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IndiGo removes fuel charges following reduction in ATF prices

IndiGo removes fuel surcharge due to a gradual decline in ATF prices over the last three months. The airline had imposed a fuel surcharge of up to Rs 1,000 on October 5, prompted by a surge in ATF prices. Recent reduction in ATF prices leads to the withdrawal of the fuel charge, effective January 4. ATF prices decreased from Rs 1.182 lakh per kilolitre on October 1 to Rs 1.012 lakh per kilolitre on January 1. IndiGo states they will continue to adjust fares based on dynamic ATF prices and market conditions. The airline waives the fuel surcharge for tickets booked from January 4 onwards. Tickets booked before January 4 for travel after that date will still incur the surcharge, with no refunds. ATF costs represent about 45% of overall revenue for Indian carriers. IndiGo's previous fuel charge structure had graded amounts based on flight distance. State-owned oil companies revise ATF prices monthly based on the average international price in the previous month.

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Finland and Sweden are shivering at minus 40 degrees Celsius temperatures!

If you think it’s too cold in Delhi, you must know that Finland and Sweden are currently experiencing their most frigid temperatures of the winter. On Tuesday, the mercury dropped to as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius in Finland and Sweden. The cold has officially gripped the Nordic region! In fact, on Wednesday, Sweden experienced the coldest January night in 25 years, registering a temperature of minus 43.6 degrees Celsius. This extreme cold spell affected both Sweden and neighboring Finland. The harsh weather conditions also wreaked havoc on transportation networks throughout the area. In Norway, a major highway in the south was shut down due to the cold weather, and ferry services were suspended. Train operators in Sweden reported substantial disruptions to rail traffic in the Arctic north. There’s a tiny Nordic hamlet known as Nikkaluokta. It is inhabited by the indigenous Sami people. The village recorded an exceptionally low temperature of minus 41.6 degrees Celsius early on Tuesday, according to the Swedish public broadcaster SVT. “This is the lowest temperature we have experienced this winter, and the cold weather is expected to persist in the northern regions,” remarked SVT meteorologist Nils Holmqvist. The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute documented temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius in several places in northern Sweden and issued warnings for snow and wind in central and southern parts of the country. The second-highest warning level was in effect from midnight into Wednesday. Meanwhile, in neighboring Finland, the coldest temperature of the winter was registered in the northwestern town of Ylivieska, where the mercury dipped to minus 37.8 degrees Celsius early on Tuesday. Forecasters predicted that temperatures would remain below minus 40 degrees Celsius in certain parts of the country throughout the week. The Finnish capital, Helsinki, anticipated temperatures ranging between minus 15 and minus 20 degrees Celsius. In the southern Norwegian town of Arendal, officials announced the closure of schools on Wednesday due to the inability to clear sidewalks in time for children to safely travel to school. Several ferry companies throughout the region canceled crossings, including those from southern Norway to Denmark where a key bridge was closed to vehicles with light trailers because of strong winds, Danish officials said.

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Thailand approves tax cuts on entertainment venues and alcohol to boost tourism

As per the latest development, Thailand has announced yet another initiative aimed at promoting tourism within the country. As per the latest news reports, the country's cabinet has granted approval for a reduction in taxes on alcoholic beverages and entertainment venues. The measures approved include a reduction in wine taxes from 10% to 5% and the complete elimination of taxes on spirits, previously set at 10%. Furthermore, the excise tax imposed on entertainment venues is set to be halved, decreasing from 10% to 5%. As per government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke, these tax adjustments will remain in effect until the end of the current year. This move comes in the wake of Thailand's decision recently to extend the operating hours of entertainment venues, permitting them to remain open until 4 AM. The extended hours are intended to cater to night owls and lure more tourists into the country. As reported earlier, Thailand also announced a visa waiver for travellers coming from India and Taiwan last year, effective from November 2023 until May 2024. During this period, tourists can enjoy a stay in Thailand for up to 30 days. It’s interesting to note here that India has become the fourth-largest source of tourism for Thailand, with approximately 1.2 million arrivals this year, trailing behind Malaysia, China, and South Korea. The latest government data reveals that, from January to October 29, 2023, Thailand welcomed a total of 22 million visitors, contributing 927.5 billion baht (around $25.67 billion) to the country's economy. The visa waiver for Indian and Taiwanese travellers aligns with Thailand's strategy to attract more tourists and revitalise its crucial tourism sector. All these measures have been put into place to ensure that the tourism industry, a key economic driver, has experienced slower growth compared to regional counterparts, prompting the government to implement varied measures to revive it. The decision to extend the operating hours of entertainment venues, and cut tax cut on alcoholic beverages and entertainment venues is the latest in a series of steps taken by the government to boost foreign arrivals, following the waiver of visa requirements for Chinese visitors in September, a significant source of tourists for Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

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India’s domestic air passenger traffic at record high in 2023

India’s domestic air passenger traffic hit a record high in 2023, dwarfing the pre-pandemic peaks and marking the sector’s full recovery from Covid-19’s impact. Domestic air traffic in 2023 is estimated at an all-time high of 15.2 crore passengers, beating the previous record of 14.4 crore passengers in 2019, as per data compiled and analysed by aviation analytics firm Network Thoughts. “With this, the recovery is complete and a year ahead of IATA’s (International Air Transport Association) original estimation of traffic reaching pre-Covid levels by 2024. While the year recorded an all-time high, the month of December 2023 recorded highest ever monthly traffic in the history of civil aviation in India,” the firm said in a recent report on India’s domestic aviation landscape in 2023. Last year was the first full year of normalised operations since the outbreak of the pandemic, which had brought the aviation industry to its knees globally. “The resilience in traffic comes at a time when airlines have not been able to deploy full capacity owing to a mix of financial and engine issues at various airlines and suspension of services by one airline (Go First). This has led to higher load factors across airlines in 2023,” the report said. The data suggests that the industry has fully recovered from the impact of Go First’s grounding. The airline has not operated since early May after it voluntarily filed for insolvency. The official monthly aviation traffic data, which is released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has not been released yet for December 2023. It is expected to be released in the next two to three weeks. On an average, Indian carriers ferried 4.17 lakh passengers a day on domestic flights in 2023, and the average daily domestic flight count stood at 2,891. Except November, the domestic air passenger traffic in all months of 2023 was higher than the corresponding months of 2019. On the outlook for 2024, the report said, “With a 5 per cent growth over 2023 (same as last year), the domestic air traffic would reach 15.97 crore. A more realistic figure of 10 per cent growth will take the traffic to 16.72 crore domestic passengers while 15 per cent growth—which has been recorded in the past—will take the domestic air traffic to 17.48 crore domestic passengers in 2024”. India is the third-largest and fastest-growing aviation market in the world, and has huge potential for growth as a sizable section of the population remains untapped. With primary players IndiGo and the Air India group embarking on massive network and capacity expansion plans with mega aircraft orders, the sector is expected to witness significant growth over the coming years.

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Pench to now offer hot air balloon rides and paramotoring to boost tourism

Kolitmara in west Pench, which is well-known for its wildlife tourism, has recently added exciting attractions for visitors—paramotoring and hot air balloon rides. The introduction of these adventure sports in the buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra, was approved by the statutory local advisory committee (LAC), led by Nagpur divisional commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari. Tourists visiting Kolitmara will now have the opportunity to experience the thrill of paramotoring and hot air balloon rides, each priced at 2,500 and 1,500, respectively. This initiative makes Pench the pioneer among tiger reserves in India to venture into adventure tourism within its buffer zone. Situated on the banks of the Pench river, Kolitmara has often been overshadowed by Sillari in east Pench, where most tourists flock for tiger sightings. However, blessed with scenic beauty, Kolitmara has now positioned itself as an adventure destination offering a unique perspective of the open blue sky and surroundings. Deputy Director of Pench Prabhu Nath Shukla expressed the beauty and allure of Kolitmara, surrounded by dense forests and tribal villages. The picturesque scenery offers a mesmerizing visual experience, making it an ideal setting for adventure activities. Shukla explained that paramotoring flights, conducted successfully during the last three days, carry one person along with a pilot. Additionally, hot air balloon rides will provide an opportunity for a group experience, accommodating up to four persons and ascending to 300 feet. Supported by the District Ecotourism Fund, this project is a collaboration between Maharshi Adventures Sports, Gondia, and the Kolitmara Eco-development Committee. Beyond the thrill-seeking aspect, the initiative aims to provide direct employment to more than 15 local youths, contributing to the local economy. Shukla anticipates that the adventure project will not only attract thrill-seekers, but also boost wildlife tourism, resulting in ecotourism-based livelihoods for locals. Kolitmara has already seen success in attracting school students for nature camps, providing tent accommodation at a nominal charge of 200. Expanding its tourism offerings, Kolitmara had previously launched agrotourism, featuring machan sittings, bullock cart and boat rides, bird watching, village life exploration tours, boating, and a 45 km cycle trail. Further, there are other future plans too that include the launch of a 25 km nature safari route in Banera and the procurement of two motorboats for a 25 km-long Pench river safari from Kolitmara to Navegaon Khairi. The river safari, priced at 1,500 per person, aims to provide another exciting dimension to the tourism experience in Kolitmara. Kolitmara is not only a haven for wildlife enthusiasts, but has now also diversified its offerings to become an adventure and ecotourism destination, providing an enriching experience for visitors while supporting local communities and promoting sustainable tourism practices.

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Riyadh Season draws over 12 million visitors in 60 days

In just two months since its launch on October 28, 2023, Riyadh Season’s events have already welcomed an impressive 12 million visitors. Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), attributed the event’s success to the unwavering support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Riyadh Season stands out with its diverse and unprecedented activities spanning entertainment, fashion, technology, communication, electronic games, perfumes, fine arts, and crafts. As one of the world’s largest winter entertainment events, it offers a variety of global cuisines from exclusive restaurants, along with numerous exciting surprises. The festivities beautifully showcase Saudi Arabia’s essence, from its Najdi heritage to its vibrant present-day dynamism.

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