News

Kedarnath Temple to reopen to devotees on May 17, Badrinath on May 18

The portals of Kedarnath Temple will be reopened for devotees on May 17, a spokesperson of the Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board said on Thursday. The idol of Lord Shiva will be moved out of its winter abode at Ukhimath’s Omkareshwar temple on May 14. The famous temple will reopen for devotees at 5 am on May 17. The temple was closed on November 16 last year. Badrinath Temple, which was closed on November 19, will reopen to devotees on May 18, the spokesperson said. Gangotri and Yamunotri temples will reopen on May 14. The Char Dham Yatra will begin this year after the reopening of the four temples. The portals of the four famous Himalayan shrines — Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri — are opened every year between April and May after a six-month closure during which they remain snowbound.

Read more

Avoiding flights for fear of Covid? This airline has Rs 299 virus test to convince you

SpiceJet Ltd., India’s second-largest carrier, is offering coronavirus screening to passengers for as little as 299 rupees ($4). That’s about one-third the current market rate. SpiceHealth, the unit selling the tests, has also set up mobile-testing facilities for the general public in Mumbai and New Delhi, where starting from 499 rupees, people can come in or have a sample collected from their home. Although aviation in India, with its big domestic market, is recovering faster than in places like Singapore and Hong Kong, which have no local business to speak of, the impact of the pandemic is still being felt. No-frills carrier SpiceJet posted a net loss of 569.6 million rupees in the quarter ended Dec. 31 compared with a profit of 732 million rupees a year earlier. So much red link has prompted airlines around the world to look for new revenue streams as they burn through cash. Australia’s Qantas Airways Ltd. last year rented out one of its Boeing Co. Dreamliners for sightseeing trips over Antarctica and sold items typically given away to premium passengers, including pajamas. Low-cost travel pioneer AirAsia Group Bhd. started an Amazon.com-style platform selling fresh fruit and vegetables. Until vaccines have been administered widely, international travel isn’t expected to resume in a meaningful way. Carriers could burn through as much as $95 billion this year, close to double the International Air Transport Association’s previous forecast.

Read more

France has eased travel restrictions for seven countries

Good news for travellers from certain countries as France is now going to ease some restrictions on international travellers out of Europe. The countries in question are Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Australia, Britain, Israel, and Singapore. According to reports, France’s Foreign Ministry has stated that people who are travelling to and from the countries mentioned above will not have to provide any document pertaining to the reason for travel. So they are not required to have any compelling reason for their journey to France. As opposed to before, when travellers had to furnish documents suggesting the nature of travel and the urgency, such as family or medical emergency. The ease in travel restrictions are being implemented as these nations have shown an improvement in the Coronavirus situation. French Tourism Minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said in his Twitter, "The list includes Britain, because the UK variant now also circulates widely in France.” Apart from the easing of rules as stated above, all the other restrictions would remain. So, you are still required to test negative for COVID-19 less than 72 hours before your travel. Also, following all the guidelines for Coronavirus such as social distancing and wearing of masks is very much in order in the country. It has also been said that for non-European countries other than the ones mentioned above, the list of legitimate travel motives would be widened. The new reasons would include something like one person in a couple whether married or in a civil relationship, is living abroad for professional reasons. Other reasons would include families living abroad, but those who have children in a French school, or students taking an exam, or people returning to their residence if it is in France.

Read more

Mauritius is offering free vaccine to long-term travellers

Mauritius has announced expansion of its COVID-19 vaccination programme to include long-term international visitors who are over the age of 18. Mauritius has been offering free renewable long-term visas, and has now added another perk to facilitate their stay in the island nation. Reportedly, those willing to stay longer here will be included in the said vaccination drive. This vaccination drive is a part of an effort to reopen its borders fully. Mauritius, being one of the world’s smallest countries by size, and located in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa, it is home to nearly 100 miles of white, sandy beaches, two UNESCO World Heritage sites, and much more. Mauritius relies on tourism heavily to keep its economy afloat, and it has been welcoming digital nomads, and retirees with long-term visa plans. In fact, under the Mauritius Premium Visa, international visitors can spend up to 12 months in the country, which is again renewable and is something the government hopes will motivate visitors to stick around and spend more time here. Regarding the vaccine program, Mauritius stated that it will be providing all Premium Visa holders, who are more than 18 years old, with the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine manufactured in India. However, to qualify for the visa, one has to meet certain immigration requirements, and also ensure that they are generating income from outside Mauritius. Further, they will need to have health and travel insurance, a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, and undergo quarantine for 14 days at an approved facility.

Read more

Two new schemes to promote Delhi as tourism & culture hub

Aiming to promote the national capital as a tourism and culture hub, the Budget announced two schemes Delhi Heritage Promotion and Delhi Tourism Circuit. The Budget also proposed an allocation of Rs 521 crore for the implementation of schemes, to boost tourism and art s and cultural activities. Deputy CM Sisodia said that to ensure the safety of women at tourist spots, close circuit television (CCTV) cameras would be installed at entry points of all tourist spots. Further, security guards in uniform would be deployed at all tourist spots of Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation and the facility of mobile vans will also be provided at various sites. “To brand Delhi as a tourist destination, a scheme was proposed last year, which could not be implemented due to the coronavirus pandemic. This scheme will be implemented this year. A new scheme has been proposed to ensure the safety of women at tourist spots. This includes measures such as the installation of CCTV cameras at entry points of all tourist spots,” said Sisodia. For various tourism promotion projects, an allocation of Rs 5 crore has been proposed in the Budget.

Read more

Thailand introduces yacht quarantine to boost tourism

Those visiting Thailand can now opt to spend their mandatory two-week Coronavirus quarantine on a yacht. Thailand is offering this option to visitors, with hope that this initiative will help bring 1.8 billion baht in yacht tourism revenue. As per the reports, those wanting to avail this option will be required to show proof of a negative PCR test, and also have their location and health monitored. The pilot scheme was originally announced in November. Now, it is expected that around 100 yachts will be a part of this program, which is currently taking place in Phuket. Reportedly, those choosing this option, will be required to wear a smart wristband, which will be monitoring their vital signs, including blood pressure and temperature, and location. Further, reports have it that the watch will be able to transmit information at sea, within a radius of 10 km. The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) is working on the said program with mobile operator Advanced Info Service, local tech start up, and tourism operators in Phuket. The Royal Thai Navy members will be tracking and monitoring the boats, and while the visitors are done with their 14-day quarantine, they will be allowed to return to a dock in Phuket and enter the island. Thailand relies on tourism, and as per record, Phuket lost more than 320 billion baht ($10.407) in revenue due to the pandemic. Reason being visitors were not allowed to enter the island, to prevent the spread of virus. With this move, Thailand hopes that it will help generate 1.8 billion baht in revenue, which has been gradually opening its borders since October.

Read more