Delhi has seen significant decline in Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) YTD July 2020, declining 44.3% over the same period in the previous year, according to JLL India Hotels and Hospitality Group’s latest note.

WTM London is going to be a virtual-only event in November 2020. WTM Virtual will take place from 9-11 November, offering delegates the chance to arrange one-to-one virtual meetings to do business, attend conference sessions and roundtables, take part in speed networking and more. Simon Press, Senior Director, WTM London, said, “Sadly, this year will be the first time since we launched WTM London in 1980 that there will be no live event. We have worked tirelessly to organise a physical show, but the increasing number of travel restrictions and the uncertainty around the world means it will be impractical for many overseas visitors to attend in person. Additionally, there remains uncertainty around business events and conferences being allowed to take place in the UK. The official deadline for this decision being the 1st October. However, thousands of travel trade professionals from around the globe will still be able to meet and do business in an extensive range of virtual sessions, to help the industry recover, rebuild and innovate.”

In line with the safe and gradual resumption of economic activities in Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will start accepting applications for organisers to pilot MICE events of up to 250 attendees from October 1, 2020. It will review all proposals and organisers may proceed only upon obtaining the Ministry of Trade & Industry’s approval. There will be pilot events taking place under this arrangement, such as the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) Conference, in October 2020.

Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State, Tourism & Culture (I/C), has told the parliament that there has been a massive loss of revenue, foreign exchange and jobs in tourism owing to the pandemic. “Several rounds of discussions and brainstorming sessions with industry stakeholders indicate massive loss of revenue and jobs. In view of the highly unorganised nature of the tourism sector, the impact in numerical terms can only be ascertained in due course,” he told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, met with the GST Commissioner to push for TCS. “We have already shared a document with the GST Commissioner on behalf of FAITH and I went personally also yesterday to give a letter to withdraw TCS, which is scheduled to be applicable from October 1. Also, we are wanting to discuss the GST reseller model, which has been approved, but it still needs to be implemented and it hasn’t come from the Government as a circular. So we are also following up on that,” she said.

After much deliberation from travel trade and associations in India and in the state of UP, Taj Mahal and Agra Fort are all set to be opened for tourists, starting September 21, 2020.

The TravTalk CEO Survey has revealed that 64% of CEOs from travel and tourism industry feel that travellers will pay more for hygienic and safe options.

India’s first on-site COVID testing facility is all set to come up at the capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, which will provide RT-PCR test results within six hours. The facility by Genestrings Diagnostic Centre, is expected to be operational by mid-September. The which will establish the 3,500 square metre facility at the multi-level car parking of Terminal 3, said that the results of samples collected at the facility will be declared within 4-6 hours, and until then, the passengers will be isolated in the waiting lounge or may opt to stay in a hotel. If the result is positive, the passenger will be processed in line with applicable Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) protocols by the authorities while those testing negative can continue their onward air journey. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines mandate international passengers arriving in India and having RT-PCR negative certificate would be exempt from institutional quarantine by states and will be allowed onward air journey. DIAL’s CEO, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, said: “Delhi airport continues to be a hub for international travellers even during the pandemic. The pilot initiative has been taken to ensure testing of all arriving international transfer passengers scheduled to board a domestic connecting flight post-arrival at Delhi Airport. The Covid-19 testing laboratory at Delhi Airport has been adequately equipped for testing and sample collection that will be conducted in compliance with the protocols established by the ICMR and the NABL.”

The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) has resumed water sports activities in the state, which were stopped in view of COVID-19. Besides boating, river rafting, kayaking and canoeing have also been permitted. Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism & MD, MPTB said that relevant guidelines have been issued to the managers of the boat clubs in the state. It has been decided to run all boats on 50% occupancy. Speed Boats will now carry three persons instead of six, pedal boats, two instead of four, raft boats four instead of eight and cruise boats, 30 instead of 60. MP Tourism runs boat clubs at several places in the state including Bhopal, Halali, Udaygiri, Tawa, Bargi, Bhedaghat, Hanuwantia, Tighra, Gandhisagar dam, Shivpuri and Orchha.

Andhra Pradesh government has issued the ‘AP Tourism Trade (Registration and Facilitation) Guidelines, 2020’, under which it will be easier for tourism service providers to register themselves. Rajat Bhargava, Special Chief Secretary, Tourism and Culture. AP, said that they will provide a simple mechanism for registration of tourism trade, which would allow them to collect statistical information from service providers and establish a database on tourism for planning and development of tourism in the state.