Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

FHRAI has stated that the RBI’s latest policy measures are grossly inadequate to address the problems of the hospitality industry and that the sector has yet again been ignored. Tourism and hospitality business being seasonal and dynamic, the industry is looking to receive specific tweaks in Resolution Framework 2.0 and has even submitted a representation to the RBI Governor.

Emirates has extended its suspension of passenger flights from India up to June 14, 2021. Furthermore, passengers who have transited through India in the last 14 days will not be accepted to travel from any other point to the UAE. However, UAE nationals, holders of UAE Golden Visas and members of diplomatic missions who comply with COVID-19 protocols will be exempt.

Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, has donated Rs10,000 each to 300 tourist guides from seven heritage hubs of the state of Karnataka that include Hampi, Belur, Halebid, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal and Chitra. The latest wave of COVID-19 has left tour guides destitute, especially after the ray of hope that the opening up of tourism beginning late 2020 had brought.

PA Mohamed Riyas, Minister for Public Works and Tourism, Government of Kerala, has emphasised that it is vitally important to straightaway work out strategies and implement them fast to reactivate tourism. A meeting is also expected to be held with State Level Bankers Committee to explore what top lenders can do to support the sector from a crisis that could eventually harm the whole economy of the state.

IATA has said that it supports the unrestricted access to travel for vaccinated travellers as a growing number of countries make data and evidence-driven decisions to open their borders to them. In cases where vaccination is not possible, access to quarantine-free travel should be provided through COVID-19 testing strategies based on widely available, free-of-charge tests, the Associations suggests.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) Philippines has proposed the possibility of setting up a Green Lane that will facilitate the entry of foreign visitors who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as part of the national government’s effort to reopen the economy. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that she is optimistic about the prospect. “The Green Lane will pave the way for the reopening of our tourist destinations to leisure travellers who are now fully vaccinated,” she added. The Green Lane will make it easier for such travellers to visit the country for leisure as quarantine rules are being relaxed with the progress of the vaccination worldwide.

PA Muhammad Riyas is the new Tourism Minister of Kerala, who will also be handling portfolios of Public Works Department (PWD) and Youth Welfare. Riyas is a first time MP and is the national president of DYFI. At 45, he is one of the youngest ministers in the new Kerala cabinet, and has taken charge after the swearing-in ceremony held in presence of a limited gathering.

SpiceJet recorded a Passenger Load Factor (PLF) of 70.8% in April, which was highest amongst all domestic scheduled operators, revealed Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). GoAir was second in line with 65.7% PLF, while Air Asia recorded 64%. IndiGo’s PLF in the month was 58.7% and Star Air registered its PLF at 55.5%. Vistara and Air India recorded 54.6% and 52% PLF respectively.

Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) through the Directorate General of Lighthouses & Lightships (DGLL) has decided to promote the Lighthouses across India as tourism destinations & means of promoting Lighthouse Tourism in India. Hence, they have invited agencies either individually or in consortium to submit nonbinding expressions of interest (EOI) about the development at the selected 65 Lighthouse locations across the country. The purpose of this invitation is to obtain response from interested parties pertaining to the range of indicative project components, capital investment that can be proposed, suggestions for making this initiative & PPP development a success and to obtain feedback on any other concerns / issues, if any are being anticipated.

Goa recorded highest RevPAR in absolute terms, despite the single digit decline of RevPAR by 1.1% in Q1 2021 as compared to Q1 2020, revealed JLL’s Hotel Momentum India (HMI) Q1 2021. The report highlighted that Bengaluru saw the sharpest decline of 60.6% in RevPAR compared to the same period of the previous year. High demand from domestic leisure travelers make Goa the fastest recovering market in absolute RevPAR terms