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Kerala Tourism to organise Kerala Travel Mart from March 24 to 27, 2022

Kerala Tourism and Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society have announced the dates for their flagship trade exhibition - Kerala Travel Mart (KTM). The three-day event will be held from March 24 to 27, 2022 in Kochi. The dates were announced by Tourism Minister, PA Mohamed Riyas in the presence of the KTM Society office bearers in Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) is a biennial travel show to showcase and promote Kerala as a tourism destination for the domestic and international market and is the country’s largest congregation of tourism industry. The event was held virtually last year. While the inaugural event will be held at the Grand Hyatt at Bolgatty, Kochi on March 24, the following three days’ proceedings will be held at Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centre in Willingdon Island. Announcing the dates, Riyas said that as the event is happening close on the heels of the launch of the Caravan Tourism project by the State Government, the event will have caravan tourism and adventure tourism as the main themes, even as the internationally-acclaimed responsible tourism will also receive prominent attention. In the light of the global pandemic, KTM 2022 will have greater prominence to domestic buyers, given that tourists within the country have resumed travel even as many foreign countries are yet to fully resume travel to India revoking the pandemic-induced restrictions. The organisers anticipate the participation of no less than 1,500 buyers. Dr Venu V, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), said KTM has been planned by placing trust on the domestic market, which will help rejuvenate tourism and bring a qualitative change in the sector. Baby Mathew, President, KTM, said the strong revival of the entire industry will be made possible through KTM 2022.

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International arrivals running smoothly; 1,013 passengers completed arrival formalities: Delhi airport

Delhi Airport on Wednesday said operations for international arrivals are running smoothly after the implementation of the new Covid guidelines, and a total of 1,013 passengers have completed their arrival formalities, including taking RT-PCR tests. The strict guidelines for international passengers, especially coming from 'at-risk' countries, came into effect from Tuesday midnight amid rising concerns over the emergence of the Covid variant Omicron. In a series of tweets, Delhi airport said operations for international arrivals are running smoothly after the implementation of the new guidelines laid down by the Union Health Ministry. "Total 1,013 passengers from 4 'at risk' flights, successfully completed arrival formalities due to availability of Rapid PCR Test along with RT-PCR test. "792 passengers decided to take Rapid PCR Test, and 221 passengers opted for RT-PCR Test," it said. Three flights were from London, and one was from Amsterdam, according to an airport official. Under the new norms, RT-PCR tests are mandatory for passengers arriving from 'at-risk' countries, and they will be allowed to leave the airport only after the test results come. Also, randomly five per cent of the passengers arriving on flights from other countries will be subject to the test. While no cases of Omicron have been reported so far in India, the Union health ministry has asked states and Union Territories to ensure RT-PCR tests for travellers coming from 'at-risk' countries on the first day of arrival and retesting on the eighth day. The Ministry, on Tuesday, also advised international passengers from 'at-risk' countries to prepare to wait at the airports till the report of the RT-PCR test has come and not book connecting flights beforehand. Delhi airport is operated by DIAL (Delhi International Airport Ltd). "Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal on Tuesday "reviewed the preparedness along with officials of #DIAL, #DelhiGovt, @DelhiPolice, @CISFHQs, #APHO, #Immigration, #Airlines & #DelhiGovt," according to a tweet by the Delhi Airport. In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Air India said that in view of updated arrival requirements for passengers arriving from countries at risk into Delhi, passengers may not be able to connect onto the domestic leg of their onward travel. "To facilitate such passengers we are providing free change of booking to subsequent domestic flights," the airline said.

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Karnataka releases new guidelines for international passengers

As per the circular released by the Department of Health, travellers coming from at-risk 12 countries will undergo RT-PCR tests on arrival. Home isolation is being made mandatory for seven days and the travellers will also have to undergo retesting on the eighth day. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday stated that international passengers can step out from Airports only with a negative test report. The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines will be followed in connection with new strain. The Prime Minister and Union Health Minister have also recommended precautionary measures which will be followed. Karnataka has initiated precautionary measures much earlier, he said. According to guidelines, on international arrivals if tested positive, the sample will be sent to genomic sequencing and they will be admitted to a separate isolation facility. They will be discharged at the discretion of the treating physician if the genomic sequencing is negative for B.1.1.529 (Omicron variant) For travellers coming from countries excluding those enlisted as countries atrisk, a random sample of five per cent of travellers with negative results will undergo RT-PCR testing on arrival. If tested positive, their samples will be sent to genomic sequencing. List of countries from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival include all countries in Europe including the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabve, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel. In the light of recent clusters of Covid-19 cases detected at educational institutions at Dharwad, Mysuru districts, it has been directed to conduct RTPCR tests for those who arrived 15 days earlier from Kerala and Maharashtra. The students from neighbouring states will also undergo repeated RT-PCR tests on the seventh day of their arrival. The government has also asked educational institutions to postpone all social, cultural and academic activities.

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Gujarat: RT-PCR test mandatory for international travellers

The Gujarat state government has announced that it’s making it mandatory for all travellers to undergo mandatory RT-PCR test at the airport, who are arriving from other countries. This move comes in the wake of fresh risk posed by the new COVID variant, Omicron. Reportedly, RT-PCR tests have been made mandatory for all those arriving from countries such as the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Botswana, Bangladesh, Mauritius, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe. The Gujarat state government has also introduced new travel guidelines for travellers flying from more than 40 countries arriving at the airports in Gujarat. Reports have it that those arriving in the state from the countries categorised as 'at risk' by the Union Health Ministry, will be required to undergo RT-PCR test if they are not fully vaccinated. Also, reportedly, the Union Health Ministry has placed nine countries on the said list. Travellers arriving in the state from the 'at risk' countries will be required to submit samples for COVID-19 tests if they are partially vaccinated or not at all vaccinated. Further, they will also have to remain in home quarantine for seven days, and will be required to take another test on the eighth day after arrival. As per the guidelines, self-monitoring will be required further for a week even if they test negative. Those fully vaccinated travelling to the state from ‘at risk' countries will also have to quarantine themselves for 14 days after arrival.

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Saudi Arabia to allow direct flights from India and 5 other nations from December 1

Post India’s announcement to resume scheduled international commercial flights from December 15, Saudi Arabia has made an announcement which will provide much needed relief to Indian travellers visiting the Gulf country. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GACA) of Saudi Arabia has announced the commencement of direct flights from India and five other nations effective December 1. Issuing a circular to all airlines operating at Saudi airports, GACA has instructed that all passengers and authorities will have to comply with necessary Covid-19 protocols. Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, Brazil, and Vietnam are the other nations apart from India who can operate direct flights to Saudi Arabia. This comes after the Saudi government announced lifting the ban on direct entry of travellers from these countries from Wednesday effective 1:00 am. (Gulf Standard Time) As per the circular, international travellers are not required to spend 14 days outside these six countries before entering the Kingdom, thus allowing convenient entry via direct flights. However, travellers will need to undergo five days of mandatory institutional quarantine, regardless of their immunisation status outside Saudi Arabia. GACA has asked all the airlines to inform their travellers about the guidelines and flight schedule apart from sensitising them about following all Covid-19 rules in Saudi Arabia and comply with all precautionary measures and preventive protocols strictly before and after entering the Kingdom.

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Omicron threat: 14-day quarantine mandatory for travellers arriving in Kerala from high-risk countries

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government has revised its regulations for overseas travellers arriving in the state in view of the emerging threat of the new coronavirus variant, Omicron. All travellers arriving in Kerala from countries at risk of Omicron will have to undergo a mandatory quarantine of 14 days, state Health Minister Veena George announced on Monday. "They will have to undergo a test at the airport. All travellers will have to be in quarantine for seven days after arrival even if the test result comes out negative. On the eighth day, there will be another test. If the result is negative, travellers can be in-home quarantine for the next seven days. If the result is still positive, they will be shifted to the nearby treatment centres," the minister explained. The at-risk countries from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India include European countries, the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel. This list has been updated as of November 26, 2021. No cases of the variant, which was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, have been so far recorded in India. On Sunday, the central government decided to step up precaution against the new coronavirus strain, Omicron. To deal with the situation, the state governments have been asked to take active containment and surveillance measures apart from ensuring better vaccination coverage.

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