1. Travel agency takes the stress out of your travel. Remember it takes a lot of planning to make any travel arrangement pleasant and memorable.

2. Travel agencies allow you to focus on your core activities including what needs to be packed, how you schedule your trip, etc.

3. You can avail of special discount or promo codes through vetted travel suppliers and service providers. Not to mention cashback or money off on spa, food orders or rides not usually available with an OTA.

4. Because travel agencies help tailor a custom itinerary, gather details of transfers, visits, tours, transfer and special visits depending upon your preference—you can focus your attention on other travel-related tasks.

5. Most travel agencies are upfront about the costs and any hidden costs, taxes and fees are identified and updated to the travelers.

6. Travel agencies are no virtual service providers like third-party websites. Their personalization helps one to get travel refunds in the case of cancellation, last-minute bookings or overbookings.

7. Unlike a third-party website online or mobile app developed on intelligent chatbots and historical trends, travel agencies lend more personalization to address specific user queries and fix them instantaneously.

8. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to travel agency operations. With a bespoke travel service model, they ensure they cut the mustard by taking care of customer concerns and personalizing the entire travel experience from the word ‘go’.

9. Travel agents usually go the extra mile in ensuring hassle-free booking process and follow it up till the client’s needs are completely addressed, whereas OTA support lines put you through a chain of people, having to wait through the queue endlessly.

10. Travel agencies personally understand your preferences and insights into a particular destination and specific travel segments such as educational tours, destination weddings, and business or corporate travel.

We, at Emperor Traveline, spend time pulling together the required inputs from the customer so that we can provide them with a bespoke solution for a seamless travel experience.

India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her maiden budget made a slew of announcements in the travel and tourism space. Here are the key points from the budget announcement:

• Development of 17 iconic tourism destinations to improve the influx of domestic and foreign tourists.
• Budget allocation of Rs 1.05 lakh crore for this purpose.
• Focus on the promotion of India’s tribal heritage and traditional culture, thereby generating revenue for the different tribal communities of our country.
• A digital repository to be developed where photos, videos, folk songs and documents related to the place of origin, evolution, architecture, lifestyle, education background, folk dances, traditional art and many other anthropological features of the tribal groups in India are stored.
• Promotion of the use of National Common Mobility Card standards (earlier launched by Prime Minister Modi) for commuters to pay for several types of transport charges including toll tax, metro, parking charges across the country. This is slated to increase local tourism. This will also simplify the process of cross-border payments made.
• With regard to cargo movement, the significance on the need to build the country’s inland waterways has been stressed. This will shift the cargo transportation model from the rail and road-based cargo to rivers, besides boosting tourism, particularly coastal tourism. A point in case is the Varanasi Haldia route for river cruises to offer inland waterways connectivity.

1. In the eastern seaboard of Bali in Indonesia is the Gunung Agung or Mount Agung, the island’s highest mountain, and perhaps one of the most imposing peaks standing at an altitude of 3031 metres above sea level. Mt.Agung can verily affect its surrounding climatic conditions.

2. Its western slopes seize the rain clouds, cause rain, thereby making the west side lush, green and fertile, whilst its eastern slopes, for the most part, lies barren and dry.

3. A volcanic site, Mt.Agung is widely believed by the Balinese that it is the place where the gods dwell, thus the blessed island is so revered.

4. The Pura Besaikh, the mother of all temples in the island, is also situated here. In those days the temple can only be reached through climbing hundreds of steps before reaching the main gate.

5. However, today other staircases make climbing the steps look inviting, especially for women devotees carrying a tower of offerings on their head to be offered to the temples.

6. The recommended time to visit Besakih is during the Galungan celebrations, marked by great pomp and fanfare, when the temple is adorned with coconut leaves and flowers and tall bamboo poles, while hundreds of Balinese women, dressed gracefully in traditional white costume, congregate in a neat row, carry piles of offerings, including colourful flowers and fresh fruits, to the ceremonies on their head, while men take palm fronds to the temple a real spectacle in the making!

7. Although Mt. Agung is peaceful and tranquil, the volcano, which remained dormant for almost a century, erupted violently in 1963, throwing ash and volcanic matter, rising over 8 to 10 km high into the atmosphere, whilst pyroclastic clouds advanced with a rolling movement down all sides of the volcanic mountain.

8. It proved to be a fatal day when over thousand people died due to volcanic eruption, and the entire surrounding area down to Kintamani was covered in greyish black-coloured ash for months. Though it was nothing short of a disaster, the volcanic material created the most fertile farmlands in the island.

9. The landscape, today, has turned greenish and productive again, and Mt. Agung is posing challenge to mountain climbers.

10. There are two trails followed by trekkers, the toughest and steepest trails of which is that of the right by Pura Besakih. The second one that starts from Pura Pasir Agung runs along its southern peak. When you reach atop it, you can enjoy a splendid view of Bali with the island of Lombok to its east with Mt.Rinjani, the island’s own active volcano.

1. The Saint-Ursanne at Jura is not in every tourist’s bucket list, but saudade can grab you when you fail to visit the little town of St-Ursanne, including some of the most picturesque and ravishing hamlets in Switzerland.

2. According to legend, the strikingly beautiful hamlet of St-Ursanne was founded by Ursicinus, a seventh-century monk, who built a monastery here and lived the life of a hermit in this once desolated region. Even today, this place is believed to invoke the higher powers of the divine.

3. Although the population of St-Ursanne is a few hundreds, the small town on the banks of the River Doubs has remained an embodiment of peace and tranquillity.

4. The quaint little town comprises burgher house, medieval edifices belonging to the period between the 14th and 16th century. There is a majestic college church believed to have built between the 12th and the 14th century.

5. Visitors can clamber up a steep staircase of 190 steps of the hermitage of St. Ursicinus, or up to the high-standing castle ruins to Saint-Ursanne’s north. The Doubs Bridge comprises 4 arches built in 1728 and lends a delightfully panoramic view of the medieval town and its surroundings, including the Nature Park Doubs.

6. The recommended way to explore this pretty little mediaeval town: pick up a guided tour with the ‘St-Ursanne on Foot’ flyer. You are in perfect company with the chivalrous knight Godefroy (“Drallo” app), or you could paint the town red in the mediaeval festival of Les Médiévales.

7. The Clos du Doubs entrenched in natural wilderness is accessible by foothpaths and a mountain bike route that even beginners can have a fling at. The Doubs attracts a lot of fishermen too. Locals say that the best river touts abound in the Doubs. Major attractions here also include the river landscape about the Doubs, quite popular with the kayakers and canoeists.

8. A four-day walk, about 80km, from St. Ursanne along the River Doubs to Les Brenets or vice versa makes for a highly rewarding experience. Tourists can also split this up into separate day walks. There are post bus routes that take you back up from the Doubs Valley to the Jura plateau.

1. If you take a stroll along the lush and green valleys of Kodaikanal, the Coaker’s walk is a cool escape from the hustle and bustle of the hill station, particularly when the traffic hits peak.

2. Located on a vertical slope of the mountain, the 1-km long Coaker’s Walk filled with fresh and refreshing air will help you relax and unwind instantly.

3. The Coaker’s Walk was constructed by Lieutenant Coaker in 1872.

4. Surrounded by fog most part of the year, the Coaker’s Walk offers a breathtaking sight when the weather is moderate and clear above.

5. You can spot the hills of the River Pamber from here in the south-east direction where the city of Madurai is situated. It will take about 30 – 45 minutes to cover the entire Coaker’s walk stretch.

6. The Coaker’s Walk, which is perfect for panoramic shots, commences near the Van Allen Hospital and meets the main road above St. Peter’s Church.

7. The backdrop of the magnificent hills along with the inviting ambience is mesmerizing.

8. There is a spectacular sight called ‘Brachem Spectre’ in the Coaker’s Walk which takes place once in a blue noon you can view your shadow cast with a rainbow halo around the head in the shadow when the sun is on your back with the clouds in front.

9. Completely safe for kids, the Coaker’s Walk is open to the public from 7:30AM.

10. There is a telescope house too. You can also shop around at the nearest bazaar or stalls along the way.

11. The entrance fee (at the time of writing the blog) is 10 rupees per head and 20 rupees for telescope house.

12. Mornings and evenings are the best times to visit the place and view the spell-binding landscapes. The experience here will transcend reality as if you are walking on the clouds!

Popular with elephant lovers, the Dubare Elephant Camp is something that needs to be added to your bucket list when visiting Coorg. Karnataka’s date with elephants is centuries old, and currently the Karnataka Forest Department boasts of 150 elephants stationed in different camps. Recent stalling of logging operations has resulted in the influx of freshly employed elephants in various camps across the state.

The Dubare Elephant camp is an initiative of the Forest Department and Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd. As a visitor, you can not only enjoy watching elephants but also participate in several recreational activities including rides by practically retired elephants. Elephants participating at the famous Mysore Dasara were trained in this camp. The Forest Department takes care of the maintenance of their elephants and their mahouts. The overall exercise is to offer the tourists an ‘unforgettably intimate’ experience with Elephants. There is a trained naturist available to give quick lessons on Elephant history, biology and ecology. Project activities of the Dubare Elephant camp include feeding, bathing and massaging the elephants, cleaning the area, making up bundles of hay or straw and helping mahout.

Tourists usually leave the camp with a gratifying and never-before learning experience of spending quality time with elephants in their new home. Conversely, visitors get to acquaint themselves with the plight of these ‘gentle giants’ too in the wild.

The Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd is doing a fantastic job in spreading awareness on conserving elephants in its natural home. The Dubare Elephant camp has inspired other elephant camps in the country with its unique approach in offering a lifetime experience for the elephant lovers. JLR has aimed to establish an eco-tourism product, one-of-its-kinds in the entire region, that will further contribute towards learning more about these giant tuskers.

For Coorg Tour Package Contact Emperor Traveline.

Transferring money to family, friends or even a business partner is a breeze, thanks to the plenty of web/mobile apps, online services, tap-to-pay checkout, ATMs, automated bank deposits, including exclusive money-transfer websites available online. But there are many who had faced issues linked with associated costs and the time it takes to transfer money to its intended recipient. There are many a time where you are literally stranded in a new touring spot, particularly when you’re travelling abroad, requiring your spouse to transfer cash pronto. Is Western Money Union the best way to transfer money internationally?

Western Union is one of the biggest names in the international money transfer services, thanks to its one-time leadership in telegraph business. Telegram services terminated its operation only in 2006, but by then Western Union had forayed into new ventures. Currently, it has branched out in 200 countries in over 5, 00,000 locations around the globe. Customers can transfer money easily by phone, in person or through the Western Union website.

Fees can vary depending on a number of factors such as the payment type, how fast the money is transferred, whether the money is wired to a bank, or paid in cash, where it is transferred from, and where it is received. If there is international transfer involved, the exchange rate comes into play and is included to the cost.

The international transfer fees for Western Union can vary location wise. For example, to transfer $500 from the United States to Mexico, you have to either pay cash at Western Union agent, or withdraw funds from your online bank account, and the recipient receives it in cash, such transaction costs $5.00. If the same transaction is done using a debit or credit card, it costs $7.00. The same transaction in the case of a bank-to-bank transfer or using a debit or credit card to pay money into a bank account costs $2.99. If the payment is transferred online or through the mobile payment app, the fees fall in the range of $4.00 to $7.00. However, for transfers in the Ireland region, the fees may go up to $42.00, and in China charges fall between the range of $10.00 and $75.00. Western Union, in many ways, is cheaper than most payment transfer services. Looking for the most reliable Western Union money transfer services in Coimbatore? Look no further than Emperor Traveline.

What an incredible journey it has been! It is often said that “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. Rightly so, we took that single step 40 years ago when travel industry was no such thing as today. Despite maddeningly stiff competition with the advent of a multitude of travel booking and management websites, tools and mobile apps, we have been going strong from strength to strength to become one of the leading travel operators in the region. We are extremely glad that we led the way for others to follow suit, and travelled the path that others barely tread. We step off the beaten track with a range of tour packages including Corporate, Education, Family, Honeymoon, Pilgrimage and Adventure covering a number of exotic domestic and international travel destinations. There is always one for everyone!

Air and train ticket reservation has never been so easy before. When renewing passports or applying for a passport took an eternity, Emperor Traveline made short work of it. Visa application with Emperor Traveline is a cinch. We ramped up our service offerings later with money transfer, Overseas Insurance and Overseas Simcard.              

We are ably backed by a team of dedicated and courteous staff that has always brought a smile to many a customer day in and out. This attitude has put us in the driver’s seat as we continue to improve our support to our esteemed customers. We are partnered with travel management bodies like OTAI, TAAI,  SIGTOA, IATA, IATO, TAAC, TAFI, ADTOI, ATTOI, TN Travel Smart Society and Incredible India, and also affiliated to Ministry of Tourism (Government of India). We are associated with Western Union Money Transfer for easily transferring and tracking your money transfer.

As Saint Augustine quotes, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”, travel is no more a product of luxury Planning your next trip? We are just a click away.

Machu Pichu lies more than 7000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains in Peru. Once the seat of power of the great Incan empire, it was build around 1450AD. It was officially announced as an ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’ in 1983; in 2007, it was listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. Here are 10 intriguing facts on the Machu Picchu in Peru:

1. “Machu Pichu”, in the Quechua Indian language means “Old Mountain” or “Old Peak”.

2. There are over 150 buildings that range from temples to houses, baths and sanctuaries in the Machu Pichu.

3. The compound houses over 100 separate flights of stairs. These individual staircases were mostly carved out of a single slab of stone.

4. Though the massive stones that were used to build the city weigh in excess of 50 pounds, it is widely believed that hundreds of men, and not wheels, transported these heavy boulders all the way up the steep mountain side.

5. The purpose behind building Machu Picchu is unknown, though the widely circulated theory is that it must have been a secret ceremonial centre or royal estate among them.

6. Historically, the Incas were great builders, and were considered the best masons in the world. The most striking feature of their building structures is the use of a technique called “Ashlar” in which stones cut are fit together without mortar; not even the sharpest knife blade can cut between the stones.

7. Machu Picchu caught public attention only in 1911 when Yale Professor Hiram Bingham re-explored the site and recorded his findings in his book, “ The Lost City of the Incas”.

8. There has been an ongoing disagreement between Yale University and Peru Government in a bid to get possession of rare artefacts collected by Bingham during the excavation of the site. Yale lays claim to the items, whilst Peru insists they were offered only on loan.

9. Once an astronomical observatory, Machu Picchu houses its sacred Intihuatana stone that accurately represents the two equinoxes  two times a year, when the sun’s rays is perpendicular and in a straight line with the stone casting no shadow.

10. Unfortunately, like most civilizations destroyed by colonial powers, the Incas were given a death blow by the Spanish conquest. Machu Picchu was almost shunned from the modern world, making it one of the most well-preserved ancient cities and an archaeological wonder!