News

You can now travel to Greece; these regulations apply

Greece has now allowed specific categories of travellers, including citizens of the EU and a number of countries including India. The Global Visa Center World (GVCW) issued a statement, allowing Indian travellers to enter the country with COVID-19 testing protocols in place. GVCW and their visa application partner in India expressed that, "You can now apply for short stay visa (C- Visa category) at GVCW application centres in New Delhi and Mumbai on Mondays and Wednesdays." This has come as welcome news to lakhs of Indians who have been waiting for the administration of Greece to lift the travel curb. The country and its beautiful islands have been alluring Indians from long, and the nation is fast emerging as one of the most favoured travel destinations for Indians. It has also been attracting a lot of honeymooners over the recent years, more so with its typical European settings. Greece has also attracted the India film industry in the past few years, and a number of Bollywood and other regional cinema has been shot here. While this is an eagerly awaited turn, India has barred scheduled international commercial flights till January 31 to avoid Omicron outbreak. Flights that come under air-travel bubble arrangements and cargo flights are exempt. It remains to be seen how India's decision to bar flights affects international tourism for now. It is advisable that travellers check the latest rules and regulations before planning an international trip to and from India.

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India’s ‘Happiest Music Festival’ set to begin from February 2022 amid COVID restrictions in place

The Bacardi NH 7 Weekender, also dubbed as India’s ‘Happiest Music Festival’, is all set to begin in February 2022 across the country. Last year, the festival was held online because of the pandemic restrictions. But this year, the festival will take over the stage with pandemic restrictions in place. The festival’s official page took to twitter and stated all the mandates of attending the festival, which are fully vaccinated, face mask, mandatory thermal scanning, frequent sanitisation, social distancing and predominantly Indian line-up. The music fest will be organised at the following Indian cities. Pune: February 5-6 Kolkata: February 12-13 Delhi: February 19 and 20 There will be live performances, great food and awesome games. The booking for the event has already begun and music lovers can register themselves. This year, the festival will see musicians from India in large numbers. Given the pandemic travel restrictions, musicians from other countries won’t be able to participate. The venues in the cities are yet to be announced and the schedules of the programmes might change amid the ongoing pandemic situation. The tickets will be limited and will be available to people 18 years of age and above who have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to the date.

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Scheduled international passenger flights to remain suspended till Jan 31: DGCA

Scheduled international passenger flights to and from India have been suspended till January 31 next year. An announcement to this effect was made by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday. Days after announcing the resumption of scheduled international passenger flight operations from December 15, the aviation regulator on December 1 said that following rising concerns over the Omicron variant operations would continue to remain suspended till further notice. After a long hiatus of more than 20 months, India had finally decided to resume scheduled international commercial flights from December 15 barring flights to/from 12 countries, which are at risk of spreading the virus or where the pandemic situation is not under control. Revoking its earlier order of resuming scheduled international flight operations, DGCA had mentioned on December 1, “In view of the evolving global scenario with the emergence of the new variant of concern, the situation is being watched closely in consultation with all stakeholders and an appropriate decision indicating the effective date of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services shall be notified in due course." Today a DGCA circular, further notes, "The competent authority has decided to extend the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India till 2359 hours of January 31, 2022. The restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA." The aviation regulator further mentions, "In continuation to DGCA Circular No. 4/1/2020-IR dated 9.12.2021 on Travel & Visa Restrictions related to COVID-19, it is clarified to all concerned that all international flights under existing Bubble Agreements shall continue to operate till 31st of January 2022." India is currently operating flights under air bubble arrangements with around 32 countries, including the US, the UK, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France.

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Sikkim to ban the use of plastic bottles from New Year

Sikkim Tourism will join the state government’s campaign to ban single-use plastic including packaged water starting from New Year, 2022. A senior tourism official of the state informed that the ban will be strictly implemented at all destinations. Even airlines and other transport service providers bringing visitors to the state will also be asked to avoid serving plastic water bottles, said Marcus P Rai, Joint Secretary, Tourism & Civil Aviation department. While implementing the ban strictly, Rai said that the government will try to offer alternatives to plastic that is more organic and biodegradable. “We are encouraging villagers to mass-produce bottles from bamboo and other biodegradable materials,” he said. Homestays, which are quite popular with tourists, are also asked to implement the plastic ban strictly. Sikkim has one of the highest numbers of registered homestays in the country, Rai said. “We have about 915 registered homestays in the state.” Rai said that the tourism department encourages homestays a lot and makes sure that they offer the most authentic of village experiences to the guests. “We ask them not to go overboard with facilities in the name of guest facilities which ultimately will dilute the authentic village experiences,” Rai said. Rai said that state tourism focuses a lot on the training of stakeholders so that they are able to deliver services that help guests “explore the destinations through a local eye”. Sikkim was the first state in the country to ban plastic carry bags, way back in 1998. In 2016, the government banned the use of plastic-packaged drinking water and thermocol disposable cups and plates in all government functions. The latest initiative is seen as a major step towards preserving and conserving the natural environment of the state which is a biodiversity hotspot.

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IndiGo Partners With CSIR-IIP For Sustainable Aviation Fuel

IndiGo, in line with its vision to reduce the environmental impact of aviation, has signed an agreement with CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun to become partners in leading the deployment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in India and globally. Under this partnership, IndiGo and CSIR-IIP will enter into specific arrangements for projects for SAF based on techno-commercial feasibility and Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) value creation. IndiGo desires to be an anchor partner to such Institutes and oil refining companies in the future to address the core issue of Carbon Emissions and take a lead in demonstrating its commitment towards sustainable and responsible growth. Ronojoy Dutta, Whole-time Director & Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said, “As a responsible airline, we have always understood the importance of making a difference towards a greener future. We have partnered with CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum to ensure that we are working towards controlling emissions and in the process building supply chains for manufacturing and deploying sustainable aviation fuel in India and globally in the foreseeable future. IndiGo is committed to creating a platform to bring our business partners and customers together on key strategic ESG initiatives.” Dutta added, “The Agreement also cements IndiGo’s commitment towards responsible growth, its desire to effectively manage its climate footprint in line with India’s commitment to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2070. We are committed to thought leadership in this domain and are exploring innovative solutions to the challenges of the present and the future.” Dr. Anjan Ray, Director CSIR-IIP, added that “CSIR-IIP is committed to achieving India's goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and indigenous, globally competitive, sustainable fuel production for a wide range of transportation and industrial uses We will be collaborating with IndiGo on projects that will help control emissions, reduce carbon footprint and align on UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe that the synergies between IndiGo and CSIR-IIP can enhance national self-reliance as well as strengthen India’s position in the global aviation sector.”

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RARE Community’s 30 Hotels Aim For A Revival

The recently concluded Discover RARE event in Gurugram witnessed 30 boutique conscious luxury hotels and experiences from the RARE Community coming together for two days of interactive sessions with the travel trade. Some esteemed hoteliers from the RARE Community who attended the Discover RARE event and interacted with the participants include H.E. Raja Jigmed W. Namgyal of Stok Palace Heritage Hotel in Ladakh, Jairaj Singh from Chanoud Garh in Rajasthan, Behzad J Larry & Rashid from The Lungmar Remote Camp in Ladakh, Yasir Shaw of Nadis Hotel in Srinagar, Vidyun Goel from Haveli Dharampura in Delhi, Sriman Subrahmanian from Svatma in Thanjavur, Rigzin Kalon of Lchang Nang Retreat in Ladakh, Bhupendra Singh Chundawat from Prem Kunj in Udaipur and Luv Shekhawat from Utsav Camp in Sariska. Other hotels that participated in the event are Grand Hotel D’Europe in Pondicherry, Karan Mahal in Srinagar, Dera Amer in Jaipur, BrijRama Palace in Varanasi, Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling, Glenburn Penthouse in Kolkata, Jamtara Wilderness Camp in Pench, Cabo Serai in Goa, Jehan Numa Group of Hotels, The Ultimate Travelling Camp (TUTC), MRS Group and The Claridges. Speaking about hosting the Discover RARE event after a gap of two years, RARE India’s Founder Shoba Mohan said, “I strongly believe that ‘Baat karne se baat banti hai!’. Although we had numerous digital events even during the first and the second lockdowns, I felt that it was time for us to meet some of our hotel partners and travel trade associates so as to create positive energies, love and hope and kickstart travel in the subcontinent.” Regarding the need for travel reset and revival, Behzad J Larry, Director of Sales, The Lungmar Remote Camp in Ladakh, said, “Coming back into travel after the forced break during the pandemic made us think not just about how we can revive and reset travel but also how we can transform into being a more powerful way to cause change. For us that means conservation and a better way of travelling, one that is more mindful of the communities we are travelling to, one that is more mindful of the ecosystems we are travelling in and one that is more mindful of the positive change we can bring about through travel.” He added, “As a young property, Discover RARE has been a fantastic opportunity for us to meet people who are interested in such a niche product as snow leopards and a company that focuses on conservation first. It has been really heartening to see that tour operators are interested in introducing their clients to our property and having them come and stay with us.” Jairaj Singh, the owner of Hotel Chanoud Garh in Pali district of Rajasthan, said, “It has been two years of lull with no personal meetings or warm handshakes with industry colleagues whom you have known for over a decade. So, this event has brought people to one area and allowed us to reconnect with industry associates even if it is just to say hello in person and reintroduce our property to them.” Regarding the changing preferences of the travelers post the pandemic where they now look for boutique properties that allow social distancing, Bhupendra Singh Chundawat, the Owner of Prem Kunj in Udaipur, said, “We are 8kms outside Udaipur city and have only 8 rooms. We are the only property behind the Sajjan Garh Fort. So, it is not crowded and everyone gets their own personal space to relax and rejuvenate. At this event, I was able to introduce our property to the travel agents and tell them about the numerous activities that we offer such as Prem Kunj Trail, village walks and cultural programmes in the evenings. This platform allowed me to have a detailed discussion with them on why they should send their guests to Prem Kunj when they visit Udaipur.” Aditya Bajaj, the Head of Reservations & Revenue at Cabo Serai in Goa, said, “There has been a great surge in the number of people we have received after the second wave of the pandemic because people wanted to step out as they were bored staying at home for such a long time. But due to the recent news about Omnicron, there is an uncertainty in the market currently. In such circumstances, it was great to meet industry peers after almost two years at this event. Through the Discover RARE event, we have made inroads into 16-17 new networks that will open newer channels of business as well as revived some old connections that will help our business grow.”

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