Israel has announced a ban on entry of travellers from seven African countries, after a new Covid-19 variant was detected in South Africa…reports Asian Lite News
Amid reports of the heavily mutated variant known as B.1.1529, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horwitz on Thursday decided to list South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini as “red countries,” Xinhua news agency reported.
“Foreigners from these countries will not be able to enter Israel,” the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement.
Israeli citizens who return home from trips to these countries will need to stay in a designated quarantine motel for seven days, even if they are fully vaccinated, it said.
They will be released after two negative PCR tests. Travellers who refuse to be tested will need to stay in quarantine for 12 days, according to the statement.
The UAE has updated the entry procedures through land borders for the citizens of neighbouring countries and those living in border areas, who are repeatedly entering and leaving the UAE…reports Asian Lite News
The procedures announced by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority are effective from Tuesday, 23rd November.
According to the updated procedures, all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens, or foreigners who are vaccinated with approved vaccines and booster doses, must present a negative PCR test that does not exceed 14 days to enter land borders.
They also have to undertake a PCR test on the sixth day of entry if they stayed six consecutive days or more.
As for the non-vaccinated, they must present a negative PCR test conducted no more than 72 hours before the date of arrival. Those who will be staying in the UAE for four days or more must take a PCR test on the fourth day of entry, and take another PCR test on the eighth day if they will stay for eight days or more.
The validity of the PCR test result has been extended for 14 days for vaccinated and non-vaccinated educational staff, students and parents of students who pick them up from educational institutions.
“Other procedures related to supply chains will remain in place,” the two entities said.
“These measures are in line with the current health situation and to facilitate the travel of citizens and visitors of neighbouring countries to the UAE.
“The two authorities stress the importance of the arrivals’ commitment to applying all preventive and precautionary measures, such as wearing masks, maintaining social distance and sterilising luggage. It is also advised to avoid travel for those with chronic diseases or those who feel COVID-19 symptoms.”
Tourism in Turkey’s largest city of Istanbul has gradually resumed, thanks to the progress in its vaccination drive against Covid-19…reports Asian Lite News
Istanbul has attracted 5.8 million foreign tourists in the first nine months in 2021, reports Xinhua news agenc citing the local Hurriyet daily as saying.
The number of foreign tourists has steadily increased since March compared to the same period of the previous year, the daily added.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry revealed that 72.4 per cent of citizens aged 18 and above in Istanbul have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
“The high vaccination rate in Istanbul gives confidence to tourists,” Nalan Yesilyurt, board member of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, told Xinhua.
“It is good to see foreigners coming back to Istanbul,” Yesilyurt added.
Istanbul is the most visited in Turkey for its Byzantine and Ottoman-era monuments, like ancient bazaars, mansions, and palaces, as well as hosting the Bosphorus Strait, which divides the European and Asian continents, the Istanbul Directorate of Culture and Tourism said.
Over 550,000 searches were performed on Wego’s platform from GCC to Oman in Q3 2021…reports Asian Lite News
Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism have signed an agreement to promote Oman tourism attraction sites in the GCC region.
Al Wusta – Artisans in Al Wusta, Oman
Oman has opened its borders to visitors from the GCC and it recently announced that it is open for travel for COVID-19 vaccine holders from 1 September 2021. The Sultanate has eased its travel restrictions, lifting flight prohibition for people travelling from previously banned countries. It is implementing precautionary measures and following through with the vaccination drive across the country, ensuring safe travel for everyone.
All travelers to Oman should present a vaccine certificate containing a QR code that states they have received two doses of a vaccine that is approved in Oman(Pfizer BioNTech, Oxford Astrazeneca, Covishield AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinovac, Moderna, and Sinopharm, or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson). The last dose of the vaccine needs to have been received not less than 14 days before the arrival date. Travelers should have done Pre-registration via (https://covid19.emushrif.om ) and upload the vaccine certificate as well as the COVID-19 PCR certificate, both containing QR Codes
Over 550,000 searches were performed on Wego’s platform in Q3 2021 from the GCC to Oman. Out of these searches, 34% from KSA, 27% from UAE, 16% from Kuwait, 14% from Qatar, and 10% from Bahrain.
HAITHAM BIN MOHAMMED AL GHASSANI, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF TOURISM PROMOTION, MINISTRY OF HERITAGE AND TOURISM, SULTANATE OF OMAN: “We are glad to partner with Wego. Oman has always been at the forefront of tourism, and this partnership reflects our commitment to continue the positive momentum in months to come. We are confident that this association will help us to promote Oman tourism among the GCC countries, as well as attract more foreign investment to Oman.”
Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director, MENA and India, said: “We are seeing an increase in the number of searches from the GCC to Oman following the flight resumptions. We are glad to partner with the Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for the second time to promote this beautiful gem. Its proximity, ancient culture, green mountains and wadis make it the best escape during the summer period for GCC travelers.”
Castle Al Dakheleyah – Jabreen Castle
Through this partnership, Wego and Oman aim to drive the conversation around Oman across all the marketing channels and social media platforms and increase visitor footfall to the country.
Oman overlooks the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman, and the Arabian Gulf. It is a land of heritage and natural beauty with mountains and greenery everywhere. It is the best escape for your summer vacation, with the nice moderate weather and wide array of activities for everyone to enjoy.
Dubai is world's busiest international airport again
Dubai International Airport handled 13 million passengers in the first seven months of 2021…reports Asian Lite News
Dubai International Airport (DXB) reclaimed the top spot as the Busiest International Airport in the World this month as capacity through the Middle East hub returned in earnest, said OAG, a global travel data provider.
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), which occupied the top position for some time, moved into second place and Europe’s other big hubs are also catching up with Frankfurt (FRA) moving into 3rd place and London Heathrow (LHR) into 4th, it said.
Dubai is world’s busiest international airport again
There are eight European airports in the Top 10 Busiest International Airports this month. Antalya (AYT) in 9th place is up from 32nd in October 2019, and Vienna (VIE) is 10th from 22nd two years ago.
Meanwhile, Dubai International Airport handled 13 million passengers in the first seven months of 2021.
Senior Dubai officials project passenger traffic to see significant growth in the next six months on the back of Expo 2020.
“Government took strategic decisions and offered the right incentives to enable the country to overcome the effects of the pandemic and put us in the right position to lead the world’s economic recovery, and build bridges across the world to accelerate the recovery process, especially in aviation and tourism sectors,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), chairman of Dubai Airports and chairman and CEO of Emirates Group.
According to its figures, the UAE-UK route is the third busiest so far in October with more than 217,000 seats.
In fact, four of the top 10 busiest international routes start or end in Dubai, connecting Riyadh, London Heathrow, Bahrain and Jeddah with the UAE.
Only routes between Antalya in Turkey and Moscow Sheremetyevo (270,402) and between Dubai and Saudi capital Riyadh (240,938) registered more seats this month.
The recovery has been boosted by the UK’s decision to reopen the travel corridor between it and the UAE while the UAE’s conditional lifting of travel restrictions for passengers arriving from four countries in the Indian subcontinent as well as Nigeria and Uganda have also delivered.
India continued to be DXB’s top destination country by traffic volume in the first half with passenger numbers exceeding 1.9 million, followed by Pakistan, Russia and Egypt.
Earlier this month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Middle East carriers are expected to see a very limited improvement in their financial performance from a $6.8 billion loss in 2021 to a $4.6 billion loss in 2022 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact.
It said that without large domestic markets, the region’s major carriers rely significantly on connecting traffic, especially to Asia-Pacific which has been slow to re-open to international traffic.
Globally, IATA said net industry losses are expected to reduce to $11.6 billion in 2022 after a $51.8 billion loss in 2021. Net 2020 loss estimates have been revised to $137.7 billion (from $126.4 billion). Adding these up, total industry losses in 2020-2022 are expected to reach $201 billion.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the red category would remain “as a precautionary measure” in case it was needed later…reports Asian Lite News.
Britain on Thursday said it was removing the last seven countries on its travel “red list,” meaning travelers vaccinated against the coronavirus will no longer have to quarantine in a government-approved hotel after arriving in the U.K.
The countries are Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. Once the change takes effect at 4 a.m. (0400GMT) on Monday, fully vaccinated travelers will no longer have to stay in a quarantine hotel for 11 nights at a cost of more than 2,000 pounds ($3,000).
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the red category would remain “as a precautionary measure” in case it was needed later.
He said Britain will also recognize vaccinations given in more than 30 additional countries, including Peru and Uganda, bringing the total to more than 135.
At one time there were dozens of countries on the red list, with other nations classed as amber, for medium risk, or green for low risk. Britain scrapped the amber and green categories on Oct. 4 and removed most countries from the red list three weeks ago.
Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said the latest move was “a welcome and a significant step forward to normalizing international travel.”
The U.K. government only makes health policy for England, but Scotland and Wales said they would mirror the changes. The Welsh government expressed concern, however, that the change increased the chances of a new, more severe or vaccine-resistant strain of the coronavirus reaching the U.K.
Britain has had one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, with more than 140,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths.
Israel has lifted an official travel warning for trips to Morocco which has been in effect for the past 10 years…reports Asian Lite News
“It has been decided to cancel the travel warning for Morocco that has been in place for over a decade,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office said in a statement.
The move came following a recommendation by the National Security Council to cancel the official warning, reports Xinhua news agency.
Israel lifts official travel warning to Morocco
“This decision was made in light of an assessment of the situation according to which the estimated threat level in Morocco has declined,” the office said.
However, the office recommended Israelis to “continue showing increased alert” while travelling in Morocco.
The shift came as ties between the two counties have been warming up in the wake of the signing of the US-brokered normalization deal in December 2020.
The UAE is allowing fully-vaccinated citizens to travel to countries on travel curb list from today…reports Asian Lite News
The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) have updated the travel protocol of UAE citizens, travelling to countries on travel curbs list.
The move aims to promote the country’s strategy in the recovery phase, enhance the gradual openness in all vital sectors as well as to manage a gradual return to normalcy.
The new update allows citizens – who received the full doses of the approved COVID-19 vaccines – to travel. Meanwhile, the protocol prohibits travel for citizens who did not receive the full doses of the vaccine, except for the UAE diplomatic missions, patients, as well as humanitarian cases, and those who are studying abroad on scholarships, provided that prior approval is obtained from the official authorities.
Citizens returning from those countries are required to present a valid negative COVID-19 PCR test result with a QR code for a test conducted within 48 hours from the time of departure as well as presenting the result of another Rapid PCR Test that was conducted not more than 6 hours before the departure time at the airport of the destination.
The protocol indicated that vaccinated travellers must take a PCR test upon arrival and take two more PCR tests on the fourth and eighth days.
For the unvaccinated travellers, they must take a PCR test upon arrival, quarantine for 10 days and take another test on the ninth day.
The protocol also covered a number of departure requirements, including registering in the ‘Tawajudi’ service and uploading a negative PCR test result valid for 48 hours and the itinerary, along with adhering to the destination requirements and procedures.
The two entities also advise travelers to visit health centres in the event of symptoms or infection with the virus and to notify the UAE’s embassy in that country. The protocol also advised people above the age of 70 not to travel to maintain their health and safety.
Passenger numbers in the three months to the end of September recovered to 28 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, while cargo climbed to 90 per cent of its levels in the equivalent period in 2019…reports Asian Lite News.
Heathrow airport has warned that air travel may not recover to pre-Covid levels until 2026 despite improving passenger numbers in the past three months, as it reported that losses since the start of the pandemic have reached £3.4bn, The Guardian reported.
The airport said international travel could be “on the cusp of a recovery” but it faced a “long road ahead”, the report said.
Heathrow reported its first quarter of passenger growth since the start of the pandemic as the loosening of restrictions begins to unleash pent-up demand.
Heathrow reported a loss of just over £1bn for the nine months to the end of September, compared with a loss of £786m in the same months last year. The company warned in its results announcement that traffic may not recover fully for up to five years, the report added.
John Holland-Kaye, the Heathrow chief executive, said the UK was “on the cusp of a recovery which will unleash pent-up demand, create new quality jobs and see Britain’s trade roar back to life… But it risks a hard landing unless secured for the long haul.”
Passenger numbers in the three months to the end of September recovered to 28 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, while cargo climbed to 90 per cent of its levels in the equivalent period in 2019.
Despite the increase in recent months, Heathrow’s losses have grown over the year as a whole. Passenger numbers for the first nine months reached 10.2 million, compared with 19 million for the same period last year, the report said.
Latest research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows Europe’s Travel and Tourism sector’s year on year recovery may only achieve a growth of 23.9 per cent this year.
WTTC says this slow recovery is due to travel restrictions throughout the year, particularly in the first half, which continued to hinder the sector’s recovery. Before the pandemic struck, Europe’s Travel and Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP represented €1.92 trillion (9.5 per cent of the total economy). However, according to the research, and based on the current rate of recovery, the sector’s contribution to GDP could see an increase of less than a quarter (23.9 per cent) in 2021, falling behind the expected growth of the global sector of 30.7 per cent.
Travel might need more planning these days and we’re here to help.
The data also reveals that in 2022, Travel and Tourism’s contribution to the European economy could see a further year on year rise of 38 per cent, representing an increase of €439 billion. Although far from pre-pandemic levels, the growth of the sector has seen a slight rise due to the successful vaccination rollout, and intra-European mobility, supported by the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate, which was launched in early July 2021. But with borders closed internationally, Europe has struggled to recover.
The global tourism body says whilst the surge in domestic travel has provided some relief, it is not enough to achieve the full recovery the region needs in order to salvage Europe’s economy and millions of jobs.
Embrace yourself in the tranquillity of India’s hidden gardens and green spaces. Have a picnic in the park or simply uncover its lesser-known beauty with a stroll to indulge in the most enchanting pathways in this oasis.
Local travel has risen to the forefront as it remains an easier, safer, and often more sustainable travel option as a result of the pandemic. Staying closer to home continues to retain its importance on the travel agenda as research by Booking.com reveals that more than half (59 per cent) of Indian travelers are planning to travel within their own country, with 43 per cent want to visit places of interest they normally overlook and 50 per cent look to take the time to appreciate the natural beauty of India. The travel platform shares some tips on how to be a tourist, as travellers demonstrate enthusiasm to explore and experience incredible India with a fresh outlook.
Book a Unique Place to Stay
Boutique stays continue to trend with Indians, as 74 per cent of travelers plan to stay in a unique accommodation for their next trip. Alternative accommodation listings (homes, holiday homes, villas, beach homes, boathouses, etc.) have seen growth in demand last year in the pandemic. While travelling domestically, you can experience the destination uniquely by booking alternative accommodations (for example tree houses) that will complement the destination and enhance the experience it has to offer.
Indulge in a wellness destination
Escapism has always been crucial for travellers. Close to half (47 per cent) of Indian travellers are seeking simple, relaxing trips to get away from it all. If you are looking to get pampered for the day or stay for a wellness weekend and experience pure bliss on your next trip, you should head to Varkala. Varkala is one of the top three most endorsed destinations for wellness by Indian travellers on Booking.com. This town located along the coast of Kerala, with palm-covered red cliffs and golden beaches, instills a sense of calmness for you to unwind. You will find several wellness studios, and ashrams throughout the destination, including on the beach, where you can spot several impromptu classes being organized. The destination’s hot springs are believed to provide mineral water that has medicinal properties, which add to its wellness appeal. Varkala has also become popular for the growing ‘Naturopathy’ practised in several of its Ayurvedic centres. So you can add ayurvedic massages to your to-do list to de-stress your mind and body.
Visit Lesser-Known Markets
India is full of charming markets you should visit at least once. Skip the beaten track and discover the hidden gems and authenticity of India by travelling to not-so-known markets often overlooked by tourists and coveted by locals. West Bengal is home to several lesser-explored wonders. But one of the unexplored gems you could consider is Mandarmani, a seaside village offering captivating views of rural Bengal. Along the way, you will find plenty of local markets that trade in fish, cashew nuts, vegetables and oils. Some of these markets include Digha Mohana, Radhamoni and Ramnagar fish market. While in Mandarmani you can also make your way to Mandarmani beach and indulge in authentic seaside Bengali cuisine and photography. And if you are looking for some adventure, you can also explore jet ski rides, banana boat rides and parachute rides along the beach.
Travel Through Time and Shop Vintage
Step back in time with a visit to this vintage shopping district in India and get a glimpse of its fashion and style through the decades. With its great value, rare finds and the possibility to uncover the hidden tales of the past, you never know what you may discover. Jew Town in Kerala is a narrow street between Mattancherry Palace and the Paradesi Synagogue famous for its antiques. If vintage interests you, then you will find abundance in the antique shops on this popular street. The artefacts you will come across date back to the colonial period in the relic shops. Even the houses in the area are inspired by medieval Portuguese-style architecture.
Discover Secret Gardens
Embrace yourself in the tranquility of India’s hidden gardens and green spaces. Have a picnic in the park or simply uncover its lesser-known beauty with a stroll to indulge in the most enchanting pathways in this oasis. Aaraku Valley in Andhra Pradesh is an unexplored cove of biodiversity, full of captivating flora and fauna. Padmapuram Gardens, located 2.5 km from Aaraku Valley is 26 acres of natural beauty that dates back to World War II. The rose gardens and jackfruit trees in this place are among the most visited spots. The entire garden can be explored in a special train operated by the place. And if you wish to spend a night among all the plants, you can book a stay in the hanging cottages in this botanical garden.
And finally, act like a tourist
Visit the local Welcome/Information Center, take a city pamphlet from the hotel lobby, embrace a bit of history and culture and join a museum tour, take silly photos of yourself in front of tourist spots, eat at a popular restaurant, and visit the most well-known attractions that people travel the world to see.
