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Vistara announces direct flights to Coimbatore

Vistara today announced the addition of Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) to its domestic network with direct connectivity to and from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, progressively, starting 20 May 2022. Coimbatore is the 31st destination in Vistara’s domestic network, and its second destination in the state of Tamil Nadu, after Chennai. The airline will operate daily flights to the city from Delhi and Mumbai effective May 20 and May 27, 2022, respectively, and double daily connectivity from Bengaluru starting June 03, 2022. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We are delighted to be adding Coimbatore to our domestic network and further strengthening our presence in the South of India. Coimbatore is a popular tourist destination and a key industrial hub of Tamil Nadu. We are confident that travellers will appreciate having the choice of flying Vistara on the routes and enjoy our award-winning product and services.” Bookings for flights to and from Coimbatore are open on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile apps and through Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and travel agents.

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Azerbaijan is ready with a plethora of new offerings for the Indian traveller

Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) has long been working on developing sustainable tourism experiences that are well-suited to the expectations of today’s travellers, while at the same time prioritising its mission of preserving and reinforcing the existing resources of the country. Bahruz Asgarov, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), in an exclusive interview with TTJ, shares some in-depth details of new offerings in Azerbaijan, a country that blends the best of East and West. – Prashant Nayak Set on the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan is widely considered a part of both Europe and Asia. Azerbaijan is known as the Land of Fire and includes ancient historical empires intertwined with the modernity of a nation undergoing rapid transformation. After welcoming over 790,000 visitors in 2021, Azerbaijan is prepared to welcome tourists in 2022 with safe, sustainable, and immersive experiences, with the anticipation that India will soon be among the top source countries, as it was before the pandemic. Azerbaijan is ready to conquer the Indian hearts once again. “India remains an important market for us, and we are set to restart our activities to attract travellers from this beautiful country,” says Bahruz. ATB aims to reconnect with industry partners and media representatives in India after quite a long pause and convey the novelties in Azerbaijan, where recovery from the pandemic is going according to plan. Baku, the capital city, is the gateway to Azerbaijan. Baku provides an eclectic mixture of architectural phenomena from the likes of Paris and Dubai, and is rapidly changing. You will discover a constantly evolving tapestry of life and energy from bazaar to penthouse in Baku. Being a coastal city, Baku is intrinsically open-minded and hospitable. Sharing more on Baku and the nearby places, Bahruz informs, “Baku is the main hub where we receive the tourists along with Gabala and other destinations in Azerbaijan. The city is amazing. Our biggest city is also the economic and cultural center in Azerbaijan, and it has this European outlook, very nice, very modern, and with very good infrastructures. There are also many cultural sites in Baku and the rest of Azerbaijan that tourists can visit. In a few hours of travel, one can connect Baku with other destinations, such as Gabala, and Lankaran. If one stays, even more, they can go to Sheki, which was recently inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.” Azerbaijan is now open to eighty-seven countries by air travel. With a restored connection via multiple international airlines and easy e-visa procedures, passengers aged eighteen and over can now fly to Azerbaijan by submitting a COVID passport/certificate and a negative PCR test taken within seventy-two hours before the flight. Only the latter needs to be provided within the indicated time for minors. Azerbaijan has a very simplified visa regime. Bahruz mentions, “Before the pandemic, Azerbaijan became popular with Indian tourists. It was because of the ease of the visa application process. For a visa, one only needs a passport. Travellers can visit the website and apply for this visa, and they can get a regular visa issued within three days, but usually it is issued in one day. They can also get an urgent visa in a couple of hours. It’s very easy, and applicants don’t face any problems applying for a visa. Also, when they arrive in Azerbaijan, there is basically no chance of being deported. Hence, everything is very smooth.” Azerbaijan is full of contrasts, with nine climate zones stretching across the country. On a journey across the Caucasian leg of the Silk Road, you are bound to witness history and modernity collide across dreamy semi-desert landscapes. One is surprised to see the snow-capped Caucasian Mountains border the hot deserts while sun-soaked meadows merge with Caspian Sea coasts. When it comes to attractions and offerings, one of the best examples among these offerings is Slow Food Travel, developed within an EU-funded project which ATB and Slow Food International have jointly implemented. This experience is now accessible across the north-western route, with about sixty local partners providing local gastronomic experiences and accommodation options. It is also planned to be expanded to the subtropical south of Azerbaijan, where a perfect combination of rice, tea, and citrus plantations awaits travellers. When Indian tourists started visiting Azerbaijan, the country only had a few restaurants offering Indian food. “Right now, there are so many restaurants that offer Indian food because hospitality stakeholders began to understand that when the Indian travellers come to Azerbaijan, they would at some point like to have their food as well. So, in many streets, one can find Indian restaurants, and they are getting quite popular. It’s not only in Baku but also in Gabala that restaurants cater to Indian food. Since Baku is a dynamic city, it is known for all kinds of cuisines right from European, Asian, Russian to Indian and Arabic cuisine,” states Bahruz. ATB has also managed to achieve considerable progress in developing hiking routes, with sixteen new trails marked across Azerbaijan’s northern and north-western routes, passing through remote mountain villages surrounded by breath-taking nature. Moreover, 97 km of hiking trails through the lush, forested mountains of Sheki and Zagatala have recently been added to the Transcaucasian Trail, and more routes are still to be added in cooperation with the Transcaucasian Trail Association. Azerbaijan is becoming an increasingly attractive birdwatching destination thanks to its diverse landscapes and interesting bird species, and there is more to be done in this direction as well. ATB is planning to organise a birdwatching festival where international media and relevant partners will also be invited, in cooperation with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan. After the pandemic, ATB sought to create some unique and sustainable experiences. They are beginning to understand that people want something new, which is also sustainable. They didn’t want to go into mass tourism. “That’s why we developed a few offerings for this type of tourist. Besides hiking, Azerbaijan is also turning out to be an amazing birdwatching destination. The region is one of the few hotspots where migratory birds from Eurasia during winter make a stopover while flying from the north to the south and from the east to the west. During this migrating season, there are lots of exotic, beautiful, and wonderful species of birds to be seen. Besides the migratory, bird lovers will also be surprised at sighting birds endemic to the region. We hope to generate a lot of worldwide media attention around the destination during the bird-watching festival in November this year. But meanwhile, we are working on the infrastructure. We will make sure that bird watchers and wildlife aficionados can view this one-of-a-kind experience,” explains Bahruz. Bahruz further adds, “And for travellers visiting in winter, we have amazing ski resorts in Azerbaijan in destinations such as Gabala, Qusar, and Nakhchivan. The development of new tourism offerings has also continued Safari tours in Shamakhi, surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains for ecotourists and wildlife lovers, the Alpine Coaster at Shahdag Mountain Resort, the world’s first oil tanker museum, and a reconstructed zoo in Baku.” Another integral part of ATB’s activities is to continue researching how best to develop tourism offerings in Karabakh, where major restoration work continues at full speed. With one international airport opened and two more under construction, this destination is set to combine interesting experiences across outdoor activities, health and wellness, cultural routes, and other tourism offerings. One more much-anticipated plan for 2022 is opening the Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex, which will allow its visitors to enjoy multiple experiences from quad biking and zip-lining to workshops for children, along with a trip to the moon-like landscape home to an enormous collection of mud volcanoes. This June, Azerbaijan will host the sixth Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 10th to 12th. ATB had been very active throughout the pandemic, and now they are restarting everything again. During the pandemic, they had a few platforms that they launched for their travel partner to keep Azerbaijan on the top of mind for the travellers. “It was surprising to know that the highest certificates were awarded to our Indian trade partners in our destination expert program, which shows a great deal of interest in Azerbaijan by the Indian trade. Now, we further want to recommend our partners and show what more Azerbaijan offers. Since we have also developed a few new products in Azerbaijan, we really want to showcase those to our Indian partners,” concludes Bahruz.

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Greece drops COVID curbs for travel season

Pandemic restrictions, such as wearing masks indoors and COVID certificates, will be suspended for the summer tourism period in Greece, with officials considering reintroducing them in September. In recent weeks, the number of Coronavirus infections in Greece has decreased, with authorities reporting 15,000 cases and 64 deaths on Tuesday. Out of an 11-million population, 72 percent are fully vaccinated. The summer tourism season in Greece usually begins after Orthodox Easter, which comes on April 24 this year. Greece is expecting a record number of visitors this year, with officials predicting revenues of 80 per cent of those in 2019, the year before the pandemic halted travel. Health Minister Thanos Plevris on Wednesday said the decision to ease restrictions was “based on the epidemiological data and suggestions from experts”. From May 1 to August 31, the public will no longer need to present coronavirus vaccination or illness certificates to enter indoor or open spaces such as restaurants, and authorities are also considering lifting the requirement of presenting an EU digital COVID certificate to enter the country. Plevris said all measures will be re-evaluated in September.

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US airlines, public transit passengers may travel without mask despite Omicron

Passengers on US airlines and public transit will get their first chance in more than a year to travel without a mask next week, if the federal government sticks to its current plan to let a pandemic-era mandate expire. President Joe Biden is being urged by transportation groups and state and local officials to allow the mask rule to end, after extending it for a month through April 18 as the omicron variant added to the nation’s Covid case count. In recent weeks, cases have started to tick up and some local governments, like in Philadelphia, re-imposed indoor mask wearing. White House and Transportation Security Administration officials are talking with their counterparts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on whether to revise or extend the mask rule. The decision will have implications for the nation’s economy, health-care system and millions of daily commuters. Dr Ashish Jha, the White House’s new Covid-19 response coordinator, said on NBC’s “Today” show Monday that the CDC will come out with a “scientific framework” to help decide whether to keep the mask requirement in place. “I think it is absolutely on the table” to extend the rule, Jha said. “I’m hoping that the mask mandate will come off,” Janno Lieber, chair and chief executive officer of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the largest mass-transit provider in the US, said March 24. “Not because I have any status as an epidemiologist, but because mask mandates have come off in the rest of society.” There’s no longer a federal requirement for mask use in U.S. schools, restaurants, gyms and arenas. Transit Demand In a joint letter to Jha last week, groups including the US Chamber of Commerce and the US Travel Association pushed for an end to the mask requirement and the mandate for pre-departure testing for vaccinated passengers traveling to the US The measures “no longer provide the public health benefits they once did,” it said. “Today, these measures are imposing significant costs on the traveling public, airline employees, and the American travel and tourism industries.” Demand for transit across the US is about 60% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the American Public Transit Association. Some state and local transit officials, reluctant to anticipate the Biden administration decision, say they’re preparing to run their systems without enforcing the mask rule if that’s the guidance from the US government. The list of such agencies include the Chicago Transit Authority, New Jersey Transit, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, operator of New York City’s three major airports. The MTA and New Jersey Transit said they will inform customers of changes to the mask mandate through social media and push notifications, while eliminating signs and public address messages on mask requirements. Officials at Miami International Airport, and federally owned Reagan National and Dulles International airports, say they will follow TSA guidance. In San Francisco, Bay Area Rapid Transit has no plans to institute its own mask mandate. BART plans increased messaging to customers on any changes, including an ad campaign about Merv 14 air filters installed on all train cars. “We want riders to know there is an extra layer of protection on board trains, even crowded trains,” BART spokesperson Alicia Trost said in an email. An Amtrak spokesperson said the national rail system is preparing a variety of customer and employee communications in the event that TSA lifts the mandate. Amtrak will determine its own response once specific U.S. guidance is known, and a Los Angeles World Airports spokesperson said officials are reserving comment until they have confirmation of any change in the mandate. Fewer people wearing masks likely increases the risk of riders being exposed to the virus. While omicron and its new BA.2 variant are proving highly contagious, Covid cases are below the peaks seen in December and early January. David Young, 81, a New York City resident at the 59th Street - Lexington Avenue subway station on Tuesday, said he wants masks to stay. “I’d rather wear a mask than take a chance on getting Covid,” he said. But for many travellers, an end to wearing a mask during their commute or flight is welcomed. “If there’s an indoor mask mandate for public space, there should be one for transit; but if there’s not, then we have to think really hard about the consequences of treating transit differently” Danny Pearlstein, a spokesperson for Riders Alliance, a transportation advocacy group, said in a phone interview. “Continuing the mandate long after there is no indoor mask mandate generally makes people afraid of transit and makes enforcement especially complicated.”

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Flight operation from Keshod airport to be inaugurated on April 16

In a boost to the tourism sector in Junagadh and surrounding districts of Gujarat, flight operation will be inagurated in upgraded Keshod airport on April 16. The airport will provide air connectivity to tourists visiting Sasan-Gir, the last abode of Asiatic lions or pilgrims to Girnar to seek the blessings of Maa Amba and nearby areas. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will inaugurate the upgraded facilities at Keshod airport and flag off new flights to Mumbai-Keshod-Mumbai under Regional Connectivity Schemes (RCS). Airport will commence scheduled flight operations on the Mumbai-KeshodMumbai route under RCS-UDAN scheme from April 17. The terminal building of the airport has been renovated at the cost of approximately INR 25 crore District Collector Junagadh, Rachit Raj told IANS that it is going to promote sports and tourism in Junagadh districts. "All the tourist destinations in and around Junagadh and nearby districts will be benefitted and tourism will be increased. It will boost tourism in Sasan Gir (only abode in the world of the Asiatic lions), Girnar, Somnath and Diu tourism circuit. The area will witness multifold increase in tourism activities due to flight connectivity," Raj said. Sasan-Gir is 50 kilometres and Junagadh is 35 kilometres Afrom Keshod. The Keshod city also developed as a historical city and after commencement of the ropeway at Girnar mountain. The tourist visiting to Somnath temple is also expected to rise as it is just 55 km from Keshod. The 2.32-km long ropeway built at a cost of INR 135 crore in Girnar mountain has become a huge hit among the pilgrims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the ropeway project in 2007 when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. The ropeway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi and then Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in October 2020. According to the Junagarh District Collector, the ropeway is a huge hit among the pilgrims visiting Maa Amba temple located on Mount Girnar in Junagadh, which is 1,069 meters above the sea level. Earlier, the only option to visit Girnar Mountain was by climbing over 9,000 stairs. "Girnar ropeway is one of India's biggest and one of the largest passenger ropeway projects in Asia constructed on Mount Girnar, the tallest mountain of the state. Since the start of operations of ropeway started in Junagadh in October 2020, over 10 lakh people have used the services. The ropeway covers a distance of 2.3 km in under 7.5 minutes," Raj said. Talking about the restoration, conservation and development of the historic Uparkot fort of Junagadh, Raj said that the work is in full swing and it will be completed in coming months. "The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat (TCGL) is also developing a walkway along the fort complex and making arrangements for light-and-sound show as part of restoration and development project," Raj added.

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South Korea to lift overall special travel advisory over Covid

The South Korean government on Wednesday said it has decided to lift a special travel advisory affecting all overseas travel as a measure against the Covid pandemic. The across-the-board special advisory, introduced in March 2020 and extended on a monthly basis, will be lifted, effective Thursday, in consideration of the country's new virus control strategy and Covid situations abroad, Xinhua news agency reported citing the country's Foreign Ministry. But it plans to maintain a special travel advisory in place for China, Russia and two dozen other nations, as well as a traditional four-tier travel alert system for designated foreign areas.

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