News

Indian travel and hotel bookings witness strong growth on wedding segment revival

As the Indian wedding season kickstarts, the demand for large as well as destination weddings has grown multi-fold. There were a lot of weddings postponed due to the pandemic and now, there has been a massive surge in wedding travel and bookings in the current period. A significant rise in vaccination numbers is helping wedding bookings and travel to be back to pre-Covid levels. Here are a few insights from EaseMyTrip on the revival of wedding travel bookings in the current period: Weddings bookings for the November-December period have come back strongly as EaseMyTrip has witnessed a 100 per cent increase in wedding travel bookings for the period of November 14- December 13, 2021. According to EaseMyTrip data, there has been a more than 400 per cent jump in advance air ticket bookings across India for December. The most preferred domestic destinations for weddings are Gulmarg, Goa, Udaipur, Jaipur, Mussoorie, Shimla, Nainital, Corbett, Rishikesh and Port Blair. The bookings have gone up by 50 per cent across these destinations. The most sought after international destinations include Dubai, Colombo, Maldives, Moscow, Paris and Switzerland. There is also a growing interest in the locales of Europe for destination weddings. The bookings have gone up by 30 per cent across these destinations. The top 5 hotels booked for this wedding season include Oberoi Udaivillas, ITC Grand Bharat, Taj Umaid Bhawan Jodhpur, Leela Palace Jaipur and Taj Lake Palace Udaipur. Additionally, with the current travel restrictions and safety concerns, a lot of weddings that would have typically happened in international destinations are now happening in domestic destinations listed above. The period of November 14- December 13, 2021 has also seen an airfare jump of around 20 per cent. Speaking on the rise in wedding travel bookings, Prashant Pitti, Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip, said, “Owing to the growing adaptability to Covid-19 restrictions, there is a significant improvement in passenger demand and traffic, especially during the current wedding season. There is also a segment of people who are slowly warming up to the idea of attending a destination wedding event as a first major travel experience since the pandemic. The segment is one of the most significant contributors to the growth in travel and hotel bookings in November and December. The enhanced capacity limits and rise in vaccination numbers have been a major driver for the strong uptick in wedding travel bookings. The travel sentiment is strongly reviving and we anticipate the momentum to continue into the next year as well.” While small, intimate weddings are prevailing currently, large scale weddings are likely to make a full recovery by early next year.

Read more

Omicron: Strict quarantine rules in Japan for travellers from India and more

In an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance. Japanese nationals and foreign residents travelling to Japan from India, Greece, Romania and four US states will have to undergo stringent quarantine regulations Sunday onwards, in order to control the spread of the Omicron variant, reported Kyodo news. While, foreign residents, as well as Japanese nationals travelling from Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York to Japan, will have to mandatorily spend three days of their two-week quarantine at government-designated facilities, reported Kyodo News. With emerging Omicron cases in the country and to curb the further spread, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Friday announced the expansion of the list addressing a press conference. A government task force made the decision to control the increasing number of new variant cases in Japan. The list for three-day mandatory quarantine at government-designated facilities already includes countries such as Austria, Ecuador and France. While many are being subject to stringent quarantine requirements, such as staying in government-designated facilities for over 10 days, reported Kyodo News. The first Omicron case was reported on Tuesday in Japan, causing it to deny re-entry of all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been to any of 10 African countries likely to have widespread infections of the variant. The country has further banned new entries by foreigners from around the globe.

Read more

Airport checks intensified as Kerala steps up guard against Omicron threat

Thiruvananthapuram: All safety measures are in place to receive overseas passengers arriving at airports in Kerala in the wake of several countries reporting the presence of Omicron, State Health Minister Veena George said. Passengers from foreign countries will be tested on arrival to trace and prevent the spread of Omicron, a recently discovered variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Those testing positive will be shifted to separate wards in hospitals. Those passengers from 'at risk' countries and testing negative for COVID-19, will have to sequester themselves at their respective homes for a week, before undergoing a test. Others would require selfobservation for any symptoms. Karnataka reported India's first two cases of Omicron infection on Thursday Kiosks to be set up at airports Kiosks will be set up at airports for conducting RT-PCR tests and to evaluate the health of passengers. Pregnant women, mothers with newborns, infants, children aged up to 10, differently-abled, those with comorbidities, elderly, and family members accompanying these people will get priority at the kiosks. Ambulances have been arranged at all airports to shift those testing positive to hospitals, the minister said. Home quarantine for those testing negative Further detailing the protocol, George said those testing negative will be allowed to proceed home to remain in self-quarantine in their vehicle. Only the driver will be allowed in the vehicle ferrying the passenger. The passengers should take the rear seat, partitioned from the front row using an anti-virus barrier such as plastic sheet. Face masks and face shields are mandatory for drivers taking passengers from the airport. The vehicles should not stop en route to visit any shops. The vehicles should be sanitised after dropping off the passenger

Read more

Proposal to develop 75 tourism destinations awaiting Union cabinet nod: Minister

The Central government is poised to develop 75 tourism destinations in the country to international standards and the proposal is awaiting cabinet approval, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy said on Saturday. Reddy, who was addressing a press conference here, said that the Central government planned to extend its novel initiative of setting up tourism sub divisions in Indian missions abroad, in addition to the 20 embassies where such sub divisions have already been set up in order to promote, market and brand India as a tourism destination. "We are developing top 75 destinations on international standards as part of the ICON project. Final cabinet approval is pending. After the approval, work will start," Reddy said. The initiative, Reddy said, was taken on the occasion of the 75th year of India's independence. Explaining the Central government's plans for promoting India abroad as an international tourism destination, Reddy said, "For the first time after independence, we appointed tourist officers in 20 embassies to promote, brand and market India as a tourism destination. For the first time, embassies are being used for furthering tourism. The 20 embassies are in those countries from where tourist footfall to India is the most." Reddy said that plans are afoot to extend the initiative to other countries, where India is also popular as a tourism destination.

Read more

Mumbai airport cuts Rapid PCR test price to Rs 3,900

The city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport ( CSMIA) on Saturday said it has revised downward the charges for Rapid PCR test for COVID-19 at its facility to Rs 3,900 from Rs 4,500 earlier. Along with this, normal RT-PCR test costing Rs 600 per passenger is also available at the airport, the CSMIA said in a statement. The reduced RT-PCR test charges will help passengers to avail the COVID-19 test at a minimal cost and enable them a safe and secured travel, the private airport operator added. It said that a total of 6,732 international passengers, who arrived here from “at-risk” countries as well as other nations on Friday, successfully completed their arrival procedures. Of these, 969 international arrival passengers underwent RT-PCR test of which 214 passengers took the standard RT-PCR test and 755 passengers opted for Rapid PCR test, the CSMIA said. The aerodrome has set up 100 registration counters and 60 sampling booths, including 100 Rapid PCR machines, the release stated. Stating that since 2 per cent of the total flight passengers are required to undergo RT-PCR test post-arrival testing at random at CSMIA on arrival, as per the Government guidelines, which are identified by the concerned airlines, preferably from different countries, it said that such travelers are escorted by the concerned airlines to RT-PCR testing area on arrival. For any of these passenger (from among the 2 per cent), testing positive in RT-PCR test at CSMIA, they are managed as per the laid down standard protocol and their samples are also sent for Genomic sequencing, CSMIA said. Children under 5 years of age are exempted from both pre- and post-arrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during home quarantine period, they will undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol, the airport operator stated. Besides, domestic arriving passengers are required to be double-vaccinated or must carry a negative RT-PCR test carried out within 72 hours before boarding, it said.

Read more

MOT's destination-based skill development training program to continue in 2022

Taking note of large-scale scope for creation of employment at tourist destinations, the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) had started a destination-based skill development training programme at seven iconic sites, which will continue in 2022 as well, informed the Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeastern Region (DONER). The seven sites were Taj Mahal at Agra, Humayun Tomb, Red Fort, Qutub Minar at Delhi, Mahabodhi Temple at Bihar, Colva Beach at Goa and Kaziranga at Assam in Financial Year 2019-20. The Minister in a written reply said the aim of the MOT was to train, upgrade and sensitise the local people residing near these tourism sites and destinations and continuing the good work, MOT will continue the program in 2021-22 as well. “This programme continued in FY 2020-21 and upscaled to more than 150 new destinations. However, due to Covid-19 pandemic, this programme took place at 44 destinations. This programme is continued during the current FY 2021- 22. So far, this programme has taken place at 24 destinations,” Reddy said. The program features course such as Hunar Se Rozgaar Tak (HSRT) programme, Entrepreneurship program, tourism awareness program and basic programs for the local community.

Read more