The second wave will further delay UDAN progress; stressed financial health of airline operators to impact existing route operations and future bidding, as per ICRA. As on May 31, 2021, only 47% of total routes and 39% of airports (unserved and underserved) have been operationalised[1] under UDAN. The number of new RCS routes which started operations increased at a healthy pace and stood at 102 and 120 routes in FY2019 and FY2020 respectively, but have declined to 77 new routes in FY2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During FY2018 – FY2021, a total of Rs. 3,350 crores have been incurred by the Central Government towards the UDAN scheme and the budgeted outlay for FY2022 is Rs. 1,130 crores.

Nepal Tourism Board has announced the second edition of its Mt. Everest Fashion Runway scheduled to be held in the Everest region with 20 super models and 200 ‘super audience’ from September 22, 2021. The event promotes sustainable fashion and responsible consumerism addressing climate change and global warming. The fashion show will kickstart in September 2021 at an altitude of over 5,800 metres in the Mt Everest region at -30-degree Celsius and less than 50 per cent oxygen present in the atmosphere.

The Maharashtra government has approved the state’s new adventure tourism policy which covers around 25 adventure activities. The policy will cover the promotion of adventure activities as well as registration, regulation, monitoring, planning, promotion, training etc. of various adventure event organisers and adventure training organisations. Organizers will be given a temporary registration certificate from the Directorate of Tourism (DoT) and a final registration certificate after obtaining all the required equipment details and qualifications. Under this policy, the organisers of adventure activities will gain several benefits like refund of SGST, discount in stamp duty and power charges.

Tourism Fiji has announced the appointment of experienced tourism marketing senior executive, Brent Hill as Chief Executive Officer. Hill, who most recently was the Executive Director of Marketing for the South Australian Tourism Commission, brings over 16 years of experience in tourism and digital marketing, advertising, branding, communications, campaign, and executive strategy to Fiji’s National Tourism Office. He replaces former CEO Matt Stoeckel, whose tenure ended in December 2020. Commenting on Hill’s appointment, Tourism Fiji Chairman  Andre Viljoen said: “We’re delighted to welcome someone of Brent’s calibre to this critically important role not just for Fijian tourism, but for the Fijian economy. Brent shone through in the extremely rigorous recruitment process initiated and conducted by the Board with PwC’s assistance, for a CEO to lead Tourism Fiji in these unprecedented times, where international tourism activity has been zero for over a year now. His proven expertise, experience and ideas for the industry’s revival are a perfect fit for Fiji’s current requirements. Viljoen added: “When border restrictions ease and travel resumes, Fiji will need dynamism and creativity in marketing itself as an attractive, aspirational and safe destination. We are in the same situation as every other leisure tourism destination in the world. All of us are going for the same markets, which are now smaller with lower discretionary spending ability. Brent is highly regarded in the industry given his many accomplishments, and we will need his wide range of existing relationships and management skills with key global trade partners to market our destination, and his excellent communications skills to rally our industry and stakeholders to a common purpose. His immediate focus will be to work with the Board and Fiji’s extremely …

After completing a long and successful stint at the Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India, Dr. Himanshu Talwar has now joined the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) as Executive Director. He thanks everyone for extending their unwavering support over the years.

The State of Qatar has re-opened its borders to international travellers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with vaccines that are approved for use by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar. A new streamlined set of measures designed to make travelling to Qatar as easy as possible, while maintaining the necessary precautions to continue to protect against the spread of COVID-19, has been implemented and is effective immediately. The new measures will allow people who are fully vaccinated to visit Qatar without the need for quarantine. The new arrangements will also make it easier for citizens and residents of Qatar to travel in and out of the country, enabling fully vaccinated people to bypass the quarantine requirement when returning to Qatar. All visitors – vaccinated or non-vaccinated – will be required to undertake a PCR test up to 72 hours prior to travel. However, travellers are advised to check the entry requirements of the country they are travelling from and will return to from Qatar, before booking any flights and should understand that those policies can change with very little notice. In order to visit Qatar – international visitors, citizens and residents – must register and upload required documentation such as a vaccination certificate, valid PCR test up to 72 hours prior to travel, and personal details through the ‘Ehteraz’ website (www.ehteraz.gov.qa). Travellers have to apply for the authorization through the ‘Ehteraz’ website (free of charge), at least 12 hours before their planned departure to Qatar. All in-bound travellers are advised to submit their application as soon as they have all their required documentation, to ensure they can board their flights as planned. Airlines are advised to only …

Rakesh Verma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, has revealed that in order to strengthen the MICE sector, they are looking at state level and city level MICE bureaus. “We are planning to offer MICE advantage programmes, because most of the cities internationally provide various incentives for international events. Thus, we have also advocated a similar programme to the states, and we are hopeful that it will have a positive impact,” he suggested.  

G Kishan Reddy, Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in his address as the chairperson of the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ meeting, stressed that BRICS member States should have good understanding of each other’s tourism products and offerings to encourage intra-BRICS tourism cooperation. Also, for tourism promotion, he stressed that BRICS alliance for Green Tourism can accelerate the recovery and development of tourism on sustainable lines.  

Investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala may be exploring a plan to back a new, low-cost airline venture. He has had preliminary talks with a team of senior aviation professionals for an investment of up to US$35 million (₹260.7 cr) in the new airline. It is tentatively named ‘Akasa’ (sky) and is awaiting a no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, will be addressing the 10th PATA and MOT Update & Outlook Meeting on 20th July at 12pm. He will be sharing the steps and initiatives by MOT with the PATA Members and the larger tourism fraternity in this meeting. Register on https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EYIAfgQRRFSMGGpL-zamhQ.