Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Emirates has suspended passenger flights from India until May 31, 2021. UAE nationals, holders of UAE Golden Visas and members of diplomatic missions who comply with the revised published COVID-19 protocols will be exempt for travel. Those with cancelled bookings can retain their ticket for a future flight or rebook their flight for another date.

Tourism Minister PS Patel has said that the focus of the Ministry of Tourism post-COVID will be on promoting offbeat destinations and activities such as eco-tourism, wellness retreats and mountaineering, among others. He also added, “India would like to offer to the world, post COVID-19, calm, peace and health through yoga, Ayurveda and other forms of traditional treatments and spiritual surroundings.”

Akbar Al Baker, Group CEO, Qatar Airways, has said that while they are keen to pick up stake in Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo, which he regards as the country’s largest and most efficient airline, the present may not be the right time for it. The Group CEO says that India continues to be a strategically important market for Qatar Airways.

Indian nationals in transit through a French airport on their way to another country will require an airport transit visa (ATV). The categories exempt from the ATV include families of EU or Swiss nationals; Indian official passport holders; Schengen visa holders; and holders of permanent residence permits from EU countries, the UK, Japan, Canada and USA.

Recovery in domestic and international travel has been delayed by three and six months, respectively, due to COVID resurgence, says India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra). Besides, 2021 has brought three new challenges such as higher fuel expenses, rising competition intensity, and likely pressure on airline yields as the scramble for market share realignment to pre-COVID period begins.

Under the current Presidential Proclamation, student visa holders from India are able to enter the United States if their classes start on or after August 1, 2021. The United States, however, will not approve exceptions for F visa holders with a programme start date before August 1, 2021. Students with valid F-1 and M-1 visas intending to begin or continue an academic programme commencing August 1 this year or later do not need to contact an embassy or consulate to seek an individual National Interest Exception to travel.

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has introduced AlUla in Saudi Arabia as a heritage and cultural destination to the Indian market. Melanie de Souza, Executive Director, Destination Marketing, said, “We see great potential in promoting tourism to AlUla from India. Besides high-value, leisure travellers, we will promote AlUla as an extension to an Umrah tour.” Sharing details of their promotional strategy, she adds, “We have started our promotional activities with trade to promote and showcase AlUla as a leisure and MICE destination through our India partner, Beautiful Planet Destination Marketing. We have been working with travel trade to create awareness and interest in AlUla and build visitation. We have been engaging with travel trade through webinars, trainings and presentations. We will closely work with key travel trade partners on joint promotional activities. In addition, we will continue to participate in trade shows to showcase the destination. Furthermore, we will continue to disseminate monthly newsletters to travel agents across India to keep them updated about AlUla. Once the borders open, we will implement roadshows and travel trade famils.”  

IATO Executive Committee has relooked and restructured its Regional and State Chapters to expand its wings and strengthen its membership basis. Separate chapters have been created for Uttarakhand and Ladakh with Nidhish Sharma, Managing Director, Garhwal Adventure, Dehradun and Tsering Namgyal, Managing Director, Windhorse Expeditions India, Ladakh being appointed as Chairman for Uttarakhand and Ladakh respectively.

CAPA India has said that the chances of a successful divestment of Air India may be less certain as of May 2021. It furthe said that the Government would need to at least have a plan B ready. Earlier, CAPA India in January 2021 had mentioned that the government’s commitment to privatisation of Air India and airports is laudable.

Tourist hotspots like Calangute and Candolim in North Goa will continue to be under lockdown, even as the government has lifted the lockdown in other parts of the state, Goa’s Ports Minister Michael Lobo has said. The panchayats of Calangute, Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa have passed orders to continue the lockdown to curb the spread of the infection, said the MLA from Calangute.