TOURISM INDIA OCTOBER 2020

INCREDIBLE INDIA

WONDERFUL WORLD AIRLINES ONLINE TECHNOLOGY

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OCTOBER 2020 VOL. 23 NO. 06 Pages 60

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tourismindiamagazine

RINGS OUT THE BAD TIMES KESARIYA PALAMPUR AIRLINE NEWS PATA GOLD AWARDS

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Editor’s Note

To Recovery & Beyond

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he aftermath of COVID 19 in the tourism sector goes beyond the cancellation of flights and hotel bookings. The sensible loses and setbacks of COVID-19 continue and around the world, the pandemic makes a rapid shift in the daily life to lockdowns as well as remote working and digitization has been paramount during these unprecedented days. However, 90% of the global population adjusted to life under travel restrictions In the wake of COVID-19, The Future of Travel & Tourism demands the need for the readiness of destination, as the evolution in consumers priorities to adopt new protocols for health and safety measures to keep up. This new normal makes an evolution in Traveller preferences which shifts towards the familiar and trusted. Health, Hygiene, safety, and trust are paramount in this new phase.

COVID-19 and lockdown make themselves an unexpected catalyst in all walks of life’s quest for innovation and the integration of new technologies. In Travel & Tourism scenario customers are happier with contactless technologies for a safe and seamless travel experience.

As the tourism industry goes through a dramatic period and many become unemployed or displaced and due to the economic downturn it is difficult for them to find employment in other sectors or industries. The share of female employment in the tourism sector is high.

It will take another one more year for the international tourism sector to return to pre-pandemic levels.

People are in a state of fear, anxiety, and insecurity for

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a long time and it will further extend until the time of reinstatement of the tourism industry. All sectors of the economies reliant on tourism are negatively affected Governments should protect the lives and livelihoods of workers in this sector around the world.

Since tourism is a labor-intensive sector, In this time of recovery jobs in the tourism sector requires strong support at both levels nationally and Internationally and need to ensure; support measures should be simple and accessible to all and reaches the real economy. Along the recovery road Horizontal and vertical cooperation of National, regional and local governments and public-private partnerships are critical.

All measures and recovery plans should be aligned with the SDGs and 2030 Agenda. It is better to make a roadmap to respond to future shocks for the resilience of the tourism Industry through the lessons from this pandemic.

As governance is the key at the time of any crisis worldwide all countries are now prioritizing domestic tourism to prepare and adopt Travel in new normal.

Public-private partnerships will be encouraged as a 7 model of survival. Initiatives and specific products in areas like adventure, wellness, ecotourism, cultural and gastronomy tourism, and rural tourism should be more projected as part of confidence retrieval. New promotional campaigns through digital and social media promotion efforts are other marketing strategies by most destinations.

The road ahead may appear uncertain and it is time to restore the confidence.

Rajani A Editor OCTOBER 2020 TOURISM INDIA

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Contents OCTOBER 2020

VOL 23 NO 06 Cover : Taapsee Pannu Location: Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives

MANAGING EDITOR Ravisankar K V EDITOR Rajani A EXECUTIVE EDITOR Raadia Mukadam ASSOCIATE EDITOR G. Ajithkumar ART EDITOR N Bhattathiri DIRECTOR - DESIGNS Anand Sankar PHOTOGRAPHERS Vivek R. Nair, Murukesh Iyer ONLINE EDITION VAISHNAV RAMAKRISHNAN

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Kerala Tourism wins PATA Gold Awards Safe Travels stamp for 100 destinations WTTC Launches Report on the Future of Travel & Tourism in a Post-COVID World IOSH & WTTC release guidelines for safe return to work

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‘Travel the world. Make a difference’ and share experiences

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We Love Travel! An entirely virtual event

BUSINESS & EDITORIAL ASSOCIATES

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EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICE TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD A-29, KUMARA VILAS, ELANKOM GARDENS, VELLAYAMBALAM, SASTHAMANGALAM P.O., TRIVANDRUM, KERALA, INDIA 695010 TEL: +91 471 2315256 MOB: 9847060531 CONTACT US Editorial Enquiries editor@tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 9847060531 Advertisement Enquiries marketing@tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 9745598126 Circulation & Subscription Enquiries circulation@tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 9745598126 Online Edition www.tourismindia.org www.tourismindiaonline.com Digital Edition: https://issue.com/tourismindia No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD. All rights reserved Copyright @2020 Printed and Published by Ravisankar K V on behalf of TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD, A-29, Kumara Vilas, Elankom Gardens, Vellayambalam, Sasthamangalam P.O., Trivandrum 695010 at Aarsha Offset Graphix, Mettukkada, Thycaud.P.O., Trivandrum- 695014 Editor: Rajani A

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FAITH organizes ‘India Tourism Vision Day’

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IndiGo tops the Safe Travel Barometer in India

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SpiceJet to connect Delhi & Mumbai with London from Dec.2020

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UV Cabin Cleaning Technology for Qatar Airways

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Etihad Airways launches global student offer

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Indulge in uninterrupted serenity @ Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram

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IHCL ANNOUNCES A VIVANTA IN LUCKNOW

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Weekend Getaway At Signature Villas

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Brigade Hospitality Recognised Among India’s 100 Best Workplaces for Women

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Kerala Tourism to reopen

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FAREBREEZE.COM, World’s First Charter Flight GDS launched

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Plum launches clean. real.good.by plum

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Kesariya- The Largest Buddhist Stupa

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The Plateau called Palampur

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Alluring Retreats Await You in JAMAICA

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Explore USA through Online Experiences 9

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Oman Air resumes flight to 3 Indian cities

Saxony as the first Official Cultural Destination of ITB Berlin 2021

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TAAPSEE PANNU “RINGS OUT THE BAD TIMES” IN MALDIVES

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HIDE AWAY IN THE MALDIVES

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TOURISM MALAYSIA AIMS TO FUEL DEMAND FOR CUTICUTI MALAYSIA OCTOBER 2020 TOURISM INDIA

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NEWS / INTERNATIONAL

KERALA TOURISM WINS PATA GOLD AWARDS

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he Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the winners of the PATA Gold Awards 2020 which was sponsored by the Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) for the last 25 years, this year’s awards

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recognise the achievements of 23 organisations and individuals.

The winners were announced during the Online PATA Gold Awards Presentation as part of Virtual PATA Travel Mart 2020, taking place from September 23-27.

PATA announces winners of PATA Grand and Gold Award winners for 2020

Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of MGTO, said, “I commend all PATA Gold Awards participants for keeping alive the spirit of innovation, helping to raise the bar across all sectors of the industry. As we look forward to restarting tourism in the ‘new normal’, more than ever we will have to come up with solutions ‘outside the box’ to ensure that tourism is not only safe but also seamless and appealing. Macao is honored for its long-standing support to PATA in this inspiring initiative, on our way to transforming the city into a world center of tourism and leisure.”

PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy added, “On behalf of PATA, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all PATA Gold Award winners and Grand Title winners, and I would also like to thank all of this year’s participants. The achievements of this year’s winners will hopefully inspire and encourage our industry to create new responsible and sustainable initiatives as we look towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first year that we announced the winners live and it was an absolute pleasure to celebrate their accomplishments during the Online PATA Gold Awards Presentation.”

The PATA Grand Title Winners were presented to outstanding entries in three principal categories: Marketing, Sustainability, and Human Capital Development.

Kerala Tourism, India received the PATA Gold Award 2020 Grand Title Winner in Marketing for Education and Training for its “Human

by Nature Print Campaign”. In August 2018, unprecedented heavy Monsoon rain devastated Kerala.

The ordinary people of Kerala, the fishermen, students, working professionals, and villagers emerged www.tourismindia.org

as the Heroes of the Flood. The campaign is drawn from the everyday life of people in the five diverse terrains of Kerala and explores the fascinating ‘human scale’ of the land. The idea emerged from travellers who began to perceive ‘human’ encounters in Kerala as a unique, enriching experience.

Moreover, the campaign which promotes ordinary people as brand ambassadors of the land is built on the idea of common humanity that connects the travellers with Keralites and the fact that everyday life in its reality is one of the most exceptional experiences that Kerala offers.

The Grand Title Winner in Sustainability was presented to YAANA Ventures, Thailand, for the Anurak Community Lodge. Anurak Community Lodge in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, is a Travelife Gold certified eco-lodge for active lifestyle visitors who respect nature and local community traditions. Surrounded by spectacular limestone karst scenery, the lodge is an ideal base to explore adjacent Khao Sok National Park and majestic Chiew Larn Lake.

Anurak’s operation since opening in 2016 has been guided by an ethos of reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Guests and staff are encouraged to save energy and water. Single-use plastic, Styrofoam, and cardboard plates are banned. Plastic straws 11 have been replaced with bamboo and metal ones. An onsite recycling station has been set up, along with a composting area. A greywater treatment filter system for laundry wastewater is in place. Water from that system is being used on the Rainforest Rising project, Anurak’s project to return two rai (3,226 sqm; 0.8 acres) of former palm oil plantation beside the lodge to indigenous lowland evergreen forest

by 2023.

The Grand Title Winner in Human Capital Development was bestowed to MGM China, Macao, China for its “Unleashing Greatness – MGM’s Human Capital Development Initiative”. Guided by MGM’s vision of “Unleashing Greatness for all”, they aim to unleash the greatness of their constituents through sustainable development of its employees, communities, and responsible tourism. They build a sustainable world-class hospitality workforce with a strong learning culture that engages employees and lifelong learning. Their bestin-class 74 training hours per head per year validates our commitment and achievement in this endeavor.

MGM practices responsible citizenships to ensure localization of staff and the sustainable development of its extended communities.

Their initiatives include scholarships for local students, internship opportunities, community outreach programs, youth leadership development, etc. One example is its pioneering free online sign language lessons to the community in Macao, China OCTOBER 2020 TOURISM INDIA

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NEWS / GLOBAL

SAFE TRAVELS STAMP FOR 100 DESTINATIONS The Philippines revealed as 100th destination

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he global safety and hygiene stamp by WTTC has reached its first major milestone with the Philippines becoming the official 100th destination. WTTC made history earlier this year when it launched the world’s first-ever global safety and hygiene stamp and In just three short months, 100 destinations are now using

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its ‘Safe Travels’ stamp which was developed in order to help restore confidence in travellers and work to revive an ailing Travel & Tourism sector, is now also being used by many more major holiday destinations such as the Maldives, Bermuda, Namibia, Uganda, and Montenegro.

The specially designed stamp enables travellers to recognise

destinations around the world that have adopted health and hygiene global standardized protocols – so they can experience ‘Safe Travels’. This landmark move by WTTC also received the backing of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The launch of global protocols to recover the Travel & Tourism

sector have been embraced by over 200 CEO’s including some of the world’s major tourism groups.

Ms. Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We are delighted to see our innovative initiative is proving such a great success and is being used by destinations from all corners of the globe.

“The 100 destinations which now proudly use the stamp are working together to help rebuild consumer confidence worldwide.

We welcome the Philippines, an incredible destination, and home to some of the world’s most beautiful islands, as our 100th destination, as well as other popular destinations around the globe such as Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, and Kenya.

“As the stamp continues to gain in popularity, travellers will more easily be able to recognise the destinations worldwide which have adopted the new set of global protocols, encouraging the return of ‘Safe Travels’ around the world.

“The success of the Safe Travels stamp shows its importance not only to countries and destinations but also to travellers and the 330 million people around the world who work in and depend on a thriving the Travel & Tourism sector.”

Bernadette RomuloPuyat, Philippine Secretary of Department of Tourism said: “The Philippine Department of Tourism is delighted to be awarded the WTTC Safe Travels stamp, particularly as we pursue the safe and gradual reopening of our tourist destinations.

“I wish to thank WTTC for recognising our efforts of putting in place policies concerning health, safety, and sanitation protocols, www.tourismindia.org

Maldives, Uganda, Bermuda and Montenegro also to get world’s first global safety and hygiene stamp which we have benchmarked with global best practices and aligned with WTTC’s standards.

“The Safe Travels stamp will further encourage our stakeholders to adhere to health and safety standards, and will

also help us rebuild traveller confidence, so we can restart tourism and preserve and sustain jobs.”

The widespread adoption of the stamp demonstrates that WTTC and all its Members from around the world have the safety and hygiene of travellers as their top priority.

The protocols follow guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as considering best practices from WTTC’s members.

Evidence from WTTC’s Crisis Readiness report, which looked at 90 different types of crises in the last 20 years, highlights the importance of publicprivate cooperation and the implementation of standardised protocols.

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NEWS / GLOBAL TRENDS

WTTC LAUNCHES REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL & TOURISM IN A POSTCOVID WORLD The need for public and private sector to work together to recover the millions of jobs impacted, rebuild traveller confidence, and build the sector’s resilience

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new report by WTTC and Oliver Wyman provides recommendations on how to ensure more seamless recovery of the Tourism sector. The need for the public and private sector to work together to recover the millions of jobs impacted, rebuild traveller confidence, and build the sector’s resilience is the highlight in the report. WTTC has worked closely with Oliver Wyman, a global management consulting firm, along with a number of WTTC’s Members from key areas of the Travel & Tourism sector, to bring together this important body of work.

The report emphasizes the importance of taking a globally 14

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coordinated approach to recovery: enhancing the current seamless travel experience, embracing the integration of new technologies, and enacting global protocols for health and hygiene to ultimately rebuild the confidence of travellers.

The report stresses that, as we reimagine the future of Travel & Tourism and explore policy recommendations, four macrotrends are expected to lead the way through recovery and beyond: demand evolution, health & hygiene, innovation & digitisation, and sustainability.

According to the report, 70% of North American leisure travellers say they would book during COVID-19 if changes were free.

More than nine out of 10 (92%) of consumers trust personal recommendations with regards to health and hygiene, and 69% of travellers cite cleanliness as a critical component of a travel brand’s crisis response, and it is expected that travellers will continue to pay heightened attention to health and hygiene even after there is a COVID-19 vaccine.

As per the report, almost half (45%) of travellers are ready to move from paper passports to a digital identity and three quarters (73%) of consumers state they are taking note of brands that are making a difference during COVID-19, showing that growing attention is being paid to sustainability.

From widespread unemployment and anti-racism movements to the restoration of natural habitats, the world has been reinvigorated to tackle social, environmental, and institutional sustainability.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “This comprehensive research paves the road to recovery for the Travel & Tourism sector.

While there is still work to be done, this gives us insight into how we can best approach recovery and offers a vision and hope to the sector. It is crucial that we continue www.tourismindia.org

to learn from previous crises and come together in a coordinated way to make a real difference in reducing both the economic and human impact.

“The economic pain and suffering caused to millions of households around the world, who are dependent upon Travel & Tourism for their livelihoods, is evident.

“We strongly believe that by working as and by taking a coordinated approach, we can beat COVID-19 and return to safe travels with world-class standards of hygiene to travellers and regenerate the jobs and livelihoods of the 330 million people who worked in the sector before COVID-19.”

Matthieu De Clercq, Partner at Oliver Wyman, said “The Travel & Tourism sector already accounts already for one in 10 jobs globally, and will continue to be critical to the economic development of many economies. Creating inclusive opportunities for women, youth and minorities alike do not only make sense economically but are also what tourists of the future want, especially post-COVID. “It is imperative to move beyond the crisis and continue to support systemic change in the industry to enhance its resilience to future shocks and improve its positive socio-economic positive impact.”

The report offers recommendations on how the Travel & Tourism sector can ensure a more seamless recovery. These 15 include: Border openings and repatriation: A harmonised approach to remove travel restrictions, with a previous risk assessment in place, as well as standardised contact testing and tracing requirements at departure Define common health and safety standards: The public and private sector should jointly agree on the implementation of health & safety standards across industries within Travel & Tourism.

Strengthen worker support

schemes: Provide payroll protection and wage subsidies as well as general consumer stimulus cheques and tax payment deferrals Incentivise travel: Introduction of consumer incentives for travel spending, starting with domestic travellers and expanding to regional and international as quickly as possible and appropriate Promote tourism starting with domestic and regional travel: To capitalise on the initial recovery, governments, tourism boards and organisations should direct their early marketing and promotional efforts to incentivise domestic and regional travel. Importantly, they should also prepare and provide early marketing and promotional incentives to stimulate the earliest possible regrowth and recovery of internal travel and tourism Extend digital infrastructure to rural destinations: Investment in the digital infrastructure of emerging destinations and remote areas will be critical, as well as enhancing digital skills within local communities Integrate digital identities: Accelerating the adoption of digital identities and solutions will be key to maximise accuracy for health and safety protections while reducing bias in border control and expediting the movement of passengers Rethink the workplace: The rapid shift to remote work will require the public and private sectors to come together to determine how to optimise the new working arrangements Stimulate sustainability practices: Develop and provide incentives to encourage the implementation of sustainability measures within the private sector.

WTTC has continually been at the forefront in leading the private sector in the efforts to rebuild global consumer confidence and encourage the return of Safe Travels.

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NEWS / GLOBAL TRENDS

IOSH & WTTC

RELEASE GUIDELINES FOR SAFE RETURN TO WORK Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and World Travel & Tourism Council release guidelines for safe return to work

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o help ensure the protection of both employees in Travel & Tourism and travellers, The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has signed a memorandum of collaboration and released a number of guides to enable businesses within the Travel & Tourism sector to return to work safely.

The guides include Returning safely guide, Risk assessments 16

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guide, Covid-19 ergonomic factsheet, Maintaining good leadership principles factsheet, Mental health, and wellbeing – working from the home factsheet, Remote workers guide.

As organisations within the Travel & Tourism sector seek to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, rebuilding consumer confidence through safety and health protocols in all tourism operations has emerged as one of the biggest priorities for WTTC, and the

wider sector.

As the chartered body for occupational safety and health professionals and leading developer of safety and health training courses, IOSH is ideally placed to provide support in preventing accidents and ill-health in the sector.

The memorandum was signed

by IOSH Chief Executive, Bev Messinger, and WTTC President & CEO, Gloria Guevara on 29 September 2020 followed by a webinar on 30 September, where Bev

addressed members of WTTC. Bev said: “The purpose of this collaboration is to support the WTTC and the businesses in the Travel & Tourism sector at this difficult time with our expertise and resources to keep your employees safe and healthy.

“Restarting operations isn’t something which can happen overnight. There needs to be a planned, risk-controlled approach – based on strong leadership, worker involvement, and sound health and safety advice – to ensure safe people, workplaces, systems, and equipment. IOSH’s Returning safely campaign has offered fresh advice to help people carry out COVID risk assess-

Memorandum signed to ensure safe recovery for travel & tourism sector ments and update the ways they work to ensure everyone stays safe and societies and economies recover.”

Ms. Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “WTTC is delighted to partner with IOSH on such an important set of guidelines.

The Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way we work,

and we hope that at the right time companies begin to return to offices, with the right protocols and measures in place to protect and safeguard their staff. Consumer and employee confidence is a key component in the recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector, and we believe that these guidelines will play a significant role in that process.”

This collaboration aims to help the Travel & Tourism sector recover from the pandemic by leveraging IOSH’s experience and practical solutions to help the organisations and businesses best look after the safety and health of their workforce.

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NEWS / TRAVEL TRENDS

‘TRAVEL THE WORLD, MAKE A DIFFERENCE’ AND SHARE EXPERIENCES Campaign launched on World Tourism Day (27 Sept)

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new initiative by WTTC to raise awareness of the wide-ranging social benefits of travel, asks travellers to think about the positive social impact that travel makes to people, places, and communities dependent upon the Travel & Tourism sector for their livelihoods. The major social media campaign has been launched by the WTTC also encourages people around the world to share stories of how tourism has made a dif-

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ference and changed their lives.

The campaign strapline ‘Travel the world. Make a difference’, is inspired by the deeper positive socioeconomic and cultural benefits, which each and every trip can generate.

A specially made video to share the message will go online across social media platforms, asking travellers about their own journeys, which have had a profound impact on their lives and to share

their stories using the hashtags #togetherintravel and #aworldofdifference.

It comes after WTTC’s drive to responsibly rekindle the wanderlust of travellers through its successful ‘Together in Travel’ campaign earlier this year, despite the multiple global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Travel gives us memories which last a lifetime and

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WE LOVE TRAVEL! AN ENTIRELY VIRTUAL EVENT

TB Berlin and the Berlin Travel Festival are holding a three-day online event for trade visitors and the general public – 90 exhibitors and over 50 speakers – On Friday tickets costing 25 euros offer trade visitors access to digital services and networking formats –On the weekend the wide-ranging programme targets the general public and a live stream is available free of charge and without prior registration at welovetravel.berlin/livestream After a forced absence due to the coronavirus the travel industry is gradually coming back to life and is holding a three-day

online event for trade visitors and the general public. We Love Travel! – A Tourism Recovery Pop-up is jointly organised by ITB Berlin and the Berlin Travel Festival and is taking place from 6 to 18 October 2020 as an entirely virtual event. At the show, originally planned as a hybrid format, a total of 90 exhibitors and more than 50 speakers await an online audience of trade visitors and the general public. All networking formats, presentations and discussion rounds will be live-streamed daily from Arena Berlin at welovetravel.berlin/livestream.

After the event selected pre-

sentations will be available as videos free of charge at itb.com/ virtualconvention. ”After months of turmoil it is the heartfelt desire of the industry and everyone interested in travel to be able to exchange information, at least in virtual form, on the best topic in the world“, said David Ruetz, head of ITB Berlin. ”By hosting We Love Travel! we are bringing the travel community together in a virtual format, giving the industry a professional boost and offering lots of inspiration to the general public“, added Bernd Neff, founder and managing director of the Berlin Travel Festival.

the most amazing experiences to share. But this is just half the story.

“Travel & Tourism has a hugely positive benefit upon the world, far beyond the immediate pleasure it brings to those who are able to explore and discover people, places, and amazing experiences for themselves.

“As our latest campaign shows, the social impact of Travel & Tourism can transform lives of all of

those who depend on 19 this sector, alleviate poverty, reduce inequality, protect wildlife and preserve cultures and communities around the globe. It plays a vital part in achieving wider developmental goals.

“We want to increase the awareness amongst travellers of the incredible extra benefits of travel, so they are more conscious that their actions and spending go further than they think, as well as how positive an impact every trip can

have. Whilst we fully understand that many vulnerable people are unable to travel at this time, others can and will as soon as they are able to do so.

WTTC’s highly successful ‘Together in Travel’ campaign, which was launched in April this year, just as countries had introduced widespread global travel restrictions.

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world shared their stories, which generated more than 80 million impressions.

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NEWS / INDUSTRY

FAITH ORGANIZES ‘INDIA TOURISM VISION DAY’ FAITH has announced India Tourism Vision Day on 8th October

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ederation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), has announced India Tourism Vision Day on 8th October. The Board & the Presidents of the 10 FAITH Associations held a National press conference to address the Theme 2020-For Indian Tourism to thrive tomorrow, it has to survive and revive today.

While addressing the media Mr. Nakul Anand, Chairman, FAITH said, In the post-COVID normal as our country moves towards the stated goal of becoming a $ 5 trillion dollar economy, our vision is to have a tourism economic footprint of $ 500 bn.

Survival, Revival & Thrival: the three-phased recovery of Indian Tourism. From now, till the time the vaccine is deployed we need to sustain tourism and the service talent that forms the core of this industry. We believe this will be best served by a tourism COVID 19 Fund set up by the Ministry of Tourism where interest-free funds are given to support the employees and the operating costs of tourism companies. This should be done through a direct benefit transfer against their pan cards and GST identities. The tourism industry has been identified as one of 26 most stressed industries by the RBI expert committee, eligible for restructuring.

He added that Indian tourism needs to be structured through a constitutionally empowered legislative body -A national tourism council to enable fast track center state-level tourism decision making and work on a One India One Tourism approach leveraging and utilising full synergies of India’s tourism potential across all our states. This will raise the decibels for going Vocal with Local.

Captain Swadesh Kumar, the President – Adventure Tour Operators Association of India said, In the $ 750 bn + world adventure www.tourismindia.org

In the post-COVID normal as our country moves towards the stated goal of becoming a $ 5 trillion dollar economy, our vision is to have a tourism economic footprint of $ 500 bn.

Mr. Nakul Anand, Chairman, FAITH tourism industry which is poised to touch $ 1.5 trillion in the post covid world, India currently has a negligible share. We look forward to working closely with the central & each of state government to move towards a vision is to get at a respectable market share of 5-10% in the medium to long run in the world adventure tourism

market which is commensurate with our natural assets.

We want to become one of the top ten nations in adventure tourism ranking in the post COVID world and must accordingly have to enable policy mechanisms such as search and rescue, satellite phone connectivity, x visa,

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NEWS / INDUSTRY global insurance recognition, and more.

Mr. PP Khanna, the President of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators Association of India opined that To boost fast track revival for the domestic tourism market there needs to make an income tax as an exemption on traveling within India. Indian citizens can get income tax credits for up to ₹ 1.5 lakhs when spending with Gst registered domestic tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, and transporters. Not only will this organise the domestic tourism industry which is highly unorganised, but this will also revive domestic demand in a systematic manner, a practice which is being followed in many countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Japan etc.

Mr. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, the Vice President of the Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Industry of India (FHRAI), India has an estimated more than 70000 hotels and over 5 lakhs restaurants. Our vision is to make India the concept of hospitality and cuisine capital of the world. To make India the global hospitality and cui-

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sine tourism capital and create an ecosystem for entrepreneurship and business models we need an enabling environment from state governments and the central government.

E- Single window clearance at a national level must be enabled for hotels &restaurants through the hospitality Development Promotion Board and all existing licenses, permits, permissions must be thoroughly examined for redundancies and standardised at a national level. This will bring down the cost of pre-openings and also annual costs of compliance and make us more globally competitive.

Hotels Association of India – MP Bezbaruah, Secretary General said, If India targets 1 million classified quality hotel infrastructure, that would imply a mammoth capital expenditure of ₹ 25 lakh crores, If we assume a conservative weighted average estimate of ₹ 25 lakhs per room.

Land banks are the most critical resource for hospitality projects.

They are also the biggest CAPEX drivers. Very high-quality land assets are available with public sec-

tor units and government which can be used to enhance hospitality growth. However, to do that, our hospitality PPP models need to be standardized across the country which creates lease structure which enables government share to be linked to business growth and not as a fixed payout which will drive immense hospitality capital into India.

Mr. Amaresh Tiwari, Vice Chairman of India Convention Promotion Bureau said, The global mice industry is estimated to be upwards of $ 800 bn and India’s share is estimated to be around 1 %. This sector has a direct correlation the gdp. Thus In line with our gdp share of the world, our first goal post covid , in 5 years would be to double our mice share to 2.5% of the world and then doubling it over medium term. We need to recognise mice tourism as a distinct business segment and we need to create a sub- brand to the main brand Incredible India. To target global congress, conventions and conferences, and social events we need to create a global mice bidding fund with a corpus for ₹

500 crores to enable our entrepreneurs undertake techno economic bids for events which have a bid cycle of 2 years plus. Indian mice has the unique benefit of being bundled with the natural and cultural assets of India.

Mr. Sharat Chandra, Treasurer of Indian Tourist Transportation Association said, Tourist transportation is the backbone of domestic tourism. Globally in all countries stable and uniform policies for tourist transportation have stimulated growth.

As part of revival, survival measures have to be taken. Lack of cash inflow is the most pressing issue during the COVID and thus it is most critical that refund of unutilised GST credit lying with government to the operators must happen which will get liquidity into the system. It is important to have exemption from payment of insurance premium for the tourist transport vehicles for the financial year till a complete stability happens. Complete waiver from payment of inter state taxes on tourist transport vehicles for a period of one year till a compete resumption takes place.

Mr. Gajsingh Jodhpur, President of Indian Heritage Hotels Associations said, India was ranked globally as being the 9th best in terms of its cultural assets by the tourism global competitiveness of World Economic Forum. We are of the most unique countries in world which has a heritage which goes back over 5000 years and is estimated that just about 1% of India’s heritage has actually been monetised for hospitality and a large part of it may be falling apart for Lack of funds or policy focus. Be those our palaces & forts, our monuments & museums, our food, arts & crafts & our historical sites, a lot of them have the potential to become world class tourism assets. We need to create special focus on Indian www.tourismindia.org

Survival, Revival & Thrival: the three-phased recovery of Indian Tourism.

From now, till the time the vaccine is deployed we need to sustain tourism and the service talent that forms the core of this industry heritage through a heritage sub brand which is linked to the main brand of Incredible India.

Mr. Pronab Sarkar, President of Indian Association of Tour Operators said, In the pre- covid period India had a global share of 1.2% international travel. This is not commensurate with the size and scope of India can offer. In the post – covid period our vision is to double India’s share of inbound tourism to 2.5% in 5 years post normal and then double it again to 5% in the next five years post that. This will rightfully put Indian tourism in the global league where it belongs. We are confident that the Indian tourism is next global champion sector for India and the road to 23 that vision begins by surviving and reviving today.

Ms. Jyoti Mayal, the President of Travel Agents Association of India and Vice Chairman, FAITH said, Indian tourism industry is and will undergo a massive radical change which require a significant component of re-skilling and up skilling of travel Agents fraternity and our prime focus is that to enable them to create

more opportunities in the post covid world.

A key requirement is to make Indian travel agents globally competitive. The recently introduced TCS makes Indian travel agents uncompetitive by 5 – 10% via their global counterparts. We look forward to organising the travel agents industry and protect our fraternity from fly by night operations. This is critical to rebuild trust and we are continually pursuing it. Both at the central government level and at the state governments level this is critical.

Mr. Pradip Lulla, the President of Travel Agents Fraterniity of India said, Times are changing, businesses models are changing and they are changing fast. With technology earlier and now because of the pandemic, the travel agents fraternity are under immense pressure.

India is going to be one of the biggest source market for outbound travel. We see this as the largest opportunity for our travel agents fraternity. In 2019, 27 million Indians travelled outwards. This has doubled over the past 10 years and Post Covid, we see this doubling again in to almost 50 Million travellers in less than 10 years and our goal is to enable our travel agents fraternity to provide Indian consumers the best on the class tourism experiences.

Our travel agents fraternity are a critical link between tourists and our principals – destinations, airlines, hotels ,restaurants, payment mechanisms. Our constant vision will to strengthen this ecosystem to ensure multiple experiences are available to Indian tourists brought to them by our travel agents fraternity.

Mr. Subhash Goyal, honorary secretary FAITH expressed the Vote of Thanks

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NEWS / AIRLINES

INDIGO TOPS THE SAFE TRAVEL BAROMETER IN INDIA The airline scored 4.2 marks out of 5 as the safest airline in India

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ndiGo Airlines has been ranked #1 by the Safe Travel Barometer with a rating of 4.2 out of 5 as the safest airline in India.

Safe Travel Barometer, which is the world’s most comprehensive database for COVID-19 traveller health and safety protocols, has released the Safe Travel Score for airlines worldwide.

Mr. William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We are pleased to be ranked as the safest airline in India by the Safe Travel Barometer. We have not only taken all precautionary measures as mandated by the government but have also gone beyond to ensure the safety of our passengers on board our flight.

This recognition is the evidence of our commitment towards safety and it further encourages us to strive for better services for our customers as they travel onboard our lead, the clean flying machine”.

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The safe travel score by Safe Travel is based on an independent audit of various parameters that are applicable to an air journey starting from pre-boarding, boarding till onboarding. It takes into consideration the COVID-19 related hygiene and the safety measures announced by the airlines for its travellers as well as its crew members. The parameters taken into consider-

ation to measure the airlines for their safety include the thermal screening of the passengers, face masks and hand sanitizers provided by the airlines, and submission of a health declaration form by the traveller.

Safe Travel Barometer is the world’s most comprehensive database of traveler health and safety measures announced by travel brands.

SUPPORTING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES DURING COVID-19

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istara Airlines, a joint venture of Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, recently distributed over 100,000 nutrition and sanitization items as part of the ‘Vistara Wellness Initiative’. Aligned with Vistara’s continuous efforts towards giving back to the local communities it operates in, the initiative has been able to reach out to thousands of people across the country, and ongoing.

Vistara observed the National Nutrition Month throughout September 2020 which was a collective effort wherein Vistara employees donated the sanitization and personal hygiene products and Vistara contributed dry food items to create over 1000 Wellness Kits. Each containing dry ration and sanitization items for a family of four, these kits were distributed to local communities across Vistara’s network in India including metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, etc., and other cities including Raipur, Leh, Srinagar, etc. The project is being executed in collaboration with a few NGO partners including Robin Hood Army who are managing the distribution.

Ms. Rashmi Soni, Vice-president & Head of Corporate Communications and CSR, Vistara, said, “This pandemic has affect-

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VISTARA WELLNESS INITIATIVE ed all our lives in one way or another, but the challenges are of another magnitude of those who are disadvantaged. The ‘Vistara Wellness Initiative’ is built with the collective strength of our workforce to provide assistance to them in this time of need. As a conscientious corporate citizen with community service deep-rooted in our organisation’s ethos, this ongoing initiative is our sincere effort in providing aid in whichever way possible.”

The ‘Vistara Wellness Initiative’ was rolled out in April this year when the airline collaborated with Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) to distribute over 50,000 long shelf-life nutritious food items to the frontline health workers. Since then, Vistara has stepped up its efforts by widening this initiative’s scope and supporting vulnerable communities severely affected by the pandemic.

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NEWS / AIRLINES

SPICEJET

TO CONNECT DELHI & MUMBAI WITH LONDON FROM DEC 2020 First Indian low-cost carrier to launch non-stop long-haul flights to UK London to be SpiceJet’s 10th international destination Flights will operate under India-UK air bubble agreement

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piceJet, the country’s favourite airline, will launch nonstop flights connecting the key metros of Delhi and Mumbai with London’s Heathrow airport starting December 4th, 2020 thus becoming the first Indian low-cost airline to operate flights to UK. These flights will operate under the air bubble agreement with UK. The airline will operate thricea-week to London including twice from Delhi and once-aweek from Mumbai. SpiceJet will use an Airbus A330-900 Neo aircraft for these flights. The 371-seater twin-aisle A330 has a configuration of 353 economy and 18 business class seats.

Designated as an ‘Indian scheduled carrier’ to operate to the United Kingdom and the United States of America, SpiceJet had initially secured slots at the London Heathrow Airport from September 1 to October 23, 2020. Heathrow Airport had 26

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later extended the slots allotted to SpiceJet for the entire winter schedule.

Mr. Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “I am extremely pleased to share that SpiceJet will launch flights to London Heathrow Airport beginning December this year. This is a huge milestone for us and I am proud of the fact that SpiceJet will be the first Indian low-cost airline to operate non-stop longhaul flights to the UK. London is one of the busiest long-haul destinations from India and our convenient flight timings should suit the convenience of our passengers perfectly.”

“While the last few months has been the worst-ever period for the global aviation industry battling the Covid pandemic, I am proud of the determination and resolve shown by Team SpiceJet. From repatriating over 1.3 lakh Indian nationals from across the globe including Amsterdam, To-

ronto, Moscow, Rome and London to operating wide-body passenger and cargo flights to now starting flights to Heathrow, the last few months have been very significant for us. Providing nonstop connectivity from India to different parts of the world and strengthening our own airport hubs has been a long cherished dream and with our London operations we have taken a small step in that direction. We hope our passengers, both business and leisure, make the most of this opportunity of creating fond memories forever with us.”

To celebrate the launch of its first long-haul flight, the airline is offering all-inclusive introductory return promotional fare starting at INR 53,555/- on both Delhi-London-Delhi and Mumbai-London-Mumbai routes. The equivalent return fare in Pound Sterling is GBP 565. The one way starting fare will be INR 25,555/(GBP 270) on Delhi–London and

Mumbai-London routes and INR 29,555/- (GBP 312) on London-Delhi and London-Mumbai routes.

The twin aisle A330-900 Neo is one of the most efficient and comfortable aircraft. The Business Class cabin features the best-in-class 18 spacious 75” full flatbed seats for a more personal and luxurious space. It’s beautifully lit cabin is equipped with the new-generation in-flight entertainment featuring large format in-seat personal screens.

There are no compromises in comfort and features even in Economy Class seating. The aircraft features 353 reclinable Economy Class seats to sit back and relax with maximum ease.

Twin-aisle 3-3-3 seat configuration comfortably fits you and your loved ones together. Wide personal screens equipped with Zodiac Rave IFE System Generation 3 – a Video Entertainment System will make you wish your

journey was a little longer.

The A330-900 Neo can easily fly non-stop from India to major destinations across the world like New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Paris, London, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, Johannesburg, São Paulo amongst others.

SpiceJet will connect Delhi with London twice-a-week and Mumbai with London once-a-week.

From Delhi, SpiceJet flight will depart at 1 pm (Local Time) on every Friday and Sunday and reach London at 5.30 pm (Local Time) on the same day. From Mumbai, the flight will depart on every Monday at 12.45 pm (Local Time) and will arrive in London at 5.30 pm (Local Time) on the same day.

Flights from London to Delhi will depart on every Monday and Friday at 7.30 pm (Local Time) which will arrive in Delhi at 7.55 am (Local Time) on the next day. Flights from London to Mumbai will depart on every Sunday at 7.30 pm (Local Time) which will arrive in

Mumbai at 8.45 am (Local Time) on the following day.

On August 20th, SpiceJet had operated its maiden long-haul charter flight from London’s Heathrow airport to repatriate 329 Indian & British nationals.

SpiceJet has played a key role in repatriating Indians and foreign nationals during these pandemic times. The airline has operated 800 charter and Vande Bharat flights to help repatriate close to 1.3 lakh stranded Indian citizens and foreign nationals to and from countries such as UK, Italy, Canada, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Netherlands, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Maldives, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka.

With the new flights, passengers from London will be able to easily travel to a host of other cities both on SpiceJet’s domestic network via multiple onward connections from Mumbai and Delhi.

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NEWS / AIRLINES

UV CABIN CLEANING TECHNOLOGY FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Qatar Airways Becomes the First Global Carrier To Operate Honeywell’s UV Cabin Cleaning Technology to ensure that its passengers can expect the highest levels of safety and hygiene throughout their journey

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atar Airways becomes the first global carrier to operate Honeywell’s Ultraviolet (UV) Cabin System, further advancing its hygiene measures onboard. In clinical tests, UV light has been shown to be capable of inactivating various viruses and bacteria when properly applied.

Approximately the size of a beverage cart, the Honeywell UV Cabin System, which is operated by Qatar Aviation Services (QAS), has extendable UV arms that treat aircraft seats, surfaces and cabins without using cleaning chemicals.

Having already received six of the Honeywell UV Cabin System, the devices have undergone comprehensive testing onboard Qatar Airways aircraft, before entering service. The airline aims to acquire additional units in the near future, in order to operate them onboard all aircraft turnarounds at Hamad International Airport (HIA).

Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways said: “We are pleased to be the first global airline to operate the Honeywell UV Cabin System onboard our aircraft. In clinical tests, UV light has been shown to be capable of inactivating various viruses and bacteria when properly applied at specified doses.

“During these unprecedented times, the health and safety of our crew and passengers continues to be of the utmost importance. Since the start of the pandemic, we have been regularly introducing new and effective safety and hygiene measures onboard our aircraft, based on our unparalleled expertise of flying consistently throughout.”

Honeywell Aerospace President EMEAI, Mr. James Currier, said: “Honeywell has technology today that can make air travel safer – from the traveller to the airport worker, throughout the airport and onboard the aircraft. We’re working across business lines to develop new products such as Honeywell ThermoRebellion, a new temperature-monitoring solution - Enviwww.tourismindia.org

ronmental Control System Check, which allows airlines to monitor air flow in the cabin, and an array of Personal Protective Equipment.

All this allows for cleaner and safer airports.”

Qatar Airways’ aircraft will continue to be regularly disinfected using cleaning products recommended by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The Honeywell UV Cabin System will be utilised as an additional step after manual disinfection, to ensure the very highest standards of cleanliness. The airline’s onboard linen and blankets will continue to be washed, dried and pressed at microbial lethal temperatures, while its headsets are rigorously sanitised after each flight. These items are then sealed into individual packaging by staff wearing hygienic disposable gloves.

Qatar Airways’ aircraft also feature the most advanced air filtration systems, equipped with industrial-size HEPA filters that remove 99.97% of viral and bacterial contaminants from re-circulated air, providing the most effective protection against infection.

In July, Qatar Airways further increased its health and safety measures onboard by introducing new personal protective equipment (PPE) for customers and cabin crew. The airline’s robust measures included offering face shields to all passengers, in addition to a disposable protective gown for cabin crew, which is fitted over their uni29 forms, in addition to safety glasses, gloves and a mask.

Onboard, all Qatar Airways passengers are provided with a complimentary protective kit. Inside a ziplock pouch, a single-use face mask, large disposable powder-free gloves and an alcohol-based hand sanitiser gel are offered. Business Class customers also receive an additional 75ml sanitiser gel tube. In addition, for aircraft equipped with Qsuite, Qatar

Airways’ award-winning business seat, Business Class customers are offered even greater privacy with sliding partitions and fully closing doors, and an option to display a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator if they wish to limit their interactions with cabin crew.

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the airline has also applied other additional health and safety measures on-board its flights.

Business Class meals are served covered on a tray instead of a table set up, and a cutlery wrap is offered to passengers as an alternative to individual cutlery service, in an effort to minimise contact between crew and passengers.

Qatar Airways has also introduced single-use menu cards and sealed refreshing wipes. Economy Class meals and cutlery are served sealed as usual, and menu cards have been temporarily discontinued. All social areas onboard the aircraft have been closed adhering to social distancing measures.

HIA, the airline’s hub in Doha, has also introduced UV-C disinfectant robots which are fully autonomous mobile devices emitting concentrated UV-C light, and are deployed in high passenger flow areas to reduce the spread of pathogens. The Oryx Airport Hotel at HIA has also implemented UV-C light to monitor and ensure a thorough cleaning process across all rooms, using a pen only visible under UV light to mark frequent touchpoints. The marked areas undergo the highest levels of sanitisation before being checked and analysed, allowing the hotel management to further enhance its cleaning techniques and standards.

In addition, HIA has implemented stringent cleaning procedures and applied social distancing measures throughout its terminals. All passenger touchpoints are sanitized every 10-15 minutes and every boarding gate and bus gate counter is cleaned after each flight. Hand sanitizers are provided at immigration and security screening points.

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NEWS / AIRLINES

OMAN AIR RESUMES FLIGHT TO 3 INDIAN CITIES

The post pandemic flight scheduled by October 8, 2020 to connect to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi from Muscat

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man Air will start flights to India on 8th October with 2 flights per week connecting Muscat with Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi.

Flights to and from Delhi will depart and arrive in each city on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Flights to and from Mumbai will connect on Sundays and Thursdays. Flights connecting Muscat and Kochi will depart and arrive in each city on Sundays and Thursdays. These schedules are valid from 8 October to 24 October 2020.

Oman Air will maintain its comprehensive safety program throughout all elements of the travel journey to ensure that guests fly confidently. Masks are required when guests are onboard the aircraft and in Oman’s airports.

Distancing is maintained while guests board and exit the aircraft, which are carefully cleaned after each flight and at the end of every day. Cabin crew all wear a full set of personal protective equipment, meal service has been modified 30 30

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to further ensure safety and a number of other steps have been taken to ensure that the airline’s guests and crew are safe at all times.

Guests are encouraged to visit omanair.com, the airline’s Call Centre and offices or travel agents for additional information about these flights and related travel requirements.

Guests who are planning to travel to Muscat should visit the Civil Aviation Authority website,

paca.gov.om, to ensure they are prepared to comply with requirements to enter the Sultanate.

Guests departing from Oman should also ensure that they are aware of all pre-departure requirements and requirements during their flights, which are provided at omanair.com.

Guests travelling to India should ensure that they are aware of official requirements to enter the country.

Students who book before 30 November 2020, for travel by 30 September 2021, will save up to 10% on Economy tickets and 5% on Business class tickets

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tihad Airways, the national carrier for the UAE, is making it easier for students to travel between university and home or to discover new horizons and cultures, with the launch of its Global Student offer.

Students who book before 30 November 2020, for travel by 30 September 2021, will save up to 10% on Economy tickets and 5% on Business class tickets.

Family members who want to jet off as well can benefit from the same discount provided their tickets are booked under the same reservation and they travel with the student.

Travellers who book using this promotional fare will have an increased baggage allowance of up to 40kg in Economy and up to 50kg in Business, or one additional checked bag if travelling to/from USA or Canada.

For additional peace of mind and flexibility, one free date change is permitted up to 96 hours prior to travel.

To book visit etihad.com/studentoffer and enter the promo code STU10. Students must present a valid student ID or official university acceptance letter at check-in. This offer excludes departures from India and China. www.tourismindia.org

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NEWS / HOSPITALITY

INDULGE IN UNINTERRUPTED SERENITY @ FOUR POINTS

BY SHERATON MAHABALIPURAM Indulge in uninterrupted serenity with your family with the much deserved getaway

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ocated amidst the calm and serene landscape of Mahabalipuram, Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Centre brings to you exciting Family Retreat Staycation Package that will make you and your dear ones unwind from the year, that is 2020!

Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram with their ‘Commitment to Clean’ initiative follows high level of sanitization protocols to ensure you and your family have a comfortable and safe stay. The resort offers a wide range of amenities including a virtual tour of the property for bookings, QR code scans for sanitization process and to check the menu, online payment options, room key sanitization at the reception desk, in-room dining and much more.

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The family retreat package can be booked for more than a day with AP/MAP dynamic meal packages with inclusions like Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Afternoon tea, WiFi, Ice Cream Time for Kids, Special

Kids activities, Outdoor Games and Family Activities, just the perfect gateway you need. The resort also offers two types of guest rooms Chalet for double occupancy and Villa for triple occupancy.

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he new normal has brought with it numerous changes to our daily lifestyle. With a major part of the population working from home with household chores, it gets difficult to balance work-life trajectory. Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram has always gone one step forward in providing their patrons with the best services and offers.

With Marriott on Wheels, the resort brings to you an extraordinary spread of delicacies available across menu options such as Quick takeaways, Bento-boxes, and the specially curated Celebrations menu.

At Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram, delivering the best culinary experience to the guests has always been a top priority and the staff at the resort have operationalised remarkable measures to attain the highest standard of cleanliness under the initiative of ‘Commitment to Clean’. With deliveries done up to 10-30kms, your meal is prepared with the utmost care by following the safety procedures at every step from preparing your meal to delivering it at your doorstep.

MARRIOT ON WHEELS FOR TASTE BUDS

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NEWS / HOSPITALITY

IHCL ANNOUNCES A VIVANTA IN LUCKNOW I HCL has announced the signing of a Vivanta hotel in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. This hotel is a management contract with MD Projects Private Limited, a part of the Ladhani Group.

Commenting on the signing, Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President - Real Estate & Development, IHCL, said, “We are very confident about Lucknow. Notable for its unique culture and heritage, it is also now a growing commercial centre. Due to its strategic location, the hotel will cater to both business as well as leisure travellers. We are delighted to partner with MD Projects Private Limited.”

Vivanta Lucknow a 200-room hotel, is ideally located at a short distance from the international airport and in close proximity to the nodal connector of Kanpur, Agra and Delhi.

The contemporary hotel will also have a multi-cuisine restaurant, a bar, recreational 34

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facilities including a pool and spa, meeting rooms and a banquet hall for social and business gatherings. It is a Greenfield project slated to open in 2024.

Mr. Vivek Ladhani, Managing Director, MD Projects Private Limited, said, “We are delighted to partner with IHCL to bring the Vivanta brand to Lucknow. We look forward to bringing Vivanta’s dynamic and vibrant experience to our guests.”

Fourth IHCL hotel in the capital city of Uttar Pradesh Lucknow is the capital city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

A multicultural city, it is also famous as an artistic hub. It continues to be an important centre of governance, education, commerce, tourism, music and poetry.

Lucknow, along with Agra and Varanasi, is in the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, a chain of survey triangulations created by the Government of Uttar Pradesh to boost tourism in the state.

With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have four hotels in Lucknow. IHCL and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service.

Signature Club Resort, Bengalru offers an opportunity to explore & experience weekends like never before.

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WEEKEND GETAWAY AT SIGNATURE VILLAS

ignature Club Resort, one of Bengaluru’s sought-after places for weekend getaway offers you an opportunity to explore & experience weekends like never before. With the Signature Villas, the resort gives you a reason to come with your family & friends and rejuvenate in an atmosphere that promises a safe environment, great hospitality, and unlimited fun. Considering current conditions, the resort has implemented all the necessary safety precautions as part of the new normal that allows you to enjoy weekends like how they are supposed to be. Forget all your worries and become one in nature in the green canopy of a place that guarantees so much more.

The Signature Villas at the Resort is situated amidst nature with round the clock facilities to make the stay more exciting & worthwhile. With state-of-theart sporting facilities, guests can indulge in tennis, badminton, basketball, volleyball, squash and table tennis to keep the spirits high. And, the restaurants at the www.tourismindia.org

resort will help satiate your taste buds with delicious food and beverage options.

The Signature Villas are designed and built to accommo-

date large families or groups that come in 3 BHK and 4 BHK options to suit all the needs for a weekend getaway like no other.

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NEWS / HOSPITALITY

BRIGADE HOSPITALITY RECOGNISED AMONG INDIA’S 100 BEST WORKPLACES FOR WOMEN Great Place to work Institute has bestowed this recognition

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rigade Hospitality has recognized among the 100 Best Workplaces for Women – 2020 by the prestigious institute, Great Place to Work.

Every year, Great Place To Work Institute recognizes the best workplaces in various sectors and categories on how these companies engange with their employees at various levels to know its impact on the individual growth & overall outcome. The recognition goes onto validate the platform companies provide to their employees to learn, grow and prosper thus creating an environment that gives equal opportunities to one and all. The ‘Best 100’ were decided from a pool of over 800 organizations who applied for this assessment.

The assessment criteria included, women must form at least 10% of the workforce on the organization’s payroll and a minimum of 70% positive feedback on the Trust Index© employee survey from women employees in the organization. Organizations were then studied on Gender Parity & Representation of women across levels to arrive at India’s Best. Great Place to Work ® Institute, is the ‘Global Authority’ for creating, sustaining, and identifying High-Trust, High-Performance CultureTM. Considered the ‘Gold Standard’ in Workplace Culture Assessment, Great Place to Work ® identifies Best Workplaces solely based on Employee Feedback and quality of People Practices in an organization.

Expressing his views on the recognition, Mr Vineet Verma, CEO & Executive Director, Brigade Hospitality said, “Our women colleagues are our strength and their dedication & commitment is indeed commendable. They have shown time and again that it is not the gender but the passion & drive to excel is what really matters. I salute our women in office and assure them that we will continue to add to their numbers. Brigade Hospitality stands committed in this direction and we are honored to be recognized among India’s 100 Best Workplaces for Women”.

Striving towards the satisfaction of their guests, Brigade Hospitality pays the utmost attention to their needs.

KERALA TOURISM TO REOPEN

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he Government of Kerala has decided to reopen the destinations in a phased manner. The Destinations have been listed out to be opened in two phases. Destinations which are not crowded like Hill stations, Adventure Tourism centres, Backwaters can be opened now following SOPs and COVID protocol and Destinations like Beaches which would be www.tourismindia.org

comparatively crowded are allowed to be open from 1st November 2020 following strict SOPs and protocols.

The Department 37has also prepared Guidelines for reopening the destinations.

The domestic tourists will be allowed to visit Kerala by following COVID protocol.

They have to register on the covidjagratha portal and follow the Guidelines. Tourists visiting for less than 7 days

are exempted from quarantine. Tourists visiting for more than 7 days have to bring RT PCR negative certificate from ICMR/ State Approved Laboratory or test on arrival at cost from ICMR/ State Approved Laboratory.

Otherwise, they will have to be on quarantine for 7 days and test on the 7th day or continue on quarantine for another 7 days.

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NEWS / PRODUCT LAUNCH

FAREBREEZE.COM, WORLD’S FIRST CHARTER FLIGHT GDS LAUNCHED

TRAVELSHORE, a leading travel technology company has announced an exclusive GDS platform for Charter flight operations

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RAVELSHORE, a leading travel technology company has launched, www. farebreeze.com, the world’s first Global Distribution System (GDS) platform for Charter flight operations. It’s the first of its kind GDS for Flight charter agents for publishing their available schedules and to enable other agents to buy tickets worldwide. As the existing GDS systems are publishing only scheduled flights as ever in history, Farebreeze has relevance for today and way beyond.

According to Mr. Alex T. Jacob, Founder & CEO of TravelShore, The ever-changing world, and global travel need more innovative prod-

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ucts and technology edge to cater to the post-COVID 19 travellers.

Recently, charter flight operations across the globe had a giant leap to transfer stranded passengers of various nations at many parts of the world, due to COVID 19 travel restrictions imposed globally and evacuation flights to bring back citizens of the respective countries to their native land. Many leading business houses and hospitals also depend on charter flights for safety and health emergencies in this uncertain pandemic time.

Apart from this, by this time, most of the charters from the Middle East countries are now added from various points to points.

Mr. Peter Morrison (New Zealand), World President of Skal International inaugurated Farebreeze in the presence of world leaders of the travel and tourism industry in a virtual meeting conducted on 16 Sept 2020. Skal International is the only global tourism professionals’ association with all verticals of the trade as members. It was established in 1934 having a presence in 100+ countries with around 14000 members from the Airline, Hotel, Travel agent, Tour Operator, and all connected with tourism sectors.

Mr. Alex T Jacob is also the Charter President of Skal International

Trivandrum.

“Our new GDS system will be helpful to engage every traveller and customer of our principle agents with the rich content of the flight schedules available on the system. It’s also a unique GDS reservation system designed to promote the charter flights and boutique offerings through a customized inventory distribution system. We have incorporated an easy booking & fulfillment workflow that makes the vendors and subscribers empowered for a productive business engagement.

Vendor agents get the opportunity to manage the Public fares, Private fares, and Promotional fares to All/ Specific agents, while Subscriber Agents shall further Mark-Up the fares to engage the consumers”.

Alex Jacob TRAVELSHORE based at Technopark, Trivandrum, India established in 2013 is providing endto-end travel solutions in Travel & tourism sector with B2b, B2c, Corporate booking engines, and other customised solutions worldwide.

Travelshore is also the technology partner for UFTAA the Global Apex body of Travel Agents in which Travel agents’ associations of worldwide countries are members.

PLUM LAUNCHES CLEAN. REAL.GOOD.

BY PLUM

19 ingredients in what’s out and more on the way outlist in the launch year of the campaign, with a promise to expand the list year on year to make the safest skincare brand of India

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nspired by the goodness of nature and driven by the desire to be good and do good; PLUM is all about bringing goodness to the world of beauty. Plum 100% vegan beauty and PETA certified cruelty-free brand which is all about “being good” offers safe, effective, and ethically produced products, to skin, senses, to others, and to the environment.

Plum has announced the expansion of its vision to lead the charge for conscious and clean beauty in India, by unveiling their campaign clean. real. good by plum. To bring this campaign to life, Plum has started publishing the first of its kind “what’s in and what’s out” list and also published a list of ingre-

dients that are on their way out from the Plum products, based on thorough research and scientific validation aimed at raising awareness among the people so that they make informed choices about what they put on their skin.

Speaking of the occasion, Mr. Shankar Prasad, Founder, and CEO, Plum shared, “So far, ‘clean’ has been typically hard to define, or in many cases not been on top of mind in the beauty and skincare space in India. There aren’t any regulations around what clean stands for with regards to skincare and beauty products. We at Plum want to move a step ahead and create our own template for what clean skincare means so that it can

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become a benchmark for skincare science that our customers can uphold and evaluate their choices against. The campaign will identify products that are made without ingredients that are toxic and harmful for the skin, but taking this one step further is our in-progress list, which ensures we are honest and transparent in our relationship with our customers every step of the way, and upholding our promise of staying clean, by working single-mindedly to live up to our promise.”

While doing all of this, Plum does not want to miss out on spreading the goodness which has always been its innate brand philosophy.

Plum donates 1% of its revenue each year to support environmental causes. Plum also runs an initiative called Empties4Good to encourage and make it convenient for its consumers to recycle their Plum empties.

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FEATURE / DESTINATION

K

esariya is a small city situated in the East Champaran district of Bihar, India. It is renowned for being the site of the biggest stupa of India, built

by King Ashoka. Kesariya was called Kesaputta during the time of Buddha. Kesariya region is well known for its rich Buddhist architecture heritage of ancient times. Discovered in 1998, the stupa is believed to date back to somewhere between 200 AD and 750 AD Budha preached the Kesaputtiya Suttas (a group of suttas preached to the Kalamas of Kesaputta), amongst which is the famous Kalama Sutta. The Buddha once stayed there which was a township of the Kosalans and the residence of the Kala-

mas . The Buddhist Stupa in Kesaria is the tallest and the largest in the world, following its discovery in 1998 through excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Rising to a height of 104 feet and a circumference of almost 1400 ft, what remains is much reduced from its reported original height. Yet, it is still one foot taller than the famous Borobodur Stupa in Java. The Stupa is located in Kasaria, 120 km from Patna, the capital of Bihar Before the 1934 earthquake in Bihar the Sthupa was 123 feet tall, According to the A.S.I. report, the Kesaria Stupa was 150 feet tall Originally,

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12 feet taller than the Borobodur stupa, which is 138 feet, but at present Kesaria Stupa is 104 feet and Borobodur Stupa is 103 feet.

Interestingly, Legend says that Lord Buddha Buddha had spent the last days of his journey, before attaining Nirvana.

It is believed that Budha handed over his begging bowl to the Lichhivis, people of Vaishali, and

requested them to go back to Vaishali, after his death. and the Lichhivis have built this stupa to honor the place where Lord Budha spend his last days. This was only a mud stupa in earlier days it has gained its present structure in the Maurya, Sunga, and Kushana periods., The area around the stupa was found to house significant items, like copper and terracotta items, Islamic coins, arrowheads,, earthen lamps, decorated bricks, etc In 1998 excavation. A number of images of Lord Buddha, in ‘Bhoomi Sparsh Mudra’ and other sitting postures were also found in Kesaria.

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THE BUDDHIST STUPA IN KESARIA IN BIHAR IS THE TALLEST AND THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD, FOLLOWING ITS DISCOVERY IN 1998 THROUGH EXCAVATION BY THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA www.tourismindia.org

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FEATURE / DESTINATION

THE PLATEAU CALLED PALAMPUR Palampur is a quiet town situated on a plateau at an altitude of 1219m. With the backdrop of the dramatic Neugal chasm and Bundla stream cutting across on one edge, it is surrounded by green tea estates and forests of pine and deodar. Palampur has several interesting trails for

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travelers to trek. Some of these paths leading to the hills are often used by Gaddis – the nomadic shepherd clan of the area. With a number of interesting places in the vicinity, angling in the river Bundla, or hang gliding and paragliding at Billing- Bir 35 km away, Palampur is a standing invita-

PALAMPUR IS A HILL STATION IN INDIA’S NORTHERN STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH. IT’S KNOWN FOR ITS TEA GARDENS LIKE THE PALAMPUR COOPERATIVE TEA FACTORY, WHICH ALSO PROCESSES THE LEAVES. A WATERFALL DROPS INTO A STREAM AT BUNDLA CHASM. SAURABH VAN VIHAR NATURE PARK HAS PICNIC SPOTS, BIRDLIFE AND VIEWS OF THE SNOW-CAPPED DHAULADHAR RANGE. A FORESTED TRAIL LEADS NORTHEAST TO HILLTOP BIRNI DEVI TEMPLE, WITH MOUNTAIN VIEWS.

tion to travelers -old and young.

Places worth visiting in Palampur include Neugal Khad where the River Bundla spills through a gorge in splendid fury, Saurabh Kalia Van Vihar, Andretta – famous for its pottery and as home

to artist Sardar Sobha Singh and playwright Ms. Nona Richards, the ancient Baijnath Temple built in 804 AD, Bir and Billing – one of the best aero sports sites in the world for sports like paragliding and hand gliding and for Bud-

dhist monasteries and Tibetan handicrafts. Palampur is close to Kangra (35km) and Dharamshala (38km). Kangra Airport is around 40 km from Palampur. It is well connected by road. The nearest railhead is at Pathankot (115km).

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NEWS / DESTINATIONS

ALLURING RETREATS AWAIT YOU IN JAMAICA F

rom stunning sunsets to intimate catamaran cruises, to moonlit dinners, even romance is outsized in JAMAICA. Couples will return home with a deeply emotional and transformative experience to remember.

Jamaica is a land of unique culture, engaging adventurous activities, breath-taking landscapes and panoramic views.

It is the perfect place to spark romance and with so many options, the possibilities for creating spectacular memories are endless.

The destination has always been synonymous with romance and is home to several one-of44

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a-kind hotels that deliver just the right mix of Jamaican culture and romantic amenities to keep couples coming back for more. There are adults-only all-inclusive resorts, high-end luxury hotels, villas, apartments, and boutique properties. Each resort area has a wide range of hotels to make your romantic holiday unforgettable. Our top accommodation picks are Half Moon Jamaica, Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Breathless Resorts & Spas, Secrets Resorts & Spas and Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay, Rockhouse Hotel & Spa, The Caves, & Sunset at the Palms in Negril, Jamaica Inn,

Jamaica is a land of unique culture, engaging adventurous activities, breath-taking landscapes and panoramic views.

GoldenEye & Couples Tower Isle Jamaica in Ocho Rios and Kanopi House and Goblin Hill Villas at San San in Port Antonio.

Starting from Jamaica’s jagged coastline of thick foliage that opens to breath-taking waterfalls, idyllic secluded beaches, stunning sunsets, intimate catamaran cruises, moonlit dinners, and much more, Jamaica oozes romance. So, what might the perfect romantic vacation in Jamaica look like?

Here are 9 romantic things you can only experience in Jamaica which will make your vacation the most memorable experience for you and your sweetheart! www.tourismindia.org

A relaxing ride down a river on a Bamboo Raft is one of Jamaica’s most iconic activities and is perfect for lovers with time to spare.

Experience being steered lazily 45 Martha down the picturesque Brae River on an authentic bamboo raft for two surrounded by lush tropical paradise for blissful relaxation.

Take a night cruise on the Luminous Lagoon and witness the most spectacular wonder. Phosphorescent waters reveal the outline of fish and streaks of light as they swim around.

You can experience luxurious Spa treatments available for two

that will revitalize the body and ignite passion. World-class spa retreats are found around the island at several of our exquisite resorts and hotels.

Witness nature adventures as you hike to the Reach Falls in Port Antonio for a blend of an adrenaline rush, lush green scenery, a waterfall cascading into a refreshing emerald pool, and a hidden cave. A trip into the Blue Mountains in Kingston reveals a dreamy and majestic ambiance where couples can feel hidden from the rest of the world.

Enjoy climbing the Dunn’s River Falls together, feel the bliss of the clear blue sea, and spend the OCTOBER 2020 TOURISM INDIA 45 OCTOBER 2020 TOURISM INDIA 45

NEWS / DESTINATIONS

most intimate moments, away from it all.

Get into the Rhythm of Jamaica in Negril, the perfect spot to stroll along with your partner and to enjoy live music on the Seven Mile Beach and West End. Every Monday and Saturday night

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heats up with live reggae shows at Bourbon Beach.

Experience Jamaica’s vibrant nightlife and lively atmosphere at Rick’s Café, which is the best place to watch an evening sunset. There is nothing more magical than an evening sunset here.

Enjoy Romantic Horseback

Rides, saddle up on a horse with your partner and pass through trails of lush foliage, stonewashed cliffs, and breath-taking ocean views. This is one of the ultimate romantic experiences for vacationing couples in Jamaica.

Sail away along with the beauty of the Jamaican coastline, in the wake of a romantic Catamaran Cruise, with your loved one. Choose from any of the island’s catamaran cruise tours. Not only will you spend three hours of quality time together, but catamarans also allow you to take in Jamaica’s charming sunset and soak

up stellar views of the cool blue Caribbean waters.

The vibe and beauty of Jamaica offer an adventurous and laidback lifestyle that you will love

to experience. This is the place to visit when you are in search of adventure, romance, and nonstop fun!

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NEWS / INTERNATIONAL

EXPLORE USA THROUGH ONLINE EXPERIENCES Tourism is the highest income-earning sector with more than 45000 Crores and contributing 12% to the state GDP in 2019

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rand USA and Airbnb have announced a new partnership designed to allow guests to explore the USA from the comfort of home through Online Experiences featuring the unique cultures, cuisines, and people from across the United States. Along with a new landing page highlighting a special collection of Airbnb Online Experiences that showcase the unique

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possibilities of the United States, Brand USA also introduces five Online Experiences. These Online Experiences hosted by storytellers from United Stories—a Brand USA campaign launched in early 2019 as an open invitation for travelers to visit the USA, experience the warmth of the American people, and engage with the vast diversity of U.S. destinations—range from

culinary traditions of the South to the art of spoken word poetry.

“Airbnb Online Experiences gives us a new platform to share warm and welcoming stories about U.S. destinations. As the world longs to travel again, we are delighted to help travelers understand places more deeply, meet real people, and uncover local perspectives to activate their wanderlust,” says Tom Garzil-

li, chief marketing officer, Brand USA. “It’s a fun and safe way to showcase what makes this country unique, and invite international travelers to virtually experience our people and destinations first-hand.”

Created at the start of the pandemic as a way to allow people to connect, travel virtually, and earn income from home, Airbnb Online Experiences are unique, handcrafted activities that immerse guests into each host’s unique world. Hosts include small business owners, entrepreneurs, and creatives who want to connect with travelers and introduce them to their community.

“As those of us in travel and tourism look to support the nation’s economic recovery, we are as proud as we are privileged to be partnering with Brand USA to make it possible for people all over the world to virtually visit the United States via Airbnb’s Online Experiences. These Online Experiences will help virtual visitors experience the incredible natural beauty of our lands, the cultural mosaic that makes America so special and, our greatest natural resource of all, our people.

Over the years, millions of people across the globe have visited the U.S. and connected with our country by being welcomed into the homes of our incredible community of Home hosts. At this moment we are in, where there are challenges to cross-border travel, this initiative will allow Airbnb hosts to open their virtual doors for people to experience the U.S. Our hope is that these Online Experiences will facilitate deeper connections between hosts and guests and encourage a future in real life trip,” said Chris Lehane, senior vice president for global public policy and communications at Airbnb. the Online Experience, prosurfer-turned-ocean-scientist www.tourismindia.org

Cliff Kapono, who encapsulates what it means to exist as one with, Hawaii island will lead a virtual tour of one of Hawai’i’s most diverse coral gardens, Honoli’i Beach Park, as well as speak to the importance of responsible tourism, how science and nature merge on the Big Island, and how sustainability is vital to one of the most inspiring places in the world.

LGBTQ Historical Bar Crawl (New York) – History buff Michael Ventriello, who made a business from his passion and the founder and lead tour guide of Christopher Street Tours will share the history-making stories and significance behind three Greenwich Village bars, including the events that gave birth to the modern-day gay rights movement and leading up to the historical Stonewall Uprising. Participants will get to raise a glass, play trivia, and learn about the city’s iconic queer history at famous LGBTQ bars such as Julius’, the Stonewall Inn, and Cubbyhole. With this Online Experience, participants will gain a greater sense of New York City’s LGBTQ history, American LGBTQ history, as well as a new group of friends from around the world.

Nashville Cocktails & Distillery Tour (Tennessee) – Explore the past and present of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery with host and distillery lead mixologist Rachel Ramirez, who will share the story on how Tennessee whiskey 49 became world-famous.

Originating in 1860 and created by distilling pioneer Charles Nelson, Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey was the first and largest selling brand of Tennessee Whiskey in the world in its pre-Prohibition heyday. Revived by Charles’ triple great-grandsons, Andy and Charlie Nel-son, Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery made its 21st-century debut in Nashville in 2014, where the brothers have

continued this generations-long tradition of distilling, perfecting it through the years. As part of their Online Experience, the team will guide participants through the making of an Old Fashioned, share a few mixologies how to’s, and walk participants through the whiskey distilling process.

Another Online Experience Southern Food with a Pro Chef (Mississippi) is ideal for special occasions, especially Sunday dinners, as well as for someone that really enjoys, or maybe a little curious, about Southern food is also featured. You may also book a private session with the menu of your choice. Chef Nick Wallace of Wallace Culinary is a resource for local farmers, regional chefs, restauranteurs, and families that are as passionate about cooking food that is close to home. Join Chef Nick—whose Mississippi roots and classical French training have informed his unique take on Modern Mississippian cuisine—and submerge yourself in the authentic Southern notion of soulful food culture.

Spoken Word Poetry (Ohio) – Spoken word poet, artist, and filmmaker Chris Webb—designated one of the Most Interesting People in 2019 by Cleveland Magazine—will introduce guests to the performative literary genre of Spoken Word Poetry, and how he uses his craft to ignite and promote healing through his own personal circumstances. Webb will lead participants in creating their own spoken word poetry and hone public speaking skills in a workshop setting. Participants will leave this Online Experience with confidence in their ability to express themselves, and a willingness to further develop their individual unique voice in, and outside of the art form of Spoken Word.

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NEWS / DESTINATIONS

SAXONY AS THE FIRST OFFICIAL CULTURAL DESTINATION OF ITB BERLIN 2021

The partnerships were announced at the virtual We Love Travel!

Event.

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S

axony, the federal state has been declared as the Official Cultural Destination of ITB Berlin 2021 and a year later in 2022, will be the host country of the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show ITB Berlin.

Natural beauty, outstanding art and culture, world-famous traditional crafts, and modern artisan businesses can be found side by side in Saxony’s seven travel regions. The local music scene has no equal anywhere in Germany. Spectacular castles, palaces, and gardens are part of the state’s grand cultural heritage. Saxony also impresses visitors with its historical steam engines and automotive heritage. ”The new concept of a cultural partnership is tailor-made for Saxony. This title provides a special op-

portunity to draw attention to Saxony as an outstanding and globally important destination for culture and cities along with unique natural attractions. We will be able to offer trade visitors from Germany and abroad a foretaste of events in 2022 when Saxony will be the official host country of ITB“, said Barbara Klepsch, State Minister for Culture and Tourism in the Free State of Saxony.

Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH (TMGS) will present Saxony as the Official Cultural Destination of ITB Berlin, and along with a variety of events will offer an insight into Saxony’s wealth of cultural attractions.

“Whether on the large stage at the ITB Live Podcast Show at the Palais am Funkturm, at the grand finale entitled ’Festival of the Sens-

es‘, or at various venues in and around Messe Berlin, taking as our slogan ’SAXONY – FEEL THE ART BEAT’ we want to make the most of promoting travel to our beautiful land“, said Veronika Hiebl, Managing director of TMGS. Visitors to the stand will be able to sense how art and culture blend with nature and the region of lakes and rivers merges seamlessly with a unique cultural landscape.

ITB Berlin 2021 will take place from Wednesday, 10 to Sunday 14 March, and from Wednesday to Friday will be open to trade visitors only. Parallel with the show the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest event of its kind, will be held from Wednesday, 10 to Saturday, 13 March 2021.

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NEWS / DESTNATIONS

TAAPSEE PANNU “RINGS OUT THE BAD TIMES” IN MALDIVES Actress Taapsee Pannu was seen in a black bikini with a black shrug, as she rang a bell placed in the middle of the Maldives resort she was vacationing in; Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives.

A

ctress Taapsee Pannu was seen in a black bikini with a black shrug, as she rang a bell placed in the middle of the Maldives resort she was vacationing in; Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives.

Actor Taapsee Pannu has shared a beautiful picture of her trip to the Maldives. Seen in a black bikini with a black shrug, Taapsee stood and reached to ring a bell placed in the middle of the resort she was vacationing in. It was a rather scenic view with water all across and trees at a distance.

“I wish I could caption it as ringing in the new year, but considering how 2020 turned out to be I would rather say……….Ringing out the bad times! #Maldives #Holiday”

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shared Taapsee alongside the image.

The actress is also exploring adventures on her trip. She had tried snorkeling in the resort.

Taapsee shared an image of her underwater and wrote, “Snorkel the hell out the blues!

Under the able guidance of our director/cinematographer/ voice over artist/new haircut girl on board. PS - we others are just following the strict instructions.”

In fact, another picture of the actress has also been going viral. It was her eating breakfast in the pool. Taapsee has been on a high-protein diet for ‘Rashmi Rocket’, as instructed by her nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal. “While I take a break, my super-efficient Munmun Ganeriwal continues to hold the fort for me as she shifts me into a shredding diet for #RashmiRocket. She gets me to indulge in this yummy, holiday breakfast of eggs, avocados, and mushrooms rich in proteins and good fats.

As they say, the right people in your life can get things ‘floating’ for you and in my case, it’s done quite literally! #OnADietPlan,” she wrote while sharing the image.

Taapsee took the Maldives trip with her sisters Shagun and Evania Pannu just a week back. She has been sharing www.tourismindia.org

beautiful pictures from the picturesque destination.

On the work front, apart from ‘Rashmi Rocket’, Taapsee has Vinil Mathew’s ‘Haseen

Dillruba’ opposite Vikrant Massey, Aakash Bhatia’s ‘Loop Lapeta’ and Rahul Dholakia’s ‘Shabaash Mithu’ in her kitty.

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P HIDE AWAY IN THE MALDIVES Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa at Dhonakulhi Island will reopen with some great new additions on November 15, 2020

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lan your perfect hideaway in the Maldives at Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa at Dhonakulhi Island as they reopen from 15th November 2020. Hideaway Beach Resort will kick-off the return and resume its operations with some great new additions to the huge 30-hectare property with an already good number of beach and water villa options available - 9 to be exact. A new category of beach villas at the highest level called Royal Residence will be introduced with the reopening.

The resort has implemented health and safety protocols with enhanced training for all team members to ensure the highest level of protection is provided to both guests and team members. These new safety protocols aim to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure at the resort. These include

screenings and temperature checks for employees, who will be required to wear masks.

Social distancing, Daily protective measures regarding food handling, sanitation, disinfection, and cleaning procedures will be implemented throughout the property. Additionally, the staff has been given enhanced training sessions on personal hygiene.

Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa – the perfect island retreat in the Maldives, is located in northern Haa Alifu Atoll. An exclusive allsuite Maldives resort for those who demand genuine luxury and the utmost in privacy with a bevy of wellness-focused archives for the guests to enjoy.

Set on a crescent-shaped private island, this incredible resort offers a choice of private villas or private villas with pools

for its guests to unwind and enjoy a home away from home.

Beachside or over the water villas and the associated privacy levels offered are the hallmark of this award-winning desHnaHon, which boasts some of the largest beachfront villas in the Maldives.

Gourmands, Foodies, and food lovers alike can indulge in an award-winning culinary experience. Well-being is a core part of the Hideaway experience, with the divine Hideaway Spa offering a range of treatments for rejuvenatIon and relaxatIon. The abundance of fish life around this Maldives resort is second to none, making it a prime location for snorkeling and scuba diving.

The perfect Maldives retreat, Hideaway offers the utmost in romance and is one of the preferred destinations for those

celebrating their honeymoon.

Families are very welcome at Hideaway, with an extensive Kids Club available to help keep young travellers entertained during their stay.

“The Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa is excited to welcome back the entire community,” a statement by the resort read. “All resort team members are thrilled to once again provide excellent guest service, the warmth of hospitality, and appreciate our guests’ loyalty.

The team has worked diligently to establish measures that will deliver a luxury service culture and safe experience so that you - our esteemed guest - can say ‘Hakuna Matata’ - it means no worries, kick back and enjoy a relaxing retreat away from everything.”

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NEWS / INTERNATIONAL

TOURISM MALAYSIA AIMS TO FUEL DEMAND FOR CUTI-CUTI MALAYSIA Tourism Malaysia teams up with Petron Malaysia and Payments Network (PayNet) to bring the “Fuel Penuh Gaya MyDebit Je with your ATM Card!” campaign aimed to boost mobility and encourage the public to spend and travel domestically

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T

he campaign was launched at Petron NKVE KL-Bound, and was officiated by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri. Also present at the launching ceremony were Datuk Musa bin Yusof, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, Puan Faridah Ali, General Manager of Petron and Mr Peter Schiesser, Group Chief Executive Officer of PayNet. “Based on the data by the Department of Statistics on Domestic Tourism in 2019, fuel registered as the second biggest share of the total expenditure made by domestic travellers in 2019 at 16.7 percent. Therefore, we believe that promotional programmes like this collaboration with Petron and PayNet are able to drive the demand on fuel consumption and encourage the rakyat to travel within the country,” said the Minister during her speech at the launching ceremony.

“We can easily travel within Malaysia using our roads, via our highways or even jalan kampung.

There are so many attractions along the routes just waiting to be explored,” the Minister said further, urging Malaysians to take the opportunity to discover the country in support of the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign.

According to the Domestic Tourism Survey 2019, 96.2 percent of domestic tourists are estimated to have travelled using private vehicles compared to the remaining share of tourists who have utilised public modes such as buses, taxis and trains.

The campaign will run beginning 1 October until 31 December www.tourismindia.org

2020 and entitles anyone who has made fuel purchases of RM5 or more in a single receipt at any one of Petron petrol station’s over 720 outdoor pump terminals using their MyDebit ATM card issued by banks in Malaysia.

Petron is the first petrol chain in the country to offer customers the ability to make MyDebit ATM card payments at petrol pumps without the pre-authorisation RM200 hold which was previously done for up to 3 days.

Winners stand a chance to win up to 169 prizes including driving home the coveted Kawasaki Z250 ABS, Modenas Pulsar NS200 ABS, Go Pro Hero8 Black, Petron Miles Points worth RM500 each and 1-year supply of Petron Rifer 4T Synthetic Blend. 36 hotel stay vouchers are also up for grabs courtesy of Tourism Malaysia. The participating hotels include Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi; Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur, Mont Kiara; Maya Hotel KL, Best Western I-City Shah Alam, Fraser Place Puteri Harbour,

Swiss-Garden Hotel Melaka & The Shore Hotel Melaka, Federal International Group’s Capitol KL and Tribeca Serviced Suites KL, Grand Ion Delemen Hotel, Genting Highlands; Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson, Iconic Hotel Penang, Ramada Suites and M?venpick Hotel & Convention Centre KLIA The campaign is hoped to increase mobility and encourage Malaysians to travel via roads and stimulate local businesses especially tourism-related industry that had been affected by the pandemic. According to the Domestic Tourism Survey 2019 by the Department of Statistics of Malaysia, the domestic tourism expenditure was recorded at RM103.2 billion last year, making it one of the significant contributors to the country’s economy.

Malaysia hosts many fun cultural and gastronomic experiences in every state across the country, catering to all kinds of niches and interests.

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NEWS / INDUSTRY

REDIRECTING LTC FUNDS IS A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE FOR TRAVEL SECTOR FAITH has expressed disappointment that LTC funds of government employees are being redirected to buy consumer goods

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ederation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) has expressed disappointment for the Indian Travel & Tourism Industry that LTC funds of government employees are being redirected to buy consumer goods.

Coming on the back of a prolonged lockdown, the Indian Travel & Tourism industry was looking at festive season holidays to boost travel demand when people look to travel to their home state. After almost 8 months of nil to now very limited tourism activity, Festive season was one of the few demand drivers that the Indian tourism travel & hospitality industry was looking forward to and the industry was hoping for more tax-based stimulus in the hands of all Citizens to travel when spent against GST rated travel agents, hotels tour operators, tourist transporters & restaurants.

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vote of no confidence to the tourism travel & hospitality industry which was looking to get back on its feet after ‘Unlock’ Additionally, since this is a 4-year block scheme it will also cut away funds for future travel demand sources for the next year when the LTC block ends in 2021.

This thus goes against the spirit of domestic tourism push and the year 2021 as domestic tourism year being planned by the tourism ministry.

It is requested that not only the LTC funds be restored but an income tax benefit be introduced

for all citizens to get income tax exemption while traveling within India up to ₹1.5 lakhs against GST registered travel agents, hotels tour operators, tourist transporters & restaurants.

Additionally, the way states are being extended tax-free funds payable over 50 years, the tourism industry which is the most stressed currently and also the most employee intensive be given similar tax-free funds on a direct benefit transfer for salaries & operating costs payable over 10 years post COVID.

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