Author: holidayweekly

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines formally joined hands with National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) to work together to fulfill the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan for a Clean and Green Pakistan. An MoU was signed by Chief Executive Officer PIA, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, and NFEH President Naeem Qureshi. PIA and NFEH will jointly conduct and promote tree plantations in Karachi and other cities of Pakistan. The tree plantation drive will commence from 14th February and continue till the end of this year. PIA has been participating in tree plantation drive for the past couple of years…

NEW DELHI: Come February 14, India will toss out mandatory quarantine and pre-arrival Covid PCR tests for all international travelers coming into the country. In place of a pre-arrival negative PCR test result, the new requirement only calls for international travelers to submit their primary vaccination schedule completion certificate. This exemption is available to vaccinated travelers from 82 countries that also extend quarantine-free access to Indian nations. Such countries include Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, the US, and the UK. India removes more barriers for international travel into the country; Indira Gandhi International Airport pictured The announcement, made yesterday…

ISLAMABAD: Hashoo Hotels, Pakistan’s leading hospitality brand, has unveiled the next chapter in its mission to change the way people travel, offering an alternative to conventional methods. Pearl-Continental Hotels is rolling out its PC Mobile App, including a range of new and exciting features. Speaking about the app, the Deputy Chairman and CEO of Hashoo Group, Mr. Murtaza Hashwani said, “With the introduction of PC Mobile App, Hashoo Hotels aims to further improve the quality of hospitality experience, with high-tech, seamless solutions for its valued customers. The desire to be the catalyst for positive change and to create the best…

DOHA: Qatar Airways scheduled flights to Multan, Pakistan, will resume on February 22, with a three weekly service and taking it to four weekly, effective March 27 after the airline halted flying to Multan in March 2020 over pandemic concerns. The route will be operated by Airbus A320 offering seats in Business Class and Economy Class. With the addition of three weekly flights to Multan, passengers can now enjoy seamless connectivity to over 140 destinations across the airline’s extensive global network via the best airport in the world, Hamad International Airport, including popular destinations across the Middle East, Europe and…

PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Tourism Coordination Azam Jamil on Wednesday said that federal government would provide all possible support to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for promotion of tourism and cultural activities in the province. During his visit to the provincial metropolis, he said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the preferred destination for domestic and international tourists because of its abundant natural beauty and rich diverse cultural heritage. Secretary Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums and Youth Affairs Amir Sultan Tarin and the PM aide later visited the Peshawar Museum, Gor Khatri, Sethi House and Heritage Trail. Director Archaeology Dr…

LONDON: Ineffective travel restrictions imposed by the UK government to combat Omicron caused an estimated £7 billion loss to the UK economy last year. This was due to a drop in contributions from the embattled tourism sector, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The “attack on tourism” at the end of last year until January proved ineffective at halting Omicron and “devastating for the sector,” the body said. The new figures come from research carried out by the WTTC, which represents the global tourism private sector. WTTC also revealed that the global tourism sector’s contribution to the…

MADRID: The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zurab Pololikashvili has joined the Minister of Tourism of Italy Massimo Garavaglia to officially launch the first Global Youth Tourism Summit. Set to take place in Sorrento, Italy from 27 June to 3 July, the Summit will bring children and youth from every global region together, giving them a platform to share their vision and hopes for the sector. In line with UNWTO’s commitment to youth empowerment, the initiative will also allow participants to network with leaders from the worlds of politics and business, making them a part of the decision-making…

NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary panel called on the Indian government to change the ‘GAY’ airport code for Gaya International Airport. It asked government officials to take it up with the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As Gaya is a holy city, they deemed it ‘inappropriate.’ They want it replaced and suggested an alternative code such as ‘YAG’. Under IATA rules, there needs to be a ‘justifiable reason related to air safety to authorize a change. “The GAY code for Gaya has been in use since the operationalization of this airport, therefore, without any justifiable reason primarily concerning air safety, IATA…

LONDON: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) believes the global travel and tourism sector could contribute $8.6 trillion in global GDP this year. In 2019, before the pandemic struck, the sector generated nearly $9.2 trillion for the global economy. However, in 2020, the pandemic brought the sector to an almost complete halt, causing a massive 49.1% drop. The latest research from WTTC shows that as the world finally begins to recover, the sector’s contribution to the global economy and jobs could reach almost pre-pandemic levels if the recovery continues to pick up the pace. This is dependent on the…

DOHA: Qatar Airways has been locked for months in a legal dispute with Europe’s Airbus manufacturer over “serious and legitimate safety concerns” after delivery of A350 jets. Qatar’s state-owned airline is seeking compensation, saying the flawed planes forced it to ground 21 of its fleet of 53 Airbus A350s in both its 1000 and 900 series. Qatar’s national carrier raised concerns over the state of its A350s in November 2020 when an attempt to repaint a five-year-old jet in World Cup livery exposed about 980 defects. According to a Reuters news agency investigation, at least five other airlines, including Finnair,…