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UAE travel: List of countries vaccinated residents can enter without a negative PCR test

Some Gulf and East and Western European countries have withdrawn the conditions for travellers from the UAE to carry negative Covid-19 PCR test prior to their departure, thanks to the massive vaccination campaign the government has carried out over the past year. The UAE is the world’s most vaccinated nation, with 96 per cent of the population fully vaccinated. In November 2021, the UAE had reached a landmark with 100 per cent of its eligible population receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. In addition, all the UAE airlines have also listed detailed country-by-country guidelines for residents and foreign travellers related to Covid-19 certificates and vaccinations. Most of the UAE airlines follow the guidelines issued by the relevant authorities in those countries, however, the national carrier Etihad Airways has mandated that all travellers carry a negative Covid-19 PCR certificate irrespective of the requirements of the destination country of the passenger. “You must take a PCR test to travel with Etihad Airways even if the country you are travelling to does not require one,” Abu Dhabi-based UAE national carrier Etihad Airways said in a statement on its website A flydubai’s spokesperson said the budget carrier follows the guidelines issued by the relevant authorities. “We continue to update flydubai.com with the latest travel restrictions, and we encourage our passengers to keep up to date with the latest regulations on the Iata Travel Centre so that they are prepared and ready to travel for their whole journey,” said the spokesperson. According to Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates’ website, the UAE’s vaccinated residents and citizens can travel to eight countries without taking a negative Covid-19 test. These include Bahrain, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Lebanon, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.

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Dalma, Dimna, Rankini Temple, Jubilee Park and Burudih Dam to be made tourist circuits

Dalma, Dimna, Rankini Mandir, Jubilee Park and Burudih Dam will be beautified and made more exciting and mentioned in bold in the Jharkhand tourism map. Plans are also afoot to expand the tourism circuit by providing connectivity to Baharagora, Dhalbhumgarh and Ghatshila. A meeting of the District Tourism Promotion Committee chaired by East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner, Suraj Kumar was convened at the District Collectorate office. DC Suraj Kumar, in the course of the meeting informed Suraj Kumar informed that extensive efforts were on at Dalma range to promote eco-tourism in the realms of jungle trekking, introduction of jungle safari and construction of bamboo huts for tourists to spend their time and enjoy jungle ambience. Suraj Kumar informed, ‘There are plans to connect Dalma, Dimna Lake, Rankini Temple, Jubilee Park and Burudih Dam in a single circuit. Necessary steps are being taken for tourism development and beautification as integral parts through single circuit connectivity,” and added, “Work is on to connect the tourists by creating another circuit connectivity in the regions of Baharagora, Dalbhumgarh and Ghatshila.” An allocation of Rs One crore has been provided to develop five tourist spots. “There are plans to provide motor boat services to tourists at the Burudih Dam. it is our endeavor to develop this spot as a big, weekend destination for tourists,” the DC stated. MLAs Saryu Roy, Ramdas Soren, Sameer Mahanty and Mangal Kalindi also suggested new tourist places. Saryu Roy suggested that the Bhuvaneshwari Temple, Shri Krishna Temple, HUDCO Park, Forest Department’s park at Ghorabandha, HUDCO Dam among others could be developed to catch tourists’ attention. He said, “The Sone Mandap and the Town Hall in Sidgora could be developed as centres for nurturing art talents in line with Audrey House in Ranchi. Moreover, the area below Bhuvaneshwari Temple in Telco can be developed for eco-tourism.” Ramdas Soren said that Burudih Dam in Ghatshila, Dharagiri Waterfall in Basadera under Kalchiti Panchayat, Dhalbhumgarh’s Heritage Village, Amadubi, Siddheshwari Pahar in Musabani, Galudih Barrage, Kashida Shiv Mandir, eminent litterateur, Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay’s House in Ghatshila and Pandav Shila could be developed as ideal tourist spots. Sameer Mahanty suggested, “To add to the tourism circuit of East Singhbhum, Gotashila Temple and hilly areas in Chakulia including Tulsibani Shivram Ashram, Khodipahari, Bend, Tetul Dungri Jagadhatri Temple, Jyoti Pahari and the heritage Chitreshwar Mandir in Baharagora are highly prospective spots for tourism.” Mangal Kalindi mentioned beautification of Dimna Lake at the foot of the Dalma Range, Hathikheda Temple, Chhotabanki Dam, Ma Mangala Mandir, Haludbani Water Falls, Sita Park and Waterfall were potent tourist attractions. The MLA representative of Jamshedpur West proposed the arrangement of boating and walking track in Domuhani Ghat, beautification of Dimna Lake, Bhatia Park and Bistupur Ram Mandir should also be parts of tourism development plans.

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COVID-19: Kuwait mulls resuming family, tourism visas

Cairo: Kuwait is studying the possible reopening of family and tourism trips to the country in March after a suspension of more than a year due to the new coronavirus-related travel restrictions, a local newspaper has reported. The Interior Ministry is awaiting a report from the Health Ministry on the extent of the pandemic stabilisation situation in Kuwait to take a decision allowing reissuance of such visas amid a recent decline in virus infections and numbers of ICU patients in the country and overcoming a wave of the Omicron variant of the disease, Al Qabas said, citing security sources. VDO.AI “Despite the Council of Ministers’ decision to issue all types of visas to expatriates, visas of family and tourism visits are still on hold,” the sources added. Reissuance of family and tourism visas for expatriates’ children and spouses will contribute to boosting economic activities and is based on humanitarian grounds because it will help in reunion of some families whose members are residing in the country as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan association with family gatherings approaches, they added. Ramadan starts this year in April. Foreigners make up nearly 3.5 million of Kuwait’s overall population of around 4.6 million.

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India’s Atal Tunnel is now the World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 ft!

The 9.02 km Atal Tunnel at Rohtang has created a new record! Located at an altitude of more than 10000 ft, this tunnel connects Manali with Lahaul, and has been recognised as the world's longest single tube highway at this height by the World Book of Records, London. Referring to this, a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) spokesperson stated that they have received a certificate from the World Book of Records stating the same. The Ministry of Defence also shared this message and added that Atal Tunnel has now been officially certified as the World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10000 Feet by the World Book of Records. This iconic tunnel is an engineering marvel in the Himalayas, and has proved to be a game changer for Lahaul and Spiti district as it offers safe and all-weather connectivity to the remote regions, and eventually with the rest of India. While the south portal of the tunnel is near Manali, standing at a height of 9840 ft, the north portal is at Sissu in the Lahaul valley, at a height of 10,171 ft. Apart from safe travel, the tunnel has reduced the distance between Manali and Keylong by 46 km, thereby saving more than two hours of travel time. As per the reports, the tunnel has been built at a cost of INR 3200 crore, and is also the world’s first tunnel that offers 4G internet connectivity. You will find CCTV cameras at every 60 m in the tunnel, while surveillance is carried out through the control room. Then, there are emergency exit doors that have been installed at every 150 m in the tunnel

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Air travel from Kolkata airport picks up as Covid cases fall

Domestic air travel has started picking up once again as the receding third wave of Covid is prompting many to cast away fears of the disease. Travel industry is hopeful that the number of international passengers will go up, too, following the health ministry’s announcement on Thursday easing restrictions for in-bound travellers. The number of passengers and flights to and from Kolkata had taken a plunge during the third wave of infections. With the number of daily new cases now going down rapidly, passenger footfall and flights have started going up again, said officials. “In the last five days, we have seen a growth in the number of domestic passengers and flights,” C. Pattabhi, director of the Kolkata airport, said on Friday. The daily passenger footfall at the airport has gone up from around 17,000 on an average to 30,000, said Pattabhi. The number of daily flights has gone up, too - from 160 to around 200 in the last five days. “We are expecting a further growth in the passenger count after April, when the examinations are over, if there is no fresh surge in Covid cases,” Pattabhi said. This newspaper reported in January that the daily passenger footfall at the airport had gone down from 50,000 to 25,000 during the third wave. It reduced further to 17,000 before picking up again. However, the number of international passengers and flights is not going up, said officials. Now, around 14 international flights are taking off from or landing at the Kolkata airport. The passenger count stands at a little more than 1,000. “We are expecting the number of international passengers arriving in India to increase following the easing of travel norms,” said Anil Punjabi, chairman, east, Travel Agents Federation of India. The health ministry on Thursday announced that a person arriving in India should monitor their health for 14 days. The new protocol will kick in on February 14. The current rule for such travellers is to quarantine for seven days on arrival. One tour operator in Thailand said he was organising a group tour of Thai nationals to India. “We are organising a tour of the Buddhist circuit in May. A group of 80 people will be travelling to Kolkata and onwards to the Buddhist destinations,” said Gautam Gurbani, general manager, The Expedition Co. Ltd. He said such trips would be organised every month before the outbreak of Covid-19. The pandemic has brought such tours to a halt. “With the Indian government announcing relaxations in quarantine rules, people are again wanting to travel,” he said.

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Tourist buses for sale in Kerala for just Rs 45 per kg

Royson Joseph, the owner of Roy Tourism, who put up the post, said he sold 10 out of his 20 tourist buses in the last 12-18 months. KOCHI: 'Tourist buses for sale - Rs 45 per kg'. The message by a Kochi-based operator to sell his buses for scrap, and shared by the Contract Carriage Operators Association Kerala (CCOA) - the leading association of tourist bus owners - on its Facebook page on Friday, has brought to the fore the near-death situation faced by the tourist bus industry in the state. Royson Joseph, the owner of Roy Tourism, who put up the post, said he sold 10 out of his 20 tourist buses in the last 12-18 months as the travel restrictions that followed the pandemic have brought the tourist bus operators to their knees. In the last four days of this week, only three tourist buses got a trip to Munnar. "Normally in February, the roads to Munnar witness heavy traffic. Now, the entire stretch is deserted," he said. Royson has sold 10 buses at distress rates in recent months, just to repay the loans. "I'm ready to sell my buses to anyone who pays me Rs 45 per kg. The situation is really bad; many tourist bus operators are on the verge of suicide," he said. CCOA state president Binu John said the number of tourist buses in Kerala has come down from 14,000 to less than 12,000 as money lenders took away some of them following default on payments by the operators. "In the last two months alone, more than 1,000 buses were attached by the banks or money lenders," he said. "The exact number will be known only after March, but we fear another 2,000-3000 tourist buses will be attached by banks and money lenders in the next one month or so," said Binu. The ever-changing COVID travel rules in the state are being cited as the biggest problem. "There are package tours for 8-10 days where we pick the tourists from the Kochi airport and drop them at Thiruvananthapuram airport after visits to major locations. But, then suddenly the government announces Sunday lockdown, and we are charged Rs 2,000 penalty by the police for operating on Sunday. This at a time when we pay a hefty amount as road, vehicle tax," said Royson. Workers of tourist buses lose jobs A tourist bus operator pays about Rs 40,000 per quarter as road/vehicle tax. "In addition, there is the high cost of fuel and other expenses. We want the state government to at least withdraw the tax till COVID restrictions are completely withdrawn," said S Prashanthan of Viswasree Services, another tourist bus operator. Job loss is another side effect. At Royson Travels alone, 50 staff left the company as the travel operator's income plummeted. Binu said though the Union government has asked the banks to extend the period of moratorium after the first wave of the pandemic, most of the banks stopped the facility. "That means the owners are forced to pay the installments of their EMIs within the stipulated deadline. The maximum number of trips that an owner gets in a month nowadays is up to three, generating a paltry average income of Rs 20,000. It is very hard to pay the wages of the staff, cover the operational cost and pay the EMI from these meagre amounts," he said.

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