India | Adding 7 Natural Wonders to UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List

 India has secured a milestone in global heritage preservation with the addition of 7 natural wonders to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites as reported by News9, well known India’s first fully integrated English news agency.

The UNESCO Tentative List is an inventory of cultural and natural heritage properties a country intends to nominate for World Heritage inscription in the future. It’s the essential first step before a site can be considered by the World Heritage Committee for inclusion on the World Heritage list.

The list serves as a forecast of properties a State Party might submit for inscription within the next five to ten years. The prerequisite for nomination is that a property cannot be nominated for the World Heritage List unless it is first included on its country’s Tentative List, and the list can be updated at any time, allowing for changes in a country’s heritage priorities.

The move raises India’s total properties under consideration from 62 to 69, comprising 49 cultural, 17 natural and 3 mixed sites.

The newly recognized locations span millions of years of Earth’s history and highlight India unique geological wealth and they are : 

•    Deccan Traps at Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra - Considered among the best preserved lava flows in the world dominated by multiple reddish weathered layers, known as the red boles that generally define the individual flow boundaries in colcanic events. These plateau are also part of declared Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary in western gaths bisosphere reserve, an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

•    St. Mary’s Island Cluster, Karnataka -A geological wonder famed for its unique basaltic columnar jointing, formed about 85 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. This picturesque island, also called Coconut Islands offers a blend of natural beauty with pristine beaches and crystal clear waters and can be accessed via ferry from Malpe Beach.

•    Meghalayan Age Caves, Meghalaya - These remarkable caves are scattered on the Shillong plateau in Northeastern India, and they have unique signature of the Holocene time period. There are at least 12 such caves located in the limestone rich belt of the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills which are known for their unique and rare formation of stunning stalactites and stalagmeites.

•    Naga Hill Ophiolite, Nagaland - A geological formation comprising slices of oceanic crust and upper mantle rocks, thrust onto the continental plate during the convergence of the Indian and Burmese plates. Recognized as a National Geological Monument, this ophiolite belt offers a rare view of oceanic lithosphere, providing insights into the dynamics of mid - ocean ridges, subduction and arc - continent collissions. Its significance extends to its unique biological and cultural importance within the world’s mega - biodiversity hotspot region.

•    Erra Matti Dibbalu or Red Sand Hills, Andhra Pradesh - These formations offering clues to past climates are notified as National Geo - Heritage Monument. Located near Visakhpatnam and the Bay of Bengal, are significant for their geological history from the late Quaternary period. These formations provide evidence of past sea - level changes, making them a unique record of Earth’s history.

•    Triumala Hills, Andhra Pradesh - Located in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, these hills feature the Silathoranam natural arch and the Eparchaean Unconformity, a geological feature of immense natural and aesthetic significance, referring a rare and fascinating geological boundary that represents the interface between ancient Precambrian rocks and much younger, overlying geological formations.

•    Varkala Cliffs, Kerala -  These cliffs are a unique Tertiary sedimentary foprmation of Mio - Pliocene age, approximately 23 million years old, consisting of ref laterite material that formed a natural geological heritage site on the southwestern coast of India. Their formation resulted from ancient depositional processes, and their current unique appearance is due to the combination of this underlying geological structure and erosion from the Arabian Sea, particularly during the monsoon season.

Officials emphasised that these additions represent the first stage in the process of nomination for full UNESCO World Heritage status, a distinction that would provide global recognition and enhanced protection. 

Link 

https://tvbrics.com/en/news/india-adds-7-natural-wonders-to-unesco-s-tentative-world-heritage-list/

Nicaragua | Boosting Tourism Development with Several New Projects

Nicaragua is pursuing tourism development through a comprehensive legal framework and a new focus on incentives and sustainability, with the aim of creating jobs, attracting foreign currency, and improving the quality of life for its citizens, this also includes boosting tourism development with several new projects to increase the image and reputatiíon of the country as an attractive and competitive destination in Central America.

The co - director of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur), Anasha Campbell, highlighted the significant progress of the tourism sector in the country with the opening of 795 new establishments so far in 2025.

In statements to the program La Notificación orf the TN8 channel, cited by the bulletin Informe Pastrán, the official pointed out that among the openings stand out restaurants in San Carlos, Río San Juan, located in the Nakawe Resort and the Malecón 13 de Octubre, a public space also located in San Carlos which has been the scene of various cultural events among them the Corn Festival “Nuestra Raíz” and in addition to Casa Hacienda, which added four rooms to the destination.

Other relevant projects are the Eco Vera Resort in San Ramón, Matagalpa and the Boco Hotel in Granada, along with cafeterias and hostels that strengthen the national tourist offer.

Nicaragua is promoting tourism development also through the construction of infrastructure with projects already started such as the Costanera Highway and the Punta Huete International Airport, the creation of a Tourism Incentives Committee, and the promotion of programs such as Rural and Community Tourism to diversify the offering and generate employment. These projects seek to improve connectivity, attract investment, and position the country as an emerging tourist destination.

The Intur co - director underscored the boom in domestic tourism, with a projection of between 600.000 and 700.000 national visitors during the national holidays, exceeding the 500.000 registered in 2024, which represents a growth of 45.5%.

This dynamism together with the arrival of 1.2 million international visitors, generated revenue of more than $759 million, with a direct impact on the lives of thousands of Nicaraguan families.

The official said that Intur actively works in coordination with government institutions, municipal mayor’s offices and international organizations such as the Central American Tourism Promotion Agency and the Secretariat of Central American Tourism Integration.

The co - director of Intur also mentioned the implementation of sustainable tourism projects with the support of Japanese cooperation in destinations such as Ometepe, as well as programs supported by Spanish funds on MSMEs, equity and prevention of child exploitation.

Nicaragua has also strengthen its international presence by participating in 16 fairs so far in 2025, with three more planned in Vietnam, Miami, U.S., and Germany.

At the same time, 37 press trips and visits by tour operators from countries such as Germany and Vietnam favoured t.he promotion of the national tourism offer, to the point that two German wholesalers incorporated Nicaragua into their catalogues.

These actions led to the inclusion of Nicaragua in 18 international publications and aroused the interest of airlines, such as a new connection from Montreal, Canada, between December 2025 and April 2026.

Finally the co - director of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism stated that tourism in Nicaragua not only translates into numbers, but also into the transformation of lifes, highlighting the economic and social impact of all the initiatives the country launched.

Link 
https://infoturlatam.com/nicaragua-impulsa-desarrollo-turistico-con-nuevos-proyectos/

Zimbabwe | Introduced a New Digital Immigration Process for All Non - Resident Visitors

Zimbabwe has introduced a new digital immigration process requiring all - non resident visitors to complete an online form prior to travel, a move that represents an innovative step part of the modernisation and advancement in development of the African country that simplifies entry, enhance visitor experience, and drives sustainable tourism growth nationwide.

Implemented immediately by the Airport Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) ,the initiative marks the official end of paper - based arrivals, documentation that has long been in place, and signals the country’s commitment to embracing digital solutions in line with global travel standards streamlining entry procedures while enhancing national border security systems, making travel easier and faster with online arrival forms.

While iPads will be available at immigration desks for those unable to complete the form in advance, officials strongly advise pre - submission to avoid delays and long queues upon arrival.

The change applies only to visitors, while Zimbabwean residents remain subject to existing procedures and citizens with e - passport can also use the automated eGate system for faster entry.

Those still using old - format passports are required to go through the traditional immigration process: however they are not required to complete the the online form and will continue to have their passports manually stamped by immigration officers.

This digital shift aligns with Zimbabwe’s broader strategy to modernise airport and immigration operations in line with global best practices. 

 
Link 
https://atta.travel/resource/zimbabwe-launches-digital-immigration-for-visitors.html