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Phuket takes first step towards tourism recovery with new campaign

The Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) and global hospitality branding agency Quo have joined forces to launch a large-scale destination relaunch marketing campaign aimed at reviving travel to Phuket. Entitled Imagine Phuket, the destination campaign – in English and Thai – focuses on the sights, sounds, feelings, tastes and emotions that Phuket evokes for an international traveller. A fresh logo and video have also been unveiled. The initiative also enables the island’s hotels to come together, where each property will be given the resources to personalise videos, images and logos with their own branding, creating their own version of the campaign’s message. Seventy-five hotels have signed up to participate. “The Imagine Phuket video, and integrated social media campaign, are designed to drive emotion,” said Quo’s CEO David Keen. “We know that there is a massive desire to travel again, both locally and internationally. Our intent is to bring the story back to Phuket.” PHA hopes that these efforts go towards helping to restore the island’s tourism industry and save jobs, as the destination has been one of the hardest-hit in Thailand. In a press conference on June 10, Phuket Chamber of Commerce’s president Thanusak Phungdet told reporters that Covid-19 cost the island over 120 billion baht (US$3.9 million) in lost income, with losses expected by to reach 280 billion baht by the end of the year if the situation doesn’t improve. But despite unemployment increasing by over 34 per cent year-on-year, according to local reports, island residents remain resilient. Phuket welcomed over 10 million arrivals last year, and in the months after reopening, Phuket’s hotel industry aims to attract a sizeable chunk of Thailand’s 20 million domestic travellers. International travellers will have to wait, but the country has indicated it plans to reopen this summer.

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India extends international commercial flight ban till July 15

New Delhi: India's aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Friday, issued a circular extending the ban on international commercial flights till July 15. This extension of restrictions will not affect cargo or other flights approved by the DGGA, the circular stated. However, international scheduled flights on selected routes may be allowed may be permitted on case to case basis, it added. The DGCA order today comes ahead of the stipulated deadline in an earlier circular which extended the restrictions on international travel till June 30. Airlines hoped that international commercial flight operations would resume as India slowly reopens its coronavirus-shuttered economy, however, an unrelenting spike in Covid-19 cases has compelled authorities to tread with caution. Domestic flights in the country restarted on May 25 but international flights remained suspended barring cargo and special repatriation flights under the government's 'Vande Bharat Mission' to bring stranded Indians back home. Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri earlier this month stated that the government is mulling opening up of India's skies for travel to and from the country. In a tweet, the minister had said, "Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights. Due to increasing demand for resumption of scheduled international flights by people who want to travel abroad due to compelling reasons, I reviewed the state of international flight operations around the world. Globally the situation is far from normal." The Aviation Minister also said that most countries have less than 10% international operations because they are allowing entry only to their own citizens & have placed restrictions on foreign nationals. "Many are allowing inbound flights from few countries but have also placed restrictions of quarantine/isolation," Puri added. India had earlier expressed hope that it might resume flight operations on select destinations. Puri-led aviation ministry earlier this week stated, “As we move from controlled and managed aviation evacuation of our citizens in different parts of the world and foreign nationals from India, we are now looking at the possibility of establishing bilateral arrangements”.

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HP tourism welcomes interest subvention scheme on loans

Himachal Pradesh tourism and hospitality sector associates have welcomed the government’s interest subvention scheme on loans saying the move will help revive the tourism industry, which was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The state government had approved the interest subvention scheme on loans in a meeting held on Thursday. Under the scheme, tourism units paying GST up to ₹1 crore will be entitled to a maximum loan of ₹50 lakh and those paying GST between ₹ 1crore up to ₹3 crore for at least one year ending March 31 will be entitled to loan up to ₹75 lakh. The units paying ₹3 crore GST will be eligible for a loan of ₹1 crore. Small registered tourism units will also be eligible for a maximum loan of ₹15 lakh. Ashwani Bamba, president of Hotel and Restaurant Association Dharamshala and state spokesperson, All Himachal Association of Hospitality and Tourism said following the Covid-19 pandemic, people associated with the tourism industry were demanding financial help from the government to revive the sector. The industry was totally shut for the past three months and its associates are finding it difficult to pay even the fixed expenses, said Bamba. “Hoteliers were finding it difficult to pay for the fixed expenses like electricity/water, insurance, taxes, staff, and bank interest payments. We had requested for working capital from the state co-operative banks at subsidised rates of interest, so we could pay our fixed expenses,” he said. This loan period will be for four years with interest subvention of 50% each for the first two years. Welcoming the government’s move Bamba said: “We are thankful to the state government for this big relief to hoteliers in this difficult time”. Meanwhile, President, Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association Sanjay Sood said, “The government assistance was direly needed as the hotel business has been badly hurt.”

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Dubai Tourism turns to Snapchat AR Lenses to encourage tourism

Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has released the results of a Snapchat campaign it ran in May to remind travellers that sunny days are ahead in Dubai, which will return as a popular go-to destination for international visitors once COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased. As part of Dubai Tourism’s ‘Till we meet again’ campaign, four augmented reality (AR) Snapchat Lenses were developed to transport users in the UK and France to Dubai to experience famous destinations including the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Frame, Al Seef, and Madinat Jumeirah. More than 9.2m people in the UK and France used the Dubai Tourism Lenses to virtually visit local landmarks. The campaign, which ran over a two-week period, had strong engagement with Snapchatters in the UK and France, exceeding time-spent expectations by more than 180 per cent, before they shared it with friends and family on Snapchat. A post-campaign brand study that ran in May examined users’ desire to consider Dubai as a travel destination once borders reopen and travel becomes possible. The findings from this study showed that more than 30 per cent of Snapchatters in the UK and France were positive about visiting Dubai once COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased, while their overall ad awareness greatly exceeded campaign expectations. “Dubai Tourism is delighted with the success of this creative partnership with Snapchat, which has helped sustain global interest and consideration for Dubai by reinforcing its position as a safe must-visit destination,” said Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing. “Not only has this campaign spread positivity and happiness among travellers, but it has given them real motivation to plan for their next holiday to Dubai once the COVID-19 travel restrictions are eventually lifted.”

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What to expect from your ‘new normal’ trip to Bali

Tourism is the beating heart of Bali’s economy as around 60 percent of the island’s gross regional product (PDRB) comes from the travel industry. Unfortunately, tourism is one of the sectors hardest-hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, affecting the lives of Bali residents and changing the way people visit the island. According to Indonesian Tourist Industry Association (GIPI) data, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Bali dropped by 93.24 percent in April. Since this has greatly affected the economy, the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA) in Bali has pleaded with the government to complete the so-called "new normal" protocol stipulations by the end of the month and reopen the island to tourists by July to prevent travel companies from collapsing. Tourism stakeholders, such as the Bali Hotels Association, an organization with over 158 members, comprising general managers of hotels and resorts on the island, have also prepared new protocols to welcome travelers. The association representative told The Jakarta Post via email that they had prepared health and safety guidelines for hotels, while also conducting a publicity campaign on Bali, which is aimed at reminding the world’s travelers about the island. Here are several things that travelers can expect to experience during their next trip to Bali. 1. Buffet no more Social distancing will be commonly practiced in every part of the island. However, hotels such as Belmond Jimbaran Puri, The Mulia, Mulia Resorts and Villas, Nusa Dua, and the Marriott hotel chain have also prepared other protocols to ensure their guests’ health and safety. Belmond Jimbaran Puri, slated to reopen on July 1, will be applying an online check-in process and adjustments to dining and housekeeping services. “Guests who have booked with us directly will be able to complete the check-in process online prior to arrival,” said Belmond Jimbaran Puri general manager Charles Kneipp. As for the dining experience, Kneipp said that guests could opt for breakfast served by a dedicated butler in their villa or outdoors at the hotel’s Nelayan restaurant. The property will also be replacing menu books with chalkboards or a single-use menu made of recyclable material. With regard to housekeeping, Kneipp mentioned that the staff members would refrain from entering rooms while guests are present. The Mulia, Mulia Resort and Villas will also apply similar protocols. In addition to sanitizing all areas, keeping social distancing and maintaining hygiene, the property will insist that guests shower before entering the pool or using spa facilities and use hand sanitizer before using equipment, anyone who is sick may not use these facilities. As for the Marriott hotel chain, the company’s marketing vice president for Indonesia Ramesh Jackson said that the organization had created the Marriott Global Cleanliness Council, which focuses on developing the next level of global hospitality cleanliness standards to minimize risk and enhance safety for guests and associates. “We are rolling out enhanced technologies over the next few months and also adding more hand sanitizer stations near high-traffic areas,” said Jackson, adding that the hotel chains were also testing ultraviolet light technology to sanitize room keys and devices shared by staff members. 2. Beach clubs with new protocols Beach clubs, such as Karma Beach Bali in Badung and Artotel Beach Club in Sanur, are among the most popular tourist attractions in Bali. The former has reopened to guests, starting June 20. In a recent interview with the Post, Karma Group founder and chairman John Spence said it would practice social distancing and ensure reduced density in Karma Beach. Now, the club proudly welcomes guests and claims to be "the most socially distancing aware private beach in Bali." Artotel Beach Club has yet to announce its reopening date. However, the management has started working with new protocols. Artotel Group corporate director of marketing communications, Yulia Maria, said that to practice social distancing, it planned to reduce the capacity of the beach club. The club will run almost the same as in pre-COVID-19 days, however, it will now be mandatory for guests to wear face masks while in the hotel and restaurant areas. 3. Safer dine-in restaurants Bali is also home to many international restaurants. While some eateries are still offering takeaway services, Mozaic Restaurant in Ubud is now implementing new protocols. Helmed by Chris Salan, the restaurant now conducts body temperature screening tests for both guests and staff members. It also applies 2-meter distancing between guests and staff members. To ensure hygiene, the staff members are required to wear face masks, goggles and gloves. 4. Dancers armed with hand sanitizers Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park, home to the iconic 21-story monument depicting Hindu deity Vishnu, in Badung regency, has also prepared new protocols. The park’s marketing communication and event general manager Andre R. Prawiradisastra said during a recent virtual event held by travel media DestinAsian Indonesia that they would also apply social distancing, provide hand sanitizers for visitors and conduct body temperature screening. “There will be dancers distributing hand sanitizers to visitors,” said Andre. (kes)

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Darjeeling: Queen of Hills all set to welcome tourist from July 1

Kolkata: Darjeeling, the queen of hills, is all set to welcome tourists from July 1 onwards, after three months since lockdown began due to Covid-19 outbreak. The hills survive on Tea, tourism and education. Covid-19, like elsewhere had paralyzed the economy in the hills. Hotels are out of business, restaurants, shopping markets are shut because of no tourists. Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), the autonomous administrative body for the hills of Darjeeling has formed a committee consisting of hotel owners, Political parties, district administration and police. In their last meeting, the committee has decided to reopen hotels for tourism purpose to revive the economy. Hotel owners are advised to strictly follow the standard operating protocols as per the guidelines of the central government. "We welcome the decision. Tourism is the backbone of the hills. We are all concerned about the virus but the livelihood has to be saved too. The hotel owners have decided to open their doors again and people across the country are most welcome. It's not a risk but prudent call we are taking", said Binay Tamag, GJM leader and chief of GTA. The tourists, however, will have to produce their fitness certificate before entering into the hills. There will be a screening of every tourist at two separate points before finally reaching the town of Darjeeling. All the hotels have been asked to be ready with the screening machinery at their entrance gate. Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling, part of the sirene hill station has more than 250 hotels and resorts. More than 2200 feet above the sea level, the hills of Darjeeling sees footfall round the year, one of most loved destinations in India. The tourism season there is divided in two parts- from February till June as the first quarter and the second quarter begins in September and continues till January. While the first quarter sees more than 3 lakh tourists on an average every year but the seconds quarter traditionally has seen more foreign tourists taking the total footfall above five lakhs at times. The first quarter business is dead for this year and the aim is to help boost the second quarter by opening tourism now, even though it's an offseason now owing to monsoons. "Some hotels had opened up from June 8 but couldn't sustain. We are not expecting international tourists anymore this year because booking for the same generally happens by July and there is no clarity about the resumption of international flights. Many hotels have stopped paying wages even though we have been asked to pay 50 per cent of their gross salary to our staffs. It's a difficult time but hopefully, things will change for better after GTA has extended support to the hotel association" said Tenzing, owner of a chain of hotels in Darjeeling. Locals in the hills, out of fear had objected resumption of business, but they have been now taken into confidence by GTA. Proper sanitization and screening have been assured. For the time being the tourists will be encouraged to drive down to the hills in their personal vehicles to reduce public contact and transmission. While most of the employees at these hotels and restaurants are local but about 25 per cent of the total strength are also migrants from other parts of Bengal. Many of them have lost their jobs.

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