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Coronavirus to affect world tourism rates, says WTO adviser

Of late, the spread of Coronavirus has severely impacted global tourism rates, making it the largest impediment in terms of global economic growth, said Adviser to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) Saeed el-Batouti. WTO adviser mentioned that there is a major drop in aviation demand forecast to 0.6% instead of 4.8 percent. He further added that the rate of bookings has declined by 11 percent since the outbreak of coronavirus. Expedia has removed China off its tourist destinations temporarily from the search engine, comprising bookings of hotels and flights because of the epidemic, as per el-Batouti, who said that there is need of tourists in Chinese cities. These 5 global navigation companies who have stopped their cruises to and from China for the time being – Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Cunard. El-Batouti also mentioned that the negative effect of coronavirus has extended to tourism in Southeast Asia countries including: Japan – Hong Kong – Macau – Thailand – Malaysia – Singapore – Vietnam – Cambodia – India – Sri Lanka – Bangladesh – Nepal – Bhutan – Myanmar – Philippines – Indonesia – Australia – New Zealand and the Pacific Islands (Oceania). Tourist sites, hotels and shops remained unfilled because of the fear of the outbreak. He stated that airlines are anticipated to lose almost 29 billion dollars in terms of revenue in 2020, and for tourism revenue losses in principle, are hoped to reach 3 billion USD worldwide. China sends almost 200 million tourists to various touristic destinations worldwide where Chinese tourists shows the highest tourism spending in the world amounting to 277 billion dollar in one year. As the outbreak of coronavirus is constantly spreading outside China, the World Health Organization has declared that coronavirus a global emergency, where the infected number in China reached 79,565 cases and the death toll hit 2,619 people.

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International air traffic could drop dramatically this year, owing to Novel Coronavirus

The International Air Transport Authority (IATA) has warned that the global air traffic this year might suffer a major dive for the first time in decades, all because of the deadly Coronavirus outbreak in China. Given the virus outbreak, the demand for flights has dipped to reached a new low, and has cost airlines more than $29 billion! Most of the loss is being suffered by the Asian airlines. Not only this, but the outbreak is also likely to reduce global traffic by 4.7 per cent. A similar situation was faced by the airlines during the time of the international financial crisis of 2008 - 2009. As per IATA's forecast, if the outbreak spreads further than China, more widely to Asia-Pacific markets, then it will have a huge negative impact on airlines from other regions too. As of now, the death toll has already reached 2200 across the globe and more than 76000 people are reportedly worldwide are infected with the deadly virus across the world already. In a press release, IATA’S CEO called the whole situation a challenging time for the global air transport industry. A lot of tough difficult decisions are being taken by the airlines to cut capacity and in some cases routes. Lower fuel costs will help offset some of the lost revenue. He further said, “Stopping the spread of the virus is the top priority. Airlines are following the guidance of the World Health Organization and other public health authorities to keep passengers safe, the world connected, and the virus contained.” This is the reason that a number of significant airlines have withdrawn/cancelled their services to mainland China. As of now, Beijing, the capital of China, has also put travel restrictions on its population count of more than 780 million population. All the domestic and global travel packages have been cancelled and, of course, international airlines will have to bear the brunt.

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Taj Mahotsav 2020 continues to woo tourists from across the globe

Agra is hosting the 10-day long Taj Mahotsav, which continues to woo visitors from across the globe. The festival is celebrated every year with much pomp and fervour, and has specific themes for every year. This time, Sanskriti ke Rang, Taj ke Sang is the theme that has been picked for Taj Mahotsav. People from across the globe throng to Agra to be a part of the festivities. This 10-day long carnival invokes the memories of the Mughal era and also showcases the nawabi style that was prevalent during the 18th and 19th centuries in Uttar Pradesh. The fest not only promotes tourism in Agra but also provides a platform to artisans to showcase and promote their art and handicraft. Celebrated every year from February 18 to 27 with a focussed theme, it is organised at Shilpgram, near the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal. The fest also attracts talents from across the country, whose brilliant performances leave the audiences spellbound. This time, various artists including Hemant Brijwasi and Meet Brothers will grace the event and enthral the audience. With rich arts and crafts, authentic cuisines, various dance performances, and much more all packed in one place, this 10-day long festival reflects India’s extraordinary legacies and rich heritage. Taj Mahotsav 2020 continues to woo tourists from across the globeCredit: iStock Important details about Taj Mahotsav 2020 Date: February 18 - 27, 2020 ·Venue: Shilpgram Taj Mahotsav 2020 - ticket prices Adults: INR 50 (which is inclusive of entry to cultural programs) Children aged 5―10 years: INR 10 Children up to 5 years: Free Foreign tourists fee: Free

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Emirates' latest sale includes ridiculously cheap return flights to Mauritius

Mauritius has earned its reputation as a dream holiday destination thanks to its white sand beaches, breathtaking landscapes and crystalline waters, so it's no surprise that it's on most people's bucket lists. Unfortunately, getting to the island can come with a hefty price tag; but thanks to Emirates, you could bag some temptingly cheap flights to the idyllic hotspot. That's because the airline's latest sales has return flights to Mauritius from £589pp, departing from either London Gatwick or London Stansted. Oh, and that includes extra perks such as your baggage allowance and an in-flight meal.You can already book on the Emirates website but you'll need to do so by the 9th March 2020 when the sale ends - and it's worth noting that the cheapest fares are subject to availability. If those two airports don't work for you, there are plenty more deals from other UK airports too including fares from London Heathrow from £619pp, Birmingham from £629pp and Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester or Newcastle from £639pp. The best part is that the window of travel dates includes the best time to visit Mauritius, which is usually between May and November when the weather is at its most glorious. The select travel dates, all in 2020, are: 24th February to 26th March 7th April to 9th July 9th August to 10th December

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IndiGo to star flights from Pune to Chandigarh, Indore

Budget airline IndiGo will start flights from Pune to Chandigarh and Indore, according to a release. Services to Chandigarh would commence from March 15, while those on the Pune-Indore route would begin from May 1. "The airline is the first to launch daily direct connections from Pune to Chandigarh and Indore after competitors withdrew their direct flights last year. The introduction of these flights will further bolster the airline's domestic connectivity," IndiGo said in a release on Monday. IndiGo has a fleet of more than 250 planes and operates over 1,500 flights.

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Europe stocks sink on fears coronavirus is spreading in Italy; airlines lead losses

European stocks closed sharply lower Monday as investors monitored the continuing spread of the coronavirus beyond China. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed down 3.8% provisionally, with travel and leisure stocks tumbling over 6% to lead losses as all sectors slid sharply into the red. Italy's FTSE MIB was down more than 1,350 points, or 5.5%. The country reported a sharp spike in coronavirus cases over the weekend. Coronavirus concerns continue to dominate headlines around the world, and there are widespread concerns over the spread of the virus in northern Italy. A seventh person infected with the coronavirus died in Italy on Monday, local media reported, while the number of confirmed cases rose to more than 220 in the country. The government has placed a dozen towns in the north under quarantine and closed down schools, museums and cinemas while other public events, including soccer matches, have been cancelled and the Venice Carnival cut short. Iran and South Korea have also seen a sharp rise in cases of the virus. More than 79,400 cases and at least 2,621 deaths have been confirmed worldwide. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank almost 900 points as traders monitored the spread of the virus. On the data front, a closely-watched German business climate index from the Ifo Institute on Monday showed business sentiment in the country improving in February, rising to 96.1 from 96.0 in January, to defy consensus forecasts for a fall to 95.3. Stocks suffering Airline stocks took the worst of Monday's losses. EasyJet stock plummeted 16.5% and Ryanair 13%, closely followed by a 9% drop for British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group. Meanwhile, Tour operator Tui tumbled 10% while German events company CTS Eventim dropped 10.6%.

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