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Tourists yes, but no site-seeing, Tourism department instructs hoteliers in Dharamsala

The hoteliers of Dharamsala have refused to accept the proposal of tourism department to re-start operations from June 8. The members of the hotel association alleged that the government was trying to shift the entire burden of containing the coronavirus on the distressed hotel industry and also asking them to re-start the operations. Sources said that some of proposals that were discussed in video conferencing meeting held yesterday with hoteliers by the senior officials of tourism department have left members of hotel associations dazed. One of the proposals that officials presented before the hoteliers was that the tourists coming to the state will not be allowed for local site-seeing, tours, market visits or move outside the hotel. The tourism department also proposed that in case tourists move outside the hotel, it will be viewed a violation and action will be initiated against the hotelier and client under the law. However, the tourists will be free to move within the hotel the proposal states as per documents available with The Tribune. The other proposal that has left the hoteliers fuming is that tourists coming to hotels in Himachal would be welcomed at the reception with ‘kadha’ which the tourists will be served once a day. The menu of the hotels would be decided by the health department. The hoteliers have also been directed against allowing people with temperature, cold, kidney ailments and lung problems. The hoteliers have maintained that they are in no position conduct the health check up of the visiting tourists. They are saying that onus of checking the coronavirus infection should be on the state and not on the hoteliers. Former Congress minister, Vijai Singh Mankotia has termed the proposals an effort to kill tourism in the state. “How could the tourism department even discuss such proposals. I shall request the government not to make Himachal a laughing stock by making such propoals.” Mankotia said. Sanjeev Gandhi, state co-convenor of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurants Association (FOHRA), while talking to The Tribune, said that the hoteliers were in no position to open up on June 8 under present set of conditions proposed by the state government. He said some of the conditions proposed by the tourism department were illogical. Ashwani Bamba, president of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Upper Dharamsala, said that government has proposed to open hotels for corporate clients. However, corporate clients were not even 2 per cent of the total business in place like Dharamsala. The hotels cannot start functioning in Dharamsala until the tourists were allowed to travel to the state by air, Volvo buses and trains, he said.

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International flight may resume soon

DGCA and AAI planning to recommence operations to Europe, U.S., Canada. After largely closing its airspace to commercial flights, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is contemplating to resume international flights by this month itself. Sources told The Hindu that the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are weighing the options for recommencing international flights, especially to Europe, the U.S. and Canada. However, any decision in this regard would be taken only in accordance with the lifting of travel restrictions imposed by other nations to control COVID-19. Several Non-Resident Indian (NRI) organisations and expatriates have been demanding resumption of the flights to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. Big demand “Numerous people have been approaching us to restart the international flights. Several factors need to be addressed. Many international destinations are not allowing incoming passenger traffic except for their own citizens or diplomats,” Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, tweeted on Monday evening. Sources said some nations such as Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE have rolled back their lockdown measures. But these nations have not lifted the restrictions imposed on foreign residents. Flights are subjected to prior approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation in Saudi Arabia and passengers have not been allowed to enter Kuwait. Sources said NRIs holding valid residence permits in the UAE have approached the Ministry of Civil Aviation to work or business. India is willing to fly out people having valid documents to countries which are allowing foreigners to enter. But due to the travel restrictions, the evacuation flights to the UAE are going empty from India, the Minister said. 50,000 evacuated Already more than 50,000 Indians have been evacuated through the Vande Bharat mission from first week of May. However, the number of passengers ferried by outbound flights is about 13,000 till now. Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are now preparing to significantly increase the flights. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has laid down guidelines for the fifth phase of the lockdown to facilitate the gradual and calibrated reopening of the aviation sector. About 50% of the domestic flights will resume operation in the coming days.

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Agra Mayor demands reopening of Taj Mahal to revive tourism industry of town

s Covid-19 started spreading in India, the Narendra Modi government announced a lockdown on March 25 this year. But even before the lockdown was announced, the Taj Mahal and other Indian monuments had already been closed. Since March, tourists from the world over have been deprived of viewing the Taj Mahal. Keeping that in mind, Agra Mayor and long-term BJP leader Naveen Jain commented on the central and state governments, demanding to know the reason why the Taj Mahal was still closed when the government has already started trains and domestic flights. The Mayor said that the Taj Mahal should be opened immediately for tourists keeping the social distancing guidelines in mind. He said that it has already been 75 days since the Taj and other Agra monuments were closed and the 4 lakh people who are directly linked to the tourist industry as guides, hotel/restaurant employees, emporiums and photographers are facing difficult days. "It is imperative that the gates of the Taj Mahal be opened immediately," he says. Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber Secretary Vishal Sharma said that since March 17, the Taj Mahal has been closed for tourists whereas the Rajasthan government has already allowed entrance in all state government-managed monuments. He said that even the Unlock 1 guideline issued by the Central government does not mention monuments anywhere. Sharma said that the monuments could be opened for a limited number of tourists every day with full observance of social distancing norms. Amir Qureshi of Hindustani Biradari said that most of the businesses of Agra are connected with the tourism industry and the Taj Mahal. The monument was not only the lifeblood of Agra, but it was the jewel of Uttar Pradesh, but since it has been closed for the tourists, the tourism industry of Agra has come to a standstill and despite the permission to reopen the businesses in the unlocking guidelines issued by the central government, emporiums are preferring to remain closed. "What is the point of opening the emporium and incurring the daily operational expenses when the tourists will not be coming?" he asked.

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MP Tourism wants you to travel in its luxury caravans

The heart of India, Madhya Pradesh, is ready to welcome tourists back again after the relaxation of lockdown measures. Madhya Pradesh Tourism recently shared a photo of luxury caravans on its Instagram page to invite tourists who would be interested in exploring the state without compromising on social distancing norms. Well, these caravan vans can be booked via a toll free number. As per the lockdown 5.0 plan issued by the Union Government, hotels and restaurants in India will be allowed to reopen on June 8. For several states, tourism is a strong means of generating revenue. In a bid to revive tourism activities in the state, the MP Tourism wants travellers to consider travelling in its luxury caravans, which have been around since a few years, but the concept seems to be more relevant in the current COVID-19 times. So, if you have thought of travelling in a spacious four-wheeler vehicle that has an air conditioner, comfortable beds, television, fridge, cooking stove and gas, microwave, DVD player, locker, camping equipment and a clean bathroom cum toilet, then the luxury caravan provided by the MP Tourism is your dream come true. Tourists who opt these caravans will be provided a driver to take them around on the best routes. The caravan is spacious enough to accommodate your immediate and extended family of at least 12 members. For more details, contact the toll-free number provided by MP Tourism.

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Keep middle seats empty in flights or give protective gear to flyers: DGCA tells airlines

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday asked airlines to allot seats in such a manner that middle seats are kept vacant on planes to ensure physical distancing. DGCA's order came after the Supreme Court pulled up the aviation regulator and Air India for putting the lives of the flyers at risk by booking for middle seats as domestic flights resumed after two months of coronavirus-led national lockdown. DGCA in its order said, "The airline shall allot the seats in such a manner that the middle seat is kept vacant if the passenger load and seat capacity permits the same." It added, "However members of the same family may be allowed to sit together." Hardeep Singh Puri, Civil Aviation Minister, had earlier said that keeping the middle seat vacant would not be viable for both - airlines and passengers - as the fares would shoot up. DGCA added that in case the middle seat can't be kept vacant, the occupant must be provided extra protective equipment. The order added, "Additional protective equipment like 'wrap-around gown' [Ministry of Textiles approved standards] shall be provided to the individual occupying the intervening seat in addition to three-layered mask and face shield." India resumed the domestic passenger flight operations after a pause of around two months due to the lockdown. The international flight services would start before August, Puri said. From now on, no meals or drinking water shall be provided onboard except in extreme circumstance, the DGCA order read. The entry and exit in a flight shall be sequential. The passenger should not rush towards the exit as soon as the flight lands. Airlines must ensure the orderly entry and exit of the travellers, the regulator said. Domestic flights in the country resumed on May 25, with strict health and security checks at airports. The fifth phase of the lockdown - Unlock 1.0 - began today. The Centre has extended the lockdown until June 30 only in the containment zones, but has allowed malls, restaurants, and religious places to reopen from June 8.

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Greece reopens to tourists, with coronavirus tests on arrival

Hotels, golf courses and public swimming pools have now reopened in Greece, where authorities are ramping up preparations for the crucial summer tourism season. The Greek government is keen to ensure the season is not lost to the coronavirus pandemic, and that holidaymakers can safely return to the country’s beauty spots. Taxes on airplane and boat tickets have been cut to make prices more attractive. Tourism accounts for almost one-fifth of the Greek economy, and reopening the industry is vital to the country's recovery. According to the Tourism Ministry, 350,000 jobs depend directly on tourism, as many as double that number indirectly. International flights with screening procedures will return to Athens and Greece's second-largest city of Thessaloniki starting on June 15 and will be expanded to the rest of the country on July 1. Most airlines have already started selling tickets to Greece. "The good news in the case of Greece is that it is going to be more than 50 per cent, probably close to 55 per cent of our planned capacity and around about 90 per cent of all our planned Greek routes," said Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer David O'Brien. Greece restarted regular ferry services to its islands last week, and cafes and restaurants were also back open for business as the country accelerated efforts to salvage its tourism season. Compulsory or random testing Currently, every passenger arriving in Greece must be tested for the virus and stay overnight at a designated hotel. Visitors who test negative are required to self-isolate for seven days, while the ones who test positive must spend 14 days under a supervised quarantine. From June 15, the rules will be somewhat relaxed, depending on where tourists come from. International passengers will be accepted into the country without having to systematically undergo a coronavirus test or be placed in quarantine, unless they come from airports that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has put on its list of high-risk areas. The list currently includes passengers coming from Paris airports, northern Italy, Belgium, Spain, the UK and the United States, among others. These passengers deemed at a higher risk of infection can still come to Greece, but they will have to comply with existing compulsory quarantine rules. That means being tested on arrival and then going in self-isolation for seven days or being placed in supervised quarantine for 14 days, depending on whether the test comes out negative or positive. Euronews spoke to one tourist from Finland, who explained how the procedure went for him. "I took a flight from Helsinki to Frankfurt and from Frankfurt to Athens. I had to stay one day here with the quarantine, they tested me and everything was ok, and now I can continue my travels," he explained. Passengers who test negative can indeed comply with self-isolation at the destination of their choice, while those placed under quarantine must do so in a supervised location in Athens. Restrictions will be further relaxed from July 1: International flights will be allowed to all airports in Greece and visitors will be subject only to random tests. Restrictions applying to specific countries might be announced at a later date. Land border arrivals from Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria will also be allowed from June 15, with visitors only subject to random tests upon arrival. The Greek government says the nation’s success in containing the virus should reassure visitors worried about their health and safety. Strict public safety measures have kept the country's COVID-19 infection rate low. Greece has seen only 175 virus-related deaths, according to health ministry data.

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