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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. India Outbound brings to you the latest trends of the market with in depth analysis.

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Air India will operate 75 flights in June to the U.S. and Canada

Air India has said that it will operate 75 outbound passenger flights to select destinations in the U.S. and Canada between June 9 and 30 under the Vande Bharat Mission. Although domestic passenger flight operations resumed in India from May 25 after a two-month lockdown, all scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India. ‘‘Those who wish to travel to the United States and Canada and fulfil the required entry conditions can book themselves on these outbound flights. Some foreign airlines have already carried out evacuation flights and are planning to operate more flights. These flights will also take foreign nationals,’’ Indian civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted. He said the 75 flights will go to destinations like Washington, San Francisco, New York, Newark, Chicago, Vancouver and Toronto. Bookings on these flights, ex India only, opens on June 5 only through Air India website, the national carrier said in a statement.

Sri Lanka Tourism to reopen in August with restrictions

Sri Lanka Tourism plans to reopen its doors for the visitors from August 1 by allowing only small groups of visitors to begin with. Kimali Fernando, chairperson of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), said a limited number of small groups from around the world would be allowed to visit from August and stay in approved five-star hotels that have put strict safety measures in place. Fernando confirmed that tourists will be required to carry a Covid-19-free certificate issued either by their governments or a reputed agency. Tourists would also need to wait on arrival at the airport for coronavirus testing.

Fernando also confirmed that individual traveller will still not be allowed to enter the country. Popular sites such as the Yala national park, Udawalawe, Arugam Bay, Trincomalee and a few selected beach areas would be among those open for tourists, whose temperatures would be monitored daily, he added. The country attracted around two million tourists last year with a huge share from India and the sector contributes around 11 pc to the nation's gross domestic product. Before the pandemic broke, Sri Lanka had extended the free visa-on-arrival scheme till April 30 for the citizens of 48 countries, including India. Tourism minister Prasanna Ranatunga had said that as the country tries to revive tourism which was hit by the Easter Sunday bombings, it is an important move by Sri Lanka Tourism to boost the tourist arrival numbers. With immediate blow of Covid-19 before Sri Lanka could ensure any recovery, it will now have to depend on small high-end groups from India which is in close proximity to the island nation than its other key source markets.

Seychelles starts lifting travel restrictions; keeps India out

Seychelles has announced a gradual and cautious easing of travel restrictions, which will see the recommencement of travel to the Indian Ocean islands as from June 1. A series of travel restrictions guidelines are in force during the month of June and will be reviewed periodically. The Seychelles health authorities have announced that during phase one of the re-opening of the Seychelles borders, only travellers from ‘low-risk’ countries arriving through private jets and chartered passenger direct flights will be granted entry. A USD50 health fee is applicable to cover the necessary screening for each passenger upon arrival. However, all passengers must provide proof of accommodation in an approved establishment for the entire period of stay and must show booking vouchers at immigration on entry. A total of 19 countries have been identified by the Public Health Authority as low risk (where the epidemic appears to be under control) and they will be able to travel to the archipelago from June 1 during this easing of Seychelles travel restrictions. While China gets a place in the first list, India remains absent from the same. The authorities will continue to monitor the situation in the following countries and entry could be considered with effect from mid-July 2020 to 17 more countries which also leaves India out while France and Italy make it to the second list.

Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau appoints new head

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) has appointed Gregg Caren to the position of president and CEO. Caren most recently served at the top spot of ASM Global (formerly SMG), operator of over 350 venues worldwide. He also served in various senior leadership positions while with the company for over 20 years. Julie Coker the outgoing head has moved on for another top tourism job in San Diego. In his new role, Caren will oversee the PHLCVB’s efforts to promote and sell Philadelphia as a premier destination for meetings, conventions, sporting events, overseas travellers, and group tour visitors. He will also serve as the chief liaison for the PHLCVB’s tourism and hospitality partners, including the Pennsylvania Convention Center, as well as national industry associations, and the City of Philadelphia. “The PHLCVB drives meaningful economic impact for our city and region. I’m truly looking forward to contributing to Philadelphia’s recovery efforts by leading the extremely talented team at the PHLCVB and working closely with the partners and stakeholders that help drive our tourism industry forward,” Caren commented.

Arabian Travel Market attempts virtual networking alternative

The Arabian Travel Market’s virtual event, ATM Virtual concluded on June 3, with the organisers claiming to have a total of 18,959 registrations from 152 countries including 490 media. The event included 14,385 pre-scheduled meetings and featured 23 live webinars, interviews, and pre-recorded roundtables. The participants agreed that tourism's bouncing back is incredibly important for the economic recovery of most of the nations. Besides brainstorming on revival strategies by various destinations and how airlines will survive, the discussion also featured investment opportunities as well as responsible tourism along with the use of better travel technology in a post-coronavirus landscape. ATM Virtual took place as a replacement of its original expo that takes place annually in the World Trade Centre, Dubai. Discussing Dubai’s future investment opportunities, Issam Kazim, the CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) said, “Dubai has a lot of multinational companies who have established their regional headquarters here. Dubai has a lot to offer these businesses in terms of systems and the different free zones giving companies the opportunity and flexibility to be able to practice their business in a way that is comfortable for them. The lifestyle of Dubai also makes it very easy for people to relocate. It simply becomes an offer too good to refuse.”


India Outbound is a publication of Media India Group