Category: News

The world is today a slow coach. The coronavirus crisis has helped people to stop and think. Tourism destinations worldwide are pausing to reflect on their business models and Amsterdam is one among them. Last year, 19 million tourists visited Amsterdam bringing in more than 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) in revenue, according to a Bloomberg report. But the city is facing an existential crisis. In a way, Amsterdam has been over-run by tourism. There is no other way to put it. International visitors come into the city in large numbers during peak season and locals often feel side-lined. Not ... Read more

A total of 168 Indian nationals are returning from Maldives today via an Air India flight. The flight will land in two cities – Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru. Passengers had started gathering at Male airport since morning and thanked Indian government for its efforts to evacuate the Indian nationals, All India Radio (AIR) said in a report. Another two flights are scheduled in the next two days for Delhi, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar. The repatriation is being carried out in coordination with the Indian High Commission in Male. With this evacuation, over three and half thousand people would be brought back from Maldives ... Read more

Cafes and restaurants are reopening across France and travel to other European countries is being allowed, with French President Emmanuel Macron lifting a number of coronavirus restrictions. More than 29,400 people have died of coronavirus in France, and the country has had 194,000 confirmed cases – although the number of new cases has slowed markedly in recent days. President Macron first imposed a strict lockdown on March 17. These remained in place until May 11, when the country began to cautiously ease restrictions. In a televised address Macron said France had won its “first victory” but he warned the virus ... Read more

Hundreds of Germans landed on the Spanish island of Mallorca on Monday, the first tourists allowed into the country since borders were shut in March to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. More than 1,500 German holidaymakers are expected in the Balearic Islands as part of a pilot project that will open up a sector that accounts for 12% of Spain’s economy, before restrictions are eased next week. According to a Reuters report, visitors’ temperatures were taken at the airport and regional leader Francina Armengol said they must follow health and safety rules. “This virus is still infecting, still killing people all ... Read more

All travellers entering Singapore from 11.59pm, June 17, will be tested for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has said. The test will be scheduled a few days before the end of the 14-day stay-home notice period, at an allotted testing facility, MOH said in a press release.  Each person under a stay-home notice will receive information on the scheduled appointment slot and venue via an SMS notification. All inbound and outbound travellers who enter or leave Singapore from 11.59pm on June 17 will also be required to pay for their COVID-19 tests, and those who are not Singaporeans or PRs entering the country will need to foot ... Read more

Around 8,000 tourism, leisure and commercial facilities and restaurants in Abu Dhabi are eligible for refunds of 20% of the annual rental value, on their commercial property leases, amounting to a sum of Dh1 billion. They will get a refund of Dh200 million as part of the economic stimulus package launched by the Abu Dhabi government within the “Ghadan 21” programme to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business activities. This was announced by Khaled Mubarak Bani Zama, director of the Industrial Development at the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, during a media briefing. The department approved 220 applications ... Read more

Turkish Airlines will resume flights to China and the United States from June 19, the airline announced, after the pandemic shuttered international travel in March. The airline’s chief executive Bilal Eksi said three flights a week to Chicago and Washington D.C. will be in operation starting June 19 and to Los Angeles from June 24. The airline also announced it will start a weekly flight to Shanghai from June 19 and two weekly flights each to Hong Kong and Seoul from June 24. The airline has already restarted flights to Britain, Germany and the Netherlands. Established in 1933, Turkish Airlines ... Read more

The Bombay High Court has allowed domestic and international airlines to fill up middle seats, providing some relief to the carriers. The high court, however, sought strict compliance with the May 31 circular of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) requiring passengers to wear wrap-around gowns in addition to a face shield and a mask. A division bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and S P Tavade on Monday passed the judgment through video-conference on a plea filed by Air India pilot Deven Kanani, who alleged that national carrier Air India had violated social distancing norms while evacuating Indians ... Read more

Saving lives is Goa’s primary concern at the moment, and not tourism, the state’s deputy chief minister Manohar Ajgaonkar has said. Ajgaonkar, who is also the tourism minister of the state, has said that the pandemic-induced economic slowdown, would help Goa build and promote tourism in a legal manner in the future. “First, we have to save our lives, and tourism is not the immediate concern,” Ajgaonkar told reporters at the State Secretariat on Monday. The Minister said Goa had been designated as a green zone, but COVID-19 cases began to surge after the Central government eased travel restrictions to ... Read more

At least 8,000 families connected with elephant tourism in Jaipur have been left in the lurch, as tourism revenues continue to run dry. The families have been dependent upon 103 elephants in Hathi Gaon and in areas near the precincts of iconic Amer Fort in Jaipur. These families — which include those of mahouts, caretakers, farmers who provide fodder for elephants, tourist guides — have been adversely affected because of lack of tourists, according to a report in India Today. Before the coronavirus-induced lockdown came into effect, hundreds of tourists used to throng the area, taking elephant rides through Hathi ... Read more

Kerala’s stock as an important ayurvedic destination has been growing even during the lockdown period induced by the coronavirus pandemic. Ayurveda and related treatments have been essential components of Kerala tourism, making the state a popular tourist spot for travellers across the globe. But with the advent of Covid-19, the travel sector was hit hard, and the industry came to a standstill. With the passage of time and with lockdown restrictions eased, domestic tourism has started to take some shape and the state’s handling of the pandemic is expected to build confidence among travellers. Ayurveda is the extra dimension that ... Read more

England, primarily London, always attracts shoppers from around the world. Which traveller in the world wouldn’t like to shop at Oxford Street, Knightsbridge, Bond Street or Covent Garden? After 83 days of coronavirus lockdown, non-essential stores in England reopened their doors on Monday, hoping to get the tills ringing again and start a long road to recovery. The stores have been closed since March 23 when Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed a lockdown to stem the spread of the virus. While outdoor markets and car showrooms reopened on June 1, today witnessed the big return to business for retailers. According ... Read more

Foreign visitors have begun to get back to the white sands and warm waters of Mexico’s Caribbean coast. The resort town of Cancun is especially in demand, despite Mexico reporting record infection levels in recent days. Cancun’s Hard Rock Hotel re-opened on June 8 along with 16 other beachside resorts. All of these resorts have installed hand sanitizer stations, ramped up cleaning and are enforcing distancing rules at the pool and beach areas. Although hotels can allow guests into the water, public beaches remain closed. “The most important thing right now is to revive the state’s economy, but we have ... Read more

Greek tourism minister Haris Theoharis has said the ministry has made accessibility for people with disabilities in tourism a priority issue. For the first time the tourism ministry will establish an accessible tourism committee, where the goal is to map out all problems relating to accessibility issues in tourist accommodation, cultural spaces, etc, news agency AP has reported. The minister also noted that the tourism ministry is cooperating with the digital policy ministry on the creation of a website with information on accessible accommodation in Greece and any services that are useful for people with disabilities. Addressing entrepreneurs who have ... Read more

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to prime minister Narendra Modi to consider arranging flights, exclusively for bringing COVID-19 infected Malayali patients from other countries. The move comes amid the controversy over the state government’s decision to make COVID-19 negative certificates mandatory for all expatriates coming from the Gulf countries on chartered flights. In the letter, Pinarayi Vijayan said the central government could ensure the availability of test kits in countries having large Indian diaspora. The embassies should be entrusted with the responsibility of holding tests for those unable to undergo tests at their own expense, he said. “If ... Read more