According to Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials, Flybig on Thursday started direct flight services from Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to Tezu in eastern Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district. With private airline Flybig launching its operations on the new route connecting Assam’s Guwahati with Arunachal Pradesh’s Tezu on Thursday, air connectivity expanded further in the hilly northeastern region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chairman, Shree Somnath Trust, virtually inaugurated development projects at Somnath Temple, which include Somnath Promenade, Exhibition Centre, Reconstructed temple precinct of Old Somnath and also laid the foundation stone of Shree Parvati Temple. He also amplified the steps taken to promote tourism & uplift tourism sector like e-Visa, Visa on arrival and reduction of hospitality GST.

At an event in Mumbai, Ajay Prakash, President, TAFI, highlighted the need to have credible data as an industry. “We need to collate information like pre-pandemic business figures, employee numbers, etc so that we have some authenticated data right until the decline started. We then need to get a professional agency to conduct a comprehensive survey. This will put us in a strong position when we make our representation to the government and show them what this industry is worth.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has said that e-Visa regime and visa on arrival have been taken forward and visa fees have also been reduced. The GST on hospitality in tourism has also been reduced. All of this has benefited the sector and will help in its re-growth in the post-COVID era. He also spoke about laying the foundation stone of multiple projects in Somnath.

SpiceJet on  Thursday said it will begin trial of IATA (International Air Transport Association) Travel Pass mobile app for digital health verification. The trial will be conducted on flights out of Mumbai to Male effective August 23, 2021, as a step towards building passenger confidence as international travel picks up. Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “SpiceJet is proud to collaborate with IATA to trial IATA’s Travel Pass initiative. Passenger safety and comfort has always been our top priority and the introduction of the Travel Pass will make the verification process absolutely simple and hassle-free, boost both passenger and government confidence and make international travel more efficient and secure.” “I am happy that IATA has confirmed SpiceHealth labs for the Travel Pass trial enabling it to securely share certified test and vaccination certificates with passengers that will be recognized by governments abroad.” “Adding SpiceJet to the growing list of airlines trialling IATA Travel Pass is another step towards demonstrating to governments how digital solutions can effectively manage both COVID-19 vaccine and test certificates for travel. IATA Travel Pass will simplify and enhance compliance with health requirements for SpiceJet’s passengers, facilitating a more seamless experience,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety,and Security. The IATA Travel Pass is a mobile application that helps travellers to store and manage their verified certifications for COVID-19 tests or vaccinations. The Travel Pass will manage and verify the traveller’s COVID-19 status in line with governments’ health and border requirements. In another significant development, SpiceHealth has been on-boarded by IATA as a lab partner for the Travel Pass trial. SpiceHealth is a healthcare company founded by the promoters of SpiceJet. SpiceHealth has …