News

Tourism Australia to explore partnerships with banks to focus on ‘high-value travellers’ from India

Tourism Australia will continue to focus on high-value travellers from India in the post-Covid era. While India continues to remain a rising star for the nation Down Under, emerging as the sixth largest market for spend and seventh largest for arrivals in 2019, the board will seek partnerships with banks and financial institutions to gain access to individuals in the high-net worth bracket. Tourism Australia, said, “Our overarching focus is on yield-based and spend-based segmentation. Outbound travel constitutes just 1.2% of the population in India, and our focus continues to remain on high-value travellers. These travellers, per capita spend on an average 5,000 dollars in Australia, and they remain our focus post-Covid as well''. Since Australia isn’t a mass destination, it is a planned move to shift focus from demographic to psychographic segmentation. Therefore, in India, we will explore partnerships with banks and financial institutions that have access to high-value customers with substantial savings. The number of Indian tourists to Australia is expected to triple to nearly 1.2 million by 2035. Therefore, Tourism Australia has identified India as a rising star market that has the potential to deliver up to one million visitors over the next decade. While Australia will take a gradual and cautious approach to reopening its borders, the importance of India in 2021 cannot be ignored, Kashikar stated. Commenting on Australia’s focus on China at a time when relationship between the two nations are strained and drawing comparison with India, Kashikar shared, “China will continue to be a key market, and its importance cannot be neglected; it the biggest market for spend and arrivals. India is almost 14 years behind China in terms of arrivals and spend, and therefore the entire focus is to capitalise on the India opportunity.”

Read more

Chennai’s popular Marina Beach reopens for visitors after a gap of 8 months

Chennai’s popular Marina Beach is now open for public. The beach reopened after remaining closed for more than 8 months due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and subsequent restrictions. Reportedly, people were seen visiting the beach, and large crowds were visible during the day. The state government in its earlier notification that was issued before the start of this month, announced a number of Coronavirus-related relaxations on the state from this month. As per the latest news reports, gatherings will be allowed up to 200 people or with 50 per cent capacity of the facility. Further, the Greater Chennai Corporation has invited vendors of Marina Beach to submit application of modern pushcarts. Elaborating more on this, officials from the Chennai civic body informed that the forms will be available at Revenue Officer Department from December 21 to December 26. Vendors will be required to fill two sets of forms, whereas the officials will select the final list on January 6. Referring to this development, the official added that this will offer an opportunity to vendors, and also increase transparency in the system. With this process in place, it is expected that it will now become easier for vendors to set up their shops. Reportedly, the Chennai civic body will be providing 900 modern pushcarts to the vendors. Reports state that around 40 per cent of the vendors will be new entrant, whereas the rest 60 per cent will be provided to the existing street vendors.

Read more

Singapore Will Now Allow Business Passengers From All Countries From Next Month

With the starting of the unlocking process, Singapore on Tuesday announced that it will open its airspace for business travellers and visiting officials from all countries from next month. The development comes as the financial hub seeks to recover from a coronavirus-induced economic downturn. Notably, Singapore is opening its international flights at a time when India has signed air bubble agreement with the country. Singapore’s trade ministry said under the new arrangements, a limited number of travellers can apply for stays of up to 14 days from mid-January. Prior to this, Singapore already had arrangements allowing in selected visitors from countries such as China and South Korea. However, the new arrangement marks a significant change in easing of travel curbs. Part of the guidelines, Singapore stated that travellers must undergo RT-PCR tests ahead of departing from their home country. And on arrival in Singapore and during their stay, they must undergo corona test. The country has also made arrangements for visitors to hold meetings with their guests in specially designed meeting rooms with air-tight glass panels to reduce the risk of transmission. The announcement about easing of travel restrictions came a day after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated that the city-state had no choice but to ease restrictions or risk losing its status as a global hub.

Read more

Indigo to directly connect Nagaland with Delhi from December 26

Nagaland’s sole airport in Dimapur is all set to get non-stop connectivity with the national capital, courtesy of Indigo, starting December 26. The direct flight will considerably cut down travel time to 3 hours from nearly 8-24 hours, depending upon the airlines and number of stoppage. According to Indigo’s website, the first non-stop flight will leave Dimapur Airport on December 26 at 2:35 pm and arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), New Delhi at 5:35 PM, signifying a travel time of exactly three hours. Technically, however, the first direct flight will be from New Delhi on the same day with an Indigo Airbus A320 flight taking off from IGI at 11:30 pm. It is expected to reach the Dimapur Airport at 2:05 pm denoting just 2 hours and 35 minutes travel time. The returned flight will inaugurate the first Dimapur-Delhi direct flight. Booking information on the Indigo website informed that the direct flight will be operated thrice a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Earlier on Tuesday, Adviser to the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Abu Metha took top micro-blogging site Twitter to sharing the news and appreciating the airlines for the initiative. “…#Nagaland is FINALLY directly connected to NationalCapital. CorporateNationBuilding has to start from the far flung regions. Appreciated…” Metha posted. Retweeting the same, Advisor, IT, Science and Technology & NRE, Mmhonlumo Kikon called it a ‘perfect Christmas gift’ “Excited that there is now a direct flight from Delhi to Dimapur! Perfect Christmas gift for the people of Nagaland and the adjoining areas of Karbi Anglong,!” Kikon, who is also a BJP National Spokesperson and Party’s Mizoram In-Charge, posted. He also acknowledged Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri and Indigo for the initiative.

Read more

Jaisalmer is back on tourism map after eight months

After nine months of lockdown, Jaisalmer is under the tourism spotlight once again. Rajasthan’s prime destination, Jaisalmer is now seeing a surge in tourism, as tourists from Gujarat and other northern states are returning. The city went through a slump in terms of tourism since the lockdown, much like most other destinations in the country. Jaisalmer, in fact, has about 70 per cent occupancy in its hotels right now. This comes after no tourists visited the city from March to October. Jaisalmer’s Sonar Fort in fact had a massive crowd, so much so that police had a hard time managing the traffic in and around that area. The parking places there were reported full. With masks and sanitizers on them, tourists made their way to the beautiful Sonar Fort that was also the topic of Satyajit Ray’s detective novel, and subsequent movie. According to locals, the tourist flow has been good after October, and this is proving to be beneficial for locals who depend on tourism. About 5000 families depend on tourism in the district. Jaisalmer is especially great during the winter months; according to reports, tourism has been booming here since Diwali. Whie the surge in tourism is a good thing, there have been some concerns regarding safety protocols. Some tourists have not been following COVID guidelines, due to which the district collector has now started Corona Bhachav Jagruta Abhiyaan. Under this latest campaign, masks are being distributed, and chalaans are being handed to those who are breaking regulations.

Read more

Karnataka: Water sports club to come up in Mangalore to promote tourism

MANGALURU: The tourism department of Dakshina Kannada district in association with a private agency is all set to open a water sports club at Kuloor in Mangaluru city. The new under the river tourism concept will also have various other cultural activities to attract tourists. In fact, the river tourism concept was proposed in 2017 when former IAS officer Sasikanth Senthil was the deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada. City-based Samruddhi water sports will be setting up the new water sports club and it is expected to be inaugurated on January 2, said P Shivakumar Pailoor, partner of the venture. Infrastructure for the water sports club is being set up on the banks of Phalguni river near Kuloor bridge on the way to Tannirbavi Beach. “The water sports club will have four boats designed in Kerala. Though the boats will have the capacity to accommodate 25 tourists, considering the pandemic regulations, only 12 will be accommodated. The boat with tourists will sail from Kuloor to Ullal and to Maravoor. Additionally, four-seater boats will be introduced for small families and friends. House boats and other water sports activities will also be introduced in the club. All necessary precautions will be made for the safety of tourists. Measures as per government guidelines will also be in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” he said. While an entrance fee of Rs 50 per head will be collected, separate coupons will be issued for boating and other activities. A 3.5-acre land on the riverbank has been obtained from the district administration on a lease basis for five years.

Read more