News

WHO calls travel bans ineffective; recommends countries to lift or ease COVID-19 travel restrictions

The World Health Organization (WHO), in a latest COVID recommendation, has called travel bans ineffective and has suggested nations to either lift or ease the present COVID-19 travel restrictions. The WHO said that these travel bans can worsen the economy and increase social stress. The WHO recommended the same on Wednesday at the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on COVID-19. As per report, the nations should remove the travel bans and restrictions as the committee found “they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress experienced” by citizens. The report further stated that these travel restrictions have been incompetent in capping the international spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. This shows that such travel restrictions are ineffective. Further, the report suggested that safety measures like RT PCR testing, masking, isolation/quarantine, and vaccination should be based on risk assessments to avoid unnecessary financial burden on international travellers. In November last year, myriad nations suspended flights to and from southern African countries, owing to Omicron. But now, the ban has been lifted by most governments. The WHO has also urged nations not to ask for COVID-19 vaccination proof as the only way for travellers' entry. Countries must consider adjusting or easing such measures, including testing and quarantine requirements, said WHO.

Read more

Cyprus to remove travel restrictions for vaccinated travellers in March

The government of Cyprus has announced that it will lift all travel restrictions on vaccinated travellers in March. Cyprus is a country that relies largely on tourism. Given the current situation, the country has decided to remove all entry requirements from March 1 for inbound travellers who have a valid vaccination certificate, including their booster shot certificate. The announcement was made by the country's Tourism Minister on Wednesday. As of now, the Mediterranean island nation requires travellers to either show their negative RT-PCR test report or self-quarantine upon arrival. But now, the country is planning to abolish these requirements as well for fully vaccinated people. Vaccine certificates for those who haven't received a booster shot will be accepted in case nine months haven't passed since they received their second dose. Cyprus is also an European Union member, therefore it will accept vaccination certificates from non-EU countries conforming those issued by the 27-member nation bloc. Those unvaccinated will be allowed to enter the country but they will have to follow the testing and quarantine requirements. Starting March 1, Cyprus is planning to introduce a simplified COVID-19 risk-assessment system for categorising nations. Unvaccinated travellers from the ‘green’ category will have to take a PCR test 72 hours prior to their flight, or a rapid or test 24 hours before departure. Unvaccinated travellers from the ‘red’ category countries will also have to undergo a PCR test in Cyprus at their own expense. Those coming from ‘grey’ category nations will need a special permission to enter Cyprus.

Read more

Tripura is now home to India’s first bamboo village!

Tripura is now home to India's first bamboo park that has been set up to boost industries in the Northeast region, whereas the first-of-its-kind multi-purpose bashgram (bamboo village) came up in the state to boost eco-tourism in the region. As per the reports, it is expected that this initiative will likely attract yoga enthusiasts, tourists and nature-lovers. As per the reports, the bamboo village has been set up in Western Tripura's Katlamara just along the India-Bangladesh border. For this, around 9 acres of land has been developed by youth led by bamboo architect-cum-expert Manna Roy. Reportedly, it has already managed to attract tons of tourists, including environmentalists and foreigners, from across the country. Reports have it that the bamboo village features a yoga centre, playground, several ponds with sufficient flora and fauna, bamboo bridges and pathways, bamboo cottages, various eco-friendly utilities and facilities are also available. More than 14 species of bamboo as well as many other natural plants, herbs, vegetation, shrubs and flowers make bashgram truly a natural abode. Referring to this, Roy added that a museum would also soon come up in the bamboo village, where all types of obsolete, endangered, old and new materials made of bamboo would be displayed. He further added that the main idea behind developing the said bamboo village is to properly and effectively use local and rural resources without hampering nature. He also added that they have so far invested INR 60 lakh to develop the village, and have not taken any money from the government or any bank. The goal is to turn bashgram into a world-class medical-cum-eco tourism hub, using the locally available resources.

Read more

Fresh snowfall in Gulmarg, Pahalgam in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 20: The minimum temperature dropped slightly in most parts of Kashmir where the tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam received fresh snowfall, officials said on Thursday. The minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, settled at a low of 2.2 degrees Celsius half-a-degree down from the previous night, they said. Gulmarg, the famous skiing resort in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5. degrees Celsius. Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, up from the previous night’s minus 1.9 degrees Celsius, they said. The officials said Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, recorded a minimum of 0.7 degrees Celsius, while the nearby south Kashmir town of Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.1 degrees Celsius. The minimum in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of 1.2 degrees Celsius. The MET Office has said the weather will remain partly to generally cloudy in J-K with the possibility of a spell of light rain or snow during January 22-23. Thereafter, the weather is likely to stay mainly dry till the end of the month and there is no forecast of any major rain or snow till the end of January, it said. Kashmir valley is currently under the grip of the 40-day harshest winter period known as ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ which began on December 21 last year. ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ is a period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley. The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy to very heavy snowfall. The ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ will end on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).

Read more

Ladakh admin sets up facility for online tickets for Kargil air service

The administration flagged off the operation of subsidised helicopter service from Ladakh. The service will cater to passengers from far-flung areas of Ladakh on approved routes from Leh-Lingshed, Dibling, Drass, Padum, Kargil, Nubra, Nerak, Jammu, Srinagar. In a first, the Ladakh administration has set up online booking of tickets for air services run by the Indian Air Force in the Union territory, officials said on Wednesday. The administration flagged off the operation of subsidised helicopter service from Ladakh. The service will cater to passengers from far- flung areas of Ladakh on approved routes from Leh-Lingshed, Dibling, Drass, Padum, Kargil, Nubra, Nerak, Jammu, Srinagar, they said. "This year, for the first time, tickets of AN-32 Kargil courier service have been made available online," a senior official told PTI. This facility has been introduced for the convenience of the passengers so that they can book their tickets, from the comfort of their homes, keeping in view the Covid situation, he said. The passengers can log on to the website http://heliservice.ladakh.gov.in/airforce-plane-booking The first flight has been planned on Thursday for the sector Kargil-Jammu-Kargil, subject to fair weather, officials said. Initially, on a trial basis, booking is available for January 20, and subsequently the other flights will also be available, they said. The land of high passes, Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and culture. It is the"You will face the cold desert climate, especially from October-March. In winters, temperatures are extreme in Leh, dipping below freezing point. It remains closed for more than seven months," officials said. During winters, roads in the entire region remain cut off from rest of the country. Winters in Ladakh are very harsh and temperatures can plummet to -30 degree Celsius at night, they said. Our aim is to meet air connectivity requirements to promote tourism for economic development and employment generation, rescue and medical evacuation purpose, they added.

Read more

It’s official: Dubai is world’s most popular tourist destination

Emirate ranks above global cities like London, Rome and Paris to clinch the top spot. Dubai has been declared as the world’s most popular destination for 2022. This came as Tripadvisor released its Travellers' Choice Awards for 2022: The Best of the Best Destinations. The Emirate has been ranked ahead of global cities like London, Rome and Paris to clinch the top spot. The awards honour travellers' favourite destinations, hotels, restaurants, things to do, and beyond, based on the reviews and opinions collected over a 12-month period. Describing the city, the travel platform writes: “Dubai is a destination that mixes modern culture with history, adventure with world-class shopping and entertainment. Catch a show at the Dubai Opera, see Downtown from atop the Burj Khalifa and spend an afternoon along Dubai Creek exploring the gold, textile and spice souks. Dubai offers visitors a glimpse of modern culture mixed with history, culutre, adventure, world-class shopping and entertainment. – File photo “If you’re looking for thrills, you can float above the desert dunes in a hot air balloon, climb aboard a high-speed ride at IMG Worlds of Adventure or skydive over the Palm Jumeirah.” Dubai was among the first cities in the world to reopen to tourists after closing its borders to shut out Covid-19. Winter is one of the best times to visit the city and an ongoing local campaign, Dubai Destinations, highlights the Emirate’s outdoor recreational and adventure activities. In an interview with Khaleej Times, Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), had highlighted how Dubai has reinforced its status as one of the world’s safest and fastest growing tourism destinations. ALSO READ: #DubaiDestinations: Why Dubai is one of the safest places to visit amid Covid-19 Dubai Destinations: 9 best theme parks, water adventures for larger-than-life entertainment experiences Winter holiday trends: UAE residents pick destinations based on Covid-19 safety “Our proactive approach in successfully managing the pandemic allowed us to reopen the city to domestic tourists in May 2020 and international tourists in July 2020. Since then we have achieved steady growth and great momentum in the travel sector, with our latest data revealing that between January and October 2021, Dubai welcomed around 4.88 million international visitors, with international visitation in Dubai in October alone reaching over one million. “When reviewing figures against pre-pandemic levels, hotel room inventory is now 6 per cent higher than 2019, showing how Dubai continues to lead the global tourism rebound and stimulate international business growth.”

Read more