Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) today said that it is aiming to double its annual tourist arrivals from India to one lakh by 2015.With India being the strategic market, the tourism board would expand the product offering of the destination through a gamut of integrated destination marke ...
Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) today said that it is aiming to double its annual tourist arrivals from India to one lakh by 2015.With India being the strategic market, the tourism board would expand the product offering of the destination through a gamut of integrated destination marketing initiatives, it said.In a bid to consolidate its presence in India market, Vijaye Haulder, Deputy Director, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority is leading a travel business delegation of about 24 prominent organisations comprising of hoteliers, ground handling agents and service providers from Mauritius, a statement issued here said."Mauritius has received a prominent increase in the average per person spent by Indian Travellers, contributing significantly to the Tourism Receipts of the destination. The spending power of an Indian Traveller to the destination has doubled to USD 360 per person per day indicating a positive consumption trend. We are committed to a greater destination visibility by enhancing the awareness quotient of the destination and positioning Mauritius as a lifestyle statement, must to visit destination," the statement said.
Got 48 hours to spend in Dallas-Fort Worth? There is plenty to see and do in this metropolitan area featuring two cities with distinctly different vibes.Rich in Texas heritage, the DFW area is the place to sample the full gamut of distinctively Texas cuisine, from chicken-fried steak, barbecue and T ...
Got 48 hours to spend in Dallas-Fort Worth? There is plenty to see and do in this metropolitan area featuring two cities with distinctly different vibes.Rich in Texas heritage, the DFW area is the place to sample the full gamut of distinctively Texas cuisine, from chicken-fried steak, barbecue and Tex-Mex to high-end fusions like lobster or sea bass tacos.When it comes to entertainment, there is plenty to appeal to either urban sophisticates or wannabe cowboys. The possibilities range from pro sports to cultural arts to world-class shopping to the world's largest honky tonk.Reuter correspondent with local knowledge help visitor make the most out of short visit.
For an avid forts-addict, it was a moment of history. A sharp turn out of a downtown alley and I was on the slope leading to the fort I had always wanted to see--the Mehrangarh Fort atop Jodhpur, the blue city of Rajasthan.
Forts have always had a special fascination for me and travelling through t ...
For an avid forts-addict, it was a moment of history. A sharp turn out of a downtown alley and I was on the slope leading to the fort I had always wanted to see--the Mehrangarh Fort atop Jodhpur, the blue city of Rajasthan.
Forts have always had a special fascination for me and travelling through the length and breadth of this country, I have gone out of my way to visit even the most neglected of them. Agra, Delhi, Golconda, Gwalior, Jhansi or even Singhdurg and Kalinjar etc have had me enthralled. The Sonar Kella of Jaisalmer holds a special place in my fort travel diary but Jodhpur had eluded me over the years. It is said that Mehrangarh has never fallen to a siege. But today I wanted to capture it during my day-long siege on its ramparts, battlements and its many palaces.The rock base of the fort rises sharply from the flats of Jodhpur. It is over 410 feet high, crowned with the outer walls of the fort. Standing at the main gateway to the fort, Jaipol, one can only agree with Rudyard Kipling's description of the fort as being 'a creation of angels, fairies and giants.'It indeed looks gigantic with the walls, 118 feet high and 70 feet wide, rising perpendicularly from the rock base. The Jaipol entry sets the mood of entering from a Giant Causeway into a world which has the delicacy of fairies and the genteelness of angels. Mehrangarh does in fact combines the romance of Rajputana living with the audacity of royal design.The story of building Mehrangarh, or the Sun Fort, starts in the 1000-year old fort of Rathores located in Mandore. Ranmal was the ruler of Mandore and, believe it or not, he had 24 sons. One of his sons, perhaps the eldest, Rao Jodha, succeeded him to the throne in 1438 and within a year decided to shift the seat of power to a rock formation towering over the horizon. On May 12, 1459, Rao Jodha laid the foundation of the fort at a site which was then known as the mountain of birds or Bhaurcheeria, just 9 km from Mandore.According to folklore, Rao Jodha displaced the hill's sole human occupant, a hermit called Cheeria Nathji, the lord of birds. Upset at being forced to move, Cheeria Nathji cursed Rao Jodha. The king appeased the hermit by building a house and a temple in the fort and in order to ensure that the new site proved propitious even buried a man called Rajiya Bhambi alive in the foundations. Rajiya was promised that in return his family would be looked after by the Rathores. To this day his descendants still live in Raj Bagh, Rajiya's Garden, an estate bequeathed them by Jodha.Though the fortress was originally started in 1459 by Rao Jodha, after whom Jodhpur is named, most of the fort which stands today dates from the period of Jaswant Singh (1638-78). History apart the only way to enjoy the fort is to amble through it at a very leisurely pace. Of course, the management has made an effort to provide audio history to tourists and even a lift to take the weak kneed directly to the ramparts of the fort but unless you meander through its alleys with the occasional sarangi player or a drummer evoking the sounds typical of Rajputana, the experience is unfulfilled. Indeed, it's not only the rolling ramparts with their legendary canons, panoramic city views, chambers, palaces and museums that make the Mehrangarh experience truly memorable but its sounds, its chatter, and its silence.But to quickly list the highlights of the fort and the must dos, stand and stare at:
Jai Pol, Victory Gate, built by Maharaja Man Singh in 1806 to celebrate his victory over Jaipur and Bikaner estates.Fateh Pol, built to celebrate a victory over the Mughals in 1707; Dedh Kamgra Pol, which still bears the scars of bombardment by cannonballs; Loha Pol, which is the final gate into the main part of the fort complex. Immediately to the left are the handprints of the queens, who in 1843, immolated themselves at the funeral pyre of their husband, Maharaja Man Singh. Several brilliantly crafted and decorated palaces dot Mehrangarh. Do not forget to visit Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) used to be the private meeting place for the king. Its ceiling is decorated with mirrors, gold leaves and rushed sea shells giving it a rich luster.Phool Mahal (Flower Palace) is Mehrangarh's most p[ulent chamber, richly gilded and painted and was used for royal celebrations.Sheesha Mahal (Mirror Palace) has intricate and beautiful mirror work.Sileh Khana contains an extra ordinary collection of weapons, including Mughal time dagger, gem-studded shields and armour for elephants Shringar Chowk is the courtyard with a coronation throne. Every ruler after Rao Jodha was crowned in it.Takhat Mahal is extravagant and laced with British time influence. Maharaja Takhat Singh spent much of his time here in company of his 30 queens and a large collection of concubines.
Dubai's economy will continue to grow in 2012, despite persistent contraction in its once rapidly-booming construction sector, thanks to healthy trade and tourism, an official and economists said Wednesday.Growth in the gross domestic product of the debt-laden emirate is "expected to be over 4.5 per ...
Dubai's economy will continue to grow in 2012, despite persistent contraction in its once rapidly-booming construction sector, thanks to healthy trade and tourism, an official and economists said Wednesday.Growth in the gross domestic product of the debt-laden emirate is "expected to be over 4.5 percent this year," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, the head of the Dubai Economic Sector Committee.
The forecast by Dubai's Department of Economic Development (DED) is also around 4.1 percent for 2012.
This is a "respectable rate" driven by over six percent growth in tourism, and similar rates in trade and manufacturing, in addition to transport, said DED chief economist Mohammad Lahouel.The growth will continue "despite a continued decline in construction," he said at the Dubai Economic Outlook 2012 forum.Lahouel said the final figures on GDP growth achieved in 2011 were not out, though he expected they should be around three percent, while a "little bit over two percent" was achieved in 2010.
Standard Chartered's Marios Maratheftis agreed with the positive outlook for Dubai, but he put the forecast for growth in 2012 at 2.4 percent."We think it is good given that 2011 was a good year," said Maratheftis, the bank's head of research for Western Hemisphere.A slower rate of growth is not bad news because the quality of growth is improving, he added."The fundamentals of Dubai are pretty healthy and strong. Construction will continue to be negative, but I think it is good news because focus is shifting towards productive sectors," he said."It shouldn't be about the rate of growth but about the quality of growth," Maratheftis added, highlighting that the retail sector "is doing well, if not booming," while hospitality is also doing very well.Dubai's economy contracted in 2009 after being hit by the global financial crisis which dried out international finance and brought its property sector -- which grew at break-neck speed for over five years -- to a shrieking halt, shedding around 60 percent of its value so far.But the economy has picked up pace, banking on its developed tourism and retail sectors, as well its traditional trade sector.The property sector had led Dubai's growth, but it is now lagging behind as investors walked away from many projects after they saw the value of their investments wiped out, while plenty of residential and commercial space became available in the market."We have enough real estate to accommodate growth," said Marwan bin Galitha, the head of Dubai's Real Easte Regulatory Agency (RERA), while acknowledging the relegation of property from the sectors leading Dubai's growth.He said that between 15,000 to 16,000 units are expected to enter the market this year after 10,700 units were delivered in 2011, compared with a flood of more than 30,000 units that some were expecting last year.He said that 220 real estate projects were progressing, declining to provide a figure for cancelled projects.In 2010, RERA said 480 projects in the drawing stage were cancelled.Dubai sent jitters throughout global markets in November 2009, when it said it needed to freeze payments on some $26 billion of debt owed by its largest group, Dubai World.But the conglomerate succeeded in reaching an agreement with lenders to restructure $14.7 billion of debt.The debt on Dubai's government-related entities is estimated at $100 billion.
There are the Seven Wonders of the World and then there are the New Seven Wonders of the World. And, then to add to the chaos there are arguments about which list is more accurate. As if all that was not enough, a recent survey gives a shock by revealing that one in five travellers (20%) do not even ...
There are the Seven Wonders of the World and then there are the New Seven Wonders of the World. And, then to add to the chaos there are arguments about which list is more accurate. As if all that was not enough, a recent survey gives a shock by revealing that one in five travellers (20%) do not even know of their existence. Worse still, one in three people (30%) have never visited any of them. Surprised? Read on.
Hotels.com put global holidaymakers to the test to see if they knew their Great Wall of China from their Taj Mahal and, more importantly, if they had actually made the trip to see them. More than 2,500 travellers from Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and UK participated in the survey carried out in November 2011.The results showed that despite the appeal of the world's most spectacular natural wonders and man-made structures, some are barely visited by global travellers. These include Peru's Inca, sacred site Machu Picchu (5%) and Jordan's archeological desert phenomenon, Petra (6%). And tourism campaigns in India and Brazil are in dire need of overhaul too. Only one in 11 (9%) travellers have visited Christ the Redeemer, Brazil's statue of Jesus Christ and the Taj Mahal, India's marble mausoleum. On the other hand, Rome's ancient amphitheatre, the Colosseum (33%), and Beijing's Great Wall of China (17%) attract maximum tourists.But when it comes to domestic travellers, India seems to have gotten its act right. The Taj Mahal in Agra is the most visited amongst Indians (90%). The Great Wall of China came in second (45%).
The research further revealed that Indians have also visited Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza (28%) and lighthouse of Alexandria (11 %). But they almost never make a trip to ancient wonders such as the Statue of Zeus at Olympia and Colossus of Rhodes.But on the bright side, the survey revealed that all Indians were aware of the concept of 'Wonders of the World'.
Approved heritage byelaws for the ‘Sher Shah Gate and Khair-nul-Manazil’ — the first for any monument in Delhi and also in India — would be presented before the Delhi High Court on Tuesday.The National Monument Authority (NMA) is set to submit it in connection with the court’s expansion ca ...
Approved heritage byelaws for the ‘Sher Shah Gate and Khair-nul-Manazil’ — the first for any monument in Delhi and also in India — would be presented before the Delhi High Court on Tuesday.The National Monument Authority (NMA) is set to submit it in connection with the court’s expansion case. Following an amendment in the Archaeological Act, the NMA can permit any building/repair/ renovation, etc, only as per the heritage byelaws.The court intervention expedited the procedure for the byelaws as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was going too slow with it since the amendment in March 2010.“Byelaws would be finalised as per commitment before the high court,” said Pravin Shrivastava, NMA member secretary.The final byelaws — touted as model byelaws — would set a precedent for allowing or disallowing construction of new buildings up to the height of existing structure in the periphery of 101-300 metre among other issues.It includes heritage control matters such as elevations, facades, drainage systems, roads and service infrastructure (including electric poles, water and sewer pipelines) for areas around monuments.The amendment bans new construction within 0-100 metre of an ASI-protected monument and puts restrictions on properties/ new construction within 101-300 metre of the same.Sources said the first set of byelaws had witnessed a debate of sorts between the byelaw makers and the NMA. While the court’s main building is 15 metre tall, other buildings on the premises vary in height more than it, with one reaching up to 30 metre.“The byelaws submitted to the NMA proposes maximum height of the new construction at 21 metres based on the fact that it does not affect the view of the monument – Sher Shah Gate and Khair-nul-Manazil – and study of angle of vision,” sources said, adding, “NMA members had sought to know the ‘rational’ for the proposed 21 metres height when the main building was just 15 metres high.”The high court complex is part of the Central Vista , which includes India Gate and surroundings. The Central Vista Committee has not yet defined any height restriction in tune with the master plan.
Kolkata
With beautification plans for the city already in progress, the Mamata Banerjee government now wants to beautify towns on the fringes of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). State urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim will meet representatives of all municipalities a ...
Kolkata
With beautification plans for the city already in progress, the Mamata Banerjee government now wants to beautify towns on the fringes of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). State urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim will meet representatives of all municipalities and civic corporations in the KMA area and its surroundings, at Unnayan Bhavan on Monday, to discuss the plan. “We will discuss the beautification plan and allocation of funds for it,” said the minister.The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has been working on the master plan which the civic bodies will be asked to follow. The plan includes proper illumination, beautification of roadsides, pavements and boulevards and setting up street furniture in urban areas like Howrah, Chandernagore, Kalyani and Chinsurah.
Authorities feel that high population in the peri-urban areas is creating pressure not only on land and water supply, but also on basic amenities like sanitation, drainage and transport. This has resulted in uncontrolled land use and environmental degradation. The beautification plan when implemented will help municipalities create an ecofriendly environment. The urban development department also wants to execute canal renovation work with funds of the National Ganga River Basin Authority. Firhad and department officials had a meeting with the Centre last week where they expressed willingness to bring these canals under the scheme.
Chennai
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has initiated several measures for investors in real estate in the city to update themselves on the land use pattern, approval status, etc. This is a virtual boost to buyers and investors in real estate who are otherwise taken for a ride ...
Chennai
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has initiated several measures for investors in real estate in the city to update themselves on the land use pattern, approval status, etc. This is a virtual boost to buyers and investors in real estate who are otherwise taken for a ride by unscrupulous people in the industry.
A counselling centre provides a wide range of services free of cost to those looking for guidance with regard to land use, approval and acquisition status prior to investment. In fact with the e-governance initiative taking shape, one can obtain the status of land use through CMDA website today by providing location specific information sought for.
A long standing requirement of the real estate sector in Tamil Nadu is the need to speed up the planning approval process. Towards this objective, the CMDA is conducting a trial run of the automatic approval process mechanism that will scrutinise the application as and when it is submitted to the authority. Through this process, architects may submit it in a CD. The department is now conducting a trial run before ensuring that developers can safely submit it online.
The NSC software is expected to be ready shortly, according to senior official sources in CMDA. Once implemented there is no need for developers to swarm the authorities with voluminous documents to represent their cases. They can submit the application online and ascertain the status of their application also online. In fact the system is modified in such a way that they can see at what stage or with whom the application is lying i.e. assistant planner or senior planner or member secretary.
While delivering the inaugural address at the recently held 3-day Credai property show in Chennai Trade Centre, Phanindra Reddy, IAS, Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, has also assured the industry to look into the paramount need of speeding up the planning approval process.
The industry has also voiced concern that the 18% per cent growth rate recorded in real estate development in the state could have been 30% had there been a pragmatic approach on the government front in reforming the archaic rules that act as deterrents in the housing sector.
Panipat, about 90 kms from Delhi, touches boundaries with other districts of Haryana, Karnal in North, Jind in West and Sonipat in South. The area has seen a rise in real estate activities in the past couple of years. Industrial and handloom sector are the main drivers of real estate growth here.
...
Panipat, about 90 kms from Delhi, touches boundaries with other districts of Haryana, Karnal in North, Jind in West and Sonipat in South. The area has seen a rise in real estate activities in the past couple of years. Industrial and handloom sector are the main drivers of real estate growth here.
The expansion of industrial sector post recession has helped in boosting demand for premium properties in the neighbourhood. In the residential segment, there are mainly about 12 sectors in Panipat. Most of the residential sectors are developed, having about 855 constructed houses. Although basic infrastructure facilities have been well taken care of, there is a scope of further development.
Property prices in Panipat have been rising prominently for the last couple of years, according to local realtor Om Dutt Sharma. He added that realty values have shown an appreciation of 10-15% in the past one year and this trend is expected to continue.
Availability of land has attracted many prominent developers such as Parsvnath Developers, Best Group, Panipat Builders, Eldeco Group, TDI Group, CHD Developers, among others. Most of the upcoming projects comprise of condominiums, villas, apartments, bungalows and specialty townships with modern features and amenities.
Boom in residential property market of Panipat is being complimented by increasing influx of funds. Developing infrastructure facilities and connectivity also had a positive impact on the realty market. According to market sources Panipat is a lucrative option for developers and investors and is experiencing actual transactions. With more prospective investors foraying into the city, Panipat is touted to become a real estate destination of Haryana
Real estate deed restrictions are restrictions on the deed that place limitations on the use of the property. Deed restrictions are usually initiated by the developers – those who determined what the land would be used for, divided the land into plots, and built homes, office buildings, or retail ...
Real estate deed restrictions are restrictions on the deed that place limitations on the use of the property. Deed restrictions are usually initiated by the developers – those who determined what the land would be used for, divided the land into plots, and built homes, office buildings, or retail buildings on it.
Deed restrictions come with the property and usually can not be changed or removed by subsequent owners. Deed restrictions such as restrictive covenants are often put in place to maintain a desired look in a neighborhood.
Please remember your real estate agent or the owner/seller is obliged to give you a copy of a development’s restrictive covenants before you make an offer on the property.
If restrictions are not offered, do ask for them. If no one has a copy, go to the Association of Home Owners of the complex and chat with them. Deed restrictions govern more than just the construction of buildings on a property. Don’t be surprised after the sale; get the facts about a property early on so that you can eliminate it from your possible choices if the covenants include more restrictions than you can live with.
• Watch for wording that limits property use, such as “no commercial use.”
• Clauses restraining running an office or clinic etc.
• Look for any statements that give others the right to use the property.
• One major developer client once asked me to insert a clause preventing buyers from drying clothes upon the windows, balconies which is visible from the outside or to outsiders.If statements refer a prior deed, look it up and read it. A real estate lawyer can answer any questions you might have about confusing clauses in deeds and restrictive covenants.
Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) today said that it is aiming to double its annual tourist arrivals from India to one lakh by 2015.With India being the strategic market, the tourism board would expand the product offering of the destination through a gamut of integrated destination marke ... 
Got 48 hours to spend in Dallas-Fort Worth? There is plenty to see and do in this metropolitan area featuring two cities with distinctly different vibes.Rich in Texas heritage, the DFW area is the place to sample the full gamut of distinctively Texas cuisine, from chicken-fried steak, barbecue and T ... 
For an avid forts-addict, it was a moment of history. A sharp turn out of a downtown alley and I was on the slope leading to the fort I had always wanted to see--the Mehrangarh Fort atop Jodhpur, the blue city of Rajasthan.
Forts have always had a special fascination for me and travelling through t ... 
Dubai's economy will continue to grow in 2012, despite persistent contraction in its once rapidly-booming construction sector, thanks to healthy trade and tourism, an official and economists said Wednesday.Growth in the gross domestic product of the debt-laden emirate is "expected to be over 4.5 per ... 
There are the Seven Wonders of the World and then there are the New Seven Wonders of the World. And, then to add to the chaos there are arguments about which list is more accurate. As if all that was not enough, a recent survey gives a shock by revealing that one in five travellers (20%) do not even ... 
Approved heritage byelaws for the ‘Sher Shah Gate and Khair-nul-Manazil’ — the first for any monument in Delhi and also in India — would be presented before the Delhi High Court on Tuesday.The National Monument Authority (NMA) is set to submit it in connection with the court’s expansion ca ... .jpg)
Kolkata
With beautification plans for the city already in progress, the Mamata Banerjee government now wants to beautify towns on the fringes of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). State urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim will meet representatives of all municipalities a ... .jpg)
Chennai
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has initiated several measures for investors in real estate in the city to update themselves on the land use pattern, approval status, etc. This is a virtual boost to buyers and investors in real estate who are otherwise taken for a ride ... .jpg)
Panipat, about 90 kms from Delhi, touches boundaries with other districts of Haryana, Karnal in North, Jind in West and Sonipat in South. The area has seen a rise in real estate activities in the past couple of years. Industrial and handloom sector are the main drivers of real estate growth here.
... 
Real estate deed restrictions are restrictions on the deed that place limitations on the use of the property. Deed restrictions are usually initiated by the developers – those who determined what the land would be used for, divided the land into plots, and built homes, office buildings, or retail ... 
