From fitcations, workcations, mini-cations, and business tours to destination weddings, 2023 is a year that experienced a surge in various kinds of travel, according to many tourism enthusiasts. From Gen Z and millennials to retired couples, people have been bitten by the travel bug after the past few years of restricted travel rules due to the pandemic. The travel news that interested them also varied from changing airport rules and visa regulations to the Vande Bharat trains. Here are a few of the unique travel tidbits that were read the most: 

A few months ago, airport authorities released the list of items not allowed in flight while travelling by air from India to the UAE. The move comes even as the India-UAE air corridor has become one of the busiest routes, with a large number of Indians travelling to the Gulf for business, tourism, and employment purposes. 
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North American country El Salvador recently announced an entry fee of US Dollars (USD) 1,000 (Rs 83,219) for travellers from India and 50 African nations. Along with value-added tax (VAT), a visitor from these countries would have to pay USD 1,130 (Rs 94,038) to enter El Salvador. Why?
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Rajadhani Express (train no: 12431/12432) was the longest ‘non-stop train’ in India covering a distance of 528 km between Vadodara and Kota in 6 hours 45 minutes without any halt. In the last week of August, the Railways decided to allot a stop, on an experimental basis, at Ratlam junction in Madhya Pradesh, and the train lost its record.
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British traveller Yad, a travel vlogger who runs the YouTube channel 'Yad Ventures,' made a captivating video after staying in Kerala for about four weeks and visiting its tourist destinations. According to him, many things sets Kerala apart from the rest of India.
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Yad mentions 5 things he liked in the state and shares them with his followers. Photo: Yad Ventures
Yad mentions 5 things he liked in the state and shares them with his followers. Photo: Yad Ventures


In a path-breaking announcement, UAE’s Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touk said that a single visa would be implemented for residents of all GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. The measure aimed to enable smooth travel in the region and provide a fillip to tourism.
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A new international ferry service, between Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam and Sri Lanka's Kankesanturai, was launched in October. The venture marked the revival of passenger ferry services between India and Sri Lanka, a service that was discontinued in the 1980s.
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The round trip cost of the service is Rs 13,000 plus tax. Photo: IANS
The round trip cost of the service is Rs 13,000 plus tax. Photo: IANS

Railway announced Vande Bharat sleeper trains around October and the Railway minister also gave a peek into its swanky interiors through his social media pages. Its fully air-conditioned coaches will meet the European train standards.
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Kerala's first glass bridge was opened in August at Kolahalamedu in Vagmon, letting the visitors relish sighs of Mundakkayam, Kuttikkal, and Kokkayar. It is also the country's longest cantilever bridge, according to authorities. 
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From the glass bridge at Kolahalamedu, visitors can relish the sights of even far-off places such as Mundakayam, Kuttikkal and Kokkayar. Photo: Capturedayz.com
From the glass bridge at Kolahalamedu, visitors can relish the sights of even far-off places such as Mundakayam, Kuttikkal and Kokkayar. Photo: Capturedayz.com

Willmount Geodesic Domes, a tourist facility nestled amid a huge cardamom plantation in Vagamon, is impressing both domestic and international tourists with their premium facilities, eco-friendly amenities, restaurant, cycling, and trekking trails. What else is special about this traveller's paradise?
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Willmount Geodesic Domes are nestled amid a huge cardamom plantation in the mist-enveloped hill in Elappara town. Photo: Special Arrangement
Willmount Geodesic Domes are nestled amid a huge cardamom plantation in the mist-enveloped hill in Elappara town. Photo: Special Arrangement

From next year, the visa and passport services for Indian expats will be brought under a single umbrella. The facility also envisages doorstep delivery of the services. 
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