News

Emirates offers complimentary stays in luxury hotels

Emirates customers travelling to Dubai can now enjoy complimentary stays at luxury hotels in the city. Emirates customers flying in Business Class or First Class are offered two complimentary nights at the JW Marriot Marquis Hotel, and Economy Class customers will be offered one complimentary night at the Hilton Garden Inn. The offer will be available on bookings made between May 17, 2022, and May 30, 2022, for travel between May 20, 2022, and September 30, 2022. In addition, passengers can also enjoy a complimentary baggage allowance of 10 kg to plan their journey accordingly. Emirates was recently named the ‘Best Airline Worldwide’ at Business Traveller Middle East awards, for the ninth year in a row. Emirates also won awards in the “Best Economy Class” and “Best Frequent Flyer Programme” categories as a testimony to the airline’s continued commitment to delivering signature experiences. Meanwhile, Emirates’ hub, Dubai, continues to remain a favourite destination for international travellers. With magnificent locations, beaches, gourmet cuisines, exciting activities for tourists of all ages, and minimum entry restrictions, the city continues to remain a favourite destination for international travellers. Over the years, the city has grown into a perfect amalgamation of cultural heritage with a futuristic vigour, making it an exquisite tourist haven. My Emirates Pass: Customers flying Emirates can use their boarding passes as identification, to avail amazing discounts at retail, leisure, and dining outlets across Dubai. Moreover, passengers flying to Dubai in May also get the chance to enjoy a complimentary Dubai Marina Cruise which would take them through a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience on the Arabian Gulf. Emirates Skywards Cash + Miles: With over 29 million members, Emirates Skywards, the loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai continues to sustain its reputation in the industry of world-class service, and for providing an extensive range of Miles and privileges to its customers. With these Miles, members get to enjoy exclusive deals with partner airlines, hotels, and car rentals, financial, leisure and lifestyle brands, along with unique experiences at sporting and cultural events, in addition to various money-can’t-buy experiences. Emirates Skywards, has since the last year, launched an online subscription platform “Skywards+” to offer customized rewards and privileges to members throughout the year, along with multiple benefits such as bonus Skywards Miles, bonus Tier Miles, discounted upgrade rewards, airport lounge access, preferential Cash + Miles rates, and much more. Emirates Skywards members can also link their Skywards account to the Dubai Mall app. Silver, Gold, and Platinum members can earn 1 Skywards Mile for every USD 1 spent at the Dubai Mall while blue members can earn 1 Skywards Mile for every USD 2 spent at the Dubai Mall.

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Homestay owners remodel biz strategy to woo tourists

Homestays in the district that were mainly dependent on foreign tourists are now trying to attract domestic tourists. However, the idea of village life and local traditions doesn’t attract them. Instead, the homestays here are working to promote religious tourism among domestic travellers by tying up with various places of worship in and around the district. Even as the hotel industry has recovered from Covid-19 impact and is now seeing almost 100 per cent occupancy especially on weekends, it is not the same with homestays. Homestay owners have been forced to reinvent themselves and even offer discounts on the room rent. “The situation is slowly improving. It is not yet back to pre-Covid times but we have seen 15 to 20% increase in occupancy in homestays. Most of our customers are domestic tourists who come for short vacations here,” said Kerala State Homestay and Tourism Society secretary M P Sivadathan. In the past, majority of foreigners who visited Kerala or came for treatment here preferred to stay in homestays at Fort Kochi for 20 days to a month. During a talk session on ‘In God’s Own Country Version 2.0’ in the recently concluded Kerala Travel Mart, the speakers said that Kerala needs to focus more on Indian tourists, rather than international tourists. This is mainly because the number of outbound travellers from India for leisure travel is increasing 25 per cent year-on-year and Indians are among world’s highest spenders when travelling abroad. Kerala tourism, realising this potential for the first time, is promoting homestays to domestic tourists. Also, homestay owners and the association are trying to increase their online presence and visibility. “Village walk and understanding the local culture is popular with foreigners. But that doesn’t appeal to domestic tourists. Visiting places of worship is popular among north Indian tourists. We are now trying to get together to set up religious circuits,” said Sivadathan. Homestay owners said that Covid-19 has taught them the need to remodel their business strategy as per the changing times and needs. When business was poor and there were barely any tourists coming to the state, some of the homestays started offering their property for wedding functions or guests

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Top 10 destinations for a summer break

It's summer, and travellers are ready to go on vacation after more than two years of staying at home. With international skies now open, this appears to be the best time for Indto take their dream vacation. Whether it's a 'dreamcation', a 'staycation', or a 'wellcation', if the desire to travel this summer outpaces one's finances, TNPL (travel now, pay later) service providers are making immediate vacations possible. Travel bookings have always been stressful for travellers, especially for largeticket trips where the entire amount is paid upfront for a vacation. Following the pandemic outbreak, travellers plan shorter trips closer to their departure date rather than months in advance. This makes their financial situation even worse. However, by using the 'travel now, pay later' option available at POS with travel merchants, travellers can pay over time and enjoy a vacation they never thought possible. Given the ease of purchase, many international destinations are gaining popularity in the summer of 2022: Thailand Why settle for Goa when you can relax on a Thai beach? Travellers are choosing Thailand for its tranquility and thrill after the Thai government removed restrictions and given the benefit of being able to repay for the trip over three to six months. It's no surprise that Thailand is always at the top of the list of travel destinations. Furthermore, Thailand's vibrant nightlife attracts partygoers from all over the world. Maldives This summer, the popular honeymoon destination for Indians is no longer only visited by honeymooners. Aside from being a popular destination for water sports and beaches, the Maldives is also a seafood lover's paradise. Iceland While Kashmir and Himachal have their own distinct charms, why pass up the opportunity to experience Iceland's breathtaking scenery, waterfalls, and glacier lagoons when one can spread the cost? Previously thought to be only for wealthy visitors, the destination is now seeing an increase in bookings from non-wealthy visitors as well. Norway This summer, Scandinavia, particularly Norway, is gaining popularity as a tourist destination for Indians. The allure stems in large part from the diverse landscape of forests, mountains, fjords, and fields, which are a visual treat. Furthermore, their mouthwatering seafood, fresh vegetables, and organic dairy products are popular with restaurants all over the world. Malaysia Malaysia, a melting pot of Asian cultures, ethnicities, and languages, is the most sought-after destination in Southeast Asia this year, trailing only Thailand. Malaysia is carving a niche among Asians this season with pocket-friendly packages made even more affordable by TNPL. Switzerland Bookings made through TNPL increased the allure of this chic tourist destination in 2022. Switzerland has breathtaking landscapes, a plethora of cultural experiences, and a plethora of sightseeing opportunities. Indonesia Bali is finally open for business after a long wait. With unrivalled scenic beauty and pristine beaches, as well as low prices, it is the next dream destination for anyone who hasn't travelled internationally yet. Furthermore, the annual Bali Arts Festival and Kite Festival, held in June and July, have elevated it to the top of the list for most first-time Southeast Asia visitors. Greece Travellers planning their first trip to Europe this year are booking for Greece through the TNPL service. Apart from the delectable cuisine, Greece's immaculate beaches and Greek mythology make it an irresistible summer travel destination. Italy Whether it's the wonderful theatrical performances, art and heritage, or the welcoming nature of the locals, Italy is gradually becoming a must-visit destination for tourists this year. Paris This summer, visitors are eager to sample vintage wine and delectable cheese right in the heart of the city of love! For most tourists, experiencing everything spectacular in France's metropolitan city is a dream come true. With so many couples visiting Paris this season, 'travel now, pay later' bookings have reached an all-time high for the city.

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Pandemic travel measures need to be streamlined globally

Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Andrew Selee, President of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), called for a path that balances health security with predictable cross-border movement, during an event on the sidelines of the International Migration Review Forum at the UN headquarters in New York, reports Xinhua news agency. They warned that inaction would not only affect future migration, but also equitable pandemic recovery. Governments and non-governmental partners attended the side event, which was organised by the IOM and MPI, together with the World Health Organization. Despite dramatically different contexts for migration and mobility, participants agreed that there is a need to harmonise approaches, as well as build out the digital and physical infrastructure of border management and increase public funding for border crossings. Both Vitorino and Selee expressed support for the creation of a member stateled group of friends focusing on cross-border mobility and pandemic preparedness. A new pandemic treaty would complement and support the ongoing review of the International Health Regulations, which govern preparedness and response to health emergencies. “Without this common endeavour, there is an increasing risk that future migration will become even more fragmented, accentuating the already evident signs of a two-speed recovery from Covid-19 that leaves less developed countries behind,” said Vitorino. “This, in turn, will stall future economic and social development that could otherwise be accelerated through well-managed migration,” he added. Selee noted that while there is an overall trend towards reopening for travel, the process continues to be highly uneven, unequal, and uncoordinated. “We lack common standards for requirements like testing, common tools to prove vaccination status across borders, and a common understanding of what works to manage public health risks at the border,” he said.

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Saudi Arabia Bans Travel To India, 15 Other Countries Over Covid Outbreaks

Following the re-outbreak of Covid-19 and the rapid surge in the number of daily Covid infections over the past few weeks, Saudi Arabia has banned its citizens from traveling to sixteen countries, including India. The sixteen countries where the citizens of Saudi Arabia are banned to travel apart from India include Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus, and Venezuela, reported Gulf News. Further, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has assured the public that zero monkeypox cases have been detected in the country. Abdullah Asiri, Deputy Minister of Health for preventive health has said that the Kingdom has the capability to monitor and discover any suspected monkeypox cases and also to fight against the infection if any new case emerges. "Until now, cases of transmission between humans are very limited, and therefore the possibility of any outbreaks occurring from it, even in countries that have detected cases, are very low," he added. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 80 cases of monkeypox in 11 countries and said they are working to better understand the extent and cause of the outbreak. In a statement issued on Friday, the WHO said the virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travelers.

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Egypt expects Suez Canal tourism revenues to spike by end of fiscal year

Egypt expects the Suez Canal's revenues to reach about $7 billion by the end of the current fiscal year, finance minister Mohamed Maait said on Saturday. Tourism revenues are expected to reach between $10 billion and $12 billion by then, despite the Ukrainian crisis, he added. Egypt's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. The canal is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia and one of the Egyptian government's main sources of foreign currency.

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