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After visa-free entry, surge likely towards south & southeast Asia

Boosted by visa-free entry into some of the top holiday destinations, a large numbers of tourists from Kolkata are heading to south-east Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailan alongside Sri Lanka, during the coming year-end holiday window as well as during off sea say travel agents in the city. Boosted by visa-free entry into some of the top holiday destinations, a large numbers of tourists from Kolkata are heading to south-east Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailand alongside Sri Lanka, during the coming year-end holiday window as well as during off season, say travel agents in the city. Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday announced a 30-day visa-free entry into the country for Indian visitors from December 1. The development triggered considerable excitement in the city’s travel trade community that has already started receiving queries and bookings from many travellers. Similar has been the response from travellers flying to Thailand and Sri Lanka – the two nations that have allowed visa-free entry for Indian visitors. While Indians visiting Thailand till May 10, 2024 will not require any visa, Indians travelling to Sri Lanka can avail the same facility till the end of March next year. In Kolkata, members of the travel trade community said the visa exemption would give a big boost to travel from the city. At present, there are two airlines that fly to Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur from Kolkata, Air Asia and Batik Airways. Anil Punjabi, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) national committee member representing east India, said that apart from saving time and money, it would make travel to Malaysia hassle-free. “To apply for e-visa, there was a need to furnish hotel confirmation vouchers and air tickets. They were also very fussy about visa photographs. There have been instances where in a family of four, three have got visas and one hasn't, leading to the cancellation of the trip for all,” he said. While the visa cost was Rs 2,600 per person, it would take three to four working days to process the visas. Thailand too has been a top international destination for Kolkatans and the visa exemption has been attracting even more tourists from the city, said tour operators. “Post Covid multiple countries are relying majorly on tourism and that too tourists from India and other Asian countries to boost their revenue. The temporary visa waiver is also a scheme to attract more Indian tourists who may make last-minute plans to visit these nations. Thailand and Sri Lanka have already been gaining a number of tourists from Kolkata since they made the waiver. Malaysia too has started getting more queries and Vietnam too is likely to follow the same route by this weekend,” said Manav Soni, chairman (east), Travel Agents Association of India.

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The flights that will take you to visa-free Malaysia

Malaysia, in a surprising announcement, decided to offer visa free travel to Indians, along with Chinese nationals. While Indian tourists are back significantly, the same is not the case with Chinese and both have not yet reached pre-COVID levels. India is the fifth largest source market for Malaysia. Malaysia has always been tourist friendly and the process to obtain a tourist visa has been a simple one. The costs have not been prohibitive either. A visa free announcement triggers interest from tourists and an itch to club the destination along with a trip to neighbouring countries. Which flights connect you to Malaysia? Malaysia is one of the handful countries where the Malaysian side has exhausted its rights to India and Indian carriers have very poor utilisation. At present, there is just one daily flight operated by an Indian carrier. IndiGo operates a daily flight to Kuala Lumpur from Chennai. The four Malaysian carriers - Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air Malaysia (formerly Malindo), AirAsia Bhd. and AirAsia X offer over 170 weekly departures from 11 points in India. These include flights to all six metro cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad along with five destinations under the India ASEAN open skies agreement. These points are Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Trichy, Kochi and Trivandrum. Carriers from Malaysia have been expanding rapidly to India. Malaysia Airlines recently launched flights to Amritsar and will see resumption of flights to Ahmedabad and Trivandrum soon. AirAsia has announced flights to Trivandrum. As Indian carriers expand their horizons and carriers from other countries like Vietnam make inroads in Indian markets, the hubs at Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore will come under pressure. A visa free regime will help Malaysian carriers to overcome these pressures. There are 42 weekly frequencies to Kuala Lumpur from Chennai, 23 weekly each from Delhi and Kochi, 22 weekly from Trichy, 18 weekly from Bengaluru, 15 weekly each from Mumbai and Hyderabad, 11 weekly from Amritsar, 10 weekly from Kolkata, twice a week each from Ahmedabad and Trivandrum. These include seven weekly from Chennai by IndiGo, and the rest 176 weekly by Malaysian carriers. In the past, there have been direct flights to Bhubaneshwar, Vizag and Goa. With flights allowed to 18 destinations under the ASEAN open skies arrangement, it won't be surprising to see more flights being added by airlines from Malaysia. Indian side has been weak Currently IndiGo is the only carrier operating flights to Malaysia, a miniscule seven weekly. The airline operated to Kuala Lumpur from Delhi and Bengaluru as well in the past but has since not returned. As IndiGo grapples with shortage of aircraft, this is probably an indication of the airline choosing profitable routes first to return to. Air India express has also flown to Kuala Lumpur in the past and so has Jet Airways. The market is a mix of transfer passengers to ASEAN and Australia and Indian diaspora which has been largely centred around Tamil Nadu. At some point pre covid, the maximum frequencies between India and Malaysia was between Trichy and Kuala Lumpur. Tail note Malaysia has by far remained the second choice for travellers who typically club it with a trip to Singapore. While Singapore is a city state, Thailand has developed tourism beyond Bangkok with Phuket and Krabi becoming popular destinations for Indians. Malaysia, on the other hand, has not been able to catapult itself into that league with tourism largely restricted to Kuala Lumpur. The islands of Penang and Langkawi have not had a similar pull. As Indians loosen their purse strings, countries are trying to attract more and more travellers. A visa free regime ensures a last minute trip over a long weekend. Will Indian carriers add flights? This could be a good time for Air India Express to enter the market again!

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Long Weekends 2024: The complete list of long weekends in 2024

2024 is almost here! There's only one month to go, and we will soon say goodbye to 2023. As another year ends, we gear up to make resolutions about our health, personal life, reading books, career plans, and more. However, if you love to travel, you have come to the right place. If your resolution for the next year is to travel as much as you want, we have some good news for you. The upcoming year has more than 10 long weekends -- to be precise, you will have approximately 15 long weekends in 2024 to plan your dream trips. So, we decided to list all the dates and how you can manage your calendar to take some off work while immersing yourself in nature. Scroll through to see our list. The Complete Long Weekends List of 2024 Long Weekend In January 2024 1) Saturday, December 30 We're now on WhatsApp. Click to join. Sunday, December 31 Monday, January 1: New Year's Day Optional -- Tuesday, January 2 (Take the day off) 2) Saturday, January 13: Lohri Sunday, January 14 Monday, January 15: Makar Sankranti, Pongal Optional -- Tuesday, January 16 (Take the day off) 3) Friday, January 26: Republic Day Saturday, January 27 Sunday, January 28 Long Weekend In March 2024 1) Friday, March 8: Maha Shivratri Saturday, March 9: Gudi Padwa Sunday, March 10 2) Saturday, March 23 Sunday, March 24 Monday, March 25: Holi Optional -- Tuesday, March 26 (Take the day off) 3) Friday, March 29: Good Friday Saturday, March 30 Sunday, March 31: Easter Long Weekend In May 2024 1) Thursday, May 23: Buddha Purnima Friday, May 24 (Take the day off) Saturday, May 25 Sunday, May 26 Long Weekend In June 2024 1) Saturday, June 15 Sunday, June 16 Monday, June 17: Bakri Eid Tuesday, June 18 (Take the day off) Long Weekend In August 2024 1) Thursday, August 15: Independence Day and Parsi New Year Friday, August 16 (Take the day off) Saturday, August 17 Sunday, August 18 Monday, August 19: Raksha Bandhan (Restricted) 2) Saturday, August 24 Sunday, August 25 Monday, August 26: Janmashthami Optional -- Tuesday, August 27 (Take the day off) Long Weekend In September 2024 1) Thursday, September 5: Onam (Restricted) Friday, September 6 (Take the day off) Saturday, September 7: Ganesh Chaturthi Sunday, September 8 2) Saturday, September 14 Sunday, September 15 Monday, September 16: Eid Milad Un Nabi (Restricted) Long Weekend In October 2024 1) Friday, October 11: Maha Navmi (Restricted) Saturday, October 12: Dussehra Sunday, October 13 Long Weekend In November 2024 1) Friday, November 1: Diwali Saturday, November 2 Sunday, November 3: Bhai Dooj Optional -- November 4 (Take the day off) 2) Friday, November 15: Guru Nanak Jayanti (Restricted) Saturday, November 16 Sunday, November 17

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Air Arabia announces new flights to Phuket

The non-stop flights will connect Sharjah International Airport with Phuket International Airport with a frequency of four weekly flights starting from December 15, 2023, providing travellers with more convenient and affordable options to explore Phuket. Presently, Air Arabia operates a fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 neo-LR aircraft, the one of the modern an best-selling single aisle aircraft. the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, announced the launch of a new route to Phuket in Thailand from Sharjah. The non-stop flights will connect Sharjah International Airport with Phuket International Airport with a frequency of four weekly flights starting from December 15, 2023, providing travellers with more convenient and affordable options to explore Phuket. “We are glad to introduce Phuket as the latest addition to our growing network which will further expand our footprint in the Thai market. This new route reflects our commitment to provide our customers with diverse travel options, connecting them to marvelous destinations around the world while continuously offering seamless connectivity, Currently, Air Arabia operates a fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 neo-LR aircraft, the one of the modern and best-selling single aisle aircraft. The cabin configuration across the fleet provides added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch compared to any economy cabin. The aircraft is also equipped with ‘SkyTime’, a free in-flight streaming service that allows passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices. Customers can also enjoy a variety of delicacies between snacks, meals, and more from the on-board ‘SkyCafe’ menu. pause of flights to Israel and Jordan meant the first quarter loss was unlikely to improve yon-year, the European airline added

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Tourism, Culture ministries to organise classical music fest; focus o heritage, eco-destinations

The event, named Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam, will take place from December 10 12, 2023, on the banks of the River Krishna, bringing together artists and witness participa from students representing music colleges of Andhra Pradesh and nearby states. The eve which aligns with a broader mission to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of Ind will have a series of concerts arranged at six venues on November 27. The Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Sangeet Natak Akademi, is orchestrating a celebration of classical music in Vijayawada. The event, named Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam, will take place from December 10 to 12, 2023, on the banks of the River Krishna. This much awaited event will bring together renowned artists and witness active participation from students representing music colleges of Andhra Pradesh and nearby states. The festival shall also feature exhibitions of regional cuisine, local handicrafts and handlooms. The festival also aims to promote the hidden gems of the region including spiritual, heritage and eco-destinations. The event aligns with a broader mission to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of India. Focused on reviving the traditions of Harikatha and Namasankeerthana, the musical gala seeks to create an immersive experience for attendees.As a prelude to the main event, a series of concerts have been arranged at six distinctive venues on November 27, 2023. These performances will take place in Bobilli, Rajahmundry, Lepakshi, Movva, Nellore, and Kurnool, each featuring eminent musicians. As the nation anticipates this cultural extravaganza, the Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam festival promises to be a harmonious convergence of tradition, talent, and the timeless allure of classical music, inviting visitors from all across the country.

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Railways readies to save cost and better passenger experience on Vand Bharat trains

The Indian Railways is set to enhance cost savings and improve passenger experience on Vande Bharat trains through its Yatri Seva Anubandh initiative. In a pilot project for six pa Vande Bharat trains, the new initiative offers greater choice in food and beverages, ease o travel, and value-added services. The Indian Railways is eyeing a mix of cost saving and improved passenger experience on Vande Bharat trains through its new Yatri Seva Anubandh initiative. According to officials aware of the Admove, a pilot project for six pairs of Vande Bharat trains is ready and will be extrapolated to other premium trains if successful. It provides for greater choice in food and beverages, while also ensuring ease of travel through value added services. Besides improving passenger experience, the move also aims to reduce expenditure currently being incurred by Indian Railways (IR) on housekeeping through service integration (one Service Provider per train) and provide access to the Service Provider (SP) to revenue verticals such as advertising (inside trains) and permission to provide ancillary services.Concierge services, on-board infotainment, and access to travel essentials and accessories will also be introduced as part of this initiative.“This is a qualitative shift in the focus towards service outcomes through passenger driven performance appraisal system and holistic evaluation of service,” a senior official aware of the plan told ET. The service provider can sell a la carte food and beverages to passengers at pre-published rates. Further, resolving minor faults that can be resolved with the aid of a simple tool kit like a jammed door, a loose latch or a nut and leaking tap will need to be addressed by the service provider. “The service provider in these trains will have to provide housekeeping in all coaches free of charge to passengers. Prepaid meals will need to be served as per the menu and tariff notified by Indian Railways,” the official quoted above said Companies interested in participating under this initiative will compete on the highest license fee they can offer to the national transporter. To keep errant players out of this service, Service Providers need to have a minimum annual gross revenue of Rs 120 crore and at least 900 employees engaged in food and beverage or housekeeping during the last financial year 2022-23. This move is significant since services such as catering, housekeeping, and advertising are bid out individually to contractors on the premium trains of the Indian Railways such as Shatabdi, Rajdhani, Tejas, and Vande Bharat. Under the new policy, all instructions issued by various stakeholder departments such as Environment and Housekeeping Management, Tourism and Catering, Telecom, Mechanical (Coaching), Passenger Marketing/Commercial, Non-Fare Revenue from time to time will be governed under the fresh rules for these Vande Bharat trains.

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