For the second consecutive year, the Goa government has reduced beach shack fees by 50 per cent due to the continuing Covid-19 pandemic. This was announced by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at a cabinet briefing on Thursday. Depending on the size and location, a shack operator has to pay licence fee of upto one lakh rupees.Hopefully, the reduction in the fee would help shack operators make ends meet.

The new Team TAFI India had its first National Joint Council (NJC) meeting on 04 September at the Gift City Club Gandhinagar – Gujarat. The National Managing Committee and the Chapter Chairmen & Secretaries from all 11 Chapters were present. TAFI President Ajay Prakash rendered a traditional welcome to Shri Jenu Devan, MD & Commissioner of Gujarat Tourism. He shared his vision of a reviving travel and tourism industry as vaccinations picked up pace and the epidemic receded.

Thomas Cook India has inaugurated a new Gold Circle Partner franchise outlet in Bengaluru. This expansion augments Thomas Cook India’s distribution and reach in Karnataka to 17 consumer access centres: 7 owned branches and 10 Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlets across Bengaluru, Hubli, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Udupi, Shimoga and Gulbarga.

The government keeps September 15 as the deadline to receive financial bids for Air India. Despite the pandemic and changes to the share purchase agreement to accommodating the queries of the bidders, the government is hoping to achieve the critical milestone of financial bids. Speculations are for more than two bidders, though no confirmation from the government.

Principle Secretary of Rajasthan Tourism, Gayatri Rathore states “At a time when tourism has been the worst-affected sector amid COVID, things have improved here. In fact, better than in previous years. Udaipur has recorded maximum tourist footfall in 10 years. Occupancy rate (in hotels) has gone up, especially on weekends in destinations bordering other states.” The state had become a monsoon getaway and de-stressing point in COVID times. Things have improved in Udaipur.

M. Mathiventhan, Tourism Minister, Tamil Nadu, has announced a new master plan to improve the infrastructure of 300 tourist sites, and to develop a tourism policy. He said that a tourism destination development scheme is to be designed for the development of tourism sites, which includes, adventure sites, and eco-tourism sites. They will develop helipads for helicopter services in Rameswaram, Madurai, and Kodaikanal.

Pronab Sarkar, Immediate Past President of IATO has been elected as member of the SEPC Central Governing Council for 2021-23 to represent Travel & Tourism Sector. Sarkar has won the elections with a big margin. Hence, travel and tourism sector will have strong representation in SEPC and will pave way for taking up issues and raising concens, with the Ministry of Commerce and other Ministries through SEPC.

Switzerland Tourism will conduct a webinar today, focusing on Swiss Travel System (STS), Switzerland’s public transport network. The webinar will highlight STS’s various products and services, as well as the hassle-free booking experience of these offerings on Rail Europe’s distribution network. To register, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

As per relief in guidelines given by Health and Family Ministry, airlines need not provide safety gears like masks, hand sanitizers, face shields or body covers to passengers. However, airlines need to ensure that passengers board aircrafts with their masks covering both mouth and nose. Travelers are required to follow Covid-appropriate behavior of wearing mask, hand hygiene and physical distancing.

Yas Island Abu Dhabi has launched the new marketing campaign ‘Stayin’ On Yas’, encouraging staycationers and vacationers to ‘break like you mean it’ in a brand new integrated roll-out.  Offering a glimpse of holiday promise, the campaign celebrates everything holidaymakers seek during a staycation and more; from record-breaking theme parks, racing, climbing and flying to world-class shopping, dining, golfing and luxury hotels, all packed into one 25 km2 destination. Launched across social media and digital channels, the campaign was developed by creative agency Momentum UAE, with support from Dejavu and Starcom. The new campaign, ‘Stayin’ On Yas’, features three holiday-makers channeling the Bee Gees on a staycation like no other, as they experience the wide range of activities on Yas Island in style.  The re-imagined campaign is styled in the format of music video, taking viewers on a lyrical journey with the new Yas Island anthem ‘Stayin’ On Yas’, a modern day tribute to holidays, inspired by the hit Bee Gees classic. Set against a backdrop of Yas Island’s most iconic attractions including world-class theme parks Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi; shopping haven Yas Mall, Yas Links Abu Dhabi golf course and record-breaking adventure hub CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, the campaign redefines what it means to be on a staycation. The campaign was inspired by a survey of 3,300 UAE residents revealed that the number one thing they were looking for in a staycation was being able to spend time with their family, with 37.1% sharing that they are seeking quality family time during their staycation.  Additionally, 42% of survey respondents stated that a great beach was a ‘must have’ during a …