Introduction:
Tourism around the world is buzzing with major developments—from reopened sacred pilgrimages and new travel routes to growing concerns about over-tourism. Here’s a roundup of the most important travel and tourism news making headlines today

See It Before It’s Gone: The Bittersweet Rush Of Last Chance Tourism

Is this travel trend just about ticking off places from your bucket list or will it lead to more awareness about destinations that might disappear soon?

Ever felt the urgent need to pack your bags because a glacier is melting, a beach is vanishing, or a coral reef is fading into ghostly white? This slightly heartbreaking trend that has been gaining speed is called Last Chance Tourism and refers to the desire of travellers to head to destinations that may not survive the turn of the century, or worse, decade.
Also known as “doom tourism,” this trend revolves around destinations that are disappearing or undergoing irreversible change, whether due to rising sea levels, melting glaciers, vanishing wildlife or environmental destruction.
Driven by the desire to witness something “before it’s gone,” this trend is emotional, controversial, and urgent. While it raises awareness about threatened destinations, it also poses ethical questions: Does visiting endangered places help or hurt them?
Think Venice. As millions of tourists continue to filter into the city’s narrow alleyways, canals and buildings, environmentalists and local residents are both concerned about the structural damage this causes to Venice. Additionally, in 2023, some of the city’s smaller canals had run dry, where gondolas could be seen beached near the roads. In Italy too, 2022 was declared as a drought year with regions around River Po left wanting for water. To deal with overtourism, the city has employed a slew of measures, including tourist tax, but whether it survives the burgeoning tourism scene remains to be seen.
The same goes for Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef. This underwater rainbow is losing its colour, quite literally. Warming oceans have caused mass coral bleaching events that threaten the world’s largest reef system. This is why tourists are now rushing to see its vibrant underwater life before it fades, though sustainable operators now emphasise eco-education and conservation.
But this trend brings to fore one more question: can last chance tourism be sustainable? Sure, limiting tourists in Venice will help protect its environment and culture, but will it be detrimental to the economy which depends on tourism? Many argue that travelling to these destinations is imperative for awareness, but will that awareness come at the cost of burdening existing resources? Efforts are on across different travel sectors to protect endangered sites: airlines and travel agents offer carbon-offset packages, environmental tours and sustainable stays. But will that ever be enough to reverse the damage?

The tourists and the locals in Kashmir: The conversations we have and the ones we don’t

Despite the atmosphere of fear and foreboding, despite its people having witnessed so much bloodshed, violence and suffering, the bond between the Valley and the visitor did not fray. After Pahalgam, this should not change.

Visiting Kashmir is a very different experience than going to Gujarat or Tamil Nadu. There is a deep connection between tourists and their Kashmiri hosts and a serious gap between the two sides as well.

While welcoming tourists, residents of the Valley want to protect their voice, identity and culture. For tourists from other parts of the country, Kashmir has been and continues to be “integral” to India. This silent conversation between those visiting the Valley and those who live there was, at last, blossoming when the Pahalgam attack took place.

No matter what separatists propagate, the relationship between the two sides is not merely transactional. In the 1980s, while reporting in Ahmedabad on arranged marriages in middle-class families, I came across an educated young woman who was mesmerised by the beauty of Kashmir’s mountains from watching Hindi films. Among the many terms and conditions that she laid out for prospective bridegrooms, she asked, “I have a dream of going to Kashmir for honeymoon. Will you agree?” When you see many newlyweds, the brides with fresh mehndi on their hands, you know the flight is going to Srinagar. In 2024, around 2.36 crore tourists arrived in J&K. According to government data, more than 15.3 crore tourists have visited J&K in the last 10 years.

Goa and Kerala confidently compete with the Kashmir fable, but their success is for different reasons. And while domestic travellers are visiting other places, including the Taj Mahal, in greater numbers, Kashmir remains “heaven on earth”. In many middle-class Indian families, the refrain is “zindagi main ek baar to Kashmir jana hai”.

What is commendable is that Kashmir carries this weight of expectation even though it is not a “normal” tourist destination. Despite the atmosphere of fear and foreboding, despite its people having witnessed so much bloodshed, violence and suffering, the bond between the Valley and the visitor did not fray.

The Pahalgam terror attack has changed some ground realities but, before April 23, a new, healthy interdependence was in the making between domestic tourists and local Kashmiris. This bond was helped by the fact that terror incidents are declining. In 2018, there were around 228 incidents, while in 2023 the number was just 46.

In fact, after the dilution of Article 370 in 2019, the tourism sector has flourished because Kashmiris themselves are feeling much safer. Flights to Jammu and Srinagar were nearly always full. Hotel rooms were not easily available even at Rs 25,000 per night in the peak season. There are now more than 100 vegetarian “Vaishnaw Dhabas” in Srinagar and around tourist hotspots. Around one million people are employed in the tourism industry. Kashmir was at the cusp of many changes because booming tourism would see more money in the hands of people across the value chain.

Kashmir will never lose its relevance for tourists because fables that are woven over centuries don’t fade easily. The legendary poet Kalidas wrote extensively on Kashmir and the Himalayas, and his works form a part of India’s collective memory. In the 8th century, Adi Shankaracharya’s walk from Kaladi in Kerala to Srinagar and Amarnath to spread Advaita Vedanta birthed a new era and made Kashmir integral to the history of Hinduism. In the early 17th century, Mughal Emperor Jahangir fell in love with Kashmir and built the Shalimar Bagh for his wife Nur Jahan. He made famous the lines “Gar Firdaus, bar ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast” (If there is paradise on this earth, it is here, it is here, it is here). These words have turned out to be the best tourism slogan written for any region.

 

Shillong-Silchar Highway: Union Cabinet Approves Rs 22,864 Crore Project to Boost Connectivity, Economy, And Tourism In Northeast India

According to an official statement, the 166.80 km of National Highway No. 06 from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) in Assam will be built on Hybrid Annuity Mode as an access-controlled greenfield High-Speed Corridor at a total capital cost of Rs 22,864 Crore.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the proposal for the Development, Maintenance, and Management of a four-lane Greenfield Access Controlled high-speed corridor highway from Shillong to Silchar.

Project Investment And Mode of Construction

According to an official statement, the 166.80 km of National Highway No. 06 from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) in Assam will be built on Hybrid Annuity Mode as an access-controlled greenfield High-Speed Corridor at a total capital cost of Rs 22,864 Crore.

Improved Connectivity And Economic Benefits

The proposed Greenfield high-speed corridor will improve the service level for the traffic moving from Guwahati to Silchar. The development of this corridor will improve the connectivity to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and the Barak Valley region of Assam from the mainland and Guwahati with substantially reduced travel distance and travel time.

This will, in turn, contribute to the enhancement of the logistics efficiency of the nation. The corridor will improve connectivity between Assam and Meghalaya and will spur economic development, including the development of industries in Meghalaya, as it passes through the cement and coal production areas of Meghalaya. This corridor will cater to the national and international tourists coming from well-connected Guwahati Airport, Shillong Airport, and Silchar Airport (via existing NH-06) connecting Guwahati to Silchar.

Alignment With National Master Plan And Vision Of Atmanirbhar Bharat

This would connect scenic places of tourist attraction in the North-East and promote tourism. This critical infrastructure project will improve inter-city connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar, traverses through Ri Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia hills, East Jaintia hills in Meghalaya and Cachar district in Assam reduce congestion on existing NH-06 and enhance transport infrastructure development in line with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

The project alignment integrates with major transport corridors, including NH-27, NH-106, NH-206, NH-37, providing seamless connectivity to Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Diengpasoh, Ummulong, Phramer, Khlieriat, Ratachera, Umkiang, and Kalain. Upon completion, the Shillong-Silchar Corridor will play a pivotal role in regional economic growth, improving connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Imphal, Aizawl, and Agartala. The project aligns with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, enhancing infrastructure while generating employment and fostering socio-economic development in Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.

Assam: Elephant safari at ONPTR to remain closed for 2025–2026 tourist season

The elephant safari for tourists and visitors at Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONPTR) will remain closed from May 1, 2025, for the 2025–2026 tourist season until further notice.

The elephant safari for tourists and visitors at Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONPTR) will remain closed from May 1, 2025, for the 2025–2026 tourist season until further notice. However, according to Pradipta Barua, Divisional Forest Officer of the Mangaldai Wildlife Division, the Gypsy safari will remain open for tourists and visitors until May 15, subject to weather conditions.

Meghalaya Strawberry Festival 2025 Rescheduled to May 2–3, 2025

Meghalaya Strawberry Festival 2025, originally scheduled for April 25–26, has been rescheduled to May 2–3. The event will highlight local farmers, culture, and tourism through vibrant activities, strawberry-themed experiences, and community showcases.

Meghalaya is set to host the second edition of its highly anticipated Strawberry Festival on May 2 and 3, 2025. The festival will take place across three picturesque venues: Sohliya in the Ri Bhoi District, Syntung in the East Khasi Hills, and Darechikgre in the West Garo Hills. The dates were moved from the original schedule of April 25–26 due to the funeral of Pope Francis.

Visitors will have the chance to enjoy strawberry picking, participate in culinary workshops, and experience live music and cultural performances. For adventure enthusiasts, activities such as cycling tours, farm treks, and glamping will be available.

The festival also serves as a platform for local farmers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and entrepreneurs to showcase their products, including strawberry wines, jams, ice creams, and traditional cakes. Educational sessions on organic farming and traditional winemaking will also be part of the festivities.

Meghalaya’s strawberry production has witnessed significant growth in recent years, and the state government plans to further expand cultivation to boost the local economy and empower farmers.

The inaugural festival in 2024 attracted visitors from across the country. This year’s festival promises to be an even more vibrant celebration of the state’s rich cultural heritage and agricultural success.







	
 
	
 

	

			
	

		
		

			

		

	


	
 


	

			
	

			
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