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Success of the maiden Beypore Water Fest makes Kerala look at water tourism as a niche segment

Kerala Tourism will be looking at developing water tourism as a niche segment of the state’s tourism offerings. The huge success of the Beypore Water Fest, on Chaliyar in Kozhikode district in the last week of 2021, has made the tourism department consider developing water tourism as a niche segment of tourism in a state which is blessed with water bodies. Organised with the support and participation of the local communities, the Beypore Water Fest turned out to be a grand show in terms of its organisation and participation. The event caught the attention of French kite experts, Maxim David and his wife Katia Zen, who called on the Tourism Minister, PA Mohamad Riyas to express their appreciation about the show. After meeting the French couple, Riyas said that the government will consider developing water tourism as a niche segment. The Minister told the visitors that Kerala plans to develop water tourism as a major segment by tapping on the inherent potential of the state and seizing on the growing global demand. He also said the Department of Tourism has plans to set up a surfing school at Beypore. “We are glad that the inaugural edition of the Beypore Water Fest could grab global attention and that would encourage Kerala Tourism to take it forward as an annual feature,” Riyas said. In their interaction with the Minister, the French couple expressed the “great prospects” the state has in kite-flying and making it a recreational sport. Dr Venu V, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism) said that Kerala’s local celebratory events can be brought to the global limelight if they are conducted on the lines of the Beypore Water Fest, held from December 26 to 29. “That can help boost our tourism products,” he added. “We can do it by making the best use of the unique heritage of each such locality,” he stated. The festival featured races and celebrations in ten venues. These included kayaking, paddle race, display boat, boat races, the Navy’s band music, and an exhibition of naval ships. The festival also saw a sailing regatta curated by retired Naval officer-yachtsman, Commander Abhilash Tomy,the first Indian to complete a solo,non-stop circumnavigation of the world under sail.

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National Tourism Policy to have five broad missions for Indian tourism

The proposed National Tourism Policy will set out five broad missions for the country’s tourism sector. These five missions are National Green Tourism Mission, National Digital Tourism Mission, National Mission for Tourism skilling; National Mission for Destination Management; and National Mission for Tourism SMEs. Sharing the broad vision and mission of the government’s proposed tourism policy at the inaugural event of the two-week-long Incredible India celebrations at the Expo2020 in Dubai, Rakesh Kumar Verma, Additional Secretary - Tourism, Government of India, said that the government will launch several incentive schemes to make India attractive as a destination for international travellers as part of the 75th Anniversary celebrations of Indian independence - Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Verma said that while the heritage and cultural aspects of India overshadowed everything else so far, the focus is to bring the hidden aspects like nature, adventure, MICE, medical & wellness, etc., to the forefront through dedicated marketing and promotions now. Verma said that because of the strong focus of the government on the infrastructure side in the last few years, several destinations in the country have seen significant transformation and makeover in the last couple of years. Verma highlighted the Statue of Unity at Kevadia in Gujarat and Varanasi in UP as examples. Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai said that participation in the Dubai Expo is a significant opportunity for Indian tourism to learn from Dubai the best practices of global destination marketing. He asked the Indian tourism sector to utilise the opportunity to establish institutional linkages with Dubai Tourism to share best practices on destination marketing.

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Sri Lanka sees a tourism boom with highest holidaymakers from India

Although the Sri Lankan tourism sector is still struggling due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the island nation received the highest number of foreign tourists in December 2021, with majority of the holidaymakers from India. Despite shutting of borders in the wake of the health crisis for several months, a total of 194,495 tourists arrived in the island nation, with over one-fourth of them from India, said the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The SLTDA said that India topped the list with 56,268 tourists, followed by Russia (16,268) and the UK (16,646), Germany (12,442), Ukraine (7,037), France (6,549), the US (6,124), Kazakhstan (5,754), Canada (5,079) and China (2,417). After witnessing two Covid-19 waves, Sri Lanka's tourism was further ravaged by the third wave of the pandemic in April 2021. However, one of the top tourist destinations in the world, Sri Lanka gradually opened for holidaymakers and a number of promotions were introduced in connection. To get more visitors from the neighbouring nation, flag carrier SriLankan Airlines launched a Buy One, Get One Free Ticket campaign for Indian tourists. The airlines also started several weekly flights to Chennai and Mumbai, while operations commenced to Bengaluru, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Trivandrum, and Cochin. In August 2021, the country opened its borders for fully vaccinated travellers and the next month it also removed the mandatory on-arrival PCR tests. Sri Lanka's tourism sector, the third highest foreign income earner, suffered a massive blow with the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks targeting Christian churches and five-star hotels in April 2019, killed nearly 250 people, including foreigners. The country which was recognised as Lonely Planet's number one travel destination in October 2019 was planning to attract 2.5 million tourists compared to its 2018 figure 2.3 million. Sri Lanka recorded over 1.9 million tourist arrivals in 2019 earning around USD 3.5 billion. As the pandemic raged, the sector further suffered in 2020, with the figure plunging to 570,000

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UAE restricts travel of unvaccinated travellers starting from January 10; booster dose mandatory for fully vaccinated citizens

In view of rising Covid-19 cases in the Emirate, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced that they will impose a ban on travel of UAE citizens, who are unvaccinated with a registered Covid-19 vaccine from January 10. Whereas, all fully vaccinated citizens will have to take a booster dose to be eligible to travel out of the country. However, in certain situations, there are a few exemptions as well. In a tweet, NCEMA UAE announced that “NCEMA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International CooperationUAE (MoFAICUAE) have imposed a ban on travel on UAE citizens unvaccinated with Covid-19 vaccine, starting January 10, 2022, with a requirement to obtain the booster dose for the fully vaccinated. With an exemption for medically exempted from taking the vaccine, humanitarian and treatment cases.” Travel is permitted for unvaccinated citizens from the following categories- individuals medically exempted from taking the vaccine, humanitarian cases, and individuals travelling for medical and treatment purposes. As per the data shared by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, UAE on Saturday reported 2,556 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative infections to 764,493. The surge in Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations, with the new variant Omicron, have also led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights across the globe.

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RT-PCR test report not older than 48 hours necessary to enter Port Blair: Andaman & Nicobar Admin

Taking stringent measures to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid19, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has announced that all travellers arriving in the Union Territory will have to present a negative Covid-19 test report. In an official order, the Health and Civil Aviation Secretary of the administration stated that all incoming travellers, above two years of age, including partially or fully vaccinated will have to show the negative RT-PCR test report, with a sample taken within 48 hours before departure. The order is effective January 5. “In view of the recent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases including the detection of Omicron variant cases in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and in order to effectively manage the challenge arising out of the same, the authorities have taken this decision in the interest of public health,” read the order. The administration has also asked all airlines to ensure strict compliance with the order. Further, all passengers with a history of foreign travel in the last 30 days, all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated passengers shall also be tested by RTPCR on arrival at the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair. Travellers will have to isolate until the rest results are released. If passengers on arrival are tested Covid-19 positive, then the prescribed quarantine protocol will be followed.

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India To Showcase Its Tourism Might At Expo 2020

The India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai is set to showcase the country as a leading tourist destination globally and highlight the vast opportunities in India’s tourism and hospitality sector during the 2-week participation of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India starting 3rd January 2022. The week will display India’s geographical diversity and roadmap for the tourism sector in key areas such as culture, spiritual, luxury, medical, adventure, wildlife and MICE among others, under the larger ‘Incredible India’ campaign. The inaugural session will be attended and addressed by Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India along with leading voices in the tourism and hospitality sector and other leading personalities. The sector floor at India pavilion will focus on showcasing India’s potential to become the wellness tourism destination highlighting modern infrastructure along with its ancient practices of ayurveda, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and naturopathy among others. The displays will also include highlights of India’s luxurious destinations and land immersed in history offering experiences of age-old cultures, traditions, arts, and practices culminating with modern comforts. It will also highlight the niche tourism segment of the country including adventure tourism and various spots for thrill seekers. India’s rich heritage including forts, palaces and temples and museums and galleries scattered across the country will be displayed. The films will also take the audience on a journey across the various spiritual destinations in the country. The sector floor during the tourism fortnight will also highlight the scrumptious cuisines of India exhibiting its food culture characterised by a blend of spices, grains, fruits and vegetables, and key investment opportunities. The sector floor will showcase the natural scenic beauty, distinct historical cultural and ethnic heritage of the North Eastern States of India. Mountaineering, trekking and adventure tourism in the region will be of focus. Various responsible tourism practices and initiatives by the Government and private sector companies will be displayed exhibiting India’s focus on sustainability. MICE tourism will also be one of the key highlights for promoting India as a preferred MICE destination. The Tourism fortnight will comprise of various sessions which will be presided over by representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and States including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, among others. The session on 4th January 2022, ‘Heal in India: Rejuvenate the mind, body and the soul’ will showcase India’s capabilities to offer world class preventive and curative health care solutions and popularize the indigenous medicine systems and wellness regimes practiced in India for physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. The session, ‘Incredible India: Fascinating experiences of royal legacies’ scheduled for 6th January will showcase the changing face of luxury tourism in India, luxury tourist destinations around India and their unique attractions, and initiatives taken by Government to make travel safe and secure. The session, ‘Investment Opportunities in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality’ on 7th January will highlight the overall investment scenario and advantages of investing in Indian tourism and hospitality sector. Discussions will also highlight the measures taken by the Government for ease of doing business and future plans to promote tourism sector creating opportunities for investment. The thematic session, ‘Discover Incredible India - Connecting with Culture, Heritage and Spirituality’ on 8th January will highlight various aspects of cultural, heritage and spiritual offerings of India and discuss the ways in which tourists can have immersive and memorable experiences in India. The role of connectivity, infrastructure, adoption of digital technologies and responsible tourism will be discussed at the session including India’s preparedness as a safe destination post COVID-19. Considering the growing importance of sustainable tourism, the session on 9th January, ‘Tourism at Crossroads – Mainstreaming sustainability for future of tourism’ will bring focus on sustainability as the key challenge for tourism sector and how future of tourism can be shaped by sustainable and responsible policies and action by the Governments and Private Sector. Addressing the upcoming domain of adventure tourism, the session on 10th January, ‘Adventure and Wildlife: The untapped potential of Incredible India’ will highlight the innumerable experiences of a traveller to connect with nature while seamlessly blending with adventure. The Ministry and the State Governments will share various steps taken by them for promotion of adventure tourism. The session, scheduled for 12th January, ‘Meet in India: Emerging Hub for Business and Social Events’ will throw light on India emerging as a key MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) tourism destination in the world. Dubai Expo is also organizing World Majlis on 13th January at the India Pavilion on the theme ‘Off the Beaten Path’. The Majlis is a key event of the Expo during the ‘Travel and Connectivity’ Theme Week (9 – 15 January 2022) which is co-curated by India and Portugal and is hosted at the India Pavilion. A thematic session on ‘Convergence - Connecting the future of travel 3.0’ will be held on 14th January. The event will highlight integration of the main principles of market orientation, policies in the implementation, development and promotion of tourism, generation of employment, and above all significantly contribute to the overall growth of India’s economy. The week will see participation of senior government officials and the industry. The Tourism fortnight at India Pavilion will conclude on 15th January.

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