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Domestic tourism continues to be the driving factor for travel industry’s recovery

Just as the second wave of Covid-19 subdued a bit, people started to throng hill stations and other tourist destinations in large numbers. One of their primary requirements was to get a safe and comfy place to stay. In these times community-led, experience-driven ecosystems carrying a variety of service offerings were the most sought after places. These include providing social and private accommodation, conducting outdoor activities, and curating original entertainment events, among others. Zostel was offering all these services. Originally conceived as a hostel chain for backpackers, the company claims that it mobilized local communities across India and established a robust, accessible, and trustworthy travel ecosystem. In an exclusive conversation with Financial Express Online Aviral Gupta, Chief Strategy Officer, Zostel talked about how it is working to leverage a strategic blend of technology, capital, and regional resources, the impact of Covid-19 of tourism and more. How has been the travel industry scenario post the second wave of the pandemic? The Covid-19 pandemic caused a seismic shift in shaping the travel industry’s future. Just as the industry was recovering from the losses of the first wave, the second wave hit, and it now appears that travel will reach just about 45%-55% of the pre-pandemic levels by year end, subject to how well we control the third wave. However, the desire to travel has only soared and demand skyrockets as soon as restrictions are lifted, especially in locations that are 4-6 hours from the metro cities, as was evidenced by the recent boom of tourists flocking to hill-stations and beaches. That being said, the industry remains cautious as to its complete recovery which will take at least another year to stabilize, with corporate travel expecting the most delayed recovery. Domestic tourism continues to be the driving factor for the industry’s recovery and can accelerate the pace if Covid is managed efficiently across each region. It is further aided and is dependent on an improvement in vaccination rates, opening up of international borders for Indian travelers, and how corporate travel actually takes shape in the post-pandemic world. How has been the business of Zostel in the pandemic? We had to navigate a particularly tough road, especially at the outset, with pretty much zero revenues during the first lockdown period. We did, however, make a quicker recovery, compared to the broader industry, post the first wave, largely due to the strong community of Zostelers across India who drove the business to almost 75% pre-Covid levels before the second wave hit. Emerging from the second wave, we are almost at 80% of the pre-Covid business, with the demand percentage for future bookings already surpassing pre-pandemic levels. We do expect a brief slowdown on account of plateauing of this initial demand, as well as the uncertainty of the third wave, looming but we are hopeful of getting back to pre-COVID business by the end of the year. From a supply perspective, our business has continued to function seamlessly, and we are looking to launch around 10 additional properties by year-end.

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Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering sign MoU to promote adventure tourism

To promote adventure tourism in the listed Trekking Traction Centre (TTC), the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) on Thursday. Under the MoU, the experienced trainers from NIM will impart theoretical and practical training to the state's youth in trekking, hiking and other allied subjects, including the medical aspect. Course completion certificates will also be awarded. The joint committee of both the organisations will monitor the training and recommend their suggestions. Interested candidates will be given admission on a first-come-first-served basis. The minimum age to enroll for the course is 18 years and the maximum is 35. On completion, the identity card will be issued for the students as professional trekking guides at various TTCs. Notably, 13 TTCs cover 43 villages listed in six districts. Nearly 90% of the training amount will be given by UTDB and 10% by students. Tourism minister Shri Satpal Maharaj said, “This initiative is a good step towards promoting adventure tourism in Uttarakhand. This tie up will help more interested youth from the state to learn from experts.”

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Gwalior, Orchha in Madhya Pradesh get UNESCO recognition! Huge boost to jobs, tourism

Buoyed by the inclusion of his hometown Gwalior and Orchha under UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape Project, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said that he is overjoyed that two cities from Madhya Pradesh are part of the UNESCO campaign. Reacting to the launch of the UNESCO campaign in two cities by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Scindia said that the development will be a huge booster for tourism and employment opportunities in the state. Earlier, CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan launched the UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape Project in Gwalior and Orchha in a virtual event with UNESCO representatives and other senior officials of the state. On the occasion of the programme, Chauhan said that the development will bring a new dimension to Madhya Pradesh tourism along with creation of additional employment in these cities and nearby areas. Chauhan also said that only eight cities in the entire South Asian region have been recognised under the UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape Project and Varanasi and Ajmer are the other two Indian cities recognised by UNESCO under the project. Salience of UNESCO’s recognition Both Gwalior and Orchha are located in the Northern part of Madhya Pradesh and both are famous among tourists nationally as well as internationally. Gwalior being closer to Delhi-Agra route already attracts a large number of international tourists who frequent Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. The city of Gwalior hosts the historic Gwalior Fort, Scindia Royal Palace called Jai Vilas Palace and other monuments of tourist interest. Similarly, Orchha is also considered a riveting tourist destination among people residing in neighbouring cities and states. A part of state’s Niwari district, the Orchha town is situated on banks of the Betwa river and has bountiful scenic places and historical monuments. UNESCO, which is a part of the United Nations runs several programmes and initiatives to preserve, promote and nurture historical, natural and artistic places around the world. Being part of the UNESCO missions and projects not only brings technical and financial assistance for the development of the place but also attracts a large number of international tourists whose itinerary begins from visiting top UNESCO recognised sites.

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Coronavirus: Where can you fly right now? Delta surge pops Asia’s travel bubbles

Fresh lockdowns and restrictions in Asia brought on by the faster-spreading delta coronavirus variant are making the region’s pursuit of travel bubbles look like an increasingly fruitless endeavour. Air-travel bubbles, corridors that allow movement between countries without the need for quarantine, have largely been a letdown as nations pull up the drawbridge again to contain outbreaks. A travel link between Singapore and Hong Kong, first mooted last year, has never actually gotten underway. Talks between Australia and Singapore are still ongoing while an arrangement between Australia and New Zealand has been stop-start at best and on Friday was halted for at least eight weeks. The patchy track record underscores how tough it will be for Asia to return to normal, with some economies clinging to a Covid-zero strategy, or a desire to stamp out the virus at all cost. Governments’ reliance upon strict movement controls to fight waves of infection — Melbourne last week entered its fifth lockdown while Tokyo is under a state of emergency as the Olympics dawns — is in contrast to the approach in Europe and the U.S., where the delta variant is spreading but where higher rates of vaccination mean travel is beginning to recover. “Inter-regional travel is so important in Asia Pacific and everyone is watching each other at the moment,” said Gary Bowerman, director of travel and tourism research firm Check-in Asia. “Generally there just seems to be low levels of trust, very different rates of vaccination, very different rates of managing Covid-19.” That, in turn, makes forward planning extremely hard for airlines in Asia, he said. “The government regulations, the rules, the border issues — they keep changing all the time.”

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Onam Special Bharat Darshan Train: IRCTC to run special train from August 15; check destinations, boarding points, cancellation charges and more

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will run the Onam Special Bharat Darshan train from Madurai on August 15. This Indian Railways special train will start from August 15 to August 26. The cost of the 12-day journey has been fixed at Rs 12,000 (Inclusive of GST). Booking of Bharat Darshan Special Tourist Trains is available online on the IRCTC website. Booking can also be done through the Tourist Facilitation Centre, Zonal Offices, and Regional Offices. Boarding Point: Madurai, Trivandrum Central, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Shornur Jn, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargod De-Boarding Points: Renigunta Jn., Katpadi Jn, Jolarpettai, Salem Jn, Erode Jn, Podanur Jn, Palakkad, Ottapalam, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kollam Jn, Trivandrum Central, Tirunelveli, Madurai However, IRCTC has said that visits to all sightseeing places are subject to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines issued by the respective state government. Passengers can board train from Madurai, Trivandrum Central, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Shornur Jn, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod. Renigunta Jn., Katpadi Jn, Jolarpettai, Salem Jn, Erode Jn, Podanur Jn, Palakkad, Ottapalam, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kollam Jn, Trivandrum Central, Tirunelveli and Madurai are the de-boarding points. Indian Railways have also urged passengers to strictly follow all the COVID-19 norms while travelling. Cancellation Process: For cancellation of the ticket, the passengers can log in from their account. Select the Tour Confirmation Number of the ticket to cancel and cancel the ticket from the booked history online. Cancellation of the Ticket is possible only on the website www.irctctourism.com, and is not possible on PRS Counters. If the user wishes to cancel his ticket, cancellation rules for Land (Holiday) and Rail Tour Packages as under: The numberof days before commencement of Trip, for up to 15 days (excluding departure date), the total deductions will be Rs 250 per passenger. For up to 8-14 days (excluding departure date), the total deductions will be 25 per cent of the package cost. For up to 4-7 days (excluding departure date), the total deductions will be 50 per cent of the package cost. For less than 4 days, the total deductions will be 100 per cent of the package cost.

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Uttar Pradesh to promote Prayagraj as global centre for religious tourism

Uttar Pradesh government plans to promote Prayagraj as a global religious and tourist centre after modelling it on the principles used to develop ancient Vedic city, said officials. As part of the plan, number of infrastructural and developmental projects would be completed before the 2025 Mahakumbh, officials said. The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) plans to unveil an ‘integrated infrastructure development plan’ and an ‘integrated tourism master plan’ for the district. It also intends to take up riverfront development, including development of ghats at Sangam area along river Ganga and Yamuna also, an official said. To develop 769.60 square kilometer area under PDA, the authorities have begun the process of appointing a consultant to prepare the vision plan and PDA officials have already floated a request for proposal (RFP) for this. PDA superintending engineer, Rohit Khanna said the consultant would present a blueprint of the master plan, identifying projects for augmenting the socio-economic base of the city and generate employment for the local population through tourism, pilgrimage and other activities. Some important projects include development of 12 Madhav Circuit, upgradation of Sangam area including river cleaning and dredging, developing riverfront and Ghat development on Sangam area, ropeway connecting Quila Ghat, Triveni Pushp and Saccha Baba Ghat, land development along ring road (besides Yamuna), restoration of water bodies of mythological and religious importance etc. “Development of integrated tourism master plan is aimed at developing Prayagraj as ‘Teertharaj- a global tourist destination,” informed a PDA official associated with the project. “The plan is to develop Prayagraj as international tourism hub while retaining and embellishing the regional cultural heritage and customs including iconic Kumbh and Magh melas. The mega plan would be prepared in such a way that it would visualise prospects of developing a religious tourism circuit by integrating with Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kaushambi, Gorakhpur, Shringverpuram etc,” the official said.

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