JAKARTA: The Indonesian government is still considering whether to give Bali the green light to reopen to international visitors in September. The travel ban on foreigners that the central government has set since April to curb the spread of coronavirus is likely not to be revoked by then, although the Bali administration has made known that the island is ready to receive international tourists from September 11. Reopening the country to international tourists is a “very positive” move, but the government is seeking the right timing to do that, said state-owned enterprises minister Erick Thohir, who is also chairman of…
Author: holidayweekly
NEW YORK American Airlines will stop flying to 15 cities in October as it downsizes its network and prepares to furlough or lay off workers and when the CARES Act requirements on air service expire. The CARES Act mandated that airlines taking federal funds must continue to operate to all the cities in their networks as of March this year. The Transportation Department (DOT) has granted a number of exemptions to the rule: If, for example, a city was served by a number of airlines or if service to a nearby airport sufficed to ensure the population had access to…
AUSTRALIA: Yet another sign of how uncontrolled the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. is came from Australian carrier Qantas. CEO Alan Joyce said the company likely won’t resume its U.S. routes until the end of 2021, and only if an effective vaccine or therapeutic is found to control the spread of the disease. Qantas shut down its international operation early on, as Australia imposed strict travel restrictions to contain the virus. The carrier operated dozens of repatriation flights to bring Australians back from China, Japan, and the U.S. But Joyce believes the international network won’t restart until about July of…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has sacked several senior officials including security commanders over corruption in major tourism projects, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Those dismissed by royal decree include the governors of the Red Sea coastal cities of Umluj and Al-Wajh, the head of border security and other local commanders, as well as officials from the Interior Ministry. They are under investigation for facilitating encroachment on government lands that are part of tourism projects under development along the Red Sea coast in the historic city of AlUla and the mountain resort of Abha. The violations had a “great impact on…
BEIJING: Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) has introduced a contactless experience for its passengers, in what SITA has called its most extensive biometric deployment to date. BCIA joins the many airports around the world, including Singapore’s Changi Airport, which are undergoing digital makeovers to create touch-free experiences in a bid to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Biometrics and contactless technologies mean passengers can now glide through the Beijing Capital International airport in an entirely touch-free experience As the busiest airport in China and the second busiest in the world, BCIA has completely automated the entire passenger journey using SITA…
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has accorded approval to the launching of the historic Steam Safari Train service to boost tourism in the province. [huge_it_slider id=”568″] Secretary Sports, Tourism and Culture Department Abid Majeed while giving details said that under the project, the steam safari train would chug on two rail routes to take tourists and passengers to the two historical destinations. He said that on one route, the steam safari will take tourists and passengers from Peshawar to Attock Khurd while on the other route it will take tourists from the provincial capital to the historic archeological…
The cost of the restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is there for all to see. Between January and May, the sudden and rapid fall in tourist arrivals cost an estimated $320 billion. That’s three times greater than the impact of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 on our sector – and this is just for the first five months of the year. The re-opening of borders to tourism is a welcome relief to millions who depend on our sector. But this alone is not enough, especially in view of recent announcements and measures which seem further…
MANAMA: Bahrain has lifted the compulsory 10-day quarantine for all incoming passengers who report negative, following their test upon arrival in Bahrain and being informed of the result. This decision is one of the key steps announced by the Government Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, Health, a Bahrain news Agency report said. The decisions follow consideration of a Covid-19 periodic revision report submitted by the National Medical Task Force for Combatting the Coronavirus (Covid-19), headed by HE Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed…
LONDON: Heathrow Airport has installed a Covid-19 testing facility ahead of a potential change in government policy on quarantine. Developed by Collinson and Swissport, the service enables arriving passengers to be tested for Covid-19 upon landing and know the result hours later. More than 13,000 passenger tests can be carried out each day using the existing facility, which can be further scaled with demand. It is hoped that with approval from the government, people testing negative during the process will be allowed to exit quarantine early. The announcement that the testing facility is ready, comes as airport-based Covid-19 testing is…
DOHA: Qatar Airways has paid out over US$1.2 billion in refunds to almost 600,000 passengers since March, after the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted their travel plans. This comes amid widespread complaints over airlines refusing refunds to passengers and travel agents over cancelled flights, after the global crisis forced carriers worldwide to ground fleets and suspend operations. Qatar Airways has paid out over USD $1.2 billion in passenger refunds since March Having received “unprecedented numbers of refund requests”, Qatar Airways said that it has processed 96 per cent of all refund requests since March 2020. The airline is now processing all new…