About India Outbound Magazine
India Outbound, a brand of Media India Group, is India’s only B2B travel media platform, that encompasses a print magazine, a website, an online TV channel and dynamic social media platforms, entirely dedicated to the promotion of foreign destinations and products in India. India Outbound is a niche platform not just for tourism destinations and products to promote themselves to the Indian travel industry, but also for decision makers to build/change their strategy in a context where the Indian outbound market is not only growing but changing with new dynamics. India Outbound brings to you the latest trends of the market with in depth analysis.
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Sri Lanka reopens for fully vaccinated Indian travellers
Sri Lanka has opened for fully vaccinated travellers from India (including transit) from August 19. Non-vaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers will not be allowed to enter. However, those Indian passengers who have recovered from Covid-19 and have received one dose of vaccine will be considered as ‘fully vaccinated’.
All facilities of the hotel would be made available to the guests and no restrictive quarantine is required. Tourists can visit approved tourist sites under the safety of a bio-bubble.
Sri Lankan national carrier SriLankan Airlines, which currently operates a total of eight flights per week from the cities of Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru to Colombo, will be increasing flight frequencies and adding new destinations from September 1, the airline said in a recently issued press statement.
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Oman, too, to allow fully vaccinated Indians from September 1
Following suite as Sri Lanka, Oman has announced that it will lift the travel ban on fully-vaccinated travellers from India and 20 other countries that were earlier placed on a travel red list. The order comes into effect from September 1. The other allowed countries include Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Singapore, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
All passengers entering the Sultanate of Oman are required to present a Covid-19 vaccine certificate containing a QR Code stating that they have received both doses of a vaccine approved in Oman or one does if a single-dose vaccine is approved. The last dose required to have been received was not less than 14 days ahead of the estimated arrival time. All citizens, residents, visa holders and all those who do not require a visa are allowed to enter Oman, and they can obtain it upon arrival according to the previously established system. All travellers entering Oman on long international flights (with a period of no less than eight hours) with a pre-travel negative PCR test (within 96 hours) are exempt from quarantine as well as travellers on short-haul flights with a negative Covid-19 PCR test.
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Mauritius eases travel protocol for vaccinated travellers from September 1
With the vaccination rollout going on, travel protocols for vaccinated travellers in Mauritius are being further relaxed. As of September 1, vaccinated tourists would spend only seven days in a special ‘resort bubble’ hotel before going out to discover more of the Indian Ocean paradise of Mauritius.
“This is a major leap towards the full reopening of its borders on October 1, when vaccinated international travellers will be welcomed in without restrictions. Visitors who present a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours prior to embarkation will be able to explore the island freely from the moment they arrive,” says Arvind Bundhun, director of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA).
International visitors can currently book their ‘resort bubble’ holidays either via tour operators or directly with the hotels. Unvaccinated travellers are required to complete a 14-day quarantine period in a designated quarantine hotel.
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South African Tourism welcomes new minister for tourism
Lindiwe Sisulu is the new tourism minister of South Africa who takes over from Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.
Tourism is one of the backbones of the South African economy, contributing to 6.9 pc of the national GDP in 2019 and about 1.5 million jobs. While the nation has largely been focused on promoting domestic and intercontinental travel in recent times, the easing up of border restrictions has brought back international traveller appetite and confidence, encouraging South African Tourism to kick-start their global travel recovery plans. India is one of the top markets that the tourism board is investing in as they execute their plans, given that the country was South Africa’s 8th largest international source market prior to the pandemic.
“We are excited to welcome and work closely with Lindiwe Sisulu in her new capacity as minister of tourism, especially for the Indian market. Her expertise and core competencies will be crucial as we create safe experiences for the outbound Indian traveller. After a year and a half under lockdown, Indian travellers are raring to explore, contingent on strong safety measures and ease of travel. India has always been a huge market for South Africa, and this is our chance to pay back by crafting the safest holidays for those seeking to travel,” says Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – MEISEA, South African Tourism.
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Saudi Tourism Authority appoints Think Strawberries as its India market representative
After liberalising its tourism industry in 2019, Saudi Arabia is focussing on promoting tourism worldwide and has now appointed Think Strawberries as its marketing representative in India in a bid to attract outbound tourism originating from India.
Think Strawberries has been mandated to showcase Saudi Arabia’s attractions including its magnificent historical sites, ancient ruins, sandy beaches, delectable cuisines, world-class shopping malls, theme parks and the luxurious Red Sea project among plenty of other offerings.
“Saudi Arabia has recently opened its doors to tourism and we are delighted to be so intrinsically part of that journey as its India partner. We enjoyed bringing the brief to life and we are looking forward to working with the tourism promotion department to develop Saudi Arabia as an attractive tourist destination for Indians,” says Munnmunn Marwah, COO, Think Strawberries.
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Utah Tourism appoints Aviareps India as India representative
Aviareps India has been selected as the integrated sales marketing and public relations representative of the Utah Office of Tourism in India for the next five years. The aim and objective is to position the tourism offerings of Utah in India, which is considered to be a great outdoor state and ideal for adventure.
From the Mighty 5 National Parks, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capital Reef and Zion to the Wasatch Mountains’ Greatest Snow on Earth, and all points in-between, Utah is the place where families and adventures forge incredible experiences and make enduring memories.
“The Utah Office of Tourism's mission is to elevate life in Utah through responsible tourism stewardship. We do this through marketing, stewardship, and development. Guided by this mission, we are facing the challenge of responsibly rebuilding Utah's visitor economy and international visitation. Our partnership with AVIAREPS will help us to not only rebuild but, to expand in India; to forge strategic partnerships that will increase our market share. Utah beckons the road-tripper, the slow traveller, the family, and the experiential traveller, those that will enjoy the viewpoints along our scenic byways, hiking in our national parks, and exploring our urban core along the Wasatch Mountains,” says Rachel Bremer, global markets director, Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development.
“Our immediate priority is to localise their global strategy by providing end to end solutions. In fact, some of the tourism offerings that the Utah state has to offer are apt for the Indian outbound tourists who post the pandemic, are seeking places of tranquillity, craving wide-open spaces and inspiring views, as nature breaks continue to be more appealing and on-trend these days,” says Ellona Pereira, head of Aviareps India.
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