image problem?

Lake Cildir freezes over during the winter months and it's a delight for both the locals and tourists!

Visitors enjoy sleigh rides on frozen Turkish lake

Visitors are steadily returning to the Caracas's city center in Venezuela which authorities and charities have worked to revitalize for several years.

Venezuela: Visitors steadily return to Caracas's city centre

Once booming Indian tourism industry has been hit hard by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The deadly coronavirus has forced many people to cancel their travel plans, massively impacting the tourism industry.&nbsp;

Just when the situation was normalising and the tourism industry was coming back to normal, the Omicron variant emerged, hampering all these plans.&nbsp;

Ever since the pandemic started, the Indian tourism industry has seen a massive dip in the number of international travellers. The industry is now heavily dependent on domestic travellers.&nbsp;

Travel trends have seen a huge change in the past two years, owing to the rising Covid cases.&nbsp;

Indian travellers now, are more interested in quick getaways within India rather than international trips. Also, health and safety have now become a primary concern for travellers.

As per a report by the UN World Tourism Organization, international travel will not recover fully before 2024. The foreign tourist arrivals were down by 63 per cent at the end of 2021 from the pre-pandemic levels. The report stated that India was 96 per cent below its pre-pandemic numbers till June 2021.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-is-omicron-sub-variant-ba2-a-threat-in-india-more-than-400-cases-found-in-england-446950">Also read |&nbsp;COVID-19: Is Omicron 'sub-variant' BA.2 a threat in India? More than 400 cases found in England</a>

The foreign tourist arrivals for the first 11 months of 2021 is only 11.08 lakhs. This is lower than the number of arrivals in the month of January 2020 alone, reveals data from the Ministry of Tourism.&nbsp;

As cases of Omicron surged in the country, the tourism industry witnessed 30 per cent cancellation in January. Various Indian states imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the variant. This is what further contributed to the increased number of cancellations.&nbsp;

While speaking to a local media outlet, an executive from Yatra.com said that the travel restrictions imposed by Indian states like Goa, Delhi, Maharashtra and Kolkata have had the biggest impact on cancellations. Several tourists have reached out to the website to seek assistance in rescheduling their tickets.&nbsp;

Before the pandemic, tourism was one of the most important sectors of the Indian economy. In 2019-2020, the tourism sector is estimated to have directly contributed 2.7 per cent to the GDP and 6.7 per cent to the employment of the country.&nbsp;

Once booming Indian tourism industry has been hit hard by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The deadly coronavirus has forced many people to cancel their travel plans, massively impacting the tourism industry.

Once booming Indian tourism industry has been hit hard by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The deadly coronavirus has forced many people to cancel their travel plans, massively impacting the tourism industry. Just when the situation was normalising and the tourism industry was coming back to normal, the Omicron variant emerged, hampering all these plans. Ever since the pandemic started, the Indian tourism industry has seen a massive dip in the number of international travellers. The industry is now heavily dependent on domestic travellers. Travel trends have seen a huge change in the past two years, owing to the rising Covid cases. Indian travellers now, are more interested in quick getaways within India rather than international trips. Also, health and safety have now become a primary concern for travellers. As per a report by the UN World Tourism Organization, international travel will not recover fully before 2024. The foreign tourist arrivals were down by 63 per cent at the end of 2021 from the pre-pandemic levels. The report stated that India was 96 per cent below its pre-pandemic numbers till June 2021. Also read | COVID-19: Is Omicron 'sub-variant' BA.2 a threat in India? More than 400 cases found in England The foreign tourist arrivals for the first 11 months of 2021 is only 11.08 lakhs. This is lower than the number of arrivals in the month of January 2020 alone, reveals data from the Ministry of Tourism. As cases of Omicron surged in the country, the tourism industry witnessed 30 per cent cancellation in January. Various Indian states imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the variant. This is what further contributed to the increased number of cancellations. While speaking to a local media outlet, an executive from Yatra.com said that the travel restrictions imposed by Indian states like Goa, Delhi, Maharashtra and Kolkata have had the biggest impact on cancellations. Several tourists have reached out to the website to seek assistance in rescheduling their tickets. Before the pandemic, tourism was one of the most important sectors of the Indian economy. In 2019-2020, the tourism sector is estimated to have directly contributed 2.7 per cent to the GDP and 6.7 per cent to the employment of the country.

Battered by the pandemic, Indian tourism industry remains heavily dependent on domestic travellers

With countries battered by Omicron and Deltra variants of Coronavirus, a UN agency has said that tourism arrivals around the world are not expected to return to their pre-pandemic levels until 2024.

The highly contagious Omicron variant, though mild, will “disrupt the recovery” in early 2022 after the last year witnessed four per cent growth over 2020, the World Tourism Organisation said.

“The pace of recovery remains slow and uneven across world regions due to varying degrees of mobility restrictions, vaccination rates and traveller confidence,” the UNWTO said in a press release.

The Madrid-based UN agency, however, pointed out that the tourism industry might “see better prospects" for this year after&nbsp;restrictions in the early months due to the Omicron wave.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-to-cull-thousands-of-hamsters-after-finding-traces-of-animal-to-human-covid-transmission-445851">&nbsp;Hong Kong to cull thousands of hamsters after finding traces of animal-to-human Covid transmission</a>

The agency predicts a 30 to 78 per cent rise in international arrivals this year over 2021, while remaining far below 2019 levels.

In 2021, some countries reported a marginal rise in passenger arrivals. In Europe and the Americas, foreign visitor arrivals surged by 19 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively, last year over 2020.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-wave-50000-to-300000-more-deaths-in-us-by-march-model-predicts-445852">Omicron wave: 50,000 to 300,000 more deaths in US by March, model predicts</a>

In the Middle East, however, arrivals declined by 24 per cent in 2021, while in the Asia-Pacific region they were 65 per cent below 2020 levels, and 94 per cent down on pre-pandemic levels.

“The economic contribution of tourism in 2021 (measured in tourism direct gross domestic product) is estimated at $1.9 trillion, above the $1.6 trillion in 2020, but still well below the pre-pandemic value of $3.5 trillion,” the statement noted.

(With inputs from agencies)

With countries battered by Omicron and Deltra variants of Coronavirus, a UN agency has said that tourism arrivals around the world are not expected to return to their pre-pandemic levels until 2024.

With countries battered by Omicron and Deltra variants of Coronavirus, a UN agency has said that tourism arrivals around the world are not expected to return to their pre-pandemic levels until 2024. The highly contagious Omicron variant, though mild, will “disrupt the recovery” in early 2022 after the last year witnessed four per cent growth over 2020, the World Tourism Organisation said. “The pace of recovery remains slow and uneven across world regions due to varying degrees of mobility restrictions, vaccination rates and traveller confidence,” the UNWTO said in a press release. The Madrid-based UN agency, however, pointed out that the tourism industry might “see better prospects" for this year after restrictions in the early months due to the Omicron wave. Also read | Hong Kong to cull thousands of hamsters after finding traces of animal-to-human Covid transmission The agency predicts a 30 to 78 per cent rise in international arrivals this year over 2021, while remaining far below 2019 levels. In 2021, some countries reported a marginal rise in passenger arrivals. In Europe and the Americas, foreign visitor arrivals surged by 19 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively, last year over 2020. Also read | Omicron wave: 50,000 to 300,000 more deaths in US by March, model predicts In the Middle East, however, arrivals declined by 24 per cent in 2021, while in the Asia-Pacific region they were 65 per cent below 2020 levels, and 94 per cent down on pre-pandemic levels. “The economic contribution of tourism in 2021 (measured in tourism direct gross domestic product) is estimated at $1.9 trillion, above the $1.6 trillion in 2020, but still well below the pre-pandemic value of $3.5 trillion,” the statement noted. (With inputs from agencies)

Global tourism not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024: UN agency

The deep blue mountain lakes in the central Bamiyan province of Afghanistan have been a major hub of tourism, but with the return of the Taliban, few people are now mastering the courage to visit these sites of spectacular beauty.

The tourism industry hard hit in the central Bamiyan province of Afghanistan

Year 2021 has been a defining year for space tourism. For the first time, a journey into space is no longer restricted for just the trained astronauts. WION tells you more in this.

Yearender: 2021 has been a break through year for space tourism

The world is changing at a rapid pace. What was special earlier is common nowadays.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Space travel has also seen it lately. In the past, only scientific explorers used to venture out in space to find several answers but now, it has become a way to spend leisure time.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Due to the advancement and commercialisation, space tourism has become a reality.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Several big conglomerates have entered this arena, which is highly lucrative.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-sends-detergent-to-space-to-help-astronauts-wash-clothes-439990" hreflang="en">SpaceX sends detergent to space to help astronauts wash clothes</a>

Not just this, the competition in the industry has already heat up. Nowadays, Elon Musk's SpaceX has been running missions for sending tourists to space. It has also been working on several other missions in coordination with NASA.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin have also completed their maiden flights. Many billionaires, such as Japanese tycoon Yusaku Maezawa, Branson and others, have already visited space.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Apart from billionaires, several others have also reached space or the International Space Station.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A US-based firm Space Adventures, which is headed by Tom Shelley, have sent around eight tourists to the ISS.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-finally-revolutionary-james-webb-space-telescope-scales-sky-on-christmas-439928" hreflang="en">Watch: Finally, revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope scales sky on Christmas</a>

The industry is also facing significant criticism due to its carbon footprint. This comes at a time when the world is looking to fight climate change in a do or die situation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some companies are using cleaner fuel for space travel but some are not.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Virgin Galactic has said that it looks to hold 400 flights a year in future. It shows that the popularity of space tourism will surely increase manifold.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

This may lead to huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions. So, it is important to find a fine balance between advancement in the form of space tourism and solution of climate change issues.&nbsp;

So, this kind of&nbsp;tourism may help in transportation of people to other planets but it may result in destruction of the Earth.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The world is changing at a rapid pace. What was special earlier is common nowadays. Space travel has also seen it lately. In the past, only scientific explorers used to venture out in space to find several answers but now, it has become a way to spend leisure time.

The world is changing at a rapid pace. What was special earlier is common nowadays. Space travel has also seen it lately. In the past, only scientific explorers used to venture out in space to find several answers but now, it has become a way to spend leisure time. Due to the advancement and commercialisation, space tourism has become a reality. Several big conglomerates have entered this arena, which is highly lucrative. Also Read: SpaceX sends detergent to space to help astronauts wash clothes Not just this, the competition in the industry has already heat up. Nowadays, Elon Musk's SpaceX has been running missions for sending tourists to space. It has also been working on several other missions in coordination with NASA. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin have also completed their maiden flights. Many billionaires, such as Japanese tycoon Yusaku Maezawa, Branson and others, have already visited space. Apart from billionaires, several others have also reached space or the International Space Station. A US-based firm Space Adventures, which is headed by Tom Shelley, have sent around eight tourists to the ISS. Also Read | Watch: Finally, revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope scales sky on Christmas The industry is also facing significant criticism due to its carbon footprint. This comes at a time when the world is looking to fight climate change in a do or die situation. Some companies are using cleaner fuel for space travel but some are not. Virgin Galactic has said that it looks to hold 400 flights a year in future. It shows that the popularity of space tourism will surely increase manifold. This may lead to huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions. So, it is important to find a fine balance between advancement in the form of space tourism and solution of climate change issues. So, this kind of tourism may help in transportation of people to other planets but it may result in destruction of the Earth.

Weekend Special: Will space tourism's phenomenal rise benefit world?

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every industry. However, among the worst hit was the Tourism industry.

The most deserted tourist destination in the world amid pandemic

In a new trend in Lapland, arctic ice floating has become a new way for people to wind down and relax their minds.

Arctic ice floating is Lapland's latest trend

tourism

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