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Visit Finland launches e-learning platform ‘Finland Travel PRO’ for travel trade

Visit Finland has launched a new e-learning platform “Finland Travel PRO” for the international travel trade. In the platform, travel industry professionals around the world can learn about Finnish attractions, discover what to do during the four seasons and get an overview on Finnish tourism companies and products. The platform aims to support selling and promoting travel to Finland and provides tools and materials to support marketing. The core of the platform are the five interactive learning modules in LEARN and RETAIN sections. With a free registration, the user can get a comprehensive understanding of Finnish attractions and sights, lifestyle, and culture as well as transportation and geography. In addition to a general introduction to Finland, the user can get a deep dive into each of the four greater regions: Helsinki, Coast & Archipelago, Lakeland, and Lapland. In PROMOTE section, the user gets access to many Finland brochures and handbooks, images, and videos as well as other promotional materials to be shared directly with clients to ignite interest. In SELL section, one can find itinerary examples, maps and other useful sales materials to be able to provide the most suitable information and answers for clients interested in Finland. Finally, Finland Travel PRO includes a wide DIRECTORY, an interactive real-time database of Finnish ground suppliers and attractions to give comprehensive support for your sales and marketing. The search function and filtering by category, services and location make the booking easy, and you will surely discover new exciting products to offer to your client! Currently, the platform is available in English but will later be launched also in German, French, Spanish and Japanese. In addition to the desktop version, the platform is also available as a mobile application.

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Canada may drop pre-arrival Covid testing requirement from April 1

Canada will remove the need for incoming fully vaccinated travellers to get tested for Covid-19 before entering the country, starting on April 1, a source familiar with the plan said on Wednesday. The government is expected to announce the easing of testing requirements for people entering the country by all modes of transport on Thursday, according to the government source, who declined to be named because the plan was not yet public. Pre-entry testing requirements would still be in effect for partially or unvaccinated travelers. As the effects of the Omicron Covid wave wanes, the federal government has taken a more cautious approach to easing health restrictions than some of the provincial governments. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, said last week it would scrap virtually all pandemic-related public health measures by end-April, citing the reduced threat of the pandemic. Other provinces, including Alberta and Quebec, have also announced an easing of restrictions. The move could further boost Canadian air carriers who were seeing a bounce in spring travel after a slump due to the spread of coronavirus infections. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp had reported plans to remove the testing requirement earlier.

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The onset of spring sees a spike in staycations and off-beat destinations, travellers willing to experiment

People across the country have resumed their travel plans. Amid the pandemic, a lot of things about travel have changed, yet the constant urge to explore new places, taste culinary delights, or simply a change of place, is motivating travellers. The pandemic and its lockdowns kept millions of people indoors for the longest time, pummelling the travel industry. Now with cases easing up, the segment is seeing a return to normalcy after nearly two years. Even during the pandemic, some people found newer ways to quench their wanderlust, especially when the lockdowns eased. As work-from-home transformed into work-from-anywhere, new concepts such as staycations and exploration of off-beat destinations gave some breathing space for the travel industry. Now, as lockdowns are becoming a memory, the travel bug is biting again. Travellers are also being lured by a wide array of options for long weekends and one-day outings. Travel portals, operators, and planners have confirmed that they are witnessing an upward trend in bookings. Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager – India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Taiwan, Airbnb, has noticed a higher interest to explore newer destinations adjacent to metro cities, especially those in the hills and off the beaten path destinations and those offering local experiences. “Searches for international locales are also increasing as more places have started to lift restrictions. Another trend we continue to see is the rise of digital nomads and the need to stay connected all the time. As the growing flexibility to live and work from anywhere continues, being able to determine a listing’s WiFi speed before booking is a must-have for digital nomads,” says Bajaj. The interest to explore offbeat destinations has grown after the pandemic began, observe travel industry experts. “With health concerns still at large, people are still looking to avoid the crowds,” says Rikant Pittie, Co-founder, EaseMyTrip. “Offbeat destinations give them that space and also enable travellers to explore places that have not been written much about. The joy of discovering new, unique places and experiences is still unmatched. We have witnessed an increased number of queries for offbeat destinations such as Dharamsala, Gokarna and Nubra Valley in India.” Following the outbreak of the Covid-19, the travel industry was among the worst affected. However, despite the restrictions, several travel companies managed to stay afloat and some even reaped in huge revenues. During FY21, EaseMyTrip sold close to 45 lakh air segments with over 62,000 room nights and 2.19 lakh trains, buses, and others. "In FY22, We sold more than 50 lakh air segments (up by 87 per cent), more than 1 lakh room nights (up by 357 per cent) and more than 3.8 lakh trains, buses and others (up by 262 per cent). We have witnessed strong demand and with our constant customer engagement, customer acquisition and focused marketing initiatives, we have been able to inch-up our market share in the air segment considerably," added Pittie. Long Weekends: A Boon Long weekends come as a respite for millions chasing deadlines, organising client meetings and going through other office routines during business hours. These short breaks are also a bonus for the travel industry trying to get back on its feet. "This year, Holi falls on a long weekend,” says Ankit Gupta, Spokesperson at OYO. “We are already witnessing a strong increase in bookings in March compared with February. This shows customers’ willingness to travel across India. Cities like Goa, Puri, Mahabaleshwar, Nainital, Mount Abu, Pondicherry, Shillong and Rishikesh are the most desired destinations for the Holi weekend.” Recent travel trends suggest that consumers mostly opt for short-haul destinations and prefer to book their stays closer to the date of travel. "A lot of customers in India have started to prefer booking their stays closer to the date of travel. Nearly 26 per cent who participated in a survey said they book their stays only a week in advance, while 31 per cent said they plan their trips a month in advance. This has become the norm today. In the pre-pandemic days, travellers preferred to make bookings months in advance,” adds Gupta. Most Preferred Destinations. The changing landscape of work has also encouraged many millennials to explore leisure travel. Travel experts point out that this gives customers instant gratification and boundless benefits.Bajaj lists favourite short-haul leisure vacation destinations such as Goa, Bangalore, Lonavala, New Delhi, Alibaug, Mumbai, Pondicherry, Rishikesh and Jaipur. “Interestingly, Dubai is also gaining popularity among Indian travellers for long weekend getaways,” adds Bajaj. EaseMyTrip’s Pittie reports that there has been growing interest to visit destinations such as Kenya and Zanzibar, too. “These destinations offer new and unique experiences, which customers are now craving with the reopening of travel across the world,” said Pittie. Staycations On The Rise Almost all industry observers say they have seen a change in perceptions around vacations, mainly due to the rapid changes in lifestyle and the nature of work. The days of packing your bags for that long trip aren't that common. This has made the travel industry embrace staycations. Such breaks not only provide a quick temporary respite for those unable to travel far but also offer the opportunity of exploring places closer to home. Besides, staycations have become a favourite of those engaged in remote studying and working. Staycations are also making way for more road trips. “According to the 2022 Travelopedia, our annual trends survey,” Gupta says, “over half the respondents said they would travel by private or rental cars, 35 per cent said they were just as fine to hop on a bus or a train, and a mere 14 per cent were happy to take a flight. Hotels continue to be the top choice of

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Uzbekistan lifts Covid-19 restrictions on foreign tourists

Uzbekistan withdrew some Covid restrictions starting Wednesday and will resume issuing electronic visas for foreigners to open the country to tourists, said the Uzbek special commission on Covid-19. Foreigners arriving in Uzbekistan are still required to hold a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours upon arrival. Otherwise, they will have to take an express test in Uzbekistan, according to the commission, Xinhua news agency reported. The country has lifted all temporary restrictions at the border checkpoints with neighbouring Kazakhstan and Tajikistan to allow the free passage of travellers. Daily cases in Uzbekistan have fallen below 100 in recent weeks. So far, it has registered 237,341 Covid-19 cases and 1,637 deaths.

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Heritage Park' with 'baradari' will become major tourist attraction: Goel

Having a marble-made Mughal-style 'baradari' as its centre-piece, the new 'Heritage Park' near the iconic Jama Masjid which has been developed using rich stocks of flowers and having structures built with traditional craftsmanship, will soon become a major tourist attraction, former Union minister Vijay Goel said on Wednesday. The park, the first phase of which has been completed, spanning an area of about 1.75 acre, is slated to be inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind on March 20. This park has been developed in an area that earlier was messy and in a shambles. Now, it has been transformed into a beautiful, vibrant recreational space that celebrates the heritage of Delhi, Goel told reporters during a preview of the park. "If you want to see, what this looked like earlier, go to the other side of the boundary wall which has been earmarked for the second phase, towards the Jama Masjid side, and you will be able to appreciate the transformation. Once the second phase gets ready, the glory of this park will be further enhanced. It will soon become a major tourist attraction in Delhi," he said. In the first phase, an area of about 1.75 acre has been developed with an estimated cost of INR 7.65 crore. In the second phase, the remaining 2.25 acre is to be developed with an estimated cost of INR 10.03 crore. For the first phase, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation arranged for INR 4.70 crore from its resources, officials said. The second phase also envisages reviving the old water stream (referred to as 'nahar' by locals) that existed in a stretch located adjacent to the current boundary wall of the park, officials said. Conceived in 2017, the park which faces the Red Fort complex, has been built with civic body funds and contributions from various MPs, including Goel, a Rajya Sabha member, who has been "striving hard for the development of this 'Heritage Park' in the Walled City area," officials had said on Tuesday. The park is endowed with Mughal-style 'chatris', a beautiful 'baradari' (pavailion). made of white marble, stone railings and lamp and posts, borrowing design elements from Red Fort ramparts, ornate gates, a sunken open-air theatre, and also has toilet facilities. A food court area is also being developed, said architect Kapil Aggarwal, who designed the park. "We are feeling very excited to showcase this 'Heritage Park' to the President of India on March 20, after which people would be able to enjoy it. A play by well-known theatre personality Aamir Raza Husain would also be hosted during the inauguration event for the president," he told PTI. The park sits in close proximity to the Mughal-era Jama Masjid and faces Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on the other side. "We wanted visitors to feel the park was part of both, and therefore, we chose heritage elements after careful research," he added. A senior NDMC official said the park has "rich stocks of flowers and shrubberies, including petunia, dog flowers, marigold, carnation, poinsettia, ornamental cabbage, croton and furcaria". "Once we open it to public, there will be a nominal ticket fee," he said. Named after Charti Lal Goel, former deputy mayor of the erstwhile unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi and first Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, the heritage park is located opposite the Parade Ground Parking facility near the Red Fort. "The road that divides the park and the parking facility leads to heritage buildings of old Delhi, so it is a heritage road itself," said Goel, a heritage enthusiast himself, and son of Charti Lal Goel, whose marble bust has also been installed near the ornately-carved 'baradari'. Red sandstone, white marble, Dholpur stone, Delhi quartzite stones have been used in the park. An amount of INR 17.68 crore was required towards the completion of the project which has been planned in two phases, officials said. Visitors will also get to enjoy delicious cuisine of Chandni Chowk and handicrafts of Old Delhi area at the park, they said.

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Almond blossoms attract tourists in Srinagar's Badam Vaer garden

Kashmir's s Badam Vaer garden has become the latest attraction for tourists as the multicoloured almond flowers bloomed in the garden, announcing the advent of spring. The spring season attracts both tourists and locals as the Kashmir valley looks mesmerizing at this time of the year. The garden authorities have upped their line of management and would be aligning a series of rograms for the tourists in near future. Badam Vaer gardens, located in the foothills of Hari Parbat fort also known as Koh-eMaran in Srinagar city has cultural, traditional and heritage importance aspopular religious places including Hazrat Makhdoom Sahib shrine and Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi are also in the same area. "During the spring season due to the multicoloured almond blossoms that are in peak bloom these days, people visit Badam Vaer. After a few days, the government is also going to organize festivals with different cultural and traditional activities aimed to promote the spring tourism season" said Imran, Assistant Floriculture Officer. Roza, a tourist from Bangladesh said, "This garden is not very crowded and the overall ambience of this garden is very peaceful. That's why everyone including locals as well as tourists, are visiting Badam Vaer during the almond blossoms." "Situated on foothills of Koh-e-Maran, spread over 300 canals, the garden serves as a source of attraction for tourists and nature lovers alike," added the Assistant Floriculture Officer

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