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UAE eases Covid rules for Indians in view of Dubai Expo 2020

Ambassador of UAE to India Dr Ahmed Albanna said that all visitors from India whether they have tourist visas or work visas will be allowed to enter the UAE with eased protocols of coronavirus. In view of Expo 2020 Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has eased off procedures and coronavirus protocols for entering the country, Ambassador of UAE to India Dr Ahmed Albanna said on Thursday. Albanna also said that all visitors from India whether they have tourist visas or work visas will be allowed to enter the UAE with eased protocols of coronavirus. While sharing details of Expo 2020 Dubai, which will be held from 1 October to 31 March, 2022, the Ambassador said, "We have also created a mechanism to issuing visas and expediting issuing of visas to all people and foreigners to visit the Dubai Expo." Albanna further said that around 25 million visitors are expected to participate in Dubai Expo 2020 and the presence of over 46,000 organisations from more than 180 countries is registered to do business in the event. The Ambassador said that Expo 2020 will coincide with the UAE's 50th anniversary in 2021, marking an important milestone for the UAE. The event was earlier scheduled to take place on 20 October, 2020-10 April, 2021. Albanna said that the event will take place in between the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi and the main site of the event will be a 438 hectares area located between the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, near Dubai's Western border with Abu Dhabi. The Ambassador also said that the theme of the Expo is "Connecting Minds, Creating the future", mentioning "theme of the Expo is based on the belief that bringing the world together" and it can "catalyse an exchange of new perspectives and inspire action to deliver real-life solutions to real-world challenges".

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Bangkok Tourism Reopening Delayed To Oct 15

BANGKOK — The government’s proposal to reopen Bangkok to vaccinated foreign tourists will be postponed from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15 due to the low number of vaccinated residents inside the capital city, a top tourism official said Wednesday. Tourism and sports minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn told reporters the reopening can only go ahead if 70 percent of Bangkok’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As of this week, only 37 percent of the population is fully inoculated, Pipat said. He added that the decision to postpone the reopening was made after a meeting between the tourism ministry and Bangkok Gov. Aswin Kwanmuang. It is also unclear what Pipat meant by “reopening.” He made no mention of whether foreign tourists will still have to be quarantined for 14 days upon their arrival in Bangkok, or whether they will be free to travel around the city like the “Phuket Sandbox” program. The delay is a setback to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s pledge to reopen Bangkok and four other provinces to foreign tourism by Oct. 1. The four provinces are Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Phetchaburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan. The plan came under scrutiny from some health experts, who feel that the number of the vaccinated population is not high enough. A number of business owners also fear they may not be able to prepare the health and safety measures in time for the Oct. 1 deadline. For instance, Dr Prasit Watanapa from the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, told the media that Thailand is not ready to re-open given its low vaccination rate. He said the government should take heed of the recent outbreaks in Phuket, which is seeing a large number of infections everyday.

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Chile To Officially Reopen October 1

Chile has announced that it will begin accepting foreign tourists with strict entry requirements beginning October 1, after more than a year and a half of closed borders. The country will allow only fully vaccinated tourists by air through the airports in Santiago, Iquique and Antofagasta. Travelers must satisfy the country’s entry requirements to be allowed in. The entry requirements include the Travelers’ Affidavit, completed 72 hours prior to travel. The form, which can be found and filled out online, includes important information like medical history, previous travel history and contact information. Visitors to Chile must also show proof of travel insurance coverage with a minimum of $30,000 and a COVID-19 coverage policy. A negative PCR test result performed within 72 hours prior to travel is also required. Travelers should also upload their vaccination status to obtain the Chilean Ministry of Health’s Mobility Pass, found here. Travelers who miss this step cannot enter the country. Lastly, all visitors to Chile must self-isolate for five days at the accommodation they choose, like a hotel or a private residence. While traveling throughout Chile, travelers must also comply with a follow-up process, which consists of daily self-reporting of any possible symptoms, as well as their current locations and testing via email over a fourteen-day period. According to Our World in Data, Chile has reported a cumulative 1.64 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The country has lost 37,253 people. Its level of biweekly confirmed cases has lowered dramatically since April and June, when rates were the highest. Chile boasts one of the best COVID-19 vaccination rates in South America, with 75.9 percent of its population having received at least one dose, with 72.7 percent of its population fully vaccinated.

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New Rajasthan Tourism app to bring real-time information to visitors

Tourists will know if the local service provider has registered with the tourism department with the tap of a finger, adding to their safety and security. Tourists to Rajasthan will soon have all the information on the state’s sites, sounds, and gastronomical delights in the palm of their hands. The state tourism department will launch the official Rajasthan Tourism Android app containing authentic information on September 27 on the occasion of World Tourism Day The app will be available on Play Store for Android phones. The iOS version is also under development and could be launched in the next few weeks. Rajasthan Tourism Department Director Nishant Jain said the application will contain all information about tourist spots, transport facilities, and other services. Tourists will know if the local service provider has registered with the tourism department with the tap of a finger, adding to their safety and security. At present, all this information is available on the tourism department website. The mobile app will be more convenient and user friendly, Jain said. Many private websites also provide information on tourism in Rajasthan. However, an official app will be more reliable and provide real-time information. The mobile app will also help visitors schedule their visit to tourist hotspots. They will also be able to check the trends and footfall numbers. The mobile app is being launched just before the tourist season picks up in October. The state tourism department expects a huge influx of domestic tourists in the next six months in the post-Covid scenario. As part of its New Tourism Policy, 2020, the Rajasthan Tourism Department is developing new experiences and venues for tourists. The app will provide the ideal platform to extend a preview of these new attractions to potential visitors. The app will also be used to promote the department’s schemes and promotional activities. The department recently inked a deal with Incredible India, the Centre’s tourism handle, to promote Rajasthan tourism. The collaboration is expected to emphasise on domestic tourism and align it to the state’s various aspects.

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Uttarakhand high court allows Char Dham Yatra

NAINITAL: After nearly three months, the Uttarakhand high court (HC) on Thursday vacated its stay and allowed the resumption of Char Dham yatra. The court has said only fully vaccinated people carrying Covid negative report will be allowed to visit the shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The order came from the bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma which was hearing the application moved by the state government asking the court to allow the yatra which was stayed by the court on June 28. Apart from the state government, even local businessmen and traders had also approached the HC with the same request. The state government meanwhile informed the court that it has severely limited the number of people to each of the shrines. Government said that only 800 pilgrims will be allowed into Kedarnath each day while 600 people will be allowed to travel to Gangotri and 400 to Yamunotri. The state said that 1,200 people will be allowed into Badrinath but the court limited the number to 1,000. The government added that only three people will be allowed into the sanctum sanctorum of the shrines at once. The court has also directed the state government to station an appropriate number of policemen and authorities at each of the shrines to check overcrowding and adherence to Covid protocol. The bench added that secretaries of district legal services authority (DLSA) of Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag – districts where Char Dham shrines are located – will send weekly reports to the HC detailing the measures and status of crowding at each of the shrines. As reported by TOI earlier, the HC on June 28 had stayed the Char Dham yatra citing Covid concerns. Citing the threat of the impending third wave, the division bench of the HC had termed the state’s decision to allow the yatra to be against the warnings of experts and scientific community. Though the state challenged the order in Supreme Court (SC) no hearing was held, finally the state withdrew its SLP from the apex court and filed an application before the HC.

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Malaysia holiday hotspot readies for reopening with tourism bubble

Langkawi, a cluster of 99 islands in the Straits of Malacca, will reopen from September 16 to fully vaccinated travellers as part of a domestic tourism bubble. Businesses at Malaysia's prime holiday destination are gearing up to welcome the return of tourists this week, as the country takes an early step towards recovery from a devastating coronavirus crisis. Langkawi, a cluster of 99 islands in the Straits of Malacca, will reopen from Sept. 16 to fully vaccinated travellers as part of a domestic tourism bubble, with strict protocols in place to thwart the spread of the coronavirus. Restaurant owner Esther Lee said she was excited the bubble was finally being launched. "Finally we can welcome customers and this is actually our main source of income to actually survive," she said. "We have like staff under us, we have overhead costs to bear so we definitely need dining customers. The plan is similar to that introduced in Thailand, which started with the July reopening of Phuket, 220 km (137 miles) north of Langkawi, to vaccinated foreign tourists. Malaysia has yet to invite foreign tourists to return. Like Phuket, Langkawi, known for its beaches, geoparks, bird life and rock formations, is not expecting huge numbers initially, with 400,000 visitors targeted by the end of the year and estimated revenues of 165 million ringgit ($39.66 million).

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