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Sri Lanka reopening for Tourism August 1 - All countries welcome

Sri Lanka is officially reopening for tourism on August 1, 2020 – allowing all countries and nations to visit. As long as visitors agree to bringing a negative PCR test with them, and agree to have another test upon arrival, there is no quarantine period. Sri Lanka is a nation that has been soaring in popularity over the past years, drawing in tourists who are looking for the next undiscovered paradise. It’s even been called ‘The New Bali’ by expats and nomads who have set their sights on the island nation off the coast of India. Since shutting their borders in March, the tourism sector which supports over 12% of the nations GDP, has been devastated. The recent announcement that Sri Lanka is reopening its borders for tourism has given many struggling locals a new hope for their businesses. Visitors from all countries and of all nationalities are welcome to visit Sri Lanka in August, unlike some other countries who have only announced reopening’s to close neighbors. However, there are some things you need to know before you travel to Sri Lanka, including how to get a Visa, plus the covid regulations for entering the country. Which Countries Can Visit Sri Lanka? The Sri Lankan government has stated that all countries and nationalities are welcome to come when they open the borders on August 1st. What Are The Rules For Entry into Sri Lanka? BEFORE BOARDING: In order to be granted access to Sri Lanka after Aug 1, here’s what all tourists will need: -A valid visa; this will be issued for 30 days and extendable for up to 6 months after arrival. Online visa at http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ -Proof of accommodation and at least a 5 day stay in the country -Proof of health insurance for duration of stay -Proof of return ticket -A negative Covid PCR test is required prior to boarding your flight and on arrival in Sri Lanka. The test should be no older than 72 hours prior to boarding. AFTER ARRIVAL: -Another Covid PCR test will be given to arrivals. There is no charge for this test. -4-5 days into your vacation, another test will be given at your accommodation by a mobile test unit -For travelers staying more than 10 days, a 3rd test will be given -To adhere to all health advisories in place (like social distancing and hand washing)

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Maldives open to tourists without any restrictions from July

Good news for those missing basking in the sun on a beach, as the beautiful island nation of Maldives has decided to reopen its doors for tourists without any COVID-19 restrictions. Set in the Indian Ocean, the country is doing all preparations to open for tourists from all over world as early as this July. Just a few weeks ago, the country had announced a number of travel restrictions given the pandemic, but the scene is completely different now. From July, all those interested in exploring the pristine beaches, will be able to do so without applying for any visa, or undergoing any Coronavirus medical health test. Also, there won’t be any self-quarantine for tourists too and they can stay in the Maldives for as long as they want! The rules are much more relaxed than pre-COVID era! On June 10, the Ministry of Tourism in Maldives posted a video on Twitter with a caption, "See you in July.” In the 49-seconds video, we see people from different countries saying, “The sun will shine in the Maldives again”. *No visa required to visit Maldives* The Maldivian government has decided to go visa-free from July! However, this was not the scene two weeks ago. In fact, the rules were quite stringent for tourists. Earlier, it was decided that a tourist visa would cost around $100 (INR 7600), for a minimum 14-night stay. Also, tourists were asked to provide their Coronavirus test result (not older than a week) before their arrival in the country. Not only this, the earlier rule also made it mandatory for tourists to get tested again when they land in the Maldives by paying $100. Also, quarantine was a must till tourists got their test results. This sudden turn in tourism policies might be because the country is completely dependant on tourism. Ever since the lockdown, which began in March, there hasn’t been much economic growth. Till now, the Maldives has reported 2013 COVID-19 positive cases and 8 deaths on its islands.

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Mumbai airport to operate 100 flights from Today

Three weeks after domestic flights resumed, the government on Monday permitted the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to cater to 100 domestic commercial flights from Tuesday. In a statement, the GVK-led Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said it had been permitted to cater to 50 departures and arrivals each. “The move will also see an increase in the sectors that we are currently handling. We are glad about the progress that has come in favour of CSMIA, and we continue to relentlessly work towards ensuring the safety of our passengers and smooth functioning at the airport,” an airport spokesperson said. Officials of all airlines were redrawing flight plans for Tuesday onwards with unserved sectors like Chennai and Goa likely to find flights. Airlines have worked on ensuring that passengers are told that air travel is the safest mode of transport due to its controlled access and passenger tracking possibilities at arrival and departure terminals. Less than 1% of the people who flew since May 25 have been detected to have COVID-19. A Vistara spokesperson said it would be adding a few flights to and from Mumbai for the next couple of days. “We are awaiting necessary government approvals. Further additions to the network will firm up over the course of the week.” CSMIA has been catering to just about 10% of flight operations as against 33% at Delhi and Bengaluru airports. Passenger data available show that Mumbai airport catered to 30,000 people in the first five days of domestic flights resuming operations on May 25, thereafter balancing out to an average of 5,000 passengers a day. CSMIA has till date catered to 1,056 domestic commercial passenger flight movements, which include 531 departures and 525 arrivals. From May 25 until Monday, the airport has catered to 1,30,385 passengers, which include 91,593 passengers at departures and 38,792 at arrivals.

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Madhya Pradesh reopens tourist destinations

Madhya Pradesh (MP) has announced the reopening of State Tourism Development Corporation run-hotels, resorts and private hotels. The state’s national parks are also opening today. The region is known for its wildlife hotspots with 11 national parks and 24 wildlife sanctuaries such as Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary and National Chambal Sanctuary. Sanitisation and fumigation of the tourist spots have been undertaken. The tourism board has said that all health, hygiene and safety guidelines have been implemented as per SOP issued by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Sonia Meena, IAS, additional managing director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board said, “Madhya Pradesh being into Inbound tourism promotion is very strong with its domestic tourism products and wildlife is one of them. Opening up tourist attractions would also give a sense of “returning to normalcy”. “We see great potential after reopening our destinations like wildlife, heritage, pilgrimage, leisure, and adventure tourism opportunities” Initially, the state is looking to attract travellers from neighbouring states, who can make use of the enhanced road connectivity. MP’s tourism board has also introduced luxury caravans for travellers who wish to explore the state while minimising physical contact.

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Iceland opens up for tourism post COVID-19 border restrictions

According to the latest reports, Iceland is opening for tourism on June 15, but not for all. As reported by a reputed magazine, some countries might have to wait until the month of July. Katrin Jakobsdottir, the Prime Minister of Iceland, had announced last month about the nation’s intentions to reopen for tourism. Furthermore, it was also reported that travellers would be required to get tested at the airport upon arrival. Iceland had issued a statement on June 5, saying that passengers will have the option to choose from a COVID-19 test, or a two-week quarantine. While the tests will remain free for passengers for the month of June, travellers will have to pay ISK15000 or US $112 for one test from July 1. However, it was also reported that children born in the year 2005 and later will not have to go through the test or the quarantine. Also, those coming into the country are not permitted to bring their test results from their home country. Before your arrival, you will have to fill out a pre-registration form, and you are encouraged to download the country’s contact tracing app that is called Rakning C-19. Meanwhile, countries in Europe are slowly opening their borders. However, travelling like how it used to be is still a long way. This is because Spain continues to remain closed, while there are some patches of restrictions throughout Europe. This is making it hard for free flowing travel. It has been reported that Ylva Johansson, the European Home Affairs Commissioner, has asked Schengen countries to lift their internal border controls. Such a move can help the tourism industry, and countries could open up for summer vacations.

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Number of flights, passengers on the rise at Chandigarh airport

With around 12 flights operating from Chandigarh airport now, the incoming passenger frequency in the last one week has increased with approximately 1,000 passengers arriving and departing daily. The operations resumed at the airport on May 25 after it remained closed for more than two months in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. As per flight schedule data, the flights are now departing with 80% occupancy and arriving with 91% occupancy since last week. DAILY FOOTFALL MUCH LOWER THAN AVERAGE According to the data provided by the airport authorities, in the last six days, a total of 2,978 passengers have arrived in Chandigarh, whereas 2,686 have departed. A total of 65 flights have operated so far to and from Chandigarh between June 10 and June 14, carrying only 5,664 passengers. On Sunday, seven flights operated to and from Chandigarh in which 386 passengers arrived and 328 departed, with a total footfall of 714. A day before on Saturday, 16 flights operated to and from Chandigarh in which 915 passengers arrived and 765 departed with a total footfall of 1,680. Before the lockdown, the average footfall at the airport used to be around 5,000-5,500 passengers daily. The footfall has increased gradually since May 25 when operations resumed. During the first two weeks, only 2,376 passengers arrived in 31 flights functioning with 42% occupancy, and only 1,433 departed with a 26% occupancy. The most popular destinations from where maximum passengers have been arriving are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmadabad, Bengaluru, Dharamshala and Srinagar, and the most popular carriers are Indigo, Air India, Air Asia, Go Air and Air Vistara.

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