Read in Browser

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.

Thailand reduces quarantine for international arrivals, to open Phuket shortly

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced that the Royal Thai government has endorsed issuing a Covid-19 vaccination certificate in the kingdom while approving shorter quarantine periods for international arrivals. Both measures take effect from April 1 until further notice.

Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has announced the latest guidelines on Covid-19 prevention measures and quarantine requirements for international arrivals involving certain groups of people currently permitted to enter Thailand which mainly include groups on government invitation, emergency services, work permit, student, medical treatment except for Covid-19 and not for general tourism purposes.

Quarantine will be reduced to seven days for international arrivals who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with a vaccine, approved, and registered with the MoPH or approved by the WHO, no less than 14 days before the travelling date. However, they must be from countries with no mutated strain of the SAR-CoV-2 virus as announced and constantly updated by the MoPH.

Vaccinated international arrivals who are unable to present a valid vaccine certificate, an original paper or a print-out of an online vaccine certificate, to the International Port Health Control at the port of arrival, will be subjected to no less than a 10-day quarantine.

In order to be eligible to enter in Thailand, international arrivals still need to have all of their advance arrangements in good order for arrival and entry. Travellers are recommended to enquire at the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in their home country for more details. All arrivals are subject to be traced by an electronic tracking system for a specified period.

Meanwhile, TAT has announced that Phuket will be the first destination in Thailand to reopen to vaccinated foreign visitors without quarantine requirements from July 1 as a pilot case as part of the large plan of the country to open in stages.

South African Tourism and Netflix form a collaboration with South Africa as the Star

South African Tourism (SA Tourism) and Netflix, one of the world’s leading streaming services, have agreed to explore joint opportunities in the form of a partnership that will benefit both organisations to showcase stories made in South Africa, and watched by the world.

The agreement will allow for exploration and collaboration on projects both in South Africa and in key source markets that drive international arrivals to the country.

Since Netflix’s launch in South Africa in 2016, the company has dedicated itself to investing in productions (original and licensed content) that are made in South Africa and bringing these unique and diverse stories to the world. Currently, the service is available to 204 million members in 190 countries around the world and continues to showcase South African culture, fashion, music, art, scenery and languages through stories made in South Africa by local and international creators.

To date, the streaming service has released a diverse slate of content from South Africa across different genres including; Netflix original series like Queen Sono, Blood & Water, How To Ruin Christmas: The Wedding, Kings of Joburg; films like Seriously Single, Catching Feelings, Santana, Baby Mamas, Keeping up with the Kandasamys (covering the Indian diaspora) and most recently; the Oscar-nominated nature documentary My Octopus Teacher and Netflix’s first original stand-up show, Loyiso Gola’s Unlearning.

Netflix has also brought stories from other parts of the world filmed in South Africa, like the films Holiday in the Wild and Last Days of American Crime as well as global Netflix series, Sacred Games, The Crown, Black Mirror and Kissing Booth (1 & 2). Through these stories that transcend beyond Mzansi borders, the local creative industry has benefitted, on and off-screen, from the opportunity to showcase their art and talent on a global stage.

“As we continue to lure the world to our beautiful country in these trying times, we have to look at non-traditional tourism partnerships as a source of driving arrivals,” explains Sisa Ntshona, the CEO of SA Tourism.

“Netflix reaches millions of eyeballs globally, and by working closely with Netflix, we are able to latch onto a massive opportunity to influence the audience to think more closely about South Africa and thus convincing them to visit our country,” Sisa added.

“We have 11 global country offices and there will always be opportunities for our international offices in key source markets to latch onto opportunities to showcase South Africa through the title Netflix launch,” he concluded.

Tourism Malaysia plans more digital activity for India

In a virtual press meet jointly conducted for the media of India and the United Arab Emirates, Tourism Malaysia top officials answered questions on their plans for their current and immediate future plans on both the markets. While updating the media on the necessary precautions that the country has implemented to ensure the safety of all travellers that will come when the borders open Tourism Malaysia stressed how important India is as a source market.

“India and the Middle East have been a key source markets for us mainly due to the historical and traditional ties we have with them. Summer has always been a key Middle East market driver as we receive many travellers during this period whilst the month of May is the peak for Indian tourists. Over the past year, however, the pandemic did hinder the situation, but now we are preparing once again to welcome our friends from India and the Middle East to a safer destination which would provide them what they require in terms of a secure, family-friendly holiday escape,” said Manoharan Periasamy, senior director of international promotion, Asia & Africa Division – Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board.

India remains one of the top source markets for Malaysia and contributed 735,309 international tourist arrivals in 2019. Malaysia had a missed opportunity as they had lots of plans to conduct a great Visit Malaysia Year 2020 which was shattered by the pandemic. In 2021, Malaysia is promoting the hashtag #WeMissYou to the key source markets indicating that the country can't wait to see them again at the Malaysian shores again.

“This year our concentration of campaigns and promotions will be majorly driven by digital exercises as clearly that is the way forward. Through various webinars, social media activities, and engagements we will try our best to stay connected with our audience. However, we will continue to engage in a few traditional ways, but the pandemic has taught us how to survive remotely and we will do our best to utilise the digital technology to its best,’’ Manoharan told India Outbound.

SITE India elects a new board to push incentive travel business

SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), an association of 2,500 members located in 90 countries, working with corporations, agencies, airlines, cruise companies channelled across the entire destination supply chain has its India chapter active since 2013.

SITE India Chapter has declared its new board for 2021-2023 with Nitin Sachdeva of TCEB serving as the president and a host of distinguished industry members joining the board as members and mentors with plans to conduct various activities that will help its members and associate partners to not only drive business but provide the necessary tools and education to get ahead in the incentive travel business.

Willie Walsh becomes the new director-general of IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Willie Walsh has become the new director-general of the organisation. He succeeds Alexandre de Juniac. “IATA has been at the forefront of efforts to restart global connectivity, including developing the IATA Travel Pass. Less visible but of equal importance, airlines continue to rely on IATA’s financial settlement systems, Timatic and other vital services to support their day-to-day operations. I am grateful to Alexandre for leaving behind a strong organisation and a motivated team. Together, the IATA team is absolutely focused on restoring the freedom of movement that airlines provide to billions of people around the world. That means your freedom to visit friends and family, to meet critical business partners, to secure and retain vital contracts, and to explore our wonderful planet,” said Walsh.

Walsh joins IATA after a 40-year career in the airline industry. He retired from the International Airlines Group (IAG), the owner of British Airways and several other carriers, in September 2020 after serving as its CEO since its inception in 2011. Prior to that, he was the CEO of British Airways and before that the CEO of Aer Lingus.


India Outbound is a publication of Media India Group