in the time of gloom and doom tourism industry...

APRIL 2020, PAGES 40, `100 VOL. 8, ISSUE. 4

IN THE TIME OF GLOOM AND DOOMIN THE TIME OF GLOOM AND DOOMTOURISM INDUSTRY STANDS DETERMINED TOURISM INDUSTRY STANDS DETERMINED

ON A STRONG FOOTINGON A STRONG FOOTING

Urges all to#StayPositive

#StandStrong

• Wash hand often• Use mask properly • Have temperature checked regularly• Avoid large crowd • Never touch your face with unclean

hands

ALWAYS REMEMBER

207, Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, New Delhi-110008

Versatile Media

TravelScapes

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Dear Readers,

“Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.” Those were the wise words of Roy T. Bennett (The Light in the Heart), which seems extremely pertinent in the recent passage of time that the entire globe is witnessing. Like any other trending term or affair, that lingers for a significant amount of time, I believe that the present episode that may last for our lifetime is ‘COVID-19’ better reputed as the novel Coronavirus that is engulfing the entire world with every sunrise. I cannot help but begin by sharing my heartfelt condolences for the lost souls who couldn’t make it at the present-day battlefield while I also share my best wishes for the soldiers striving to keep us alive every day.

Working remotely is odd for us. As a significant facet of the travel and tourism industry, we are a collaborative body and arewn’t accustomed to not having face-to-face interactions, especially during breaking news situations

when fast, clear communication is essential. The pandemic is affecting our economy, health and the social lives. But my goal is to not allow it to alter our ability to bring you reliable, timely and measured news. I want to make sure our readers understand how we are striving to do that.

Amidst all the bedlam and fiasco that an imperceptible virus is doing to us, it is believed that the Coronavirus’ impact could render around four crore people jobless, which is around 70 per cent of the total workforce in the tourism and hospitality sector here in India. The very moment the World Health Organization declared the new Coronavirus a pandemic, we started planning for bringing out new ways of keeping the travel trade fraternity unified and tough.

Therefore, in our April issue of TravelScapes, we brought to our readers and the crusaders of the global travel and tourism industry how even a dying situation can bring several rays of hope to move on, continually. We strongly urge the industry to stand together,

stay strong and recommend all the travellers to "Keep on Travelling, Reschedule, Don't cancel trips”. Tourism across the globe might have come to a sudden halt but the demand and urge for travelling won't nosedive in the longer run.

We value your feedback and suggestions so please do write us on [email protected].

Happy reading!

#Postpone . #Don'tCancel is what we encourage

Varun MalhotraPublisher & CEO

PUBLISHER & CEO Varun Malhotra [email protected]

DIRECTOR Pranav Khullar [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gagneet Kaur

ASST. EDITOR Sayanti Halder

REPORTER Kritika Dua

AGM SALES & MARKETING (MUMBAI) Aarti Rajkhewa

CONSULTANT Anindya Malhotra, Jitin Mann

ART DIRECTOR Rakesh Kumar

ACCOUNTS Chandan Kumar Jha, Swati Jauhari

ADMIN HEAD Sneha Gaur

EXECUTIVE-CIRCULATION Hari Puri, Raja Rari

Editorial & Marketing Office: Versatile Media: 207, Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, New Delhi-110008Contact: 011 - 45530380/83 • [email protected] information in TravelScapes is derived from sources we consider reliable. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract or interviews are not necessarily shared by us. Material appearing in the magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s) without prior permission. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisement Code. The publisher will not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to appear.Owned and published by: Varun Malhotra, Editor & Publisher, EB-63, Maya Enclave, Hari Nagar, New Delhi - 110064 and printed at in-house facility.

TravelScapesPUBLISHER’S NOTE

Dear Readers,

‘Smart Tourism’ is the new it thing that is being followed worldwide by the majority of tourist destinations wherein the emphasis is on sustainability, digitalisation and shifting traveller demands. The slogan of ITB Berlin Convention 2020 is ’Smart Tourism for Future’. Cutting-edge changes lie in store for the global tourism industry wherein themes such as sustainability, digitalisation, shifting customer demands and luxury travel will be the focus of discussions, lectures and sessions at ITB Berlin 2020. India and its various states are actively taking up initiatives in the direction of smart tourism. On the sidelines of the ‘ITB Berlin Special’ issue, we have aimed at ascertaining the major trends and relatively untapped

areas that would aid India as a country to evolve into ‘smart tourist’ destination through the opinions of representatives of state tourism boards as well as travel agents.

The recently announced Union Budget of India 2020–2021 of India included several initiatives and measures to boost the hospitality and tourism sector such as an increase in infrastructural spending, steps have been taken to create iconic destinations, proposal to set up 100 new airports and more Tejas type trains to connect major tourism destinations and more. Around INR 2,500 crore has been allocated for Tourism Ministry this year. We hereby gather mixed reactions from the tourism experts!

Furthermore, we bring to our readers the less-explored destinations of Assam. The state is renowned for its abundant wildlife, exotic culture and traditions and River Island, all that makes Assam a traveller’s delight.

This issue brings news and reports about trade, hospitality, aviation and the latest in tourism worldwide.

We value your feedback and suggestions so please do write us on [email protected].

Happy reading!

Sustainably smart future for India tourism ahead

Varun MalhotraPublisher & CEO

PUBLISHER & CEO Varun Malhotra [email protected]

DIRECTOR Pranav Khullar [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gagneet Kaur

ASST. EDITOR Sayanti Halder

REPORTER Kritika Dua

REPORTER & MARKETING ANALYST Lokesh Tuli

BUSINESS HEAD Shilpi Sharma

AGM SALES & MARKETING (MUMBAI) Aarti Rajkhewa

BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Nitika Bisht

CONSULTANT Anindya Malhotra, Jitin Mann

DESIGNER Shiv Nath

ACCOUNTS Chandan Jha

ADMIN HEAD Sneha Gaur

EXECUTIVE-CIRCULATION Hari Puri, Raja Rari

Editorial & Marketing Office: Versatile Media: 207, Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, New Delhi-110008Contact: 011 - 45530380/83 • [email protected] information in TravelScapes is derived from sources we consider reliable. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract or interviews are not necessarily shared by us. Material appearing in the magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s) without prior permission. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisement Code. The publisher will not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to appear.Owned and published by: Varun Malhotra, Editor & Publisher, EB-63, Maya Enclave, Hari Nagar, New Delhi - 110064 and printed at in-house facility.

TravelScapesTerra Tales Hotel Marketing promotes elegant and

exquisite hotels and resorts where a blend of luxury, boundless love for greenery, utmost care forenvironment, matchless hospitality, and so much

to explore, co-exist perfectly.

4 travelscapesonline.com APRIL 2020

CONTENT

SPECIAL FOCUS

23 Kempinski Hotels to re-enter the India market

6 .........................................................................................................................................................................................MoT16 .................................................................................................................................................................................... Trade20 .........................................................................................................................................................................Hospitality30 ...........................................................................................................................................................................Outbound36 ...............................................................................................................................................................................Aviation40 ..................................................................................................................................................................... On the Move

REGULAR UPDATES

pg-10pg-10

APRIL 2020 VOL. 8, ISSUE. 4

CENTRE STAGECENTRE STAGE

The rapid outbreak and overpowering threat of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) globally have raised the prospects of a hit to the biggest economies across the globe, majorly knocking out the operations of key service sectors including travel and tourism, hospitality and aviation. Hitting the pause button for these major growth driving sectors and bringing the tourism to an abrupt halt, the pandemic has left the industries struggling with large layoffs estimating 50 million job losses globally, a drastic dip in sales, dramatic derailment of several businesses and an expected sharp dip in travelling to majorly-hit markets. But amidst all the conundrum of mixed thoughts and uncertainties, what keeps us going is a very strong four-lettered word called ‘HOPE’ and an eight-lettered powerfully logical feeling of ‘OPTIMISM’. For many in the tourism industry, this time indeed is a crumpling period but for others, there is a brighter side to the situation too, where the challenges can be converted into opportunities and the industry’s proven resilience can support the speedy recovery. While reports are expecting a full recovery of tourism by 2023 based on how the travel industry has mended from past slumps, the involved industries must brace the further consequences, be proactive about their reassuring communication with the consumers, eventually encouraging them to rethink their future travel plans instead of choosing to go for abrupt cancellations. Though for future, we all might be carrying out businesses a bit differently and more cautiously, it is however, critically important to reassure ourselves that this might be a bigger drive to get the commercial success again and rebuild economies by resetting the travel strategies with an urgent need to implement more flexible government policies including tax cuts, simplified visa regimes and putting demand stimulation campaigns into action. To further lift the confidence and lead everyone towards how we can best orient ourselves to plan the outline for the road to recovery, TravelScapes speaks with the industry forerunners who explain why hope and positivity are essential to make this tough time more bearable and how the cascading effects today can help us prepare a better future plan for tomorrow, eventually leading to a substantial economic growth

TOURISM INDUSTRY TOURISM INDUSTRY STANDS DETERMINED ON STANDS DETERMINED ON

A STRONG FOOTINGA STRONG FOOTING

IN THE TIME OF GLOOM AND DOOM

UPDATE EVENTS

GLOBETROTTER

29 An insight into the re-scheduled travel trade events and exhibitions

33 ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERYSCOURING THE SPIRIT OF WANDERLUSTCountries around the world have imposed sweeping travel bans and advisories to stem the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) within their borders and beyond. As the COVID-19 spreads across the globe and travel disruptions, starting from visas cancellations to flight suspensions, increase by the day, many people are wondering what to do about their future holidays, if anything at all. Will the situation be worse in the coming days or better? Which countries will be safe to visit? And is flying a good idea? As fast as questions are being answered, new ones emerge. Nevertheless, amidst all the panic and perplexities, TravelScapes brings to a list of the top, hand-picked destinations to look forward to in the days to come, keeping the anxiety away while also brushing off the dust settling on the itchy feet

SPECIAL FEATURE

SPOTLIGHT

TRADE WATCHIN CONVERSATION

32 NAAD WELLNESS CEL-EBRATES THE COMPLETION OF ITS TWO SUCCESSFUL YEARS

24 BRINGING THE WORLD AND ITS ECONOMIES TO STANDSTILL, CORONAVIRUS RATTLES THE TOURISM SEC-TOR

26 AMIDST THE UNCER-TAINTIES, RISES THE HOPE FOR TOURISM TO “GROWING BACK BETTER”

19 QuadLabs announces restructuring in the leader-ship team

18 SITE India to organise its maiden specialist event “The India Incentive Day” on July 24 in New Delhi

28 “THE CHIEF PRIORITY IS TO BOOST THE CONFIDENCE OF TRAVELLING AMONGST THE TRADE AND CONSUM-ERS”TAT REITERATES ITS STRONG FOCUS ON THE BOOMING BUSINESS FROM INDIAIn conversation with Vachirachai Sirisumpan, Director- New Delhi, Tourism Authority of Thailand


UPDATE MoT TravelScapes

Strengthening surveillance and control measures against the coronavirus in Kerala, the state

government issued guidelines to ensure safe return of around 5,000 foreign tourists in the southern state.

In view of some countries seeking mandatory certificate stating that the passengers are COVID-19 negative, the state government directed all foreign travellers in the state to contact the COVID-19 district cell which will ensure their sample test for coronavirus.

The testing laboratory will issue them certificate which will enable them to fly to their respective nations. "The tourist on receiving the certificate to ensure quick departure to their respective countries by following all precautions in health advisory while travelling from their stay place to the airport, at the airport and in the flight," the guidelines said.

Kerala issues guidelines to foreign tourists amidst the outbreak of COVID-19

The Indian Ministry of Tourism has launched a portal called "Stranded

in India" to help thousands of foreigners – including tourists from the Gulf – who arrived in India before the coronavirus pandemic and are now stuck in the country following cancellation of domestic and international flights, trains and inter-state buses, said a report.

"The aim of the portal is to extend support to foreign tourists who are stranded in India and to disseminate information regarding the services that can be availed of by foreigners who are stuck far away from their homeland," said a report citing an announcement from the government’s Press Information Bureau.

The portal’s services may also help Indian citizens who live abroad and want to return to countries where they work or do business as expatriates.

The portal has the following information that will hopefully be of use to thousands of stranded foreigners at this time: comprehensive information about COVID-19

helpline numbers or call centres which foreigners can reach out to for help; information around state-based or regional tourism support infrastructure; help and support section to extend help to the ones in need of further information and connect foreign tourists to the concerned authorities, the report said.

The portal also has detailed of information on the round-the-clock helpline for worldwide coordination on COVID-19 of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs along with their contact information, it said.

India launches online portal to help stranded tourists

Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (I/C), Tourism and Culture, Government of India, has said that they are thinking of declaring

2021 as Visit India Year, with an aim to invite people across the world to the country and showcase its diversity. “We want people across the world to know India and see its cultural heritage and its attractions. In order to showcase that we are in discussion to declare 2021 as Visit India Year. We want to make the new multilingual website and language facilities at important tourist sites, act as facilities to attract tourists from different countries across the world,” he announced at the launch of the multilingual Incredible India website in New Delhi.

MoT looks at declaring 2021 as Visit India Year

Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia proposed to launch a Branding Delhi scheme last

month to transform the capital into India’s tourism capital. News reports state that Sisodia, while presenting the said budget in Delhi Assembly, stated that the capital has all the resources to transform into the tourism capital of the country.

Stating about this development, he said that as per the new scheme, Delhi tourism will be rebranded and will be introduced as a tourism brand both in the country as well as foreign tourists. The Delhi government also proposed a Campaign for Communal Harmony in the wake of recent violence in northeast

Delhi that left more than 50 dead and 200 injured.The Deputy Chief Minister further informed that

the government will likely start a new festival called Purvanchal Utsav from next year. He added that the festival will be on the lines of Delhi Ki Diwali, which is an initiative to celebrate Diwali in an environmentally-friendly manner without bursting firecrackers and organising other stuff like laser shows with cultural activities.

Working on these lines, the Delhi government in order to introduce the capital as the tourism brand, it has announced a 100-crore scheme that will help create new jobs in the sector.

Delhi tourism to be rebranded under 100-crore scheme

APRIL 2020 travelscapesonline.com 7

UPDATEMoTTravelScapes

According to Union Minister Patel, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (in million) during 2017, 2018 and 2019 were 10.04, 10.56 and

10.89 (provisional), respectively. Thus, there has been no decline in Foreign Tourist Arrivals to India during the last three years. Ministry of Tourism has taken various steps to attract foreign tourist in the country, which includes extension of e-Visa facility to citizens of several countries and Incredible India 2.0 campaign among others.

Development of tourist spots and improvement of infrastructure quality is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration. However, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India under its schemes of SwadeshDarshan, PRASHAD and Assistance to Central Agencies, provides central financial assistance to State Governments/Union Territories/Central Agencies for development of tourism related infrastructure and facilities to provide an enriching tourism experience to visitors which would result in attracting more foreign tourist to India. The projects under the schemes are identified for development in consultation with State Governments/UT Administration and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds. Projects under the schemes are under various stages of implementation.

The multilingual version of “Incredible India” website and mobile app has been launched by the Minister of State (I/C)

for Tourism & Culture, Prahlad Singh Patel in New Delhi. The new version of the website and mobile app of “Incredible India” has been launched in three new languages i.e. Chinese, Arabic and Spanish. The new version of the website and mobile app of “Incredible India” aims to attract tourists from Chinese, Arabic and Spanish speaking regions. Inclusion of three languages aims to showcase the tourism products of India on a global platform. It also seeks to increase tourism awareness, attractions and opportunities by facilitating tourists with personalised and contextual digital experiences.

The multilingual website also features the 360 degree-experience-based walk-throughs and stories and experiences of the tourists in various aspects such as Food & Cuisine, Heritage, Nature and Wildlife, Luxury, Spiritual, Adventure, Art, Shopping and many more.

The “Incredible India” website was earlier hosted in only two languages i.e. English and Hindi.

Tourism stakeholders have raised concerns that the government

failed to address the survival crisis being faced by the industry in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and said immediate steps need to be taken to help out the sector. This was conveyed in a video conference meeting with senior officers of the Ministry of Tourism, recently. The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

(FICCI), PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and Internet and Mobile Association of India (IMAI) participated in this very meeting.

They demanded that the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) three-month moratorium on loan repayments amid disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak be extended to 12 months and that the interest accrual should stop during that period. The tourism bodies also suggested that some loans for the industry (tourism) should be restructured.

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organized the 9th

International Heritage Tourism Conclave with the theme ‘Achieving SDG 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage’. The programme was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

H.E. Sakir OzkanTorunlar, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey; H.E. Radu Octavian Dobre, Ambassador, Embassy of Romania in the Republic of India; H.E. Dato Hidayat Abdul Hamid, High Commissioner, High Commission of Malaysia were present at the programme and shared the heritage tourism potential of their respective countries.

PHDCCI and its Knowledge Partner- Nielsen India jointly released a Knowledge Report titled ‘Heritage Tourism in India and SDG 11.4: Stakeholders’ Perspective’. The report gives a holistic view on heritage tourism across the world and in the country. The report provides ample scope and opportunities towards preservation of world’s cultural and natural heritage.

While setting the theme of the Conclave, Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chairman – Tourism Committee, PHDCCI, said, “We need forum like this to brainstorm what steps can be taken to correct the skewed balance of tourist traffic, where bulk of the foreign tourist arrival is limited to a few prominent destinations. Some basic factors that are immediately apparent are of course, improving connectivity, providing a better overall experience and greater outreach programmes overseas to attract more visitors.”

Panel Discussion on ‘Positioning India as world’s top Heritage Tourism Destination’ had Aman Nath, Founder & Chairman, Neemrana Hotels as the Moderator and witnessed Sonia Meena (IAS), Additional Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd; D. Venkatesan, Regional Director, India Tourism Mumbai; Dr. H B MaheshwariJaisal, Convenor – Madhya Pradesh State Chapter, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH); and P P Khanna, President, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI).

FTAs to India show an increase in the last three years

Multilingual version of “Incredible India” website launched

Tourism bodies demand extension of RBI moratorium to tide over COVID-19 crisis

PHD Chamber organises 9th International Heritage Tourism Conclave


UPDATE MoT

The state government has appointed Ashwani Lohani, ex-CMD, Air India, ex-chairman of railway board and the

ex-CMD of of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), as the chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). The tenure is for one year fromthe date of assumption of charge.

In a government order released recently, the department of Youth advancement, tourism and culture has been requested to draw and disburse the pay and allowances to the APTDC Chairman on par with cabinet ministers. The office of the Chairman, APTDC, works under the control of the youth advancement, tourism and culture department.

India imposed stringent travel curbs to the country as the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Covid-19 outbreak a

pandemic with more than 1, 18,000 confirmed cases and 4,291 deaths in 114 countries. The government late on Wednesday suspended ‘all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organisations, employment, project visas’ until April 15. The visa-free travel facility for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) holders has been suspended until the same date.

Diplomatic visas and visas for international organisations, employment and projects are exempt.

While the majority of COVID-19 cases have been in China - which shares a border with India - the number of new infections has steadied there. Hotspots however have emerged in Italy, Iran and Spain.Visa-free travel granted to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders - some three million people, not nationals but from ethnic Indian families living abroad - was put on hold until Apr 15.

The visa decision was reached following a meeting of ministers led by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, the statement read.

The government also "strongly advised" Indians against non-essential foreign travel, warning that they can be subjected "to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days".

The recently-hyped false claim was debunked by Press Information Bureau’s

Fact Check Twitter handle in a post. “Be cautious of #Fake order claiming that hotels/resturants will remain closed till 15th October 2020 due to #Coronavirusoutbreak,” the agency wrote. “The order is fake and has not been issued by Ministry of Tourism,” they added. The agency ended the post with a line of caution and urged people not to believe in rumours.

People appreciated PIB’s efforts to debunk the fake news that are circulated online by miscreants. Some also wrote that people spreading or making up such false information should be punished. PIB has also

shared the regret of not having any agencies or cyber expert who can decode this fake message and reach out to main culprit.

The cascading effect of the global Coronavirus pandemic is crippling the

country's tourism and hospitality industry at an ‘astonishing pace’, an industry body Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) said, as reports prompted. The industry has also recommended a host of initiatives for the central government, including extending the RBI's three-month moratorium on repayment of term loans to six months and a complete GST holiday for the tourism, travel and hospitality industry for the next 12 months.

"ICC recommends setting up of a 'Travel & Tourism Stabilisation Fund' with direct benefit transfer to each unit to prevent financial loss and consequent job loss," the

statement added. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) has come down by about 67 per cent annually in January to March quarter, while for domestic tourists, the figure is lower by nearly 40 per cent, according to statistics published by the Tourism Ministry, ICC said.

"Disruption due to Coronavirus could result in 18 to 20 per cent erosion of nationwide occupancy across the hospitality sector, and 12 to 14 per cent drop in average daily rates (ADRs) for the entire 2020," Rajeev Singh, Director General, ICC mentioned in the statement. The travel and tourism sector alone accounted for 9.2 per cent of India's GDP in 2018 and generated 26.7 million jobs in that year, the ICC said.

Ashwani Lohani appointed the Chairman of APTDC

India suspends all tourist visas and e-Visas for travellers

MoT rubbishes fake news of ordering hotels to be closed till October 15

ICC 'Travel & Tourism Stabilisation Fund' to stabilise the sector

TravelScapes

Ashwani Lohani


TravelScapes UPDATE REPORT

The letter of pleading begins with "By staying home today, we can travel tomorrow”. The hashtag

#TravelTomorrow encapsulates this message of solidarity and hope, through which the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) calls for shared responsibility among travellers and the tourism sector around the world to deal with the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

Discovering different cultures, practising solidarity and respect, caring for the environment, continuing to learn, fostering decent work, development and sustainability and generating new opportunities for all. These are the core values of tourism advocated by the World Tourism Organisation and which constitute the main pillars of the #TravelTomorrow campaign.

#TravelTomorrow has become the common thread

that runs through the World Tourism Organisation’s response to the current crisis, highlighting the enduring values of tourism.

Our response must be fast, coherent and united so that we can all travel again:This online campaign has had a massive impact on social networks and is being embraced by a growing number of countries, destinations and companies linked to tourism, cities, media outlets and individuals from all over the world. Countries such as Germany, Morocco, Mongolia, Oman and Uruguay, as well as cities such as Bogotá or Vienna, have already endorsed the hashtag #TravelTomorrow, thus amplifying the voice of tourism, which is united in the face of this unprecedented global challenge.

A digital resource platform has been created to provide different options for any individual, business or institutional user to join this initiative, offering elements such as images for social media profiles, electronic signatures, as well as relevant audio-visual content on tourism and COVID-19, all available here.

“Historically, tourism has proven itself as a key driver of international recovery, and as early as now, we must begin to prepare in order to build the foundations of the future resilience of tourism,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Crisis Committee:The Global Tourism Crisis Committee, chaired by the UNWTO, has also supported this initiative within the framework of the recommendations it has developed to address this crisis. "Our response must be fast, coherent and united so that we can all travel again soon and do so in a safer, more sustainable and more respectful way, learning from the lessons of the current crisis,” concluded Pololikashivili.

Among the recommendations promoted by the Committee is the need for financial and political support for recovery measures aimed at the tourism sector, in coordination with international development organisations, in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on employment, protect the most vulnerable segments of society and accelerate recovery.

At the same time, it is important for policies and actions to ensure the promotion of sustainable development, in line with the mandate of the UNWTO, especially at the beginning of the Decade of Action—ten years to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals deriving from the 2030 Agenda.

UNWTO REASSURES TO “STAY HOME TODAY” WITH ITS NEW CAMPAIGN

LOOK AHEAD FOR THE DAYS TO COME WITH #TRAVELTOMORROW

UPDATE MoT TravelScapes

TOURISM INDUSTRY TOURISM INDUSTRY STANDS DETERMINED ON STANDS DETERMINED ON

A STRONG FOOTINGA STRONG FOOTING

IN THE TIME OF GLOOM AND DOOM

By Gagneet Kaur & Sayanti Halder

The rapid outbreak and overpowering threat of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) globally have

raised the prospects of a hit to the biggest economies across the globe, majorly knocking out the operations of key service sectors including travel and tourism, hospitality and aviation. Hitting the pause button for these major growth driving sectors and bringing the tourism to an abrupt halt, the pandemic has left the industries struggling with large layoffs estimating 50 million job losses globally, a drastic dip in sales, dramatic derailment of several businesses and an expected sharp dip in travelling to majorly-hit markets. But amidst all the conundrum of mixed thoughts and uncertainties, what keeps us going is a very strong four-lettered word called ‘HOPE’ and an eight-lettered

powerfully logical feeling of ‘OPTIMISM’. For many in the tourism industry, this time indeed is a crumpling period but for others, there is a brighter side to the situation too, where the challenges can be converted into opportunities and the industry’s proven resilience can support the speedy recovery. While reports are expecting a full recovery of tourism by 2023 based on how the travel industry has mended from past slumps, the involved industries must brace the further consequences, be proactive about their reassuring communication with the consumers, eventually encouraging them to rethink their future travel plans instead of choosing to go for abrupt cancellations. Though for future, we all might be carrying out businesses a bit differently and more cautiously, it is

however, critically important to reassure ourselves that this might be a bigger drive to get the commercial success again and rebuild economies by resetting the travel strategies with an urgent need to implement more flexible government policies including tax cuts, simplified visa regimes and putting demand stimulation campaigns into action. To further lift the confidence and lead everyone towards how we can best orient ourselves to plan the outline for the road to recovery, TravelScapes speaks with the industry forerunners who explain why hope and positivity are essential to make this tough time more bearable and how the cascading effects today can help us prepare a better future plan for tomorrow, eventually leading to a substantial economic growth

CENTRE STAGE



TravelScapes

When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity,” said John F. Kennedy – a man who has closely witnessed and overcome a crisis, albeit of a different kind. In a span of a few months, we all

have witnessed a pandemic spread over boundaries, touch human lives profoundly and lead to closing off boundaries - with flight cancellations and restrictions on travel visas. Today, as many countries juggle between saving lives and remaining unscathed as far as possible, our industry with all other industries is fighting to curtail the spread and stand strong. There is no denying, we are all amidst an impending crisis, nonetheless, that can be overcome with our collective and individual efforts. While this pandemic may appear graver than all, it can be certainly curtailed, especially with brilliant minds working on creating a cure. For all of us, it is a time to showcase unity, both in numbers and knowledge.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:For travel and aviation industry, this time might seem to carry a red flag but we mustn’t lose a panoramic vision and keep our sight on its potential to pass, for trade and travel will recover eventually. Being part of a persevering industry with a voice, it is important that we all – agents, veterans and fraternity – stay updated to share right information through social media, emails and daily interactions and bring positivity to panic-stricken people and market. Let’s consider it an opportunity to learn, analyse, and map our path for future – for future, as uncertain as it may seem, will present it and when it does, we must be ready to brace it victoriously

For over 90 years, Marriott has lived by a core value established by our founder, JW Marriott, Sr., to ‘take care of our guests and associates.’ This enduring value guides us as we face the difficult challenge of responding to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Our hearts and thoughts go out to the people who have

been affected by this unprecedented event and we appreciate the healthcare workers, local communities, and governments around the world who are on the front line working to contain this Coronavirus. We are vigilantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation around the clock and have precautions in place to ensure a healthy stay at any of our hotels across the globe. In this climate, we know travel may not be your first thought but I want you to know the safety of our guests and associates is our top priority

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:We are focused on how the Coronavirus is impacting our Marriott Bonvoy Members and have made

some important updates to our loyalty program to provide greater flexibility when planning future travel. Specifically, we have paused points expiration until August 31, 2020, allowing members ample time to redeem their points. Besides, we have extended the expiration of suite night awards (SNAs) with an expiration date of December 31, 2020, by one year to December 31, 2021. Lastly, members who currently have an active Free Night Award (FNA) expiring in 2020 as part of their credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to use it through January 31, 2021

The novel Coronavirus has caused a bumpy road for the travel and tourism industry however, we are still hopeful. The travel landscape through this crisis will inevitably change. When the Corona crisis is over

online travel will look very different. As of now, for both domestic and international trips an ample number of bookings has been postponed by our members and travel customers at large to Q3 2020 for safety reasons. We are trying to have forward-thinking and already seeing signs of pent-up demand in Q4 2020 and Q1 2021. Millions of people are now waiting to travel again. For the meantime, the travel industry should stay calm and choose safety.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:At present, we can raise awareness by helping our

members and customers by sharing regular updates on the COVID-19 travel restrictions by the govt. and utilise this time for internal trainings. The focus right now for RCI is really on the day to day services — we need to make sure we keep providing the best services and connectivity so our members don’t face any issues while re-scheduling or cancelling bookings because they will eventually come back depending on the service they were provided. This is in the best interest of our customers and the industry at large

ANIL PARASHAR, PRESIDENT & CEO, INTERGLOBE TECHNOLOGY QUOTIENT

ARNE SORENSON PRESIDENT AND CEO, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

JONATHAN MILLS MANAGING DIRECTOR, RCI APAC & DAE GLOBAL

CONSIDER IT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, ANALYSE, AND MAP OUR PATH FOR FUTURE

THE SAFETY OF OUR GUESTS AND ASSOCIATES IS OUR TOP PRIORITY

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE NOW WAITING TO TRAVEL AGAIN

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TravelScapes

Our priority should be to ensure everybody’s safety. As custodians of the travel fraternity, we should assist each other and our patrons by spreading awareness about the

outbreak, educating them about the precautions to be undertaken and helping them to make informed travel decisions during such scenarios.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:The time right now is to share information regarding the preventive measures that people should take in general for their safety as well as the safety of others. The travel

fraternity should ensure adhering to advisories issued by the Government of India and educate their employees as well as their clients about the same

There is no denying that tourism is one of the first and major casualties following the COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking at current cancellations anywhere between 10 to 25 per cent of the annual business. And the following months will show the full extent of damage to hotels and the travel business. There are

some things, which are beyond our control and this is one of those situations. My advice is to keep our spirits up and think of innovative ways to stay relevant. It is also time to rework on cancellation parameters, relook at booking terms and revisit business vision. I see many people posting videos and quotes which act as if all is well. This is a global issue, whichever way you look at it as social media hype or hysteria – the COVID-19 scare has managed to keep people at home and in their own countries. As we limp back to normalcy in the coming months, as we still don’t know how long it will take – I hope we learn our lessons. The damaging impact of unrestrained and unverified media forwards, the importance of flexibility with terms, the strength

of business relationships based on proactiveness and transparency and lastly about putting people first.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:Firstly, all positivity will come only when you are aware of the implications of this pandemic on people, understanding the reasons why people won’t travel and when they do why they will. It is quite irresponsible to say things like India is safe and do come. Travel should be a personal choice and should not be through coercion, we need confidence in travel. We need to keep our heads up and look out for some tough months to reignite the travel bug in people and put India and the subcontinent as a destination to visit again

Travel is an essential need in today’s world, which cannot be ignored for too long. People will get back to travel as soon as the situation permits. Going by the experience, the travel business has always made a stronger come back after every catastrophe. In this case, it will be staggered but in all probability domestic

and MICE market will be the first one to bounce back before inbound travel does. People in the travel industry have to continue with the belief that once this episode is over and most importantly, once sentiments turn positive, travel business will thrive again. Till then, we need to hold tight, think about innovative ways of travel offerings and keep manpower intact and motivated to continue working for their organisations. There are serious financial challenges bothering everyone due to drying up of cash flow for which industry is expecting certain help from the government in the form of the relief package. However, since the government has bigger challenges we have to be realistic in our expectations.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:As far as the campaigns are concerned, they need to have the ‘5S’ principle (subtle, short, sensitive and sweet with a social message). In this era of marketing clutter unless campaigns are innovative they will not work. With so much of social media around, the attention span of consumers is very short and so, campaigns have to be crisp, innovative and impactful. It is also time to reinvent the way we have been working and delivering our products. There is no room for complacency any longer. We need to be far more innovative in our products than ever before with better adaptations as per requirements of clients. Hygiene is another area whereas industry and more so as a country, we need to be far more prepared

DEV KARVAT FOUNDER & CEO – INDIA & EMERGING MARKETS, TRAWELLTAG COVER-MORE

SHOBA MOHAN FOUNDER, RARE INDIA

MANISH PRATIK CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, EASTBOUND GROUP

THE TIME RIGHT NOW IS TO SHARE INFORMATION REGARDING THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES

WE NEED CONFIDENCE IN TRAVEL

IT IS ALSO TIME TO REINVENT THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN WORKING

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TravelScapes

In any downturn scenario, travel and tourism is always the first and worst-affected segment of the business as this aspect of life involves connecting people with other communities and therefore, the impact is greater than any other industry. Further, travel and tourism are

highly perishable an experience involving human capital consequently, the adverse impact is greater than a non-perishable or limited shelf-life, industry. I am telling travellers, nothing is lost; their interest will be protected against future travel. After all, the virus has to die a natural death; it can’t continue to devastate adinfinitim! We have battled SARS, HINI, Ebola, etc. in the past so, Coronavirus is the same in a different avatar.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:Travel agencies don’t need to do anything, the traveller is

doing it all as there are enough campaigns out there by governments, service providers, presidents of countries, health authorities, etc. Travel agencies need to hold their own by giving future options. My advice to the trade is, be resilient as we always are, this storm needs to be weathered collectively and this too shall pass! We will emerge stronger as we do after each debacle. Use this time to introspect, re-jig, trim, train and get stronger to handle the future ahead

There is no doubt that stress levels in our industry are at an all-time high. Trade shows are being cancelled, arguments are erupting over cancellation fees and discussions on force majeure and so much more are opening up. These are unchartered waters. All our sister

associations and industry trade bodies are aggregating useful news and stories about the virus, which is keeping us all informed. There are understandably knee-jerk reactions in our client bases, the impact of which many of us are seeing directly with cancellations filtering through. But we also understand that this situation is temporary! Our industry is made up of varying nationalities and beliefs; varying ages and experiences; varying passions and ambitions. Each one of us has a unique voice, a unique style, a unique personality and that I believe is what makes us truly special and is what binds us. It is our differences that when brought together make us stronger

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:It is time to stand strong and together and work on strategies to keep our industry viable and keep the world travelling. We need to get the message out that most of the world is still very safe and open to travellers and that plans should go ahead – if not right now, maybe only postponed by a few months. At Euromic, we are already encouraging the philosophy in our clients and their clients of “Don’t Cancel: Postpone”. We look at the future and the next steps that will steady us all as the world deals with the situation. This will not last and we will soon be back planning recovery and resurgence

This is a tough time for mankind; a scenario that perhaps none of us was prepared for. However, as the world grapples and tries to control the outbreak of COVID-19, India too is undertaking a series of strong measures to keep the Corona numbers

from rising. Industries across the globe are widely affected and tourism business is no different. ICPB supports how the Government of India in handling the situation and assures that the association and its members will always be willing to contribute to the cause in whatever capacity required. With this mission in mind, the members of ICPB have held a couple of ‘Online Interactive Sessions’ wherein ideas, ways and means have been discussed at length to keep India prominent in the global MICE scenario, once the worst is over. Also, there are talks of some new schemes, which are likely to be introduced by the Ministry of Tourism to assist the MICE stakeholders.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:With a string of international and national conferences and events postponed indefinitely, how much time will it take for this pandemic to settle and for life to resume as ‘normal’ is no one’s guess. However, there is also no doubt that there will surely be a time when all this will be over and when that happens, it is pertinent to have a strategic and robust recovery plan for India to make up for lost ground and take advantage of the pent-up demand to attract potential travellers – both business and leisure. We need to have a marketing strategy in place, a price discussion and a pitch on why India should be the first point of call when travel comes back

RATNA CHADHACHAIRPERSON & CO-FOUNDER, TIRUN TRAVEL MARKETING (THE INDIAN REPRESENTATIVE OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES)

RAJEEV KOHLIJMD, CREATIVE TRAVEL & PRESIDENT, EUROMIC

AMARESH TIWARI VICE CHAIRMAN, INDIA CONVENTION PROMOTION BUREAU (ICPB)

USE THIS TIME TO INTROSPECT, RE-JIG, TRIM, TRAIN AND GET STRONGER

THIS WILL NOT LAST AND WE WILL SOON BE BACK PLANNING RECOVERY AND RESURGENCE

IT IS PERTINENT TO HAVE A STRATEGIC AND ROBUST RECOVERY PLAN FOR INDIA

CENTRE STAGE


TravelScapes

COVID-19, known as nuevo Coronavirus, has impacted the travel and tourism industry the most. I have not seen this kind of global crises in tourism in my whole career. There will be huge losses in business and

subsequently jobs in the tourism industry, India is no different from this. During Q1 of 2020, it is estimated to have a loss of eight to nine billion USD for the inbound industry and about 4.5 crore jobs in danger directly or indirectly. Unfortunately, it will take some time for airlines to come back on a normal routine and Corona fear to go out from travellers mind.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:I think after the crisis of Coronavirus recedes, it is going to be a gruesome task for all travel agencies and tour operators to run a positive campaign to boost up

travellers interest back for holidays. At this moment, it is too early to tell about our marketing strategy post these crises as because we are still in the middle of fire fighting the problem. Overall, it will take more or less a year to come back on track provided we end this unfortunate situation at earliest possible

Our industry’s priority is the health and safety of the travellers, and our employees are being appropriately cautious and pro-active in their approach to the situation. A mishandled opportunity becomes a crisis while a well-managed crisis becomes an opportunity. The most important factor is not the challenge itself

but how you handle it. After all, panicking is easy but taking constructive action when everyone is losing their head, takes courage and vision. My advice to the trade is to gear up for the next season, take this time as a boon and not as a curse to educate yourself on new destinations or have some ‘me time’. Stay positive, we have to bounce back with each other. Stay positive, Stay safe. This too shall pass.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:We can upload videos of the destinations, attractions, unique stay opportunities now are the right time. As

people have time and will watch and comment and put it in their bucket list. With the schools, colleges, cinema halls, gymnasium or any public space shutting down, I guess people have time to explore and give their undivided attention to their social media post. Let us get together and work towards settling down ourselves and the people around us. Panic is the last thing you need. Let’s support each other, by reaching out and educating each other and demonstrate that we can still travel to the majority of destinations during this unprecedented time where COVID-19 is present

The emergence of COVID-19 has been challenging for the world at large and more so for the travel, tourism and aviation industries. The outbreak is constantly evolving and at South African Tourism, we remain

alert and focused on providing our sector with critical updates and plans. The safety of visitors and citizens remains our top priority.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:As an industry, we will need to wait and watch to understand how the situation further plays out, to put together optimum measures to revive the sector. The outbreak will have a short- to medium-term impact on

inbound tourism to South Africa. However, travellers have chosen to reschedule plans rather than cancel their visit which makes us optimistic for a quick revival once the situation stabilises. Our approach is to keep the tourism sector and all our partners globally and in South Africa informed regularly

RAVI GOSAINMANAGING DIRECTOR, TOURISM ENTERPRISES

ALEFIYA SINGHDIRECTOR, IRIS REPS

NELISWA NKANIHUB HEAD – MEISEA, SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM

WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF FIRE-FIGHTING THE PROBLEM

WE CAN STILL TRAVEL TO THE MAJORITY OF DESTINATIONS DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME

OUR APPROACH IS TO KEEP THE TOURISM SECTOR AND ALL OUR PARTNERS GLOBALLY AND IN SOUTH AFRICA INFORMED REGULARLY

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TravelScapes

When 2020 was dawned, no one thought that is the world will get arrested into the mega epidemic growing into a pandemic. While this has impacted everything globally, the immediate tremors have been felt by the airlines, tourism and hospitality sectors. Having said

that, to me it certainly needs to be accorded reasonable seriousness and does invite all of us to stand together and rise to the occasion. The ‘Namaste’ culture, washing hands and maintaining basic hygiene along with social distancing should be just enough. The trade needs no advice as they are already aware and very responsible and are trying to educate the passengers and community in their way. Surely, would like to remind them ‘This too shall pass’, Trust God, Trust your employees, Trust your Business!

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:I have recently seen a lot of tourism boards making

videos, sending mailers and e-mails to their passengers, community and making them aware of the situation and are doing a tremendous job to handle each passenger issues including date change, cancellation, rebooking and more. We all need to help each other and respect relationships – be it client or agent, employee or employer. The employees need to be motivated, appreciated and recognised for the exemplary commitment and service they have delivered in these testing times. We always say in Thai Smile (since our IATA code is WE) - #YesWEcan #TogetherWEcan and WE will. That’s the spirit, which will keep us positive

In the long run, I believe that the Coronavirus isn’t likely to have any major impact on the tourism industry but as far as the situation is concerned so far, it has inflicted much damage to the revenues prospects of, in particular, the hospitality industry. In the extant circumstances, when the government is strongly advising to avoid unnecessary travel and

social gatherings, maintaining momentum in business remains a too daunting task and even more challenging is to convince the guests to travel. We, as Mayfair Group, have already witnessed cancellation of over 2500 room nights across all our properties. This said, we are nonetheless, optimistic and expect that this stressful phase will progressively fade away in the next 20 to 30 days to come and it will be business as usual.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:Awareness campaigns can go a long way in reviving the tepid travel sentiment that has gripped the country. Hotels chains, through tangible actions on hygiene and safety fronts, can expect to convince guests to travel.

Beyond the spectrum of business interests, as important and responsible stakeholders of the society, it is morally contingent upon every brand to run awareness campaigns and make efforts to aid the government’s effort in containing the spread of this deadly virus. However, at the industry level, hotel brands and tour operators with due consideration for safety and security still may make efforts to convince the outbound travellers to reschedule their trips to safe destinations across India along with other alike measures that they feel will help them tide over this situation

The Indian tourism and hospitality industry is one of the key growth drivers for the economy, among the services sector. With multiple countries going under lockdown, on accord of the COVID-19 pandemic,

the hospitality sector in India, as around the world, remains one of the worst-affected business sectors. The impact has already been felt in the financial hubs and metropolitan cities, including Mumbai, which hosts a large number of international business travellers and also a vast population of local migrants that have settled here to make a career. Considering the high population density and the immensely contagious nature of the pandemic, the civic authorities and the government has advised various steps, including a total lockdown of the city, barring healthcare and daily essentials, a directive

to practice social distancing and complete isolation, etc.

DOSE OF OPTIMISM:In line with the order that states all clubs and public recreational centres to remain shut, we have ceased all operations at our club to ensure the safety and security of our patrons and employees. We have already informed our members and have requested them to also abide by the government’s directive. We are hopeful of and trust the government’s efforts to overcome this pandemic would bear fruit very soon

GAURAV BHATURACOUNTRY HEAD- INDIA, THAI SMILE AIRWAYS

PRADIPTA MOHAPATRAASST. VICE PRESIDENT (SALES & MARKETING), MAYFAIR HOTELS AND RESORTS

RAJESH SHETTYGENERAL MANAGER, THE ACRES LIFESTYLE CLUB AND THE FERN RESIDENCY

WE ALL NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER AND RESPECT RELATIONSHIPS

IT IS MORALLY CONTINGENT UPON EVERY BRAND TO RUN AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS

WE ARE HOPEFUL OF AND TRUST THE GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS

CENTRE STAGE


UPDATE TravelScapes

Jyoti Mayal, President of TAAI stated recently that, due to the ongoing

global pandemic, COVID-2019, airlines have stopped operations. Globally, commercial passenger aviation business has come to a standstill. The worst affected are our members, who are engaged in the business of airline ticketing, package tours, hotel reservations, sightseeing bookings, etc., is the travel and tourism sector.

Due to the travel restrictions placed by governments across the

world, customers/travellers want to cancel their bookings and claim back refunds for tickets booked by them. The global crisis is scary and to remain healthy and safe people want to ensure they have adequate money to survive as the recession has set in. Hence, travellers want their blocked monies back for the unutilised services of travel, which shall not be undertaken by them.

Mayal stated that the travel agents/tour operators have paid 100 pc to

the airlines, for all tickets that have been issued, till date. The member agents want to process the refunds, for the tickets issued by them for their customers, but the majority of IATA member airlines, have disabled the refunding mechanism on the GDS systems for agents. TAAI has raised strong objections on the same with all airlines, as well as with IATA. We have asked the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to direct the airlines to refund all monies.

In light of the difficult situation due to COVID-19, Amadeus is working closely with its customers across all areas of the travel industry to help them navigate this

complicated situation as best as possible. As each customer’s situation is unique, the teams across the business are speaking with them individually to see how to support them and their business during this difficult time.

Amadeus tools and solutions such as Amadeus Ticket Changer (ATC) and Auto Refunds are helping customers manage their queues, refunds and other schedule-related changes as quickly as possible. The helpdesk team has also been equipped to work from home as a part of our business continuity plan, extending continued support to our partners and managing over 800+ contacts daily. Amadeus Ticket Changer (ATC) is the only automated ticket changer tool which works on CAT 31, CAT 33 and CAT 16 for both offline and online travel channels. This solution also helps travel agencies automatically recalculate and prepare documents for the issuance of voluntary reissues or revalidations of electronic tickets based on the IATA industry standard.

A virtual meeting of its Steering Committee of Expo 2020 Dubai has collectively agreed to explore with the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the World

Expo governing body, the possibility of a one-year delay to the opening of Expo 2020. The Expo is currently scheduled to open on October 20, 2020.

The BIE will now work with its member states and Expo 2020 Dubai organisers to establish a change in dates. A final decision on postponement can only be made by the BIE’s Executive Committee and the General Assembly. Article 28 of the BIE Convention stipulates that a change of dates requires a two-thirds majority vote from the Member States of the Organisation.

Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai said, “The global situation is fast-moving and remains unpredictable. Over the last several weeks, we have been consulting with key UAE and international stakeholders to review the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on our plans and preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai. While they remain firmly committed to Expo 2020, many countries have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and they have, therefore, expressed a need to postpone the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai by one year, to enable them to overcome this challenge.”

India's exhibition sector has lost an estimated INR 3,570

crore due to the lockdown imposed across the country to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, says a report. The Indian Exhibitions Industry Association (IEIA), the apex body of exhibiting and trade show industry in the country, said the sector has been hit hard due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and urged the government to immediately intervene and offer an economic support package for the industry to relieve some of the stress.

"Since the outbreak of the COVIC-19 pandemic, the impact on exhibiting and trade show industry has been unprecedented with multiple global and national events being postponed or cancelled in the country," IEIA

said in a statement. "...in last few weeks more than 90 shows have been reported to be either postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19... with a resultant estimated loss of INR 3,570 crore for the entire sector and this may increase if COVID-19 crisis lingers on," S Balasubramanian, President, IEIA said.

According to IEIA, the size of the Indian exhibition industry is INR 23,800 crore with more than 550 events conducted annually in the organised sector. The exhibition industry sector enables trade/business transaction of over INR 3,00,000 crore, boosting and supporting the growth of various spectrum of industries while also being a colossal employment provider with nearly 1,20,000 people employed in this industry, it said.

Travel agents shall only refund once the airlines pay them: TAAI

Amadeus India supports the travel community during these difficult times

Expo Dubai committee seeks one year delay

India's exhibition sector takes INR 3,570 crore hit: IEIA

TRADE

Jyoti Mayal

S Balasubramanian


UPDATETravelScapes

As we all are aware that travel and tourism industry is hit economically globally and in

India due to outbreak of coronavirus with many prospective domestic and foreign tourists cancelling their travel plans, this global pandemic has further prompted the Indian government to impose increasingly tough restrictions on travel resulting in further drop in hotel occupancies since the imposition of the ban.

It is estimated that as a result of this pandemic, Indian Tourism industry is looking at pan India bankruptcies, closure of businesses and mass unemployment. It is believed that around 70 per cent out of a total estimated workforce of 5.5 crores (direct and indirect) could get unemployed (3.8 crores). This effect of job losses and layoffs has already begun throughout the country.

A large percentage of total tourism business activity of India, which is estimated at USD 28 billion+ in forex and upwards of two lakh crores in domestic tourism activity, will be at economic risk through the year. Thus, in excess of five lakh crores of direct tourism industry and almost double that of total economic activity is at risk.

In this backdrop, The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), the umbrella body of the industry has written a letter to Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to highlight the devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the tourism industry and seek his intervention in terms of financial relief for the industry to grapple with the situation.

Some of the key industry asks that are highlighted in the letter include :• Twelve months moratorium on EMIs of principle

and interest payments on loans and working capital from Financial Institutions (both banking & non-banking).

• Double working capital limits and on interest free & collateral free terms. This will prevent all our tourism businesses from going bankrupt.

• Deferment for twelve months of all statutory dues whether GST, Advance Tax payments, PF, ESIC, customs duties at the Central Government level or at any state government level the excise fees, levies, taxes, power & water charges, bank guarantees & security deposits and deferment of all renewals, across the tourism, travel, hospitality & aviation industry.

• Set up a support fund for twelve months on the lines of MNREGA to support basic salaries with ‘direct transfer’ to affected tourism employees.

• Deafer introduction of TCS (tax collected at source) on travel that has been proposed in Finance Bill 2020 to be levied from 1st April 2020 as it will displace business from India to overseas, which will lead to shutting down businesses of most Indian tourism companies.

• Deferment of increase in any insurance premium for a period of 12 months such as for example for Standard fire and special perils rate for fire, loss or profits.

• A complete GST Tax Holiday for the Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Industry for a period of twelve months. With almost nil revenues there is hardly going to be any GST collection. This will make a very strong statement and will promote both domestic and inbound travel.

• Grant a 200% weighted exemption for twelve months on expenses to Indian corporates to hold exhibitions, conferences and incentive trips in India. This will be a big shot in the arm and will help revitalise the industry.

• Restoration of 10% duty credit of SEIS scrips to promote foreign exchange earnings. Additionally, to kick start the working capital take the previous year’s foreign exchange earnings as a reference point for credit.

• Regular meeting of a national tourism task force of all relevant ministries of the Central Government along with ministry of tourism and chief secretaries of State governments and industry stakeholders to fast track all tourism investment approvals

As a recent news report claimed, India is preparing a USD 1.6 billion rescue package for the aviation

sector, which has suffered immensely following the coronavirus outbreak, which has forced countries to close borders and brought air travel to a near-halt, said a report.

The Finance Ministry is considering a proposal that includes temporary suspension of most taxes levied on the sector, including a deferment of aviation fuel tax, said the report citing sources who have direct knowledge of the matter.

"Taxes could be deferred till the coronavirus spread is contained and the aviation sector can come back to its feet," one of the sources said, adding that

the companies could be permitted to pay the taxes interest-free in the next tax cycle.

Governments the world over are scrambling to

rescue airlines that have been forced to park planes and cut jobs as the virus puts the brakes on travel, the report said.

Governments the world over are scrambling to rescue airlines that have been forced to park planes and cut jobs as the virus puts the brakes on travel. Airlines may need a bailout of more than USD 200 billion, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates.

Global aviation consultancy CAPA's India unit said that regardless of any fiscal concessions and support the government may offer, most airlines will have to shrink their operations and the more vulnerable carriers may shutdown.

3.8 crore employees of Indian tourism industry likely to be unemployed as a result of Coronavirus, claims FAITH

India planning USD 1.6 bn rescue package for airlines

TRADE


TravelScapesTRADE WATCH

By Gagneet Kaur

Built on the foundation and trust of highly skilled community of

experts, SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), the only Business Events association consistently aims to drive forward its dedication towards the incentive travel industry. Furthering its motive to create opportunities for discussing the importance of incentive travel, SITE India recently announced its maiden specialist event “The India Incentive Day” scheduled to take place in New Delhi on July 24, 2020.

Accentuating the fact that SITE India works on the ultimate goal of delivering comprehensive learning opportunities through better networking and effective education and advocacy, Sanjeev Joshi, President, SITE India Chapter says, “We, at SITE India, have a vision which is very much similar to that of SITE Global. We want to bring everyone on one platform, help them grow their business and hone their skills to help them become competitive in the business environment on an international level. The pillars of SITE are around education and networking and therefore, we have decided to come up with this one-of-its-kind event. Also, as there is a deficit of awareness about the MICE segment in the tourism and hospitality programs/courses in India, we are discussing on organising an ‘education day’, tentatively in August which aims at educating the students in travel and hospitality institutes about the importance of MICE & Incentive Travel and its higher prospects of survival in the longer run”. Adding to this, Nitin Sachdeva, Vice President, SITE India chapter emphasised, “SITE advocates for incentive travel, which contributes around 70 per cent of the outbound MICE business. Therefore, it is crucial for us to send out the message that this segment is essential in the longer run. The Incentive Day, being organised by SITE India, is indeed the showcase of skills for the incentive travel segment.”

Speaking further about the event and its distinctiveness unlike other conferences, Rajeev Kohli, Board Member SITE India & Former President, SITE Global elaborates, “SITE is not a traditional association; we are a super-specialist body focusing solely on the business from incentive travel. It is a professional society with 31 chapters globally including India

which has around 57 members. SITE brought its global conference to India in 2015, which was probably one of the biggest MICE events in India from overseas and this is the first time a specialist event

focused on Incentive Travel will take place in New Delhi on July 24. I would, therefore, call it a ‘dream event’ and not a conference because the concept we would be implementing does not have a cookie-cutter format. We are not prioritising huge numbers; rather our focus is on quality and content. The subject experts would be covering four sessions on Risk Management, Current technologies and

digital activities, Lifestyle and modern living and Destination Marketing and the day also includes two keynote sessions. While for lunch, we are planning on implementing something experiential and

unique, in the evening we have decided to hold a black-tie charity sit-down dinner. Post that, we also intend to do a one-day education event for students from the tourism and hospitality schools in the country and would we hope to do this event in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism.”

While bringing value to the members at both global and local chapter

levels by networking, education, certification and advocacy is SITE’s major foundation, the association also operates a best-in-class Young Leaders program. SITE also offers two certification courses, one which is an entry-level course called Certified Incentive Travel Specialist (CIS) and another which is for the experienced is known as Certified Incentive Travel Professional (CIP). As informed by Kohli, there will be active efforts put into action by SITE India to stimulate and encourage the enrolment of these education programs.

Also, as the outbreak of Coronavirus has brought the entire tourism, hospitality and aviation businesses to a standstill, SITE India Board encourages the industry and media to stay positive and share happy stories. “We are very sure that we will be able to manage this situation of crisis very soon and India will stand as one of the countries that will surpass others. We, at SITE, are constantly suggesting our partners and clients to have consistent communication, especially focusing on disseminating the positive facts which is the way to go forward,” Joshi recommends to which Sachdeva agrees saying “Communication is the key and keeping members and patrons updated about the current situation is extremely important to come over this catastrophe.”

The SITE India Chapter includes Sanjeev Joshi-President, Nitin Sachdeva- Vice President, Barun Gupta- VP- Secretariat, Vikrant Gulani-VP Finance and Board Members- Rajeev Kohli, Anup Nair, Amaresh Tiwari, Abinash Manghani, Vikas Suda, Prashant Yadav, Vishal Yadav and Naveen Rizvi.

SITE INDIA TO ORGANISE ITS MAIDEN SPECIALIST EVENT “THE INDIA INCENTIVE DAY” ON JULY 24 IN NEW DELHI

Sanjeev Joshi Nitin Sachdeva Rajeev Kohli

This is the first time a specialist event focused on Incentive Travel will take place apart from the SITE Global conference which we bought to India in 2015. The objective is to create a space for all segments of inbound and outbound incentive travel that can come together to discuss strategies for growing the size of the market as well as skill enhancement.


TravelScapes

QuadLabs Technologies, one of the pioneers in the travel technology space, announces a major

restructuring in the leadership team to better align the company as it sees increased global growth. On March 11, QuadLabs Technologies announced a major restructuring in the leadership team as they see increase in local and global demand in their products and services. As a part of the restructuring, multiple business verticals are created internally and each vertical is now headed by an industry veteran. The focus is on making each vertical independent and working towards a common goal of the company.

“Today’s announcement is a major milestone in the history of QuadLabs. We have completed our restructuring of the management team by bringing some of the leaders from the industry to join us and scale up the operations. We are opening up new markets globally and trying to strengthen our position in India. For the last few months, we have seen an

ANNOUNCES RESTRUCTURING IN THE LEADERSHIP TEAM

QUADLABS

- Gaurav Chiripal, CEO, QuadLabs Technologies

“We have completed our restructuring of the management team by bringing some of the leaders from the industry to join us and scale up the operations. We are opening up new markets globally and trying to strengthen our position in India."

unprecedented interest in our products in the local market. With the new team in place, I am sure we will be able to optimise our operations to handle growing demands.” said the CEO Gaurav Chiripal.

B. Rajan joins as Vice President – Sales & Marketing for QuadLabs. Rajan has over 35 years of experience in the field of travel and technology service and techno-commercial sales. He has worked at leading travel organisations such as Interglobe Holidays, Galileo India and Worldspan (Travelport India). During his previous role with Zillious Solutions, he spent eight years in selling business travel solutions to large TMC customers such as Carlson, Thomas Cook / SOTC, FCM, Orient Travel and many more. With QuadLabs, he will be building a strong sales team to reach out to the global customers and manage the reseller network.

Pankaj Sawardekar joins as the Head of

Implementation & Customer Relations. Sawardekar has a strong 15 years of experience in BusiWness Development, Product Management, Project Deliveries and Customer Relations in various companies including SOTC, Arzoo.com and Kuoni. His primary focus is to build a strong delivery process in QuadLabs and automate the client onboarding. With a strong hold on adoption, he will be instrumental in helping our clients to speed up the adoption process.

Furthermore, Gaurav Kapurj oins as Head of Support & Customer Relations for the organisation. He has over 19 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur running an export organisation along with a travel and tour company. He was involved in handling Sales, Marketing, Quality Control & Supply Chains in various geographies. An IT professional with Six Sigma Black Belt Certification helps him to control quality with best in class processes.

QuadLabs Technologies, headquartered in India with offices in Brazil and UAE, is a premier travel technology company with a focus on delivering world-class technology products to the travel industry. They specialise in intelligent solutions which have a high degree of adaptability to distinct business processes within the travel domain. Their product is a proven platform with several deployments across Europe, USA, Asia, Middle East, Australia, Africa and Latin America and is highly adapted by each market. QuadLabs launched ‘Travog’, a corporate travel and expense management system, almost two years back in the market. This system is now adopted well and praised by some of the biggest TMCs and businesses in the world.

By Team TS

B. Rajan

Pankaj Sawardekar

Gaurav Kapur

TRADE WATCH


TravelScapes

The Fern Hotels & Resorts (Concept Hospitality Private

Ltd.) has opened the highest number of properties in India in the calendar year 2019, ‘The India Hospitality Review 2019’ published by HVS India and South Asia in its report said. “The domestic brands overtook their international peers by opening 69 per cent of properties and 55 per cent by keys,” the report stated. The four other companies were Marriott, Sarovar, IHCL and intelliStay, respectively.

In terms of number of keys opened, The Fern hotels stood at number four position. Marriott International opened the maximum number of hotel keys in 2019. Overall, “the

industry set a record with the opening of 9,316 branded keys”, it added. Reacting to the findings of the reports, CEO Suhail Kannampilly said, “It is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that we occupied the pole position in terms of number of properties opened by us”. We added 18 properties last year and are now managing 73 properties.

We are very confident of 2020 as well and we are planning to open at least 17 hotels in different locations. This will take our number to 90 hotels. In terms of number of keys, we are likely to add 1300 keys which will take our overall key number to 5000 keys, the CEO added.

The much-anticipated SindhornKempinski Hotel

Bangkok is set to open its doors in May 2020. Situated within the newly developed Sindhorn Village in the upscale Langsuan neighbourhood and just steps away from the verdant Lumphini Park, the hotel is poised to redefine luxury hospitality in the most visited city in the world. SindhornKempinski Hotel Bangkok is the second project between Kempinski Hotels and Siam Sindhorn Company Limited in Thailand.

“We have a longstanding and successful partnership with Siam Sindhorn Company Limited, who are our partners for the existing Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. Our shared vision of creating superior lifestyle experiences and delivering the highest levels of quality and services shows our collective work in enhancing the luxury offering to our guests,” says Martin R.

Smura, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Board of Kempinski Hotels.

ChalaluckBunnag, Managing Director of Siam Sindhorn Company Limited adds, “We are very pleased to partner with Kempinski Hotels on this ambitious project. The company is renowned for its expertise in managing residences and hotels around the world and for bringing individuality and European flair to each property. We look forward to working together in bringing SindhornKempinski Hotel Bangkok to life.”

Commenting on the newest hotel, Michael Henssler, Chief Operating Officer of Asia and Member of the Management Board of Kempinski Hotels says, “With the opening of our second property in Bangkok, we are pleased to enhance the guest experience even further by introducing a new take on a lifestyle hotel.”

Leisure Hotels Group has announced the launch of its 27th property, The Hideaway at Greater Noida. The opening of this hotel also heralds entry

of the group into the Delhi NCR Region. Located at Knowledge Park I, Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, the hotel is located in proximity to the Industrial & Commercial Hub of the area.

Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels Group said, “The Hideaway brand is a quintessential Leisure Hotels Group legacy offering worry free slices of leisure time, away from the routine in a tense city climate. Greater Noida, a commercial, industrial & IT hub and a satellite city of Delhi with an upcoming new international airport and with the India Expo Centre in vicinity already has a thriving hospitality, convention and banqueting business. We expect to corner but a small mind and market share of this existing and growing demand to not just meet but exceed our business goals in the short and long term.

The Hideaway boasts of 72 well-styled boutique rooms. The hotel offers Premier Rooms and Superior Rooms with round-the-clock in-room dining experience. The Hideaway also offers three dining outlets that include an all-day diner ‘L’attitude’, and an option to experience far-eastern culinary art at the specialty restaurant ‘Mikuni’. The Cafetiere at lobby level offers a variety of delicatessen short eats with a choice of beverages.

“The hotel is part of an earlier announced expansion plan of adding nine hotels and resorts in destinations like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dharamsala etc. to the group’s existing portfolio through a Rs. 160 crore investment by the end of 2021. We would also be launching our new Hotel in Rishikesh very soon” further added Prasad.

Dubai’s anticipated design led, luxury hotel has opened its doors to travellers. ME Dubai will take residence in The Opus by Omniyat

building, located in the heart of the BurjKhalifa district in Dubai – the latest outstanding addition to Dubai's iconic skyline. This is the first and last hotel where the Iraqi-British architect has designed both the exterior and interior of the hotel, making ME Dubai her legacy project.

The hotel boasts 74 rooms and 19 suites (including the Passion Suite, Personality Suite, Vibe Room and the ultra-luxurious 'ME Suite'). With awe-inspiring originality, the Opus itself spans 2,000,000 square feet, comprising of two separate towers that connect in the form of a cube and featuring a 'carved' central void, which appears to hover above the ground. The centre of the building provides unexpected and dramatic views of the exterior. During the day, The Opus is a luminous surface, reflecting the dazzling Dubai sun, with the LED lighting highlighting the vivid character of the building in the evening.

The Fern Hotels & Resorts opens max. properties in India in 2019

The SindhornKempinski Hotel Bangkok is set to open in May

Leisure Hotels Group unveils The Hideaway, Greater Noida

ME Dubai, the most anticipated luxury hotel, now open

UPDATE HOSPITALITY


UPDATETravelScapes

Sarovar Hotels and Resorts announces the signing of a new hotel in Bhimtal, Uttrakhand, an ideal location to explore the Himalayan Mountains, jungles,

wildlife and Lakes. Rosefinch Sarovar Portico has well-appointed contemporary rooms encased beautifully by quaint architecture that reflects Bhimatal’s history and culture. The hotel aims to promote tourism in the area and offer high-quality service and stay options. This scenic lakeside destination is a treat for those who enjoy boating, paddling, birding, nature walk and trekking.

Executive Chairman, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts Anil Madhok said, “We are delighted to expand our presence in the market which is a very popular tourist destination of Uttrakhand. We believe the hotel’s location clubbed with Sarovar’s signature hospitality will deliver a notable experience to its business and leisure guests alike.” With its gorgeous views, the hotel’s banquet hall offers the ideal venue for weddings to private parties, exhibitions to business meets. The hotel offers multi-cuisine restaurant where guests can relish authentic local food and popular dishes from around the world, served with flair. It also has a beautifully designed bar and lounge where guests can relax and sip innovative cocktails and nibble on delicious snacks. Besides, the hotel has activity center, travel desk and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Taking forward its commitment towards ‘Responsible Luxury’, as of December 31, ITC Hotels has mitigated the usage of single-use plastic

from its operations, reinforcing ITC Hotels leadership yet again in pioneering sustainable initiatives. Complimentary bottled water from guest rooms, restaurants and banqueting spaces have already been replaced with glass bottles as part of the sustainability initiative ‘SunyaAqua’ (Zero-mile water). This is aimed at not only reducing the use of plastic bottles but also minimising carbon footprint by installing bottling plants across all its hotels. ITC Hotels were the first to initiate this endeavor in 2012.

Furthermore, as a practice, all toiletries at ITC Hotels now come in biodegradable and environment-friendly packaging. All laundered clothes are handed over to the guests in biodegradable wrapping material. To maximise impact and strengthen awareness around Reduce, Reuse, Recycle among the guests, the company has created smart messaging on sustainable initiatives that accompany the laundry items. The Initiatives are in line with the ITC luxury hotels commitment to mitigate ‘single use plastic’ usage. The single-use plastic generated at the ITC Luxury Hotels was quantified, which was about 2.5 lakh kg/year. The key contributors are 150 lakh water bottles, 15 lakh straws, eight lakh stirrers, eight lakh toothbrushes and others.

ITC Hotels has identified and implemented product alternatives for these items and successfully replaced plastic bottles with SunyaAqua bottled water, plastic stirrers with wooden stirrer, regular toothbrush with bamboo toothbrush; regular comb with bamboo comb.

Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC Ltd stated, “With a legacy of over two decades in implementing sustainable practices and ‘Responsible Luxury’ as the guiding premise, ITC Hotels has emerged as a pioneering force in the space of environmental sustainability. The endeavour to eliminate the use of single use plastic is aligned with ITC Hotels initiatives of reduction in energy consumption and waste management. We will continue to set ambitious goals for ourselves and be at the forefront in supporting the government in eliminating use of single-use plastic to the best of our ability.”

The long-awaited, Chinese-inspired Diaoyutai Mansion Frankfurt is finally set to welcome guests to a world of regal Chinese opulence. The hotel,

located beside the city’s racetrack and golf course, is a unique offering from Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality and is the group’s first and currently the only hotel in Europe.

Part resort, part destination hotel, the Diaoyutai Mansion Frankfurt is unlike any other property in the city and offers guests the chance to experience Asian hospitality on a European soil. This new property will open its doors in 2020 and is a combination of traditional Chinese elegance combined with the luxury of contemporary international services and standards.

The unique architecture of the mansion takes its cues from the ancient Chinese pagodas in the roof structure, while the service is akin to an urban resort. The hotel will boast 214 immaculately executed rooms and 41 luxurious suites, each of which have been carefully designed and furnished. In the guest rooms, a variety of textures, textiles and furnishings create a comfortable yet stylish ambience, with cultural influences that is taken directly from China in the artworks and decorative objects.

Sarovar Hotels strengthens its leisure portfolio

ITC Hotels leaps mitigating single-use plastic

Diaoyutai Mansion Frankfurt will open its doors in Summer 2020

HOSPITALITY


UPDATE TravelScapes

Softbank-backed Oyo has written to hotel owners invoking ‘force majeure’ clauses on their agreements as the

COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the business of their hotels. Oyo states in the letter that since hotel revenues have dwindled and are unlikely to improve in the next few months it is constrained to exercise its 'force majeure’ rights in suspending payments of the monthly benchmark revenue or any other amounts payable to them.

But, several angry hotel owners said Oyo cannot invoke ‘force majeure’ as the clause was never included in the original agreements. Under the benchmark revenue arrangement or the minimum guarantee model, owners are to be paid a minimum guaranteed amount regardless of the business generated. If Oyo crosses a pre-set sales target from a hotel it manages then it also has to share with owners a percentage of the excess amount under the model. Apex industry body Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) said it had received complaints from owners on the letter.

Oyo suspends payments to hotels; Partners agitated due to no mention in the contract

Palladium Hotel Group has named Abel

Matutes Prats as its new President and Jesu´s Sobrino as its new CEO. The company announced at this year’s International Tourism Fair (FITUR) as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. In a recent statement issued by Palladium Hotel Group said that the moves are a part of a plan to transform its organisational structure ‘to adapt to the new times’. It also said, “Today’s model of separation between the management of real estate assets and the hotel operator.” In doing so the company said it will focus on growing as a hotel operator and developing its brands.

In other executive moves, Carmen Matutes Prats will now hold Sobrino’s

previous position of Deputy General Manager. Abel Matutes Juan, Founder and President of the company since its inception, will maintain the presidency of the holding company Grupo Empresas Matutes, to which Palladium Hotel Group belongs. As a part of the strategy, Palladium Hotel Group will continue

to consolidate its expansion strategy with important openings in 2020. The first will be Palladium Hotel Menorca, a four-star all-inclusive hotel that will be one of the group's most ambitious projects in the Spanish market and in which the company will invest 26 million Euros for its renovation.

Palladium celebrates its 50th anniversary IHCL announced the

signing of a Taj Hotel in Jaipur. This will be a management contract with Kanha Hotels & Spa Pvt. Ltd. Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President - Real Estate & Development, IHCL said, “Jaipur has evolved into a dynamic business, leisure and MICE destination. Taj Jaipur, along with IHCL’s diverse portfolio of authentic palaces and hotels, is well poised to capture the growing demand of the city. We are delighted to partner with Kanha Hotels & Spa Pvt. Ltd., for this hotel.” Vijay Sharda and Ajay Sharda, Directors, Kanha Hotels & Spa Pvt. Ltd., said, “It’s a great pleasure getting on board with IHCL, a name synonymous with trust and tradition. The stunning new hotel will be the right fit for the iconic Taj brand.”

The hotel is strategically located off the Delhi Jaipur highway, with proximity to the historic Amer Fort. The hotel is a modern interpretation of Jaipur’s rich heritage and magnificent palaces. Taj Jaipur will have 250 luxurious rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, specialty restaurant, roof top bar and recreation facilities including the award winning Jiva Spa. The hotel will also have over 30,000 sq. ft. of banquet halls and open lawns, making it ideal for hosting large conferences anweddings. The Brownfield project is slated to open in 2023.

IHCL signs a new Taj Hotel in Jaipur

As COVID-19 concerns and restrictions have intensified in India, the country’s

daily hotel occupancy dropped to 11 per cent from March 23 to 29, according to preliminary data from STR. “India remained resilient in February—in comparison with other APAC markets that were more deeply affected—thanks largely to robust domestic demand coupled with the low number of COVID-19 cases in the country at that time,” said Vidhi Godiawla, STR’s business development manager for South and Central Asia.

“The story was different in March, especially during the latter portion of the month with year-over-year occupancy declines over 80 per cent for the last nine

days we have processed. These declines are consistent with the significant measures are taken by Prime Minister Modi to combat the spread of the virus and the extent of these measures will determine the hotel performance impact in the short to medium term.”

Along with a steep downward trend in occupancy, average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) have also dropped significantly in India. ADR, which has decreased year over year by roughly 20 per cent or more for eight consecutive days, went as low as INR4, 924.18 on March 28. RevPAR reached its lowest absolute level (INR 537.54) on March 22.

India daily hotel occupancy drops to 11 pc

HOSPITALITY


TravelScapes SPECIAL FOCUS

By Sayanti Halder

Seeing the upward shift of demand of the outbound section of Indian

travellers, Kempinski Hotels is further giving utmost priority to the market with further plans on re-entering the market. “We would like to re-enter the market and being a management company, we are looking forward to more wonderful partnerships with the owners in this market where we bring the brand, distribution and quality level of service standard,” said Amanda Elder, Chief Commercial Officer & Member of the Management Board of Kempinski Hotels SA, on the sidelines of the recently-hosted, three-city roadshow in India. She is currently responsible for driving the commercial strategy of Kempinski, globally with an emphasis on generating revenue opportunities and reinforcing the company’s position as the leading independent European luxury hotel hospitality management group. Elder further mentioned that Kempinski aims to add a fillip to its portfolio for the Indians after the set meetings at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) 2020, Berlin.

India is a very important market source market for Kempinski that saw a 30 per cent year-on-year increase from 2018 to 2019 just by placing five sales personnel in the market. “The brand resonates from history being a brand that can be trusted by the Indian travellers who are mostly luxury segment of travellers. Therefore, alongside the Chinese and Middle

Eastern customers, we do give high priority to our Indian customers,” shared Elder. “As India is one of the fastest-growing outbound tourism markets in the world, it is becoming more important to us, year by year. We highly appreciate interacting personally with top travel agents and luxury travel advisors to clearly understand their

needs and the requirements of their demanding clients. To attract especially the luxury traveller, opulence alone is not enough anymore.”

Continuing, she mentioned that the brand is, therefore, putting in more resources in the India marketplace and hence, the roadshow to begin with. Observing the roadshows in India, Elder mentioned that this year’s roadshow has noticed a tall demand for wedding markets and therefore looking forward to unconventional

destinations including Jordan, Istanbul, Muscat, Dubai, Bangkok and several other places for destination weddings alongside corporate incentives, which is allowing a very increased opportunity for Kempinski to quote from the India market, thus increasing the conversion of such opportunities.

Under the patronage of the Nijhawan

Group, acting as the representative of the Kempinski Hotels, the brand recently organised a three-city roadshow in India from February 26 to 28, 2020, in the cities of Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi to strengthen relationships with the leading travel agents and tour operators to boost Indian travellers to various Kempinski properties around the world. The roadshows witnessed participation from key luxury agents, top tour operators, TMCs, event and wedding planners

of the India market. The roadshow allowed the Indian travel trade to have one to one interactions with thirteen participating Kempinski hotels from the Middle East, Thailand, Switzerland, Munich, Doha, Singapore and many more. The roadshows helped to support the local sales teams and further enabled lead generation and closure for business.

Furthermore, Elder informed that the roadshow gathered 15 properties that Kempinski feels are quite perfect for the Indian customers’ taste and preference. Speaking of venturing into a new market for Indian travellers, she said that the Kempinski has now forayed into Cuba with three new properties apart from one luxury resort in the Caribbean and another in Tel Aviv, Israel. Kempinski’s expansion plans involve more than 100 luxury hotels in operation by the year 2021. Shortly, the luxury hotel chain will be opening new properties in Ibiza, two in the Caribbean, one in Tel Aviv, Tbilisi, Bangkok, Guangzhou, Brazzaville and Almaty. From India, Elder informed that Kempinski is currently receiving around five per cent of its overall business, globally, which is considered remarkable considering there isn’t any property in India. Apart from India, Kempinski is currently prioritising the key markets of Germany, China, the Middle East and the rest of Europe for boosting its revenue generation.

CONDUCTS A THREE-CITY ROADSHOW IN INDIA TO BEGIN FURTHER VENTURES

KEMPINSKI HOTELS AIMS TO RE-ENTER THE INDIA MARKET


TravelScapes

BRINGING THE WORLD AND ITS ECONOMIES TO STANDSTILL, CORONAVIRUS RATTLES THE TOURISM SECTOR

CORONAVIRUS PUTS UP TO 50 MILLION TRAVEL AND TOURISM JOBS AT RISK: WTTC

INDIA TOURISM COULD RUN INTO THOUSANDS OF CRORES OF LOSS

SPOTLIGHT TravelScapes

The World Travel & Tourism Council says up to 50 million jobs in the Travel & Tourism sector are at risk due to the global COVID-19

pandemic.Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said, “WTTC figures

show the stark impact on the Travel & Tourism sector of the present COVID-19 outbreak with analysis now suggesting that up to 50 million jobs are at risk in the sector globally.”

“When the time is right, WTTC and the global private sector will be ready to help and support the government and countries to recover” Latest figures from WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, show that global travel could be adversely impacted by up to 25 per cent in 2020. This is the equivalent to a loss of three months of global travel. This could lead to a corresponding reduction in jobs of between 12 and 14 per cent. “The COVID-19 outbreak clearly presents a significant threat to the industry as a whole, to those employed within it, and those wishing to continue travelling. “Travel & Tourism has the strength to overcome this challenge and will emerge stronger and more robust by taking all necessary measures to tackle COVID-19 and the understandable concern which surrounds it.”

The coronavirus pandemic could deal a crippling blow to the Indian travel and tourism industry, especially with the government suspending all visas, with the

economic impact being assessed to run into thousands of crores of rupees.According to industry chamber CII, this is the one of the worst crises ever to hit

the Indian tourism industry impacting all its geographical segments—inbound, outbound and domestic, almost all tourism verticals—leisure , adventure, heritage, MICE, cruise, corporate and niche segments.

The whole tourism value chain across hotels, travel agents, tour operations, destinations, restaurants, family entertainment venues and air, land and sea transportation have been hit.

In an impact assessment of the coronavirus pandemic, CII Tourism Committee said inbound foreign tourism of over USD 28 billion in value terms accounts for an average 60-65 per cent between October to March.

"As the news of the virus started picking up from November, the percentage of cancellations started going up in this segment exponentially and is reaching a peak of almost 80 per cent now in March in many Indian locations. The value at risk from this segment will be in multiples of tens of thousands of crores," the CII assessment report said.

With India cancelling all visas, the chamber said the impact "will be worse".It further said, “The forward bookings for the inbound season of October

2020-March 2021 which should have started picking are all muted. These are showing highly discouraging signs with cancellations of important global travel marts which are marketplaces for contracting for the next season."

It further said there are reports of large scale forward cancellations from NRI segment from developed markets, which account for over 60 per cent during April to September inbound visits.

"Unless the progression of the virus stops, almost the entire value for the remainder of 2020 season is at risk," the report added.


TravelScapes

GLOBAL PASSENGER REVENUES COULD PLUMMET USD 252BN

INDIAN AVIATION INDUSTRY SEEKS GOVERNMENT AID TO AVOID JOB LOSSES AMIDST THE FEAR OF CORONAVIRUS PARALYSING THE SECTOR

SPOTLIGHT

Owing to the severity of travel restrictions and the expected global recession, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has

updated its analysis of the revenue impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, now estimating that industry passenger revenues could plummet USD252 billion or 44 per cent below 2019’s figure.

This is in a scenario in which severe travel restrictions last for up to three months, followed by a gradual economic recovery later this year.

IATA’s previous analysis of up to a USD113 billion revenue loss was made on March 5, before countries around the world introduced sweeping travel restrictions that largely eliminated the international air travel market.

“The airline industry faces its gravest crisis. Within a matter of a few weeks, our previous worst case scenario is looking better than our latest estimates. But without immediate government relief measures, there will not be an industry left standing. Airlines need USD200 billion in liquidity support simply to make it through. Some governments have already stepped forward, but many more need to follow suit,” said IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.

Slower recoveryThe latest analysis envisions that under this scenario, severe restrictions on travel are lifted after three months. The recovery in travel demand later this year is weakened by the impact of global recession on jobs and confidence. Full year passenger demand (revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) declines 38 per cent compared to 2019. Industry capacity (available seat kilometer or ASKs) in domestic and international markets declines 65 per cent during the second quarter ended June 30 compared to a year-ago period, but in this scenario recovers to a 10 per cent decline in the fourth quarter. '

The Middle East can expect to see a 39 per cent drop in passenger demand compared to 2019 and USD19 billion in passenger revenue loss.

The hardest hit region will be Europe, which can expect to see a 46 per cent decline in passenger demand this year and USD76 billion in passenger revenue loss.

Africa will see a 32 per cent drop in passenger demand and USD four billion revenue loss, while Asia Pacific will record a 37 per cent decline in travel demand and USD88 billion dip in revenue loss. Latin America will see travel demand slip 41 per cent this year and a USD15 billion passenger revenue loss, whereas North America is expected to report a 27 per cent drop in passenger demand and USD50 billion decline in revenue loss.

"The figures speak for themselves. The air transport industry is in its deepest crisis ever," De Junaic said.

"Where international passenger traffic is allowed, we are mostly repatriating people to their home countries as governments permit. And we are also delivering vital goods—medicines and equipment to fight the virus or the most time-sensitive products feeding global supply chains," he said.

According to a recent report, India’s aviation industry has urged the government to take steps for financial aid, including funds infusion

into airlines and airports, as COVID-19 paralyses the sector. The aviation industry needs an urgent bailout from the government, FICCI Aviation Committee Chairman Anand Stanley said in a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The industry body has sought tax relief, deferment of payment of goods and services tax (GST) for airlines, bringing jet fuel under GST, reduction in airport charges and overflight fees, a temporary cut in excise duty on jet fuel, as well as other financial aid.

“The government may immediately provide direct cash support to Indian carriers, so that airlines can meet their fixed costs, at least for the period where loss of revenues and liquidity is directly attributable to the government’s directive to cease operation," Stanley said, referring to India suspending flights till 14 April amid a three-week nationwide lockdown to arrest the spread of COVID-19.

“The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20 per cent contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of INR 30,000 or less per month," he said. These steps will help airline companies retain employees, despite the headwinds, he said.

Domestic carriers are forecast to post losses of about USD1.75 billion next quarter, followed by airports and concessionaires with losses of between USD1.5 billion and USD1.75 billion, CAPA India said.

“The government needs to intervene as the aviation sector is at the tip of the spear and an economically critical industry," said a senior airline official, requesting anonymity.

“Countries all over the world have announced bailout packages or announced measures to help the aviation industry," the official added.


TravelScapesSPOTLIGHT

UNWTO LAUNCHES CALL FOR ACTION FOR TOURISM’S MITIGATION AND RECOVERY

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released a set of recommendations calling for urgent and strong support to help the global

tourism sector not only recover from the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19 but to ‘grow back better’.

The recommendations are the first output of the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, established by UNWTO with high-level representatives from across the tourism sector and from within the wider United Nations system.

Recognising that tourism and transport has been among the hardest hit of all sectors, the recommendations are designed to support governments, the private sector and the international community in navigating the unparalleled social and economic emergency that is COVID-19.

“These specific recommendations give countries a check-list of possible measures to help our sector sustain the jobs and support the companies at risk at this very moment. Mitigating the impact on employment and liquidity, protecting the most vulnerable and preparing for recovery, must be our key priorities,” said UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili.

Recognising the diverse realities in each country as well as the evolving nature of this crisis, the document will continue to be updated.

Preparing for recovery now“We still do not know what the full impact of Covid-19 will be on global tourism. However, we must support the sector now while we prepare for it to come back stronger and more sustainable. Recovery plans and programmes for tourism will translate into jobs and economic growth.” added Pololikashvili.

The Recommendations for Action are the first comprehensive set of actions governments and private sector actors can take now and in the challenging

months ahead. Pololikashvili stressed that “for tourism to fulfil its potential to help societies and whole countries recover from this crisis, our response needs to be quick, consistent, united and ambitious."

Responding today and preparing for tomorrowIn all, this new guide provides 23 actionable recommendations, divided into three key areas:• Managing the crisis and mitigating the impact: Key recommendations

relate to retaining jobs, supporting self-employed workers, ensuring liquidity, promoting skills development and reviewing taxes, charges and regulations relating to travel and tourism. The recommendations are made as a global economic recession looks likely. Given its labor-intensive nature, tourism will be hard hit, with millions of jobs at risk, especially those held by women and youth as well as marginalised groups.

• Providing stimulus and accelerating recovery: This set of recommendations emphasises the importance of providing financial stimulus, including favourable tax policies, lifting travel restrictions as soon as the health emergency allows for it, promoting visa facilitation, boosting marketing and consumer confidence, in order to accelerate recovery. The recommendations also call for tourism to be placed at the centre of national recovery policies and action plans.

• Preparing for tomorrow: Emphasising tourism’s unique ability to lead local and national growth, the recommendations call for greater emphasis to be placed on the sector’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Agenda and to build resilience learning from the lessons of the current crisis. The recommendations call on governments and private sector actors to become build preparedness plans, and to use this opportunity to transition to the circular economy.

AMIDST THE UNCERTAINITIES, RISES THE HOPE FOR TOURISM “GROWING BACK BETTER”


TravelScapes SPOTLIGHT

PATA LAUNCHES CRISIS RESOURCE CENTRE WTTC ALSO ENSURES A SWIFT RECOVERYThe Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the launch of the PATA Crisis Resource

Centre and Tourism Recovery Monitor, a unified platform that provides reliable and up-to-date policy statements, authoritative information, and tourism indicators from around the globe.

The aim is to provide a global centralised repository of reliable information for users based on their needs.

The PATA Crisis Resource Centre is a result of a pilot Expert Task Force (ETF) led by PATA Immediate Past Chair Sarah Mathews to accumulate knowledge, generate support, and help members and industry stakeholders across the globe access solutions by governments, while also assisting governments in understanding the challenges through the travel impact survey.

PATA Vice Chair Soon Hwa Wong also led an ETF to establish the PATA Tourism Recovery Monitor, an integrated resource for strategic tourism planners and decision makers to keep fully abreast of the fast changing environment. Both initiatives are housed under one microsite.

Mathews said, “The travel and tourism industry has weathered many different types of crises; however, the current unprecedented pandemic poses a severe threat to the entire industry impacting the economic livelihood of millions of people around the world. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), up to 75 million jobs are at immediate risk globally, while travel and tourism GDP loss to the world economy is up to USD2.1 trillion. Therefore, I felt it was critical that we brought together global crisis experts like Damian Cook of E-Tourism Frontiers, Willem Niemeijer of YAANA Ventures, and Greg Klassen of Twenty31 to help create a long term Crisis Resource Centre.”

“We are launching with two key areas of focus; one is to house all the efforts across the globe by governments who have and are providing aid, relief, and support for their industry stakeholders within the resource center. Secondly, we are asking for the industry to complete a business impact survey in order to use those results to request for more government support for our industry. Whilst the current focus is on Covid-19 as a public health issue, the goal is to establish a long term resource centre for the industry to utilise when we face any future crisis. The travel and tourism industry is incredibly resilient, and travel will continue to inspire millions of people across the world,” she added.

"In crisis management, we need to have the latest status of the situation. For post crisis recovery planning, we need reliable data, updates and developing trends at our disposal. Timing is everything especially when it relates to the execution of recovery efforts. Too early could result in a complete waste of resources. Too late could risk being one of the last off the starting block,” said Wong.

The PATA Crisis Resource Centre and Tourism Recovery Monitor collates reliable data and information to assist all industry stakeholders as they deal with the current crisis. The association is currently asking governments, and international and national organisations to seek their assistance in collecting information on aid and relief packages available to businesses in their respective destinations.

WTTC is also calling for a series of measures to be taken, to enable the swift recovery of the sector

once COVID-19 is under control. It will offer its support to all governments, particularly

those which are implementing strong policies for a prompt recovery such as: 1. Improve travel facilitation – remove or simplify visas wherever possible, reduce the cost and improve processing times where practical, accept other visas when appropriate and introduce more efficient technologies for seamless and secure travel. 2. Remove barriers – ensure that unnecessary barriers are removed or relaxed to alleviate pressure at ports and airports, including temporarily lifting of the 80-20 slot policy rule, ports assignments and implement flexible working visa for the industry in some countries with existing limitations, especially in hospitality and tour operation. 3. Ease fiscal policies – reduce and remove travellers’ taxes which increases the cost of travel 4. Introduce incentives – introduce relief and incentives to support business continuity for companies which have been most negatively impacted by the virus. SMEs in particular will take longer to recover. 5. Support destinations – increase budgets and assign resources for promotion, marketing and product development purposes in destinations when they are ready to welcome visitors again. At this time, WTTC reinforces the importance of strong public-private partnerships and greater international cooperation in order to respond and overcome the challenges faced by the sector during the management and recovery from COVID-19.


TravelScapesINCONVERSATION

TAT REITERATES ITS STRONG FOCUS ON BOOMING BUSINESS FROM INDIA

There is absolutely no denying of the fact that India stands out as one of the most substantial source

markets for almost every country across the globe, Thailand however, takes the upper hand with India being counted under its top five highest contributing markets by revenue. Considering the prominence of this thriving market, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) New Delhi Office, started to pull out all stops to woo the Indian travellers from the beginning of this year.

Speaking recently on the sidelines of “The Great India Road Show” in New Delhi that concluded in February, Sirisumpan accentuated that TAT was carrying out the “business as usual” trade activities in India till the time the deadly COVID-19 augmented to a global pandemic, affecting the largest source markets. However, he showed the confidence of further continuing TAT’s commitment to having a bridge of communication and trust with the vital partners. “During such a time of crisis that has struck us, the right kind of communication and trust is very important between TAT and its partners and I am pleased to understand that both TAT and its travel trade partners in India are and would be moving towards the same direction of promoting the new destinations in Thailand,” he stated and continued saying, “Currently, the chief priority is to boost the confidence of travelling amongst the trade and consumers and preach correct information about the current situation in Thailand to them, which is already in use. The domestic and international offices of TAT have been designated to communicate the facts and status update to present accurate and relevant facts to everyone, suiting the confidence of the Thai and foreign tourists. Several tourism and safety activities and campaigns around the country have been posted

and everyone is hopeful of things getting better soon.” While aiming at continuing the networking activities

and promotional campaigns, TAT had always been simultaneously working with the travel and hotel associations in India for a better understanding of the market further connecting them with Thailand’s key suppliers. Talking about the influx from the India market last year, Sirisumpan confidently shares that the numbers of Indian tourists to Thailand, have seen a tremendous surge in last five years. “The India market is growing significantly, especially due to the growth of its networks, secondary cities and diverse demands. Last year, a total of 1,995,516 Indian travellers visited Thailand with a rise of around 24.75 per cent bringing a revenue growth of 27.45 per cent. We have our domestic offices in every state to communicate and further bring a stronger relationship between the two markets. Our various promotional and marketing activities around several locations in the country have already brought in a lot of difference,” he elaborated.

“Going forward, our focus would be direct with each segmentation of visitors that we look at. We have a larger priority for millennial and family-segment tourists as both these segments of tourists. Another focus would be to give several offerings to honeymooners and wedding groups coming from India. We have several spots in Thailand to suit the Indian minds and tastes. Apart from this, one focus that I would want to persist is the idea of preaching Thailand as a destination beyond the conventional Bangkok and Pattaya including pushing more for Koh Samui (Samui Island), Ko Pha Ngan and Koh Tao in the India market. We want more Indians to push their boundaries and visit the north empire that is relatively

unexplored and includes places like Chiang Lai and Similan Islands,” he added further.

Yet Thailand has already been placed on some government lists of places to avoid because of coronavirus risk, the authorities in Thailand have managed to control and monitor infections well considering how vulnerable it was from the number of Chinese people visiting before the restrictions on travel were implemented. A note by the Thailand Embassy stated that Thailand was Asia’s most prepared country in the event of an epidemic, as ranked by Johns Hopkins University and sixth out of 165 countries globally. Echoing the fact of Thailand having a robust health system and being the favourite epicenter of travelling, Sirisumpan reassured, “We are consistently trying to promote that the current situation and destination is safe to come to. As a representative of TAT, I would like to confirm to all that Thailand has an effective health surveillance system for disease control while we are working hard with the respective authorities and control bodies and giving priority to hygiene measures.” He concluded on a positive note asserting, “With this confidence to move on, we shall continue to have the votes of confidence from the India market.”

Further when asked upon his personal recommendations or the ‘must-visits’ he would add to his Thailand travel itinerary, Sirisumpan suggested, “Koh Tao, close to Koh Samui (Samui Islands), is more ideal for the young crowd. It is a fresh and beautiful destination of Sun, Sea and Sand where one can also experience several adventure activities and a range of varied resorts to accommodate in.” While for the families, he recommended the Chiang Mai province that offers attractions, activities and hotels suitable for families.

By Gagneet Kaur

In an exclusive tête-à-tête with TravelScapes, the recently-appointed Director of Tourism

Authority of Thailand (TAT) New Delhi Office, Vachirachai Sirisumpan, unfolds his insights

on how TAT aims at solidifying the network with the Indian travel trade, carrying out the positive

campaigns of the 'Land of Smiles' and joint collaborations with the trade partners ensuring

the right kind of communication and trustVachirachai Sirisumpan

“THE CHIEF PRIORITY IS TO BOOST THE CONFIDENCE OF TRAVELLING AMONGST THE

TRADE AND CONSUMERS”


TravelScapes UPDATE EVENTS

PATA Annual Summit

ITB India

IBTM Americas

OTOAI Convention

ITB Berlin

IBTM Asia Pacific Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Dubai

PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) CEO and President addressed PATA members with an announcement to cancel the PATA Annual Summit in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE that was scheduled to take place from March 31-April 3, 2020. The next year’s scheduled dates are March 23 to 26 and the event will take place in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Learning from the cancellation of the Berlin event , ITB India, an inaugural trade fair, was also postponed. Initially scheduled for April 15 to 17, 2020 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, it is now moved to April 7 to 9, 2021 at the same venue in Mumbai, India.

Reed Exhibitions Mexico also announced that IBTM Americas 2020, scheduled for May 27– 28, 2020, will now take place on August 26 and 27, 2020 at Centro Citibanamex.

The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) also decided to postpone its 5th Annual Convention. The Convention was scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey from March 15 to 18, 2020.

Due to the rapid spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Economics stated their opinion that ITB Berlin that was scheduled to take place from March 4 to 8 had to be cancelled. The organisers however, have unveiled the new dates for next year edition which is March 10 to 14, 2021 and will be open to trade visitors only.

Reed Travel Exhibitions’ inaugural IBTM Asia Pacific was due to take place in Singapore, April 6 to 8, 2020, but has been scrapped to protect the health of visitors. The event will now be held on April 13-14, 2021.

Reed Travel Exhibitions has announced that it has postponed Arabian Travel Market (ATM) to June 28 to July 1, 2020, at the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, U.A.E which was earlier scheduled to take place from April 19 to 22, 2020. The organisers have pledged to keep stakeholders informed of any developments and expressed its concern for those impacted by the epidemic.

We are pleased to announce that RAKTDA has agreed to

host the PATA Annual Summit 2021. At PATA, we continue to encourage all industry stakeholders to remain calm but stay vigilant and take proper precautions as necessary.

Dr Mario Hardy, CEO and President, PATA

The ITB India organizers will continue to monitor the

situation closely and provide further updates based on official assessments of the overall risk situation.

The Official Statement (ITB India)

Our customers, partners and staff have put a huge amount

of work into the event and we’d like to thank them and the wider industry for the continued support during this challenging time. We look forward to welcoming the global meetings and events industry to Mexico City in August.

David Hidalgo, Show Director, IBTM Americas

We would like to thank all the members of the travel trade,

media and our partners in Turkey who have been extremely supporting. We look forward to your continued support in the future also and we are confident that as soon as the Covid-19 cases are curbed, we will announce the new dates of the convention.

Himanshu Patil, Vice President and Convention Chairman, OTOAI

Not once in the 54-year history of the event have ITB

Berlin and Messe Berlin experienced a similar situation. We would like to thank all exhibitors and partners from all over the world who over the past few days and weeks have stood by ITB Berlin. We look forward to continuing the trusted relationship with our partners in the market.”

Wolf-Dieter Wolf, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe Berlin

We recognise that business has to continue. With this

in mind, over the coming weeks, we will be creating ways of keeping our community connected to support and collaborate and to keep our world moving during this difficult period.

Shane Hannam, Portfolio Director, IBTM Events

Whilst the UAE is following the strictest medical and

hygiene protocols in line with international standards, we have made this decision in the best interest of the industry to enable us to organise an event which provides effective participation and experience for all. The announcement has been made at the earliest opportunity to give as much notice as possible to all stakeholders enabling them to make the necessary arrangements to reschedule their plans, and ensure even stronger attendance in June.

The Official Statement (ATM)

AN INSIGHT INTO THE RESCHEDULED TRAVEL TRADE EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS


TravelScapesUPDATE OUTBOUND

Saudi Arabia has decided to temporarily suspend flights to countries currently

facing the threat of the spread of COVID19, said a report. According to an official source at the Ministry of Interior, the kingdom has decided to suspend flights to the European countries, Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti and Somalia.

Saudi Arabia early on March13, reported 24 new cases of the virus, raising the total

number of cases in the Kingdom to 86.Saudi Arabia also declared an official

holiday for citizens and residents who have been unable to return to the Kingdom because of the suspension of flights, or those who were quarantined upon their return to the country.

The country has implemented several precautionary measures since the outbreak of the virus, including halting flights to coronavirus-hit nations, suspending tourist visas and prohibiting all public events.

The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), alongside 7° South, a specialist Destinations Management Company from

Seychelles, joined in the Meetings Arabia and Luxury Travel (Malt) Congress, where the islands showcased its potential as a destination for business and luxury travel.

The Malt Congress, held in the Rixos Premium JBR Hotel in Dubai, was a two-day event comprised of talks, panels and various opportunities for buyers and destinations representatives to connect and establish business relationships.

Representing the destination at the event, the STB representative in Dubai, Ahmed Fathallah, and Janet Rampal, assistant groups and incentive reservations manager of 7° South, took the opportunity to meet with various clients in order to enlighten them about Seychelles.

Presenting the islands as an ideal destination with direct air connectivity and only four hours away from the Middle East regions for business meetings and luxury travel, the team actively promoted the destination to various potential prominent buyers and organisations in the region.

During the meetings, discussions centred on MICE, key trends, sustainability and the many disruptors of business and luxury travel in the region, providing more insights on how to handle the Middle Eastern market. A striking point mentioned during the discussion according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is that the Middle East is one of the smallest, yet fastest growing regions in the world, with outbound travel quadrupling in the last 20 years.

“Seychelles is a very popular romantic destination among this market and so over the years, it became somewhat of a ‘myth’ that the islands are just for honeymooners or weddings, albeit, it really is a great romantic destination – but we are here to share with our trade partners that Seychelles is a great destination even for Mice and business travel. There are plenty of properties in Seychelles that cater to this market and we will continue to strengthen our partnerships with the region’s Mice experts,” said Fathallah.

The Malt Congress awarded a certificate of recognition to the STB for their support to the eighth Annual Malt Congress.

Saudi Arabia suspends flights to virus hit countries

Seychelles Tourism strengthens MICE ties at The Malt Congress

UAE suspends issue of visas to foreigners

The UAE has suspended, effective March 17, all visas to all foreigners, with the

exception of diplomatic passport holders.In a statement released recently,

the Federal Authority for Identity And Citizenship (ICA) said, "The move comes as part of the precautionary measures taken by the UAE in response to the World Health Organisation's declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, a development which reflects the high risks now associated with travel under the current circumstances."

The decision does not apply to those who already have their visas issued prior

to the aforementioned date.The ICA noted that the additional precautionary decision will be valid until a mechanism for medical examination has been established in the countries of departure as part of other global measures taken for the common good of all nations of the world to curb the proliferation of the novel virus.

"The ICA affirms that the decision stems from the UAE’s deep sense of responsibility and diligent efforts in collaboration with other countries of the world to fight the coronavirus pandemic and survive this on-going crisis," the statement concluded.


UPDATETravelScapes

London named world’s most popular destination

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque sees 6.6m visitors in 2019

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has unveiled

support measures that will be in place from mid-April aimed at helping the tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, said a report. It includes a six-month waiver of all touristic licences; waiver of tourism dirhams from March to May; a complete exemption of tourism licencing fees for Q2 and Q3 and tourism licencing fines until September 30.

The tourism authority said this move further reflects the emirate’s ‘ONE RAK’ commitment to transparency, ease of doing business and global community spirit. It has sent all business partners and stakeholders a comprehensive contingency plan, which maps out short to mid-term solutions to mitigate the negative impact of

Coronavirus on travel to Ras Al Khaimah (RAK).

Addressing partners and stakeholders via a virtual meeting, CEO Raki Phillips highlighted that the hospitality industry was facing a grave threat from the Coronavirus. The UNWTO estimates losses from international visitor spend to be between USD 30 to 50 billion globally, while the World Travel and Tourism Council has found up to 50 million jobs have been put at risk. RAKTDA’s move complements 17 government initiatives (10 for individuals and seven for SMEs announced by the Ministry of Economy), in addition to support by local developers, which includes three-month rental relief for residents and corporations, as well as the deferral of fees.

The International Air Transport Association

(IATA) has announced the postponement of the 76th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit, which had been scheduled to take place on June 22 to 23 in Amsterdam. The 76th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit will be held when it is both safe and practicable to do so. IATA anticipates that will be in the late third or early fourth quarter of 2020. An announcement will be made when a date is confirmed.

“Our members are in the deepest crisis the air transport

industry has ever faced. With much of the passenger business grounded as part of the global fight to contain the virus, many airlines are in a struggle to remain viable. On the cargo side, airlines are doing whatever they can to keep global supply chains moving with vital shipments, including those for critical medical supplies. We will come together as an industry when the freedom to travel has been restored and we can focus on air transport’s critical role in driving the economic and social recovery from this unprecedented crisis,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

RAK Tourism announces support measures for tourism sector

IATA postpones 2020 AGM

London is the world’s most popular destination in the eyes of TripAdvisor

users, as travellers raved about its British charm more than any other place on earth. The capital scooped top spot in the Popular Destinations category at the Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best 2020 awards, based on reviews and ratings on the site.

From its iconic attractions such as Big Ben and the Tower of London to the swaggering style of Shoreditch and chic Portobello Road, London’s broad appeal is a hit with travellers. Take in bucket list landmarks or tuck in at exclusive Michelin-starred restaurants – the secrets of the capital are just waiting to be discovered.

The Suffolk town of Ipswich featured among TripAdvisor’s Top 25 Emerging Destinations, scooping 14th spot.Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh,

featured among the Top 25 Trending Destinations globally, a set of locations that received the biggest spikes in top reviews and ratings in the last year.Taking 23rd place, the city is renowned for its heritage, culture and incredible festival calendar, as well as a host of museums and galleries.

Britain is also home to two of the world’s Top 25 Beaches, with travellers recognising their glorious white sands and rugged coastlines. The sands of Luskentyre, on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, ranked 13th – not only are its clear blue waters great for surfing, it offers phenomenal views out over the Atlantic Ocean. Woolacombe Beach, surrounded by the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, took 20th place and is famed for its sweeping golden sands and impressive waves, making it a surfer’s paradise.

Over 6.6 million worshippers, tourists and residents visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque during the 'Year of Tolerance' last year, said a

report.Citing figures released by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre,

the report said the total number of individuals visiting the iconic mosque reached 6,656,818 in 2019.

Of the total number of visitors, the majority group was tourists visiting the site that totalled to 4,132,309. The Centre tallied worshippers at 1,562,149 individuals, fasting guests at 891,860 and recipients of weekly meals at 70,500.

The centre noted that visitors from India lead the top 10 countries visiting the mosque, with a total of 879,049, followed by China (704,680), Russia (234,849), Germany (193,234) and France (155,223).

In 2019, the mosque's guests ranged between tourists (81 per cent) and UAE residents (19 per cent). Most visitors came from the age group between 25 and 35 years of various nationalities, constituting 30 per cent of all visitors, the report said.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre operates under the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, is sponsored and monitored by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The centre was established to be a cultural and intellectual hub focused around the cultural and national values of the Emirati community, as well as enhance cross-cultural communication between people from all across the world, it said.

OUTBOUND


TravelScapesTravelScapes

Naad Wellness, a holistic wellbeing centre located near New Delhi, recently commemorated

two years of its inception with a series of retreats, which were attended by the who’s who of the city. The diplomat fraternity, corporate honchos, travel trade leaders and associations’ heads, including PP Khanna, President of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) along with its Vice President Rajesh Arya and Hony. General Secretary Chetan Gupta. Alongside were Riaz Munshi, President of Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), EC member of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Viney Tyagi and travel trade veteran Subhash Goyal. Also present were fashion icons and game-changers of the industry who came together to celebrate this momentous occasion. Manoj Khetan, Co-founder of Naad Wellness expressed his gratitude to the distinguished guests present at the centre and said, “We have truly come a long way since 2011 when our other co-founders and I came together to fulfil our collective dream of setting up a centre that promotes holistic wellbeing and offers a glimpse into India's ancient healing techniques. We hope to, continuously, make a positive impact on the health and lifestyle of

NAAD WELLNESS CELEBRATES THE COMPLETION OF ITS TWO SUCCESSFUL YEARS

our guests and showcase our country’s rich medical heritage.”

Located within the National Capital Region (Delhi NCR), Naad is a 39-room, vast-spread property that features a bouquet of curated experiences, aiming to heal and initiate you towards holistic wellbeing. Rooted in the ancient principles of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Naad Wellness’s therapies and services restore balance to all the five senses and help tune into a sound self. The wellness centre features a bouquet of experiences that begin at three nights and go up to 28

nights and include a combination of both experiential (detox and destress) and medical packages (Diabetes Management, PCOS Management, Spine Care, Sports Injury Management, etc.)

Each experience is preceded by a one-on-one consultation with a resident Ayurvedic or Naturopathic physician, basis which an itinerary is customised which includes a combination of therapies, yoga, kriyas and nutrition. To heal the body, mind and spirit from within, addressing the root cause of any imbalance, rather than offering a superficial short-term solution, Naad Wellness is gradually replacing the conventional definition of ‘weekend getaway’.

“We have completed two years of Naad Wellness’s success and within this period, we have gained a great team, guests and clients as our extended family. Through Naad Wellness, we are emphasizing on the health and wellness of people in today’s busy lives. Therefore more than product marketing, we are aiming at building more awareness for health, wellness and welfare amidst the people, this year”. As part of the festivities, Naad has also extended its anniversary offer wherein two guests can stay at the price of one.

By Sayanti Halder

SPECIAL FEATURE


TravelScapes

Countries around the world have imposed sweeping travel bans and advisories to stem the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) within their borders and beyond. As the disease spreads across the globe and travel disruptions, starting from visas cancellations to flight suspensions,

increase by the day, many people are wondering what to do about their future holidays, if anything at all. Will the situation be worse in the coming days or better? Which countries will be safe

to visit? And is flying a good idea? As fast as questions are being answered, new ones emerge. Nevertheless, amidst all the panic and perplexities, TravelScapes brings to a list of the top, hand-picked destinations to look forward to in the days to come, keeping the anxiety away while also

brushing off the dust settling on the itchy feet

BRUSSELSThere is plenty about Brussels that makes it like no other city. Most travellers backpack to Brussels as they speed through to Paris or Amsterdam or other travellers just make it a stopover. Being the capital of the European Union for a start and operating in two native languages (French and Dutch/Flemish), this historic centre is like a reverse doughnut, with the imposing Grand Place in the middle, surrounded by mundane, often tawdry streets that in any other European city would be prime real estate. In among these, all within walking distance, are sublime and surreal art collections. The architecture, all around Brussels, is striking, especially around the Grand Place where guildhalls and the opulent Town Hall frame a pedestrian concourse. And not to forget all the chocolate, waffles, fries and beer that one is bound to eat in Brussels! With its countless restaurants and bars devoted to beer, Brussels is a foodie’s dream.

By Sayanti Halder

ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERYSCOURING THE SPIRIT OF WANDERLUST

GLOBETROTTER


TravelScapes

FIJIWe know of its superb white sand beaches, reputation as the soft coral capital of the world, friendly locals and swaying palm trees but first-time visitors will find Fiji packs plenty of surprises – especially if one ventures beyond the resort confines. While exploring the archipelago’s exquisite beaches, undersea marvels, lush interiors and fascinating culture, one shouldn’t be rushed. Fiji is a collection of volcanic islands spanning 1,600 kilometres in the South Pacific Ocean. There are two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu and nearly 900 smaller islands and inlets to follow. While Fiji Water may be expensive, a vacation here doesn’t need to break the bank. Yes, there are pricey resorts but there are also budget guesthouses. Inexpensive accommodation and food, combined with the fact most Pacific flights include a stopover here, makes the islands an affordable and easy place to visit. If you’re looking for paradise on a budget, Fiji is it!

GLOBETROTTER

SRI LANKAEndless beaches, timeless ruins, welcoming people, oodles of elephants, rolling surf, cheap prices, fun trains, famous tea and flavourful food make Sri Lanka simply irresistible. One might say Sri Lanka has been hiding in plain sight. Scores of travellers have passed overhead on their way to someplace else but years of uncertainty kept Sri Lanka off many itineraries. Now, however, all that has changed. The country is moving forward quickly as more and more people discover its myriad charms. Few places have as many UNESCO World Heritage Sites (eight) packed into such a small area. Sri Lanka's 2000-plus years of culture can be discovered at ancient sites where legendary temples boast beautiful details even as they shelter in caves or perch on prominent peaks. Across the island, that thing that goes bump in the night might be an elephant heading to a favourite waterhole. Lying between the more trodden parts of India and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka's history, culture and natural beauty are undeniably alluring. It's the place one hasn't been to yet, that one should.


TravelScapes

JORDANA small country that is big on hospitality, ancient history and culture and numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites, Jordan offers endless opportunities for adventure and recreation. From afar, it is often unfairly lumped in with regional conflict and, as such, overlooked by timid travellers. But in reality, it is a welcoming and peaceful destination not to be missed. Maybe it will be the moment one falls asleep under a blanket of stars or stand in awe of enormous ancient stones. Or perhaps it will hit when one reaches the peak of a mountain and take in the view, far away from the rush of the city. It might be the laughter and stories one shares with the new Bedouin friends or the taste of tea brewed with sage and sugar over a campfire, Jordan is full of unexplored surprises. There will be a moment – or more likely, many moments – when the magic of Jordan seeps into the soul. Jordan will welcome its visitors, challenge them and it may very well change them.

SCANDINAVIAThe word ‘Scandinavia’ evokes many images from endless fir forests, awe-inspiring fjords, wilderness, and lately, perhaps, crime fiction and noir thrillers such as Borgen, Wallander and The Killing. It is all these things, of course, but this hardly does justice to the region’s vastness and diversity. To the North is the Arctic Circle, where polar bears roam, the summer sun lasts 24 hours but an implacable dark descends in a winter lit, if one is lucky, by cosmic northern lights. Nomadic reindeer herders range from mountain to forest and the naked sauna is a national pastime. The western coasts are wild and wet. Plunging cataracts and cruise-ship-dwarfing fjord cliffs defy your sense of scale and the wind whips angry seas. Head south to Denmark’s countryside, though, and one would find a pastoral, almost English beauty of rolling fields and woods. It’s a gentler landscape ideal for touring by bike. Scandinavia is also a region of extreme seasons quite unlike Britain’s tepid climate. Winter in the region thwarts all but the most determined city-break tourist.

GLOBETROTTER


UPDATE AVIATION

The rapid spread of Coronavirus has wiped

almost a third - or USD 70 billion (53.6 billion pounds) - off the world's top 20 listed airlines and reshuffled global rankings, elevating Air China into third place behind U.S. rivals, a recent analysis shows. The airline sector has been hit hardest by the outbreak of Coronavirus, with falling ticket demand and Italy in lockdown forcing carriers to cancel routes and slash costs to survive the mounting crisis.

With the investor sell-off accelerating, United Airlines has lost its number three position in the global line-up to Air China. The U.S. carrier's

market capitalisation has halved to USD 11.6 billion, the lowest since 2003, since the start of the year, leaving it also lagging behind Europe's low-cost carrier Ryanair. Air China has been relatively unscathed - its market cap was USD 15 billion, compared with USD 19 billion on January 2.

Wizz Air, a budget carrier focused on central European routes, is now more highly valued than Air France-KLM, and the world's most valuable airline, Delta Air, has seen more than USD 10 billion knocked off its value this year, taking its market cap to about USD 28 billion, the lowest since September 2016.

Post the successful commencement of flight operations from the Kalaburagi Airport in Karanataka, Ministry of

Civil Aviation (MoCA) flagged off the first direct flight from Bidar airport to Bengaluru in Karnataka. The airport has been remodelled under the Regional Connectivity Scheme-UdeDeshKaAamNagrik (RCS-UDAN) of the Government of India and has been developed at an estimated cost of INR 11 crores to be borne by the state government with the help of the central government.

TruJet will operate direct daily flights on the Bengaluru-Bidar route. B.S. Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Bidar MP Bhagwanth Khuba inaugurated the flight operations at the Bidar Airport. Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary in the Ministry has said that the newly built airport inks the commitment and perseverance of the MoCA of India to establish substantial air connectivity in India.

While appreciating the support of the Government of Karnataka and Indian Air Force, UshaPadhee, Joint Secretary in-charge of UDAN, informed about a recently achieved milestone under UDAN by commencing the 250th route. With the inauguration of the Bengaluru-Bidar route, MoCA has successfully operationalised 252 routes and 45 airports under this flagship scheme.

Under the UDAN Scheme of the Government of India, the Ministry of

Civil Aviation (MoCA) recently flagged off the first-ever thrice-weekly flight from Indore (Madhya Pradesh) to Kishangarh (Ajmer, Rajasthan). In its constant endeavour to connect the unconnected regions, MoCA awarded the Indore-Kishangarh route during the UDAN 3 bidding process to Star Air. With the commencement of this route, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has operationalised 268 routes under the UDAN Scheme.

Under RCS-UDAN, Star Air is already

operating direct flights from Belagavi to Indore and will now extend the same route till Rajasthan. The approximate distance between Indore and Kishangarh is around 550 kilometres and people had to spend more than 10 hours to reach Kishangarh from Indore by road. However, with the commencement of flight operations on this route, people can take one-hour flight and travel at ease and visit the famous Nine Planets temple, Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Pushkar Lake, PhoolMahal Palace, Roopangarh Fort, etc.

Due to the spread of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and its continuing impact

on air travel services globally, Etihad Airways continues to follow UAE and international government and regulatory authority directives and has implemented a series of consolidated network changes. This is also being carried out for the safety and convenience of its customers and staff and to minimise operational disruption during this period. The following services from Abu Dhabi have been temporarily adjusted.

Future changes to the route network may occur due to government directives in key markets. Etihad Airways is working closely with regulatory authorities in the UAE and overseas and is continuing to monitor this situation closely. For passengers impacted by flight cancellations, procedures are in place for fare refunds or flight changes when services resume.

Etihad Airways is urging guests whose

flights are impacted by COVID-19 travel restrictions to refrain from calling the airline’s customer service lines unless their flights are scheduled within the next 48 hours. Contact Centres are currently experiencing significant congestion and long waits. The immediate priority is to assist those guests with imminent travel.

Coronavirus wipes USD 70 billion off airline sector

Commercial flight operations at Bidar Airport begin

First-ever Indore – Kishangarh flight commenced under UDAN

Etihad implements temporary changes to its route network


UPDATETravelScapes AVIATION

In continuation of its expansion in South Asia, GoAir started its direct

flights from Delhi to Colombo and Bengaluru to Colombo from March 20. The airline has introduced these two new routes with return fares starting at INR 14,019 for Delhi-Colombo-Delhi flights and INR 9,934 for Bengaluru-Colombo-Bengaluru flights.

Speaking on the new flight announcement, Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir said, “Our entry into Sri Lanka is in line with the growth

strategy that we adopted since 2018 for international markets. India and Sri Lanka share a close relationship that goes beyond 2,500 years. There is a common interest of business, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction between both countries. The Delhi-Colombo and Bengaluru-Colombo flights will help travellers to explore the beauty and legacy of India and Sri Lanka, strengthening the bond of friendship between the two nations.”

The government is likely to allow domestic and international flight

operations in India in a staggered manner post the 21-day lockdown period which is slated to end on April 14, officials said recently. The aviation sector has been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic. "As the virus is still spreading in India, we are thinking to permit domestic and international

flight operations post-April 14 in a staggered manner. Airlines are free to take bookings for any date post-April 14," a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official commented. "However, if the lockdown is extended post-April 14, airlines will have to cancel the tickets booked for that period," the official wpost-April 14. Air India is taking bookings for dates post-April 30 only.

Reports say that Lufthansa has cut its flight capacity in a move

equivalent to grounding almost a fifth of its fleet, confirming what company sources told media earlier about the German airline's response to the coronavirus epidemic. "We are dynamically adjusting our plans to reflect extraordinary circumstances," a Lufthansa spokesman said. The company said the move was equivalent to grounding 150 aircraft, with around sixth of the capacity cuts related to long-haul flights. Lufthansa Group, which includes Swiss, Brussels and Austrian Airlines, has a total fleet of 770 aircraft.

Last month, Lufthansa said it had slashed capacity equivalent to

grounding 23 long-haul aircraft. European airline bosses warned the worst is still to come for the airline industry in terms of economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak but also predicted travel demand could stabilise in the coming weeks. Lufthansa had already said, last month, that it would reduce the number of short- and medium-haul flights by up to 25 per cent in the coming weeks depending on how coronavirus spreads. It said it was extending the suspension of flights to China until April 24, to Tehran until April 30 and reducing services to northern Italy due to the Coronavirus outbreak there.

As many countries in the world are closing their borders, the

COVID-19 outbreak has acutely impacted the travel industry, especially airlines witnessing the most notable casualties. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airlines could lose a quarter of a trillion dollars in revenue, this year as commercial flights come to a grinding halt. Sydney-based CAPA Centre for Aviation estimates that many carriers will go bankrupt by the end of May if they cannot find support and further predicted that about half of all global airlines could go out of business before the end of the year.

Reports further determined that among airlines that are in danger of going under are Pakistan International Airlines, SpiceJet, Norwegian, American Airlines, SkyWest, Air Asia, Asiana Airlines, Virgin Australia, Korean Air, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines. This list is not exhaustive. The analysis, however, does not take into account government bailouts, extraordinary capital injection by shareholders and other sources of funding. Airlines are in serious cash preservation mode with nearly a third of the world's aircraft fleet in storage, according to travel industry data provider Cirium.

Airports Council International Asia-Pacific said that airport traffic at 12 major hubs in the Asia-Pacific region plunged by 80 per cent on average in the second week of March compared with the same period

last year. Even storied and well-run companies such as Singapore Airlines (SIA) cannot escape the devastation inflicted by COVID-19 on the industry.

CAPA Centre for Aviation estimates that the Indian airline industry including companies providing auxiliary services like airports and ground handlers could incur losses of between USD 3.3 to 3.6 billion in the first fiscal quarter of 2021 ending June 30. This is on the assumption that the airlines are not grounded beyond when the current lockdown ended. The report estimates that there will be a year-on-year decline of between 30 to 50 per cent of domestic and international traffic in FY2021.

Separately, other reports estimate that for the quarter ending June, IndiGo and SpiceJet will report losses of USD 730 million and USD 188 million, respectively if the air travel is not revived by then. CAPA predicts that if the shutdown continues another three months, IndiGo which just issued a profit warning may see its cash reserves dwindle considerably. The report added that Tata Sons may have to consolidate holdings in its two airlines - Vistara and Air Asia India - and operate just one. The government's plan to sell off its stake in Air India is likely to be delayed until after FY2021. As a result, it will need to inject even more cash into the ailing airline to keep it afloat. CAPA estimates that an infusion of at least USD 300 million would be necessary.

GoAir starts Colombo flights from Delhi and Bengaluru

Govt. may allow all flights in staggered manner from April 15

Lufthansa cuts capacity equivalent to 150 planes

Indian airlines now stare at a USD 3.6 billion loss


TravelScapesUPDATE

Recent reports suggest that fresh bookings and occupancy in domestic flights have dropped by

almost 15 per cent in the last month as customers defer or cancel trips over fears of Coronavirus. With domestic travel, generating the bulk of the revenue for carriers slowing down, the slump in crude oil price will provide limited relief for airlines.

International air travel to and from India has already been hit due to travel ban and warning issued by many countries, including those from West Asia. According to analysts at JM Financial Institutional Securities, the international air route mix is 19 and 25 per cent for IndiGo and SpiceJet, respectively.

Executives of Indian airlines said that the drop is primarily for flights to major metro cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, which are the prime revenue generators on the domestic front. “Domestic travel was the only thing that had somewhat insulated Indian airlines from the impact of the Corona. But now it is being impacted and that is visible from the fares,” said an airline executive. A cursory glimpse of fares on the Chennai-Bengaluru route shows that tickets for the same day were being

sold for INR 1,100 lower or equal to the fare of a Volvo bus.

Airline executives also said that if such dip in demand continues to be a long-term phenomenon, airlines will start grounding aircraft. When the epidemic spread out in January, Indian airlines were hoping for minimal impact from Coronavirus as Indians carriers have limited exposure to China and South East Asia. But visa restrictions and travel bans have forced them to cancel flights.

Domestic flight occupancy drops to 15 pc as Coronavirus sparks fear of flying

Vistara, a joint venture of Tata Group and Singapore Airlines is likely to be the first

domestic airline to offer in-flight Wi-Fi services in India. Tata group's NELCO and Panasonic Avionics Corporation, last month, announced a partnership for offering in-flight broadband service in India, starting with Vistara airlines. "NELCO is the first Indian company to provide this service in the country, marking the beginning of a new era of Wi-Fi on aircraft in Indian skies," it said in a press release.

"We are delighted that NELCO is spearheading in providing the long-awaited Aero in-flight connectivity services in the country. Vistara is the first airline to sign up for this service," NELCO MD and CEO P J Nath said while launching the service. The launch of this service will enable passengers to access broadband service during their flight in Indian airspace.

Airbus continues to purchase and supply millions of face masks from China, the large

majority of which will be donated to governments of the Airbus home countries, namely France, Germany, Spain and the UK. An Airbus flight test crew has just completed its latest mission with an A350-1000 test aircraft. This is the third of such missions between Europe and China. The aircraft returned to France with a cargo of four million face masks on April 5.

The A350-1000 left Toulouse, France, on April 3, reaching the Airbus site in Tianjin, China on April 4 and returning to Hamburg the same day. Since mid-March, the previous two missions were performed by and A330-800, and A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Airbus also deployed an A400M and its Beluga fleet to transport shipments of masks between its European sites, in France, Germany, the UK and Spain.

According to a recent report, as Coronavirus impacts countries worldwide, the government has extended

the date for completion of Air India sale by over a month and a half. According to the notice, interested companies can submit their bids for the national carrier by April 30, 2020. The earlier date for submission of bids was March 17, 2020. With the extension of the bidding date, the final dates for the announcement of bidders would now happen on May 14, 2020.

This is the second time the government is trying to sell Air India and is not taking any chances as a similar attempt in 2018 did not attract any bidder. The government, however, does expect to find bidders for Air India this time and is confident that the Coronavirus pandemic is unlikely to impact interest in Air India.

Chandigarh, Mangaluru, Trivandrum and Lucknow airports esteemed amongst best rated in the world

Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) continuous thrust on enhanced passenger convenience and superlative services has been yielding results, year after year. In continuation to the glorious tradition of providing excellent services to its customers and passion for providing world-class airports by AAI, Four AAI airports Chandigarh, Mangaluru, Trivandrum and Lucknow are yet again adjudged the best in the world in recently announced ASQ awards for the year 2019. These airports won 10 awards in four categories. Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey is the world-renowned and internationally established global benchmarking programme measuring passengers’ satisfaction, whilst they travel through an airport, conducted by the Airports Council International (ACI). ASQ Awards recognise those airports around the world that deliver the best customer experience in the opinion of their passengers.

Vistara likely to be the first airline to offer in-flight Wi-Fi services in India

Airbus supports the fight against COVID-19

Government extends Air India sale’s deadline by over a month

AVIATION


UPDATETravelScapes

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) recently said it is coordinating with the

state governments to ensure cargo flight operations so that medical equipments and related essential items reach all parts of the country to combat the Coronavirus outbreak, as all domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period.

"Based on requirements received from various states on an urgent basis, the senior officials of the ministry coordinate with supply agencies for providing required material which can be further transported to the desired destinations," said a statement by the Ministry. Air India and Alliance Air flights are being operated to carry out the necessary supply operations across the country, it noted.

The ministry had announced earlier that an air cargo management group has been created to move essential commodities

across the country. It added that to cater to the eastern and north-eastern parts of the country, an Alliance Air flight from Delhi to Kolkata carried shipments for Kolkata, Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Agartala recently. "The MoCA is coordinating with state governments for the supply of medical equipment and related essential items needed for protection against and testing of COVID-19," it stated.

MoCA coordinates with states to ensure cargo flights’ operations

SriLankan Airlines unveils its latest brand promotional video

The U.S. warns airlines to quickly refund tickets after cancelled flights

SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, recently launched its

latest brand video ‘Ode to Paradise’ at PVR Cinemas, One Galle Face. The production titled ‘Ode to Paradise’ revisits the fond memories of ‘Blue Waters’ melody through a modern take, featuring a lineup of Sri Lanka’s well-loved icons such as Jacqueline Fernandez, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Peter Kuruvita and Bathiya&Santhush, through whose eyes, the multifaceted beauty of the island is unveiled- all this in the vibrant backdrop of SriLankan Airlines as the messenger that

takes the story of Sri Lanka to the world.SriLankan Airlines’ Chairman Ashok

Pathirage said, “As we strive to lead the national carrier to finer climates, looking after this well-loved brand will be a priority. Therefore, this brand video will be the beginning of many more such initiatives by the national carrier, which will lay a strong foundation to help achieve the commercial and national objectives in the long run. Especially, at a time that we explore the possibilities of flying into some of the most lucrative markets in Australia, Asia and Europe."

According to global reports, The U.S. Transportation Department recently

issued a notice to airlines reminding them they are obligated to refund tickets when they cancel a flight or make a significant flight schedule change that passengers opt not to accept, but will not take any immediate action against airlines.

U.S. and foreign airlines have cancelled hundreds of thousands of flights and eliminated millions of seats in the wake of a massive falloff in travel demand because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Transportation Department said it is receiving a rising number of complaints and inquiries from passengers seeking refunds. Earlier this week, nine Democratic U.S. senators urged the chief executives of 11 major airlines to issue full cash refunds to customers who cancel their flights. The department said the “longstanding obligation of carriers to provide refunds for flights that carriers cancel or significantly delay does not cease when the flight disruptions are outside of the carrier’s control.”

Reports prompt that India’s aviation industry has urged

the government to take steps for financial aid, including funds infusion into airlines and airports, as COVID-19 paralyses the sector. The aviation industry needs an urgent bailout from the government, The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Aviation Committee Chairman Anand Stanley said in a letter, recently, to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The industry body has sought tax relief, deferment of payment of goods and services tax (GST) for airlines, bringing jet fuel under GST, reduction in airport charges and overflight fees, a temporary cut in excise duty on jet fuel, as well as other financial aid.

“The government may immediately provide direct cash support to Indian carriers, so that airlines can meet their fixed costs, at least for the period where the loss of revenues and liquidity is directly attributable to the government’s directive to cease operation,” Stanley said, referring to India suspending flights till April 14 amid a three-week nationwide lockdown to arrest the spread of COVID-19. “The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20 per cent contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of INR 30,000 or less per month,” he said. These steps will help airline companies retain employees, despite the headwinds, he added.

AirAsia Group announced it is temporarily hibernating

most of its fleet across its entire network in Asia, given the COVID-19 pandemic that led to extensive border restrictions. The actual fleet downtime differs with each of the group’s member airlines.

Issued on behalf of the entire AirAsia Group and the AirAsia X Group the statement said, “With governments imposing travel and movement restrictions including home quarantine orders, AirAsia is also playing its

part in helping curb the spread of the virus to keep flying safely for everyone.”

The group added that it was prepared to reinstate services as soon as the situation improves and subject to the necessary regulatory approvals. Passengers have the option of converting flight bookings into a credit account that is valid for future redemption for 365 days or moving their flights for an unlimited number of times without any charges to another date before October 31, 2020.

FICCI seeks government bailout for the aviation industry

AirAsia Group hibernates fleet

Anand Stanley

AVIATION


TravelScapesON THE MOVE

PROMOTED AT: Radisson Hotel GroupTO: Chief Executive Officer

Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) has appointed Jim Alderman as the Chief Executive Officer for the Americas. Alderman will be based in the company’s U.S. headquarters in Minnetonka, Minnesota and will be responsible for the corporate offices and more than 680 hotels in the company’s portfolio throughout the Americas. He will report to Federico J. González, Chairman, Global Steering Committee for RHG.

PROMOTED AT: The Westin Mumbai Garden CityTO: Director of Spa

The Westin Mumbai Garden City appointed Shalin Jose as the new Director of Spa. The newly-appointed Jose is a successful professional with over 16 years of experience in the wellness industry. Academically armed with a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Physical Education from Gwalior and Diploma in Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (CIBTAC), Jose’s abilities span every facet of the industry, including management and business development.

PROMOTED AT: Sheraton Grand Bengaluru TO: Director of FinanceWBalaji.P.K. has been appointed as the new Director of Finance at Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center. A highly efficient professional with over 12 years of experience in finance and operations, his specialisation and abilities span every facet of the industry including management, concept development, marketing, branding and business development.

PROMOTED AT: JW Marriott Kolkata TO: General Manager & Cluster GM

Gaurav Singh, General Manager JW Marriott Kolkata & Cluster General Manager, Bangladesh has been recently promoted as the Multi-Property Vice President East India & Bangladesh and General Manager JW Marriott Hotel Kolkata by Marriott International. With a career spanning over two decades, Singh has perfected the art of robust leadership skills and brings to the table a rich experience of strategic initiatives.

PROMOTED AT: ibis Kolkata Rajarhat TO: Hotel Manager

Vaibhav Gupta, a graduate from Institute of Hotel Management Bhopal, has been recently appointed as the Hotel Manager of ibis Kolkata Rajarhat. His journey with Accor started in 2015 as a Front Office Manager at ibis New Delhi Aerocity. Since then, he has successfully spearheaded ibis Styles Goa and ibis Bengaluru Hosur Road in various managerial roles. in managing operations.

PROMOTED AT: Renaissance MumbaiTO: Hotel Manager

With an admirable background and culturally rich experience in the hospitality industry both overseas and across India, Singhal is a dynamic and charismatic presence. With a boundless determination and a clear vision for the future, he now begins the next exciting chapter of his journey - as the Hotel Manager of Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel & Lakeside Chalet - Mumbai, Marriott Executive Apartments.

PROMOTED AT: Indore Marriott HotelTO: Director of Operations

Indore Marriott Hotel announces the appointment of Vijay Chandran as its new Director of Operations. With over 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Vijay in his new role will be responsible for overseeing smooth functioning across departments and leading the strategic and business operations of the property. Chandran has received his education from the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Chennai.

PROMOTED AT: Novotel Ahmedabad TO: General Manager

Novotel Ahmedabad has appointed Jayakrishnan Sudhakaran as the new General Manager who brings with him 20 years of vivid expertise in sales, marketing and operations. Before joining Novotel Ahmedabad, Sudhakaran was the hotel manager at Novotel Ibis Chennai OMR. He has been associated with Accor for the past five years and his career graph reflects Accor’s strong commitment towards offering more opportunities.

PROMOTED AT: Park Hyatt HyderabadTO: Associate Director- Events

Pooja Rajpurohit has been appointed as the Associate Director of Events for Park Hyatt Hyderabad. Rajpurohit holds nearly a decade's worth of work experience in the field of Event Sales, specialising in weddings. She has previously been associated with brands such as Pratima, EMC, Leela, Hyatt and Marriott and holds Service Excellence & Sales Workshop Certificates from Leela & Marriott.

JIM ALDERMAN

SHALIN JOSEBALAJI.P.K.

GAURAV SINGH

VAIBHAV GUPTAPALLAV SINGHAL VIJAY CHANDRAN

JAYAKRISHNAN SUDHAKARAN

POOJA RAJPUROHIT

RNI No. - DELENG/2013/48401 • Licence No. : F.2(T-3) 2013 • Posting Dt. 9-10/04/2020 Place of Posting: NIEHOND 110028 • Reg. No. - DL(W)10/2208/2019-2021 • Date of publication 3-4/04/2020

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