Venkatesan Dhattareyan, Regional Director (West & Central India), Indiatourism Mumbai, Ministry of Tourism, said, “By enrolling in our ‘MoT Recognized Service Provider’ programme, agents can use the Market Development Assistance (MDA) which includes financial support. MDA for domestic tourism was earlier Rs 30,000 which will be enhanced keeping the pandemic in mind. MoT is also working on relaxing certain requirements for this programme.

The tourism department of Goa is investing in technology to capture tourists data and create personalised products. Menino D’souza, Director, Department of Tourism, says, “We are currently completing our data repository formulation and policies to that effect. We have realised that social media is going to be the next go-to travel agent. Culling out relevant information from there and analysing it, and not only analysing but coming out with a response system so that in case of any issues, we are able to respond immediately. Such intelligent systems have to be put in place. We are looking at replacing the personal touch with technology. AI-based interventions are something we are looking forward to in the coming few years.”

According to CAPA Fleet Database, monthly aircraft deliveries are starting to recover, but remain low. Total deliveries were already falling YoY in Jan-Feb 2020. This fell further in March 2020 by 58%. Although the number doubled from May 2020 to June 2020, it was still down by 60% YoY.

A report by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for June shows that 78.5% of complaints from passengers were regarding refunds. It added that 62% flights were cancelled due to commercial reasons (low load, clubbing of flights). The most complaints in June were against Air India, followed by TruJet and SpiceJet.

Faraway Tree, a B2B operator specialising in holidays packages to the Andaman Islands, will conduct an exclusive, one-of-its kind virtual tour for the trade on Friday, July 24 at 11 am, followed by a extensive product update on the destination. One lucky couple attending the webinar can win a 6N/7D holiday worth Rs 80,000 as per the showcased itinerary. To register, please contact Jaspreet Kaur on 9650196532 or jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com.

Ashutosh Salil (IAS) has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) from July 20, 2020. Salil is a Fulbright Scholar from Harvard Law School. Before this he was the Joint Commissioner of BMC. He will report to environment and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray.

Celestyal Cruises, that sails to the Greek Islands and the Eastern Mediterranean, has added to its fleet the Costa NeoRomantica from Costa Cruises. Built in 1993 and extensively refurbished in 2012, the 1,800-guest ship has 789 cabins, 132 of which feature balconies, as well as a variety of dining and entertainment venues, bars and lounges, two pools, a gym and a panoramic spa. Celestyal Cruises’ CEO, Chris Theophilides, says, “While Covid-19 has brought a temporary pause to our operations, it is important that we look to the future with optimism and continue to deliver on our strategic plan to grow the business and enhance the Celestyal experience through investment. This mid-size cruise vessel is ideally suited to our business model.” Details of the ship’s delivery and deployment will be announced at a later date. Celestyal Cruises’ existing 2021 and 2022 itineraries that were recently launched remain unchanged.

A recent Travel Consul survey that analyses the impact of COVID-19 on tour operators and agency owners suggests that 42% of businesses surveyed will not be able to sustain themselves for more than three months without government intervention. A meagre 3% said they have a chance of survival for 7-10 months.

Saeed Al Saeed, Marketing Director, Department of Culture & Tourism, Abu Dhabi, says that every person who tests positive for Covid-19 on UAE soil will be treated courtesy Emirate. “They will be put up in star hotels and if they need to be hospitalised, they will be cared for at our hospitals free of charge.”

According to the latest CAPA Insider edition for South Asia, as of the start of 2020, India’s largest airline, IndiGo was the 10th largest in the world by weekly seat capacity. The four largest carriers were all based in the US. It was the only Indian airline to be listed in the top 10 list.