News

Pune airport to get new multi-level car parking and more impressive features

Soon, Pune airport will get a brand new terminal with multi-level car parking, boarding bridges, restaurants and other convenient features. The terminal has been scheduled to get ready by March 2022, and INR 475 crores have been allocated for its construction. Its objective is to control the existing volume of passenger traffic. According to reports, Pune International Airport will get an integrated terminal building. As revealed by the Airports Authority of India, this new terminal will have the capacity to accommodate 2300 passengers (1700 domestic and 600 international) during peak hours. The terminal will be energy efficient and have five boarding, 34 check-in counters, and in-line baggage handling system. In addition, it will be equipped with different eateries and cafés. A new multi-level car parking facility, having the capacity to park 1024 cars will be built for the convenience of passengers. A sky bridge will link the parking area to the departure area of the present airport building. While the new airport terminal itself will undergo completion by March 2022, the multi-level car parking will be ready by April 2022. Reportedly, 40 per cent of the construction work of the new terminal building is already completed.

Read more

Delhi airport to soon start Covid-19 testing for international departures

International passengers taking their flights from the Delhi airport will soon be able to get themselves tested for Covid-19 right before their departure, Genestrings Diagnostic Centre which operates the testing lab at the airport said on Saturday. The Covid-19 testing facility, which started operating on September 12 at the Delhi airport, is available only for international arrivals currently. Earlier in the day, Genestrings issued a press release saying, “The (testing) facility has now been extended to air travellers leaving India for other countries.” However, the company later revised its press release, saying that the testing facility “will soon” be extended to air travellers departing from India. “Notably, international travel rules require passengers travelling from one country to another to produce Covid negative reports,” it added. The lab uses RT-PCR tests and provides reports within 4-6 hours. “The test is available 24/7 and is priced at Rs 2,400 as mandated by the Delhi government,” the release said. “As more people are now taking up international travel, Delhi Airport authorities felt the need to provide the testing facility to outbound passengers as well,” said Rajat Arora, Director, Genestrings Diagnostic Centre. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) started the Covid-19 testing facility on September 12 at the multi-level car parking area of Terminal 3 in collaboration with Genestrings Diagnostic Centre, which is a group company of Yashoda Hospitals. Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, special international passenger flights have been operating in India under Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July. India started scheduled domestic passenger flights on May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more

India’s First Sand Dune Park to Come Up in Goa

Goa is set to be home to the country’s first sand dune park. The World Bank accepted the proposal of the Biodiversity Board of the state and has sanctioned a sum of 3 crores for the project. These sand dune parks, interpretations, and stretches will further boost tourism in the state. Owing to its long coastline bordering the Arabian Sea, Goa has a wonderful sand dune ecosystem. Even the National Green Tribunal had urged the Public Works Department of Goa and other relevant authorities of the state to take immediate measures to restore and regenerate the sand dune ecosystem of the state. This project will have a two-way benefit. It will benefit both the economics of the state as well as play a constructive role in creating awareness about the sand dune ecosystem. The state has finally started on a plan of action to tap into the tourism potential that will be provided by the only sand dune parks in the subcontinent. Bridges made of eco-sensitive materials will be employed in the construction of bridges under the project. This will protect the sand dune vegetation from being trampled by tourists walking over it. The interpretation and thematic centers will educate the visitors about the importance of the sand dune ecosystem and the need to conserve them. Nurseries of sand dune vegetation will be set up. Vegetation will be restored where it has been eroded on the beach stretches. This move follows the efforts of the state to shift towards an eco-friendly tourism approach.

Read more

Sweden expects international travel from India to pick up by 2021-end

Sweden expects the number of visitors from India to increase during 2021 and go further up next year, as it undertakes a slew of initiatives to promote the country as a preferred destination here, a senior national tourism organisation official of the Scandinavian nation said. The tourism in Sweden this year has been severely impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "The urge to travel will probably be stronger after the lockdown and we are hoping that international travel from India picks up by the end of 2021 and goes up even more in 2022," Visit Sweden Manager - India Ruth Dolla told PTI. Due to the travel restrictions, there has been a massive dip in the number of tourists since the onset of the pandemic, she added. "Seeing the current situation, it is unlikely that the arrivals (in 2021) will be at par with last year, but we do estimate that the luxury travellers will opt for destination holidays depending on the lifting of the travel ban," Dolla said. In 2019, 235,445 visitors came from India to Sweden, she added. On the steps being taken by the tourism board, Dolla said in 2020, Visit Sweden, is talking about nature and promoting 15 unique experiences and accommodations in the country''s most fascinating natural surroundings. Nature experiences can help to find a way back to normality after months in the shadow of the pandemic, she added. "In Sweden, where 70 per cent of the country is covered with forest, nature is easy to reach. Visitors find open landscapes with fields and meadows, virgin forests, quiet lakes, miles of coastlines, and thousands of islands. For people waiting to travel soon, Sweden is the ideal place," Dolla said. On being asked about the profile of the visitors from India, she said: "It is both for business and leisure. VFR (visiting friends and relatives) is also a growing segment due to the increasing number of Indians now working and living in Sweden". Visit Sweden markets Sweden abroad as a destination to contribute to more jobs and increased income in Sweden. It is owned by the Swedish state through the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Read more

Air Seychelles appoints Bird Travels as India GSA

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has announced the appointment of Bird Travels Private Limited as its General Sales Agent (GSA). Besides Seychelles- Mumbai, the airline operates on international routes like Johannesburg, Tel Aviv and Mauritius, and also has domestic operations within the archipelago. Commenting on the appointment, Charles Johnson, Chief Commercial Officer at Air Seychelles said, “We are delighted to appoint India’s leading airline and travel representation company, Bird Travels as our representative in India. Even though commercial flights between Seychelles and India are currently suspended, we will work closely with the company’s experienced sales and marketing professionals, well-positioned in most Indian cities, to further develop and strengthen our presence in addition to reinforcing our sales distribution network within the Indian market.” With over 47 years of experience, Bird Group shares extensive knowledge and expertise in the commercial aviation sector including the travel and tourism industry. “We are delighted to be associated with Air Seychelles and look forward to building a strong partnership. Armed with our extensive local knowledge and experienced team, Bird Travels is well-equipped and committed to further increase the airline’s footprints, market share and revenues in the country going forward," said Vijay Bhatia, Managing Director, Bird Travels.

Read more

Uttar Pradesh emerged as top destination in 2019 attracting over 53 crore tourists

India saw a steady rise in its international tourism with foregin tourist arrivals experiencing an annual growth rate of 3.5% in 2019. The foreign exchange earnings from tourism alone accounted for 30 billion dollars. Earnings from tourism is around US$30 billion in 2019. Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top destination for attracting the highest number of domestic tourists in 2019. The Indian Tourism Statistics (ITS), 2020, has announced that as many as 53.6 crore domestic tourists visited Uttar Pradesh in 2019 which was much higher as compared to 2018 when the state had got the second position after Tamil Nadu. Uttar Pradesh attracted the highest number of domestic tourists in the country in 2019 with a share of 23.1% travellers visiting the state. Tamil Nadu was the star in the international tourism sector, recording an international tourist count of 68 lakh. The state also ranked second in terms of domestic tourism accounting for 21.3% of local tourism in the country. Tourists from Bangladesh accounted for the largest share of international tourists to India followed by those from the USA, UK, Australia and Canada.

Read more