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Kolkata Port to conduct prefeasibility studies for seaplane operations in Bengal

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port, formerly Kolkata Port Trust, will carry out prefeasibility studies for seaplane operations that can give a boost to the tourism sector in West Bengal, an official said on Wednesday. The port authorities have proposed to conduct these studies in four-five locations such as Kolkata, Kalyani, Sundarbans and Digha in the state, he said. "We have been entrusted by the Shipping Ministry to carry out the feasibility studies for seaplane operations. A meeting was held on Tuesday with Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur," KoPT chairman Vinit Kumar told PTI. The report will be submitted to the Shipping Ministry, and subsequently forwarded to the Civil Aviation Ministry for its consideration, the official said. The West Bengal government had in 2020 sent a proposal to the Civil Aviation Ministry, conveying its wish to begin seaplane operations in Digha, a seaside resort town in Purba Medinipur district in the state. The government has improved infrastructure of the town that attracts a large number of tourists every year, another official said. The state government is also trying to bring investment in the seaplane segment in order to attract more tourists to West Bengal, which will ultimately help the local economy. Sundarbans is also a tourist destination but it requires improved infrastructure to match up with international standards for seaplane operations, the official added.

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Mexico announces tourist protection battalion to safeguard popular beaches

Mexico, on Wednesday, pledged to create a "tourist battalion" of 1,500 National Guard police officers to protect its popular Caribbean beaches in Cancun and Tulum from organised crime. Tulum was the scene in October of a shooting that killed two young tourists, one from Germany and the other from India. Three others were injured. In November, a shoot-out in Puerto Morelos, close to Cancun, allegedly a settling of scores between gangs, left two suspected drug dealers dead and caused panic in a hotel packed with tourists. "This cannot be repeated," said President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at a press conference, adding that the battalion would "reinforce security." The new unit will begin operations on December 1 in the area known as the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo state, said Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval. Authorities plan to eventually introduce similar battalions in other tourist hot-spots. The Riviera Maya and Yucatan peninsula are the main tourism areas in Mexico, the seventh most visited country in the world. Tourism accounts for 8.5 per cent of the country's GDP. The recent violence has shone a spotlight on the dark side of Tulum and other Mexican resorts hit by turf wars between gangs involved in drug dealing and extortion. Since 2006 when the government launched its controversial antidrug military operation, Mexico has recorded more than 300,000 murders, according to official figures.

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Thanksgiving air travel to rebound to 2019 levels, TSA says

The number of airline passengers travelling for Thanksgiving this year is expected to rebound to pre-Coronavirus pandemic levels, but the Transportation Security Administration says it is ready to handle the surge. Administrator David Pekoske said, on Wednesday, that he expects agency staffing to be sufficient for what's traditionally TSA's busiest travel period. "We are prepared," Pekoske told ABC's "Good Morning America." He said travellers should expect long lines at airports and plan to spend a little more time getting through security. In 2019, a record 26 million passengers and crew passed through US airport screening in the 11-day period around Thanksgiving. But that plummeted in 2020 as the pandemic kept people at home. Pekoske said he didn't think a vaccine mandate going into effect for TSA agents Monday would have any effect on staffing for Thanksgiving next week. "In fact, implementation of the mandate will make travel safer and healthier for everyone," he said. "So, we see quite a significant increase in the number of our officers that are vaccinated, and I'm very confident that there will be no impact for Thanksgiving," he added. Pekoske told NBC's "Today" on Wednesday he remains "very concerned" about the issue of unruly passengers as incidents on airplanes have continued. "The level of unruly behaviour is much higher than I've ever seen it," he shared. The Federal Aviation Administration says it has referred 37 cases involving unruly airline passengers to the FBI for possible criminal prosecution since the number of disruptions on flights began to spike in January.

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NAS becomes first Ground Handling Agent to integrate with IATA Travel Pass

National Aviation Services (NAS) (NAS.aero), the fastest-growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets, is the first Ground Handling Agent (GHA) in the world to integrate with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass. IATA made the announcement today, at the 33rd IATA Ground Handling Conference in Prague. The IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that helps passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information. NAS has joined its Medical Utility Network Accreditor (MUNA) with the IATA Travel Pass. MUNA, based on a patented blockchain technology connects audited labs in more than 740 cities across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the US. The online platform offers verified and authenticated PCR test certificates to ease procedures for both travellers and staff at airports. MUNA also connects with KuwaitMosafer, another web-based platform developed by NAS that facilitates travel to Kuwait and includes the Kuwait Ministry of Health online vaccine certificate. These 'digital passports' enable travellers to manage all their travel documentation seamlessly and are also an apt solution for airlines and airport authorities. Rami Al Haddad, Group CIO at NAS highlighted "NAS prides itself on pioneering innovative travel solutions throughout the pandemic. We are pleased to integrate with IATA Travel Pass to not only enhance the customer experience but also fulfil the requirements of airlines, airports and governments - safely, seamlessly and efficiently. Through the integration with IATA Travel Pass, anyone tested through MUNA or with vaccine credentials attested by MUNA can utilize the QR codes from these platforms, for quicker passage at airports around the world." NAS has a presence in more than 55 airports across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia providing services to more than half of the world's top ten airlines and key aviation hubs. It's portfolio of pioneering services also includes cargo management, airport technologies, lounge management, meet and assist services as well as aviation training. The company follows the highest international aviation standards and holds a number of global certifications including IATA's Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) that highlights the company's promise of providing high-quality services, with a strong focus on safety and security. "Ground operations will grind to a halt if ground handling agents have to manage passengers' COVID-19 travel requirements—test results or vaccine certifications—with paper documentation. NAS's integration of IATA Travel Pass with MUNA will enable passengers to easily upload their verified COVID-19 test results from MUNA into IATA Travel Pass and check they have the correct health credentials for their destination so they can arrive at the airport ready-to-fly. Having the confidence of a major ground handling company like NAS support IATA Travel Pass is hugely significant. We hope that this cooperation will become a model for other ground handlers to follow," Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security.

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Thailand Conducts Networking Programme In Amritsar

As Thailand is progressively welcome back international tourists and Indian tourists who are fully vaccinated from November 1st, 2021, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) New Delhi office stepped up its ongoing networking with travel agents and tour operators with even more enthusiasm and vigor. Armed with the recently launched new global marketing campaign ‘Amazing New Chapters’ that declared next year to be the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022’, TAT New Delhi conducted its latest successful agent networking in Amritsar the golden city of Punjab on November 12. With the theme ‘Let’s travel to Phuket’ in focus, Krida Srisomwong, Deputy Director, TAT New Delhi Office welcomed the leading outbound travel agents and tour operators as well as media of the city. He updated the audience with latest information on Thailand’s reopening, various schemes and plans currently being launched for commercial flights to Thailand from India keeping the global health and safety protocols in mind. Vaishali Sharma, Marketing Officer, TAT New Delhi Office gave a detailed product presentation with descriptions of the regions being opened for the vaccinated tourists starting with Blue Zone where the main spotlight is on Phuket under the Phuket Sandbox programme. She mentioned how following simple rules when vaccinated tourists enter the country, they can explore Now Even More Amazing Thailand. Gurjeet Sekhon, the Punjab Chapter Chairman of TAAI (Travel Agents Association of India) was present in the programme. There was a lively interactive Q&A session where the audience asked many of their queries and TAT New Delhi team interacted with them giving their responses and taking feedbacks as well. The agents asked about direct flights and their schedules, plan and cost of chartered flights, details about various modalities of visa requirements and arrangements, the RT-PCR test required on arrival, etc. The agents were very pleased to know about the new attractions in various top spots like Bangkok, Pattaya, Krabi, Chiang Mai and Phuket. Agents specially expressed their keenness to send their clients to Thailand as soon as flights are available to them as there is increasing demand in family travel, wedding, and luxury segments from Punjab to Thailand. While speaking to media, Srisomwong commented: “Currently the Test & Go process in place is very easy for all the vaccinated Indians to just stay for one night and then travel to anywhere within Thailand. Thailand and Indian governments are working on an air bubble agreement, and we expect to hear a positive note on the same very soon, as it will open new avenues for all of us.”

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Hyatt Place Opens For Guests

Hyatt Place Kathmandu, the second Hyatt-branded hotel in Nepal, is officially open, expanding the Hyatt Place brand’s footprint globally in markets that matter most to guests and World of Hyatt members. The new hotel features the Hyatt Place brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere, and practical amenities, such as Free Wi-Fi Everywhere and 24-hour food offerings. Ownership of the hotel includes Akshay Golyan, Executive Director and Shakti Golyan, Chairman of City Hotel Ltd. The 153 - room Hyatt Place Kathmandu is in the lively city of Kathmandu. “As Kathmandu continues to be a sought-after spot for both business and leisure travelers, we are excited to add to the momentum of the thriving city by welcoming the first Hyatt Place to Nepal in this truly unique capital city, which is bursting with history and cultural traditions,” said General Manager Varun Talwar. “With our smartly designed social spaces and guestrooms with separate work and sleep areas, our multitasking guests can easily accomplish what they need to do while on the road.” “Kathmandu is a vibrant city, filled with historic and artistic sites, friendly people, exciting neighborhoods, and an ever-expanding list of places to visit and experience,” said Akshay Golyan, Executive Director, City Hotel Ltd. “Our hotel is central to all of them and we are confident that the Hyatt Place Kathmandu will exceed guest expectations and provide them with everything they need while visiting our area.”

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