Plea for mobile tourist police bikes in Meghalaya

Shillong: The Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum has written to chief minister Conrad K Sangma, seeking introduction of a police outpost at Umtyngar in the East Khasi Hills district and mobile tourist police bikes all along the routes from Sohra (Cherrapunjee) and Dawki to Umtyngar to “instill a sense of safety” among travellers. “This act, if done on an urgent basis, can send positive signals to the tourists planning to visit the state during the next festival season,” a memorandum submitted to the CM, a copy of which was also marked for the state tourism minister Paul Lyngdoh, said. The memorandum, submitted by the rural stakeholders in tourism from Khasi and Jaintia Hills, comes in the wake of Hynniewtrep National Youth Forum stopping Assam-registered tourist vehicles at Umtyngar from proceeding towards Sohra and Dawki and other tourist sites on July 26 last.The memo to the CM said the incident has created a loss of 30% of the accommodation bookings apart from revenue generated by indirect stakeholders. It added that there is an apprehension that there would be more cancellation of tours and activities in the future.

Karachi, Dhaka among worst, which are the most risky cities for tourists?

Forbes Adviser recently ranked Karachi as the world's second-most risky city for tourists, right after Caracas. The assessment considered crime, violence, political instability, and infrastructure issues. Yangon, Lagos, and Dhaka also featured prominently on the list. Singapore, Tokyo, and Toronto were highlighted as the safest cities, showcasing vast global disparities in travel safety.

Despite heavy rain, people flock to tourist hotspots

Heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslides in Malnad and Mysuru regions. Tourist spots in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, and Sakleshpur attracted many visitors despite some closures. Inflows were particularly high at Jog Falls and Sakleshpur. Authorities took precautions by closing risky areas and deploying lifeguards to ensure safety amidst overflowing rivers and waterfalls.

Venice to limit tourist groups to maximum of 25 people

Venice implemented new rules to limit tourist groups to 25 people from Thursday, aiming to alleviate the city's crowd impact. Loudspeakers used by guides are also banned. These measures include fines for non-compliance and apply to the city centre and nearby islands. This follows an April experiment that introduced a visitor payment system to manage tourist influx.