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Goa floor inaugurated at EXPO2020; all set to show its tourism prowess

Indian state of Goa is all set to showcase its tourism prowess and business opportunities to the global investors at the India pavilion in the ongoing EXPO2020 Dubai. Inaugurating the state's floor on Friday, J Ashok Kumar, Secretary to Chief Minister, Sports & Youth Affairs, Tourism, Industries Trade & Commerce, Handicrafts Textile & Coir, said: "The state of Goa is proud to be a part of the EXPO2020. The state looks forward to this opportunity to showcase its vibrant culture and invite investors to explore our major focus sectors such as Agro & Food Processing, IT & Knowledge-based Industry, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, and Tourism." Goa will be making a strong pitch to the global investors by showcasing its business capabilities along with its tradition and culture through a series of events exhibiting opportunities across key focus sectors including Education, Tourism, Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology, Agro-based and Food Processing Industries and Aviation, Aerospace and Defence among others. Swetika Sachan, CEO, Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board said, "I look forward to connecting with the Goan diaspora of the region and discuss the investment potential of the state. IPB is the single window agency of Goa, and we are here to offer the desired support to those looking to Goa for their next investment."

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Mumbai revises SOP for people travelling from Dubai as Covid cases drop

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has withdrawn the additional restrictions that it mandated for passengers flying to the city from the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai. The new rules will be applicable from January 17, the civic body said. In its earlier order, the civic body had mandated compulsory 7-day quarantine and RT-PCR test on arrival for passengers arriving from the UAE. "No special SOP henceforth will be applicable for passengers coming from UAE, including Dubai. Guidelines applicable to international travellers arriving from countries other than countries at-risk will be made applicable to travellers arriving from UAE," the notice said. However, according to the latest guidelines issued by the civil aviation ministry, which came into effect from January 11, all international travellers have to undergo a seven-day home quarantine. The daily cases of Mumbai reached the peak of over 20,000 in January and since then, cases have been coming down. On Sunday, Mumbai reported 7,895 infections. The decision to remove the additional surveillance on people coming from Dubai was taken in a virtual meeting of the civic officials where it was discussed that Mumbai seems to have reached its peak of the third wave. Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday said the state government will be considering reopening schools after the next 10-15 days if the declining trend continues. "Demands are rising from certain quarters for reopening of schools as children are suffering the education loss. We will consider it after 10-15 days as there is a low (rate of) infection among children. The chief minister will take the final call in this regard," the minister said.

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Travel testing will soon be a thing of the past – ‘removing all Covid tests’

Britons can look forward to a greatly easier half-term holiday. Transport minister Grant Shapps is said to be in favour of ending all testing requirements. While this is good news for holidaymakers, the new rules – or lack thereof – will not be announced straight away. As part of the possible end of Plan B, fully jabbed travellers will no longer need testing. However, only the fully vaccinated will enjoy a return to pre-Covid ease of travel. They will no longer need to undergo testing when travelling. It will also be cheaper for Britons going on holidays. They will no longer need to worry about booking tests and paying for them. The rule change could be announced on January 26, the day the Prime Minister is expected to lift Plan B restrictions. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said “the data is moving in the right direction” for restrictions to end. A source closed to Grant Shapps said: “We are looking at removing all Covid tests for vaccinated travellers by the end of January, which is likely to coincide with the review of the Plan B measures on January 26.” Holidaymakers currently need to take a Day 2 lateral flow test. The Prime Minister already reduced the testing requirements this month. He scrapped the need for a pre-departure test and replace a Day PCR with a lateral flow test. He also removed the need to self-isolate while waiting for test results. The travel industry widely welcomed the move, with Alistair Rowland, Chief Executive for long-haul tour operator, Blue Bay Travel, and Chairman of ABTA saying: “The scrapping of the restrictive travel testing measures imposed by the UK government in December, in a bid to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, is a relief for the travel industry and great news for holidaymakers. “The pre-departure test, which has been scrapped in England and Wales, was a major worry for British travellers who feared testing positive on holiday, getting stuck in quarantine abroad and landed with a hefty bill for the privilege. “Ditching the pre-departure test and switching the post-arrival Day 2 PCR tests for cheaper lateral flow tests, which could save families hundreds of pounds in testing fees, will help the travel industry enormously and give customers the confidence to book that well-earned getaway.”

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Queensland eyes off quarantine-free travel, 90% double dose milestone

Queensland will likely reach the critical 90 per cent double vaccination rate this week, the trigger point to open up international travel to and from the Sunshine State. Flight Centre CEO Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner said it was great news. “I think it’s great for Queenslanders to be able to travel overseas, there are still some questions of the availability of flights out of here because the airlines become quite wary of governments not necessarily delivering or changing their minds, but I think that has changed now,” he told Scott Emerson. He said it was a “mixed bag” in terms of the international carriers coming into Brisbane. “We think the fares, as soon as capacity comes back, will be pretty reasonable, similar to pre-COVID levels.”

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'Great news': TGA approves Russia's Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine for travel purposes

Eighteen months after it was first launched, the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, has been recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for the purpose of travellers entering the country. The recognition of the Russian vaccine spells joy for thousands outside the country who are desperate to travel to Australia to see family. All arrivals must have received both doses of the vaccine. “This is not only great news for people who have been in a separated family situation, but also for people who would like to come to Australia from Russia for business,” Alexey Goncharov, executive secretary of Australia Russia Dialogue, told SBS News. “And this is great news for students, too. Many steps have been undertaken by various organisations to increase the number of Russian students who come to study in Australia, so for them it is indeed very good news,” Dr Goncharov said. Australia requires non-citizens entering the country to be fully vaccinated, and the TGA on Monday said it has received more information about the Russian vaccine’s efficacy. “The TGA obtained additional information demonstrating this vaccine provides protection and potentially reduces the likelihood that an incoming traveller would transmit COVID-19 infection to others while in Australia or become acutely unwell due to COVID-19,” it said in a statement. “The recognition of Sputnik will expand options for the return of international students, travel of skilled and unskilled workers to Australia, and travel by business people and elite sports people to our country.” Data from the Russian government indicated two doses of Sputnik V provides 98 to 100 per cent protection against hospitalisation or death and was an average of 89 per cent effective against symptomatic infection. Sputnik V is currently approved for use in more than 70 countries, including India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates, which means people from those nations can also now go to Australia, Dr Goncharov said. Dr Goncharov is hopeful the TGA’s decision will soon be followed by a decision from the government that’ll make it easier for Russians to travel to Australia. Under current overseas travel rules, fully vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents as well as citizens of only a handful of other nations, such as New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea, can arrive in Australia. The travel exemptions also extend to some “business” and “talent” categories. The full list of those who can enter Australia can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website. The TGA has currently approved only four vaccines for use in Australia: Comirnaty (Pfizer), Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca), Spikevax or Takeda (Moderna) and COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (Janssen). However, the following six vaccines, not approved for use in Australia, have been recognised by the TGA for the purposes of international travel: Coronavac (Sinovac), Covishield (AstraZeneca – Serum Institute of India), BBIBP-CorV for people under 60 years of age on arrival in Australia (Sinopharm China), Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) and Sputnik V (Gamaleya Research Institute). While approving Sputnik V, the TGA noted the studies were conducted prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant. “Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness of a range of vaccines against Omicron are currently underway in many countries,” it said. The single-dose “Sputnik Light” is not currently recognised by the TGA.

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Here's the shortest flight that lasts just over a minute

Air travel offers different experiences to different people. For some it is the excitement of touching the sky, for others, it is the outpouring of fear within. Longer flights often do not necessarily mean that everyone enjoys it. Travelling by air is not as easy as travelling by car, bus, or train. But what if the flight is limited to a maximum of two minutes? There really is such a plane. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Loganair is the smallest scheduled airline in the world. Loganair is a Scottish regional airline based in Glasgow Airport, near Paisley, Scotland. It is the largest domestic airline in the UK with respect to the number of passengers and aircraft size. But Loganair's LM711 is also the shortest flight in the world. The island where passengers land The service runs from the island of Westray in the Orkney Islands to the north of Scotland to the nearby island of Papa Westray. The flight distance is just 1.7 miles (2.7 km). On a day with favourable winds and low luggage, the journey time is 53 seconds. There are two or three daily flights. Westray is a small island with a population of over eighty people. Many tourists visit this place during the summers. They board a flight from here to Papa Westray Island. Westray is about a 15-minute flight from Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney, the largest island in the archipelago known as the Mainland. Papa Westray Island is also nicknamed 'Papa' by tourists. It is a beautiful island rich in soil and biodiversity. Papa Westray, the ninth-largest island in the Orkney Islands, covers an area of about 918 hectares. Fewer than a hundred people live here. The island has a beautiful beach, a nature reserve, and a view of migratory birds. The island is also of historical significance as 30 copper coins were discovered during the reign of Charles II and George III.

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