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Destination News |
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Indian e-tourist
visa system
continues to
grow |
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India’s
e-tourist visa
system continued
to gain
popularity in
April 2016, with
more than 70,000
visas being
issued at Indian
airports during
the month.
According to
data from
India’s Tourism
Ministry, the
total of 70,045
e-tourist visas
issued April
marks a sharp
266% increase
from the 19,139
issued in the
same month last
year, reflecting
a major
expansion of the
scheme in the
last 12 months.
Travellers from
the UK accounted
for the largest
proportion of
e-tourist visas
issued last
month (18.8%),
followed by the
US (14.1%),
Russia (8.2%),
France (7.1%)
and China
(6.3%). Delhi
Airport issued
almost half the
visas in April
(46.5%),
followed by
Mumbai Airport
(19.1%), Goa
Airport (10.0%),
Bengaluru
Airport (6.5%)
and Chennai
Airport (5.6%).
The total number
of e-tourist
visas issued in
the first four
months of 2016
stood at
391,094, up 312%
compared to the
same period in
2015.
India started to
expand its
e-tourist visa
facility in 27
November 2014.
It has been
gradually ramped
up throughout
2015 and 2016
and is now
available to the
citizens of 150
countries. |
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New Aviation
Policy:
Pocket-friendly
airfares |
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In a major push
to the civil
aviation sector
the Modi Sarkar
has unveiled a
policy that
seeks to shake
off some decade
old norms with a
view to
increasing the
domestic ticket
sales from the
existing level
of 80 million a
year to 300
million (30
crore) a year by
2022.
It is an
achievable
target
considering that
the government
has decided to
cap the airfares
at Rs 2,500 per
hour of flying
time on many
under-served
regional routes,
particularly
away from big
cities. It has
also decided to
develop about
350 dilapidated
or underused
airstrips across
India into “no
frills airports”
to improve
domestic
connectivity.
The government
has, however,
imposed a “small
levy” on
domestic and
international
passengers
towards the
regional
connectivity
fund. Airlines
will also get
tax incentives
for operating on
unserved routes
under the
regional
connectivity
scheme.
Refunds will be
now applicable
on all fares,
including
promotional and
special rates.
Even when booked
through travel
agents or online
portals, the
airlines will
have to ensure
refunds within
15 days to
domestic
passengers. In
case of flight
cancellations
announced within
24 hours of
departure, the
compensation
amount has been
enhanced up to
Rs 10,000.
Compensation in
case of denied
boarding due to
over-booking and
no alternate
flight within an
hour has been
significantly
jacked up to Rs
20,000. |
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Railways
launches
integrated
social media
platform for
real-time
grievance
redressal |
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Railways
minister Suresh
Prabhu launched
integrated
social media
platform - Facebook &
Twitter - for
faster and
real-time redressal of
passengers'
grievances.
Launching the
service, Prabhu
said, "I invite
all Facebook
users to
interact with us
on this platform
and contribute
to improve the
services of
Railways."
As of now,
railways have
been
successfully
handling more
than 7000 tweets
daily of various
nature such as
complaints,
suggestions or
assistance.
After its
immense success
(more than 10
lakhs followers
on Twitter), the
railways have
decided to
interact with
its fans and
followers on
Facebook through
leveraging IT
for prompt and
speedy
resolution of
issues.
The integrated
social media
platform is made
functional from
Wednesday for
the posts
received on
Twitter and
Facebook. The
platform is a
step forward in
integration of
various mediums
of customer
touch-points on
Railways.
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