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Domestic travel eased for vaccinated individuals! These states, UTs allow entry to people with vaccination certificates

Doors to domestic travel seem to be opening for vaccinated individuals! India has been undertaking a massive vaccination drive of all adults in an attempt to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The inoculation campaign also remained in force during a severe second wave of coronavirus, even as people in numerous states and UTs were placed under a lockdown. Air domestic travel had also been suspended by most states. However, now that the trend of daily COVID-19 cases seems to point towards a possible end of the second wave, some states and UTs have decided to allow vaccinated air passengers to arrive at their states without needing a mandatory negative RT-PCR test report. As per the updated state-wise guidelines shared by national carrier Air India as well as domestic airlines Indigo, while some states are asking for random testing or mandatory RT-PCR testing, a few have also decided to consider vaccinations as the criteria as of June 14. COVID-19 vaccination: Which states are allowing inoculated travellers? Here’s a look at all the states and UTs that have added vaccination as a criteria for allowing travellers to enter their jurisdictions: Punjab is allowing passengers who have a vaccination certificate demonstrating that at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine was administered to the individual. However, the passenger must have received that dose at least two weeks prior to the day of the arrival. Like Punjab, Chandigarh is also letting in those passengers who have received at least one dose of vaccine at least two weeks before arriving at the UT and have a valid vaccination certificate proving the same. Chhattisgarh is allowing passengers with a final vaccination certificate, meaning those individuals who have received both the doses of the vaccine, to enter the state. Nagaland is also allowing the arrival of individuals who have been administered both the doses of the vaccine and are in possession of a vaccination certificate proving the same. Like Chhattisgarh and Nagaland, Odisha has also decided to open its doors for individuals who have completed their vaccine schedule, i.e. they have received both the doses of the vaccine. Meghalaya is allowing in passengers having a valid final vaccination certificate except for those hailing from Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Rajasthan has decided to allow passengers who have received both the doses of the vaccination to enter the state, provided that the second dose was administered at least 28 days before the arrival of the individual in the state. However, it is important to note that the vaccination criterion is an additional criteria in these places, and most states would undertake thermal screening of vaccinated individuals as well. The states and UTs have put in place guidelines that are a mix of thermal screening, RT-PCR testing as well as vaccination certificates in order to allow even those individuals who might not have been vaccinated so far.

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Ireland sets reopening date, launches multimillion-dollar tourism campaign

Americans will once again be able to travel to Ireland starting on July 19, and Tourism Ireland has launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to help people get there. According to Reuters, the country has had the strongest restrictions during the pandemic, imposing fines on travelers and two-week quarantines on incoming travelers from more than 50 countries. This next step in reopening will allow anyone with an approved vaccination to travel freely throughout the EU, of which Ireland is a member. Children between ages 7 and 18 who haven’t been vaccinated must test negative for COVID-19 in order to enter. Unvaccinated adults must also test negative and quarantine until they receive a second negative test result. Northern Ireland will not yet be reopening to tourists, the government citing the large spread of the Indian variant as being the main reason. Tourism Ireland has launched a $4.2 million promotional campaign today to build on the desire to travel to Ireland. Americans are one of the biggest drivers of the country’s tourism economy. Two million of its 11.3 million visitors in 2019 were North Americans, creating $2.3 billion in revenue. The first phase of the campaign includes promotion on social media, including YouTube and will be promoted in nine countries. The first film, called ‘Let’s get back to Ireland,’ has already been released. Phase two begins in July with the reopening, hopefully spurring more bookings to the island nation. “We are delighted to unveil our new campaign, ‘Let’s get back to Ireland,’ which will help build anticipation for trips to Ireland this summer, among holidaymakers in our key overseas markets. We know from our research that there is significant pent-up demand among overseas visitors to return to Ireland as soon as possible,” said Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland. “However, we also know that there will be significant competition, as every destination across the globe has experienced the impact of COVID and will be seeking their share of the recovery. As international travel begins to restart, the priority for Tourism Ireland will be to keep the island of Ireland front and center in consumers’ minds.”

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Taj Mahal and other Agra monuments to reopen from tomorrow

The Taj Mahal and other historical monuments in Agra will reopen to tourists on June 16 after having remained closed for more than two months due to surge in Covid-19 cases during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Taj Mahal was closed to tourists on April 4, when the second wave began to rise. Meanwhile, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has now decided to reopen the monuments under its supervision as the second wave recedes across the country. However, the final decision has been left to the respective state governments and district magistrates under whose jurisdiction such monuments are located. Agra District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh confirmed that he received the notification from the ASI and forwarded it to the state government, requesting guidelines for when the monument reopens. The revised guidelines are expected to arrive on Tuesday. The Taj Mahal had remained closed to tourists for nearly 200 days in 2020-21 before reopening on April 4. The closure massively hit local tourism and hospitality sectors. Agra's prominent hoteliers told India Today TV that the hotel industry has been on its knees for the past 16-17 months. Hotel employees are barely scraping by without work. They complained that neither the Centre nor state government took notice of their plight. Domestic tourists may return to Agra if the Taj Mahal reopens on June 16. This is expected to revive local economy in Agra, which is heavily dependent on Taj Mahal tourism. Vishal Sharma, secretary of the Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber, said the Agra tourism industry had been nearly destroyed in the past nearly two years. Many businessmen in the tourism industry have gone bankrupt, incurring huge debt. Handicraft emporiums have been closed, and those involved in the production and sale of handicrafts have suffered huge losses since April 2020. A large number of handicraft salespeople is now selling fruits and vegetables. He further said while the monuments would reopen on June 16, the tourism industry may actually pick up only when foreign tourists return to India. At present, foreign tourists are not allowed in India. Further, the prevalence of the Delta variant of coronavirus may continue to keep foreign tourists away from India even after rules are relaxed. Approved Guides Association president Shamshuddin and former chairman of the Agra Tourist Guild Arun Dang shared similar views. They further sought financial assistance to the tourism sector to ensure its speedier revival.

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India’s 1st Subscription Airlines Launched: Pay Rs 2 Lakh, Fly Unlimited TimesFrom Delhi In Private Jet!

Disrupting the present air travel industry as we know it, the New Delhi-based airline startup, Prince Air is introducing India’s first subscription based airline service, which will offer unlimited boarding access to business class private jets, at a minimal monthly subscription amount. Up until now, you must have used the term ‘subscription’ for shopping and OTT experiences. Buzzing in with the concept of ‘exclusive experiences can be inclusive’, Prince Air is all set to break glass for Indian air travelers and the industry. Prince Air will offer subscription-based business class flights, initially connecting the three cities, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore at only 50% of the usual commercial airline cost for flying business class in India, with unlimited round trips for the month. “The most economical and affordable way to travel on a private jet in India is coming soon”, highlights a social media post by the airline. Here is everything you need to know about the country’s first ever subscription-based air travel. New Model of Air Travel Sanket Raj Singh’s airline startup, Prince Air has introduced India’s first and one-of-a-kind subscription based ‘all you can fly’ membership airline service. This means for a monthly subscription, patrons will be able to make unlimited round trips, initially between Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore for a month, which will later expand to more cities. The experience will be at par with business class flights and private jets. Furthermore, passengers subscribing to this new model will not only witness an all-new flying experience but also a totally different check-in route. Founder, Sanket Raj Singh has informed that the patrons will not be required to undergo the check-in process two hours prior to the trip. Instead, they will be required to arrive only half an hour before the departure time, while the entry to the flight too, will be from a different gate, unlike commercial passengers. One can also arrange a car to make a quick exit from the airport. Singh states that all of these measures are taken to provide a ‘special’ experience to the passengers, ‘similar to owning your own private jet’. Passengers also have the benefits of switching their flights and choosing from a wide range of departures. The second and third phase sectors for Prince Air would include Amritsar, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad. Pricing and More Private aviation is currently pretty juvenile in India. This being said, it is equally high-priced and can be afforded by only HNIs and VIPs. With the view of providing business class service to not just business class travellers but also those who frequently travel between the major metropolitan cities, Prince Air has come up with a highly commendable pricing fluctuating between that for economy class, business class and private jets. It has managed to cut the business class cost by 50% of the amount charged by commercial airlines and about 95% the cost of flying by private jets. The airline flaunts a membership cost of RS 54,500 per month and will make use of bigger aircrafts like Airbus A-320 or A-321, offering complete business class airlines. While these aircrafts are equipped with a total of 180-200 economy seats, Prince Airline will make use of only 90-100 Business/First Class seats, providing a sense of space and comfort to its passengers, at a budgeted price. “A member can come and enjoy our lounge before the flight, with complimentary beverages and snacks and a serene environment to relax in before take-off. This is a close community of members where you can meet and greet each other and relax at our lounge. We will be doing private events only for our members.”, stated Singh to The Print. The airline is expected to hit the Indian market in another 6-8 months, once it achieves 10,000 to 12,000 members/patrons in the three aforementioned (operating) cities. The pre-sell memberships sale has already begun, you can sign up to reserve your seat here.

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Hong Kong considers shorter quarantine for some fully vaccinated travellers

Inoculated people who have tested negative for the virus and are coming from countries not classified as “high-risk” should qualify for a seven-day hotel quarantine, David Hui, a member of the government’s scientific committee, said at a briefing Wednesday evening. The proposed exemption would require a positive antibody test result conducted in Hong Kong after arrival, he said. “The purpose of checking the antibody is to show evidence of response to vaccination,” the panel said. “If the serology test result is negative, the shortening of the quarantine period could not be considered.” Travellers would still be required to self-monitor for another week after the seven-day quarantine at a designated hotel, Hui said. Covid tests will be administered more frequently, potentially every two to three days, he said. The panel did not give a time frame for when such a proposal might be approved. The majority of people arriving in Hong Kong must currently isolate in a hotel for 14 or 21 days upon arrival. Only fully vaccinated, Covid-negative travellers coming from “low-risk” countries including Australia and New Zealand can qualify for a seven-day hotel quarantine. Shorter stays A shortening of quarantine periods would come amid pushback from Hong Kong’s large expatriate community and residents who travel internationally, who are required to pay for weeks of hotel stays and undergo multiple tests in order to travel to and from the city -- even if they’ve had their shots. The move would also ease pressure on the hotels designated for quarantine, which are backlogged amid summer holidays, leaving some residents unable to return to the city for critical events. The city last month said vaccinated senior executives from about 500 companies would be able to seek permission to travel in and out of Hong Kong without needing to follow the current quarantine periods, drawing backlash from residents who called the move elitist. Hong Kong Eases Quarantine for Vaccinated Execs, Drawing Ire Hong Kong’s attempts to reopen its border and fully reopen its economy have been slowed by widespread vaccine hesitancy, fueled by fear of rare side effects and distrust in the Beijing-backed government. To counter the scepticism, authorities and the local business community have looked to incentivize inoculations, with the government easing some of its onerous social-distancing restrictions and companies offering prizes to vaccinated people that include everything from shopping vouchers to gold bars. The city’s vaccination rate has been steadily increasing in recent weeks, with about 15.1% of Hong Kong’s population fully vaccinated, according to Bloomberg’s Vaccine Tracker. The government will also open vaccinations for children ages 12 and older within the month. Still, the rate lags behind competing finance capitals like Singapore and London.

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Mauritius to welcome international tourists from 15 July 2021

Mauritius will be welcoming international travellers from 15 July 2021. The island will be opening in phases during 2021 and the first phase, from 15 July to 30 September 2021, will enable vaccinated travellers to enjoy a resort holiday on the island. Holidaymakers will be able to enjoy facilities within their chosen resort premises, including the swimming pool and beach. If guests stay over 14 days and have negative PCR tests during their stay in the resort, they will be able to explore the island’s attractions. However, for shorter stays, they may leave the resort earlier and travel back home. A list of pre-approved Covid-19 safe resorts will be available from 20 June 2021 at www.mauritiusnow.com Travellers to Mauritius aged 18 years or over must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. They must undergo a PCR test between 5 and 7 days before departure and a negative result is required to travel to the island. Travellers will also have a PCR test on arrival at the airport in Mauritius and on day 7 and 14 of their resort holiday, as applicable. For Phase 2, from the 1st of October 2021, vaccinated travellers will be allowed entry without restrictions upon presentation of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure. Unvaccinated travellers will be subject to 14 days in-room quarantine for both Phases 1 and 2 until further notice.The announcement follows the acceleration of the vaccination campaign and the progress made towards herd immunity by the end of September. Frontliners of the tourism industry were prioritised during the vaccine rollout. This enables a prompt and safe restart of the Mauritius tourism industry. The country’s response to the pandemic ranked among one of the best in the world, as the Mauritian Government responded promptly with stringent control measures and protocols. The safety of Mauritians and visitors has been a top priority since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the success is a result of a joint effort by the Mauritian Government and the island’s population.

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