HolidayWeekly

The Voice of Tourism in Pakistan

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volume 47-2020

5th Thal Desert Jeep Rally | Sultan Wins The Crown

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MUZZAFARGRAH: The mega tourism event, the 5th Thal Desert Jeep Rally 2020 organized by Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab(TDCP)  concluded successfully.

Veteran off-road racer Sahibzada Sultan emerged victorious in the 5th Thal Desert Jeep Rally on Sunday, November 22.

He won the Category A race after completing the 105-kilometre distance in an hour, six minutes and 14 seconds.

This time, Mir Nadir Magsi and Roni Patel were not participating in the race due to coronavirus.

Asif Fazal Chaudhary and Faisal Khan Shadikhel finished at second and third positions respectively with their respective times of 1:07:06 and 1:07:56.

In B category, Muhammad Bilal Ashiq remained first, Muhammad Owais Khawani second and Asad Khan Shadikhel third.

In Stock category Female, Salma Khan Marwat remained first, Rakhshanda Jabeen second and Tashna Patel stood third.

Talking to the media, Salma Khan said it was a great moment for them as last year two women had participated, while the number was half a dozen this time.

Ibrahim Shah hailing from Islamabad won the motorbike race which was included for the first time in 5th Thal Desert jeep Rally where 7.5-kilometer distance was kept for six motorbike racers.

The prize distribution ceremony was held at Faisal Stadium Muzzafargarh. The ceremony was attended by Racers Co Racers, Media and social circles. Mr. Asif Mehmood Advisor to Chief Minister for Tourism and PHAs was the chief Guest.

TDCP was thankful Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan Federal Minister for Ministry of States and Frontier Regions and Muhammad Raza Hussain Bukhari, MPA and Parliamentary Secretary, Forestry, Fisheries & Wildlife for gracing the mega Event.

The Advisor to CM thanks Chief Minister, Secretary Tourism and District Government Muzzafargarh for their support and cooperation for organizing Event.

He further thanked to Media, senior Racers, Female Racers, MD TDCP and his team and sponsors for organizing this event in a befitting manner.

All winning participants were awarded cash prizes and shields. The awards were distributed by Federal Minister, Advisor to CM and MPA.

Talking to the media, Salma Khan said it was a great moment for them as last year two women had participated, while the number was half a dozen this time.

Promoting Products & Services | Bank Of Punjab & PIA Sign MoU

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KARACHI The Bank of Punjab (BOP) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) signed a landmark MOU, on 20th Nov. 2020, for promotion of BOP products and services at PIA infrastructure.

As per agreement, PIA will be making available collaterals such as boarding cards as well as space in PIA Offices to BOP for advertising its products and services. Speaking at the ceremony, Group Chief, Corporate & Investment Banking BOP, Mr. Farid Ahmed Khan said, “We are very excited today that a landmark MOU has been inked between BOP & PIA. This mutual agreement will provide us with the opportunity to reach out to millions of domestic & international passengers of our National Flag Carrier. It will serve as a great opportunity to promote BOP’s top of the line financial products & services, especially promotion of home remittance services to overseas Pakistanis.”

General Manager Brand Management PIA, Mr. Aamir Memon said, “It is a big day for PIA. I am especially thankful to President/CEO BOP, Mr. Zafar Masud and CEO PIA, Air Marshal Arshad Malik for their vital role in building a long-lasting partnership between both brands. We are always here to support BOP, as BOP has always supported us.”

Costing ‘Almost £24 Billion’ | Passenger Arrivals To UK Drop By 78.8 Million

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LONDON: About 1.7 million passengers arrived in the UK by air in October, 82% lower than the 9.8 million arrivals compare to the same month of 2019. Visits to Britain plummeted as coronavirus gripped the economy and international travel ground to halt, figures confirmed on Thursday.

Home Office statistics show an estimated 67.2 million passengers arrived in the UK in the year to September 2020, including overseas tourists and returning UK nationals, a 78.8 million fall, or 54%, compared with the previous year.

The dramatic drop was fuelled by “significantly fewer passenger journeys” between April and October, when there was an 87% drop equivalent to 74 million fewer people compared with the same period in the previous year.

The plunge was “due to the travel restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic”, the Home Office said and triggered fresh fears for Britain’s tourism industry.

Joss Croft, Chief Executive of tourism body Ukinbound, said: “Any business that works within the UK’s third largest service export sector, inbound tourism, will tell you they’ve had virtually no international visitors since March this year and these figures show the stark reality of this.

“It’s predicted that in 2020 international visitor numbers to the UK will drop by 74% equating to a loss to the British economy of almost £24 billion.”

Civil Aviation Authority figures showed the volume of air passengers arriving and leaving the UK was significantly lower in March compared with the same month last year.

Numbers fell further in April to June during the first lockdown, with drops of more than 95% for UK travel to and from most world regions compared with the same months in 2019.

Airlines Further Need | $70-80 Billion To Survive: IATA Chief

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MONTREAL: Airlines need up to another $80 billion to survive, the head of the industry’s trade association told a French daily on Friday, as many countries tighten restrictions to confront another wave of coronavirus infection.

“For the coming months the industry is estimated to need $70-$80 billion (59 to 67 billion euros) in additional aid,” the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Alexandre de Juniac told La Tribune.

“Otherwise they won’t survive.”

Airlines are one of the sectors worst hit by measures adopted by governments to slow the spread of the coronavirus, but they have also received an estimated $160 billion in aid.

“The longer the crisis lasts, the greater the risk for bankruptcies,” de Juniac was quoted as saying by the daily.

“Nearly 40” airlines “are in a very difficult situation or are under bankruptcy protection or administration,” he added.

Travel restrictions imposed during the first wave of the crisis forced many airlines to ground almost their entire fleets. Many governments stepped in with various forms of aid such as loans, cash injections, and support for furloughed workers.

While traffic picked up as restrictions were eased, it has begun to slow again in recent weeks as the circulation of the coronavirus has surged in numerous countries.

IATA expects traffic to be down by 66 percent for 2020 as a whole.

It believes the traffic won’t return to its 2019 level before 2024 — an estimation based on the expectation of a vaccine becoming available in mid-2021.

It forecasts the revenue of airlines to come in at $419 billion, half of the 2019 level.

De Juniac now expects airlines to suffer losses in the order of $100 billion, up from previous estimates of $87 billion.

Asked about whether the crisis would encourage consolidation in the sector, de Juniac said that in order for that “the companies need the means to buy one another” but that at the moment “they are in survival mode”.

But he said there were likely to be fewer airlines as carriers go bust and that the ones which survive are likely to be smaller as they close routes and sell off aircraft.

“We’ll have smaller companies, but they will probably be pretty strong, dynamic and ready to go. And once they do, I think the recovery will be quick and strong,” said de Juniac.

NUST Organises | Webinar On ‘Pakistan’s Tourism Potential’

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ISLAMABAD: The NUST Institute of Policy Studies (NIPS) organized a webinar on “Pakistan’s Tourism Potential,” at Islamabad campus on November 24,2020. The event brought to the fore the crucial propellers of strength and harmony in the tourism sector of Pakistan. A distinctive factor was the pursuit of discovering connections of our local approaches and experiences with the world-class Turkish ideals of tourism advancement.

The keynote addresses were delivered by two eminent personalities – Mr Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, Human Resource Development, and Chairman National Tourism Coordination Board; and His Excellency İhsan Mustafa Yurdakul, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Pakistan. The event was chaired by Lt Gen Naweed Zaman, HI (M), (Retd), Rector NUST & Patron NIPS, and was moderated by Mr. Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana, President Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan. The speakers included Mr. Kamran Lashari, Director-General Walled City of Lahore Authority, and Mr. Ali Naqi Hamdani, Director at Landmark Pakistan.

In his welcome remarks, Rector NUST said that in the contemporary world, tourism forms an essential component both of national and regional growth and development frameworks. He was of the view that although COVID-19 has hit global tourism, it is heartening to see the Government taking keen interest in tapping the potential of the industry. He also highlighted NUST’s contribution in promoting educational tourism under its flagship NUST Internship Programme for International Students (NIPIS).

Sayed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari said that the development of tourism industry is one of the top priorities of the Government. He added that concerted efforts are being made to showcase Pakistan as the land of peace and splendour. Fresh initiatives, such as the launch of “Brand Pakistan,” consist of brand identity development and an e-portal for a one-click overview of our tourist sites. He also elaborated upon his plans in this regard. He extended gratitude to the Pakistani diaspora for their valued contribution in this regard.

H.E. İhsan Mustafa Yurdakul highlighted the value of Pakistan-Turkey unconditional support for each other, which, he maintained, provided a perfect case for the improvement of tourism-based interaction between the two friendly countries. Mr Kamran Lashari laid emphasis on preserving the cultural heritage of Pakistan along with the values of tolerance and open-mindedness, and on promoting tourism by packaging and presenting this treasure to the world. Mr Ali Naqi Hamdani spoke on the role of digital media in tourism in Pakistan. He posited that to promote tourism it will be pertinent to support industries and provide vital segments of economy with strong local and global linkages.

Mr. Uxi Mufti, Mr. Jamal Shah, Madam Midhat Shahzad, Dr. Nadeem Omar, Ms. Sadaf Khalid, Brig. Amir Yaqub, Mr. Tayyab Syed, Mr. Azmat Awan, Khawaja Jehanzeb, Mr. Mohsin Paracha, Mr. Khawaja Imran, Mr. Muhammad Umar, Mr. Tahir Imran, Dr. Nadeem and number of other key stakeholders from tourism and hospitality sector, media, culture and heritage and academia also participated in this webinar and shared their ideas and recommendations for the development and promotion of tourism in Pakistan.  NUST Institute of Policy Studies will compile all the recommendations and share it with NTCB for incorporation in the draft of National Tourism Strategy.

Etihad Airways Launches | Facial Recognition Trial With SITA

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ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways has partnered with information technology company SITA to trial the use of facial biometrics in order to check in cabin crew at the airline’s crew briefing centre at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The trial will use facial recognition technology to identify and authenticate crew members, allowing them to complete check-in procedures and mandatory pre-flight safety and security questions digitally via their own mobile devices.

The new initiative will replace the current kiosk-based check-in process which requires crew to use their staff identity cards as a form of authentication.

Sulaiman Yaqoobi, Vice President flight operations, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Etihad is constantly on the lookout for innovative solutions and new technologies that will drive improvements in the airline’s operations and enhance the experience for guests and employees.

“Etihad is excited to partner with SITA to explore the potential that facial biometric services have for the aviation industry.

“By integrating contactless technology, biometric services will increase efficiency while simultaneously cementing our commitment to reducing the spread of Covid-19 by limiting physical touch points and maximizing social distancing measures.”

As part of the airline’s digitalization strategy, facial biometric technology is expected to improve operational efficiency by speeding up the existing check-in process and automating crew time and attendance management and access controls.

Cabin crew will also experience a seamless and contactless check-in experience.

The trial will continue until February 2021 and will provide the airline with invaluable data to explore future exploration of biometric technology for use in guest operations, such as check-in and boarding.

Venice Postpones | Tourism Tax Amidst Covid-19 pandemic

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VENICE: Venice is postponing its tourism tax until 2022 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the numbers of visitors heading to the iconic city.

The city will now be introducing a tourism tax from the 1st January 2022. It was originally due to launch in 2019 but has been delayed twice already, once due to the logistics of implementing a tax, and again earlier this year when the pandemic first broke.

The new tourism tax would see tourists charged up to €10 for visiting the city, particularly those visiting on a cruise holiday or just for a day trip.

The city’s problem with day trippers is that the brevity of the trip means they don’t contribute to the industry in terms of hotels and restaurants, but they do contribute to factors such as overtourism and crowding, neither of which are popular with locals.

The idea is that the money generated by the tourism tax would be poured back into the city.

According to Italian newspaper The Local, Michele Zuin, the city councillor for budget issues said in a statement that the decision was made as a ‘big gesture to help encourage the return of tourists’.

Venice is usually packed with visitors on its bustling piazzas or taking gondola rides down its iconic canals. However, the pandemic has seen tourism numbers drastically drop due to ongoing travel restrictions.

At the time of writing, the FCDO currently advises Brits against travel to Italy. Meanwhile, the country requires visiting Brits to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours before travel. (You can find out more in the FCDO Italy travel advice.)

The silver lining for those who are missing Italy is that you’ll be able to get a taste of its world-famous cuisine in the UK next year when a 40,000 sq m Italian food hall opens in London complete with its own winery and cookery school.

World Ski Awards | Reveals Finest Ski Brands Of The Year

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World Ski Awards, the global initiative to recognise and reward excellence in ski tourism has unveiled the winners of its 2020 programme to coincide with its inaugural World Ski Awards Winners Day.

Winners include Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, voted ‘World’s Best Ski Resort’, thanks to its winning combination of snowsure pistes and extensive slopeside accommodation.

Sleek urban design amid a spectacular alpine helped Switzerland’s W Verbier to capture ‘World’s Best Ski Hotel’, while Chalet Zermatt Peak, sitting in the shadow of the majestic Matterhorn, claimed ‘World’s Best Ski Chalet’.

New arrival on Japan’s luxury ski hospitality scene, Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, took ‘World’s Best New Ski Hotel’.

Meanwhile the divine opulence of Verbier’s Chalet Marmottière was acknowledged with the newcomer accolade for ‘World’s Best New Ski Chalet’.

Switzerland’s LAAX, home to deep powder and the world’s biggest halfpipe, was named ‘World’s Best Freestyle Resort’.

Ski Dubai picked up ‘World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort’ and Austria’s sumptuous Aurelio Lech collected ‘World’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel’.

The results follow a year-long search for the world’s leading ski travel, tourism and hospitality brands.

Votes were cast by ski industry professionals and ski consumers, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named the winner.

Sion Rapson, Managing Director, World Ski Awards, said: “Our winners represent the very best of the global ski travel and tourism sector and my congratulations to each of them.

“They have all demonstrated remarkable resilience in a year of unprecedented challenges.”

He added: “The World Ski Awards 2020 programme received a record number of votes cast by the public.

“This shows that the appetite for booking a ski holiday has never been stronger and bodes well for the industry as the global recovery begins.”

Launched in 2013, World Ski Awards aims to drive up standards within the ski tourism industry by rewarding the organisations that are leaders in their field.

World Ski Awards is the sister organisation of World Travel Awards, currently celebrating its 27th anniversary.

Votes are cast by industry professionals and the public in a range of categories, including best resorts, hotels, chalets and tour operators.

A Ray of Optimism | Rafiq Honours Travel Trade Helping Hands

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KARACHI: The unprecedented circumstances caused by the pandemic shook the way of functioning across the world to its core. Businesses and industries also suffered ill fate and extreme losses throughout the year however if we were to name one industry that were the most adversely affected it had to be the travel & trade world.

With an already unsteady travel & trade industry, Pakistan’s travel agents suffered gravely. BSP dues, refunds and due bills were few of the many problems faced by them in the past few months.

In such difficult times, circumstances’ certain members of the travel fraternity under TAAP became flag bearers of support, encouragement, and aid to lead their peers through these challenging times. To recognize their work in succoring the fraternity through these distressing times the Chairman Bukhari Group, Sardar Rafiq Khan along with his proactive team hosted a get-together in their honor and applauded them for their tireless efforts.

5Th Hong Kong Ban | Air India Faces Embarrassing Situation

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NEW DEHLI: Air India has received its 5th ban from flying to Hong Kong after carrying multiple positive passengers on two consecutive flights. Air India is now barred from flying from Delhi to Hong Kong for two weeks, from November 20th to December 3rd. The airline has struggled with bans in other countries as well, as cases remain high in India.

Air India received a two-week ban this week after two subsequent flights on November 10th and 17th violated the city’s COVID-19 rules. Both flights had three positive passengers, triggering the automatic ban (more passengers on the 17th flight had since tested positive).

As mentioned, this is Air India’s fifth ban from Hong Kong in six months since flights resumed in May. This means the airline will spend roughly 10 of the last 30 weeks under a ban for carrying too many COVID-19 passengers on each flight. Four of these bans have been for the Delhi-Hong Kong route, while one was for the Mumbai-Hong Kong route.

In total, Air India has imported 87 cases to Hong Kong. The airline received its first ban on August 18th after carrying a startling 16 positive cases on the previous flight. The next few flights have seen lower numbers but still high enough to trigger a ban.

Considering the recurrence of the ban, Hong Kong might consider stricter pre-flight testing rules. Currently, passengers flying from India must show a negative RT-PCR test taken in the last 72 hours to fly. However, this requirement has still allowed dozens of positive passengers to slip through in the last few months, even on flights to other countries.

Another important question is who is to blame for these bans: the airline or the passengers? Speaking to the Times of India, an Air India spokesperson said,

“Only passengers with Covid negative reports are being allowed to board from any destination in India. Another mandatory Covid-19 test is carried out for passengers after landing in Hong Kong and reports of the same may be at variance from the reports of tests conducted 72 hours before taking the flight. Hence, Air India cannot be held responsible for any lacunae on the issue of passenger test reports.

While Air India could apply more rigorous testing standards, it is impossible for them to control each passenger’s actions. Regardless of who is to blame, Air India must find a better way of testing to avoid yet another ban in the next few months.