Thailand plans to start collecting a 300 baht ($9) entry fee from foreign holidaymakers as the tourism-reliant nation predicts a recovery for the pandemic-hobbled travel industry once the current Covid wave eases. The fee will help fund the development of local tourist attractions and an insurance program for visitors, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, said in a statement. The levy will be added to air ticket prices from April, while the method of collections from entry by land has yet to be determined, he said. The plan for entry fee comes as the Southeast Asian nation attempts to chart the course…
Author: Prasenjit Chakraborty
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a United Nations agency and the leading international organization in the field of tourism, has completed appointments to its Board of Directors of Affiliate Members for the 2022-2025 period. Commissioned by UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) joins the Board of Directors of Affiliate Members. In his commissioning letter, the Secretary-General noted that the TGA is a strong and important partner and will contribute significantly to UNWTO issues such as tourism management and the promotion of destinations in the post-Covid-19 period. Pololikashvili also said that he expects that the…
IndiGo on January 09 said it will cancel around 20 per cent of its flights because of the surge in Covid cases driven by the Omicron variant and waive change fees till March 31 in response to customer needs. Change fee is paid by a passenger to switch to a different flight date. In a press release, the airline stated that owing to the increasing number of infections, a large number of IndiGo customers are changing their travel plans. “In response to customer needs, IndiGo is waiving change fees and is offering free changes for all new and existing bookings…
AirAsia India has announced a free rescheduling offer for all flights on their network for bookings made till 31st January 2022 for travel until 31st March 2022. AirAsia India’s ‘Plan The Change’ campaign offer will enable guests of AirAsia India the flexibility to change their travel dates. All guests flying with AirAsia India will be able to reschedule to another AirAsia India flight without any change fees. The airline has extended this offer for all bookings made on its website www.airasia.co.in, AirAsia India mobile apps and other major booking channels. “To maximise convenience and flexibility, passengers can also book AirAsia…
According to a report in The Hindu, India topped Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals in December and the entire year, according to data published by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). For most part of 2020 beginning April, Sri Lanka shut its borders fearing import of COVID-19 cases into the island nation, which was then making global headlines for managing the pandemic well. It was only in December 2020 that the country had gradually opened up to recover from the severe economic impact of the pandemic that had hit its tourism sector — third largest foreign exchange earner. However, 2021…
The third wave of coronavirus pandemic in Delhi has hit the tourism and hospitality sector in the national capital hard with field experts and owners of travel agencies and hotels in the city reporting a 60-70 per cent dip in their businesses. According to tourism sector experts, Delhi gets its maximum tourist inflow between October and April. Tourists, from across India and abroad, come to Delhi not only to visit the city and its historical landmark, but also use it as a gateway to near by popular tourist hotspots such as Shimla, Manali, Agra, Mathura, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Nainital, Dehradun, Ajmer,…
Thailand indefinitely suspended a quarantine-free visa program for vaccinated visitors and ordered a ban on the sale of alcohol at restaurants in areas deemed at high risk of Covid infections to curb the spread of the omicron variant. The nation’s main virus task force spared Bangkok, Phuket and six other tourist destinations from harsh containment measures but banned alcohol consumption at restaurants and other commercial establishments after 9 p.m. Overseas visitors already holding valid visas for the quarantine waiver can’t enter the country after Jan. 15, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the task force, said at a briefing on January…
According to a NDTV report, people flying in from abroad will need to home quarantine for a week after landing in India and test on the eighth day, in new rules that take effect on January 11 (Tuesday) to tackle a huge Omicron-driven surge in Covid cases in the country. The number of “at-risk” countries has been increased to 19; nine more have been added since December. All passengers have to go into home isolation for seven days and take an RT-PCR test after that. If they test positive, they will be sent to an isolation facility and their samples…
IndiGo airlines, the country’s largest low-cost carrier, said it has “reinstated” four weekly flights between Delhi and Port Blair effective January 9. . The bookings are now open, with fares starting INR 8,522. Flights on the route will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, the company said in a statement. According to Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo, these flights will enhance connectivity and promote tourism, trade, and commerce on the island. “IndiGo is committed to providing wider networks with an affordable, on-time, safe and hassle-free travel experience onboard our lean, clean flying machine,” he said. (Source…
Booking cancellations for Christmas and New Year celebrations, along with those of weddings and planned events, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases have so far resulted in a loss of around INR 200 crore in the hospitality industry, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) said. Faced with uncertainty again with the rise in COVID-19 cases forcing states to put restrictions, the industry fears that there will be further closures of businesses without support from the government. “There were a lot of celebrations, a lot of events which were planned (around the New Year). Now, it…
