Tag: covid-19 pandemic

Sri Lanka will implement a short-term action plan to revive the country’s tourism industry which has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said on Monday. He said the government will allocate nearly $1 million over the next four months to revive tourism and the short-term action plan was being finalized, reports Xinhua news agency. Under the plan, 12 new tourist attraction sites identified in several districts would be developed while community tourist villages would also be developed, IANS said in a report. Ranatunga said the action plan will also be taken to modernize the Negombo, ... Read more

Companies in about half-a-dozen sectors, including hospitality, aviation, travel and tourism, are likely to seek the benefit of one-time loan restructuring which will kick in from September, bankers have said. There may not be a rush for restructuring from corporates as only those sectors which are having cash flow problems are likely to go in for loan recast to avoid the tag of ‘restructured account’, a PTI report said quoting bankers. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) are already covered under the ongoing restructuring scheme which was tweaked earlier this month to cover those impacted by COVID-19 crisis, PTI said. ... Read more

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has decided to extend the debt moratorium for the country’s crisis-hit tourism sector by another six months. A debt moratorium on capital and interest for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector which was initiated in April 2019 in the wake of the Easter attacks and expected to expire on September 30, has been extended until March 31 2021, Xinhua news agency quoted the CBSL as saying. The CBSL requested licensed commercial banks and licensed specialized banks to provide moratoriums following representations made by the Ministry of Tourism and in light of the ongoing effects of the pandemic on tourism-related businesses, ... Read more

Fernando de Noronha, a tropical island off Brazil known as one of the world’s most coveted travel destinations, said it is reopening to visitors, who have already had COVID-19. The island, part of a pristine volcanic archipelago that limits tourism to several hundred arrivals per day, closed five months ago to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, AFP has reported. Officials said in a post on the island’s Instagram account that it would begin reopening in phases from September 1, with strict health controls to “guarantee everyone’s protection.” “In this first phase, only tourists who have already had COVID-19 ... Read more

picture credit – Taylor Burk Photography Canada is extending travel restrictions on incoming foreign travellers for another month as coronavirus continues to pose a threat to public safety, CIC News has reported. Travel restrictions are now being extended until September 30. This is the third time Canada is extending travel restrictions that were originally put in place from March 18 until June 30. The federal government has been reviewing the coronavirus situation month-by-month and adjusting travel policies accordingly. In addition, the mandatory quarantine order that was in effect since March has also been extended. Exempt travellers will have to carry out ... Read more

The direct air connectivity between Kochi and Europe, a long-cherished demand of the NRIs and business community, came true on Friday with Air India commencing services in the London-Kochi sector. The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) welcomed the AI 1186 aircraft with a water salute as a mark of gratitude, according to a PTI report. In a statement, CIAL said as part of promoting direct connectivity to Europe, it has decided to waive the entire landing fee of airlines operating direct European services to Kochi. The decision will give instant advantage to the national carrier as it schedules direct London-Kochi flight ... Read more

India has revised the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for domestic and international travel, allowing airlines to serve pre-packed meals and beverages on board domestic flights. On international flights, carriers can now serve hot meals and alcohol. The crew, however, will have to wear a fresh set of gloves after serving each meal and beverage to the passengers, a note from Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said. Airlines on domestic routes were not allowed to provide any refreshments, ever since the pandemic started. For international services, carriers were only permitted ‘minimum catering,’ with pre-packaged food placed on seats before boarding. Government ... Read more

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Company (MTDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tata Group-backed Indian Hotels Company to hand over 54.4 hectare of land in Konkan’s Sindhudurg district on a 90-year lease for setting up of a five-star tourist centre. The company is expected to invest Rs 100 crore in the first phase to build the tourist centre in the Shiroda Velagar village. The centre, which is likely to be completed in three years, would attract domestic and international tourists and generate employment and boost the economy of Sindhudurg. The signing of the MoU comes a month ... Read more

The Covid-19 pandemic has snatched away the livelihoods of 90% of those employed in the tourism sector, Karnataka Tourism minister CT Ravi said on Thursday. The minister estimated that 28-30 lakh people have lost jobs over the last five months in the industry. They include tourist operators, taxi drivers, hotels, tourist guides and those owning petty shops among others. “These are temporary job losses. Once the industry recovers, they will be able tosecure their jobs back,” he assured. However, the rate of revival in the tourism sector was slow, he observed. “While Jungle Lodges have seen some improvement, KSTDC and ... Read more

Avani Hotels & Resorts has officially opened its latest resort and the first in Thailand’s southern beach town of Krabi – the Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort. Centrally located, the resort boasts stunning views of limestone formations rising up from the Andaman Sea. Just steps away from local cafes and bars, as well as the ever-popular Ao Nang Night Market, visitors can immerse themselves in the bustling social scene while still being able to enjoy Ao Nang’s natural beauty, the resort said in a press statement. The contemporary 178 guest rooms and villas reflect Krabi’s natural landscape and are ... Read more

Britain’s economy will lose about £22 billion ($29 billion) this year on the coronavirus-induced collapse of global travel, which could imperil three million jobs, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predicted in a report on Wednesday. “Travellers and tourists are staying away from the UK in droves because of continuing uncertainty around travel restrictions designed to curb the spread of COVID-19,” the WTTC stated. It continued: “The severe impact on UK travel and tourism is laid bare by WTTC as the economic fallout from coronavirus continues to burn its way through the sector. Nearly three million jobs in the ... Read more

Reopening of restaurants and hotels in the national capital would be a welcome step towards reviving tourism and hospitality activities, Union Minister of State for Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel has said. While taking stock of the preparedness of the Hotel Ashok run by India Tourism Development Corporation under the Ministry of Tourism, he said the decision to reopen hotels was a highly welcome step. The re-opening by ITDC comes after an order issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) permitting hotels to operate in Delhi from August 24. “Opening of the two biggest segments of the tourism industry — ... Read more

Middle East airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways have again asked cabin crew to take voluntary unpaid leave as they try to manage the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, said a Reuters report. Aviation has been one of the worst-hit industries during the pandemic and Emirates and Etihad of the United Arab Emirates have cut thousands of jobs, sources have said. In an internal memo, Emirates crew are told they can take unpaid leave for between one and three months from September 1 to November 30 owing to expected staffing requirements, the Reuters report said. Emirates, which in July asked pilots ... Read more

As global tourist destinations open slowly amid the domestic recovery in the gradual unlock phase, things may get better during the upcoming festive season and the tourism sector can return to some normalcy by the end of the year, online travel major MakeMyTrip said on Tuesday. The Indian tourism industry has been severely hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Vipul Prakash, Chief Operating Officer, MakeMyTrip, the industry is expecting to gain its momentum during the upcoming festive season, IANS says in a report. “We have seen improvements with the opening of major markets like Europe, Dubai and Maldives, ... Read more

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has become the first airport in the United States to launch the rapid COVID-19 testing program for airport employees. The airport has tied up with Dignity Health-Go Health for the same. This partnership provides employee testing both at airport and at nearby Dignity Health-GoHealth care locations. The airport testing facility, located in the International Terminal, is currently returning test results in less than an hour, and anticipates further reductions in test result wait times. The GoHealth Urgent Care Return to Work program provides knowledgeable and experienced clinical guidance and resources, rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities ... Read more