Taking baby steps towards Tourism Revival
International Air Transport Association (IATA) is in the final development phase of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health pass that will support the safe reopening of borders. International destinations are yet to open borders, few flights have resumed. Quarantine protocols are on and testing continues, let us find out what the experts have to say.
Post vaccine the situation will improve
Subhash Goyal, Chairman - STIC Travel Group and Hony. Secretary- Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) feels that, “The travel pass as suggested by IATA is the only solution for people to have confidence in international travel just like the WHO yellow fever vaccine certificate. IATA Travel Pass is a digital health pass that will support the safe reopening of borders. This travel pass is expected to manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories, and travellers.”
Pronab Sarkar, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), stated, “For air travel, travel-pass with corona vaccination shall be a big boost to the flying passengers for both domestic and International. At the time, when International tourism starts a travel pass giving certificate for Corona Vaccination will be an effective tool to ensure Covid compliance for the countries. Post vaccine the situation will ease as the pass is likely to have the authentication on vaccination. All these will usher in safety, confidence to travel to a destination and maintain the health guidelines and protocols. International Airlines shall make it mandatory to obtain such passes before boarding the aircraft. Now we have heard the news worldwide that a few Corona Vaccines are nearly ready for marketing and distribution, we feel that the International air travel shall be back on track within next 3 to 4 months’ time. Many countries are going to make it compulsory for the air travellers to obtain Corona Vaccine Passport for travel to and from the country of origin and return.”
Fear is not letting the travellers travel
Pradip Lulla, Acting President – Travel Agents federation of India (TAFI), feels that, “The IATA Travel pass, will largely only assist to make travel more convenient but not increase the volume numbers that is possible only when the mental physiology of the passenger is managed with the introduction of the Covid 19 vaccine. It is the fear that is not letting the travellers to come forward to travel.”
He went on to say, “We welcome the infrastructure facility that IATA is proposing as it will largely assist in authenticating the validity of the tests being undertaken specially the Covid 19 tests and match it with the individuals passport details. Recognized laboratories that can conduct these tests will be able to share these tests details through the introduction of a APP that IATA is working on as a addon to the Timatic that verifies that passenger is armed with the valid documents and border requirements before he/she is allowed to be boarded by the airline. The New Timatic App will provide travellers with accurate information on test requirements, where they can get tested or vaccinated, and the means to securely convey test information to airlines and immigration authorities. Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures, and provide verified test data matched with traveler identities in compliance with the immigration control requirements.”
Increase the testing and implement travel pass
Jyoti Mayal, President, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), said, “I as the President of TAAI and only travel and tourism association, have been continuously suggesting the government and all concerned ministries to effectively do RT PCR testing and travel pass to be implemented since last five months. This is crucial to allay the anxieties of tourists by ensuring that robust protocols for safety and hygiene are in place and for tracking the traveller. RTPCR/AB tests and health ppts will play a more important role to generate confidence both in the industry and traveller. Also, we need universal travel policies to be adopted with India and the world of – ‘NO QUARANTINE’. Most important would be correct implementation and procedures.”
Outbound tourism still a far cry
India is still undergoing spread of Covid 19 and no one knows if it is heading for the 3rd wave. Further, most of the European countries and USA and Canada are undergoing huge spread of Covid 19. Most of the European countries and India are imposing night curfew as we hear from the International and domestic news channels.
Pronab Sarkar added, “Under the present pandemic situation, it is very difficult to predict the future of starting the outbound tourism. No International borders are opened as yet and no country has opened its door for the tourists except Maldives and UAE. To say that the outbound tourism has started but in the larger prospective it is not yet started. Outbound tourism shall pick up once the international boarders are opened and International flights are also resumed and most importantly acceptability of Indian Tourists by those welcoming countries, whether they open visa for Indian Residents or not. We may have to wait for next 6 to 10 months when vaccination is successfully launched and completed in India and those countries opening the visa facilities.”
While Subhash Goyal added, “India outbound/inbound will pick up at least one year after the people start getting vaccinated. In the meantime, domestic tourism and MICE will sustain the industry.”
Govt needs to showcase credibility
On the resumption of international travel Lulla said, “The travel momentum is likely to pickup first in the domestic area as the confidence starts returning and the vaccine becomes a reality, then the outbound regional short routes will show momentum, before the long haul routes pickup. Only when the travel bubbles further lead to opening of the regular flight scheduled will there be movement on the inbound. Our government has to showcase its credibility that they can handle the safety measures only then inbound can show a move. Look what Maldives did to build the confidence by bringing visible Bollywood stars and then did a PR exercise to show case them.”
Free RT PCR testing at airports and better facilitation services
Jyoti Mayal went onto say, “Outbound tourism will certainly take time to revive. The whole process of vaccine distribution and its procedures will take time and after that the priorities in life of jobs and reestablishment of business would be much more important than tourism. Currently most countries have gone into a second lockdown because the moment people start moving around more than essential, there was a spike in the cases. Along with RTPCR testing we also need to have insurance, medical help and right information circulated to revive tourism for both outbound and inbound. The government needs to invest in free RT PCR testing at airports and better facilitation services. People even after months of lockdown forget to adopt the new norms which have been established, of social distancing, hygiene and sanitisation. Wearing of masks is very vital which people are overlooking.”
Observe all safety protocols to restart domestic tourism
Domestic tourism had picked up around the Diwali festivities especially with people opting for self-drive holidays. However, in the light of the third phase of Covid-19, many states have imposed night curfew, which has now adversely impacted tourism.
“Any restriction of movement will adversely affect domestic tourism; therefore, it is very important that we all work together to observe all safety protocols so that domestic tourism restarts,” said Goyal
“Amid rising coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases and apprehensions of a third wave, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal and other states are now imposing night curfew and doubling the fine for not wearing masks or not following social distancing norms. “Further changing the quarantine rules for passengers entry to the various states by flight and road are scaring the leisure travellers and dampening the holiday mood of the tourists. Viewing the above, in my opinion domestic tourists following the required SOPs will definitely restrict the number of tourists for domestic tourism”, said Pronab.
Lula added, “The new rules specially for inbound to Maharashtra will dampen the inbound numbers except the ones who have no choice to travel. This will surely restrict the domestic traveller.”
Domestic tourism is going to be the key market
On the recently imposed restrictions such as curfew, Mayal added, “Domestic tourism did start looking up but I believe the public at large needs to understand the gravity of Covid19. They have to realise the importance of wearing of mask, social distancing and sanitisation. The government and the media has very effectively guided and educated the entire population on the virus minutely, over the last nine months. The lockdown was eased in stages, the responsibility of the public towards themselves is most important. They need to continue to follow the norms and imbibe the protocols. They just cannot afford to become reckless as not only does it affect their own life but also of their families and people around them. Curfew as restriction is necessary to curb unnecessary socialising and moving around if the public is not themselves committed to the environment. Domestic tourism is going to be the key market for the next couple of months, till the time the vaccine is not distributed entirely to the entire country and we definitely need to encash the opportunity.”
“Tourism is the strength of our country’s economy and I believe a lot beyond testing still needs to be implemented. We need a revival package, incentivisation of domestic travel and a national task force under the aegis of the Prime Minister. We need beyond documents, discussions and speeches. TAAI is working very closely with Ministry of Tourism and Aviation to bring out the correct procedures and its implementation and will continue to do so,” concluded Mayal.
IMAGE: L-R (Jyoti Mayal, Subhash Goyal, Pradip Lulla, Pronab Sarkar)
