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Ministry Plans To Start ‘Tourism Club’ To Create Tourism Awareness Amongst Youth

The Ministry of Tourism celebrated the National Tourism Day by holding a two-hour program on a virtual platform today on the 25th of January 2022. The theme of this year's celebration is Rural and Community Centric Tourism. The program was presided by Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoER, G. Kishan Reddy and started with the opening remarks by Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and followed by the addresses of Upendra Prasad Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles; Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture; Leena Nandan, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; G. Ashok Kumar, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga; Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group and Col. Manoj Keshwar, Atulya Ganga Parikrama. During the program, Reddy launched the digital booklet 75 incredible sites to visit in India and Incredible India 2022 digital calendar by the Ministry of Tourism dedicated to tourism sites. He emphasised on aggressive promotion of varied tourism products that India has to offer to the world. He also discussed the importance of domestic tourism and plans to start of Tourism Clubs to create more awareness among the students and youth of our country. Further, he stressed on the promotion of tourism with special focus North-Eastern region and to tap the potentiality of the region. In the opening remarks, Arvind Singh spoke about how tourism sector has emerged as one of the key drivers of economic growth. Tourism promotes national integration and makes citizens aware of the beauty and rich cultural heritage of our great nation. It also promotes inter-regional relationships and encourages cultural pursuits and providing support to local handicrafts. “We have seen how the textile products of Pochampally and art forms of Raghurajpur have been a major tourism attraction both for domestic and international tourists. It is essential that such models are replicated in other parts of India to bring economic benefits from tourism to local communities to generate employment and bridge the cultural divide between urban and rural spaces,” Arvind Singh added. Upendra Prasad Singh highlighted the importance of Indian handloom and handicrafts that represents the rich culture and heritage of our country. He also spoke about how handloom & handicrafts and tourism goes together and how it helps to enrich the travel experiences. Mohan spoke about the interconnection between culture and tourism. India is home to greatest philosophies, temple structures, world heritage sites arts & crafts. India is a huge cultural repository and the facets of culture are many fold and unparalleled and we need to integrate them. Nandan emphasised on the importance of eco-tourism. She also shared her views on how we can tap the potentiality and growth of tourism in the country in a responsible and sustainable manner. To strengthen the livelihood opportunities of the communities & stakeholders who are directly or indirectly connected with the biodiversity of the country including tiger reserves, sanctuaries, marine zones etc. Kumar spoke about the project launched for the holistic rejuvenation, restoration, conservation of Ganga Basin. Ensure effective abatement of pollution and rejuvenation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach to promote inter-sectoral co-ordination for comprehensive planning and management and to maintain minimum ecological flows in the river Ganga with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally sustainable development. Mahindra shared his views on tourism in India and importance of domestic tourism for national integration. India’s rich diversity and heritage can cater to different segments of tourists from modest budget traveller to an unmatched luxury experience. Keshwar shared his experience of Ganga Parikrama an initiative with a vision of rejuvenation and restoration of Indian rivers and their eco-system. The Ganga Parikrama by foot started from prayagraj to Gangasagar and upto Gangotri and back to Prayagraj, a journey of 190 days, around 5530 kms touching various cities and villages on the way and millions of people on the way.

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Akasa Air take off likely in late May or early June; to further democratise air travel: CEO

Seeking to further democratise air travel with dependable and affordable services, airline Akasa Air is aiming to start flights in late May or early June after getting its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in April. Bullish on the long term growth potential of the country's civil aviation sector, ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed carrier is looking to have 18 planes in its fleet by the end of March 2023. Despite Covid clouds continuing to cast a shadow on the airlines, Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube is more than optimistic as he asserted that "if you look at the long term future of commercial aviation in India, it is as exciting as anywhere in the world". Interacting with PTI on a video call, Dube said the Indian aviation pie is growing and the idea of Akasa Air is to look through what we are currently facing. "This is temporary. This too shall pass". The civil aviation space, especially the airlines, has been significantly impacted by the pandemic and as the emergence of the Omicron variant has dealt another blow to the recovery path of the sector. Akasa Air, which will take off as a low-cost carrier, has placed an order for 72 Boeing 737 MAX planes, which are fuel efficient. To begin with, Akasa Air will have services from metros to Tier II and III cities. There will also be flights from metros to metros so that the aircraft is moved around the system, Dube noted. Being professionally-managed, competitive cost structure, customer satisfaction, employees being happy and airline being financially healthy will be among the key elements for Akasa Air. "We hope to get our first aircraft in the second half of April, the first commercial flight in late May or early June... we are working with the government, DGCA to go through all of the requirements that are there," Dube said. Dube, who is also the Founder and Managing Director, said the airline has started hiring people, setting up technology, creating processes and procedures, defining things related to customer value and proposition and planning route network with airports. Currently, the carrier has more than 50 staff. "Part of the reason we are bullish about aviation is that few people have historically flown in India compared to most Western economies. All of that is going to change in the coming years and we want to be part of that change. We want to enable that change and continue to democratise air travel," Dube said. And international services are very much part of Akasa Air's future plans. Dube said the airline targets to start overseas flights in the second half of calendar year 2023 once there are 20 planes in its fleet. Under Indian regulations, a domestic airline should have at least 20 aircraft in its fleet before it can commence international flights. "Boeing 737 MAX gives us good range. We can fly to SouthEast Asia, SAARC countries, Middle East... That is our intention," he said. Last year, Akasa Air, a brand of SNV Aviation, placed an order for 737 MAX planes with Boeing. The order was valued at nearly USD 9 billion at list prices and includes 737-8 and high-capacity 737- 8-200 aircraft. On what will be the selling proposition for the airline, he said, "you got to be dependable" and in his words, the role of technology and analytics will be massive. "... whether it is fuel, leasing, people, airports, maintenance, for all of them, technology, data, analytics can move the needle 1-2 per cent to 5-10 per. Further, he noted that data and analytics are not just linked to cost structure but are also extremely important even for customer service offerings, commercial aspects, revenue generation aspects. "... we are going to make sure queue times are low, good sort of customer experience... reliability, warmth and affordability from the customers' perspective," he emphasised.

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UAE sheikhdom to allow gaming as Wynn Resorts plans project

One of the seven sheikhdoms in the United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it will allow "gaming" while announcing a multibillion-dollar deal with Las Vegasbased casino giant Wynn Resorts. The announcement by Ras al-Khaimah comes after months of rumors about gambling coming to the UAE, home to skyscraper-studded Dubai and oil-rich Abu Dhabi. Islam, the religion of the Arabian Peninsula, prohibits gambling. While the other emirates haven't announced similar deals, casino operator Caesars Palace operates a massive resort already in Dubai - without gambling. Initially, a statement issued by Wynn Resorts and Ras al-Khaimah authorities only referred to "gaming," without elaborating. The emirate's Tourism Development Authority repeatedly declined to answer questions from The Associated Press on whether "gaming" involved cash betting. However, a statement from the authority said a new gaming division would require "compliance with all applicable laws and regulations (including financial crime laws) from operators, suppliers and employees." It also would "ensure responsible gaming at all levels." Gaming is often used as a euphemism for gambling in the United States. Michael Weaver, a spokesman for Wynn Resorts Ltd., referred questions back to regulators in Ras al-Khaimah. However, all of Wynn Resorts' locations in Las Vegas, Macau and Massachusetts feature resorts built around their casino floors. A filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday by Wynn Resorts said it entered an agreement with Ras al-Khaimah for "the development and subsequent management of an integrated resort." The term "integrated resort," born in Singapore, refers to a hotel that includes a casino and other amenities. Wynn stock has dropped over 9 per cent in the last five days and traded above $83 in early trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The casino industry as a whole has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. A statement on the deal, also posted to Wynn Resorts' website, included repeated mentions of "gaming" facilities at the site. "The newly announced integrated resort is still in its early design phase and due for completion by 2026," a follow-up statement from Marjan, the Ras alKhaimah developer involved in the deal, said. "These are all the details that can be provided at this stage." Ras al-Khaimah is the northern-most emirate in the UAE, a federation in which individual autocratic rulers wield wide powers in their emirate. Ras al-Khaimah, or "the top of the tent" in Arabic, is ruled by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi and is most-widely known for its eponymous RAK Ceramics company. But Ras al-Khaimah has been trying to raise its profile for years in the tourism market, which is dominated by Dubai. It draws a variety of tourists from India, Russia, the United Kingdom and Egypt. It has liberal alcohol rules and an area focused on beach resorts, while also advertising outdoor activities around Jebel Jais, the highest point in the country at 1,934 meters (6,345 feet) above sea level. The Wynn Resorts development is planned to be built on Ras alKhaimah's man-made Al-Marjan Island and will include around 1,000 hotel rooms, a mall, a convention center, restaurants and the "gaming area." Gambling remains rare in the wider Mideast, with casinos only in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. Casinos long have been rumored to be considered as a way to raise money in the UAE and boost its tourism industry, particularly in Dubai, home to the long-haul carrier Emirates. Already, duty-free car raffles bombard those flying through Dubai International Airport. A 2004 US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks speculated that Dubai's casino plans had "been put on ice due to deference" to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the country's first president after unification in 1971. But in recent years, rumors about casinos kept growing. Britain's famed ship the Queen Elizabeth 2 opened as a hotel in Dubai in 2018 after over $100 million of repairs. It still has its deactivated slot machines on board. Caesars similarly opened in 2018. Construction work is ongoing involving projects for casino firms MGM, the Bellagio and Aria. However, casinos and the large amounts of cash they generate raise the danger of money laundering. Already, war profiteers, terror financiers and drug traffickers sanctioned by the U.S. in recent years have used Dubai's real-estate market as a haven for their assets. Ras al-Khaimah also found itself linked to the case of an Alaska man who laundered $1 billion held in South Korea for Iran.

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Astro tourism: Jaipur to get a permanent astronomical observatory soon

Starscapes, India’s first and only chain of observatories, has announced plans to launch a permanent state-of-the-art astronomical observatory in Jaipur, Rajasthan. With this, astro tourism is likely to get a boost in Jaipur. The observatory will have all the major equipment needed for stargazing, observation and astrophotography. People can also carry out research here. Recently, the firm had set up a Mobile Stargate Observatory which gained a lot of popularity in Jaipur. Inspired by the response, the start-up decided to install a permanent observatory in the Pink City very soon.This observatory in Jaipur will be built at a perfect geographical location, not very far from prime tourist hotspots in the city like Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh Fort and Jal Mahal, among others. Second observatory in Bhimtal, Uttarakhand Just a few months back, the company had launched its second public observatory in Uttarakhand. The new observatory known as ‘Stargate Observatory Bhimtal’ is located in Bhimtal. The observatory in Bhimtal can be reached easily from all the main tourist spots present. From Delhi, the new observatory is some seven hours drive only which makes it a perfect weekend getaway destination. This comes as golden news for astro travel enthusiasts who can be a part of some interesting astro activities such as, sun observations, audio visual show of the night sky and stargazing safari, to name a few. Paul Savio, CEO and Co-Founder of Starscapes, in a statement had stated, “Our state-of-the-art equipment for observations along with detailed sessions with our in-house experts will help tourists rediscover the universe”. The firm had launched its first observatory in Kausani, Uttarakhand.

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U.K. to lift all travel restrictions on February 11

Following the success of vaccination and booster programmes, the United Kingdom has decided to lift all restrictions for eligible vaccinated individuals. The new policy will come into effect from 4 a.m., February 11. “We made the right calls at the right time and thanks to our vaccine and booster rollout it’s paying off — allowing us to safely remove nearly all COVID-19 travel restrictions for vaccinated travellers. This final step in our stale and safe full return to international travel is a major boost for U.K. tourism, setting Britain free ahead of the crucial half term and spring holiday season,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. The U.K. will also scale back travel restrictions for unvaccinated arrivals from February 11. According to the new rules, individuals who are not recognised as fully vaccinated will need to undergo a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before the second day after arrival in the United Kingdom. The announcement is expected to provide a lasting solution to the disruption that COVID-19 has caused to tourism and business in the United Kingdom. London will also include 16 more countries and territories including China and Mexico in the list of recognised vaccine certificates. This will bring the total number of recognised vaccine certificates to 180. All South Asian countries are included in the list.

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Domestic business only way of revival until regular international flight ban is lifted: TAAI

Speaking about the domestic passenger growth especially in 2021, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI said that the domestic business has come to the rescue when all other hopes were drowning. “As per the yearly passenger data published by the Directorate general of Civil Aviation (DGCA), there has been over 33 per cent growth in the number of passengers carried by Indian domestic carriers in 2021, compared to the previous year. Going by the stats the Indian carriers carried 838.14 lakh passengers in 2021, compared to 630.11 lakh in the calendar year 2020. These numbers are reiterating our sentiments strongly to be vocal for local, ” Mayal said. Commenting on the same Jay Bhatia, VP, TAAI also said that this is a good sign so to speak. "The international travel ban which was there until January 31 has been further extended for another month, so domestic business is the only source of revival for travel industry at these times. The Indian domestic carrier carried 307.03 lakh passengers in the last quarter. which was the best after the first quarter of the calendar year," he further added. Adding his views on the same, Bettaiah Lokesh, HSG, TAAI quoted that on a month on month basis also, compared to December 2020, the domestic carriers carried over 52 per cent more passengers in December 2021. "Over 112 lakh people travelled domestically in December 2021 compared to 73.27 lakh in the same period last year. In November 2021, the passenger numbers were 105.16 lakh," he stated. Speaking on comparisons and business, Shreeram Patel, Treasurer, TAAI further said that on a quarterly comparison, the fourth quarter of the calendar year was so far the best in terms of the passenger traffic. "The entire increase in numbers is paving the way forward for TAAI members to take a conscious decision to invest their resources in the domestic tourism. We hope for the continuous growth, at least in the domestic sector, till international business does not revive," he mentioned.

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