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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.

Seychelles to open for all from March 25

The Indian Ocean island destination of Seychelles has announced that it will be welcoming visitors from across the globe, irrespective of their vaccination status, from March 25, 2021. Visitors from South Africa will still not be permitted to enter Seychelles for the time being until further review. The announcement was made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde in a press briefing.

Visitors will now only be required to present a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to departure. There will be no quarantine requirement or restriction on movement upon entry into Seychelles. Additionally, the minimum stay in establishments upon arrival will no longer be applicable.

However, visitors will still be required to adhere to other public health measures put in place in view of the pandemic which include wearing of face masks, social distancing, regular sanitisation or washing of hands. The new measures also give visitors access to all communal area within the hotel premises inclusive of bars, swimming pools, spas and kid’s clubs.

Minister Radegonde stated that the decision to review and relax the entry procedures in the country has been made possible in view of the success registered in the aggressive vaccination campaign that the country embarked on earlier in the year. “The vaccination campaign has been quite successful. The government has done everything in its power to make sure that the population is protected. We have now arrived at the point where opening our borders further is the next step to allow for our economic recovery. The measures being announced reflect broadly the recommendation of our tourism partners and have been done in full consultation with and the endorsement of our health authorities,” he said.

Commenting on the reopening of the destination, Lubaina Sheerazi, CEO, BRANDit, the marketing and PR office for Seychelles Tourism Board in India said, “As Indians are looking for more destination choices to travel internationally, Seychelles opening up to India without any restrictions comes at a great time when people are ready to emerge out of their Covid-19 cocoons and plan trips abroad. Being a dynamic country with a lot to offer to tourists, we are excited to motivate the trade and consumers to plan their next getaway in Seychelles”.

Emirates offers passengers a chance to purchase the adjoining seats

With demand for air travel still low in the wake of the pandemic, Emirates has begun offering passengers a chance to purchase the empty seats in economy class. Up to three adjoining seats on a flight will be offered to all economy class customers holding a confirmed booking. However, customers will not be able to pre-book empty seats, as these are subject to availability.

Empty seats will only be offered for purchase at the airport check-in counter prior to flight departure, with applicable taxes depending on flight sector. Emirates said it had introduced this new seat product on the back of customer feedback, addressing the needs of a range of customers seeking extra privacy and space while still flying in economy.

This might include couples who wish to have the row to them, parents travelling with in-lap infants or those who simply want the added assurance of more space while travelling during the pandemic.

Jumeirah Group appoints Connect Worldwide as India GSA

India is a key market for the UAE-based Jumeirah Group which has announced the appointment of Connect Worldwide (CWW) as its global sales agent in India. The partnership will include sales and marketing management for clients from the corporate, MICE and leisure segments, and support services for the luxury hotel group from the Indian market.

Jumeirah Group is a global luxury hotel company and member of Dubai Holding, a diversified global company with operations in 13 countries across 10 sectors, including hospitality as well as leisure and entertainment. As a luxury hospitality chain, the group operates 26 Jumeirah branded properties internationally across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Jumeirah properties regularly host various Bollywood celebrities, top businessmen, extravagant Indian weddings, etc. MICE and corporate travel are significant contributors to its kitty.

“Indian guests have always been of great importance to Jumeirah as one of our top source markets across the global portfolio. We see Connect Worldwide’s appointment as a reflection of the immense efforts invested in this market, and as a further step to ensuring our exemplary offering is aligned with their unique needs, whether that’s for leisure, dining or family experiences or the crafting of unique, personalised stays,” Alexander Lee, the chief commercial officer of Jumeirah Group commented. “We welcome Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts as our newest travel partner,” said Eric Otto, the president and CEO of Connect Worldwide.

“The CWW India team with its robust sales and distribution support looks forward to re-engaging the market with Jumeirah's portfolio of hotels,” said Vasudha Sondhi, the managing director, CWW India.

BLS International to process Thai visa in India

BLS International, a tech-enabled specialty service provider for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, commences accepting visa applications for the Embassy of Thailand in New Delhi. The company has expertise in providing visa, consular, citizen, e-governance, attestation, biometric, e-visa and retail services across the globe. With this contract, BLS International will be providing visa application services through its centres.

“We are pleased to partner with the Embassy of Thailand and will ensure a smooth, efficient and delightful experience for the applicants. Our endeavour has always been to facilitate best-in-class services to the travellers by creating value for our stakeholders. We at BLS have reinvented the wheel of visa services by making it a holistic solution with dedicated and professional teams that bring highest levels of customer satisfaction,” Shikhar Aggarwal, the joint managing director, BLS International said.

ITB Berlin NOW: Raising awareness of social responsibility in tourism

Committing to sustainable, fair and socially responsible tourism has been one of the top priorities of ITB Berlin organisers over the years. This year too, awards, lectures and presentations on climate protection, human rights and social equality will be the focus of ITB Berlin NOW. At the virtual event taking place from March 9 to 12, participants can watch the live presentations of the Celebrating Her Awards and TO DO Awards, exchange views with numerous exhibitors and organisations from around the world and meet at the ITB Responsible Tourism Café.

The key players and many interested users will come together on the ITB Berlin Responsible Tourism Brand Card. This is where visitors can engage virtually with NGOs such as ECPAT, The Code, Tourism Watch/Brot für die Welt, Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V., Atmosfair, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN). The Blue Yonder, the event’s long-standing ITB Responsible Tourism Partner, will also take part in this virtual edition, as will Marianna McGill, who for many years has organised the ITB PowWow. In 2021, the Dutch non-profit organisation Green Destinations will again present the 100 Top Green Destinations with the ITB Earth Award. Every day, users can network, follow up ideas and plan joint projects at the ITB Responsible Tourism Café, which is presented by Georgia, this year’s Digital Adventure & Sustainability Partner.

Numerous organisations and tour operators will also host their own presentations on new projects and developments at ITB Berlin NOW. This year, Taiwan will focus on cycle tours and Finland will present a seven-stage programme in support of sustainable tourism. Panama and other destinations will have information on measures to protect biodiversity. Indonesia, Scotland and Slovenia will also impress with their sustainable tourism programmes. Visitors can find out about sustainable cross-border recovery projects in nature reserves such as the Wadden Sea. Myclimate, an organisation dedicated to offsetting carbon emissions, will show ways to reduce emissions and save costs. Green Tiny Houses will also be on the agenda as well as a discussion on whether the MICE industry can be a sustainability leader.


India Outbound is a publication of Media India Group