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International flights to resume as India establishes air travel bubbles with US, Germany, others

India has established individual bilateral bubbles with France, Germany and the US that will allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights, said the Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday. A similar arrangement with the UK will soon be permitted, it added. Air France will be operating 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris from July 18 to August 1, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said at a press conference. American carrier United Airlines will be flying 18 flights between India and the US from July 17 to 31, he added. "They (United) are flying a daily flight between Delhi and Newark and a thrice-a-week flight between Delhi and San Francisco," Puri noted. The minister on Thursday said India is planning to establish a bubble with the UK soon under which there would be two flights per day between Delhi and London. "We have got a request from Germans also. I think the arrangement with Lufthansa is almost done...We are processing that request," Puri said. However, later during the day, the Civil Aviation Ministry issued a statement that said, "Air bubbles established with US, France and Germany...Lufthansa will also be operating (flights)." The statement also said, "Talk of an air bubble in an advanced stage with the UK." From India, Air India will be operating flights to France, Germany and the US under these bubbles. An air bubble is a bilateral arrangement with a set of regulations and restrictions in which the carriers of the two countries can operate international flights. On July 9, India had announced an air bubble with the UAE that would be in place from July 12 to 26. The minister said at the press conference, "Now we have many demands for air bubbles, but we need to be careful. We should permit that many only that we can handle." Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. After nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak, the government resumed scheduled domestic passenger flights on May 25. However, it had then allowed the airlines to operate maximum 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) increased the limits on June 26 from 33 per cent to 45 per cent. "We are assuming that by the time Diwali comes this year, we would have 55-60 per cent of pre-COVID domestic flights operating in India," Puri said at the press conference. I had imagined we would reach 33 per cent of our domestic capacity by July 15 but we have not, the minister said. Various states like Maharashtra have put restrictions on the number of flights that their airports can handle per day, he said, adding that he expects this would change in coming 2-3 weeks. He said once the domestic capacity reaches 50-55 per cent of its pre-COVID capacity, the government will get the confidence about opening international air travel further. The fact of the matter is that international flights will take place between bigger metros in India and outside locations, the minister mentioned. Giving the example of the Mumbai airport, he said if more international flights are allowed to Mumbai, those passengers will need forward flights to go to other places in India but that will be a constraint as the airport handles only 50 flights per day. The India-UAE air bubble was permitted on July 9 under specific conditions. Charter flights operated by the UAE carriers have been permitted to bring Indian citizens from the UAE to India and carry "ICA-approved UAE residents" on their return leg, said the Civil Aviation Ministry. The ICA stands for the UAE's Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship. On India to the UAE journeys, all these flights have been permitted to carry only those passengers who are destined for the Gulf country, it noted. The ministry also said, "Indian carriers operating repatriation flights to bring Indian citizens from UAE to India will be allowed to carry the ICA-approved UAE residents (returning to UAE from India) on the outward journey from India to the UAE."

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Thailand Creating New Health and Safety Standards for Tourism

A group of Thailand’s leading Destination Management Companies (DMCs) have developed the new Thailand Hygiene Plus Initiative (THPI) in the wake of the devastation wrought on the tourism industry by the COVID-19 pandemic. The standards incorporate, but aren’t limited to, those included in the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s ‘Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration’ (SHA) Certification Program that was launched in May 2020 as a method for identifying businesses—including hotels, attractions, eateries, transport companies, tour operators and more—that have passed official inspection for implementing all appropriate COVID-19 hygiene and quality-control methods. The new THPI’s aim is to advance a step further toward solidifying confidence in Thailand as a destination, as well as its tourism facilitators, as being safe for travel as the country begins its phased reopening to international visitors. Its checklist of shared standards and requirements for DMCs span six areas of operations: offices, staff, ground teams, meals, vehicles and transportation, sports equipment and facilities. Herman Hoven, CEO of Khiri Travel, said, “With the Thailand Hygiene Plus initiative, responsible DMCs in Thailand are giving international tour operators tangible proof, and meaningful assurances, that we are taking extensive and proactive hygiene measures in order to restore confidence while traveling.” ‘United DMCs of Thailand’ members who have signed on to participate in the THPI include Abercrombie & Kent Thailand, Asia Exotica, Asian Trails, Black Rice Travel–A Member of LUXPERIA Collective, Destination Asia (Thailand), EXO Travel Thailand, Go Vacation Thailand, Khiri Travel Thailand, Panorama Destination Thailand, Remote Lands, Smiling Albino, Tour East and Travel Exclusive Asia Thailand. Daniel Fraser, Founder and Director of Smiling Albino, said, "When COVID hit the industry, our collective focus was on the swift and safe return of travel. The implementation a of united standard for future travel, formed through the collaboration of our peers, was natural.” He added, "Collectively changing for the better, to create a safe and healthy travel experience for each DMC’s travelers shows that we are in this together and stronger as one.”

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Abu Dhabi gears up to welcome tourists after revealing the light of progress

The Emirates is progressively bracing itself to open up to international travel post the Department of Culture and Tourism- Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) acknowledged the flag of progress within the tourism industry. Hotel occupancy rates in Abu Dhabi have risen impressively and are expected to rise further with the launch of a number of initiatives within the emirate aimed at expanding the sector. The UAE government has been admired globally for its response in combatting the pandemic whilst ardently handling its social and economic brunt. DCT Abu Dhabi has been intently working with industry partners and stakeholders to propose numerous initiatives in order to assist hotels and cultural attractions in renewing. The Go Safe certification programme is amongst the many incredible initiatives embraced to lift the consumer confidence and the tourism sector within Abu Dhabi. The unique programme aims to encourage global standards of safety and cleanliness at all tourism destinations including malls, restaurants, museums, public beaches, theme parks and other attractions. Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi said “Abu Dhabi has long been known for its unparalleled hospitality and diverse range of offerings. The progress we have seen since the start of this month was achieved by simply leveraging our offerings and the existing high standard of hospitality, to help us speed up the enlivenment of our sector and elevate further from that point.” He further enunciated “The support we have received from government authorities has also been a key driver in the progress of the tourism sector. Their handling of the current situation has been beyond exceptional, providing us with a sense of optimism for the future of our destination and sector.” Hotels in Abu Dhabi have started opening after adhering to guidelines set out earlier this month following an extensive period of sterilization. As Abu Dhabi is delicately gearing up towards opening its borders to visitors, the government has also extended its share of support to the tourism industry through gamut of schemes, including rental rebates for restaurants, tourism and entertainment facilities, and a suspension of tourism and municipality fees for sector players for 2020.

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Hawaii to reopen for tourism from September 1

Hawaii has decided to delay reopening for tourism for another one month; it will now open on September 1, and not August 1, as reported earlier. This move comes in the wake of rising Coronavirus cases in the Aloha State. Hawaii Governor David Ige announced this in a press conference, and stated that all travellers who enter the state, even those who have tested negative for Coronavirus, will be undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine through Sept. 1. As per the previous plan, it was to allow tourists, who have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of entering Hawaii, to bypass the mandatory 14-day quarantine starting from August. However, in view of the Coronavirus cases rising in numbers, officials opined that it was impossible to reopen now. Regarding this, the Governor mentioned that this was an extremely difficult decision to make. He acknowledged that he is aware that this delay will further hurt the state’s economy, but they are bound to make decisions keeping in mind the best available science and by prioritizing the health and safety of Hawaii residents. He also reiterated that the virus outbreaks on the mainland are out of control and it is not likely that the situation will change dramatically by August 1. It is believed that actual numbers are much higher because of unreported cases, testing shortages, which is also another reason for postponing the reopening date for tourism. Hawaii introduced this 14-day quarantine rule in March, which was strictly implemented with jail time for offenders and expensive fines.

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Tourism spots across Andhra Pradesh to allow visitors from August 1

VIJAYAWADA: The state government is all set to open all tourist spots in Andhra Pradesh for visitors from August 1 onward. Making the announcement on Tuesday, AP tourism minister Muttamsetti Srinivas Rao said that they would be taking all necessary precautions as mandated by the central government while allowing tourists to the state. After conducting a review meeting with the officials, Rao said that the tourism department had faced around Rs 60 crore in losses during the lockdown period. “Around Rs 10 crore per month was being lost every month during the entire Covid pandemic,” Rao said addressing the media. Justifying the move to allow tourists, Rao pointed to the neighbouring state of Telangana which is already allowing visitors. The minister announced that the state would soon have a five-star and a seven-star hotel under private-public partnership (PPP) mode. Officials are currently doing all the necessary repair works across various tourist destinations before August 1. On the other hand, the minister also disclosed that a new district would be created in Visakhapatnam, which would be named after the revolutionary freedom fighter Alluri Seetarama Raju. Rao also justified the move of decentralizing the capital and shifting the executive to Vizag stating that it would aid in an all round development. He also alleged that TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu was working for the benefit of only a certain section of the state. "We are running the administration without discrimination and corruption; Jagan wants to set up three capitals with the intention of preventing re-establishment movements after ten years,” Rao added.

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Post Covid, Kerala tourism is all set to go local

KOCHI: The exponentially increasing Covid-19 cases continue to badly affect the tourism and hospitality industry. The first to be comprehensively affected, the sector is also expected to be the last to revive, owing to the nature of the pandemic.With no hope of international tourists arriving anytime soon, travel and tourism bodies in the state have leaned towards domestic and local tourism -- identifying unexplored places in the state, encouraging and generating interest in the same among Malayalis and offering the same experiences at lower rates -- thereby sustaining the distressed sector. ‘Keralam Kaanam’ is one such initiative by the Association of Tourism and Trade Organisation of India (ATTOI). It solely focuses on Malayalis in the state to restart tourism. “There are luxury hotels, houseboats and destinations that Malayalis are unaware. Under this scheme, hotels offer competitive and considerably lower rates. These uncharted gems will be marketed via local people. The website malayaliyathra.com in itself is in Malayalam. We have around 80 hotels and 23 agents to choose from. Earlier, several of these resorts fell under the expensive leisure travel and primarily catered to foreign tourists. With ‘Keralam Kaanam’, we intend to change it and provide a tailor-made experience and affordable price to our people,” said P V Manu, secretary, ATTOI.Manu highlighted that the demand for the initiative will be high owing to the considerable number of people who’re strapped in their houses, yearning to travel. The scheme also aims to lure newly-married couples, he added. While the scheme is readied and everything is in place, ATTOI awaits the government’s nod to kickstart the same. “Initially, the plan was to open these tourist destinations by July. However, the increasing number of Covid cases is a dampener. Regardless, we prefer commencing marketing only if the state has arrived at a stable situation to handle cases, else the chances of an uncontrollable community spread are high,” he said.Rupesh Kumar, state coordinator, Responsible Tourism Mission, stressed the importance of regional tourism. “Once the pandemic and the number of cases have subsided, we will commence projects such as ‘Experience Kerala with Your Family’ for Keralites and ‘Learning Experiences’, as part of responsible tourism at discounted rates. We require tourism programmes that allow an extended period of stay unlike mass tourism destinations like beaches. ‘Learning Experiences’ will include culinary adventures, imbibing art and culture forms, martial arts and handicrafts and souvenir making. These experiences will be offered for a duration of from three months to one year. Simultaneously, unique unexplored destinations will be in the spotlight,” he explained. The state coordinator acknowledged that the pandemic and subsequent lockdown saw a loss of `6.15 crore across around 18,000 registered RT units. This is after the RT units saw a revenue of `28 crore in the 2019-20 financial year. But, Bala Kiran, director of Kerala Tourism, said that the state now has adopted a wait and watch policy on opening tourist destinations or marketing new schemes for domestic tourists. “Currently, we’re getting ready with creatives for the marketing campaigns, so when the tourism season is officially open, we can begin campaigning,” he said.

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