Tag: Travel

Business

Ministry of Tourism & Mastercard Sign MoU to Elevate India as a Global Tourism Hotspot

allycaralgoa

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Government of India, has joined hands with Mastercard in a strategic two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening India’s global positioning as a premier tourism destination. This wide-ranging collaboration focuses on showcasing India’s diverse cultural, spiritual, natural, and culinary heritage to domestic and international travelers through Mastercard’s global marketing platforms — most notably its iconic Priceless™ program.

As part of the initiative, curated experiences will be brought to priceless.com, beginning with Goa, followed by exceptional cultural and spiritual journeys in Varanasi and rural Andhra Pradesh. Many more destinations are expected to be added, providing travellers with access to immersive, authentic, and rare experiences.

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Honourable Minister of Tourism, emphasized India’s vast tourism potential, reaffirming the government’s mission to present India’s stories in innovative ways. He highlighted the role of corporate partnerships in amplifying India’s global outreach.

Mastercard brings its global marketing expertise, secure digital payment network, and multi-market influence to the collaboration. Through Priceless™, the company aims to spotlight India’s diverse heritage while also supporting the development of safe and seamless digital payment practices across the tourism ecosystem.

Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Mastercard, said the initiative intends to bring India’s remarkable stories “closer to travellers everywhere,” while ensuring unforgettable and authentic experiences.

Gautam Aggarwal, President, India & South Asia, Mastercard, added that strengthening digital payments—especially in remote regions—would boost the tourism value chain and drive economic participation across local communities.

Under the MoU, Mastercard will operate as the Knowledge Partner, while the Ministry of Tourism will identify strategic travel corridors and support collaborations with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Ministry of Culture, and State Tourism Boards.

Beyond tourist engagement, the 24-month MoU will focus on:

  • Encouraging secure and responsible digital payment practices
  • Expanding seamless payment acceptance nationwide
  • Supporting the introduction of innovative, co-branded tourism-linked payment products

The partnership signals a significant step in India’s efforts to build world-class travel experiences while strengthening economic opportunities across the tourism sector.

Travel

A Treasury of Life: India’s Largest Exhibition of Company Paintings Opens in Goa

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Travel Desk

DAG, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, is presenting A Treasury of Life: Indian Company Paintings, c. 1790–1835, the most comprehensive exhibition of Company Paintings ever mounted in India. Opening on 1 December 2025 at the Aguad Port & Jail Complex and running until 14 January 2026, the exhibition brings together 200 extraordinary works created by Indian artists who worked for European patrons in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Company paintings have long occupied an ambiguous position in Indian art history, often viewed as too late for the classical court tradition yet too early for modernism. This exhibition challenges that notion by showing how these artists blended indigenous techniques with Western influences, responding creatively to new patrons and subjects. Their work spans natural history, architecture, and depictions of daily life—each rendered with a mix of accuracy, sensitivity, and innovation. These paintings not only document India’s flora, fauna, built heritage, and social customs but also preserve memories of worlds that have since transformed or disappeared.

Curated by Giles Tillotson, SVP at DAG, the exhibition includes works by celebrated artists such as Sita Ram, Sewak Ram, and Chuni Lal, alongside European references by artists like James Forbes and F.B. Solvyns that help illuminate the artistic dialogue of the time. The showcase highlights how Indian artists forged a new visual language, laying the groundwork for future developments in Indian modernism.

Leaders from DAG and Goa Tourism emphasise the significance of hosting this exhibition in a historic site like Aguad, reinforcing Goa’s commitment to heritage-centred cultural experiences. The accompanying publication deepens the exploration with essays by leading scholars in the field.

Presenting a vital and often overlooked part of India’s artistic legacy, A Treasury of Life invites audiences to rediscover the creativity, adaptability, and brilliance of the Indian artists who shaped this remarkable visual tradition.

Events in Goa

Art Beyond Barriers: Accessibility at the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The Serendipity Arts Festival returns to Panaji this December for its tenth edition, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to making art accessible to all. As South Asia’s largest multi-disciplinary arts festival, SAF has grown into a dynamic platform where artistic practices, lived experiences, and community relationships converge.

This year, the festival once again transforms Goa’s riverfront and public spaces into vibrant zones of creativity, connection and inclusion from December 12 to 21. Throughout the year, the festival travelled through Birmingham, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Varanasi, Chennai, Gurugram, Dubai and Paris, offering previews of its tenth edition and engaging new audiences beyond Goa. Accessibility has been at the foundation of the festival since its inception, and in 2025 it continues to be central to the programming curated by poet and artist Salil Chaturvedi.

At the Access Village in the Old GMC Complex, sensorial, interactive and community-centred projects welcome visitors with diverse needs to experience art in ways that honour dignity and participation.

This vision is echoed by founder and patron Sunil Kant Munjal, who emphasises that culture must belong to everyone and that no visitor should ever feel excluded. The festival brings a range of unique experiences such as Scented Stories, a fragrance-based storytelling workshop; Hand/Eye, which explores touch as a mode of visual perception; and Breath + Sound Immersion, which blends meditative breathwork with sound healing.

Spaces like Studio Me and the Sensory Room provide open, calming environments for neurodiverse and neurotypical visitors to decompress and create. Curated by Tanul Vikamshi, the Paper to Sculpture workshop focuses on recycled materials and collaborative processes, while Nature’s Symphony offers blind audiences an auditory and tactile introduction to urban birdlife at Art Park and the Access Village.

The Gallery presents Therefore I Am, showcasing seven artists whose practices draw deeply from lived disability. Performances include Silent Rhythms, featuring India’s first group of deaf performers led by Dr. Alim Chandani, and Poems on the Move 2.0, curated by Thukral & Tagra with Chaturvedi, bringing live poetry readings into shuttle cabs across the city.

At The Lab, workshops by Siddhant Shah, Access for All, Rohan Marathe and Shivani Dhillon invite children, seniors and neurodiverse participants into sessions such as Dear Normal, Sound of Silence, Sensory Storytelling and Panchtantra Stories. Special projects further expand the accessibility commitment, including Cinema for Every Sense with audio-described Hindi films and a Pilates Flow Performance by Kaizen Wellness.

SAF Director Smriti Rajgarhia reflects on the decade-long journey, emphasising that accessibility has been a core priority long before it became a larger cultural conversation and remains central to the festival’s mission. Co-patron Shefali Munjal echoes this, noting that the festival has grown into a movement that fosters creative and social connection while supporting artists and cultural heritage.

As registrations for the 2025 edition go live, audiences are invited to secure their passes and explore a growing programme of exhibitions, performances, workshops and immersive encounters designed to make art a space for everyone.

EduConnect

St. Xavier’s College Hosts Hyderabad Students for Academic & Cultural Exchange

Tanisha Cardozo

St. Xavier’s College recently welcomed a delegation of 42 undergraduate and postgraduate students, accompanied by three faculty members from the Department of Microbiology at St. Francis College for Women, Hyderabad, for an academic and cultural exchange organized by the Department of Microbiology. The programme began with a prayer service and an inaugural ceremony at which Ms. Ursula Barreto, the Officiating Principal of St. Xavier’s College, highlighted the importance of collaborative learning and how exchange initiatives broaden student perspectives by exposing them to new practices, academic ideas, and diverse cultures.

The academic component of the visit consisted of two technical sessions conducted by faculty members from the Department of Microbiology at St. Xavier’s College. Dr. Trelita Sousa presented a session on “Tracing the Environmental Trajectory of Microplastics,” offering insights into one of the most pressing environmental concerns of today. This was followed by Dr. Valerie Gonsalves’ session on “Revolutionizing Health Through Gut Microbiome Transplantation,” which introduced students to emerging trends and transformative possibilities in medical microbiology. These sessions enabled visiting students to explore advanced research themes and engage directly with subject experts.

The day also included a vibrant cultural experience, featuring a Mando and a Goan folk dance performed by students of St. Xavier’s College. These performances added a celebratory dimension to the event and offered the visiting delegation a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage and artistic expressions of Goa.

As part of the exchange, the students were given a guided tour of the college campus, including the Science Block, various laboratories, and key academic facilities. This tour provided them with a firsthand experience of the infrastructure that supports scientific inquiry and innovation at St. Xavier’s.

The programme fulfilled its mission of promoting academic enrichment and strengthening bonds between the two institutions. Both colleges expressed optimism about future collaborative opportunities under the existing MoU, including research partnerships, faculty exchanges, and joint student initiatives. The visit marked an important step toward long-term academic engagement and mutual growth, deepening connections that are expected to lead to meaningful future collaborations.

Travel

Goa Tourism Concludes Successful Bahrain Roadshow, Showcasing New Experiences and Stronger GCC Partnerships

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Travel Desk

Goa Tourism marked another milestone in its international outreach by successfully concluding its Bahrain Roadshow, which saw an enthusiastic response from travel trade professionals, media representatives, airline partners, and members of the Goan diaspora. The evening was graced by His Excellency Mr. Vinod K. Jacob, Ambassador of India to Bahrain, and key leaders from Goa Tourism including Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism; Shri Kedar Naik, Director of Tourism; Shri Kuldeep Arolkar, Managing Director of GTDC; and Mr. Harish Satlekar, Marketing Manager at GTDC. Together they presented the refreshed tourism positioning of the state, introducing contemporary themes such as Nocto Tourism, Jet-Setting, and CalmCation, brought to life through the newly launched Feels Like Goa campaign that focuses on authenticity, emotion, and the distinctive spirit of Goa.

Hon’ble Minister Shri Rohan A. Khaunte expressed that Bahrain continues to be a strategic and promising market for Goa, with the impressive turnout reflecting strong trust and interest in the destination. He emphasized that the new tourism themes aim to resonate with today’s travellers by offering curated experiences that go beyond traditional tourism. The event was further elevated by the presence of notable dignitaries from Bahrain’s travel sector, including Ms. Fatima Ahmed, President of ABTTA; Mr. Hussain Zaman, Country Manager for Gulf Air, the only airline offering direct flights between Goa and Bahrain; and Mr. Noel Fernandes, President of the Young Goans Club. Their participation highlighted the significance of the event for bilateral tourism collaboration.

The audience was treated to captivating Goan folk dance performances, including the iconic dekhni and corridinho, which brought the vibrant cultural heritage of Goa to life. Shri Kedar Naik, Director of Tourism, reiterated the immense potential of the Bahrain market and shared that the Feels Like Goa narrative places culture, cuisine, heritage, and immersive experiences at the forefront. Shri Kuldeep Arolkar, Managing Director of GTDC, highlighted the ongoing upgrades to hospitality infrastructure and the enhancements in residencies and transport services, ensuring improved comfort and reliability for visitors from Bahrain.

One of the major highlights of the evening was the Destination Presentation, featuring specially curated films showcasing Goa’s diverse tourism landscape—from beaches and heritage sites to festive traditions, hinterland attractions, and new experiential initiatives. The program concluded with a lively networking dinner, where trade partners, media, airline representatives, and members of the diaspora engaged with Goa Tourism officials to explore collaborative opportunities and future possibilities for expanding connectivity and tourism offerings.

The Bahrain Roadshow forms a crucial part of Goa Tourism’s broader strategy to strengthen its presence in the GCC region. With consistent trade engagement, improved air connectivity, and a renewed focus on diversified experiences, Goa continues to position itself as a dynamic, year-round destination for travellers seeking authenticity, culture, and memorable experiences.