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IndiGo cautiously optimistic on 2022 prospects; sets sight for higher flight

Rising domestic passenger traffic along with healthy response to its new intra-regional flights has boosted airline major IndiGo's outlook for 2022. Nevertheless, the airline remains 'cautiously optimistic' on the impact the Omicron Covid-19 variant might have on the country's aviation sector. In conversation with IANS, Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo revealed that the airline has almost reached 100 per cent pre-Covid capacity utilisation level. "The year 2020 and 2021 have indeed been very challenging for not just the aviation and travel industry but the global economy, and it is the economy which drives demand for our business," Kumar said. "The domestic traffic has been good and has grown very strongly in recent months as restrictions and the pandemic eased. Things are improving gradually, and we are almost back to domestic pre-Covid capacity as well, though international travel may take a little longer." On intra-regional connectivity, Kumar said that the airline is focusing on connecting India's large, mid-size and small cities. "We are continuously exploring new opportunities across the length and breadth of the country and expanding our network as per the demand." "We are closely monitoring the current trends across air traffic, train passengers as well as economic situation. Based on all these factors and various demand estimates, we are working on new routes and flights." Recently, the airline witnessed encouraging demand during the festive season. "With enhanced regional connectivity, we are sure that people will prefer air travel now more than ever. We have seen a very strong festive season and our system capacity was highest ever than even pre-Covid times on November 8. So, there are some good things happening on capacity and revenue. We are already at 1,500 flights per day which is equal to our pre Covid levels. Also, with the upcoming holiday season and people looking forward to exploring the country, we are expecting stronger domestic demand and we remain optimistic going forward." Besides, he cited that the positive demand trend has become self-sustaining over the last few months. "We have analysed the traffic every month and the trends are up, and it is encouraging that the demand is sustaining now, with the travel trend going up in terms of unit revenue and future bookings." "The demand has certainly picked up in the festive season and we hope for it to continue the upswing. Domestically our capacity now is higher than in preCovid times. We are getting above 80-85 per cent load factor so yes; traffic is coming back encouragingly." However, he added that the airline has been seeing challenges in terms of international services coming back with the emergence of another strain and many countries including India reinstating stringent protocols and restrictions for travel. "We are monitoring the situation carefully," he said.

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Paytm Travel launches special flight fares for armed forces, students and senior citizens for bookings in IndiGo, Go Air, Spicejet, and AirAsia

Paytm recently announced special discounted fares for flight bookings for armed forces personnel, students and senior citizens. The discounts will be available for bookings in IndiGo, Go Air, Spicejet, and AirAsia. To facilitate ease of booking, the discounts are in the range of 15 per cent to 50 per cent and to bring further convenience, students will also be able to avail extra baggage of up to 10 kg. The fares come at a considerable discount than the normal prices available and will be in addition to the already existing offers being offered by Paytm and banking service provider. Paytm users can search for flight options after entering their details and discover the applicable discount and offer. Paytm spokesperson said, “Travel ticketing is an important segment for us and we always aim to facilitate ease of booking for our users and also plan their trip more economically. With our airline partners, we are able to do that for users from the armed forces, students and senior citizen.

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Sabre, Amex GBT enter into a technology partnership to advance corporate travel

Sabre Corporation, a leading travel technology company, has entered into a multi-year technology partnership with American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) focused on developing technologies that will enable the future of corporate travel distribution. Under the terms of this newly expanded technology partnership which takes effect in January 2022, GBT will increase its commitment with Sabre and make a multi-million dollar, long-term annual investment in joint technology development with Sabre over the next ten years. The partnership between two industry leaders puts the two companies in an ideal position to deliver best-in-class products and services throughout the corporate travel ecosystem and drive meaningful growth to both companies and the travel ecosystem in its entirety. “While the pandemic has undoubtedly challenged the travel industry, we firmly believe in a robust recovery over time, particularly in corporate travel,” said Sean Menke, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Sabre. “However, the expectations of corporate travellers and corporations have fundamentally changed; the demand for new, differentiated products that are designed for specific travellers’ needs is likely to be more pronounced. Our strategic partnership with GBT is rooted in the common beliefs we share regarding the technology needs which will enable participants throughout the travel ecosystem to meet these new demands. We look forward to our expanded commercial relationship with GBT and partnering with them for many years to come,” Menke added. Together, the companies will work to accelerate product innovation and develop a distribution eco-system that meets the future needs of customers and suppliers. This will include collaborating on corporate travel booking capabilities that enhance value to customers and suppliers, accelerating merchandising and retailing solutions, and enabling efficient and superior customer service. “As an industry thought leader, GBT and Sabre will define the future by developing distribution software and capabilities that provide our customers and supplier partners with the value, choice, and experiences they expect,” said Paul Abbott, CEO, American Express GBT. “Combining Sabre’s retailing and content aggregation capabilities and GBT’s corporate customer software and world-class customer service will enable us to deliver the business travel experiences corporate travelers want,” he said.

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Five lakh visitors in 70 days, India at Dubai Expo 2020 stands tall

The India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai has achieved another milestone by recording half a million visitors' mark since its inauguration on October 1, 2021 by the Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal. In his tweet message on this landmark achievement, Goyal said, "#IndiaAtDubaiExpo stands tall, showcasing our capabilities in achieving ambitious goals for global good, which reflects India's Partnerships, Pride & its People." Talking about the success of the India Pavilion, Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE said, "India is honoured to participate in Dubai EXPO 2020- a global platform where different nations have congregated to showcase their business potential and cultural heritage. As India is an important and growing investment destination, EXPO2020 Dubai has given us a unique opportunity to network with global stakeholders and secure investments for our country." He added, "We are delighted to see the response from the visitors who wish to immerse themselves in modern India's confluence of opportunities and potential. The visitors have participated enthusiastically and have rejoiced in the festivities at the India Pavilion. We will ensure that the momentum is sustained, and our visitors get to experience the real essence of India as we move ahead in our journey at the Expo." The India Pavilion has hosted various meetings and events pertaining to investments across focus sectors and states along with cultural events for the visitors since inauguration. Besides showcasing India as an attractive investment destination on an international platform, the Expo has been pivotal in strengthening the bilateral trade relations with the UAE and cultural ties between India and the rest of the world. The India Pavilion has been recognised as one of the most iconic pavilions at the Expo by American Institute of Architects and is one of the most visited pavilions at the EXPO2020 Dubai. The Pavilion has played a key role in showcasing the Indian start-up ecosystem amongst global audience through the innovation hub bus. Among the states, Gujarat, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and UT of Ladakh have already showcased their business potential and have secured investment opportunities in key sectors. The Pavilion has also promoted India's key sectors such as new and renewable energy, space, urban and rural development, oil & gas and textile during their respective weeks. Leading voices from the government and industry including Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas & Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Darshana V Jardosh, Minister of State for Textile & Railways, Shanti Kumar Dhariwal, Minister for Urban Development & Housing, Government of Rajasthan, Subhash Desai, Minister of Industries, Government of Maharashtra, Aditi Tatkare, Minister of State for Industries and Tourism, Government of Maharashtra and K Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) & Secretary Department of Space have been a part of the sessions at the India Pavilion. The India Pavilion has hosted several cultural activities during Dusshera and Navratri celebrations. These included folk dances, storytelling and music for countless visitors and dignitaries. It hosted the Diwali Week from November 2-5 which was celebrated with great enthusiasm. The festival of Diwali was celebrated with colourful installations and lighting in the form of Swarangoli or LED Rangoli, virtual display of firecrackers and events including performances by leading Indian artists like Salim-Sulaiman, Vipul Mehta and bands like Rooh and Dhruv. The upcoming weeks at the India Pavilion will witness participation from other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, UT of Jammu & Kashmir among others and sectors such as healthcare, electronics and information technology, energy conservation, environment & sustainability, tribal affairs, spices & tourism to name a few.

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No need to panic, severity of Omicron is low: Maharashtra Health Minister

Maharashtra Health Minister, Rajesh Tope, on Wednesday, said that people do not need to panic about Omicron as the severity of the Coronavirus variant is low. Breifing mediapersons, Tope said, "There is a total of 10 Omicron cases in Maharashtra till today. About 65 swabs have been sent for genome sequencing, their reports are awaited. Screenings are being conducted at International airports. The Omicron variant is spread over 54 countries so far. Transmissibility is higher. But, the severity or virulence is low. So we do not need to panic." Asked about the state's strategy to counter the spread, the Health Minister said, "We are working with the 3T Principle - tracking, tracing and testing. For genome sequence, we have currently three labs. We will expand the facility further in Nagpur and Aurangabad." Meanwhile, India reported nearly two dozen Omicron cases so far. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Wednesday asked all the states to submit all the samples of positive cases of international travellers and their contacts as well as from emerging hotspots. A new variant of Covid-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year. On November 26, the WHO named the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as Omicron. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'. Dozens of countries have imposed travel restrictions on the southern African nations since the mutation was discovered. The new Omicron Coronavirus variant has been confirmed in 23 countries and their number is expected to rise, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had said. India has also added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in the country, including postarrival testing for infection.

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Tourism growth in Dubai gathers pace with 4.88m visitors between January-October 2021

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) revealed that the emirate welcomed 4.88 million visitors between January - October 2021 with international visitation during October alone reaching over one million. Reflecting the rising growth momentum and stability of the industry, strong international visitation was complemented by a robust domestic tourism market, further boosting the hospitality sector resulting in 9.4 million room nights sold between January - October 2021 in comparison to 7 million room nights sold in the same period in 2019. The latest tourism figures were released at the second bi-annual City Briefing of 2021 held by the Department of Economy and Tourism to provide stakeholders with key updates on the tourism sector’s positive growth and insights into current and future strategies and global marketing campaigns. As Dubai continues to lead the global tourism rebound and stimulate international business growth, the forum featured a detailed presentation on domestic and global developments, including an overview of increasing visitor numbers, hotel occupancy, and activities in international markets, which have all reinforced Dubai’s profile as a safe, must-visit destination and the world’s best city to live, work and visit. The meeting was presided by Helal Saeed Almarri, director-general, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, and was attended by over 1,150 representatives from leading establishments in the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors. The forum was part of DET’s regular dialogue with business leaders to encourage collaboration and exchange insights to ensure the industry is seamlessly aligned with tourism growth initiatives and strategies. Held at Ain Dubai, the forum discussed ways to further accelerate growth in the industry, leveraging the latest landmark attractions to open in Dubai. Almarri said: “Inspired by the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, and Ruler of Dubai and strengthened by the success of Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, Dubai has been at the vanguard of the world’s tourism and economic rebound, setting the tone for sustained recovery and growth." Dubai’s strong reputation for safe travel internationally has resulted in both domestic and international tourism growth, as seen by the improved hotel performance. In a year-to-date study in October 2021, occupancy was at almost 64 per cent, while the length of stay showed a 12 per cent increase from 4.1 nights to 4.6 nights. During this period, there were 24.74 million occupied rooms nights across the emirate at an average daily rate of Dh384, in comparison to 15.66 million occupied room nights at an average daily rate of Dh335. Room inventory is now six per cent higher than 2019. “Our multi-pronged strategy to combat the pandemic and deployment of wide-ranging initiatives to increase our global competitiveness and attractiveness is a hallmark of Dubai’s highly progressive public-private partnership model, which has been a cornerstone of not only what was achieved in 2021 but what will be achieved in the next critical 12 to 24-month period. Expo 2020 also provides us a unique platform to engage with the global community as all hotels and tourism partners work closely to facilitate visits for their guests to maximise this opportunity," added Almarri. “Through this highly energised and cohesive tourism and economic ecosystem, I am confident that Dubai will deliver on its vision of being the world’s leading global centre for investment, business, talent, visitation and next-generation thinking.” Taking a closer look at the profile of international visitors, research showed that in the first half of 2021, Dubai visitors were balanced across genders with 52 per cent male visitors and 48 per cent female visitors. During this time, the emirate also attracted a higher first-time visitor’s volume, reflecting the attractiveness of the city despite the pandemic, when compared to the first half of the previous year. Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing said: “Over the last five decades Dubai has transformed into a global tourism and business hub and through the effective citywide management of the pandemic, the city has strengthened its position as one of the safest destinations in the world. Dubai’s ability to evolve and adapt, with the support of our stakeholders and partners, has been critical in ensuring that the city continues to retain its position at the forefront of the world’s leading travel and business destinations. With our world-class infrastructure, one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and flexible working visas, Dubai is becoming the preferred business hub for conglomerates and startups alike." To ensure that Dubai was top-of-mind and seen as the destination of choice for 2021, DET launched an integrated global marketing campaign via ‘Dubai Presents’ that broadcast over 3,500 assets across 25 languages and specifically targeted audiences that were seeking international travel, had engaged with previous campaigns or were searching for Dubai on digital channels. By creating Hollywood inspired trailers with A-list actors Jessica Alba and Zac Efron, DET simultaneously highlighted the emirates’ multiplicity of offerings and reinstated its profile as ‘the happening city’. Dubai’s ability to evolve and adapt, combined with its diversified multi-geographic approach to markets, was key in ensuring that Dubai retained its relevance and competitiveness as a global destination and creative hub. In the last year, the emirate built momentum in business tourism as Dubai gave more flexibility and options for talent to visit and stay by introducing new categories and programmes, which included the Golden Visa, the Property Investor Visa, the Entrepreneur Visa, the Retire in Dubai Visa and the Virtual Working Visa. The focus for DET for the upcoming year is to continue to drive growth across all sectors. Initiatives will be introduced to further catalyse Expo 2020 visitor numbers, strengthen relationships with the travel trade and explore new channels to source visitors. By highlighting Dubai’s versatility, DET plans to demonstrate its position as a thriving global hub for business and tourism, gastronomy, sustainability, weddings, retail and events.

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