Category: News

A new ayurveda protocol will take shape in the post-Covid era aimed at keeping tourists safe and healthy, given that any wellness treatment would involve high degree of body contact. A set of ayurvedic associations like the Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Organisation of India (AMMOI), the Ayurveda Hospital Management Association of India (AHMA) and Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) have been engaged in sustained conversations with the Central government on the subject. A new protocol document has been submitted by the associations for approval and a panel is currently looking into it. Talking to Tourismnewslive.com, Baby Mathew Somatheeram, Kerala Travel ... Read more

India, like the rest of the countries of the world, is fighting the spectre of COVID-19. An immediate fallout of the pandemic has been the unprecedented loss of lives despite the tenacious efforts by the governments. To add to the misery, the global economy is now in shambles, affecting all kinds of businesses and development. More than 100 countries have closed borders, global supply chains are disrupted, while people have lost jobs and their means of livelihood. COVID-19 has severely impacted the tourism industry in India. Flights, trains, and public transport have ceased operations, while hotels and resorts have shut ... Read more

In our Celebrity Corner this week, we have actor-producer Vijay Babu who talks about his love for travel, the places he has visited and the destinations he wants to visit in future. Q: Staying at home has proved to be a powerful tool to negate the spread of the corona virus. Both the centre and state governments are doing a great job of containing the epidemic. However, once this threat subsides people will look to travel later this year or early next year. How important has travel been for you? I love travelling and try to explore new places whenever ... Read more

The South Kerala Hotelier’s Forum (SKHF) has urged the state government to waive off fixed electricity charges for the next six months, instead of allowing deferment of the same. Most of the other states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat etc have already waived of fixed charges for HT consumers since March 2020. These states have big factories and industries where the fixed charges are huge. Still, these states were the first to announce such big relief measures to consumers, SKHF secretary general Manoj Babu said. “We had requested the Kerala government for waiver of fixed charges. But as the ... Read more

Below are some take aways from the discussion: Ø             Engage with employees at home & hotel, as they are the real assets. Ø             Safety and security are of paramount importance. Ø             Online learning to update skills. Ø             Work with government authorities, health workers, police etc. Ø             Engagement with guests. Use loyalty program to engage with the guests. Ø             No buffet service in near future,  portion food to be served. Ø             In case having displayed buffet, only trained associates to serve food from the buffet, as per FSSAI instructions. Ø             Guest to leave the in-room dining (IRD) tray outside their room. ... Read more

A tourist contingent comprising 164 Swiss and EU nationals left from Kochi on Saturday by a Swiss Air flight after being stranded in India for weeks. Kerala’s department of tourism had extended all support and assistance to the tourists who have been successfully repatriated. Out of this, 124 tourists were stranded in Kerala and 40 in the neighbouring states, said Kerala Tourism secretary Rani George. Sebastien Hug, the Consul General of Switzerland in Bengaluru was present in Kochi to oversee the repatriation and expressed happiness over the meticulous planning and arrangements made by Rajkumar, Regional Joint Director and other tourism ... Read more

ടൂറിസം മേഖലയിലെ തൊഴിലാളികൾക്കു വേണ്ടി ഒരു ഉത്തേജന പാക്കേജ് സർക്കാർ നടപ്പാക്കും. ആഭ്യന്തര ടൂറിസത്തിനു ഊന്നൽ നൽകുക ഈ സർക്കാരിനെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം ഏറ്റവും പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ട കാര്യമാണ്, എന്ന് ഒരു അഭിമുഖത്തിൽ ടൂറിസം മന്ത്രി കടകംപള്ളി സുരേന്ദ്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു. ഈ മേഖലയുടെ അഭിവൃദ്ധിക്കായി ഒരു സഹകരണ സംഘം സ്ഥാപിക്കുന്നതായിരിക്കും എന്ന് മന്ത്രി കൂട്ടിച്ചേർത്തു . Q : നമസ്കാരം, ആദ്യം തന്നെ കൊറോണ വൈറസ് വ്യാപനം നിയന്ത്രിക്കുന്നതിൽ മികച്ച പ്രവർത്തനം കാഴ്ച വെച്ച ഈ സർക്കാരിനു അഭിനന്ദനങ്ങൾ. മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി ശ്രീ പിണറായി വിജയന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിൽ ആരോഗ്യ മന്ത്രാലയം, ടൂറിസം മന്ത്രാലയം, പോലീസ്, ആരോഗ്യ പരിപാലന പ്രവർത്തകർ എന്നിവരെല്ലാം ഏകോപനത്തോടെ നടത്തിയ പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങളെ ലോകം ശ്രദ്ധിച്ചു. ടൂറിസം മേഖലയെ സഹായിക്കുന്നതിന് ഒരു മാർക്കറ്റിംഗ് കാമ്പെയ്ൻ നിർമ്മിക്കാൻ ഈ ഉദാഹരണം ഉപയോഗിക്കാമോ? A : തീര്‍ച്ചയായും കോവിഡ് എന്ന മഹാമാരിയെ കേരളം നേരിട്ട ഈ രീതി അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര പ്രശംസ പിടിച്ച് പറ്റിയത് ഭാവിയില്‍ വിനോദ സഞ്ചാരികളെ ... Read more

The Alpine ski resort of Ischgl, which was the epicentre of Austria’s biggest cluster of coronavirus infections, has decided to move away from “party tourism”. The resort was under quarantine for a month. Ischgl is near the point where Austria, Italy and Switzerland meet and has often described itself as the “Ibiza of the Alps”. It is now clear that more than 800 cases spread across Austria can be traced back to the resort and the surrounding Paznaun Valley. In February and early March the virus found a breeding ground in crowded apres-ski bars. Hundreds of foreign tourists were infected ... Read more

Domestic tourism will help the sector get back into shape as more people will look to take ‘revenge holidays’ after being in the lock-down phase for so long, President of The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) Nakul Anand has said. He said travel would be essential as the entire population has been staying inside and going out to some place within drivable distance may be one of the things they may want do. “Every disaster comes with seeds of opportunity. We must keep one eye on the microscope and one on the telescope, as the opportunities ... Read more

Wayanad is a destination which ideally should cater to high volume-low traffic tourism, says Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO) President KR Vancheeswaran in an interview. The other challenge is connectivity. Wayanad is still dependent on the Calicut airport which is one of the oldest airports in Malabar. However post-Covid, Wayanad will rise as a safe domestic destination to visit, says Vancheeswaran. Excerpts: Q: Wayanad is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Kerala. But now unfortunately Covid-19 has struck the world and with it global tourism will also be impacted. Can you please give us a sense of how much ... Read more

The Kerala government has said the industry can defer the payment of fixed electricity charges for a period of six months. This was announced by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, after tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran discussed the matter with the state electricity board (KSEB) chairman. The request from the trade was for waiver of fixed charges. But since the fixed charge is for contracted demand, KSEB has to make this payment to the suppliers. “We have informed KSEB that unlike industries, the recovery of the hotels and resorts in the tourism industry will be delayed as it will take time for ... Read more

Domestic tourism in Russia may resume in July, but the country’s resorts will have to reduce prices by 20-40% in order to attract visitors after the pandemic, the CEO of tour operator Intourist Victor Topolkaraev has said. “If the situation with coronavirus will go on a positive scenario, the domestic tourist market could revive in June-July – most likely in July. Tourism will return in the fall and winter. And we must understand that from the moment the market opens, people will be in at least a month-long ‘swing’,” he said during an online conference. According to Topolkaraev, Russian resorts ... Read more

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have called for support from governments to the aviation industry, to protect jobs and ensure that air services can be maintained. The economic situation facing the aviation industry is severe. Air passenger demand is down 80%. Airlines are facing a liquidity crisis which threatens the viability of 25 million jobs directly and indirectly dependent upon aviation, including jobs in the tourism and hospitality sectors. In a joint statement ITF and IATA called for governments to: Ensure that the protection of health workers caring for those with COVID-19 ... Read more

Hope all of you are safe during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, thanks to the virus, one of the many things that can be noticed is that after about a decade the sound of the chirping birds can be heard clearly, the sky is crystal blue, sometimes ornamented with silver clouds. The wind seems lighter and the whispering of the swaying leaves can be heard. This is the impact that 25 days of lock-down has shown. The empty roads are the new elephant corridors, the decluttered sky is again owned by the birds and not the airplanes, the ... Read more

The air travel industry has its first major victim. Virgin Australia has said that it has entered voluntary administration, making it Australia’s first big corporate casualty after the coronavirus outbreak. Voluntary administration as a legal concept is equivalent to filing for bankruptcy. The country’s second-largest carrier had cut almost all flights last month following wide-spread travel bans. It was already struggling with a long-term A$5bn (£2.55bn; $3.17bn) debt. The airline is now seeking new buyers and investors, after failing to get a loan from Australia’s government. Virgin Australia chief executive Paul Scurrah said: “Our decision today is about securing the ... Read more