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West Bengal: Flights from Delhi, Mumbai restricted to Kolkata from Jan 5. Read here

The West Bengal government on Sunday announced several Covid curbs in order to limit the rapidly spreading coronavirus infection in the state. The state announced that flights from national capital Delhi and financial capital Mumbai shall be restricted to twice weekly. This restriction will come into force from 5 January and these flights will only be allowed to operate on Mondays and Fridays. The West Bengal government's new airport-related curbs come as part of wider restrictions announced on Sunday. The state also announced night curfew from 10pm to 5am. Schools, Colleges, gyms, beauty parlors, tourist places shall remain shut. Restaurants and Cinema halls has been asked to function with 50% capacity. The state registered an alarming number of cases on New Year's Day. Bengal reported 4,512 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, which takes its active caseload to 13,300.

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Low-cost carriers in South Korea reschedule international flights

South Korea’s low-cost carriers on Monday announced that they have delayed or reduced their flights on international routes due to the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. Air Seoul Inc, a budget carrier unit of Asiana Airlines Inc., has delayed its planned flights to Guam from January 29 to March 27, reports Yonhap News Agency. Air Seoul has offered one flight a week, respectively, on the routes from Incheon to Qingdao and Yantai in China since the summer of 2020 to meet business travel demands. Jeju Air Co, the country's biggest low-cost carrier, said it will continue to provide two flights a week on the Incheon-Guam route until February 26. It had originally planned to provide four flights a week on the route from January 27. It also plans to operate flights on the Busan-Saipan route until January 12, though the route resumed services on December 29, 2021. T'way Air Co. has provided two flights a week on the Incheon-Saipan route but decided to suspend them until January 28. South Korea has two full-service carriers, Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc, and 10 LCCs, including Jin Air Co, Air Busan Co, Eastar Jet Co, Fly Gangwon, Air Premia Co and Air Incheon Co. Air Incheon is a cargo-focused carrier, and the nine other low-cost ones are passenger carriers.

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Heathrow and Gatwick: Latest travel rules for Australia, Bali, and Indonesia

Travelling during the pandemic is nightmarish, it entails endless forms and rules that can change overnight. To prevent a pricey disaster, holidaymakers are recommended to check a country’s entry requirements before travelling. Some destinations require full vaccination, some require evidence of jab status, and others demand a negative PCR test. So make sure you know your stuff to avoid disaster. Here’s a digested read of the travel restrictions and requirements if you’re planning to visit Australia, Bali, and Thailand. Australia As of November 1 2020, Australian citizens, residents and their families are permitted to travel without quarantine restrictions on the way home. But this is provided they are not arriving from one of eight southern African countries where Omicron is rife. These rules are dependent on which region you travel from, and borders remain closed to all other arrivals. If you enter the nation, you must be fully vaccinated and must have a negative PCR taken three days before arrival. Travellers arriving in Australia may need to undergo enhanced health screening on arrival. This can include temperature testing and you may also be asked to undergo screening or testing in quarantine. Thailand Phuket is the only place in Thailand that is open to holidaymakers. This is because of the “sandbox” program, which allows visitors to enter a certain specific area without quarantining. If you have registered for a Thailand pass, but have not yet been granted access then you will be allowed in. If this applies to you, you will take a Covid test upon arrival and then another seven days later - at the Thai government’s expense. Thailand won’t be accepting any more pass applications. Travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi or Mozambique are currently unable to enter the country. Bali If you have been in or in transit through the UK in the previous 14 days, you are not allowed to enter Bali unless you are a foreign diplomat working there. But foreigners can now apply for a visitor or limited stay visa, however, these don’t apply to Brits. If you do enter the country, you must be fully jabbed and have a letter stating your willingness to obey Indonesia’s health protocol including quarantine requirements. A minimum of $100 health insurance is also required, plus a letter saying that you’ll pay for your own treatment should you fall ill. Proof of $1,500 or equivalent by showing the last three months bank statements is also required.

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Expo 2020 to bring Veganuary to Dubai

Expo 2020 Dubai will be home to the Middle East’s first Vegan Food Festival this January, presenting flavours from around the world with a game-changing culinary experience in association with Veganuary and Vegan Days. Taking place over three weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from January 14-30 at Festival Garden, the food fest will bring together the greatest plant-based food the region has to offer, giving visitors the chance to sample nutritious vegan bites with a side of music, courtesy of a diverse line-up of DJs. Visitors will also be able to enjoy an eco-marketplace filled with sustainable stalls, a vegan and organic spa, entertainment, and chef talks, making the Vegan Food Festival a fun and informative day out for friends and families alike. Restaurants across the Expo 2020 site will also be participating in Veganuary. Diners will be spoilt for choice, from Alkebulan, which will be home to a ten-day pop up from chef Glory Kabe, to Bread Ahead who are hosting vegan baking classes for the month of January, plus vegan options at Adrift Burger Bar, Kutir, Long Chim, Café Milano, the Local Aussie Grill, Mangrove Philippines Cuisine, Melbourne Lane, Sky Market and XYST. Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to go vegan during January – and beyond. During the 2021 campaign, more than 500,000 people took the pledge to try a vegan diet, with about 825 new vegan products and menu options launched around the world. Entry is free as part of an Expo ticket, no booking required. The festival takes place at Festival Garden, Wadi Avenue, Jubilee Park, near the Malaysia Pavilion.

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Swan Hellenic sets sail on first departure

Swan Hellenic has seen new ship SH Minerva leave Ushuaia on her maiden expedition cruise of the Antarctic. She will sail on a nine-day New Year celebration of discovery. Cruising in the expert hands of industry veterans captain Tuomo Leskinen and hotel director Philipp Reutener, SH Minerva’s first guests look forward to celebrating the New Year deep in the splendours of Antarctica. Here, they will soon be exploring the inspiring sights and wildlife of the Peninsula and milder Shetland Islands in the company of expedition leader Pablo Brandeman, polar expert Steve Blamires and ornithologist Andy Bunten. Swan Hellenic chief executive, Andrea Zito, commented: “We are immensely proud to have welcomed our first guests aboard this wonderful new ship to live unique new experiences that advance the revered Swan Hellenic tradition, taking them to see what others don’t in exceptional comfort and style.”

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TAAI President keen on adopting positive approach & preparing for challenges in 2022

Wishing everyone happy new year and conveying her message to fellow travel trade fraternity, Jyoti Mayal, President, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) said that she truly believes that ‘we will succeed in restoring trust, building confidence, and a more sustainable and successful future for our industry, ourselves and our children in the year 2022’. “As we turn to face the year ahead, we do so in the midst of a so-called third wave fuelled by a new variant of the Covid-19 virus, however, we can see people are more equipped, vaccinated, trained, and alert to handle any kind of adversity” she mentioned. TAAI in specific and in general in travel trade have followed the same policy by equipping itself with all hygiene and tech-related protocols and tools to offer the best of the services to travellers. ‘A year of hope is what we are calling the year 2022. Hope of survival, revival, and bringing the industry back on its feet. TAAI is here to continue to support the travel trade in 2022 and will provide adequate support by way of liaising, training programs, workshops, dissemination of information etc, to safeguard the interest of the industry,’ the association said. Mayal further added that she has said this many a times before and will continue saying it until we all as a team unanimously resonates with it that, “Keeping a positive approach and putting our best forth instead of waiting for the right time to come would be the wisest outlook to have. We as an association are prepared on our ends to face challenges and deal with them as and when they are thrown at us.” “Once again, Happy New Year! I wish happiness and joy to your families, peace, goodness, and new achievements to all of you and may this year be the year of hope we all are expecting it to be,” she concluded.

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