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India-Singapore Flights Commence Under The Vaccinated Travel Lane

New Delhi: Flight services between India and Singapore under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) commenced on Monday even as Singapore deferred similar travel arrangements with some countries amid the 'Omicron' scare. Vistara and IndiGo said they have started operating flights to Singapore, while there was no comment from Air India. VTL allows quarantine-free travel to Singapore for fully vaccinated travellers. "There is no change as of now in terms of our Singapore operations - our first flight went at 1:50 am today," a Vistara spokesperson said. While there is no change as of now, the spokesperson said the situation is being reviewed and a decision will be taken accordingly. "We can confirm that we are operating our flight on Chennai-Singapore as per schedule," an IndiGo spokesperson said. Last week, Singapore Airlines also announced that flights to and from India will resume from November 29. There was no immediate comment from the airline on Monday regarding the services. Various countries have imposed travel curbs in the wake of the emergence of the new COVID variant ''Omicron''. India too will review its decision to resume scheduled international passenger flights from December 15 on the basis of the evolving scenario. Earlier this month, Singapore and India agreed on resuming scheduled commercial flights between the two countries under the VTL from November 29, with six designated flights daily from Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai. Vistara, last week, said it would operate Airbus A320neo/A321neo planes five times a week between India and Singapore starting from November 29. Meanwhile, Singapore has deferred VTL arrangements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as a "precautionary move" to reduce the risk of importation and spread of 'Omicron'. VTLs for these three countries, originally scheduled to launch from December 6, will now be deferred "until further notice", Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Sunday.

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Fiji proceeds with border reopening despite Omicron

Fiji will press on with plans to reopen its border to international travellers on Wednesday, despite the threat from the newly identified Omicron Covid-19 variant, the Pacific nation's leader has told parliament. Fiji has long targetted December 1 as the day it will welcome back foreign holidaymakers to boost a tourism-reliant economy devastated since the pandemic forced borders to close in March last year. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said that Omicron's recent emergence would not derail the plans and he would personally welcome the first Fiji Airways flight into Nadi from Australia on Wednesday morning. "We are still emerging from the horrible pandemic that we suffered and are just starting to recover from its economic devastation," he told parliament on Monday. "Businesses are rebuilding... and people everywhere are resuming their normal lives," he added. The Omicron variant has rattled global markets and prompted some countries to tighten border controls, with Japan and Israel planning to bar all new foreign travellers. Fiji has tightened restrictions on arrivals from southern Africa but made no changes to rules surrounding "travel partner" countries whose citizens can still take a tropical getaway in the Pacific idyll. They include Japan, New Zealand, the United States and France, as well as countries where Omicron has been detected such as Australia, Canada and Britain. Bainimarama was confident Fiji's 90 per cent vaccination rate among adults would help contain any outbreak, provided strict health protocols are observed. "We all must remain serious and vigilant and keep up our guard," he said. Omicron 'inevitable' Foreign visitors need to be fully vaccinated and test negative for Covid-19 prior to departure. Once in Fiji, they must stay in designated zones where all contacts, from hospitality staff to tour operators, will be fully vaccinated. Fiji managed to eliminate Covid-19 for 12 months before a devastating second wave of the Delta variant caused almost 700 deaths in the nation of one million. The Health Department said there was little Fiji could do to keep Omicron out if initial assessments were correct about how easily it spreads. "The public is advised that if indeed the virus is more transmissible than Delta, then it will be inevitable that it gets to Fiji," it said. Reviving tourism, which government figures estimate accounts for 40 per cent of Fiji's economy, is seen as crucial to containing rising poverty. Bainimarama said the pandemic had created "the strongest economic headwinds we have ever faced" and Fiji needed to attract as many foreign visitors as possible. "We must be a cost-competitive destination," he said. "In the critical months that lie ahead, we will be competing fiercely for regional and global market share, and we can take nothing for granted," he stated. "We must fight for every tourist dollar. I know we will succeed," he added.

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Omicron Alert: India's New Travel Rules Start Today - 5 Latest Facts

Passengers from "at-risk" countries are being advised to prepare to wait at the airports till their Covid RT-PCR test results are out. The Central government yesterday issued new rules for international travellers which will be effective from today. These were announced following a high-level meeting to review public health preparedness with states and UTs in view of 'Omicron'. Here's your 5-point cheatsheet in this big story: 1. Passengers from "at-risk" countries will be tested for Covid on arrival and can't leave the airport till their RT-PCR test results are available. If found negative, they will undergo a seven-day home quarantine and be re-tested on the 8th day. State officials will physically visit their homes to ensure effective home isolation. 2. If found positive for the virus, passengers will be isolated and treated, and their samples will immediately be sent to the INSACOG Labs network, a multi-laboratory, multi-agency, pan-India network set up by the government to monitor genomic variations in the SARS-CoV-2, for genome sequencing to determine the strain of the virus. States will then undertake contact tracing of these positive individuals and follow up for 14 days. 3. Passengers from "at-risk" countries are being advised to prepare to wait at the airports till their results are out. The list of countries deemed "at-risk" for now includes the United Kingdom, all 44 countries in Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel. 4. States have been advised to not let their guards down and keep a strict vigil on the international passengers coming to the country through various airports, ports, and land border crossings. The "Test, Track, Treat, Vaccinate" strategy was reemphasised. States have also been advised to ramp up testing as the 'Omicron' variant reportedly can't escape RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests that have been used to detect Covid so far. Strengthening testing infrastructure, strict implementation of testing guidelines, and maintaining a healthy ratio of RT-PCR tests, which has been found to be more effective in detection, have been advised. 5. The Centre has also advised continued monitoring of areas where recent clusters of positive cases have emerged and promptly send all positive samples for genome sequencing to the INSACOG network. Preparedness of health infrastructure including the availability of ICU, Oxygen beds, ventilators, etc., with a focus on rural areas and pediatric cases have been advised. Health facilities were found to be severely lacking when the second wave of Covid battered India earlier this year.

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Accor Introduces Emblems Collection

Accor recently introduced Emblems Collection, a unique global portfolio of boutique hotels and luxurious resorts. Emblems Collection is launching with a magnificent flagship hotel – Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, Emblems Collection in China’s Guizhou province, slated to open in December 2022. The luxury brand is expected to grow to 60 properties around the world by 2030. Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO, Accor, said, “Emblems Collection adds a fresh and exciting new dimension to Accor’s luxury offerings. A key focus of our growth and development strategy is to add aggressively across our strongest lines and leading business accelerators, which includes luxury as well as collection brands, while ensuring all 40+ brands in our global network continue to grow, evolve and flourish. The hotels we will feature in Emblems Collection are those sought out by travelers who appreciate high-end, boutique-style experiences, as well as by hoteliers who cherish the independent brands they’ve built while desiring the benefits that come with a global partner.” With the creation of Emblems Collection, Accor is broadening its footprint in the collection brands space and will look to replicate the success it has achieved with another of the Group’s brands - MGallery Hotel Collection, a storied portfolio that now counts more than 100 boutique hotels worldwide. With a similar free-spirited approach, yet focused on the luxury segment, Emblems Collection will feature unique hotels that are ‘emblematic’ of their designers, demographics or destinations. Appealing to the stylish and the smart set, signature elements of the brand’s hotels will include luxurious surroundings, Instagram-worthy pools, and vibrant public spaces. Hotels and resorts joining the Emblems Collection will fall into three categories: Emblems Collection Heritage – hotels that are landmarks of a destination – the buildings that contribute to the character of a city, place or nation; properties that celebrate the hallmarks of history and classic cultural traditions. Emblems Collection Retreat - resort properties along blissful beaches, bucolic countrysides or nestled in the mountains, offering sumptuous spa and wellness experiences with holistic care and enrichment through rituals, serenity and wellbeing. Emblems Collection Signature – design-led hotels that embody an aesthetic universe, an ode to the style and signature of the designers or original residents who contributed to the hotel’s unique legacy. The Emblems Collection brand is designed with the needs of independent and boutique hotel owners in mind. For those seeking to upgrade their property’s luxury status and give their global profile a boost, the hotel brand standards of the collection are flexible, light, and easy to attain, with opportunities to sign franchise agreements – the only Accor luxury brand to offer this option. The new brand will encourage its hotels to retain their unique identities, which is important to hoteliers who have invested in creating a certain style for their hotel and/or market. Moreover, Emblems Collection provides direct ROI and the opportunity to maximize revenue with immediate access to the power of Accor’s sales, distribution and loyalty platform. Agnes Roquefort, Chief Development Officer, Accor, said, “For owners and developers who have created unique luxury hotels, or are looking to develop a new upmarket offering, we offer a collection brand that can boost their property’s status and profile with limited investment in marketing and branding, along with an easy transition process. With Emblems Collection, a hotelier can optimize their costs and operations right away by leveraging Accor’s powerful global distribution and supply networks, while expanding their audience reach from the moment they join. We look forward to working collaboratively with more hoteliers and development partners to bring more hotels around the world to this outstanding collection.” Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, Emblems Collection is the inaugural flagship of the new hotel portfolio, residing in the city’s famous Guiyang Art Centre. Originally built as an opulent private residence, this crown jewel of the capital city attracts visitors with its lush landscaping, sprawling grounds, and serene wellness ambience. Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, Emblems Collection The city of Guiyang is well-known for its lovely warm climate, being centrally located in the province of Guizhou, and enjoys an enviable location along the north bank of the Nanming River. Often referred to as the ‘capital of summer resorts in China’, Guiyang is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, a leading tourism hotspot, and a popular destination for luxury travelers, both domestically and from afar. Gary Rosen, CEO, Greater China, Accor, said, “As one of the most important hospitality markets in the world, China is the perfect location for Accor to launch our newest luxury brand, and we are honored to work with our trusted partner, HLC Group on this landmark project. HLC is a respected business leader in Guizhou province and recognized as one of China’s top private enterprises; we are delighted to partner with them to bring our shared vision of the new Emblems Collection hotel in Guiyang to life. This grand and enigmatic property has long captured the attention of residents and visitors to Guiyang. Emblems Collection will bring a fresh, modern expression of luxury living to this iconic landmark, setting the high standards of hospitality and style that we expect for this brand as it expands to other markets worldwide.” With 64 extraordinary suites and two magnificent ballrooms, guests will love the new Emblems Collection hotel, with its exciting mix of atmosphere, grandeur, style and innovation. Whether enjoying the serenity of the swimming pool, spa and fitness area, or the social buzz of one of the sophisticated hotel’s stylish bars, lounges and restaurants, the Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, Emblems Collection is certain to become one of the most popular hotels of the capital city of Guizhou province. With a plan to grow the collection to 60 properties by 2030, Accor is actively seeking new properties to be part of Emblems Collection in targeted destinations across the globe. Paris and Prague are two key cities where luxury heritage hotels might be candidates for Emblems Collection Heritage or Emblems Collection Signature. Other target cities for potential growth include London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid, Marrakech, Cairo, Amman, Doha, Moscow, Bangkok, Seoul, Sydney, Montréal, New York, Havana, Cartagena, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Santiago, among others. For the Emblems Collection Retreat, short-listed destinations include Tuscany, Mykonos, Bodrum, Algarve, Bali, Australia’s Gold Coast and Mexico’s Riviera Maya.

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ITM Highlights The Tourism Potential Of NE India

Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, Minister of State for Tourism & Defence, GoI, Ajay Bhatt and MLA & Advisor Tourism, Government of Nagaland H Khehovi Yeputhomi jointly inaugurated the three-day long 9th International Tourism Mart for the North East Region at Kohima, Nagaland recently. Secretary Tourism, GoI Arvind Singh, ADG Tourism, GoI Rupinder Brar and other dignitaries of Central government and North Eastern States were also present on the occasion. The objective of the event is to highlight the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. Coffee table book on Nagaland was also launched on this occasion. Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland & Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) signed MoU for the operations of SIHM. Speaking on the occasion, Rio expressed the hope that the International tourism Mart in Kohima will give a boost to the tourism and business sector not only in Nagaland but the entire Northeast. He also hoped that North East will become a favourite destination in the country for tourism and business. While pointing out that tourism sector has been greatly affected by the pandemic, he thanked the ministry of tourism for organising the event in Kohima. During his address, Bhatt said that the simple nature and hospitality of the people here is incomparable, which I am experiencing myself, he said. Tourism and culture complement each other. If our culture is rich, then tourism is the best way to know and understand this richness. Bhatt added that in this Tourism Mart we are emphasizing on domestic tourism. About 75 sellers from the Northeast and about 50 buyers from the country are participating in the Mart. “Many parts of this region are still untouched from the point of view of tourists. There is a huge potential of Border tourism and wildlife tourism”, he added. Speaking on the occasion, Singh said, “International Tourism Marts is biggest travel and tour networking event in the North Eastern Region of the country. The rich natural beauty, serenity and exotic flora and fauna of the North Eastern India are invaluable resources for the development of tourism especially eco-tourism. The facilities for tourists to stay, for food, shopping and entertainment are improving tremendously.” Shri Singh added that Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s largest economic sectors, creating exports and prosperity around the world. Indian Tourism sector has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth for Indian economy. Shri Arvind Singh further said that as Prime Minister has stressed on the need of introducing the students to the rich culture and heritage of North Eastern Region, today in this event we have students participating from all over the country. The event was attended by the High Commissioner, Brunei Darussalam, High Commissioner, Malaysia, Ambassador Extra Ordinary, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Ambassador, The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, amongst other attending dignitaries and diplomats. Other high-ranking officials from participating Ministries/Government bodies are also going to be part of the event. The International Tourism Marts are organised in the North Eastern States on a rotation basis. Nagaland is hosting this Mart for the first time. The earlier editions of this Mart have been held in Guwahati (Assam), Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), Shillong (Meghalaya), Gangtok (Sikkim), Agartala (Tripura), and Imphal (Manipur).

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Brand India- The Road to Recovery is the theme for IATO’s 36th Convention in Gandhinagar

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has announced the theme and registration details of its upcoming 36th Annual Convention in Gandhinagar. The theme, “Brand India- The Road to Recovery” is decided keeping in mind the revival of inbound tourism in India post resumption of Tourist-Visa and regular international flights. Senior Vice President of the association, EM Najeeb has been announced as the Convention Chairman, while Rajnish Kaistha, Hony Secretary and Randhirsingh Vaghela, Gujarat Chapter Chairman will be Co-Chairman for the annual event planned at The Leela Gandhinagar from December 16-19. IATO also is organising a travel mart, Indian Tourism Fair at the event venue on December 17-18. In a communication, IATO said the registrations are open online for members and tourism industry stakeholders to register. The association members can register themselves for the Convention on the IATO website and also make payment as well. The separate link for the registration is https://iato.in/convention2/registration. Members who wish to send their registration form by hand, post or courier, can fill up the form and send the same along with the cheque or cash to the IATO office in Delhi. Sharing more details, Rajnish Kaistha, Hony Secretary, IATO and Convention Co-Chairman said, “We seek active participation of all our members to make this convention successful. Various post-convention tours are also being organised during the convention. Special airfares are being negotiated and will be advised soon. However, members are advised not to wait for the special rates and should book their air tickets immediately.” All the attendees are required to submit a copy of their final Covid-19 vaccination certificate and the Aadhar card for verification and security purpose. Wearing a face mask during all events of the Convention, post tours and maintaining social distancing has been made mandatory.

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