Yasawa Islands, named world’s #24 best place to travel in 2025 by US Travel Guide

Travel

Yasawa Islands, named world’s #24 best place to travel in 2025 by US Travel Guide

Travel Lemming, a US-based online travel guide read by more than 10 million travelers, announced its list of the top 50 destinations in the world for 2025 where Yasawa Islands, was named the #24 best place to travel globally.

This announcement is part of the publication’s annual list of 50 best places to travel, a project that highlights the world’s best destinations and hidden gems.

The article says that Fiji has managed to do tourism right and the Yasawa Islands are popular among tourists due to their proximity to the mainland, but they never feel crowded or exploited.

They say it invites travelers to “snorkel above vibrant coral reefs, relax on white sand beaches, and stay in surprisingly affordable waterfront bungalows on these tiny and accessible Fijian islands.”

Travel Lemming Senior Travel Writer, Laura McFarland says Fiji was barely on her radar before last year.

McFarland says now, Fiji is all she can talk about.

She says the people are beyond generous, the accommodations are modest and affordable, and the natural landscapes are breathtaking.

The Senior Travel Writer says she has snorkeled everywhere from Hawai’i to the Great Barrier Reef, and the coral reefs off the Yasawa Islands are the most incredible she has ever seen!

The annual list is a collaborative project by the publication’s team of more than 35 travel writers and editors.

Travel Lemming’s local travel experts each nominate their favorite destinations which are then reviewed and voted on by the publication’s editorial board.

The top 10 places to travel in 2025 according to Travel Lemming are:

#1 – Lombok, Indonesia

#2 – El Calafate, Argentina

#3 – County Kerry, Ireland

#4 – Yoho National Park, Canada

#5 – Lalibela, Ethiopia

#6 – El Nido, Philippines

#7 – Kazbegi, Georgia

#8 – Exmouth, Australia

#9 – Hà Giang, Vietnam

#10 – Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

Source: travellemming.com

Johnny Depp Could Return As Jack Sparrow For A New Pirates Of The Caribbean Movie

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Walt Disney Pictures

While the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie franchise has given fans some pretty great examples of swashbuckling tentpole fantasy adventures, the property has also been yielding diminishing returns both critically and commercially for years. Perhaps because of this, rumors of Disney trying to once again recapture the lightning in the rum bottle are swirling once more.

According to Variety, the House of Mouse is eyeing none other than Johnny Depp for one more swaying stroll in Captain Jack Sparrow’s boots. Depp is far from a lock at the moment, though. Disney dropped the actor like a hot potato in 2018, in the wake of Amber Heard’s domestic abuse allegations. However, the ensuing defamation trial ended in Depp’s victory in 2022, which may have made him more presentable in Disney’s eyes … though not necessarily vice versa.
As it stands, it appears that the future of the “Pirates” franchise is at a Depp-themed crossroads. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is supervising two different “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie scripts, only one of which has room for Sparrow. As such, Depp’s potential involvement — should Disney be able to approach the actor, let alone secure his signature — will presumably determine the direction of the next entry. “Nothing has been ruled out,” a source told Variety.

Pirates of the Caribbean remains Disney’s only successful attraction-themed movie franchise

Walt Disney Pictures

Though “Pirates of the Caribbean” isn’t exactly sailing the zeitgeist wave and its most recent installment was 2017’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” it remains far and away the most successful attraction-based Disney movie franchise — and the only one that can even be called a franchise at all. “Tomorrowland” failed at the box office, and while “Jungle Cruise” is a decent enough adventure and “Haunted Mansion” is a surprisingly creepy affair, they both failed to make anywhere near as big a splash as “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and its first two sequels did.

Captain Jack Sparrow is easily the breakout character of the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, and is so synonymous with the franchise that all five movies so far have featured him in a central role, whether they really benefit from his presence or not. The property has been so hesitant to explore its vast mythology and world full of colorful characters without Depp that despite the actor’s well-documented issues with Disney, it’s not the biggest surprise in the world to hear that the company might like to secure him for another turn as Sparrow. Still, regardless of what happens, the multiple scripts in development indicate that the public will get more “Pirates of the Caribbean” before long — whether Depp is involved or not.

Jack Black Forgot He Starred In The Christmas Movie That’s Taking Over Prime Video’s Charts

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Static Media

Have you seen “The Holiday?” If you are my wife, the answer to this question is, “Yes, probably about 423 times.” I have seen “The Holiday” almost as much, simply as a result of living with a woman who turns this Christmas movie on whenever it gets a bit chilly outside. In that sense, the film is absolutely deserving of its spot on /Film’s list of the most rewatchable Christmas movies, even while it manages to send a tinge of despair throughout my body as soon as I hear the opening credits.

But it turns out I am not the only long suffering husband to have been trapped in an endless time loop wherein Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz are seemingly doomed to swap lives and fall in love for eternity. “The Holiday” is currently dominating the Prime Video charts, as wives across the world plunge their husbands into this festive nightmare scape.
It’s not all that surprising to see this 2006 rom-com, which I’m sure is charming the first few times you see it, making a run up the charts. As the festive season approaches, what more could you want than Cameron Diaz falling in love with prime era Jude Law in the snow-laden English countryside? If that’s not for you, then the movie also has Kate Winslet traveling to Los Angeles and falling for an alarmingly clean-shaven Jack Black. All of this seems to have been perfectly concocted by writer, producer, and director Nancy Meyers to yield Christmas-time streaming success. However, it seems that while the film is leaving a lasting impression on Prime Video subscribers, it may’ve had less of an effect on Jack Black himself, who for a brief moment, forgot he was even in this movie.

The Holiday has charmed its way to the top of the Prime Video charts

Sony Pictures Releasing

Fans of Jack Black might be more accustomed to the devilishly funny frontman of Tenacious D giving us a dose of his delightfully animated comedy in such classics as “School of Rock.” But “The Holiday” sees him in relatively restrained mode, acting simply as an affable love interest for Kate Winslet’s lovesick society columnist Iris Simpkins. After Iris’ ex-boyfriend gets engaged, the British writer looks for an escape and agrees to a house swap with Cameron Diaz’s Los Angelese-based Amanda Woods. It’s in LA that Iris meets Black’s Miles Dumont, a film composer who is going through similar relationship issues. Meanwhile, over in England, Amanda falls in love with Jude Law’s charming book editor Graham Simpkins (a part for which Robert Downey Jr. auditioned with a terrible British accent) and it’s all very quaint and festive, etc.

Such heart-warming fare led by talent of this magnitude was always going to prove to be a Christmas hit, and “The Holiday” certainly did an admirable job at the box office upon its 2006 debut, making $205 million on an $85 million budget. Sadly, the reviews weren’t quite as positive, with the movie currently bearing a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — though it does have an 80% audience score, proving that cozy Christmas love stories with big name stars will always find their way regardless of predictable plotting and a tone that often borders on saccharine.
Now, almost 20 years after it first debuted, the movie is once again proving its staying power over on Prime Video. At the time of writing, streaming viewership tracker FlixPatrol shows that, in the United States, “The Holiday” has been the number one movie on the streamer for the last 21 days. Also, the United Kingdom and Lithuania seem to quite like the film, too, with “The Holiday” hovering around the number two and three spots in both countries over the past week.

So, whether Winslet and Diaz’s rom-com sounds like your kind of thing or not, there’s no denying its ascent to modern Christmas classic territory. For Jack Black, though, it seems the movie isn’t quite as memorable.

Jack Black forgot he was in The Holiday

Sony Pictures Releasing

Back in 2019, Jack Black was asked by Variety about his favorite Christmas movie, revealing box office hit and modern holiday classic “Elf” to be his ultimate festive film. “Jon Favreau and Will Ferrell just knock it out of the park,” he says in the clip, before the interviewer reminds him that he could have chosen his own Christmas movie. “Do I have a Christmas movie?” he responds. “Which one is mine? Oh, ‘The Holiday!’ Obviously, ‘The Holiday!’ Nancy Meyers, genius.”

Did Jack Black really forget he had a Christmas movie? I think a case could be made that “The Holiday” is as much a straightforward rom-com as it is a “Christmas movie,” which is something I really wish I didn’t know but do. So, maybe Black just filed the film away under “that rom-com he did back in the 2000s” and didn’t necessarily associate it with the festive season. He should have a pretty good recollection of the movie either way. As People has pointed out, Nancy Meyers actually sought out the actor for the part of Miles, with the writer/director previously saying:

“I saw ‘School Of Rock’ and thought he was the cutest guy and fell in love with him. So Jack came over to my house, I made him some pasta, we sat in my kitchen and I told him the idea. When I asked him if he’d ever be in a movie like this, he replied: ‘Nancy, have you seen my work?’ But I assured him that I had and told him that I thought he was fabulous and that he’d be in a movie with Kate Winslet. He just said, ‘Yeah.'”

Black is also quoted as saying he “didn’t really know” if he could pull off the rom-com love interest thing, but that Meyers “insisted that she saw in [him] all the skills that were necessary to be adorable.” He added, “I’m used to being crazy and ‘rock-n-rolly,’ which is a little different than this world. For me, it was a chance to stretch a little bit.” In that sense, Black would never forget such an experience, even if his momentary lapse during a red carpet event suggests otherwise. Now, if I could actually forget “The Holiday” altogether, it would be a true Christmas miracle.

State school board cranks up heat on 1 book

Arts & Culture, Books

The S.C. Board of Education on Tuesday voted on the fate of two books challenged by a parent under Regulation 43.170, a blanket school book-banning policy that took effect at the beginning of the school year. The books in question — HMH Into Literature, an 8th-grade English textbook, and Crank, a novel by Ellen Hopkins — were challenged by Emily Clement of Fort Mill. The board opted to keep the textbook in classrooms, but restricted access to Crank to students whose parents sign an opt-in form. Advocacy groups across the state have fought the state regulation, claiming that it will open the floodgates for mass book bans from politically motivated pro-censorship groups. “Regulation 43-170 insults the students, parents, and educators of South Carolina,” Josh Malkin, advocacy director at the ACLU of South Carolina, said during the Dec. 2 press conference. “It assumes that our students cannot think critically. It assumes that our parents cannot make decisions for their own children without feeling the need to make decisions for all South Carolina youth. It assumes that our educators are not the caring, thoughtful experts that they are.”Crank  is a fictional, cautionary tale of a high school student whose life is derailed by drug addiction and a plummeting mental health. Hopkins, the novelist, spoke at the Dec. 2 press conference about messages she’s received from young readers. “I’ve received over the years literally thousands of messages like that one in support of the book, telling me that the book turned them away from that path or gave insight into a loved one’s addiction or even encouraged them to become drug counselors or social workers,” she said. Many of those people found that book in their school libraries or classrooms.”Tuesday’s vote follows the board’s earlier decision to remove seven books from public school libraries, including adult romance novels by Colleen Hoover and Sarah J. Maas. Other books still on the chopping block in schools include Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.Vague regulation draws concernOther opponents of the regulation say its vague language may lead to confusion and disorganization. “What we’ve seen so far is chaos,” Paul Bowers, director of communications for ACLU-SC, told the Charleston City Paper in a September report. “We’re getting reports from teachers and librarians now who have come back to school and are mostly unclear about what is and is not allowed under the new law.”The regulation passed the Statehouse and went into effect June 25. Supporters say it aims to bring full uniformity related to the process of reporting concerns or complaints related to instructional materials that are not “age appropriate.”Instruction materials subject to the regulation include textbooks, books on teachers’ shelves, film strips, podcasts, internet materials and more. All must now be catalogued and listed on a public school’s website by individual staff members. The database will then be accessible by parents and guardians, and complaints can be filed electronically. Materials will then be reviewed by the district school board.But the uncertainty of what is “age-appropriate,” Bowers said, has led to school staff self-censoring their own classrooms out of fear of repercussions if the regulation is not followed properly.
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State school board cranks up heat on 1 book

Arts & Culture, Books

The S.C. Board of Education on Tuesday voted on the fate of two books challenged by a parent under Regulation 43.170, a blanket school book-banning policy that took effect at the beginning of the school year. The books in question — HMH Into Literature, an 8th-grade English textbook, and Crank, a novel by Ellen Hopkins — were challenged by Emily Clement of Fort Mill. The board opted to keep the textbook in classrooms, but restricted access to Crank to students whose parents sign an opt-in form. Advocacy groups across the state have fought the state regulation, claiming that it will open the floodgates for mass book bans from politically motivated pro-censorship groups. “Regulation 43-170 insults the students, parents, and educators of South Carolina,” Josh Malkin, advocacy director at the ACLU of South Carolina, said during the Dec. 2 press conference. “It assumes that our students cannot think critically. It assumes that our parents cannot make decisions for their own children without feeling the need to make decisions for all South Carolina youth. It assumes that our educators are not the caring, thoughtful experts that they are.”Crank  is a fictional, cautionary tale of a high school student whose life is derailed by drug addiction and a plummeting mental health. Hopkins, the novelist, spoke at the Dec. 2 press conference about messages she’s received from young readers. “I’ve received over the years literally thousands of messages like that one in support of the book, telling me that the book turned them away from that path or gave insight into a loved one’s addiction or even encouraged them to become drug counselors or social workers,” she said. Many of those people found that book in their school libraries or classrooms.”Tuesday’s vote follows the board’s earlier decision to remove seven books from public school libraries, including adult romance novels by Colleen Hoover and Sarah J. Maas. Other books still on the chopping block in schools include Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.Vague regulation draws concernOther opponents of the regulation say its vague language may lead to confusion and disorganization. “What we’ve seen so far is chaos,” Paul Bowers, director of communications for ACLU-SC, told the Charleston City Paper in a September report. “We’re getting reports from teachers and librarians now who have come back to school and are mostly unclear about what is and is not allowed under the new law.”The regulation passed the Statehouse and went into effect June 25. Supporters say it aims to bring full uniformity related to the process of reporting concerns or complaints related to instructional materials that are not “age appropriate.”Instruction materials subject to the regulation include textbooks, books on teachers’ shelves, film strips, podcasts, internet materials and more. All must now be catalogued and listed on a public school’s website by individual staff members. The database will then be accessible by parents and guardians, and complaints can be filed electronically. Materials will then be reviewed by the district school board.But the uncertainty of what is “age-appropriate,” Bowers said, has led to school staff self-censoring their own classrooms out of fear of repercussions if the regulation is not followed properly.
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Killer whale spotted balancing a salmon on its head, intriguing scientists and orca watchers

Science and Health

The SummaryAn orca was seen balancing a salmon on its head in coastal waters in Washington state.It’s not clear what the behavior means, but orcas were previously observed doing the same thing in the 1980s.Southern resident killer whales are critically endangered and likely on a path toward extinction.A killer whale was spotted balancing a salmon on its head earlier this fall near the coastline in Washington state, surprising scientists and intriguing orca watchers. The critically endangered southern resident killer whale was photographed with a “salmon hat” in late October near Point No Point, just off the northern tip of Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula, according to the Orca Network, a nonprofit focused on the species’ conservation.    The whale is known to marine biologists and whale watchers as J27, though it is also called Blackberry. Groups like the Orca Network track sightings of individual whales.Orcas were previously spotted sporting salmon on their heads in the late 1980s, said Deborah Giles, science and research director of Wild Orca, a nonprofit conservation and research group. “It’s something that seemingly popped up out of nowhere in the 80s,” she said, adding that the behavior then apparently faded away for decades. It’s not clear what the behavior means, she said. Giles spends a lot of time on the water and near orcas for her research. She uses trained dogs on boats to sniff out and collect the whales’ feces to analyze their health. In early November, Giles said she saw a southern resident killer whale exhibit the salmon-on-head behavior — the second recent observation of it. She’s not sure if the whale she saw was J27 or not.“What I saw was the head of the whale and fish on the head. I didn’t see the dorsal fin or saddle patch,” she said, referring to the parts of the whales’ bodies used for identification. Giles added that she can recall seeing southern resident killer whales do this four or five times since 2005.She speculated that a whale exhibiting such behavior could be saving salmon to share with another member of its pod, playing with the fish or using it as part of a social behavior. This fall, a hearty run of chum salmon drew the pod of killer whales to Puget Sound waters, she said. The whale with a salmon on its head was almost assuredly getting enough to eat at the time. “That’s indicative of a well-fed whale. If they’re starving, which they often are, they’re just going to eat it,” Giles said. “When there’s more food, they have an opportunity to socialize more or forgo a meal. They have an opportunity to interact with things in their environment.” The behavior has drawn some headlines suggesting that the whales have resurrected a decades-old fad. But Howard Garrett, president of the Orca Network, said he’s not convinced there is evidence of a trend.“When the Southern Resident Orcas visit the inland waters of Puget Sound, there is no shortage of eyes on the water and cameras capturing their visit,” Garrett said in a statement. “If the salmon ‘wearing’ behavior exhibited by the whale known to local whale enthusiasts as J27 Blackberry was, in fact, a revival of the old trend, there would be ample documentation of that.” Southern resident killer whales, which typically spend several months in Puget Sound each year, are critically endangered and protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The whales rely on fish — preferably Chinook salmon — and live in three pods called J, K and L. The southern residents have been in the spotlight of conservation efforts for decades. Beginning in the 1960s, many southern resident whales were captured and transported to marine parks. By 1974, just 71 were left in the wild. Since then, the population has fluctuated, reaching a high of 99 in 1995, but trending toward decline since then. Giles said 72 of the whales are alive today. Research published in April suggests the population is on a path toward extinction.The whales face a number of threats, including declining quantity and quantity of prey, toxic pollution and disturbance from vessel noise, according to the Marine Mammal Commission. Washington state has invested hundreds of millions into orca recovery measures and even more into efforts to increase key salmon populations. But that has not turned things around for the species yet. “It’s just not happening fast enough,” Giles said. “What we really need to be focusing on is making sure there’s ample prey for these whales throughout their entire range and throughout the entire year.”

‘Chamber of Connection’ launches in Seattle to help tech transplants and others adjust to their new city

Technology

The goal of the “U.S. Chamber of Connection” is to make transplants feel at home in their new city, including Seattle, where the organization is launching its pilot. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)

Moving to a new city has its challenges. Moving to Seattle is often viewed as especially difficult, whether it’s because of the weather or the so-called “Seattle Freeze” that allegedly leads to a chilly reception for newcomers.

A new civic organization called U.S. Chamber of Connection is using Seattle as its pilot city in a bid to help repair the social connections that it believes are lacking in modern society. The goal is to help everyone from tech workers to university students to refugees, retirees and anyone else looking for help finding their footing in a new place.

Aaron Hurst is the founder and CEO behind the effort. A longtime social entrepreneur, Hurst previously founded such organizations as the Taproot Foundation, Imperative, and Board.Dev, which were dedicated to building more connected communities.

Aaron Hurst, founder and CEO of U.S. Chamber of Connection. (Photo courtesy of Hurst)

Hurst and his wife moved to Seattle from Brooklyn, N.Y., 10 years ago, and he admitted that the big culture shift was a struggle. He heard from people that it would take at least five years to build relationships. He got pulled into the narrative of the freeze, which he believes can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, to some degree.

“At a certain point it was clear to me that we were going to stay in Seattle. And I was like, ‘I need to really build connection here,’” Hurst said. He started hosting dinners twice a month for six to eight people, having conversations about various experiences in Seattle. “That really helped me understand the nature of this challenge.”

Hurst said that even though Seattle attracts a broad range of newcomers, tech certainly represents the dominant population, and it’s where a lot of the friction happens between “locals” and transplants. He called it an unhealthy dynamic for the civic environment.

“We’re seeing volunteering going down, philanthropy going down, there has not been a good job of integrating tech talent into the city itself,” Hurst said. “There’s a really big impact on both those individuals and on the city and its ability to thrive. So a big part of this is trying to bridge those two worlds.”

Seattle is not alone in its need for more social connection, Hurst said, citing a loneliness epidemic across America that can be linked to changes in habits brought on by the internet, social media, political division, the pandemic and remote work.

To combat this, the Chamber of Connection has attracted a number of “welcome committee” members across a variety of Seattle companies and institutions, including Microsoft, Amazon, the University of Washington, Seattle University, the Seattle Mariners, Kraken and more.

“The goal is to have a committee that represents all the different newcomer populations,” Hurst said. “Part of the challenge is people in the arts need to meet people in tech who need to meet people in medicine. This is where innovation and magic happens, and where friendships that are going to change the city and country are going to happen.”

The U.S. Surgeon General reports that 44 million American adults are experiencing significant loneliness and 26 million report having no friends. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)

Jen Haller, partner and chief of staff at Seattle venture capital firm Ascend, joined the welcome committee because she feels the Chamber is addressing a critical need for human connection.

“Moving to a new city can feel overwhelming, particularly for folks working in tech,” Haller said. “I’m excited about the Chamber’s potential to help people connect, build relationships, and find their place in our vibrant and growing tech community.”

Starting in February, the Chamber of Connection, in partnership with Town Hall, will host what is basically a monthly orientation event for new Seattle residents, where a four-hour session on a Saturday can help introduce people to the city.

The organization also created “6 Points of Connection” as an actionable checklist for individuals and leaders to define and strengthen social bonds. The list includes such things as establishing weekly social interactions outside of work and the home, and engaging in volunteer activities.

In addition, the group wants to recruit leaders to establish a dedicated “clubhouse” in every Seattle neighborhood where newcomers can meet their neighbors and make new friends. An online community will also provide a safe space to help facilitate get togethers.

The Chamber of Connection hopes to be in 50 U.S. cities in 10 years. The nonprofit will look to generate income via members and events so it’s not dependent on philanthropy. Co-founder Linsey Morrison is the group’s chief operating officer, Shasta Nelson is chief friendship officer, and Michael Hebb is a founding board member.

Hurst has been in touch with Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office and said they’re enthusiastic about how the idea fits with the mayor’s “One Seattle” vision.

“One of the biggest ways in which we’re not ‘One Seattle’ today is this frame of real Seattleites and non-real Seattleites,” Hurst said. “People want something positive and local to focus on. People are tired of fighting and they want to be able to start to actually build something that they can control and that actually brings joy to their lives.”

Related:

Centre Approves 40 Projects worth Rs. 3295.76 Cr to Develop Lesser-known Tourism Sites in 23 States

Travel

In a big boost for the tourism sector, the Tourism Ministry has approved 40 Projects worth Rs. 3295.76 Crore for the development of lesser-known Tourism sites in 23 States across India.

The initiative aims to ease pressure on high-traffic sites and promote a more balanced distribution of tourists across the country. By focusing on lesser-known destinations, the Ministry hopes to enhance the overall tourism experience, boost local economies, and ensure sustainable growth in the tourism sector through a strategic approach to new project selection.
Government investment in the project will act as a catalyst, stimulating economic growth and creating jobs. By leveraging private sector expertise and capital at destinations,  the States can enhance public infrastructure, improve local amenities, and attract more tourists, ultimately boosting the regional economy and fostering long-term development. The Ministry is  also  emphasising  for community-based tourism that empowers local populations and preserves cultural heritage. By integrating sustainable practices into tourism planning,  State  Governments  will be  able to  ensure long-term growth while safeguarding natural and cultural resources  by  adopting  best  practices. The Ministry of Tourism is also encouraging State Governments to integrate advanced technologies into their tourism projects. By adopting technology, States can streamline operations, optimize tourist flow, and provide sustainable, innovative solutions for growth in the sector.

List of 40 Projects across 23 States at a total cost of ₹ 3,295.76 Cr

Sn
State
Project Name
Cost
(in ₹ Cr)

Andhra Pradesh

1. Gandikota – Enriching the Fort and Gorge Experience

77.91

2. Akhanda Godavari: (Havelock Bridge & Pushkar Ghat), Rajamahendravaram

94.44

Arunachal Pradesh

3. Siang Adventure & Eco-Retreat, Pasighat

46.48

Assam

4. Assam State Zoo Cum Botanical Garden, Guwahati

97.12

5. Beautification of Rang Ghar at Sivasagar

94.76

Bihar

6. Development of Matsyagandha Lake, Saharsa

97.61

7. Karamchat Eco-Tourism and Adventure Hub

49.51

Chhattisgarh

8. Development of Chitrotpala Film City

95.79

9. Development of Tribal & Cultural Convention Centre

51.87

Goa

10. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum, Ponda

97.46

11. Proposed Townsquare, Povorim

90.74

Gujarat

12. Ecotourism Destination at Kerly (Mokarsagar), Porbandar

99.50

13. Tented City and Convention Centre, Dhordo

51.56

Jharkhand

14. Eco-Tourism Development of Tilaiyya, Koderma

34.87

Karnataka

15. Ecotourism & Cultural Hub at Roerich and Devika Rani Estate Tataguni, Bengaluru

99.17

16. Development of Savadatti Yallammagudda, Belgavi

100.0

Kerala

17. Ashtamudi Biodiversity and Eco-recreational Hub, Kollam

59.71

18. Sargaalaya: Global Gateway to Malabar’s Cultural Crucible

95.34

Madhya Pradesh

19. Orchha A Medieval Splendour

99.92

20. International Convention Centre for MICE in Bhopal

99.38

Maharashtra

21. Ex-INS Guldar Underwater Museum, Artificial Reef, and Submarine Tourism, Sindhudurg

46.91

22. Development of “RAM-KAL PATH” at Nashik

99.14

Manipur

23. Loktak Lake Experience

89.48

Meghalaya

24. MICE Infrastructure at Mawkhanu, Shillong

99.27

25. Re-development of Umiam Lake, Shillong

99.27

Odisha

26. Development of Hirakud

99.90

27. Development of Satkosia

99.99

Punjab

28. Development of Heritage Street, SBS Nagar

53.45

Rajasthan

29. Development at Amber-Nahargarh and surrounding Area, Jaipur

49.31

30. Development at Jal Mahal, Jaipur

96.61

Sikkim

31. Skywalk, Bhaleydhunga, Yangang, Namchi

97.37

32. Border Experience, Nathula

68.19

Tamil Nadu

33. Nandavanam Heritage Park at Mamallapuram

       99.67

34. Garden of flowers at Devala, Ooty

70.23

Telangana

35. Ramappa Region Sustainable Tourism Circuit

73.74

36. Somasilla Wellness & Spiritual Retreat Nallamala

68.10

Tripura

37. 51 Shakti Peethas Park at Banduar, Gomati

     97.70

Uttar Pradesh

38. Development of Bateshwar, District- Agra

74.05

39. Integrated Buddhist Tourism Development, Shrawasti

80.24

Uttarakhand

40. Iconic City Rishikesh: Rafting Base Station

100.00

TOTAL
₹ 3,295.76 Cr

Under the Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme of Department of Expenditure, M/o Finance, the operational guidelines for Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale were issued by the Ministry of Tourism.  The aim of this scheme is to infuse long term interest free loans for a period of 50 years to States for comprehensively develop iconic tourist centers in the country, branding, and marketing them at global scale. By infusing capital  investment  in the form  of projects,  the  scheme further envisages growth of local  economy  and creation of  employment opportunities through sustainable tourism projects. The States have  been  given  a  timeline  of  2 years  for completing  the  projects. Ministry of Tourism in line  with the  guidelines and as per the  procedure/ criteria,   shortlisted  40 projects  across  23 States for  Rs. 3295.76 Crore which have been sanctioned by   Department of  Expenditure.

Road much travelled: Identical paths towards fiscal distress in Sri Lanka and the Maldives

Travel

Though our economy be bruised, the external economic context and our innate geographic blessings, when bound with sound fiscal policies, shall certainly prevent a repeat of the ills that visited the Lankan economy in 2022

This article attempts an analysis of the eerily similar roads travelled in both Sri Lanka and the Maldives towards a fiscal cliff. Even though, we here in the Maldives, have not slipped off the precipice, the landscape is familiar and the dangers real and tangible. However, it is important to stress at the outset, that while the terrain is familiar, it is not inevitable that we here in the Maldives too, tumble down the fiscal cliff into ‘white waters’ of internal turmoil, collapse of the political system and of an economic meltdown. 

The case of Sri LankaSimilar to most other countries including the Maldives, the secondary and tertiary sectors of the Sri Lankan economy were highly and negatively impacted by the lockdowns of the COVID pandemic. However, as in the Maldives, the primary industry of Sri Lanka kept the population fed and alive.Even while noting the perils of ‘post hoc ergo propter hoc’ reasoning, a lengthy series of flawed fiscal decisions, accompanied by a sequence of bad policy judgements, especially during an adverse economic context set the perhaps inevitable course for the economic and political meltdown in Sri Lanka.

Castles in the air Successive leaders in Sri Lanka, for quite a while, had been brazenly competing to build castles in thin air and beat their predecessors for new heights of fiscal inanity.A host of non-productive, highly inflated public infrastructure projects – all the better to increase the value of even a thin slice off the top, for 2 plus decades had left the country weak and dizzy. The wisdom and advice of elders and the findings of the substantial learned fraternity of Sri Lanka were ignored. Friends from abroad and guidance from international institutions alike were disregarded. In 2021 the International Monetary Fund declared that Sri Lanka had hit “unsustainable levels” of foreign debt and that foreign exchange reserves are insufficient for near-term debt payments.

Unhinged political decisionsIn November of 2019, during the last days of campaigning for the presidency, the successful candidate proposed sweeping tax cuts, so absurd that opposition leaders thought they were too bizarre and too absurd to be taken seriously. After winning the election on a platform including that of unsustainable revenue cuts, in May of 2021, against all rationale, the then President announced a blanket ban on the import of chemical fertiliser. This ban had the effect of crippling the robust agricultural sector, the main-stay of the primary industry of the country and the saviour of the extended lock-down period.

Unfavourable economic climateThe lockdowns of COVID-19, like in many countries resulted in an unfavourable economic climate. Even though the highly productive primary sector allowed for essential nutrition, exports ceased, and tourism naturally collapsed. In 2022 Sri Lanka was off the ventilator and recovering, but had not yet been discharged. The World Bank in great detail elaborated the problems in Sri Lanka as follows: “Poor governance, a restrictive trade regime, weak investment climate, and monetary indiscipline contributed to macroeconomic imbalances. Fiscal indiscipline led to high fiscal deficits and large gross financing needs (GFN). Together with risky commercial borrowing, this elevated debt vulnerabilities and led to a rapid growth in debt to unsustainable levels. After losing access to international financial markets in 2020, official reserves dropped to less than a week of imports in early 2022, and the forex liquidity constraint led to severe shortages of essential goods. The country announced an external debt service suspension in April 2022, pending debt restructuring.” – World Bank, Sri Lanka Development Update, ‘Bridge to Recovery’, April 2024.Structural weaknesses exacerbated by exogenous shocks and policy mistakes meant that when storm clouds broke mid-2022, there were no painless remedies.

But not in the Maldives?Chaos theory stipulates that similar circumstances do not unfold with high fidelity next time around. And of course, no two countries are exactly alike. Sri Lanka, even though our closest neighbour has a vastly different economy and the economic context of today, in 2024, is vastly different from the early days after the COVID lockdowns when the Sri Lankan economy left the tracks. Here in the Maldives too, years of living beyond our means had resulted in a widening fiscal chasm. Abuse and misuse of public funds, waste and corruption in the public sector and government companies were familiar territory too. Concerns arising from these had been explicitly raised in World Bank and IMF reports and echoed by submissions to the Parliament by our Central Bank. A litany of ill-advised fiscal and political decisions had become habitual in our context too, including heavy public infrastructure projects that we could ill afford. Of special note is the injudicious decision in August 2024, concerning the banking industry, resulting in quick rating downgrades and our sovereign bonds trading below par in the international markets. Yet, while we too face turbulent fiscal waters, ‘a priori’ circumstances are not the same and matters shall not unravel down the same trajectory.Even during the COVID pandemic our geography allowed us to re-open borders in six months while most other countries could not even hazard a schedule.Even if politicians of all ilk have led us astray for a decade and more, the larger economic climate is more favourable than what faced Sri Lanka in 2022. While unsettled because of shifting geopolitical tectonic plates, the world economy is certainly not in the doldrums. And our particular brand of tourism – islands geographically separate from the resident population, keep our tourism numbers buoyant. After having broken previous arrival numbers, we are on course to shatter the 2 million ceiling this year.While the performance of our main primary industry of fishery has been held back because of ill-advised policies, the stock is alive and healthy. And when politicians finally get the policy framework right, our fishery harvest and therefore our export earnings too will increase.

Therefore?While our politicians are reluctant to be extremely forthright about the steepness of the fiscal cliff, they certainly understand the gravity of the situation. Fortunately, the world economy is not in a tailspin and the blessings of our geography are indeed working for us.And therefore, while the terrain looks disquietly familiar, it is certainly not inevitable that we too shall slide down the fiscal cliff. Though our economy be bruised, the external economic context and our innate geographic blessings, when bound with sound fiscal policies, shall certainly prevent a repeat of the ills that visited the Lankan economy in 2022.