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IRCTC rolls out discounted tour packages for Char Dham Yatra

Have you been planning to go on Char Dham Yatra for a long time? If yes then the Indian Railways has good news for you. As per the reports, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is now offering a package for the Char Dham Yatra, which is available for INR 58900 (GST inclusive) per person if travelling in group; whereas the cost of the trip for a single person will be around INR 77600 (GST inclusive) as part of the Dekho Apna Desh offers. This offer has been launched by the Indian Railways at a time when COVID-19 cases are dropping significantly in India, and international travel has also resumed. It will be a 12-day, 11-night package and will include visit to Badrinath, Barkot, Guptkashi, Gangotri, Haridwar, Kedarnath, Janki Chatti, Sonprayag, Uttarkashi and Yamunatri. Reports have it that the journey will commence on May 14 in Nagpur, and last till May 25. Also, during the journey, complimentary dinner and breakfast will be served to travellers. Travellers will first arrive by flight in Delhi via Nagpur, from where they will travel from to Barkot, Haridwar, Guptkashi, Gangotri, Janki Chatti, Sonprayag, Kedarnath, Uttarkashi, and Badrinath. Plus, car and bus facilities will be available throughout the journey. Those interested in this trip can book this tour package online through the IRCTC website as well as through IRCTC Tourist Facilitation Centre, regional offices, and zonal offices.

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Change in travel trends in India

Two years of the pandemic has kept people largely confined to their homes, and needless to say, many have been dreaming about traveling to their favourite destinations or new unexplored locations. With Covid on its way to becoming endemic, it looks like 2022 is going to be the year that finally fulfills all their travel wishes. As per a new survey report by American Express Travel titled ‘Global Travel Trends Report’, about 91% of Indians, the highest among all surveyed countries, said they plan to book a dream vacation in 2022 which they normally would not have considered before the pandemic while 87% want to book a once-in-a-lifetime vacation in 2022. This goes on to show that lifting of Covid curbs and resumption of international flights has led to a return of normalcy which in turn has led more and more people to break the chain of monotony and plan trips accordingly. Manoj Adlakha, SVP, and CEO at the American Express Banking Corp, India, informs that there is a huge surge in travel bookings amongst their cardmembers for both international and domestic travel. He says that after two tough years, the travel sentiment amongst Indian travelers is upbeat where spending time with loved ones is a top priority. Their travel trends report says that to make the most of the lost time, 94% of respondents agree they plan to travel more with family in 2022 than they did in 2021 while 89% shared that they are more interested in multi-generational family trips than ever before The survey report, based on data from seven countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and India, among others, reveals that discovering new experiences motivates 48% of Indians to travel, while 46% are looking to relax. All of these numbers are a clear indication that travel trends among Indians are definitely changing. So, what is driving this change in travel trends amongst Indians? Let’s find out. To create an impact More and more people want to explore the local culture and have a positive impact on the community they are visiting. It probably might be the pandemic that has made people more aware of their surroundings. According to the survey, traveling responsibly is of high importance for the respondents as 94% stated they would take a ‘greencation’ and 93% are more likely to book travel with a brand that is committed to improving its environmental impact. Ready to spend more Up until the pandemic, people used to be 100% sure before making their travel bookings. But this travel rule seems to have changed this year. As per the survey, 92% of respondents agreed to make bookings this year, even if they had to cancel or modify their plans later. It might also have to do with the discounted packages that travel companies are offering right now, but the rules of bookings are definitely changing. Spending more time with family The pandemic has definitely changed the way we have been balancing our work and family time. With kids and elders now getting booster shots and vaccines, people are planning trips with their folks to experience and relish family vacation time. Going by statistics, 94% of survey respondents plan to travel more with family in 2022 than they did in 2021. 89% of respondents agree they are more interested in multigenerational trips than ever before. Need for entertainment A majority of people are looking forward to music festivals and attending sports and cultural events around the globe. According to the report, 89% of consumers held off on traveling for major entertainment events last year but have plans to return to these types of events this year.

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Meghalaya’s living root bridges included on tentative list of UNESCO’s World’s Heritage Sites

The famous living root bridges found in Meghalaya state, have been included on the tentative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Meghalaya’s Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma took to Twitter to announce this, and stated that he is thrilled to mention that ‘Jingkieng Jri: Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes of Meghalaya’ has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site tentative list. He added that the bridges not only stand out for their exemplary human-environment symbiotic relationship, but also focus on their pioneering use for connectivity and resilience, and the need to adopt sustainable measures to balance economy and ecology. As per the reports, the Meghalaya Chief Minister had pitched for UNESCO recognition of the bridges on January 21, 2022, when the hill state marked its 50th year of creation. As regarding the bridges, these are grown by the indigenous Khasi tribal communities. As per the UNESCO, “These structural ecosystems have performed in extreme climatic conditions for centuries, and encapsulate a profound harmony between humans and nature.” These bridges facilitate connectivity in more than 75 remote villages in and around the wettest region on the planet. These simple suspension bridges are formed as the tree grows in shape to form living plant roots across a stream or river. Then the roots are allowed to strengthen and grow over time. Some bridges are believed to be hundreds of years old, and once they mature, they serve as bridges, and can last for more than 150 years, and have as many as 50 people crossing them.

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Americans ease up on masks, nonessential travel despite new Covid wave warning

Many Americans have taken significant steps back from once-routine coronavirus precautions, with less than half now saying they regularly wear face masks, avoid crowds and skip nonessential travel. Americans are letting down their guard even as experts warn a new wave of Covid-19 cases is coming. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows fewer people taking protective measures than at any point in AP-NORC polls conducted since early 2021. The poll found 44% say they often or always wear a face mask around people outside of their homes, down from 65% in January when infections of the highly contagious omicron variant were soaring. Just 40% say they’re largely avoiding nonessential travel, compared with 60% in January. And 47% say they regularly stay away from large groups, down from 65% in January. Most Americans say they at least sometimes still follow those safeguards. But they're increasingly returning to pre-pandemic norms as coronavirus infections have fallen to their lowest level since July. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer recommends masking indoors for most Americans, while cities are lifting mask and vaccine requirements to enter restaurants, bars and concert venues. And more US workers are returning to offices after two years of doing their jobs at home. Judy Morgan, a retired teacher from Poulsbo, Washington, said she and her husband, a Navy veteran, have gradually become more relaxed about wearing masks and other precautions since getting their vaccine booster shots in late October. Roughly six weeks ago, she went back to shopping without a mask when the Navy base where she buys groceries stopped requiring face coverings. "I figured when the military starts easing up, because they’re pretty strict, that’s a very good sign,” said Morgan, 80. Morgan and her husband plan to put their masks back on at the airport later this week when they fly to Florida to celebrate her birthday. She said they were extra cautious earlier in the pandemic because her husband has a heart condition that makes him more susceptible to severe illness from Covid-19 — and she's ready to go back to that behaviour if another severe wave of infections hits. “My hope is that it’s tapering off and every variation will be somewhat less viral or significant," Morgan said. "But my fear is something new will happen.” Experts say the coronavirus isn't going away, and most Americans recognize the virus will stick around. In January, an AP-NORC poll showed just 15% of Americans said the pandemic will be over when Covid-19 is mostly eliminated. Most said they expect the pandemic to end when it's largely a mild virus. But that might not be the case just yet. Experts still say new variants could soon start another wave of rising infections in the US Scientists are closely watching an extra-contagious spinoff of omicron that already has case numbers climbing in parts of Europe and Asia, as well as a delta-omicron hybrid, though so far infections of that variant appear to be rare. Sonia Montoya, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, isn't taking any chances. The 65-year-old bookkeeper still works remotely from her office colleagues, orders any restaurant meals to go and makes sure to wear a mask when shopping or attending church. Six of Montoya's relatives and friends died from the virus, and she said she's still very worried about getting sick even though she's vaccinated. “It came back and hit us again once before, and I have a feeling if we aren't cautious we are going to do it again," Montoya said. “Yes, it’s slowing down, but there’s a lot of stupid people out there, especially the younger ones that don't think it’s serious.” Since vaccines became widely available to the American public, AP-NORC polls have consistently shown that vaccinated people are more worried about infections and more likely to take preventive steps than the unvaccinated. The vaccinated are still more likely than the unvaccinated to say they’re always or often avoiding nonessential travel (44% to 29%), staying away from large groups (51% to 32%) and wearing face masks around other people (49% to 26%). But the new poll shows that over the past two months the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike have become less likely to regularly take those precautions. Likewise, both Democrats and Republicans are less likely than they were in January to say they frequently take protective measures. Jason Newman, of Greenville, Kentucky, said he never wears a mask unless he's required to, has no concerns about dining out and never got vaccinated. He said he's tested positive for Covid-19 twice but suffered no symptoms either time. The 43-year-old postal worker said in recent months he's noticed more people who seem to be treating the virus the way he does. “It’s always going be here no matter what, because they won’t be able to eradicate it,” Newman said. “I think, by and large, they’re all over it."

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New Zealand airline announces plans to raise $1.5 billion to rebuild from deep losses

New Zealand's flagship airline on Wednesday announced a plan to raise $1.5 billion to hire more staff, buy new planes and expand its routes as it seeks to rebuild from deep losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Air New Zealand's shares were put in a temporary trading halt ahead of the announcement. As well as being used to invest in the business, some of the new money would be used to pay back government loans. Under the plan, the airline would raise 2.2 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.5 billion). About 55% of the new money would come from an offer to existing shareholders, under which they can buy new shares at a steep discount to the last trading price. The rest of the money would come from the government through redeemable shares and new loan financing. The New Zealand government currently owns 51% of the airline, a ratio that won't change under the plan. When the pandemic hit, Air New Zealand responded by cutting back its flights by 95% and slashing thousands of jobs, reducing its workforce by nearly one-third. For two years, New Zealand imposed some of the world's toughest border restrictions, extinguishing a once-thriving international tourism industry. Domestic flights have recovered somewhat but the airline still expects to lose about NZ$800 million this year. The government announced earlier this month it will reopen to tourists from the U.S. and many other countries by May 1 as the pandemic threat recedes. Airline Chief Executive Greg Foran said its top priorities were to grow its domestic business, optimize its international routes and grow its loyalty program. Chairperson Therese Walsh said that despite the cutbacks, the airline had been able to keep the nation connected throughout the pandemic, allowing New Zealanders to return home, bringing in vital supplies and keeping its export markets running. “While we know there are still bumpy skies ahead, the timing is right for us to position the airline for recovery," Walsh said. Last week the airline announced it had started selling tickets for direct flights to and from New York, a new route that will take more than 17 hours southbound and be among the longest nonstop flights in the world. Air New Zealand had intended to start the route from Auckland to John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2020, but then the pandemic hit. The first flights will now begin in September.

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France to launch new promotional campaign in April

Atout France, the French Tourism Development Agency along with 13 regional tourist boards and tourism industry companies have joined hands to launch a new marketing and promotional campaign to attract its key tourist markets- the European travellers to strengthen its path to recovery in the international tourism market. The second edition of the #EXPLOREFRANCE campaign, which launches in early April, will target 10 European markets, the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, and Sweden. According to the European tourism hotspot’s plan for the recovery and transformation of tourism launched in November 2021 with a budget of nearly two Billion Euros, Destination France is also working to promote MICE with a campaign #ChooseFrance to accelerate the return of international events. For long-haul markets like India, France will focus on reaffirming the fundamentals by reassuring and informing the travellers and stakeholders in the market. As a target, the country wants to give priority to high spending and repeat travellers. With multi-target actions to maintain the desirability of the destination in the long-haul markets, France will soon come up with an e-learning platform to French regions' offers to international tour operators. In 2021, France's market share in terms of tourist revenue increased to 18 per cent, compared with other EU countries. The need for sharing and socialising, rejuvenation, and getting back to basics following the crisis will be the central communication theme of the #ExploreFrance 2022 campaign. In addition, Atout France's teams will be carrying out a major awareness-raising campaign for tour operators and travel agencies in their respective markets. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, France was one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, with over 90 million annual visitors. Rendez-vous en France after two years The country also recently hosted its annual international tourism exhibition, Rendez-vous en France after a gap of two years in Nantes where close to 1,500 tourism professionals including 668 French companies and more than 600 tourism professionals from 57 countries conducted business meetings. A 10- member delegation of tour operators from India also participated.

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