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Dubai, Mumbai top wish-list of most Indian travellers post COVID-19 crisis

MUMBAI: Even as travel is on pause amid COVID-19, Indian travel enthusiasts are making wish lists of places they would like to visit post the crisis, and financial capital of the country and Dubai have topped the chart as most sought-after domestic and international destinations, as per a survey. The top domestic destination for Indian travellers is Mumbai, followed by Goa, New Delhi, Lonavala and Bengaluru, a survey by digital travel company Booking.com said. For international destinations in Indian travellers wish-list includes Dubai as the top destination, followed by Ubud (Bali), Bangkok (Thailand), Istanbul (Turkey) and London (UK), it added. The survey is based on comparing wish-list data on Booking.com platform between March and April 2020. "These are unprecedented and challenging times in which safety remains the top priority. We also know that in such times, dreaming about experiencing the world again has immense power to fire our imaginations and keep spirits high. "It's amazing to see the array of different travel experiences our customers have been busy dreaming about while they wait for the opportunity to travel again. Building a wish list on Booking.com is an inspirational way for everyone to start dreaming about travel again," Booking.com Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Ritu Mehrotra said. Meanwhile, while dreaming about a change in scenery and the opportunity to enjoy a stay experience outside of their own home, most Indians travellers would refer to stay in hotels followed by resorts, guest houses, apartments and villas. Hotels account for nearly 42 per cent of all properties wished by Indians over the last two months whereas resorts count for 18 per cent, which is more than the global average of 6 per cent, it said. When it comes to global travellers, New Delhi, Mumbai, Calangute (Goa), Jaipur and Bengaluru are the top five destinations in India that the most globetrotters have wished to visit during March and April 2020, it added.

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Health protocols to be priority in Bali tourism recovery strategy

The government is preparing a tourism recovery strategy after the sector was severely impacted by the emergency measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister’s undersecretary, Ridwan Djamaluddin, said the government would soon establish a team to coordinate efforts to revive tourism alongside private companies and stakeholders. “We are currently formulating a strategy and raising funds to revive tourism. The ministry has proposed establishing a joint team to coordinate our efforts, as the government and private sector cannot work separately” he said during an online discussion held by Tourism Aware Citizens (Masata) on May 14. Tourism came to a virtual halt when the COVID-19 outbreak hit Indonesia in March. The situation worsened in the following months after the government imposed a partial lockdown to halt the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. According to the latest data issued by Statistic Indonesia (BPS), foreign tourist arrivals fell 64.1 percent year-on-year (yoy) in March to 470,898 visitors, a level unseen since February 2009. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, however, believes tourism will rebound in 2021 with the government to prioritize it in its economic agenda, according to the Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko. “The President projected that there would be a tourism boom next year and the industry should be ready for it,” he said during the discussion. As part of the recovery program, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry will launch online marketing campaigns and improve hygiene and safety standards in major tourist destinations to attract foreign tourists. “As part of the rebound strategy, we will deliver a message to the market that the safety and hygiene of our tourist destinations are in accordance with international standards. By doing so, we can spur confidence and maintain our credibility among potential visitors,” said the ministry's deputy head of resources and institutional affairs, Frans Teguh. In addition, Frans said the ministry also provided online training for tourism workers who wished to improve their skills and prepare themselves for shifts in consumer behavior. Local administrations are also preparing various strategies, with health, safety and hygiene protocols a priority. Bali’s deputy governor Tjokorda Oka Arta Ardhana said the province planned to establish “tourism clusters”, which would be exclusive tourist zones in which high-level health protocols would be implemented, so that tourists could be welcomed back without the risk of spreading COVID-19 to locals. “We don’t want to have a second wave of infections when we reopen. Therefore, we are currently discussing setting up tourism clusters around the island,” he said. Meanwhile, Belitung’s deputy regent Isyak Meirobie proposed offering tourism packages that would include a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for visitors who visited the island. “The tourists would have to take a swab test on their arrival to the island, which would be part of the tour package. If they’re found negative, they could roam freely on the island,” he said. A recent survey by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) confirmed the predicted change in traveler preferences, with health and safety becoming a major concern for future trips. The survey was conducted among 1,200 Chinese tourists, who made up the largest group of foreign visitors to the country before the pandemic. “The tourists surveyed hope that travel agencies and destinations take the necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of tourists during their travels,” the study read.

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IndiGo, SpiceJet, other airlines resume online bookings for domestic flights for June

Some airlines have started bookings for flights from June onwards, sources said amid commercial flight services remaining suspended till May 31 due to the coronavirus lockdown. A SpiceJet spokesperson, however, said its international bookings are closed till June 15. Commercial flights have been suspended since March 25 when the country-wide lockdown began to curb the spread of coronavirus. "Domestic airlines have opened bookings for their flights from June onwards," one of the sources said on Monday. Sources at IndiGo and Vistara said they were taking bookings for domestic flights. When contacted, a SpiceJet spokesperson, in a statement, said," Our international bookings are closed till June 15." There was no official comments from IndiGo, Vistara and GoAir on commencement of bookings. On Monday, Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) National President Sudhakara Reddy had flagged about some airlines'' commencing bookings. "We understand 6E (IndiGo), SpiceJet, GoAir hv started taking bookings for international flights, imagining that flights will operate from 1st June. Pl don''t fall for it. Ur money will become a credit shell, instead keep it safe at home," he claimed in a tweet. Soon after the nationwide lockdown was extended till May 31, aviation regulator DGCA on Sunday said all scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended till May 31 midnight. "Foreign and domestic airlines shall be suitably informed about the opening of their operations whether international to or from India or domestic, respectively, in due course," it added. After airlines did not refund customers in cash in the initial phase of the lockdown for the cancelled flights, the civil aviation ministry had asked domestic carriers to give full refund to customers seeking cancellation of tickets booked during that period. The advisory was issued after several people complained on social media about their ordeal with domestic airlines which decided not to give refund in cash for cancelled flights due to the lockdown and instead issued credit shell for future travel. The ministry had said any ticket booked between the lockdown period of March 25 to May 3 is entitled to get full refund without any cancellation charges. There has been no advisory since then.

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All flights will remain suspended at least till the end of this month

NEW DELHI : All domestic and international flights will remain suspended till 31 May, the government said on Sunday, as it extended the countrywide lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak by another fortnight. Only domestic air ambulances, flights for medical services and security purposes, and repatriation flights by Air India will be allowed to operate during this period, the home ministry said in a circular. India suspended all flights since 25 March when the government first imposed a nationwide lockdown. The lockdown has since been extended thrice, every fortnight, from the initial announcement date. National carrier Air India Ltd on Sunday said it will resume flight bookings only after receiving directions from the government. It asked passengers to follow the Twitter handles of the civil aviation ministry and Air India, and their respective websites, for official announcements on resumption of flights. An internal memo of Air India said earlier that all its domestic flights, except for charter and evacuation flights, will remain cancelled till 31 May, adding that the date for starting operations will be notified in due course. “The delay in resumption of flights will hurt airlines dearly. As airline costs keep piling up, revenues have dried up completely. And, to top it, there’s an uncertainty with resumption of services," said an official with a no-frills carrier. Spokespersons of IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir, Vistara and AirAsia India were not immediately available for comment. Indian airlines are losing an estimated to ₹90 crore every day due to the shutdown of operations. The airlines also expect weak demand due to traveller concerns of viral infection when flights resume. “Considering the daily net loss of about ₹75-90 crore during the shutdown of operations and the expected weak demand, the Indian aviation industry will require additional funding of ₹325 billion-350 billion over FY2021-23," Kinjal Shah, vice president of rating agency Icra, said in a recent report. According to Icra, the profitability of India’s airline industry is expected to be adversely impacted in FY21 due to lower revenues and high fixed costs (35-42% of the total cost of airlines). “Overall, the industry will witness 41-46% degrowth in domestic passenger traffic and 67-72% degrowth in international passenger traffic for the Indian carriers in FY21," added the rating agency.

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Hospitality, Tourism in chaos after FM’s last tranche of economic reliefs ditches sector

In her fifth and last tranche of relief and reform package, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman concluded her speech with no mention of hospitality and tourism. The sector that contributes close to 10 per cent to the country’s GDP was once again completely excluded from any kind of relief. Stakeholders have been continuously informing and updating the Government about the distress the industry has been in since the lockdown came into effect. With not even the slightest reassurance, let alone any stimulus or relief package, from the Government, the industry is decidedly looking at a major catastrophe including massive job loss, bankrupt enterprises and definite closure of at least 70 per cent of hospitality establishments across the country. Hospitality industry’s apex Association – Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has expressed deep disappointment and utter shock with the Government’s callous attitude towards the sector. It has called for the Government to immediately action a stimulus package for hospitality for avoiding unfathomable consequences of failing the industry. “The entire industry is confused, hysterical and in disbelief after listening to the FM’s speech. There was no mention of hospitality and tourism at all. An industry that the Hon. PM has mentioned as being one of the five pillars of economic growth and country’s pride was once again completely omitted from any kind of relief. The hospitality and tourism industry generates close to Rs.17 lakh crores contributing roughly 10 per cent of India's GDP and supports over 43 million jobs translating to almost 9 per cent of its total employment. Despite this knowledge the Government has chosen to completely ignore us, yet again,” said Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, FHRAI and President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI). In the fight against the pandemic, restaurants volunteered for feeding the needy by preparing and distributing lakhs of meals for workers, colonies, doctors, health workers, and essential services staff, among others every day and hotels across the country pledged thousands of rooms to aid the Government in its efforts to quarantine people house doctors, healthcare workers and Government staff which is on-going even as of today. Pradeep Shetty, Jt. Hon. Sec. FHRAI & Vice President, HRAWI said, “Since the lockdown came into effect, we have been keeping the Government informed about the developments in the industry. We have been identifying and suggesting the possible ways that the Government could intervene to help us get through this difficult phase. We have never shied away from going out of our way to support the Government voluntarily and also whenever it called upon us. We have been patiently waiting for it to throw us a line for the much needed support. But we are utterly flabbergasted today to learn that we are not even in the consideration set. We are in a complete state of shock because of the insensitivity shown by the Government.” The Government has to go beyond words and take decisive steps to safeguard the industry and millions of jobs of people whose lives are dependent on a thriving tourism sector. UNWTO (World Tourism Organisation) urged members to increase pressure on world leaders to rethink tax and employment policies relating to tourism and to help make sure, businesses survive to help drive wider recovery effects. The Government with its step motherly treatment is losing the opportunity to recognise Tourism’s unique ability to not only provide employment but also to drive equality and inclusivity to lead recovery efforts. The tourism and hospitality industry has no cash inflow and expects it to be next to nil for at least until the mid of next year. Everything hinges on the complete eradication of the virus and which at present does not seem to be anywhere on the horizon. “Apprehension in people’s minds coupled with a weakened economy will make getting back on our feet without Government intervention, impossible. Migrants constitute approximately 65 per cent of hotel industry’s employment and roughly 60 per cent of hotels in the country are in the economy or mid-market segments. With migrants making their way back home, if and when we do resume business, we won’t have the same kind of manpower we had. Our projections indicate that within the next 30 to 45 days as many as 70 per cent of hotels and restaurants put together will close down. The FHRAI calls upon the Government for its urgent attention and plead to bail us from this eventuality,” concluded Kohli.

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Italy set to restart tourism as early as July

Italy will reopen to European tourists from early June and scrap a 14-day mandatory quarantine period, the government said on Saturday, as it quickened the exit from the coronavirus lockdown. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte enforced an economically crippling shutdown in early March to counter a pandemic that has so far killed more than 31,500 people in Italy. The shutdown halted all holidaymaking in a country heavily dependent on the tourism industry. Although Italy never formally closed its borders and has allowed people to cross back and forth for work or health reasons, it banned movement for tourism and imposed a two-week isolation period for new arrivals. In March, the European Union banned foreign nationals from entering its Schengen zone, an open border zone comprising 22 of 27 member states, with exceptions for medical workers and essential travel. But on Wednesday, the EU set out plans for a phased restart of summer travel, urging member states to reopen its internal borders, while recommending that external borders remain shut for most travel until at least the middle of June. In a press release, Italy’s government did not explicitly state which foreign nationals would be allowed to enter, but said its new measures respected the “legal order of the European Union”. Beginning on June 3, visitors within the Schengen zone will be allowed to enter Italy with no obligation to self-isolate. Italians will also be able to move between regions, though local authorities can limit travel if infections spike. Movements to and from abroad can be limited by regional decree “in relation to specific states and territories, in accordance with the principles of adequacy and proportionality to the epidemiological risk”, the government said. The latest decree is also a boon to Italy’s agricultural sector, which relies on roughly 350,000 seasonal workers from abroad. Farming lobby group Coldiretti said farms were already preparing to organise some 150,000 workers from places including Romania, Poland and Bulgaria. The peak of Italy’s contagion passed at the end of March but with experts warning a second wave cannot be ruled out, Conte had been reluctant to lift the lockdown quickly. His approach frustrated many of Italy’s regions, with some already allowing businesses to reopen before the restrictions were lifted. Restaurants, bars and hairdressers are being allowed to reopen on Monday, two weeks earlier than initially planned. Shops will also open and Italians will finally be able to see friends, as long as they live within their same region. Church services will begin again but the faithful will have to follow social distancing rules and holy water fonts will be empty. Mosques will also reopen.

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