Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Effective immediately, the Ministry of Health Seychelles has announced the entry of visitors from all countries, including India, irrespective of COVID-19 vaccination status. All travellers will be required to present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. Additionally, visitors will need to submit a duly filled application for Health Travel Authorization on https://seychelles.govtas.com/ which is subject to verification and approval of the Public Health Authority. A valid travel & health insurance policy to cover COVID-19 related quarantine, isolation or treatment. There will be no quarantine requirement, minimum stay nor restriction on movement upon entry into Seychelles. Conditions for stay for children up to age 17, regardless of their vaccination status, will be as for the parent/guardian they are accompanying. However, all visitors will still be required to adhere to other public health measures put in place in view of the pandemic which will include wearing of face masks, social distancing, regular sanitisation and washing of hands. Visitors are advised to refer to the Department of Tourism travel advisory at: http://tourism.gov.sc/.

Even if travel is resumed in 2021, content marketing habits from the 2000s will not suffice. A new approach to research, markets, values, and ideas is required to match the right travellers with the right experiences. The tourism organisations have matured significantly, and the advent of COVID-19 has further expedited the rate of change. Trends that rumbled below the surface before COVID-19 have emerged with urgency in 2020. Flexibility will be the foundation for content marketing for tourism organisations in 2022.

Children under the age of five years are excluded from both pre- and post-arrival COVID-19 testing in India, according to the Health Ministry, due to increased vaccination around the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic. If they show signs of coronavirus infection upon arrival or during the home quarantine period, they must be tested and treated according to the established protocol.

The main goal of this event was to boost the Indian hospitality and tourism industry and to give lodging units, self-certified on SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness, and Training for the Hospitality Industry) on the OTA platform, a lot of visibility. The MOU also specifies both parties’ obligations to encourage units to register on NIDHI and, consequently on SAATHI, as well as to support the local tourism industry with essential safeguards to prevent COVID-19 spread.

As per IATA, the number of unruly passengers has more than doubled since 2020, and the trend is expected to continue in 2021. Incidents have even caused flights to be rerouted, including one from Paris to Delhi. Between January and early October 2021, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) recorded more than 4,600 incident reports in the US, with 72 percent of them, refusing to wear a mask. Some 849 of these reports have been handled, compared to a yearly average of 142 over the last decade.

The Ministry of Health & Welfare has just released a new list of 96 countries with which the government of India has an agreement for mutual recognition of the vaccination certification for individuals that are fully vaccinated with either the nationally-recognised or WHO-recognised COVID-19 vaccine. This list was released on November 9, 2021.

Speaking at a symposium on developing film tourism and facilitating film shoots in India, Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, said, “I request all states in India to establish film promotion offices that will help co-ordinate with all necessary departments to give permissions for film shoots on time. And of course develop film tourism policies if you don’t have them.”

Fernando Heredia Noguer, Consul General of Spain in Mumbai, during a panel discussion for the trade on visa, said, “We are processing visas very fast. We take one day to process visas. The visa comes from BLS office and it is processed within one day by the Consulate!” More than 90% of the Spanish population has been fully vaccinated. Spain is safe for tourism. It is also important to note that WHO has now recognised Covaxin as a COVID19 vaccine. However, children between 12-18 who aren’t vaccinated cannot enter Spain.

Indian tourists will be some of the most desirable travellers, given India’s growing economy, young population and rising middle class, according to GlobalData. The data and analytics company notes that the country is projected to reach record levels of 29 million outbound trips by 2025 – a buoyant outlook considering the strains of COVID-19.

Vaccines listed under the WHO Emergency Use List will now be recognised in the UK government’s inbound travel rules from 4am on Monday 22 November. As a result, Covaxin will also be added to its list of approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting more fully vaccinated people from countries including India. These travellers will not have to self-isolate.