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More visa-free travel for Indians is good for Goa, too

All Asian economies that rely on tourism for jobs and incomes are pinning their hopes on their proximity to the world’s two most-populous nations. Visa-free entry is a carrot to exp the USD 28 billion that 27 million Indians spent overseas in 2019. Those numbers had swe eightfold and sixfold, respectively, in the two decades before the pandemic. Prashant Yadav scouts for locations for the well-heeled. As the India head of a destination management multinational, his job used to be mostly about introducing global clients to exotic vacation spots in his own country. Nowadays, he spends nearly all of his time on taking rich compatriots abroad — for leisure, conferences, and, of course, big, fat, Indian weddings. No surprise, then, that Malaysia’s recent scrapping of visa requirements for Indians and Chinese citizens visiting for 30 days or less has made Yadav a happy man. The move follows similar decisions by Sri Lanka and Thailand. Yadav will soon organize a wedding with 250 Indian guests on the Vietnamese resort island of Phu Quoc, which doesn’t require visas for short stays. All Asian economies that rely on tourism for jobs and incomes are pinning their hopes on their proximity to the world’s two most-populous nations. The recovery in Chinese visitors’ global expenditure to its preCovid-19 level of USD 277 billion is taking longer than expected. Hence, the overture to the only other country with more than a billion people. Visa-free entry is a carrot to expand the USD 28 billion that 27 million Indians spent overseas in 2019. Those numbers had swelled eightfold and sixfold, respectively, in the two decades before the pandemic. Easier and cheaper access to vacation venues in the region will no doubt expand choices for outbound Indian travelers. It may also benefit inbound traffic and domestic Indian tourism if some of the peak-season pressure on local hotspots — like Goa in December — gets diverted to rival destinations outside the country. The hospitality industry in India has its hands full with domestic tourists. Families that would take one holiday a year two decades ago are nowadays going on six shorter ones, making full use of new highways and increased middle-class car ownership. After the pandemic, it has also become professionally acceptable to mix vacation time with WFH — work from hotel. Above all, a narrow group of people has acquired enormous wealth. With the stock market hitting a record USD 4 trillion in value, this affluent class helped push the number of visits within the country last year to 1.7 billion, 2 1/2 times the previous year’s figure. The 2019 high of 2.3 billion trips will be surpassed very soon. That’s not all good news. To have to fight for business would create some much-needed breathing room for Indian hospitality players. “Assets are looking tired now because if I’m doing very high occupancy through the year, where is the opportunity to spruce things up?” says Yadav, a former hotelier in New Delhi and Mumbai before he switched to advising clients at Liberty International Tourism Group. “It would be good for Goa if it had to work a little harder to compete against Langkawi, Hoi An or Krabi.” Overseas destinations have by now gotten a good idea of how lucrative it can be to land a splashy Indian wedding. Sure, if live Bollywood entertainment is involved, a big chunk of the USD 1 million to USD 10 million budget typically goes back to India. But rents for a fleet of 250 Mercedes E-class sedans? That stays in the local economy. Some Eastern European countries now have their ambassadors in India actively scoping out opportunities, offering to help with visas and access to historical sites. For rich Indian hosts, a foreign venue for a wedding is a no-brainer. In New Delhi and Mumbai, five-star hotel tariffs around saya dates — auspicious for marriage according to the Hindu calendar — could easily exceed USD 1,000 a night. One can negotiate a comparable room at an overseas location for a quarter of that amount. Even in flower arrangements and food and drinks, Southeast Asia offers better value for money. This needs a course correction because India — thanks to legendary hoteliers like Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi who died last month at age 94 — is known for its top-notch hospitality. However, leaving aside the rush of activity during New Delhi’s recently concluded G20 presidency, tourism hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. The highly successful “Incredible India” campaign is now more than 20 years old. Safety concerns, particularly for women traveling alone, have given India a bad rap. Between January and April, more than 3 million foreigners came to the country, a 166% jump over the previous year. But those numbers include business travelers, non-resident Indians visiting family, and Bangladeshi citizens coming for medical consultations or procedures. So-called “paying files” in a continent-sized geography stretching from the Himalayan peaks in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south don’t even match up to Dubai, which has 40% more hotel rooms than all of India. Behind the apathy, there’s abundant demand. It used to be that Goa hotels would fill rooms one year in advance with Russian tour groups at deep discounts. Now they don’t need to. Plenty of domestic travelers are queuing up to book one week ahead. While that’s a testament to rising prosperity, surely it’s also a signal to build new capacity? “We have failed to develop another Goa,” says Yadav. “We haven’t taken advantage of our massive coastline.” Investment needs to accelerate. Indian Hotels Co., the nation’s largest hospitality company by market value, invested 3.3 billion rupees (USD 40 million) on greenfield projects and renovation in the 12 months that ended on March 31. This is more than double the previous year’s outlay on capital expenditure, but unchanged from just prior to the Covid-19 outbreak before adjusting for inflation. If local chains like Indian Hotels, the operator of the Taj brand, take the lead, their foreign rivals will be bound to follow suit. More Indian states should formally recognize tourism as an industry to bring down funding costs for projects. That’s the only way to stay competitive when countries in the neighborhood are scrambling for the same Indian tourism dollar. The jostling getting a little more hectic with visa-free entry will be good foreveryone.

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Yearend Travel: 10 best places to celebrate New Year’s Eve

Don’t pick the ordinary on New Year’s Eve. Whether you're keeping it small or going all-out, bring in 2024 in style. Here are the top 10 places in the world.December 31 marks the last day on the Gregorian calendar and it is one of the oldest holidays in the Western cultures. The first known record of New Year’s celebrations began about 2000 B.C. in Mesopotamia. Now, it is one of the largest global celebrations across the world. As the year gets ready to close, pack your packs and plan a trip to any of the Top 10 places in the world famous for their New Year’s Eve celebration. Sydney, Australia: As the clock winds down in December, the atmosphere in Sydney becomes electric. The events feature one of the world’s largest, most technologically advanced displays of fireworks, lighting and projections. If you can beat the crowd, do a midnight Sydney Harbour cruise. Sydney New Year’s Eve plays live to more than 1 million spectators along the Sydney Harbour foreshore, and reaches a global audience of more than 425 million. Best Spot: Sydney Opera House & Sydney Harbour Highlight: One of the world’s largest, most technologically advanced displays of fireworks, lighting and projections New York, USA: Minutes before midnight of December 31, eyes of the world turn to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. Anticipation runs high and people holds their breath. As the clocks strike 12, the famous New Year's Eve Ball descends from the flagpole atop One Times Square. More than a million people gather at the Times Square for the Ball drop, get there early to find an inch for your feet. Best Spot: Times Square Highlight: The big Ball Drop Edinburgh, Scotland: Hogmanay is the Scottish word for the last day of the year or New Year’s Eve and Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party is always in the ‘Top 100 things to do before you die’ list. The big events include a torchlight procession and other entertainment on December 30, a massive outdoor street party, concerts, and fireworks on December 31, and then smaller public entertainment options on January 1, including a family-friendly ceilidh, a social event with Scottish or Irish folk music and singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling. Best Spot: Start at Edinburgh's Old Town – North Bridge, South Bridge and St. Giles Cathedral. Highlight: The world’s biggest rendition of Auld Lang Syne Chiang Mai, Thailand: Imagine hundreds of people lined along the banks of a river with lit paper lanterns in their hands. According to Thai tradition, releasing a lantern in the sky symbolises new beginnings and good luck. And as the clock strikes 12, a wish is made and the lanterns are released in the sky, turning the dark night into a glorious spectacle. And then begins the music madness. Head to the North Gate that hosts a vibrant scene of clubs and bars that offer a party atmosphere to the night. Best Spot: Along the banks of the Ping river Highlight: Hundreds of paper lanterns in the sky Mexico: Wear colourful underwear, carry 12 grapes and head to the beaches for Nochevieja, or New Year’s Eve celebration that is marked by fireworks and partying. Pick your underwear carefully - red means love, yellow means money or luck and white means peace. Eating 12 grapes at midnight brings good vibes and luck every month. Remember, you have to eat all 12 grapes in 60 seconds. Drop a gold ring into a glass of champagne and quaff it for good luck. It is a tad tricky, though. You cannot take the ring out of the glass until after you have finished drinking it and hugged everyone in the room. Best Spot: Beaches of Cancun & Playa del Carmen Highlight: Rituals of showing up in underwear only & eating 12 grapes at midnight Copenhagen, Denmark: Had a bad year? And want to vent that looming angst or say $%^&* to 2023. Just carry crockery and throw it at your neighbours’ doors. The more dishes you break, the better luck you’ll have over the next year. That’s what the Danes do on New Years’ Eve. In Copenhagen, get out in the streets and feel the celebratory vibes at firework hotspots in the city, but make sure to take the precaution of wearing safety glasses, just in case. Best Spots: City Hall Square, Dronning Louises Bro, The Copenhagen Lakes Highlight: Fireworks, jumping off of chairs, champagne, and throwing crockery at neighbours’ doors. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Remember, December is summertime in Brazil. Not surprisingly, two million people gather on the 2.5-mile-long Copacabana for samba, champagne and fireworks on New Year’s Eve. Wear white. Everyone wears white in Brazil on new year’s eve in honour of Iemanjá, the the Goddess of the Sea. By early afternoon Copacabana is a sea of people and glowing candles as the macumba rituals are played out. Midnight is usually signalled by a spectacular fireworks and parties are held in the road, in oceanfront apartments, in all the ocean front hotels, as well as on boats and cruise ships. Best Spot: Copacabana Highlight: Samba, candles & champagne Naples, Italy: The new year’s eve starts with a concert organised in Piazza del Plebiscito that will guide you to the countdown for midnight. Then, move to the seafront, in the area of Castel dell’Ovo for a show of fireworks. And do not be surprised if you find lots of families throwing old pots, pans, clothes, appliances, even furniture out of the window. Really! It’s meant to symbolise letting go of past unhappiness to usher a better year. Best Spot: San Martino viewpoint or the Posillipo hill Highlight: Throwing old pots, pans, clothes, appliances, even furniture out of the window Paris, France: New Year’s eve or La Réveillon de Saint Sylvestre as it's known in France is usually classic French dinner, especially combined with a romantic cruise along the River Seine and everything topped off with champagne. Best Spot: Eiffel Tower Highlight: Sharing a midnight kiss by the Eiffel Tower Reykjavik, Iceland: Think fire. Fireworks in the sky. Bonfires on the ground. The Icelandic capital has a New Year’s Eve routine: Before midnight on New Year's Eve, people have a nice dinner, flock to bonfires around town and then watch a satirical comedy show on TV at 10:30 PM called Aramotaskaup, or Skaupid. That translates to the New Year's Spoof, or simply The Spoof and has been running since 1966. Remember, to wear protective glasses. You never know, the man standing next to you might shoot a firework. Best Spot: Watch fireworks by Hallgrimskirkja Church or Perian. See the fireworks mirrored in Reykjavik’s Lake Tjornin. Highlight: Lots of fireworks.

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Vietnam sees 11.2 mn foreign arrival so far this year

Vietnam witnessed more than 11.2 million international arrivals in the first 11 months of 20 3.8 times higher than the same period last year and equal to 68.9 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the General Statistics Office on Wednesday. South Korea remained Vietnam's largest tourist source market during the cited period, with 3.2 million arrivals, accounting for 28.5 per cent. The Southeast Asian country welcomed over 1.2 million foreign tourists in November, an increase of 10.9 per cent compared to the previous month and 2.1 times higher than the same period last year, reports. Vietnam has set the foreign arrival target in 2023 at about 12 million to 13 million tourists, according to the Ministry.

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Snowfall in Sonamarg, night temperature rises at several places in Jammu and Kashmir

Tourists make the most of travel season as 3-week dry spell in Kashmir ends with snowfall in Sonamarg and higher reaches of the Valley and rains in the plains.Jammu and Kashmir’s Sonamarg tourist resort recorded light snowfall for the second day on Friday while the Meteorological Department forecast significant improvement in weather across the Union Territory, officials said.The three-week dry spell in Kashmir ended on Thursday with snowfall in the higher reaches of the Valley and rains in the plains. While snowfall was recorded in Gulmarg in north Kashmir, Sonamarg in central Kashmir and other areas in the middle and higher reaches on Thursday, light snowfall continued in Sonamarg, in Ganderbal district, on Friday morning as well, the officials said. The Met Office said several places experienced partly to generally cloudy weather with light snow over Sonamarg and adjoining areas. However, it said, there would be a significant improvement in the weather towards the afternoon over most places and the weather is likely to remain dry ahead. From December 2 to 7, the weather would remain partly cloudy, while from December 8 to 10, it would be partly to generally cloudy, the officials said. There would be a fall in the minimum temperature by three to five degrees, they said. The night temperature rose significantly at several places in the Valley with Gulmarg being the only weather station where the mercury settled below the freezing point on Thursday night. The minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, was 4.5 degrees Celsius while Qazigund recorded a low of 2.2 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district recorded a low of 0.5 degrees Celsius while the mercury in Gulmarg settled at minus 1.8 degrees Celsius.

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We are committed to be world class: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson

As Air India completes two years under the Tata group’s ownership, its CEO Campbell Wilson has found that his job is mostly a balance between fighting the airline’s existing legacy issues and exploiting its tremendous future potential. In a recent interview, Wilson spoke to ET about the progress Air India is making in its long, arduous journey to regaining its long-lost status as a globally relevant airline. Edited excerpts:

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Vistara to start Doha-Mumbai flight services on Dec 15

Full-service carrier Vistara on Thursday announced that it will launch direct flight services to Doha in Qatar from Mumbai, starting December 15. Qatar will be the airline's 50th destination in its network, which comprises both domestic and international operations, Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, said in a statement. "We are thrilled to introduce direct flights between Mumbai and Doha - the capital of Qatar and a burgeoning financial hub in the Middle East. Given the city's growing economic significance, this move not only further solidifies our presence in the Gulf region but also enhances our network offering from our Mumbai hub," Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer of Vistara, said. The airline said it will be operating these services on the new route four times a week with an A321neo aircraft.Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara's website, mobile app, and through travel agents, it added.

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