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Travelling to UAE, Singapore, Kuwait from India? Check these Guidelines

People from India travelling to Singapore, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait will be able to visit both these as the travel restrictions has been eased by both the countries. According to Singapore Airlines (SIA), fully vaccinated passengers travelling to Singapore from tomorrow on VTL flights from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai will have their travel history requirement reduced from 14 to 7 days. SIA said in a statement, "From 22 February 2022 (Singapore time), fully vaccinated passengers travelling to Singapore on VTL flights from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai can adhere to the new relaxations. Travel history requirement will be reduced from 14 to 7 days. If the traveller has been in Singapore within those last 7 days, his/her stay in Singapore can be counted towards fulfilling this 7-day travel history requirement." Also, "From February 22, VTL travellers need not take an on arrival Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at Changi Airport. Instead, they will be required to take a supervised self-swab Antigen Rapid Test (ART) at any test centre located across Singapore within 24 hours of arrival," it said. A testing notice with a weblink to book tests will be issued to travellers upon their entry into Singapore. If the above ART is negative, no further ART/PCR tests are required throughout one's stay in Singapore. The new changes to Singapore's VTL entry and testing requirements follow the government's announcement last month exempting VTL travellers from all testing requirements if they had recently recovered from COVID-19 (within 7 to 90 days of their last infection before departure to Singapore) and can provide appropriate documentary proof of their recovery. Meanwhile, UAE has also updated its travel guidelines for people travelling from India. These include passengers who have completed the full vaccination schedule of both doses in India are exempted from RT-PCR testing prior to departure for travel to India from UAE. Passengers should also upload COVID-19 vaccination certificate issued in India on Air Suvidha portal (https://www.newdelhiairport. in/airsuvidha/apho registration). All other passengers should carry a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR certificate and upload the same on Air Suvidha portal (The test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to schedule time of departure). All passengers should submit complete and factual information in self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal (https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration) before the scheduled travel, including last 14 days travel details. All passengers will continue to undergo thermal screening on arrival and if found symptomatic, will be treated as per protocol. After UAE another gulf country Kuwait has also announced some relaxations to people travelling from India to Kuwait. The new guidelines include passengers (except visa on arrival in Kuwait) with valid travel documents can enter the State of Kuwait despite thier vaccination status. 1) Fully vaccinated (only vaccine approved by Kuwait Government are not required to take RT-PCR test to travel to Kuwait. 2) Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers are require to take RT-PCR test to travel to Kuwait. (Passengers who have taken two doses of vaccination approved by Kuwait and have completed 9 months since the 2nd dose are considered partially vaccinated). 3) Children under the age of 16 years are exempted. 4) Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated guests are subject to home quarantine for 7 day.

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Expect more water taxis at cheaper rates to ferry between Mumbai suburbs

Expect your daily commute through water transport between Mumbai and suburbs such as Belapur, Nerul, Vasai, Kalyan, Thane to get cheaper at least by 10 per cent. The state has announced to waive off taxes levied by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) on passengers taking ferries, water taxis, and Ro-Ro boats. The waiver has been announced for a period of next three years. The announcement has come as a booster for INR330 crore waterways development programme for Mumbai. Meanwhile, the state has also announced INR 500 crore to acquire land along the coastal belt of Maharashtra between Rewas and Reddy to develop the coastal road. To facilitate the project a tender for a four-lane bridge over Dharamtar creek costing around INR900 crore has already been floated. "In order to promote water transport in the State, the tax levied by the MMB on passengers as well as pets, vehicles, goods etc. Travelling by ferries and Ro-Ro boats on recently launched waterways from January 1 2022 is being waived for three years," Finance minister Ajit Pawar stated in his budget speech. Meanwhile, the state's Balasaheb Thackeray memorial prosperity corridor between Mumbai and Nagpur will be extended from Nagpur to Bhandara-Gondia and Nagpur to Gadchiroli. 77per cent work of this highway has been completed. Necessary funds will be provided for land acquisition of Jalna-Nanded Expressway, he added. The state has proposed to set up a separate terminal for freight and night flight facilities that will be launched at Shirdi airport soon. The budget has decided to provide INR crore for this work, finance minister Ajit Pawar said in his budget speech. The government has also decided to provide INR 100 crore for land acquisition and construction of Ratnagiri Airport. New Terminal, Night Landing Facility, and extension of runway works will be started at Amravati Airport, said Pawar. Land acquisition and deforestation works required for Kolhapur Airport have also been undertaken. Construction of a new airport have also been undertaken. Construction of a new airport at Godchiroli is under consideration, he added. The government has plans to connect Vasai, Bhayander, Dombivali, Kalyan, Vashi, Airoli, Mithbundar(Thane) besides Belapur by waterways to reduce the burden on the road and rail transport system in the Mumbai metropolitan area. It has planned to construct jetties or similar facilities and deepening of the creek which is expected to cost over INR 330 crore, said Pawar . "Bhaucha Dhakka to Belapur waterways service is now operational. To make rates for this service affordable to all, I am declaring the tax waiver," said Pawar. Mumbai to Belapur and JNPT water transport service was commissioned recently. "In last year's budget, I had announced that construction of Rewas to Reddy Coastal Highway will be undertaken. Now a tender has been floated for a large four-lane creek bridge costing INR 897.70 crore with a length of 2 km over Dharamtar creek connecting Rewas and Karanja on this highway. An outlay of INR 500 crore is proposed for the acquisition of about 1,100 hectares of land for the work of this coastal highway," Pawar said in his budget speech. Meanwhile, the state's Balasaheb Thackeray memorial prosperity corridor between Mumbai and Nagpur will be extended from Nagpur to Bhandara-Gondia and Nagpur to Gadchiroli. 77per cent work of this highway has been completed. Necessary funds will be provided for land acquisition of Jalna-Nanded Expressway, he added. The state has proposed to set up a separate terminal for freight and night flight facilities that will be launched at Shirdi airport soon. The budget has decided to provide INR crore for this work, finance minister Ajit Pawar said in his budget speech. The government has also decided to provide INR 100 crore for land acquisition and construction of Ratnagiri Airport. New Terminal, Night Landing Facility, and extension of runway works will be started at Amravati Airport, said Pawar. Land acquisition and deforestation works required for Kolhapur Airport have also been undertaken. Construction of a new airport at Gadchiroli is under consideration, he added.

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Spain Extends Travel Restrictions, Requires Booster Jabs for Those Vaccinated Before May 2021

The Spanish Ministry of Health has extended travel restrictions on travellers from the other European Union and Schengen Area countries for another week, until February 13, due to the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 infection in the bloc. Updating the list of European risk areas, the Ministry has explained that the list will remain unchanged for another week. Part of it are the following EU/Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden. “If you come from a country/zone at risk in relation to COVID-19, you must present a certificate or document proving vaccination, diagnostic test for active infection (PDIA), or recovery from COVID-19. These certificates will be different if they have been issued in a country of the European Union (EU Digital COVID Certificate) or in a third country,” the Ministry explains regarding travel from countries in the EU which are listed as risk countries. It also points out that since February 1, travellers who haven’t received a COVID-19 booster dose must pay attention to the validity of their vaccinated certificates. Those who have been vaccinated before mid-May 2021 must take their booster shots and renew their vaccination certificates in order to be eligible to travel to Spain restriction-free. The Spanish authorities continue to consider as high-risk countries all third countries except for: China (including administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao) Indonesia New Zealand Rwanda Saudi Arabia South Korea Taiwan Last week, Chile was also part of this list but has now been removed due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the territory of the same. Regarding travellers from other third countries, which Spain lists as high-risk areas, they have to present their SpTH QR code together with a vaccination or recovery certificate as well as negative COVID-19 results of a test performed pre-departure. Residents of these countries can travel to Spain with a vaccination certificate against COVID-19, a negative test performed within 72h(NAAT) / 24h(RAT) prior to arrival, or a certificate of recovery from COVID-19. Since last week, only negative results of Coronavirus antigen tests were that performed 24 hours before a traveller’s arrival in Spain will be accepted for entry into the country, instead of 48 hours as they have been accepted up until now. The QR code is obtained when completing the Sanitary Control Form through the Spanish Health portal, pre-departure. Completing the form is obligatory for all sea and air travellers. It is not mandatory to present the for those reaching Spain by land.

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As Vaccination figures increase, here’s a list of countries Indians can visit without an RT-PCR test

As the COVID-19 cases decline globally and the vaccination coverage improves, many Indians have been anticipating that they would be able to travel internationally this year. The development has come to light in online booking platform Agoda’s ‘India-genous Travel’ survey, in which 39% of the respondents in India expressed their hopes of travelling abroad in 2022. The platform also said that another one of its surveys, “Return to Travel” also found that people were majorly concerned about understanding the COVID-19 restrictions and quarantine or vaccination requirements in other countries. However, now with the Omicron wave proving to be not as severe as the past two bouts and with the cases receding, some countries have opened their doors to international travel, allowing people from many countries, including India, to visit without having to present a negative RT-PCR report if they are fully vaccinated. Egypt, the home of the pyramids, has allowed people who are fully vaccinated after taking the requisite doses of WHO and Egypt-approved vaccines to enter the country without needing an RT-PCR report. However, the vaccine certificate of the traveller must either contain a QR code or be approved by the proper authorities before travel. The visitors also need to fill the health declaration form, to be able to visit the country that houses the beautiful Sahara el Beyda white desert national park and offers an underwater marine life experience at Hurghada. The Persian Gulf country of Bahrain has now opened the doors for all tourists, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not, and these travellers do not require a PCR test before their departure. Lebanon is now letting all fully vaccinated travellers into the country without making the PCR test a prerequisite for flying to the country. However, there is one rider. The traveller must have completed their vaccination schedule at least six months before they are travelling to Lebanon. Those who wish to travel to this country, which is home to the Beiteddine Palace and Baalbek – the temple of Bacchus, would need to upload their vaccination certificates on the website of the Ministry of Health. France, with its Eiffel Tower, Seine River and vineyards in Burgundy, has also scrapped the need for fully vaccinated travellers to get an RT-PCR done before they go to the country. Apart from the country of romance, the land of midnight Sun – Norway – has also done away with RT-PCR tests for travellers who completed their vaccination schedule within nine months of their travel. Those who took their final dose before this time period need to get a booster shot to be able to travel to Norway without a test. Norway is known for Aurora or the Northern Lights, but visitors can see the Arctic Circle, Mount Floyen, Arctic Cathedral and Geirangerfjord region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, during their travel.

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Gurugram: Carnival to push Damdama lake as hub for adventure sport

A plan to develop Damdama Lake as a base for eco-tourism and adventure sport, announced in 2018 but delayed because of the pandemic, will take its first step this weekend in the form of a two-day carnival hosted by Haryana Tourism. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will flag off the event, which will seek to establish the lake area, located amid the Aravalis in the Sohna block of Gurugram, as a weekend getaway for Delhi-NCR as the tourism industry hopes for a revival this year. Forest and tourism minister Kanwar Pal will also be present. Called the ‘Haryana Aero Sports Carnival’, it is being organised jointly by Haryana Tourism and the Aero Club of India. A government spokesperson said there are various locations in Gurugram district by the Aravalli ranges that need to be given “a new identity” to generate interest in tourism. “This two-day festival is being organised to give a concrete shape to these possibilities at Damdama lake, which is one of the biggest lakes of the state. Since this area is geographically close to the national capital, it is bound to increase tourist footfall here,” the spokesperson said. Promoted by the Centre for Adventure Tourism (CAT), the Damdama lake campsite has been envisaged as a one-stop destination for both aero and water-based adventure sports. Among the activities planned are paramotoring, hot air balloon rides, aeromodelling, drone flying, camping, trekking and hill biking. “The event will give a fillip to efforts of the Haryana Government for the development of tourism in the state. Employment opportunities would also be created for local youths,” the spokesperson said. The focus on Damdama Lake as a tourist spot will also draw attention to the rain-fed waterbody itself, which has been shrinking. Environmentalists have for years said mining and illegal construction in the vicinity of the lake have disrupted its inlets, reducing the flow of water into the lake.

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Fairfield by Marriott launches Fairfield by Marriott Goa Calangute

Fairfield by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, today announced the opening of Fairfield by Marriott Goa Calangute. “We are excited to introduce our eight property in Goa - Fairfield by Marriott Goa Calangute. Our portfolio continues to gain strength in line with our vision to be the largest travel company globally,” said Neeraj Govil, Senior Vice President – Operations, Asia Pacific (Excluding Greater China). “The launch of this property consolidates our presence in Goa. We look forward to bringing a diversified portfolio catering to different requirements at varied price points. Goa holds a major attraction for both domestic and international travellers and with our solid presence we are geared to dominate the hospitality space with our offerings and service elements in the state,” he added. Located less than 1 km from the famous Calangute Beach, Fairfield by Marriott Goa Calangute houses 169 modern and well-equipped rooms and suites. All the rooms offer views of the pool or the hillside, each with its own balcony and patio seating. Inspired by Goan architecture and culture, each room is designed using local materials and sports an earthy colour scheme complemented by bold graphics and eye-catching textures. The hotel boasts an ambience that focusses on the warmth and simplicity of delivering inviting and seamless experience to guests. Set amidst the picturesque Goan hills, guests are serenaded by the calm and, cool atmosphere that envelopes the entire hotel. Dining options comprise three distinct venues, Kava, the all-day dining restaurant, offering a fresh take on local Goan delicacies and international favorites. Guests can also enjoy an alfresco dining experience at the Kava Bar, the hotel’s outdoor pool bar, and its private dining patio. The Market offers 24-hour Grab-and-Go services for quick bites while on-the-move. The hotel features smart meeting spaces spread over 2200 sq feet, ideal for business meetings, social gatherings and celebrations. Other leisure amenities at the hotel include an outdoor swimming pool and a 24-hour fitness center packed with state-of-the-art amenities allowing travellers to keep up their fitness regimes. "I am delighted to welcome guests to the new Fairfield by Marriott in beautiful Calangute, Goa, a trusted choice for guests seeking a peaceful sleep, satisfying dining options and warm service with a friendly smile. The hotel will also be a window to Goa’s authentic culture, cuisine and natural beauty as we encourage guests to embark on a journey of discovery the moment they walk through our doors," said Elroy Tulkar, Hotel Manager of Fairfield by Marriott Goa Calangute.

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