About India Outbound Magazine

India Outbound 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. These trends, India Outbound analyse and predict them.

UNWTO and WHO release joint statement on tourism and COVID-19

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have released a joint statement on tourism & coronavirus disease (COVID-19) saying that as the current outbreak of the COVID-19 continues to develop, they are committed to working together in guiding the travel and tourism sector’s response to it.

On January 30, 2020, the director-general of WHO declared the outbreak of COVID-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern and issued a set of temporary recommendations. WHO did not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available. They said that they are working closely with global experts, governments and partners to rapidly expand scientific knowledge on this new virus and to ensure that health measures be implemented in ways that minimise unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.

The organisations also said that they stood ready to work closely with all those communities and countries affected by the current emergency, to build for a better and more resilient future. The tourism sector is fully committed to putting people and their well-being first and international cooperation is vital for ensuring the sector can effectively contribute to the containment of COVID-19.

Saudi Arabia temporarily suspends Umrah pilgrimage over the coronavirus fear

Amidst the escalating coronavirus fear, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia has issued a statement announcing a temporary suspension of entry for individuals planning to visit the country for the purpose of Umrah (pilgrimage) or for visiting the Prophet’s mosque in Medina.

The announcement made available via a tweet said that Saudi Arabia is “suspending entry into the Kingdom with tourist visas for those coming from countries in which coronavirus (COVID-19) is a danger, according to the criteria determined by the competent health authorities in the Kingdom.”

The statement also mentioned that the country was suspending the use of national identity cards by Saudi nationals and citizens of the Gulf to travel to and from the Kingdom, "except for Saudis who are abroad if their exit from the Kingdom is with the national identity card, and citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries currently inside the Kingdom, and wish to return from it to their countries, in case that their entry was with the national identity card."

Thailand’s Airport Rail Link and MRT step up COVID-19 control measures

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced that the Airport Rail Link and the MRT Subway mass transit systems in Bangkok have stepped up their COVID-19 control measures. The Airport Rail Link has set up a screening point at the entrance of all its eight stations.

In addition to the normal safety procedures, security personal will also screen all passengers’ body temperature using handheld thermometers. Alcohol hand gels are also provided at the common areas.

The MRT Subway has also set up a passenger’s fever screening point starting with 19 pilot stations: Silom, Sukhumvit, Phetchaburi, Rama 9, Thailand Cultural Centre, Wat Mangkon, Tha Phra, Lak Song, Tao Poon, Nonthaburi Civic Centre, Ministry of Public Health, Bang Yai and Khlong Bang Phai. These stations are usually serving high traffic.

In a previous announcement, “a health advisory for disembarking passengers from countries with reported COVID-19 infections” was issued as part of Thailand’s effective implementation on disease surveillance to prevent further spread or importation of the disease in the country.

Turkey Tourism organises six-city road show in India

The Ministry of Culture & Tourism of the Republic of Turkey in association with Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) conducted Destination Turkey workshops and B2B interactions in six Indian cities from February 24-29, 2020. The road show series began at Kolkata and was followed by sessions in Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mumbai. The event aimed for increasing cultural and tourism ties with India.

At the inaugural Kolkata session, there was a presentation by H Deniz Ersoz, culture & tourism counsellor, of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey, Culture and Tourism Office, who presented Turkey as an attractive destination for the Indian market with its UNESCO world heritage sites, beautiful scenery and fabulous gastronomy. He also presented the statistics of foreign arrivals in Turkey which has witnessed more than 20 pc increase two years in a row. In 2019, the Indian visitors’ footfall was more than 230,000, 56 pc increase from that in 2018. In 2020, Turkey tourism expects 300,000 Indian arrivals.

There were also short presentations by Turkish Airlines and IndiGo airlines which provide direct connectivity from India to Turkey.

Nepal Tourism Board hosts roadshow in Kolkata to promote Pokhara in Visit Nepal Year 2020

Nepal Tourism Board and Pokhara Tourism Council organised a B2B sales mission in Kolkata this week, supported by the Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA). The session presented the attractions in Nepal with main focus on Pokhara along with promoting Visit Nepal Year 2020 (VNY2020).

While speaking to India Outbound, Jayashakti Sarraf, a tourist officer from Nepal Tourism Board said, "We have most of the infrastructure and necessities that a traveller might need in Nepal and we are prepared to welcome the guests with our charming offers and discount facilities on the occasion of VNY2020.”

“There are many facilities provided to the travellers not only from the government but also from various tourism stakeholders. We are here to inform about all those offers,” said Santosh Pokharel, president, Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents (NATTA).

"India is the main source market for us and Nepal government has planned to make an India-based tourism promotion campaign and hence we are here from Pokhara to present our offerings for the India market," concluded Chiranjibi Pokhrel, president, Pokhara Tourism Council.

Abu Dhabi conducts press meet in Mumbai to present its tourism opportunities

The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) organised an interactive session in Mumbaithis week. At the event, Ali Al Shaiba, the acting executive director of marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi talked about the new attractions for the Indian market and gave insights about the tourism opportunities in Abu Dhabi. He also highlighted the market expectations and plans for 2020 and focussed on the Expo 2020 and the vision they have for India.

There was a short presentation at the event where new destinations in Abu Dhabi were highlighted. One of them was the Jubail Mangrove Park to give a boost to sustainability and eco-tourism in the region and to educate the visitors about the natural landscape in Abu Dhabi.

Ali Al Shaiba also said that India was a strong market for them as there has been an 8 pc growth in the Indian visitor arrivals in 2019 from that in 2018 which is great despite the whole political situation and the economic downturn.

The DCT Abu Dhabi is also preparing to launch new regulations on organising holiday homes in Abu Dhabi, based on a decision issued by the executive council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, regarding the regulation and licensing of vacation homes in the emirate.The regulations will allow Abu Dhabi to embrace innovation and technology in the tourism sector and at the same time develop a regulatory and policy framework for holiday homes in line with international best practices and following discussions with stakeholders.

Despite rumours of last-minute cancellation of the show, ITB Berlin prepares to discuss the future of tourism

Despite news of threats coming out from different parts of the world on coronavirus adding more worries to the federal authorities in Germany, ITB Berlin convention from March 4-7, will be looking in detail at the latest and most important topics of the tourism industry as the sector currently is facing many fundamental changes. Rumours are floating that federal authorities may force the exhibition organisers to cancel the show. However, there is no acceptance of the same from Messe Berlin.

At the industry’s leading think tank exclusive surveys, empirical findings and practical examples will analyse changing attitudes towards luxury and the growing shift in customer expectations. More than 400 leading speakers from the tourism industry, politics and business will be answering questions at over 200 events.

In response to the current developments one of the latest topics on the convention calendar is the coronavirus. Since the beginning of the year the outbreak has dominated events in the global economy and the world’s travel industry – the consequences and effects will also be discussed at the convention at the ITB Responsible Destination Day.

ITB Future Day will discuss the challenges presented by the changing expectations of customers today while ITB Marketing & Distribution Day will see discussions on luxury travel. There will also be a panel discussion on using video marketing tools like YouTube for successful brand strategy and also various topics like collapse of Thomas Cook, Cox & King and Brexit. It remains to be seen how the global travel trade industry finally turn out with their physical presence and what shape this year’s show takes.

India Outbound is a publication of Media India Group