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Portugal creates tourism hygiene accreditation to help Covid-19 recovery

Portuguese tourism officials have created a "clean and safe” accreditation for its industry as the country looks ahead to its post-coronavirus tourist recovery. The stamp of approval shows Portugal’s tourism enterprises, entertainment companies and travel agencies are all compliant with hygiene requirements for the prevention and control of Covid-19, as well as other possible diseases. Turismo de Portugal said the move would help “reinforce confidence” in the country’s tourism sector and drive a return to pre-virus visitor activity. Application for the accreditation is free and valid for one year. It requires companies to follow health and safety protocols to the standards of Portugal’s Directorate-General for Health (similar to the Department of Health and Social Care in the UK), ensuring the necessary hygiene measures are in place to avoid risks of Covid-19 contagion during tourist-related operations. The stamp can be downloaded from the tourism board’s website and shown on digital platforms and company premises. Turismo de Portugal said it would be carrying out “random audits” to make sure tourism companies adhere to standards once they have obtained the stamp.

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Chardham temples to reopen, no pilgrim to be allowed

''The opening ceremony of the four temples in Uttarakhand is an important annual event attended by thousands of pilgrims but the extended lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus has cast its shadow on the yatra this year. The Chardham yatra begins with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples on April 26 this year.'' The Chardham yatra is all set for a low-key opening this year with no pilgrims allowed to visit the Himalayan temples of Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath when their portals reopen in a few days after the six-month winter closure. ”The opening ceremony of the four temples in Uttarakhand is an important annual event attended by thousands of pilgrims but the extended lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus has cast its shadow on the yatra this year. The Chardham yatra begins with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples on April 26 this year.” Kedarnath will open on April 29 while the opening of Badrinath has been put off to May 15.

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Saudi tourism sector could see 35-45% decline this year on coronavirus

Saudi Arabia's tourism sector could see a 35-45 percent decline this year due to measures taken by the government to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the country's minister of tourism said on Friday. The Kingdom, which opened its doors in September to foreign tourists by launching a new visa regime for 49 countries, hopes to diversify its oil-dependent economy through tourism and wants the sector to contribute 10 percent of gross domestic product by 2030. "We believe this year the impact will be in the range of 35-45 percent decline, compared to last year, depending on how fast we will reopen the country and receive visitors," Ahmed al-Khateeb told Reuters. "The sector has been severely impacted. Hotels globally are suffering today from very low occupancy ratios, and it is the case here in Saudi Arabia as well. We hope things get better in the next few weeks and we have a fast recovery," he added. Reopening the economy is on top of the Saudi government agenda, but this will only happen once the pandemic is under control, he said. In late-February the kingdom closed its borders to foreign "umrah" pilgrims and to tourists from at least 25 countries. In March, it barred all travel in and out of the country. Pilgrimage is big business for Saudi Arabia, which hosts Islam's two holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, and is the backbone of plans to expand visitor numbers under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious economic reform agenda. Some 2.5 million pilgrims usually flock to the kingdom for the week-long haj ritual, expected to take place in July this year. But Saudi Arabia has urged Muslims to wait before making plans to attend until there's more clarity about the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Khateeb said that the country's Ministry of Haj was in contact with all Muslim countries and would make a decision in the near future. "I can tell you that the safety and security of the people comes first, Haj and Umra are the kind of events that bring millions of people together in one location and if there is not enough comfort for the government to go ahead, the risk is very high." Saudi Arabia has so far reported 15,102 cases of COVID-19 and 127 deaths so far.

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Sikkim closes Nathu La trade route with China, suspends Kailash Yatra

The Sikkim government on Thursday announced that it was closing the Nathu La (pass) trade route with China and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra through the pass this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The state government is also likely to continue the ban on entry of even domestic tourists till October. “Our government has decided to close the China-India trade route through Nathu La pass. The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra through Nathu La will remain closed this year, ”B S Panth, Sikkim’s tourism and civil aviation minister, said. Under the Nathu La trade protocol, traders from Sikkim are allowed limited access to the Tibet autonomous region while Chinese traders are allowed a few kilometres into Indian territory. “Very soon we will adopt a proposal and inform the Centre. Since China is the epicentre of the outbreak we will close the Nathu La trade route which is supposed to open on May 1,” the minister said. “The Kailash- Mansarovar Yatra is also not happening this year.” The much-hyped international trade route was reopened on July 6, 2006 after remaining closed since 1962. The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, organised annually by the ministry of external affairs from June to September through Nathu La was reopened in June 2015. Another route for the yatra is through Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand. The international trade through Nathu La continues till end of November. Sikkim has not reported any Covid-19 case so far. The state was among the first to ban the entry of domestic and foreign tourists and migrant labourers. It sealed the international borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan and two of the four border check posts with West Bengal. The Nathu La trade pass and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra are two major revenue earners for Sikkim. The state drew more than 12 lakh domestic tourists and 1,33,388 foreign visitors in 2019. Panth said Sikkim is unlikely to allow even domestic tourists till October. “If the situation improves we may rethink the issue,” he said. However the minister indicated that the ban on the entry of foreign tourists will continue. The state government gets an annual revenue of around Rs 10 crore from the tourism industry. On June 16, 2015, the then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj flagged off the first batch of 40 pilgrims from New Delhi who headed for Kailash-Mansarovar thought Nathu La. The announcement from the Chinese side was made by President Xi Jinping during his India visit in September 2014. In 2015, the Sikkim government sponsored two Sikkimese who took part in the yatra. More than 6,000 pilgrims from India take part in the pilgrimage every year. Most of them make their way through the Nepal-China border town of Khasa (Tatopani). Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted the second route for Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra to be reopened in view of the difficult terrain through Uttarakhand and Nepal.

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Nature parks in Africa to inspire with Online Safaris

In Kenya and South Africa, nature parks and Hotels offer Online-Safaris, in order to ensure also in the corona of a crisis for an adventure. Via Livestream on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube, you can see the Safari is almost up close. Tourists who book a Safari, make a Much of the tourism revenue in Kenya and South Africa. Due to the global corona crisis, Hotels and natural parks were forced to close, thus also the guests stayed. Numerous protection areas must now financial difficulties expect. After all, lack of Ol Pejetaa game reserve in Kenya, around 70 percent of the revenue. And also according to the corona crisis The support of the protected areas can offer natural parks and Hotels now twice a day and a Livestream. So User can experience a Safari on the digital route, and lions, elephants, giraffes, and co. free to watch. The Hotel Group devices features four different reserves and takes the viewers on a very special adventure. And also the natural Park Ol Pejeta offers twice-a-day live stream. The Safari Videos to be Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube live transfer. Thus, if you want to offer the guests something, which had to your trip to Africa due to the Corona pandemic cancel.

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Spanish resort launches coronavirus-free certificates for hotels

The Alicante Tourist Board and the Provincial Association of Hotels of the Province of Alicante (APHA) have created a security badge called "Alicante Covid Free" for hotels that comply with a series of protocols and security measures. The Hotel Business Association of Madrid was the first to announce that it was working on protocols to obtain a certificate and the nightlife establishments were doing the same. The Alicante Covid-Free badge will appear on the façade of all the tourist establishments that comply with extensive safety and hygiene measures. "We believe it is essential to prepare for the gradual return to normality and that we convey to our future visitors a message of total security and we will achieve this with the collaboration of our hoteliers, who I am sure will apply each and every one of the recommendations that the Alicante Covid Free document establishes ,” said deputy mayor Mari Carmen Sánchez. The seal will cover aspects such as the cleaning processes of rooms and common areas and specific hygienic measures for the rest of the hotel spaces such as kitchens, bar and cafeteria, dining rooms, reception and others. Other measures will include glass screens at receptions, lifts which are operated by voice so guests don't have to touch buttons, disinfectant gels throughout the premises and possibly taking people's temperatures on arrival. All hotels will have to be completely disinfected before they reopen and there would be regular cleaning of everything in the premises, including telephones, door handles and furniture. In dining rooms and around the pools, guests will have to be 1.5 metres apart and at receptions, there will be no manual information to avoid customers touching brochures etc. Instead, all information will be shown on boards. Hands will need to be disinfected every time a passport, money or cheque card is offered. The use of money will be severely restricted. Handshakes, kisses or hugs will all be vetoed. Likewise, hands will need to be gelled when entering restaurants and rooms will be cleaned by chambermaids wearing protective clothing and masks. There will be no buffets and no individual salt and pepper pots or sauces. The Madrid Hotel Business Association hopes the creation of the "COVID Free Hotels" certifcate will be adopted across Spain and will come into force as soon as possible.

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