Search Results

9 December 2020: Festive season calls for heartfelt gifting. This year choose chocolates and coffee from artisanal India brands to express love and gratitude to loved ones. Artisanal chocolates from Colocal Launched in October 2020, Colocal is an artisanal chocolate brand with a flagship chocolate factory and casual dining cafe at Dhan Mill in Delhi. The Indian brand is now popular for it’s handcrafted dark chocolates made with pure cacao, cocoa butter, and raw cane sugar. The brand does not use any preservatives or artificial flavourings in its chocolate bars. Colocal dark chocolate inclusion bars are available in 55%, 66%, 72%, and 85% dark variants. Flavours available are caramel, sea salt, and nuts. Price starts at INR 250 per bar. To place orders call +91 93105 24620. Specialty Indian-origin coffee from Roastery Coffee Roastery Coffee is amongst the best specialty coffee roasters in India, with cafes in Hyderabad and Kolkata. Roastery Coffee brings fresh, seasonal coffee sourced from handpicked coffee farms across Southern India. It is one of the finest brands of artisanal coffee in the country today. Choose from a variety of specialty coffee for gifting this season to let your loved ones enjoy a pleasurable home brewing experience. The range includes Harley Estate Grapa, Black Honey (Balur Estate), Monsoon Malabar, Thogarihunkal Estate Honey Sundried Coffee, Carbonic Maceration (Harley Estate), to name a few. Apart from coffee beans, one can also buy coffee sachets and equipment from Roastery Coffee. Roastery coffee beans are available in packaging of 250gms, 500gms and 1kg. Price starts at INR 375 onwards. To place online orders visit www.roasterycoffee.co.in

The iconic resort is one of the first properties in the world to earn Sharecare Health Security Verified® Badge with Forbes Travel Guide DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (9th December 2020) – Atlantis, The Palm is today announced as one of only 30 hotels across the globe to earn the prestigious Sharecare VERIFIED® health security certification by meeting more than 360 global health security standards. Described as the “Michelin Guide equivalent for post-pandemic hotel safety standards,” Sharecare and the Forbes Travel Guide partnered on the Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED® to evaluate and confirm individual hotel’s cleaning regimen. With savvy travellers today looking for health and safety standards that go beyond the realms of “hygiene theatre,” full transparency and an ongoing commitment to their wellbeing are key. Which is why digital health company Sharecare, along with Forbes Travel Guide, strive to be the hotel industry’s go-to cleaning verification programme. Atlantis, The Palm is the first hotel in the Middle East, and one of the first worldwide to achieve this status by sharing an extensive and consistent approach to health and safety. Representing the iconic destination’s ongoing dedication to restore confidence with guests and travel planners in the age of COVID-19 and beyond, Atlantis, The Palm has signed up to health security software that requires leaders to verify their property’s health protocols on a regular basis in more than 360 standards. The cutting-edge software includes an artificial intelligence chatbot which walks leaders through a verification process that includes cleaning standards, procedures and products, social distancing measures, ventilation and air-handling equipment, and health safety communication with employees and guests. The comprehensive facility assessment also covers health and hygiene protocols, physical distancing, and compliance and accountability to give guests the peace of mind that the resort is adhering to global best practices for their safety and comfort. “In the new normal, wellbeing is going to be at the forefront,” said Sharecare CEO Jeff Arnold. “The next layer is this new expectation that’s being shaped: Where I stay, work, and play – is it safe?” Other hotels in the inaugural group include Boston Harbour Hotel (Boston); Nüwa Manila at City of Dreams (Manila, Philippines); Montage Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico); The Hazelton Hotel (Toronto); and Salamander Resort & Spa (Middleburg, Virginia). “In light of the pandemic – and with the wellbeing of our guests and colleagues always our number one priority – it has been Atlantis, The Palm’s prerogative to re-define and elevate safety and hygiene protocols. Being the first hotel in the Middle East, and one of the first worldwide to receive the Sharecare verification seal of approval, is testament to our commitment to making each and every one of our guests feel safe and secure, and we will continue to evolve to meet revised health and safety challenges and expectations,” said Marius Van Deventer, Director, Health & Safety, Atlantis Dubai. For more information about Atlantis, The Palm’s health and safety protocols please visit https://www.atlantis.com/dubai/about/covid-19-update. For bookings and the latest offers please go to https://www.atlantis.com/dubai/special-offers.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM), is expecting a huge influx of exhibitors and visitors from Israel and further afield, wanting to take full advantage of Israel’s participation in its first major travel event in the Middle East. ATM, which has already announced that the 2021 edition of its annual showcase, will take place live at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Sunday 16 to Wednesday 19 May, has witnessed a massive spike, not only in enquiries from Israel, but from travel companies around the world that specialise in tours to that region. “Following the signing of the Israel–United Arab Emirates normalisation agreement, the Israel Ministry of Tourism is planning significant steps to promote Israel as a tourism destination in the UAE. This will include participating for the first time in the Arabian Travel Market with a large booth and a delegation of Israel tourism industry representatives, as well as attending high level conference sessions," said Ksenia Kobiakov, Director of New Markets Development Department, Israel Ministry of Tourism. Putting that into context, according to the Dubai Government’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), in 2019, 8.6 million international trips were made by Israelis, a 9% CAGR over the past five years. The prospective length of stay by 2022 is forecast to be 11.5 nights indicating a willingness to embark on longer trips with business and leisure visitors making up 53% of the total outbound market. Currently Poland, France and other European destinations dominate, but Turkey and Egypt are top five destinations, showing potential interest in MENA destinations. “The interest shown by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism as well as other travel professionals based in Israel and international operators specialising in tours to Israel, has been extraordinary. This is a brand new market for both inbound and outbound operators and will provide a much needed boost to regional and international travel,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market. “However, it is not just about direct travel between Israel and UAE and Bahrain,” she added. “Due to the burgeoning international flight network between El Al, Emirates, flydubai, Etihad and Gulf Air, there will be massive potential for two-centre holidays or stopovers, either during inbound or outbound legs. “Indeed, according to the Israel Ministry of Tourism, 2019 was a record year for tourism and pilgrimage with over 4,550,000 visitors, a 10.6% increase over 2018 and more than 350,000 arrived in December 2019, another record. “In addition, 5.7 million Jews live in the US, with France, Canada, UK and Argentina each having their own significant Jewish communities of 450,000, 392,000, 292,000 and 180,000 respectively. Many will of course make trips to Israel to see relatives and visit religious sites, who can now take advantage of an expanded international flight network,” added Curtis. Now in its 27th year and working in collaboration with DWTC and the DTCM, the theme of the show next year will be ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’ and in support, a recent Colliers report - MENA Hotel Forecasts, estimates that 2021 will be a year of recovery, based on the assumption that hotel performance across the region is already improving. The health of the travel and tourism industry is key to the region. Prior to the pandemic, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the Middle East’s GDP was predicted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), to reach US $133.6 billion by 2028. So, given subdued oil prices and a general economic slowdown due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is clear that the regional economy will be relying on travel and tourism to recover quickly, once a vaccine has been FDA approved and distribution has started. Indeed, recently Emirates announced that its fleet of A380 aircraft could be fully operational by the first quarter of 2022. ATM 2021 will also play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week and for the first time, a new hybrid format will mean a virtual ATM running a week later to complement and reach a wider audience than ever before. ATM Virtual, which made its debut earlier this year after ATM 2020 was postponed, proved to be a resounding success attracting 12,000 online attendees from 140 countries. Other notable features of Arabian Travel Week will include International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) 2021, and Travel Forward, the travel technology vertical. ATM will also be partnering with Arival, which through a series of webinars will cover current and future trends for tour operators and destination managers. Other features will include Buyers Forums dedicated to key source markets including Saudi Arabia, India and China plus a virtual digital influencers’ speed networking session, a hotel summit and a responsible tourism programme. The show will strictly adhere to all DWTC’s stringent health and safety guidelines and will set out to provide a touchless and seamless experience. The team at DWTC has also implemented a range of measures including an enhanced cleaning regime, improved air circulation, multiple hand sanitiser stations and temperature checks. ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed almost 40,000 people to its 2019 event with representation from 150 countries. With over 100 exhibitors making their debut, ATM 2019 showcased the largest ever exhibition from Asia.

4 December 2020, Jaipur: Lt Gen Alok Kler, PVSM, VSM, GOC-in-C, Southern Western Command, Indian Army, formally released the “Project Naman” - a National initiative of Shree Cement to provide free cement to the families of Armed Forces Personnel martyred in the past twenty years. The release of Naman Project comes as a run up to the Vijay Diwas which is observed each year on 16 December to mark India’s victory in 1971 Bangladesh War and remember the sacrifices of Indian soldiers. Under the Naman scheme, the family or the next of kin (NOK) of a Martyr who died in battle between 1st January 1999 to 1st January 2019 (20 Years), would be provided free cement to build a house on a plot size area of up to 4000 sq ft. The family of a Martyr may procure the cement in person from any of Shree Cement’s manufacturing facilities spread across India. Addressing the house on the launch of ‘Naman’ initiative, Lt Gen Alok Kler, PVSM, VSM, GOC-in-C, Southern Western Command, Indian Army said, “It is a wonderful gesture by Shree Cement to extend their support and solidarity for our veterans, martyrs who have given their lives for the country. This kind of recognition is rare and unique. This initiative in true sense has cemented a place for the company in the annals of the army history for the welfare for our martyrs and I sincerely hope that other large industries take a page out of this book and look towards the army and especially the people who have laid down their lives for the human service while forgetting their families.” He further said that there is a lot more that needs to be done for the army and our soldiers who have laid down their lives in their line of duty and other corporates should also come forward for the welfare cause in the same lines. “Since cement is the most vital input for building a house, we felt that the Naman scheme would be extremely helpful towards meeting the housing needs of the families of Martyrs. It is a great honour for us to make a humble contribution to the families of our soldiers who rose above the call of service and laid their lives for the motherland. We salute the Martyrs of our nation. I take this opportunity to thank Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh Ji for his guidance and support in implementing the scheme,” said Mr Prashant Bangur, Joint Managing Director, Shree Cement Ltd. The scheme would be implemented in association with Kendriya Sainik Board and executed by the Rajya Sainik Boards (RSBs) and Zilla Sainik Boards (ZSBs), Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Smt Sunita Devi and Smt Sudesh, family members of martyrs, were among the first beneficiaries of Naman to be handed over Naman cement release order by the GOC-in-C in the presence of Mr Sanjay Mehta, President (Commercial) & Chief Happiness Officer and Mr Arvind Khicha, Jt President (Commercial), of Shree Cement Ltd.

The Bheemili Resort managed by Accor hosted a group of Harley Davidson bikers for a rejuvenating pit stop at their wellness retreat property. The group of riders who are on a road trip to Kolkata received a warm welcome with a specially curated motorcycle themed High Tea, followed by an entertaining event where the bikers’ displayed their riding skills in their beautiful lawn arena. For a specialized experience, the culinary team curated Harley Davidson themed delicacies for the guests to savor. The guests deeply enjoyed their stay amidst the calming vibe of the property after an adventurous road trip. The team at the Bheemili resort was elated to host the riders and to extend the cheer of Novotel’s warm hospitality.

The Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia has the honor and pleasure to inform relevant institutions, tour operators, development partners, media, and the public that due to an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which poses a serious impact to tourism industry with an uncertain ending, Cambodia, as the host country, has sought for opinion about the postponement of ATF 2021 to 2022 from ASEAN Secretariat and Member States, especially Indonesian Embassy in Cambodia, and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia as the next host of ATF for the support of the aforementioned postponement. With reference to the letter No. B/PP.O2.00/1138/S/202O dated 21" October 2020 of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, and the letter No. 983 SCN.PT dated ll 'h November 2020 of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Ministry of tourism of Cambodia is pleased to inform all stakeholders that Cambodia will host the full-fledged ATF in January 2022, which will include Ministerial Meetings, National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) Meetings, other related meetings, TRAVEX, and will be attended by national and international buyers, sellers and media. However, the ministry still organizes the online meetings to endorse some documents as the host country. the confirmed date of the ATF 2022 in Cambodia will be informed in due time. The Kingdom of Cambodia is awaiting all national and international delegates, buyers and sellers, and media to Cambodia — One of the Safest Countries to Visit amid COVID-19 and it is a good opportunity to restart tourism industry together in Cambodia. For further information, please contact the Department of Overseas Tourism Marketing and Promotion by mobile: (+855) 17 938 393 or by email: prakvuthy1983@gmail.com.

As 63% Indians pledge to not take travel for granted in the future, here are five emerging trip types that will redefine the dimensions of travel in 2021 Five emerging trip types for 2021 are: ● Solace in Solo: 54% of Indian travellers say they will be planning a solo trip in the future, a 3X jump from last year when only 18% of Indian travellers preferred a solo trip ● Breakaway Bubbles: 67% of Indian travellers plan to use future travel as an opportunity to reconnect with loved ones ● Weekend Wonders: 59% of Indian travellers want to take more shorter breaks in 2021 than they did in 2019 ● Relaxury: 47% of Indian travellers planning a relaxing trip to get away from it all, making relaxation the real luxury of 2021 ● Food for Thought: 38% of Indian travellers are keen to taste and indulge in local cuisine while travelling Mumbai, November 30, 2020: The global pandemic turned travellers’ plans upside down in 2020. Looking ahead at 2021, the impact of the pandemic is changing not just our choice of destination but also the type of trips we’re most likely to take in the coming year. New research from Booking.com, the world’s digital travel leader reveals the five emerging trip types for 2021 to motivate and inspire travellers to take a trip (or five) to best fit their newfound travel preference. 1. Solace in Solo The solo travel trend is likely to gather even greater momentum, as travel was stymied by the pandemic, which will likely nudge them to take the plunge to travel on their own in 2021. Booking.com data pre-pandemic saw only 18%* of Indian travellers planning a trip on their own, while 54%** of Indian travellers now say they will be planning a solo trip in the future. With 49%** of Indian travellers saying they would want to travel more in the future to make up for travel time lost in 2020, this mentality is no doubt encouraging travellers to plan a solo trip of a lifetime, to get back out in the world! 2. Breakaway Bubbles In 2020, most travellers have had extended time apart from friends and family. For many it appears that distance has made the heart grow fonder as 67%** of Indian travellers plan to use future travel as an opportunity to reconnect with loved ones. In fact, while being apart, 49%** of Indian travellers have revealed that talking to friends and family about travelling is one of their main inspirations to travel again. 3. Weekend Wonders With many travellers feeling apprehensive that future travel plans could be disrupted again, there will be an increased demand for a quick trip as 59%** of Indian travellers would want to take more shorter breaks in 2021 than they did in 2019 to minimize any disappointment. A further 35%** Indians travellers also revealed their preference of a weekend break for their first trip once restrictions are lifted, showing travellers’ desires to be able to escape reality, even for just a few days. 4. Relaxury The unexpected halt of travel plans for most travellers has meant that just being able to travel at all is a luxury, in fact, 63%** of Indian travellers have pledged to not take travel for granted in the future. So while research shows that travellers still have a high intention to travel again, only 14%** of Indian travellers are now actually planning a luxury getaway (such as a villa, 5-star hotel), with 47%** of Indian travellers planning a relaxing trip to get away from it all, making relaxation the real luxury of 2021. 5. Food for Thought Travellers’ desire to explore the world has not diminished, but 68% of Indians would still avoid travelling abroad even as travel restrictions are lifted. That is why local travel is a new way of exploring the world, with culinary delights being top of the list. And with taste buds at the ready, 38%** of Indian travellers are keen to taste and indulge in local cuisine while travelling, with 33%** wanting to eat out more often with the money saved from not travelling abroad. Ritu Mehrotra, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives at Booking.com said, “The effect of COVID-19 has and will continue to evolve the way we travel, impacting our choices and decisions in the near future. While travel in 2021 will be different, it is reassuring to see that Indians are still optimistic about its possibilities and have found creative ways to fulfil their wanderlust despite the pandemic. The findings of the Booking.com research and emerging trip types are testament to fact that travel is a vital part of our lives and when the best, and safest, possibilities permit, travellers will confidently take a step forward to chase their travel dreams once again.” To delve deeper into Booking.com’s predictions for the Future of Travel, visit https://www.booking.com/articles/category/future-of-travel.html *Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months/plan to take a trip in the next 12 months. In total 22,000 respondents were polled, including respondents from India. Respondents completed an online survey between 9th August to 28th August 2019. **Research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults who have travelled for business or leisure in the past 12 months, and must be planning to travel in the next 12 months (if/once travel restrictions are lifted). In total 20,934 respondents across 28 countries were polled, including India. Respondents completed an online survey in July 2020.

Mumbai, November 30, 2020: Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated travel services company, along with its Group Company SOTC Travel Ltd., announced the extension of their Assured Safe Travel Program with the launch of a complimentary Doctor on Call 24x7 service, exclusively for their customers. The companies have partnered with Apollo Clinics - a member of the Apollo Hospitals Group, the leader in the Indian healthcare sector, to reassure and assist customers while travelling. The Doctor on Call service is a meaningful initiative to support and reassure customers by addressing their health and medical queries via tele-consultation, by ensuring an effective way to connect with top quality doctors while on holiday. To avail of the exclusive Doctor on Call service (24x7) in association with Apollo Clinics, the customer merely follows 2 simple steps while on holiday: ● Call 1860 500 7788 ● Share your Booking File Number for verification and phone and email id to be contacted by the doctor Post verification, the customer will receive a one-time free consultation call from an Apollo Clinics Doctor within 45 minutes. If required, a prescription will be emailed by the Apollo Clinics Team. Even as travel recovery is being enabled again, the biggest challenge now is the challenge to re-instil confidence and a positive sentiment towards leisure travel in most customers, who remain worried and cautious. As leaders, Thomas Cook & SOTC have taken this challenge head-on and put together a holistic three pronged customer confidence-building program in the form of the “Assured-Insured-Secured” Program that covers every aspect of physical safety as well as mental and financial security to give the customer complete peace of mind. The Assured Safe Travel Program developed and rolled out in association with Apollo Clinics is the most comprehensive set of travel safety protocols in the new normal, encompassing not only internal processes, retail outlets etc., but also every partner and service provider across airlines, local travel service partners, hotels, attractions etc. Insured in partnership with ICICI Lombard & Go Digit General Insurance Limited has customers fully covered with possibly the most comprehensive retail travel insurance program that includes COVID-19 related hospitalization up to sum assured. As part of the Secured aspect, to ensure customer confidence from a money and security point of view, the companies offer flexible date changes, rescheduling, cancellations and even guaranteed, accelerated refunds (subject to certain minimum criteria). The companies also launched the country’s first Safe Holiday Helpline to offer free Holiday expert consultation to help customers navigate the maze of confusing and changing information about state regulations, International travel guidelines, etc, to instil confidence and make the best and safest choice for their travel. Mr. Madhavan Menon, Chairman & Managing Director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said, “As leaders in the travel industry, our teams across Thomas Cook India and SOTC are focused on ensuring the health and safety of our customers and our endeavour is to provide them the confidence to travel. Our Doctor on Call service in association with Apollo Clinics - a member of the Apollo Hospitals Group, is an extension of our Assured Safe Travel Program and yet another step towards reassuring our customers with dedicated and meticulous health care services, should the need arise at any point in time on tour. Through this initiative, combined with our Assured, Insured & Secured program, we seek to cover every aspect of physical safety as well as mental and financial security - to give customers the total peace of mind they deserve when planning a holiday in the new normal.” Mr. Anand Wasker, Chief Operating Officer, Apollo Clinic, said, “We provide all Primary Healthcare services under one roof via Apollo Clinic format and are committed to offering world-class healthcare services to our customers. We are delighted to partner with Thomas Cook and SOTC to offer tele consultation services to customers who are in need while travelling.”

The Residence by Cenizaro is recognised for its superlative collection of independent luxury resorts in some of the world’s most desirable locations such as - Bintan, Mauritius, Maldives - Falhumaafushi, Dhigurah, Tunis and Zanzibar. With a brand promise of “Moments Enriched”, these resorts deliver highly immersive environments that reflect each destination distinctly. Every property in the family has a unique personality and sense of place, illustrating global markers of excellence in heartfelt hospitality - with attention to detail and intuitive, personal and bespoke service. Here are the latest festive and new year celebrations offers: THE RESIDENCE MALDIVES AT DHIGURAH Welcome 2021 with your loved ones at The Residence Maldives at Dhigurah, a stunning palm-fringed paradise. Discover the perfect island hideaway with uninterrupted sea views, in a beautiful garden setting, or floating atop the clear turquoise water of the lagoon. All the 173 exquisite private villas at the resort have their own private pool, and are crafted from the finest local materials fusing traditional Maldivian architecture with modern design and luxurious conveniences. Savour international flavours, from Indian Ocean specialties to Mediterranean tapas and contemporary Cantonese cuisine. The resort has Maldives’ only exclusive Spa by Clarins wellness retreat, nestled in lush tropical gardens that promises a journey to blissful wellbeing. November – December Mega Sale 11.11 Mega Offer: This limited period offer is valid on bookings made from now till 19 November 2020. Guests can save up to 50% on best available rates, enjoy added perks like - complimentary room upgrade, complimentary domestic flight and speedboat return transfers (minimum stay of 4 nights or more), and Full Board upgrade to Standard All Inclusive meal plan. Stay validity till 31st December 2021. 27.11 Black Friday Offer: This limited period offer is valid on bookings made from 21 November to 04 December 2020. Guests can save up to 60% on best available rates, enjoy added perks like - complimentary room upgrade, complimentary domestic flight and speedboat return transfers (minimum stay of 4 nights or more), and Full Board upgrade to Standard All Inclusive meal plan. Stay validity till 31st December 2021. December Celebrations Festive Celebrations Offer provides a wide range of experiences, varied on-site entertainment and festive activities (minimum stay of 4 nights or more, from 23 December 2020 to 2 January 2021). This package includes 50% off Best Available Rates with daily breakfast, Complimentary domestic flight and speedboat return transfers, and additional perks such as - Complimentary Sunrise & Sunset Yoga sessions at the Spa by Clarins, non-motorised water sports daily (kayak and stand-up paddle), 30-minute guided house reef snorkelling (three times a week) and more. The theme for this year’s festive programme is ‘Nature Through Dhigurah’ (23rd December 2020 to 2nd January 2021), where the resort takes inspiration from the lush vegetation on the island to celebrate the days leading up to the New Year. The programme encourages guests to reconnect with Mother Nature and the team has designed activities for families and couples to enjoy in and around the resort. THE RESIDENCE BINTAN Usher the New Year with your family, companion or closed circle of friends at The Residence Bintan, nestled amid nature’s splendour with sweeping views across a calm bay. Luxuriate in the abundance of space and the closeness of nature at this idyllic retreat that combines the rural charm of a traditional Asian village with a luxurious modern twist. Discover this divine island abode among 127 terraces and villas that invite you to unwind in profound comfort and relaxation, overlooking lush gardens and the tranquil bay. Indulge your senses with a walk in the bountiful herb and vegetable garden – Earth Basket, savouring the mouth-watering epicurean creations crafted from its fresh, organic produce. Rebalance mind, body and soul with invigorating and pampering rituals by renowned British spa brand ila. New Year Celebrations Festive Getaways Offer provides a well-deserved break for families or couples to celebrate with sumptuous festive feasts and merry entertainment highlights. The New Year’s Eve programme has been designed to delight the senses and create a magical journey to remember. Packed with a culinary showcase of world cuisine, cultural spectacle with traditional dance and live music, Local Arts & Sustainability Show and a spectacular fireworks display! Plan ahead and enjoy 10% off the Festive Getaways package.

Singapore – To better meet customer expectations in the post-COVID world, Scoot will be launching a new inflight portal,ScootHub, to serveas a one-stop shop for all customerneeds inflight. ScootHub, which can be easilyaccessed from customers’ own mobile devices,will be the first of its kind in the region to offer such diverse functionalities. Launching in phasescommencing December 2020, Scoot customerswill be able to orderfood and beverages from Scoot Café, shop for duty-free items from KrisShop,play games, browse inspirational travel content and more, all from the convenience of their owndevice. This transition from physical to digital inflight menus, duty-free catalogues and magazines reduces surface contact and physical interactions between customers and crew, giving customerspeace of mind about their health and safety on board. This reduced interaction also allows Scoot to resume some inflight services, such as buy-on-board food, which had been temporarily suspended. In ScootHub’s secondphase, from April 2021, customerswill be able to book ground activities and attractions while inflight.They can also sync theirKrisflyer membership to earn or redeem miles when they purchase items via KrisShop or activities and attractions via Pelago, the SIA Group’s new platform for destination inspiration and content. Scoot has a roadmap of additional features to be deployed in subsequent phases. Mr Campbell Wilson, Scoot’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We know that health and safety are top of customers’ minds these days, and that regulatory requirements have changed the inflight experience. “ScootHub enables us to resume valued services in a safe, low-touch manner, improving customers’ experiences and – through reduction in paper-based collaterals – improving our environmental sustainability too. “Our investment in this portalis part of Scoot’s comprehensive digitalisation programme, both internal and external, which also includes health-focused initiatives such as touchless check- in kiosks and bag-drop facilities, enhanced online and mobile check-in capabilities, and real time information on travel requirements.” Customers can access ScootHub by using their personal mobile devices to scan a QR code on the seatback, or connect to the “ScootHub” network on their mobile devices. When successfully connected, they will be able to access the following features: a) Scoot Café Food and beverages including hot meal combos, snacks, hot drinks, soft drinks and liquors can be ordered, and payment made via credit card*, on this tab. Cabin crew will be alerted via their fulfilment device once orders have been placed, and food will be served within 20 minutes to customers at their seats. b) Scootalogue Previously, inflight duty-free shopping only took place at a specific time during the flight. With ScootHub, customers can browse an extensive range of travel essentials, cosmetics, accessories, as well as exclusive Scoot merchandise in the comfortof their seats and make their purchases any time. Payment can be made via credit card on the portal,and cabin crew will deliverthe purchases to customers. The range of inflight duty-free shopping items available for sale will steadily grow, and by end-June 2021, customers will be able to access KrisShop.com’s full range of items and delivery options. c) What’s On Replacing Scoot’s physical inflight magazines, customers will be able to discover inspirational travel and lifestyle content and, from April 2021 purchase ground attractions and experiences while inflight. For example, if a traveller is flying from Singapore to Melbourne, recommendations on where they can visit or dine in Melbourne will be available for purchase onboard and synced upon arrival, allowing them to immediately head to the attraction or restaurant after clearing immigration. This allows travel and hospitality brands to connect with travellers in more meaningful and mutually beneficial ways, and helps the brands to better understand customers’ spontaneous behaviour and preferences. d) Map Passengers can view the flight’s progress in real time via this live map. By end 2021, travel and hospitality brands can also offer relevant content to travellers through real- time geo-positioning on the map. This means that when passengers access the map, they will be able to see attractions, tours or experiences pinned on the map and they can click on the pinned location to find out more. e) Poll Scoot will obtain customers’ feedback on their inflight experience on the spot, while their experience is still fresh in their minds. Companies may also use this feature for market surveys so that they can better understand customers’ travel habits and consumption patterns, in return for incentives such as free drinks or snacks from the Scoot Café menu for customers who participate. a) Inflight Services Passengers travelling on our Boeing 787 Dreamliners will be able to purchase in-seat power directly on ScootHub to charge their gadgets during the flight. Onboard seat upgrades, currently suspended to facilitate contact tracing, will be enabled in a subsequent phase. b) Games To keep the young and young at heart entertained during their flights, a myriad of games are also available on the portal, ranging from colouring activities and puzzles, to fun-packed adventures and brain teasers. Streamlining existing content offerings and packing new content formats onto a digital platform, it is estimated that Scoot will reduce paper consumption by more than 156 tonnesof paper (equivalent to over 2,000trees), translating to over 13 tonnes of fuel saved and over 41 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions reduced ayear**. * Payment via credit card on the portal is targeted to be available by end-March 2021. In the meantime, payment for food and beverages is to be made by credit card to cabin crew. ** Based on 2019 flight data

86% Indian travellers to take more health and safety related precautions when traveling in the future, based on global research commissioned by Booking.com Mumbai, 24 November 2020: COVID-19 has affected nearly every aspect of our lives, including travel. As travellers start to rediscover the world again, it's not surprising that 86% Indian travellers are planning to take more health and safety related precautions when traveling in the future and 71% Indians opting to avoid certain destinations altogether due to safety concerns as per a Booking.com report. When compared with the global travel trend for avoiding destinations due to safety concerns, India ranked second globally, after Thailand. Road trip ready With a shift in destination preferences, transportation preferences have also changed. 68% of Indians are likely to give public transportation a miss to avoid travelling with a large number of people due to the fear of contracting COVID-19. This is higher than the global average of 46%. Instead, travellers will choose to rent or drive their own car to and around their destination – making 2021 the year of the road trip. Safety first The ‘new normal’ will also see travellers prioritize and adhere to increased health and safety measures, as 78% Indians are happy to travel to destinations where health spot checks on arrival are standard and 81% Indians don’t mind travelling to a destination where it's mandatory to wear a face mask in public. Unsurprisingly, travellers will look to the travel industry for reassurance with 75% Indians expecting travel providers to clearly outline the safety precautions they’re taking and 48% agreeing that a clear display of cleaning and hygiene policies is now a must have. Precautions on top of mind Keeping safety while travelling a priority, 77% of Indian travellers will only book a particular accommodation if it’s clear what health and hygiene policies it has in place, with 79% favoring accommodations that have antibacterial and sanitizing products. The ‘new normal’ will also see travellers prioritize and adhere to increased health and safety measures. Quarantine measures will remain less popular with only 51% of Indian travellers willing to accept these in order to travel to a particular destination. Additionally, Booking.com has introduced its Minimal Cleanliness Score Commitment to support unique accommodation partners as they commit and work to improve and maintain their cleanliness score, as determined by verified guest reviews from travellers who have booked and stayed at the property. Based on ongoing guest feedback, only properties which live up to this cleanliness quality over time will remain available for guests to book, ensuring peace of mind for travellers looking to travel safely. Commenting on the findings of the research, Ritu Mehrotra, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives at Booking.com said, “Health and safety are top priority for travellers wanting to travel once again. Travellers are looking forward to new health and safety measures to avoid COVID-19. In response to a rise in demand from travellers, Booking.com now enables properties to be able to easily display safety measures such as hygiene, sanitisation, social distancing on their property listings, so travellers can have peace of mind when booking their next trip. With over 14 million listings on Booking.com now having implemented health and safety measures globally, including over 700,000 listings in India, we are making it easier for everyone to experience the world, in a way that fits their needs.” To delve deeper into Booking.com’s predictions for the Future of Travel, including Safety Cleans Up, visit https://www.booking.com/articles/safety-cleans-up.html

New Delhi, 24 Nov 2020: After roaring success in Punjab, the popular American eatery, Uncle Jack’s, has today launched its first outlet in the capital city of Delhi. Well known for hearty American fare and with 8+ outlets currently operational across Punjab, Uncle Jack’s is now all set to advance further the brand’s success story with its entry to Delhi. The first Uncle Jack’s outlet in the capital is now open at M Block, Greater Kailash in South Delhi. Commenting on the expansion, Ankush Arora, Founder - Uncle Jack’s India said, ‘Uncle Jack’s was conceived as a simple dream of bringing the best of American food to India. We are overwhelmed with the love we have received in North India over the last 4 years, and are now excited to make a mark in the capital city of India.’ Ankush Arora launched Uncle Jack’s in 2016 in the beautiful city of Chandigarh. The menu offers the best of American food with a fresh take on flavours, style of preparation and quirky presentations. One can sample Hot Dogs straight from the streets of New York, the Waffles from diners, and the oh-so-scrumptious and comforting burgers and pasta, apart from other delectables. They undoubtedly are serving the best fries in the country as their most famous and loved product. The food is interestingly named after historic American personalities. The beverage presentations are an added attraction at Uncle Jack’s. With the Delhi outlet now open and fully functional, Uncle Jack’s is all geared to entice the taste buds of Delhiites. Address: Plot No 22, M Block, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi Contact No.: +91 76969 40115

23 November 2020, Kolkata: Shashi Tharoor’s latest book “The Battle of Belonging” was formally launched at the Prabha Khaitan Foundation’s signature event Kitab by Chief Guest Mr Hamid Ansari, former Vice-President of India, Farooque Abdullah, David Davidar, Pavan K Varma, Makarand Paranjape. Author Shashi Tharoor shared details of his inspiration for writing “The Battle of Belonging”. The online event, organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation in association with Aleph Book Company and moderated by journalist Karan Thapar. The formal launch was followed by a stimulating discussion and critical appraisal of Shashi Tharoor’s 22nd book which delves into current social, political and cultural issues confronting India. Guests lauded Shashi Tharoor’s latest book but contested some of the core concepts like nationalism, patriotism, civic nationalism, the idea of India and others elaborated in the book. In his book, Tharoor says patriotism and nationalism are different. A patriot is ready to die for his country; a nationalist is ready to kill for his country. Some of the live panellists at Kitab did not agree with this distinction with Pavan K Varma calling it an “intellectual quibble”. Mr Hamid Ansari said, “This is a passionate plea for an idea of India that was taken for granted and is now seemingly endangered by ideologies that seek to segment it on imagined criteria of us and them. I found the essays on identity and patriotism particularly enlightening. The book’s analysis is comprehensive, yet it stops short of suggesting a doable recipe for correcting the shortfalls.” David Davidar of Aleph Book Company, publisher of the book, said, “This book falls in the rarest-of-rare `Indispensable’ category – books you cannot do without.” Shashi Tharoor said, “This book is the culmination of a lifetime’s thoughts, readings and arguments on issues of nationalism and patriotism and intensely personal too. The book was prompted by the rise of a fundamental challenge to the very essence of Indian nationalism. India’s own anti-colonial nationalism converted itself into a `civic nationalism’ encoded in a democratic Constitution and then the conflict over contemporary attempts to convert that into a religious-cultural nationalism. That is the battle of belonging to India and having India belong to you. Those are the principal themes in the book.” Responding to a question from Karan Thapar, Farooque Abdullah said, “Today we are being divided on religion, caste, creed and language. Are we making a strong India or killing the very essence of it! ” Paranjape Marakand, poet and novelist, said, “The idea of India is highly and hotly contested today and the Nehruvian consensus has now probably crumbled to dust. Shashi’s book should open up serious debates but I don’t think India is a country which practices `civic nationalism’. I think ours is `civilisational nationalism’ and is always plural.” Pavan K Varma, on a dissenting note, said, “All religious extremes are bad, including Islamic fundamentalism, which I notice you don’t speak about in your book at all. And if there are sanctuaries for it in any parts of India, I think, they should equally be the focus of your attack so that the book does not appear to be one-sided. I really cannot understand what is a `civic nationalism’ for a country which goes back to the dawn of time and whose civilisational legacy is something we find very difficult to ignore and contributed to any idea of India that we may have recently formed. Why do we need to devise this sanitised notion called civil nationalism which privileges a recent Constitution as it should be but posits it against any unwarranted cultural infusions as though that was the intention of the constitution makers.”

Berlin/Mumbai, 18 November 2020 – Due to the ongoing travel restrictions and the circumstances around the current pandemic situation, ITB India organiser has decided to hold the inaugural ITB India 2021 as an entirely virtual event, set to take place from 7 - 9 April 2021. The new event format provides exhibitors and attendees with both maximum safety and planning certainty. The virtual show welcomes over 400 Indian and Southeast Asian buyers from MICE, Corporate and Leisure sectors. ITB India 2021 Virtual will be hosted on ITB Community in Asia (ITB Community), which is a one of a kind, unrivaled 24/7 experience for trade professionals to forge connections, strike conversations with industry peers and do business all-year-round. "We had high hopes that we could combine a live and a virtual event for the very first ITB India next April. Unfortunately, the travel restrictions in place, and the economic uncertainty resulting from the worldwide pandemic have become too unpredictable to proceed with the show as a hybrid event as originally planned. As much as we would have wished to bring the industry together face-to-face, I firmly believe our highest priority should be the health and safety of our attendees and personnel,” said Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of ITB India. Attendees of ITB India 2021 Virtual can expect the following key privileges: Business Matching – Live platform to exchange business contacts and schedule virtual appointments. Delegates can benefit from business appointment via social video and messaging functions. Conference – A robust line-up of key industry speakers with thought-providing insights or showcases of innovative technology and solutions. Supplier Directory – A comprehensive view of all suppliers, such as company profiles, product resources and downloadable articles. On-demand Videos – All attendees of will be entitled to exclusive videos from virtual events or industry contributors. Exhibitors may enjoy early bird discounts on virtual booth packages starting from USD 1,000+, click here to view package summary. Exhibitors, buyers and visitors who are interested in registering or sponsoring ITB India 2021 Virtual event can reach out to info@messe-berlin.asia for more details or visit https://www.itb-india.com/. ITB Community in Asia is now live and open on itb-community.com.

Hamburg, 18.11.2020. According to COTRI ANALYTICS, the quantitative research part of COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, China will reclaim its top position as main source market for international tourism. Travellers from Mainland China can be expected to be responsible for more than a million border crossings, with the Special Administrative Region Macau as main destination. However, a number of other countries in Asia welcome Chinese visitors again, including Thailand, Laos, Japan, Singapore and others. Chinese citizens within the Schengen region in Europe can also travel between European countries. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO of COTRI: “Obviously China is the ‘tallest within a group of dwarfs’ in this development. In November 2019 more than ten million Chinese travelled abroad and other source markets also sent out millions on international business and leisure trips. However, it is important to notice that the often-cited ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ looks very much like a Chinese lantern.” For the whole year of 2020 COTRI ANALYTICS expects a number of 18 million Chinese international trips, most of which however happened in January, representing about 10% of the number for 2019. For 2021 COTRI ANALYTICS forecasts around 100 million international trips of Chinese citizens. Prof. Dr. Arlt: “There are many million Chinese waiting eagerly to travel abroad again. With CoViD-19 almost defeated in East Asia and vaccines hopefully becoming available in a few weeks, we should see a wave of Chinese outbound travellers starting Chinese New Year travelling to Asia and after Easter to Europe. It will take time to get visa regimes and air connections back on track, that’s why we only forecast about 100 million trips in 2021. In 2022 however, we are very likely to see a new record number of outbound trips. China will recover quicker than other source markets and Chinese travellers will look for new, less crowded and friendly destinations offering quality products adopted to their specific demands, which will be different in post-virus times compared to previous years. Destinations and service providers better start now to prepare for these ‘new’ Chinese guests.”

Reed Travel Exhibitions, organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), has announced that the 2021 edition of its annual showcase, will take place live at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Sunday 16 to Wednesday 19 May. Now in its 27th year and working in collaboration with DWTC and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), the theme of the show next year will be ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’ and the spotlight will be thrown onto the current state of the industry and more importantly, what the future holds. It will also look at the emerging trends and how innovation can drive the industry forward. Supporting ATM’s theme, a recent Colliers report - MENA Hotel Forecasts, estimates that 2021 will be a year of recovery, based on the assumption that hotel performance across the region is already improving. Major destinations such as Dubai and Cairo are leading the way with estimated full year 2021 occupancy levels of 68% and 65% respectively. They were closely followed by Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Muscat and Amman, with average occupancies of 58%, 56%, 51%, 48%, and 45% respectively. Overall, average year-on-year growth of the 20 destinations researched was 47%. The health of the travel and tourism industry is key to the region. Prior to the pandemic, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the Middle East’s GDP was predicted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), to reach US $133.6 billion by 2028. So, given subdued oil prices and a general economic slowdown due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is clear that the regional economy will be relying on travel and tourism to recover quickly, once a vaccine has been fully developed and rolled out. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Last week, Pfizer released the first reading of its Phase-3 trial data for its COVID-19 vaccine, announcing that it was more than 90% effective in preventing the coronavirus, based on interim data analysis. “If approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Pfizer estimates it can roll out 50 million doses this year and up to 1.3 billion in 2021, enough to vaccinate almost 675 million people. So, we are confident that by May next year, we will be on the threshold of a new dawn for our industry.” ATM 2021 will also play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week and for the first time, a new hybrid format will mean a virtual ATM running a week later to complement and reach a wider audience than ever before. ATM Virtual, which made its debut earlier this year after ATM 2020 was postponed, proved to be a resounding success attracting 12,000 online attendees from 140 countries. In total, the event facilitated 11,301 prescheduled one-to-one meetings and 23 live video sessions including Q&As and polls which ran alongside the presentations to enable audience interaction. Overall, the webinars had more than 24,000 views over the course of three days. “It is imperative that we include a virtual element to Arabian Travel Week because many industry professionals from around the world, cannot attend the live event in person every year. It would also be naïve of us to imagine that governments throughout the world will relax their travel restrictions, to the same degree, at the same time and of course reopening airports and flight routes will also vary by country,” said Curtis. Other notable features of Arabian Travel Week will include International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) 2021, and Travel Forward, the travel technology vertical. ATM will also be partnering with Arival, which through a series of webinars will cover current and future trends for tour operators and destination managers. Other features will include Buyers Forums dedicated to key source markets including Saudi Arabia, India and China plus a virtual digital influencers’ speed networking session, a hotel summit and a responsible tourism programme. The show will strictly adhere to all DWTC’s stringent health and safety guidelines and will set out to provide a touchless and seamless experience. The team at DWTC are working hard to ensure that all events run safely and have implemented a range of measures including an enhanced cleaning regime, improved air circulation, multiple hand sanitiser stations and temperature checks. ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed almost 40,000 people to its 2019 event with representation from 150 countries. With over 100 exhibitors making their debut, ATM 2019 showcased the largest ever exhibition from Asia.

Seven in ten Indian travelers agree they won’t be comfortable traveling until a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine or treatment is in place (71%) WANDERMUST Over three in five travelers are excited about traveling again after lockdowns (63%) The same amount are more appreciative of travel and will likewise not take it for granted in the future (63%) Travelers also report that they plan to take a similar number of trips in the 12 months after travel restrictions are lifted in their country as they did in the year pre-pandemic: Our time at home has made us crave the world outside more than ever: 65% of travelers have a heightened desire to see even more of the world 49% want to travel more in the future to make up for time lost in 2020 50% will plan a trip to make up for a milestone celebration missed due to Coronavirus 54% intend to rebook a trip they had to cancel

Bengaluru, 11th November 2020: Digit Insurance, on a mission to make insurance simple in India, offers its common carrier insurance covering flight delay service for domestic passengers under ‘Common Carrier Delay Cover.’ To avail this service, passengers need to pay a nominal fee of INR 49 through Digit’s official website. Any passenger, except an infant, can avail of this insurance cover. Digit Insurance’s ‘Common Carrier Delay Cover’ compensates passengers facing flight delays for more than 90/120 minutes during Summers / Winters respectively with fixed benefits. In case of delayed flights, passengers with this cover will automatically get their claim registered from Digit. They would need to just upload the details of their boarding pass and share their bank details. The money will automatically then get credited to customers’ account. Vivek Chaturvedi, Chief Marketing Officer, Digit Insurance, said, “We have unfolded this unique offering to enable customers to have a stress-free trip. This is in line with our mission of offering simple and relevant products to our customers enabled through latest technologies. Offering this product now is essential in its intent as we see revival in domestic travel. This product aims to address the problems that customers have to go through due to flight delays through a frictionless process.” This cover is applicable only for a single flight. In case customers would like to protect their complete round trip, they should get a cover for flight delay for each onward and return flight. In case the airline has been responsible and has informed the customer about the flight delay at least six hours in advance, then he/she will not be eligible for the flight delay compensation. For more details of the policy, customers can visit the website of Digit Insurance: https://www.godigit.com/domestic-travel-insurance/flight-delay

New Delhi, 5 Nov 2020: COLOCAL, an artisanal chocolate brand, launches its flagship in Delhi at Dhan Mill, Chhattarpur. COLOCAL is a bean-to-bar concept and features a chocolate factory along with casual café dining. Conceptualized by power-couple Sheetal Saxena and Nishant Kumar Sinha, COLOCAL is a result of their love and passion for chocolate and coffee. COLOCAL aims to redefine the chocolate indulgence experience in the capital. The location, Dhan Mill at Chhatarpur, serves as the perfect backdrop with its charming, luxurious and niche vibe, dotted with couture fashion houses, cafes, high-end brands, creative studios and a lot more intriguing outlets to explore. Commenting on the launch, Sheetal Saxena, Co-Founder, COLOCAL, says, “The launch of COLOCAL is a dream come true for us. When we started working on this project, everyone said it requires a skill set and formal knowledge to be able to understand it. However, we broke this barrier and learned that all we need is sheer passion and dedication to succeed at anything. All our team members are from a village, adopted and trained by us, they were unschooled before about the nitty-gritty and details. They make the most amazing chocolate with all the love, care and precision. Brand COLOCAL is artisanal, sustainable, zero waste, passion-driven and approachable. Our objective is to educate people about chocolate and create a “bean to bar” market for them to explore the whole process and technique of making chocolates. Our ideal audience is inquisitive, experimental, chocolate lover, coffee lover and a foodie.” The concept is based on strategically sourcing locally grown cacao and transforming it into the finest, skillfully blended chocolate available for all the chocoholics out there in every possible form. The idea behind the brand is to introduce people to the craft chocolate world, where they get to taste the real chocolate with their varied notes, made out of premium quality Indian beans. The process of making craft chocolates is often seen as the most complex and layered product to work with. The whole process from bean-to-bar is an extensive and far-flung activity, involving a lot of steps before the final bar is produced. The brand sources the Cacao from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the two regions where the best quality cacao is grown in India. Once the beans are plucked from the Cacao tree, they are then taken for fermentation at a high temperature to get the right profile. After fermentation, the beans are left for 3-4 days to dry completely before the process of roasting starts. Roasting is the most important yet momentous part of the entire process. It brings out the desired notes, taste, colour and texture of the cacao beans. Once the beans cool down, they are cracked open and separated. Then the Cacao nibs are crushed and sugar is added to make the final chocolate bars. After the Cacao nibs are crushed and made into chocolate liquor, they are further conched to remove the acidic acids from the bar for a better after-taste. Tempering is the final step and this is what decides the final finish look and taste of the chocolate. All chocolates are tempered at different temperatures and are packaged and distributed around the world. The entire process of making a bar out of roasted cacao beans takes up to 72 hours. The menu at COLOCAL is handpicked and assorted with a mix of Italian and Continental fare such as Sourdough Pizzas, handmade Pastas, scrumptious burgers and sandwiches, not to forget the most popular and celebrated Roastery Coffee House coffee beverage menu. It also incorporates delectable drinks and food menu made using the in-house chocolates like hot chocolate, cold chocolate, cacao cold brew, to name a few. COLOCAL also offers baked goods and bakery items overwhelmingly revolving around chocolates. The appetizing desserts include Chocolate Soufflé, Chocolate Tart, Cakes, Chocolate Babka, Sourdough, Croissant, Pain au chocolat, amongst many more intriguing treats. The avant-garde COLOCAL is an extension of Sheetal and Nishant’s individual gifted personaly. The vibe of the place is unadorned, casual, chic and homely, where guests can feel completely at ease. The exquisite interiors are primarily in white and yellow, which create a warm and welcoming ambience for the visitors. The brand identity of COCOCAL is very compelling, as it reflects a whole and a cross-section of a Cacao pod, showcasing chocolate in its rawest form. COLOCAL is all about a riveting experience which is smart, casual, warm, welcoming, approachable and truly artisanal. Come and brace yourself for an enticing chocolate indulgence only at COLOCAL!

New Delhi, 5th November, 2020: The latest entrant in the Indian luxury hotel space, The Postcard Hotel walks away with multiple honours at The World Travel Awards, 2020. The Postcard Dewa, Thimphu has been voted as ‘Asia’s Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel’ and ‘Bhutan’s Leading Boutique Hotel’, The Postcard Cuelim, South Goa has been voted as ‘India’s Leading Boutique Hotel’ and ‘Goa’s Leading Boutique Hotel’ and The Postcard Velha, Old Goa has been voted as ‘India’s Best Wellness Retreat’. In just a year of being operational, the brand has managed to make a mark for itself amongst the top luxury hotels in Asia. Kapil Chopra and a team of experienced hospitality professionals founded The Postcard Hotel with a vision to open experiential luxury hotels in unique destinations. The immersive hospitality and its unconventional and fluid nature is what truly sets the brand apart. No set breakfast hours, personalised exclusive dining, cocktails on arrival and the flexibility of anytime check-in and check-out are some of the unique offerings that have contributed to the vast recognition and appreciation of the brand. “Evolving rapidly and staying positive in this new environment was the need of the hour. While our hotels continued to provide the highest levels of service and genuine care for our guests, enhancing the procedures and protocols for safety of our guests and team became our priority. Additionally, to ensure that they feel safe and reassured, The One Key Hotel was introduced.” says Chopra. The ‘One Key’ access is a unique service that allows guests to book the entire hotel for themselves, during which the property is completely closed off to non-residential guests with a complete sanitisation of the premises including the pool prior to arrival. The boutique nature of The Postcard properties and their polished safety and service standards is what contributed to their success post opening after the nationwide lockdown this year. With limited inventory and plenty of outdoor spaces, social distancing is naturally inbuilt in the way the hotels are designed, with enough space for each guest to feel secluded and enjoy their own private experiences. This has led to possibly the biggest success story globally for any brand with revenue for the current year already exceeding last year’s - buoyed by an increased occupancy and high average room rates. Each hotel by The Postcard offers unique experiences that are true to its surroundings, giving guests a sense of the neighbourhood and the destination in a way never seen before. The Postcard Cuelim, is a 350 year old restored estate located in South Goa. This six room hotel overlooking 3500 acres of lush green paddy fields seamlessly blends in with Goa’s rich culture and tropical radiance, providing the experience of seclusion and disconnect. The Postcard Dewa, Thimphu is nestled in a forest on the outskirts of Bhutan’s capital city. The newly built hotel with 15 suites and a minimum room size of 995 square feet is located with a spectacular hilltop view of the Thimphu valley and surrounding forests. Just a 20-minute drive from Thimphu city’s sights and sounds, the hotel aims to provide a sense of splendid seclusion. As the only carbon negative country in the world, 72% of Bhutan is forest covered, and The Postcard is a perfect base from which one can explore the magnificent landscape and culture of Bhutan. The Postcard Hotel is committed to opening a multitude of new hotels in hidden holiday destinations across India and the globe. The Postcard, Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Karnataka and The Postcard in the Himalayas, Mashobra are expected to open first amongst their planned openings in 2021. “Travellers today are receptive and eager. They’re not simply satisfied with stunning sceneries, but also want to expand their cultural knowledge and grow as individuals- Gir provides the option of a great wildlife experience and an opportunity to sight the majestic Lion” says Kapil Chopra, founder and CEO, The Postcard Hotel. He added, “Untouched locations that allow people to get away from their urban lifestyles and reconnect with nature is what the affluent traveller is looking for. For those wanting a coastal experience that is slightly off the beaten track, the Maravanthe coast in Karnataka is one of the most picturesque coastal stretches in India. As Indian travellers start looking for new domestic destinations, the more pristine areas in the Himalayas will also come into vogue. I see Mashobra having the benefit of easy accessibility and close proximity to Shimla, along with the sense of being cut off from the crowds.”

November 5, 2020 (Washington, D.C.) — Planet Word, a revolutionary museum dedicated to the power, beauty, and fun of language and to showing how words shape the human experience, opened its doors to the public. Housed in Washington, D.C.’s historic Franklin School, Planet Word is the world’s first voice-activated museum, featuring immersive galleries and exhibits that will engage visitors of all ages in experiencing words and language from a wide range of perspectives. General admission is free. Founded on the belief that literacy is fundamental to the health of democracy, Planet Word aims to inspire and renew a love of words, language, and reading. Appreciation for the power of language fosters empathy and encourages civil discourse. By engaging people of all ages with language, Planet Word encourages visitors to both fall in love with the joy and whimsy of words and understand how vital they are to American society and to our world. “I am so thrilled to open Planet Word’s doors to the public and cannot imagine a more fitting time for a museum of language to open in our nation’s capital,” said Planet Word founder and CEO Ann Friedman. “Democracy depends on literate citizens. I hope that Planet Word can provide a forum for civil discourse and a place where our community, in all its vibrant diversity, can gather to share the words that bridge differences and forge solutions.” The museum held a mostly virtual ceremony to commemorate its public opening. This event featured remarks by District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and Planet Word founder Ann Friedman. It also included remarks by writer and actress Anna Deavere Smith and a performance by spoken word artist Charity Blackwell, as well as a musical performance from Renee Fleming, a freestyle hip hop performance from rapper Christylez Bacon, and a poetic dedication written for the occasion by Naomi Shihab Nye. Planet Word supporters including former President Barack Obama, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Grammy-winning musician Paul Simon also made surprise virtual appearances. Planet Word is the world’s first major museum taking a high-tech approach to bringing language to life. It features ten immersive learning galleries designed by exhibit design firm Local Projects which use technology in imaginative, ingenious ways to reimagine the modern museum experience. Among the museum’s voice-activated exhibits is “Where Do Words Come From?”,a 22-foot-tall talking word wall that shares the story of the English language through a conversation with visitors and extraordinary light effects. Other highlights include an acoustically-sealed room where visitors use a teleprompter to deliver one of eight historically significant speeches; a karaoke lounge where music lovers will learn secrets of great songwriting; and a secret poetry nook hidden in the stacks of a magical library. In other galleries, visitors can create an advertising campaign, literally paint with words using “smart” paint brushes, and converse with native speakers of widely spoken and endangered languages. The gift shop was designed by Nate Berkus, the well-known interior designer, author, and television personality. In the spring, Planet Word looks forward to welcoming the buzzworthy, cause-casual eatery, Immigrant Food, as its restaurant partner – to be housed at the museum. Immigrant Food, whose values and mission align closely with Planet Word, opened its flagship location right next to the White House in 2019 to rave reviews. In the newly created courtyard entrance of the museum, Speaking Willow – the first permanent installation in D.C. by renowned contemporary artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer – provides an immersive language experience for visitors upon arrival at Planet Word. The metal sculpture, resembling a weeping willow, plays voice recordings from hundreds of different languages as visitors pass underneath its branches. The interactive sound-and-light sculpture features 364 individual speakers and 3.6 miles of ethernet cable and was commissioned by Ann and Tom Friedman in partnership with New York’s Public Art Fund. Planet Word builds on the long history of innovation at the Franklin School, a National Historic Landmark building and the site of both one of the city's first public schools and the world’s first wireless voice transmission, a feat achieved by Alexander Graham Bell in 1880. In the past two years, the building has undergone a major restoration and rehabilitation, funded by Ms. Friedman, and led by the architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle in partnership with general contractor Whiting-Turner. The project included the restoration of the soaring Great Hall – the building’s architectural centerpiece – and replication of its original frescos; the two grand staircases with ornate railings and original ceramic tile treads have been restored to their former grandeur. To learn more about the significance of Planet Word’s home in the Franklin School, visit PlanetWordMuseum.org/Franklin-School. “Planet Word, much like Washington, D.C., is all about celebrating art, creativity, and innovation,” said Mayor Bowser. “This beautiful museum has found the perfect home in Downtown DC at the former Franklin School, where children and families alike will enjoy a one- of-a-kind cultural and educational experience. Thank you to Ann Friedman and my team at the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development for bringing this national historic landmark back to life.” Planet Word previously announced a multifaceted partnership with Shared Studios, a global collective that creates meaningful human connections between people separated by distance and difference through transformative conversations in both immersive and virtual environments. The museum is home to one of Shared_Studios’ Portals, which is outfitted with immersive AV technology that enables visitors to converse and interact with people from around the world as if in the same room. Visitors to the Planet Word Portal will make live connections with others across the globe – and in doing so discover the richness of languages and how words shape our lives, our decisions, and our relationships. Planet Word and Shared Studios’ DIVERCITIES initiative – a program that explores the commonalities and the uniqueness of languages in cities and cultures across the world – launched online in September. Each month, through moderated conversations with comedians, poets, artists, journalists, educators, and activists, DIVERCITIES will connect D.C. locals with peers in cities in the Portal network, including Lagos, Erbil, Milwaukee, Mexico City, Berlin, and Dallas. For more information about this initiative and other Planet Word programming, visit PlanetWordMuseum.org/Events. Since breaking ground in June 2018, Planet Word has met its initial $20 million fundraising goal to cover the creation of the museum’s exhibits, experiences, and start-up operating costs. Planet Word’s generous donors include AT&T, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Carolyn Bucksbaum, the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, Ann and John Doerr, Microsoft Corporation, and Christine and Stephen A. Schwarzman. The rehabilitation and restoration of the Franklin School as a home for the museum was funded and overseen by Ms. Friedman. Planet Word will be open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is free, with a suggested donation to support the museum’s mission-driven programs, exhibits, and educational outreach. Due to Covid-19, the museum has instated a number of safety procedures, including limiting capacity in the building to support social distancing. Planet Word recommends visitors reserve timed passes online in advance of their visit; a limited number of passes may be available for walk-ups on a first-come, first-served basis. Masks are mandatory for all visitors over the age of two. Stylus pens compatible with the museum’s interactive exhibits will be available to avoid the need for visitors to touch surfaces, and hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the museum. To register for tickets and review visitor guidelines, visit PlanetWordMuseum.org/Plan-Your-Visit.

Tourism Ministers from Israel, United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Bahrain will come together at WTM Virtual for the first time since signing historic agreements to normalise relations in September. The Abraham Accords, signed on 15 September, set in motion a host of business opportunities and intergovernmental agreements between Israel and the UAE, as well as creating exciting tourism prospects in the region for the first time. Concurrently, Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain also signed an agreement to launch full diplomatic relations. The agreements gave the go ahead for official dialogue between the countries and set in place new opportunities for tourism. Those involved hope tourism between the destinations will provide the chance to establish peace on a deeper level within the Middle East region. Since the Accords were signed, Israel’s first-ever commercial flight – carrying a high-level delegation from Israel and the US – landed in the UAE, while the first commercial passenger flight to Israel by a carrier from the UAE landed at Israel’s Ben-Gurion international airport in October. As a result of the Abraham Accords, the Israel Transportation Ministry announced there will be 28 direct weekly passenger flights connecting Tel Aviv with Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On day one of WTM Virtual, seven weeks after the historic agreements were signed, WTM will host a momentous discussion among tourism ministers from the three destinations. Orit Farkash-Hacohen, Minister of Tourism for Israel; Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises for the UAE and H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism to the Kingdom of Bahrain and Chairman of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, will discuss the tourism opportunities now available and determine the role that tourism will play in helping to secure long-standing peace in the region. It will be the first time the tourism ministers have met since signing the agreements. They will take part in a WTM Virtual session entitled Tourism: The Path to Peace in the Middle East, which will take place immediately after the Ministers’ Summit, on Monday 9 November. WTM Senior Director Simon Press said: “The session will provide a fascinating insight into how co-operating on tourism and trade – encouraging people to engage with different cultures and experience new places, sample different food and take part in different activities – can advance peace. “WTM has always understood the unique way that travel promotes tolerance, empathy and cross-cultural understanding. When people travel, they form friendships, engage in dialogue and are able to see things from a different perspective. When flight paths open up, the prospect for new business becomes a reality, which creates wealth and opportunity for destinations and their citizens. “The post-COVID possibilities are endless for this region and we’re excited that WTM Virtual has been able to facilitate such an important meeting and play a part in history.” Tourism: The Path to Peace in the Middle East, featuring the tourism ministers of Israel, UAE and Bahrain, will take place on Monday 9 November, at 15.00 – 16.00 GMT (19.00 – 20.00 GST).

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 02 November 2020: Chile is hosting a series of events to secure its’ position in the UAE as the leading exporter of walnuts and dried fruits with a trio of virtual and live business networking opportunities. Prominent UAE importers have been selected for the exclusive sessions which will include a series of presentations outlining the superior quality and health benefits of Chilean produce, group discussions, as well as the opportunity to participate in virtual and live business meetings. Carlos Salas, Trade Commissioner of Chile in Dubai, said: "The UAE and the wider GCC region continue to be incredibly important markets for Chilean dried fruit exporters, despite the challenges of COVID-19. “As such, we have developed a series of online events which will provide importers from the UAE, and the rest of the world, to learn more about our fantastic produce, do business, and ultimately secure deals with renowned Chilean exporters.” The first event, the 24th e-business meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of Valparaiso, took place from the 27th – 30th of October. The event saw over 176 Chilean exporters of fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables, and healthy foods undertake a series of 30-minute meetings with importers from the UAE and the rest of the world. ExpoNut 2020, which takes place on November 25th, is the second virtual event to take place. It is the largest meeting point for the Chilean nut industry, annually bringing together more than 500 producers, exporters, suppliers, investors. As a result of COVID-19, the event will be virtual this year and host a series of talks and panel discussions addressing exports, agriculture, and sustainable development. The event will also host the ExpoNut Business Roundtable, giving importers from the UAE the opportunities to partake in a series of discussion with Chilean Walnut exporters. Rounding out the series of events is the ProChile Food Exporter Meeting, taking place from 7th -12th December, live in Chile. Five UAE importers will have the opportunity to meet with a range of Chilean companies during workshops and roundtable discussions. A series of masterclasses, product sampling and insights into the latest market innovations will also take place. “This will be a vital opportunity for exporters to reconnect with valuable importers from the UAE, as we look to build on the successes witnessed in 2019. Our number one priority is to facilitate meetings and networking, however, showcasing the superior quality, health benefits, and sustainable practices relating to our produce is also vitally important,” added Salas. The popularity of Chilean walnuts has surged in the last two years, with the country the leading exporter in the southern hemisphere, and now the second-largest exporter in the world, exporting over 135,000 tonnes in 2019. In the UAE, the value of exported dry fruits from Chile increased by 75% year-on-year in 2019 to US$43.8. This was primarily attributed to walnuts, which made up 76% of the total dried fruit exports to the UAE. According to yield estimates based on the planted area and average performance, production in Chile is expected to increase to 163,000 tonnes in 2021 and 200,000 tonnes in 2024. Over 95% of all production is exported to 75 countries, with the Middle East accounting for 54% in 2019. For more information please visit www.prochile.gob.cl/ or www.chilenut.cl/home/

The COVID-19 pandemic is casting a long shadow over countries worldwide and has quickly moved beyond being a health crisis alone. Fears it has sparked of an impending economic crisis are rippling through all aspects of our lives. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the vulnerabilities of people and societies, and calls for a strong response based on solidarity, co-operation and responsibility. In India, where COVID-19 cases have crossed the 7-million mark (as on October 12, 2020) and continue to increase, it is of the utmost importance that individuals and organizations act responsibly to tackle the problem, while ensuring that critical work continues. Toshiba has stood side-by-side with India and its people since the onset of the outbreak. Toshiba Group companies in India continue to take measures to ensure employee safety, and business continuity to sustain society. With their employees, they continue to extend support to the community, pursuant to Toshiba’s basic commitment, ‘Committed to people, Committed to the Future’ Mr. Tomohiko Okada, Managing Director, Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd. said, "Toshiba Group is responding to the coronavirus pandemic with measures that prioritize the safety of our employees and their families, and of our customers and business partners. We continue to monitor the situation in India and to follow Indian government guidance and instructions, while doing all we can to ensure business continuity. Pursuant to our basic commitment "Committed to People, Committed to the Future", Toshiba group companies in India have donated approximately INR 2.28 crores during the current crisis, towards the fight against the pandemic, as well as other CSR activities approved by the Government of India. Even during these testing times, Toshiba is moving forward with positivity, compassion, and empathy and is continually adjusting its approaches to keep all its employees safe and healthy.” The monetary contributions Toshiba Group has pledged towards fighting the virus include voluntary salary contributions by employees and contributions from Group companies: Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd. (TIPL), Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. (TJPS), Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TTDI), Toshiba Software India Pvt. Ltd. (TSIP), Toshiba Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (TWS) and Toshiba Johnson Elevators (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TJEI). While the external focus has been on financial contributions to support the fight against COVID-19, the main concern in-house has been taking multiple steps to ensure employee health and well-being. Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd. (TIPL) plays a leading role in initiating measures to fight the virus. A comprehensive “Protocol Manual for Officer Operations during the COVID-19 pandemic” prepared by TIPL and clearly focused on employee safety, has been adapted by other group companies in India in multiple locations. TIPL also has an emergency response team (ERT) that monitors employee health and takes prompt actions as needed. Since the gradual lifting of the lockdown, TIPL continues to ensure sanitization and social distancing inside its premises. Toshiba Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (TWS) hosts online training programs for personnel at various project sites. These webinars feature in-length discussions on COVID-19 preventive measures. Toshiba Johnson Elevators (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TJEI) takes measures to safeguard its employees' physical and mental health. Even before the lockdown was imposed in March, TJEI implemented a work from home policy as an early preventive measure. It also introduced a 'we care' initiative, under which an "employee connect" team was established to closely monitor, access and address any anxieties arising from the pandemic and lockdown. Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TTDI) shares regular updates on best practices to maintain health and hygiene. Sanitization and temperature checks are made standard practices. To comply with government regulations, the company has arranged additional employee transport to and from work. TTDI has also set up COVID-19 isolation wards for employees showing any symptoms, and tied up with hospitals to ensure reasonable pricing in case any employee needed to be admitted. To boost the morale of the employees, COVID-19 insurance policies were also arranged. TTDI warriors who worked during the lockdown were appreciated and rewarded. Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. (TJPS) gives priority to the well-being and convenience of its \employees and customers. The company takes the many precautionary steps demanded by the situation and suggested by government advisory notices. During these difficult times, TJPS also supports its workforce with groceries and other food items, helping them ride the crisis smoothly. Toshiba Software India Pvt. Ltd. (TSIP) is promoting programs to ensure the physical and mental well-being of all employees. This includes an online nutritionist service, a series of webinars on health topics, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides employees with confidential counselling services on a wide range of work, family and personal issues. TSIP also ensured that employees stranded outside the country on business reached home safely by coordinating with consulates and airline companies. On top to this, the company paid special allowances allowing employees to purchase furniture or equipment needed to work from home seamlessly, and employees infected with the coronavirus are granted additional leave and support. To maintain high morale and foster an open culture, HR also regularly contact employees with updates from Toshiba. These are just a few examples of the commitment demonstrated by Toshiba Group Companies. In this time of deep uncertainty, a new approach to leadership is needed, one that recognizes the paramount importance of compassion and empathy. Toshiba is striving to adapt and evolve FOR A NEW DAY.

Mr. Pankaj Bohra, has been elected as the President of the West India Council of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC). Mr. Bohra, 56, who was earlier associated with Ernst & Young (EY), is a Senior Partner of Pankaj Bohra & Co. Chartered Accountants. He has been associated with IACC for the past 12 years and brings with him a rich experience of Corporate Governance including professional expertise in the fields Audit & assurance, Tax Advisory, Corporate Finance, and Cross Border Investments etc. Commenting on his new role, Mr. Bohra said, “Relations between India and the USA are stronger than ever. Bi-lateral trade between the two countries has gone up tremendously in the last few years with USA emerging as a largest trading partner of India in its foreign trade. However, we believe there is a huge potential for further scaling up of bi-lateral trade & investments. The West India Council of IACC will actively engage with the governments & other stakeholders and continue to work in this direction.”

New Delhi, October 26, 2020: Travel is seeing a comeback, but in a new normal, new trend continue to define consumer preferences. From taking life to the road, to consciously and safely reconnecting with the places and people that matter most, Airbnb and travelers predict what travel will look like in 2021. The year of the staycation Guests are seeking unique travel experiences by staying in one-of-a-kind accommodations on Airbnb, but are preferring to be close to home or in their home cities. The staycation trend resonates with travellers, pointing to the perennial human need for new experiences, either for short stays or for stays that are a month or more. With access to quiet nooks in busy cities, close to parks and gardens, immersive natural surroundings and wide-open spaces, travellers are looking for respite from the everyday in accommodations such as condominiums, farm stays, villas, and cottages in places such as: · Bengaluru, Karnataka · Mangalore, Karnataka · Pune, Maharashtra · Guwahati, Assam · Hyderabad, Telangana Nearby stays, close to metro to see a rise According to Airbnb search data, guests continue to search for nearby stays that are a drive away from metro cities, to explore a slower pace of life for holidays or for inspiration. Travellers are searching for destinations such as Gokarna, Shimla, Mussoorie, Kasauli and Alibag where they can spend time with family and friends. Guests are increasingly looking at rediscovering the magic in their own backyards. Established destinations as well as hidden gems near metros are seeing interest from travellers fleeing urban life, enlivening local communities on city outskirts.Top spots for nearby stays include: · Gokarna, Karnataka · Shimla, Himachal Pradesh · Mussoorie, Uttarakhand · Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh · Alibag, Maharashtra Regenerative travel bringing travellers closer to communities A key trend Airbnb is noting is that as travel picks up again, consumers may prefer immersive and regenerative travel at the heart of communities. Sustainable travel choices that are closer to remote communities and nature not only provide a boost to these communities and their members - redistributing the economic impact of travel – but are accessible and affordable and are a transformative choice contributing to unique and individual travel experiences. In 2021, living remotely will continue to define travel preferences with the rise with travellers aching for more access to open spaces, fresh air, and wildlife. Destinations that are highly searched for on Airbnb, by both inbound and domestic travellers are: · Karjat, Maharashtra · Panchgani, Maharashtra · Manali, Himachal Pradesh · Mangalore, Karnataka · Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand Many travellers may intend to work remotely in a room with a view in 2021. Entrepreneurs may explore new hubs closer to their businesses or customers. Airbnb has documented stays by entrepreneurs looking for a hub to inspire creativity, digital nomads who aspire to work from anywhere for longer periods of time, and creatives discovering their newest masterpiece. Authors, musicians, artists, and athletes alike are increasingly looking for stays with private spaces and retreating to suburban or rural areas from big cities. With India’s much-loved festival season around the corner, guests are either looking at travelling to their hometowns or spending time together as family. India continues to be travel hotspot, globally With discretionary outbound travel on a slow uptick currently, there are reasons to predict that travel in 2021 will bounce back in India, on both domestic and inbound sectors. Airbnb search data suggests India remains a hotly searched-for destination globally, with the following cities and towns featuring on the most searched-for list. · Gokarna, Karnataka · Kasol, Himachal Pradesh · Mangalore, Karnataka · Karjat, Maharashtra · Panchgani, Maharashtra · Igatpuri, Maharashtra · Alibag, Maharashtra · Haridwar, Uttarakhand Outbound, Indians are continuing to prize locations such as Toronto and London. Commenting on these trends, Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager - Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said, “As we come closer to 2021, transparency, trust and safety will be more critical than ever before, and will continue to set the benchmark for traveller expectations. Trends such as travelling closer to cities and working from anywhere will continue to see interest. Importantly, this means that travel benefits more and more local communities economically, rather than being concentrated in tourist hotspots. We truly look forward to a future of travel that is inclusive, sustainable and regenerative.” In 2021, travel will continue to be more about living, working and connecting safely away from home.

Singapore, 23 October 2020 – ITB Asia, ‘Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show,’ successfully concluded today rounding off the first virtual event in its 13-year history. The highly-anticipated trade show was hosted virtually on the newly established online platform, ITB Community in Asia (ITB Community). Over three days, the virtual event welcomed over 35,000 travel professionals from around the world who participated in the show’s vibrant agenda of conference and networking sessions, supported by world leaders and leading destinations. With the virtual platform providing the perfect space for networking, attendees also took part in online business appointments, fuelling confidence in the industry’s future. Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), organiser of ITB Asia, shared: “We are proud to be the leading travel trade show in Asia, playing our part in creating a close-knit community who support one another through the good times and the more difficult ones. The past three days have been a testament to the resilience of our peers with industry leaders coming together, united by a common purpose of paving the way forward in the face of the new normal.” New exhibitors signal confidence in the industry This year, exhibitors were present at ITB Asia 2020 Virtual’s exhibition through digital exhibition booths. The virtual exhibition featured major players in the hotel, tourism and travel sectors, including Advantage Austria, Inspired by Iceland, Korea Tourism Organisation, Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation, Malta Tourism Authority, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, Moscow Project Office for Tourism and Hospitality Development, Saudi Tourism Authority, Singapore Tourism Board, State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Visit Finland, Visit Rovaniemi and more. The show floor also featured Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Govt, Park Hotel Group, Promotion Bureau of the Principality of Monaco, Sapporo Convention Bureau, Shizouka Prefectural Govt and Switzerland Tourism joining ITB Asia’s exhibition grounds for the first time. Conferences on reinventing travel and navigating through challenges Themed “Reinventing Travel in the New Normal”, ITB Asia 2020 Virtual’s conference saw more than 160 top speakers from major global brands lead more than 100 conference sessions. This year’s conferences specially focused on helping travel industry professionals reinvent traditional business models to adapt to current times and prepare for the industry’s recovery. At the conferences, a specially curated line-up of industry heavyweights shared innovative perspectives on ways to build a more resilient travel industry, as well as solutions to move the industry forward. Keynote sessions and topics focused on major themes ranging from MICE, corporate travel, travel technology, tours and activities, destination marketing, air travel, and hotel revenue and distribution. With the new virtual format of the show, recordings have been made available on-demand for all registered delegates to view and watch again. Paving the way for a new show model for ITB Asia Next year’s edition of ITB Asia will be a hybrid show featuring a live and an online model to facilitate continuous engagement with industry stakeholders. Scheduled to take place in Singapore from 27-29 October 2021, the live segment of the event hopes to bring back human connections through face-to face business meetings and networking sessions. Complemented by a proven virtual segment, key functions of the show such as online business matching, on-demand content (insights articles and videos) for all-year-round business, networking and learning will further strengthen ITB Asia’s offering as the leading travel trade show. Interest is already being expressed for ITB Asia’s 2021 edition, with more than 40% of the exhibition being booked. Confirmed exhibitors will include Advantage Austria, Best Western International, Inspired by Iceland, Korea Tourism Organization, ITB Asia’s official hotel partner, Marina Bay Sands, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and many more. Registration for ITB Asia 2021 is available through this link. For more information on ITB Asia 2021, the sales brochure can be downloaded at: https://bit.ly/ITBA2021Flyer.

Singapore, 21 October 2020 – ITB Asia, Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show, today opened its virtual doors for the first-ever virtual event. As one of the industry’s firsts, the three-day event is being hosted online. Over the course of the next three-days, almost 900 buyers and 400 exhibitors from all over the world will come together to establish high-quality networks, conduct business, and share their knowledge. Held on the newly established platform – ITB Community in Asia (ITB Community) - this year’s ITB Asia event also plays host to MICE Show Asia and marks the debut of Travel Tech Asia. Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore)- organiser of ITB Asia – comments; “We are proud to have quickly pivoted to a fully virtual format that has enabled us to maintain our position as the leading travel trade show in the region. It is now more important than ever before that we provide this opportunity for industry leaders around the globe to come together virtually to share insights, knowledge, and experience, to pave the way for the future of the travel trade. Over the next three days, we look forward to closely collaborating with international exhibitors, travel companies and international buyers to unveil a strong, engaging, and contextually relevant programme.” Virtual Exhibition to facilitate business and networking Despite ITB Asia’s brand-new format, the virtual exhibition line-up continues to facilitate business appointments, digital exhibition booths, a business matching platform and 24/7 chat and call functions for almost 400 exhibitors around the world to engage with key clients and partners. Being a global stage, the virtual exhibition will feature new destinations including Switzerland, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Monaco and Sapporo. Exhibitors from hospitality and travel groups include Meliá Hotels International, Radisson Hotel Group and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, to name just a few. As part of ITB Asia’s usual business matching typically held on the exhibition floor, this year’s Business Matching takes place on a dedicated Business Matching portal. Available throughout the three days of ITB Asia, sellers will be able to upload company brochures and collateral, and buyers may upload proposal request briefs for the same successful discussions and business negotiations as like the previous ITB Asia shows. Conference line-up to reinvent travel Now in its thirteenth year, the theme of this year’s event, set against the backdrop of the ongoing pandemic, is “Reinventing Travel in the New Normal”. The over 100-session themed agenda, led by more than 160 international speakers, has been specifically curated to support the travel industry in navigating the current challenges and prepare for eventual recovery. Today’s conference will see a strong line-up of speakers from across the industry discussing topics such as the future of travel, and building recovery for travel and tourism. These speakers included industry heavyweights from leading global organisations such Maribel Rodriguez, Senior Vice President, Membership & Commercial at World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and Anita Mendiratta, Special Advisor to Secretary General at The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Tomorrow (22 October), attendees can look forward to hearing from top speakers such as Alexandre de Juniac Director General & CEO, International Air Transport Association (IATA), and keynote speakers Deep Kalra, Founder & Group Executive Chairman, MakeMyTrip and Ben Drew, President, Viator. They will be sharing their insights on topics from improving leadership to restoring confidence and attracting travellers. Partners set to discuss the path to recovery This year, ITB Asia’s partners also have a strong speaker track. In its fifth year of partnership with CrescentRating for the “Halal in Travel Asia Summit”, this year’s summit focuses on enabling destinations and travel stakeholders to develop their own strategic solutions towards recovery and growth through insights from their Mastercard-CrescentRating Travel Readiness Report and using their Travel Readiness Framework. The Travel Foundation will run a themed session focussed on “Building Back Better” which will look at what better means to the Future of Tourism Coalition, which has developed thirteen guiding principles to help over 200 companies, destinations, and organisations forge a new path for tourism. Cruise Lines International Association will focus on preparing for resumption in its session and will answer questions on what the travel trade can do to combat misperceptions and raise awareness of the strict regulations that govern cruises worldwide. Building a resilient MICE industry with MICE Show Asia MICE Show Asia invites professionals in the meetings and events industries to look ahead to building a resilient post COVID-19 MICE industry. Highlights of the event will include a series of MICE destination talks with global participation including Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), German Convention Bureau (GCB), Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB), Russian Convention Bureau (RCB), Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) and more with MICE associations including IAPCO, MPI Academy and SITE Africa also in attendance. The launch of Travel Tech Asia Co-located with ITB Asia and MICE Show Asia, is Messe Berlin’s brand-new show – Travel Tech Asia. Here, participants can share latest technologies, trends, tech travel brands and innovative start-ups, to create new possibilities for the future of travel. Thousands of influential executives and attendees across travel industry sectors will come together for three days of unparalleled networking as part of the largest travel trade show in APAC. Amadeus, TrustYou and Oracle Hospitality are also leading a brand-new track on Hotel Revenue and Distribution. Meanwhile, a new Air Travel track will see executives from leading associations and agencies present the latest global flight data trends and insights, led by the Skyscanner, Dohop and many more. For more information on this year’s event, or to join the next two days, please click here.

October 2020: Roastery Coffee, one of the best speciality coffee roasters with cafes in Hyderabad and Kolkata, has introduced Balur Estate Limited Edition Thick Bed Honey Coffee that comes from one of the most well-known coffee plantations, Balur Estate, in Karnataka. It is a Limited Edition coffee, perfect for Pour Over and AeroPress brew lovers, as well as for all discerning coffee aficionados with notes of bubblegum and stone fruit in it, giving it a dash of exotic, fruity and refreshing flavor. “Thick bed” is a technique where coffee is handpicked and then dried on a thick bed to retain more moisture which results in slow drying and develops sweeter characters in coffee. The beans are roasted light to lend the notes of bubblegum and stone fruits, which makes for an interesting combination. The rare taste of Bubblegum in your coffee lends it a unique character. Roastery Coffee brings to you fresh, seasonal coffee sourced from the best coffee farms across India. It is one of the finest brands of artisanal Coffee and offers a wide range of coffees, each brewed differently. The Balur Estate Limited Edition Thick Bed Honey coffee is a new addition to brand’s already existing range of special edition variants which include Harley Estate Grapa, Monsoon Malabar, Thogarihunkal Estate Honey Sun Dried Coffee, Carbonic Maceration (Harley Estate), to name a few. Balur Estate has been a 400-acre coffee plantation since the 1840s. Today, it is under the responsible stewardship of fourth-generation coffee planters. What makes Balur Estate coffee so unique is its location and elevation. Balur Estate coffee is processed with the utmost attention at each processing stage from picking to milling. Every bean by hand, manually harvested only when the fruits are cherry red, and no mechanical harvesting is used that would mix bitter green beans in with matured red fruit. State of the art machinery and skilled workers are employed to ensure coffee that is consistently defect-free. Different methods of coffee processing are explored at the estate and the phrase “quality from crop to cup” best describes the planning and operation of Balur Estate coffee. So visit Roastery Coffee House in Hyderabad and Kolkata for a perfectly brewed cup of limited edition Balur Estate Thick Bed Honey Coffee or order online for brewing pleasure at home. Price range: INR 400 -750 Available at : https://www.roasterycoffee.co.in Hyderabad: Roastery Coffee House, 8/2/287/12, House 418, Road 14, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Kolkata: Roastery Coffee House, 70 B, Calcutta South India Club, Gariahat, Kolkata

Buyers from travel firms around the world can reconnect with established partners, forge new contacts and make business deals at next month’s WTM Virtual (9-11 November) from 7am to 10pm GMT, to allow access to all the different time zones across the globe. Organisers of the online event aim to host 5,000 pre-selected buyers from a diverse range of companies across the world and from their global database. Of those buyers already registered, almost 50% have expressed an interest in the Middle East region. To date, over 100 exhibitors from over 10 destinations in the Middle East have confirmed. They include Dubai Tourism, Expo 2020 Dubai, Emaar Entertainment, Jordan Tourism Board, NEOM, RAKTDA and Saudi Tourism Authority, amongst others. Buyers will have access to free one-to-one meetings, along with other opportunities to meet exhibitors taking part in WTM Virtual and Travel Forward Virtual. Furthermore, they can meet members of the media and influencers from around the world. Some buyers with spending power in certain sectors will be selected to take part in Speed Networking sessions during London Travel Week. As well as sealing crucial business contracts for 2021 and beyond, the buyers will be able to learn about key travel trends as the industry recovers, rebuilds and innovates in the wake of the pandemic. Those who apply will be vetted to ensure they are senior, high-calibre buyers and then they can join the WTM Buyers’ Club. This will enable free access to the entire WTM Virtual platform, with many opportunities to connect, learn and do business. The online activities start with London Travel Week (30 October-5 November) which hosts networking and promotional opportunities ahead of the main events during WTM Virtual (9-11 November). WTM London’s Senior Director Simon Press said: “This will be a vital opportunity for senior buyers to reconnect with valuable contacts in the wake of the pandemic, as we all look to recover and rebuild in 2021. “Many travel businesses have seen widespread changes in personnel over the course of the COVID-19 crisis so it’s more important than ever for buyers and suppliers to make contact with the right people in order to plan their roadmap to recovery. “Our number one priority is to facilitate meetings and networking – but another key element will be our conference sessions with thought leaders from across the travel industry. These will help buyers invest in the right products and destinations for growth next year.” He added: “Although we can’t meet in person this year, the online platform does mean that we can attract a wider variety of buyers than in previous years. “The WTM Portfolio team has hosted many virtual events in recent months and we have a 40-year track record of holding top-level gatherings, so buyers and suppliers can be confident that they will have a first-rate experience. “WTM Virtual will be a must-attend event for senior buyers with substantial spending power who want to conduct business, develop trusted partnerships and lay the foundations for a bounce-back in 2021.”

UAE-headquartered hospitality company, TIME Hotels, has added the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Dubai Chamber) CSR Label Award for H1 2020, to its growing list of accolades, for the sixth year in succession. TIME Hotels was recognised for initiatives such as its ‘Sanitised & Ready’ campaign, which includes a range of new intensified cleaning measures and sanitisation procedures which were implemented throughout all public areas as well as in each individual guestroom. The improved protocol includes detailed infection control which focuses on the disinfection of all hotel transportation, reception areas, elevators, public rest rooms and guestrooms as well as all F&B outlets and kitchens. Additionally, initiatives were put in place to boost morale and promote positive wellbeing among all of its staff members, as well as improving the guest experience across its portfolio of properties. Eddie Ignatius, Corporate Director of Quality & Business Excellence, TIME Hotels, said: “We were applauded by Dubai Chamber’s Centre for Responsible Business for our initiatives and commitment to encouraging and developing CSR plans and activities. To be recognised for the sixth year in a row, not only underscores that commitment to our social responsibilities it also highlights our consistency. The personal development of all team members is a key focus, with TIME Hotels dedicating a set amount of working hours to allow them to catch up on e-learning modules. Furthermore, through performance-related personal training and development plans, staff are encouraged to broaden their existing skill sets with a range of employee engagement activities. Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels, said: “Boosting staff morale is essential during these challenging times and as a result we’re working hard to ensure that we cultivate a warm and constructive working environment, conducive to positive mental health. The current crisis will pass, and I want our staff to be fully motivated when all of the travel and social restrictions have been lifted.” Launched in 2010 to reward corporate commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the CSR Label is awarded based on performance scores across seven different criteria including human resources (training, development, welfare, Emiratisation), client relations, business development, procurement, environment, health and safety, innovation and community; with Dubai Chamber also measuring the resulting impact in four key areas, namely workplace, marketplace, community and environmental. His Excellency Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber, said: “The benefits of participating in the Dubai Chamber CSR Label initiative are far-reaching and go well beyond the recognition as the framework is designed to help companies evaluate their social and environmental impact and CSR practices, and identify key strengths, as well as areas where they can improve and enhance competitiveness.” For more information, please log onto http://www.timehotels.ae/

15th October 2020 – Kibus Petcare, a pet product company, has announced the launch of a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Kibus, its proprietary at-home product that cooks pet food with the healthiness of traditional home-cooked meals. An automatic, convenient device that cooks healthy, natural, and minimally processed dog food, Kibus will meet the needs of demanding dogs and their owners worldwide. A seamless and integrated device, Kibus has an all-in-one design that cooks dehydrated pet foods via a six-minute rehydration process that is easy and automatic. Each Kibus device contains a food tank, water tank, food bowl, and water bowl, and rehydrates food and dispenses it in pre-set portions, up to four times a day, individually and precisely. Giving fresh, warm, and healthy food to our furry friends, Kibus makes food available for days on end with minimal effort and can be placed in the corner of one’s home seamlessly with its black-colored body. Easy and convenient to use, getting started is simple for consumers. First, unbox the Kibus and connect it to a power supply. Second, program how much food a pet is to consume each day and how frequently. Lastly, add dehydrated pet food to the food tank and fresh water to the water tank, and close the top lid. Kibus’ automatic rehydration process takes care of the rest. Food and water bowls will stay extended until the next cooking process is scheduled to begin, or until they are removed for cleaning. As part of this campaign, Kibus Petcare plans to develop a companion mobile application for monitoring and tracking a pet’s diet and programming feed settings, along with an exclusive white-colored variation. Kibus Petcare is excited to bring this new way of feeding dogs to homes around the world. Declared the most innovative product in Spain at AECOC 2019, Kibus has similarly been recognized by the European Commission, Google for Startups and TechCrunch, first-class universities, and Brinc, one of the main hardware accelerators. Feeding dogs a healthy and natural diet, automatically, will never be easier, but the support of pet owners and furry friends is needed to make it possible. For a limited time, support Kibus on Kickstarter [here] and get exclusive rewards as a token of your support, including early bird pricing, customizations, and add-ons. “We have developed Kibus to offer pet parents a way to feed their pets on a healthy and natural diet in a convenient way”, explains Albert Icart, CEO of Kibus. “They can even schedule Kibus to work on its own at the scheduled time, with no need to be at home”.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates ( 14thOctober, 2020) – Atlantis, The Palm announced today that it will be offering all its global guests who stay five nights or more the opportunity to claim back the cost of their respective countries’ departure PCR test from now until 30th April, 2021. With many travellers still required to conduct a PCR test before arriving into the UAE, Atlantis, The Palm is giving back the full cost of the tests for two guests per room staying five nights or more to spend as in-resort credit. This means that for a PCR test that costs up to US$190 (AED 700) each, two guests will receive the full amount of the test back to spend on anything in-resort including food and beverage, spa or marine and waterpark experiences. Speaking about this latest development, Timothy Kelly Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Atlantis Dubai, said: “We are continuously evolving to meet the needs of our customers during this challenging time. We would like to continue to make the travels of our international guests easier by giving back the cost of their home country’s departure PCR test to spend on a range of amazing in-resort activities and experiences. We hope this will continue to reduce any travel inconveniences and encourage more guests from across the globe to visit Dubai’s premier entertainment destination.” Kelly added: “We look forward to our guests relishing every moment of their time spent at Atlantis, The Palm as we strive to implement innovative ways to welcome them in a socially responsible way. To further ensure this, Atlantis, The Palm has been granted the internationally certified safeguard label by Bureau Veritas as well as issued the safety seal of approval by the Dubai government – the Dubai Assured stamp. This demonstrates to guests that the entire resort, including all of our rooms, restaurants, attractions and retail outlets, follows the strictest safety measures and protocols to ensure their health and wellbeing.” While Atlantis, The Palm will continue to closely monitor the situation as it evolves and keep their guests and prospective guests regularly updated, all international guests are advised to please check the requirements of the country they are travelling to and from before they travel. Atlantis, The Palm is now fully operational with guests able to enjoy daily complimentary access per each night’s stay to the region’s number one waterpark, Atlantis Aquaventure and The Lost Chambers Aquarium. Guests can take their pick of where to dine from a collection of 31 world-renowned restaurants including Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, Hakkasan, Nobu and the award-winning underwater restaurant, Ossiano. https://www.atlantis.com/dubai

Set to open its doors in the first quarter of 2021, Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh will mark the first Hyatt hotel in the Cambodian capital and the debut of the Hyatt Regency brand in one of Asia’s most dynamic destinations. With 247 guestrooms including 43 suites, the new contemporary-meets-colonial property is ideally situated in the heart of Phnom Penh’s cultural and business district of Doun Penh and within walking distance to the Royal Palace, National Museum and the riverside. Conceived by award-winning Singapore-based SCDA Architects, the interiors of the hotel will reflect Cambodia’s diverse heritage, seamlessly blending Khmer architectural accents, French colonial influences, and specially-commissioned artworks by contemporary Cambodian artist, FONKi. Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh will feature five dining venues including The Attic, an old world speakeasy-style bar, and a stylish indoor/outdoor open-plan dining concept called FiveFive Rooftop Restaurant & Bar, where guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Mekong River, the Royal Palace and the city skyline alongside refreshing cocktails and lively DJ performances. In addition, the hotel will feature 1,400 square meters of meeting space as well as a slew of recreational facilities including a 24-hour fitness center, tropical infinity pool, spa and the Regency Club Lounge. Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh – Guestroom Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh – The Attic Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh – FiveFive Rooftop Restaurant & Bar

8 October 2020, Kolkata: Shree Cement, India’s leading cement manufacturer and the investor in East Bengal Football Club, has announced in a press communique the formation of Shree Cement East Bengal Foundation (SCEBF) to steer the affairs of the 100-year-old football Club while gearing up for the Indian Super League (ISL) 2020-21 session. Shree Cement, in its first official communication, expressed thanks and gratitude to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Smt Mamata Banerjee, and Mrs Nita Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), for recognising the legacy of the century-old institution. "We are delighted to be part of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2020-2021 season. A formal agreement with East Bengal was signed today and I thank the Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Smt Mamata Banerjee, for her inspiration, guidance and continuous support. She is dedicated to the development of sports in West Bengal and we share the same vision,” said Mr Hari Mohan Bangur, Managing Director, Shree Cement Limited, through an official press release here today. “We also extended our thanks and gratitude to the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) for recognising the legacy of our Club and to Mrs Nita Ambani for her constant encouragement. The objective is to revive the glorious past of the Club. For our fans, we promise to leave no stone unturned in our bid to strive for excellence,” Mr Bangur said. “We are delighted to take part in the Hero Indian Super League. At our Club, our aim will always be to develop the game in every way possible. We promise to put our best foot forward and make the fans proud in our first season,” Mr. Prashant Bangur, Shree Cement Joint Managing Director, said. “Football is not just a passion but very much a part of Bengal's rich and varied culture and the East Bengal Football Club is the face of Bengal's football. We would focus on nurturing the players and their development by creating an ecosystem within the Club to carry forward its legacy. We will ensure the flag of East Bengal flies high and thank our millions of supporters all over the globe,” Mr Prashant Bangur said.

Early bird tickets for £25 (US$32) will give visitors access to an extensive conference programme, virtual exhibition, and the chance to book one-to-one meetings with exhibitors. Ticket price includes access to London Travel Week Virtual Buyers’ Club Members, Ministers and Media will have full access to virtual events including meetings for free Travel trade professionals from around the world can now register for WTM Virtual (9-11 November 2020) to access the unrivalled range of online conference sessions, briefings and meetings. Included in the ticket price will be access to London Travel Week Virtual – a set of events designed to celebrate the travel and tourism industry, taking place between 30th October – 5th November. WTM Virtual will replace the live events of WTM London, Travel Forward and London Travel Week. The platform will follow the WTM Portfolio’s purpose and pledges to offer the best opportunities for travel industry professionals to connect, learn and do business. Members of the Buyers’ Club, Ministers and Media will get free access to the entire platform, with trade delegates paying an early bird registration fee of £25 (US$32). The original price is £34 (US$44). Visitors can engage in the event starting from the 30th October, when London Travel Week kicks off and be connected until the last day of WTM Virtual (9-11 Nov). WTM Virtual will be accessible from 7am-10pm GMT, which means professionals from different time zones around the world can participate. Combined, WTM Virtual and London Travel Week, will offer an extensive conference programme of nearly 50 sessions streamed live online and on demand with the majority of the sessions open to all. Some of the virtual event visitors will also be able to access and watch: ● UNWTO, WTTC and WTM Ministers’ Summit ● Responsible Tourism Sessions ● International Tourism and Investment Conference – ITIC ● Destination Briefings and Press Conferences from all over the world ● Aviation sessions with Ryanair and JetBlue CEOs ● Travel Forward Virtual – Technology Conference ● London Travel Week Virtual Content Creators Summit ● PR Summit Furthermore, trade delegates can upgrade their access package for £20 in order to have five pre-scheduled meetings with exhibitors. These one-to-one video meetings will last for half-an-hour and take place during WTM Virtual. WTM London’s Senior Director Simon Press said: “Thousands of travel trade professionals from around the globe will take part in WTM Virtual, as we all come together online to help our industry recover, rebuild and innovate. “This is an excellent opportunity for industry leaders to connect and collaborate across the industry to confirm, predict and tackle pressing business issues and trends; conduct business transactions, form trusted partnerships, and provide opportunities for business growth. “Building on our 40 years of experience, we are crafting an unmissable event designed to help delegates seal deals and create a roadmap to recovery. “As well as learning about ways the industry is dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, delegates can conduct business during one-to-one virtual meetings. “There will be four virtual theatres to host webinars and debates, including our popular annual Responsible Tourism session. Meanwhile, the Travel Forward Virtual will have the theme of ‘Resilience, Innovation, Response’, offering delegates a free technology exhibition, conference sessions and speed networking for start-ups to meet investors. Simon Press said there will be even more opportunities to learn and network during London Travel Week (30 October-5 November 2020). “It features six Speed Networking sessions so exhibitors, brands and destinations can meet before the virtual show and build business connections,” he added. “London Travel Week will also host virtual awards ceremonies such as the World Travel Leaders’ Awards and the Responsible Tourism Awards. “Furthermore, the week will see summits about wellness, as well as destination briefings, press conferences and PR Summit.” He concluded: “Our team is working tirelessly to make sure WTM Virtual brings together all the key industry players from countries around the world, to share their vision of how travel and tourism will bounce back in 2021. “We will provide an outstanding platform for industry professionals to meet and do business. “Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we work together to support the recovery of our industry.” Access the registration form: https://london.wtm.com/visit/Visitor-registration/

The MoU will give us an opportunity to increase participation of women in the tourism sector and make them an integral part of the tourism workforce of the country - Tourism Minister In the presence of the Union Minister of State for Tourism (IC), Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was virtually signed today by the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) with Ministry of Tourism for women empowerment.  Through this initiative FLO & TAAI would lay emphasis on personal and hospitality skills, a more flexible work balance and greater options for entrepreneurship with significantly lower capital. Speaking on the occasion Shri Prahlad Singh Patel said that women in our country are excelling in different fields. We have the best of women doctors, pilots, Scientists, businesswomen. Women have also excelled in various adventure related activities and sports like mountaineering, trekking, bicycling, etc. Today, women form an important component of our Armed Forces. And we are a nation where women have assumed positions of the Prime Minister and President of the country. Shri Patel further said that there is a need to organize and popularise training and skill development programmes targeting women, including those in rural and remote areas, make them aware of digital technologies and facilitate them to be part of decision making at the community level. Therefore, it becomes our moral responsibility to ensure that women in the travel and tourism sector are encouraged to come forward and participate in the development of tourism, which would not only benefit the sector, but would also help in their upliftment and empowerment. There are many areas in tourism where women can excel, like homestays, tourist facilitators, catering business and more. He expressed his happiness to see the work being done for the betterment of women by TAAI and the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), through their chapters across the country. The MoU signed today between the Ministry of Tourism, TAAI and FLO, will give us an opportunity to join hands and take initiatives right till the grass root level to increase participation of women in the tourism sector and make them an integral part of the tourism workforce of the country. The MoU marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation and synergy between the Ministry of Tourism, TAAI and FLO. The State Chapters of FLO and TAAI will create awareness, along with state tourism departments and state tourism corporations, to highlight the vital role, the tourism industry can play as a model for sustainable livelihood for women and ensure their economic upliftment.  This collaboration will help in initiating and engaging women at grassroot level, the middle level in semi urban, urban areas and the urban educated unemployed.  FLO and TAAI will be the facilitators in the process connecting women with the relevant stakeholders, undertake training in specific verticals for enhancing their livelihood opportunities, increasing their self-awareness as equal partners in the nation’s growth and working towards their economic empowerment. The Representatives took the pledge of DekhoApnaDesh to visit 15 destinations within the Country. The main components proposed under the initiativeare: (i)         Encourage travel to at least 15 destinations within the country under the DekhoApnaDesh initiative. This will be a mandate for FLO’s & TAAI’s membership base of over 8000 women and their family support systems. (ii)        Conduct community-based tourism activities around one Iconic Monument or Tourist Landmark in each state. Women will be the tour guides, run food stalls, souvenir stalls with their own arts & crafts, handle the overall accounts and running of the landmark. (iii)       FLO – TAAI chapters will raise awareness on Sustainable Tourism practices and focus on Tourism as a vital sustainable livelihood tool for women’s empowerment, by way of advocacy and awareness, educational workshops, seminars and panel discussions. (iv)       Tie up with training agencies for Tourism workshops for training women about concepts on food safety, health & hygiene, sanitation, environment, culinary skills and entrepreneurship skills. (v)        Women to be engaged and sensitised about the Atithidevo bhava motto through sensitisation workshops to be organised by NGOs, some implementing agencies, travel industry associations etc. (vi)       Create community-driven and women-led initiatives for rural and urban homestays to provide livelihood opportunities for women. (vii)      Create awareness about the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme. The Ministry of Tourism would support the initiative by way of : Endorsement of FLO – TAAI Initiatives under this MoU Co-Branding with MoT logo presence Guidance & Interventions Facilitation through the right connects Posted On: 21 AUG 2020 4:12PM by PIB Delhi

This year the Ministry of Tourism is saluting the father of Nation on web screen on this birth anniversary, paying ode to his philosophies and teachings with a series of webinars starting on 1st October.  In this series, the Ministry presented a session titled Gandhi, Ahmedabad and Salt March on 3rd October 2020. This 58th session of Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series focused on Gandhi ji's stay in Ahmedabad and Salt March. After Returning from South Africa in 1915 Gandhiji was advised by Shri Gopal Krishna Gokhale to travel across India and decide his future place to initiate his freedom movement. Gandhiji finally chose Ahmedabad and continued till 12th March 1930 when he left for his famous Dandi March to break the Salt Act on 6th April morning and was finally arrested on 5th May and taken to Pune. The webinar was presented by Mr. Jenu Devan, Managing Director and Commissioner, Gujarat Tourism and Mr. Debashish Nayak: Member Secretary and Advisor-Dandi Path Heritage Management Centre and Hon. Director-Oriental Studies and Heritage Management Resource Centre, Gujarat Vidyapith. Setting the tone for the Webinar, Mr. Jenu Devan  presented the initiatives taken by the Government of Gujarat with Ministry of Tourism in identifying those places associated with Mahatma Gandhi and development of tourist infrastructure in the  Gandhi circuit covering Ahmedabad- Rajkot-Porbandar-Bardoli-Dandi taken up and sanctioned under the Ministry of Tourism assisted Swadesh Darshan Scheme. He mentioned how Government of Gujarat is focusing on youth participation promoting philosophies of Gandhi ji through activities like  cycle yatra, spiritual live concert, launching a video show in Dandi etc. Mr. Debashish Nayak spoke about the support received from people by Gandhi during his days in Ahmedabad.  When Gandhi returned from South Africa, it was in Ahmedabad that he chose to set up his base. He lived in Ahmedabad between 1913 and 1930. It was from here that he launched the historic Dandi March (Salt March) in 1930. Mr. Debashish Nayak also recounted how the stay of Gandhi ji in Ahmedabad was very eventful and listed the many national level initiatives taken by Gandhi ji , including foundation of Gujarat Vidyapith in 1920. Throughout his stay Gandhiji was supported by the people of Ahmedabad and many memories are associated with it. The Sabarmati Ashram still echoes with the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi.  The City of Ahmedabad was important in sowing the seeds of the peoples movement that Mahatma Gandhi led.  It is in his years in Ahmedabad between 1915 and 1930 that he managed to experiment and then transform India’s freedom struggle from a small scale upper class initiative to a mass movement.  Within few months of his landing in India from South Africa in 1915, Gandhi set up a Satyagraha Ashram in Ahmedabad. In 1917 a deadly plague had spread to Ahmedabad.  This created a panic and prices of basic commodities started soaring.  The plague subsided by January 1918 but the prices of essential commodities continued to rise.  The mill workers wanted a permanent rise and improvement of working conditions.  Gandhi decided to go on indefinite fast in solidarity with the mill workers on the 15th of March.  The mill owners agreed to 35% pay raise after an arbitration and Gandhi broke his fast on 18th March 1918. The speakers also touched upon how Gandhi inspired people all over the world, including one of the United States most famous civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. King learnt about Gandhi through his writing and a trip to India in 1959. King drew heavily from Gandhian principle of nonviolence in his own civil rights activism. Aiming to promote Gandhian philosophy in a big way, the Culture Ministry  with the Government of Gujarat is set  to develop Gandhi heritage sites across the country. The Dandi Heritage Corridor Project to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi Yatra and other places associated with Gandhiji are being promoted to attract visitors. The 21 places along the 349 km long Sabarmati-Dandi route where Gandhiji had made night halts during the historic Dandi yatra from March 12 to April 6,1930, will also be developed.  There will be simple huts with basic facilities at these night halts. The ambiance will be simple and frugal because the basic aim is to feel the Gandhian way of living. The night halts along the route include Nadiad, Anand, Navsari and the bank of Tapti near Surat are to be developed. There will be memorial stones at these locations with his speeches engraved on it. Besides, a sidewalk along the route will also be developed for the people who may want to replicate the Dandi March. Government of Gujarat is also taking the initiative of preserving and protecting some trees like mango, banyan trees which were part of Gandhi's journey during the freedom struggle. Summing up the webinar D.Venkatesan , Deputy Director General said that the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, is perfectly preserved in India. From various museums and memorials to Gandhiji's ashram, there are various stopovers in the country that testify the great life of the leader. His philosophies of truth and non-violence to inspire millions and many people trace his footsteps by visiting the various monuments dedicated to him. Gandhiji's contribution to human development is far too great and varied to have been forgotten or overlooked. The world today recognises him as a far more compelling social innovator than humanity ever realised. Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.The Series is presented in technical partnership with National e Governance Department, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The Sessions of Webinar are now available on the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbzIbBmMvtvH7d6Zo_ZEHDA/featured and also on all social media Handles of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Posted On: 04 OCT 2020 12:39PM by PIB Delhi

Mumbai, October 1, 2020: Reiterating its customer commitment towards building a safe travel environment with the highest standards of hygiene, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated travel services company, along with its Group Company SOTC Travel Ltd., have collaborated with leading hospitality company, Marriott International, to launch the Holiday with Confidence portfolio – holidays inbuilt with comprehensive protocols that ensure safe travel in the COVID-19 era. The launch is a continuum of a series of meaningful customer-first health & safety initiatives from Thomas Cook & SOTC: The Assured Safe Travel Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics, tie-up with ICMR accredited labs to deliver end-to-end contactless COVID-negative certification services pan India and the Safe Holiday Helpline - a free service to support customers in safe holiday planning. According to the Thomas Cook India & SOTC Holiday Readiness Travel Report, a significant 75% respondents indicated health & safety as their overriding concern; 72% displayed a preference for reputed travel brands. Therefore, in an endeavour to build consumer confidence and offer them a safe and stress-free holiday experience, the companies have collaborated with Marriott International to launch the Holiday with Confidence portfolio that incorporates the collective expertise of the Thomas Cook & SOTC Assured Safe Travel Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics, and Marriott International’s Commitment to Clean. Combining Marriott’s extensive footprint across India and its industry standards of hygiene and sanitization protocols, Thomas Cook & SOTC seek to redefine travel with distinctive holiday experiences across its range of staycations, workations, drivecations and quick getaways across 16 participating Marriott International brands, comprising - The Ritz-Carlton, The St. Regis, W Hotels, JW Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Le Meridien, Renaissance, Marriott Executive Apartments, Tribute, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Aloft and Four Points by Sheraton. Special experiences across the Marriott properties include, an exclusive 4-course dining experience by a specialty chef, a private session with a golf pro at the historic Poona Club Golf Club, pizza making classes, fun activities at the Kids & Family Club and a romantic movie-under-the-stars, among many others. The Holiday with Confidence international selection includes- attractive discounts on spa treatments to shark feeding attractions, fun and exciting water sport activities in key resort destinations, and more. Mr. Madhavan Menon, Chairman and Managing Director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said, “Health & Safety form a critical element of our customer-first strategy at Thomas Cook India & SOTC and this is reflected in the series of meaningful initiatives aimed at building customer confidence: our Assured Safe Travel Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics, our COVID-negative certification services and Safe Holiday Helpline. I am hence delighted to announce our association with Marriott International that reiterates our customer promise of health & safety with the launch of our Holiday with Confidence portfolio. This partnership brings together the power of our collective brands in delivering comprehensive hygiene and safety protocols via the Thomas Cook & SOTC Assured Safe Travel Program and Marriott’s Commitment to Clean designed by the Marriott Global Cleanliness Council.” He added, “As part of our Holiday with Confidence program, our customers also benefit from the exceptional hospitality of Marriott International, combined with the holiday expertise of Thomas Cook India and SOTC.” Commenting on the partnership Mr. Rajeev Menon - President - Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International said, “The travel-related implications (of Covid-19) have been unprecedented and fastchanging. As restrictions and lockdowns are becoming more relaxed, there is a cautious return-to-travel, with consumers putting their faith in brands they trust. In keeping with our endeavour to restore confidence in travel & stays across our hotels, Marriott International is very pleased to partner with Thomas Cook & SOTC in bringing the Holiday with Confidence portfolio of experiences to our guests. With Marriott’s Commitment to Clean initiative and Thomas Cook & SOTC’s dedication to responsible travel, we have developed a harmonized set of health and cleanliness protocols, that will enable guests to re-experience the joy of travel through elevated and unique hotel experiences.”

Mumbai, 30th September 2020: Travel may not be the same during these unprecedented times, but data from Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel players reveals that the happiness travel can bring isn’t measured in kilometres. Travel plans may have changed drastically in 2020, and travellers may not be able to take that distant trip they had previously hoped for, but this has given travellers the opportunity to discover - and in many instances rediscover - heaps of wonderful experiences closer to home. Delving into the travel patterns of Indians in the last few months, Booking.com calculated that the average distance Indians travelled between June and August 2020 is down 56% compared with the same time last year, which is slightly lower than the global average of 63% (1). When looking back at the same time last year, Indian travellers journeyed on average 1,786 km per booking. In 2020, that distance has dropped to just 780 km per booking (1). Happiness isn't measured in kilometres More than half (67%) of the total distance travelled by Indians between 1 June and 31 August 2020 was within the country, compared to only 34% during the same period of 2019(2). New Delhi, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Hyderabad featured as the top most booked destinations between June - August 2020 by Indian travellers (3). Top booked domestic destinations by Indian travellers (1 June - 31 August 2020) 1. New Delhi 2. Bangalore 3. Gurgaon 4. Mumbai 5. Hyderabad 6) Jaipur 7) Chandigarh 8) Pune 9) Chennai 10) Kolkata Accommodations rediscovered - From Motels to Homestays When it comes to accommodation choice, Indian travellers were more likely to have opted for a motel than they were last year, followed by villa, hotel, lodge and homestay (4) which all topped the rankings of trending accommodation types for Indian travellers. This rise in pitching tents shows the shift in travel types we’ve seen. When looking back at the end of 2019, before we knew that our 2020 travel plans would be clouded by a global pandemic, only 28% of Indians were intending to stay at a villa, 16% in motels and 63% were anticipating staying in traditional hotels (5). The unexpected route to our travel plans While the events of the year have led to seismic shifts in travel behaviors and destination choices, travel has still found a way to satisfy many travellers’ wanderlust. At the end of 2019, 51% of Indians were dreaming of beautiful beaches and 42% of bustling city trips (5). 40% even dreamt of traveling to visit family and friends before they knew their contact with them would have been limited this year (5). Many of those travel desires would typically have been met with far flung destinations, but this year many have discovered these simple pleasures next door. So, whether it is exploring the pink city of Jaipur or soaking in the Nawabi culture of Hyderabad, the travel desires of many Indians have still been explored in 2020, just a little closer to home. Ritu Mehrotra, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives at Booking.com, said: “During these unprecedented times it's reassuring to see that while our plans and priorities may have changed, our passion for travel has not. Whether it’s the memories captured, relationships strengthened or smiles made, the summer of 2020 proved that the happiness travel can bring is not simply measured in kilometres and that there are plenty of adventures to be explored and comfort to be found right next door. With our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, we offer the widest choice, great value and the easiest experience so travellers can get out and enjoy all kinds of travel experiences, whenever it’s safe to do so and whether that’s near or far.”

New Delhi, September 18, 2020- Sarovar Hotels and Resorts is pleased to announce the promotion of Shatabdi Dutta as the New General Manager – Marketing. The elevation is in line with the company’s efforts to strengthen its marketing department and bring urgently needed edge for the brand. In her new role, Ms. Dutta will be responsible for Databases –Quality, Quantity and Targeting; Digital thrust- Search Engine Optimisation, Campaigns, Lead generation, Viral content reach, Social Media traction, Website hits ;Alliances, Partner programmes and Guest recognition. Her focus area would now also be on Sales vertical. Shatabdi’s  ongoing journey since 2013 within the organisation is illustrative of a team member who has continued to display positivity, ability to learn, and passion as exemplified in her work for communicating  the values of brand Sarovar. She has active contribute in Sarovar's major Marketing Campaign- “Happiness @ Sarovar”. She was awarded the coveted “Marketing Person of the Year” Award for her marketing genius in increasing Sarovar's brand visibility. Her prior experience includes stints with Make My Trip and has implemented unique and fresh creative ideas of marketing and advertising, delivering profitable solutions to drive sales, attract and maintain customers and build a corporate brand.

Great Indian Journeys Bring alive India’s vibrant heritage Mumbai, September 17, 2020: Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated travel services company and its Group Company, SOTC Travel Ltd., have partnered with India's favourite storyteller, Amar Chitra Katha, to take travellers on an enchanting journey through time, re-living India’s vibrant history and culture with the launch of its Great Indian Journeys. Much loved historical characters have been hand-picked to act as a personal guide through each epic journey, including - Birbal (the witty/wise advisor of Mughal emperor, Akbar), Tenali Raman (poet and social thinker of the mighty Vijayanagar empire), Sudama (childhood friend of Lord Krishna) and Chetak (Rana Pratap’s true war horse and faithful companion). The itineraries carefully curated by Thomas Cook India and SOTC’s holiday experts and creatively illustrated via graphic comic strips in the distinctive Amar Chitra Katha style, present India’s young explorers and parents with an engaging format to discover India’s rich heritage and iconic attractions – in a very special route to their roots. The Great Indian Journeys welcomes travellers on a voyage of discovery via an easy paced 4-5 day itinerary through locales steeped in history - Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur, Mathura, Hampi, Delhi, Agra and more - that chronicle India’s golden ages. Each itinerary incorporates exclusive elements such as: personalised storytelling sessions around favourite historical characters, spectacular sound & light shows, local culinary experiences, and more.* In addition, customer benefits include: 1. Quality accommodation options with daily breakfast 2. Private transfers in AC vehicles 3. Affordable pricing starting at Rs.19 999.00* 4. Flexible cancellation options & a minimal booking deposit 5. Easy payment and EMI options 6. Meticulous health & safety under the Company’s Assured Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics 7. Additionally, COVID-negative certificate facilitation services are also available 8. A 3-month gift subscription to both – the Amar Chitra Katha and the Tinkle Comics Reading Apps worth Rs. 1 150.00 Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said, “Children have emerged as clear decision makers when it comes to holidays! So, in a strategic initiative to engage with this powerful segment and bring alive India’s rich heritage, we are delighted to announce our partnership with Amar Chitra Katha to present Great Indian Journeys. Vibrant itineraries have been designed by our holiday experts to showcase epic journeys with a child-friendly format of Amar Chitra Katha’s graphic comic strips.” He added, “Travel is a great storyteller and our Great Indian Journeys endeavour to bring India’s history to life with much loved characters as personal guides/narrators. Starting at an attractive price of Rs. 19 999.00*, the selection of enchanting experiences across historical destinations like Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur, Mathura, etc. offer a delightful combination of fun and learning/discovery, while also ensuring a memorable family holiday.” He added, “Our Assured Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics ensures meticulous health & safety protocols across every touch-point and to further assist our customers, we have tied up with ICMR accredited labs to offer seamless end-to-end COVID-negative certification services with contactless facilitation – across India. Our Safe Holiday Helpline is yet another meaningful consumer initiative - a free service to support customers in safe holiday planning.” Click here to book Mr. Daniel D’souza, President and Country Head, Leisure, SOTC Travel said, “At SOTC Travel, we continue to believe in bringing families closer and creating their best memories with us. India’s favourite comics- Amar Chitra Katha plays an important role while growing up and has become an integral part in shaping a million childhoods. The Great Indian Journeys gives our travellers an opportunity, to reconnect and relive their fondest childhood memories with their children and families, by visiting India’s most iconic historical places. These specially designed itineraries, in the form of creative graphic comic strips, bring to life a unique combination of edutainment devoted to Indian culture and history. Through the Great Indian Journeys, we continue to help create delightful holiday experiences for our customers.” He added, “To ensure health and safety for travellers, we have associated with ICMR accredited labs across India to provide a first of its kind COVID-negative certification services. This, along with our Assured Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics, have been incorporated in every holiday proposition for a hassle-free journey for all our customers. To further assist our customers, we have launched India’s first Safe Holiday Helpline, a free service to the public - offering expert guidance & assistance for safe holiday planning, visa assistance, country specific updates, on-ground health and safety measures, travel documentation, health certification, etc.” Click here to book *Terms and conditions apply Ms. Preeti Vyas, CEO and President, Amar Chitra Katha said, “As India’s favourite storytellers, our vision at Amar Chitra Katha has always been to inspire children and families through our vibrant stories about India’s glorious past and culture. The Great Indian Journeys by Thomas Cook India & SOTC, is an exciting collaboration which offers families a unique opportunity to directly experience and engage with India’s heritage through these specially-curated & memorable family holidays. Amar Chitra Katha has been telling stories for over 53 years and has always been a ‘route to your roots’. She added, “As we firmly establish ourselves in the digital age, we are passionate about taking our founder Mr. Anant Pai’s legacy forward, by reaching out to our audiences via multiple platforms and experiences, including, films, apps, games and videos to tell India’s stories. Our association with SOTC-Thomas Cook is another powerful step in enabling Indian families to experience our stories real-time, not just in 2D or 3D but indeed in 5D, with emotions, feelings and a sense of awe. Through this new property - The Great Indian Journeys, travellers can be assured of the finest travel experience combined with authentic and vibrant depiction of itineraries through storytelling; which is the hallmark of Amar Chitra Katha.”

Indian Government has mandated unrestricted domestic travel, international travel likely to catch up fast The Indian Government has mandated the States to do away with any restrictions on the movement of persons within the country. The policy of unrestricted travel first announced in Unlock 2 has been reiterated in Unlock 3 and 4 guidelines and the States are now lifting restrictions like e-passes, COVID-19 tests and quarantine, etc. The States who allow unrestricted access are likely to benefit from huge pent-up demand, as the air, rail and road transport is also opening up. Countries are also preparing to open up as the risk perceptions of travel have considerably subsided. Though it may be while before full normalcy is established, countries that open faster and with least restrictions are likely to tap into the pent-up demand in the coming season. ReCONNECT, the virtual B2B travel trade exhibition launched by the organisers of India’s leading travel trade show OTM will see 3000+ travel industry professionals come together virtually on 18th September. Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and Kenya Tourism Board have joined ReConnect as Premium Partner Countries. Tourism Fiji and Spain Tourism are Official Partners while Bangladesh is the Partner Country. Singapore Tourism Board is exhibiting as the Feature Country. Frankfurt Tourism, Visit Brussels and Zagreb Tourist Board will also be present as Feature Destinations for the first time. Destinations like Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Ethiopia, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand, Zimbabwe and many others will be represented at the event. Amongst Indian States, Gujarat Tourism will be present as the Premium Partner State. The Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India is also setting up a virtual booth at ReConnect, extending its vital support for reopening tourism. Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has joined in the capacity of the Hospitality Partner. STIC Travel Group is the Official Partner while helloGTX and Technogram are the Travel Technology Partners. OneAbove has come onboard as the DMC Partner. ReCONNECT will take place on a proprietary virtual platform that allows ease of doing business where destinations can e-meet with their buyers and media to rebuild confidence and re-energise travel. Using the AI-powered Smart Matchmaking tool, sellers can connect with the most relevant buyers for digital networking. Virtual brand promotion, video conferencing and screen sharing are all a part of ReCONNECT. Over 2,500 buyers have registered for the virtual event. Travel agents, corporate buyers, wedding planners and event managers comprise a diverse base of buyers interested in meeting with 200+ B2B suppliers representing 500+ destinations from 18 countries in the virtual show. The event is also hosting a global Conference Programme with the best minds of travel & tourism from India, Asia and beyond. Leaders from Bidroom, Genesys Digital, Lonely Planet India, Reliance, SAP Concur, Travelstop, Thomas Cook are going to discuss travel in a post-COVID world. ReCONNECT is supported by travel associations like TAAI, TAFI, OTOAI, ADTOI, MTOA, IATTE, Skal International Mumbai South, IATO, ETAA, SATA, GTAA, TOSG, TAAN, VTA, ATAA, TAAS, TAG, TTAUP, HHTDN, EHTTOA, SIGTOA, TTAA, TAAP, UTEN, TLC, SGTCA and TAHAT. The virtual event is designed to provide the long-awaited booster shot to the Indian travel trade community and their global partners, in the wake of lockdowns. Visit the ReConnect website for more details.

Introduction The COVID19 pandemic that originated in China in December 2019 and by the next two months spread to many other countries, went on to paralyse the whole world. Its global impact has caused an alarming rate of extreme disruptions of all types of economic and social activities. Preventive measures were taken up by various governments to restrict the spread of the virus. The result was consequential lockdowns and passing of suspension orders for all sorts of commercial activities by various governments vide specific ordinances and orders. Closed businesses, disrupted supply chains, reduced production, rescheduled timelines and cancelled contracts have resulted in a total breakdown in the organised sector resulting in unprecedented economic losses. In the unorganised sector, the impact of the pandemic has been even more catastrophic. While the former had some legal recourse, the latter did not. From an economic perspective, the full picture of the epidemic’s consequences is yet to be seen. We can only have a bare idea of the entire picture now. It is being said that in India, the infection curve will take some more time to flatten. But the good news is that the recovery rate has improved to a great extent and testing has also gone up. Even then, as I write this article today, the COVID-19 data of the country shows a total of 43,74,314 (out of 2,77,71,984 cases in the world) confirmed cases with active cases being more than 9 lakhs and close to 74,000 people already dead (out of 9,02,550 global deaths). India has moved to the second position in total cases (after the US) and the third position in number of deaths (after the US and Brazil). The vaccine, hopefully, is just round the corner. Tackling the pandemic – the Legislative Umbrella How well a country combats a pandemic situation largely depends on the existing laws and regulations of the land. The following is a glimpse of the extant Indian laws in this regard. The Disaster Management Act of 2005 provides for effective management of disasters and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Under the Act, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was set up under the leadership of the Prime Minister, and the National Executive Committee (NEA) was chaired by the Home Secretary. On 24th March 2020, the NDMA and NEA issued orders directing the Union Ministries, State governments and authorities to take effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They also issued guidelines laying down which establishments/services would be closed and which would continue during the lockdown period. Another Act that gained importance under the situation was the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. Under this Act, special powers have been given to the State governments to take special measures and prescribe regulations when it considers necessary. Under this Act, the State governments in India issued further directions. In some parts of the country even Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code was invoked to prohibit gatherings in public places. Despite the existence of the above two Acts, the question remains as to whether these were sufficiently equipped to handle a pandemic of this gigantic nature. While the Disaster Management Act has allowed the Central Government to continuously direct the States, the almost a century and a quarter old extremely outdated Epidemic Diseases Act revealed its inadequacy to deal with a 21st century pandemic. There were many services and areas outside the ambit of this legislation, for which Central Government had to pass orders in piecemeal from time to time. The section 188 of Indian Penal Code deals with disobedience with orders promulgated by a public servant. During the lockdown imposed by the government, there were many situations when people disobeyed such orders. But in order to take action in such cases against the defaulter, there has to be a private complaint by a public servant against him and not through a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the police. This largely frustrated the main objectives of the lockdown. In sharp contrast to this, some countries have dealt with the pandemic by enacting laws. For example, the United Kingdom enacted the Coronavirus Act, 2020, a comprehensive legislation to deal with various issues related to COVID-19 like emergency registration of healthcare professionals, temporary closure of educational institutions, audio-visual facilities for criminal proceedings, powers to restrict gatherings, and last but not the least, financial assistance to industry. Singapore has similarly enacted the Infectious Diseases Regulations, 2020, providing for issuance of orders to send people at risk to government-specified accommodation facilities. These legislations set out legally binding obligations and strict penalty which included hefty fine and even imprisonment in some cases. Compared to these, the fine mentioned in Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for similar violations is a meager amount resulting in violators ignoring many provisions. In India, not only is there a lack of a COVID-19-specific legislation, the notifications and circulars in bits and pieces have also been very confusing and difficult to keep up with. Rule making has essentially been reactive and not pro-active. Some sectors and sections were extremely mismanaged, an example may be cited of the migrant workers and their plight in the absence of a proper rehabilitation and transportation plan for them after the lockdown was suddenly announced and their work places shut down without a notice leaving them without work and money. There has been extreme lack of co-ordination between the Union and State governments in this regard. However, thanks to some NGOs and individuals who came forward to help, after a lot of trouble, the migrant workers were able to return home. But the overall initiative of the government has still been meager. And as of now, there is no clarity about the roadmap to economic recovery post COVID. What was ideally required from the government’s side in such a catastrophic situation was promulgating ordinances to deal with the emergent situation. Such ordinances could have paved the way for centre-state cooperation to deal with the pandemic and to revive the economic, education and public health sectors. The legislative role of the government has been extremely discouraging in the situation. Chronology of events In order to take the discussion further, let us first have a look at the outbreak of the pandemic and the resultant steps taken by the government chronologically. Originating from Wuhan in China in December 2019 (and coming to public knowledge largely in January 2020), the coronavirus pandemic spread like a wild fire across the globe, soon surpassing the 2002/2003 SARS-crisis in magnitude and impact. It soon came to be compared with the Spanish Flu of 1918. While initially lockdowns were imposed only in some parts of the China, as the virus spread beyond the country’s borders, the government of other countries too started imposing nationwide lockdown soon. To fight the COVID-19, the government of India initially imposed a countrywide lockdown for 21 days starting from March 25th, 2020 and ending on May 14th, 2020. The same were implemented through executive orders, and were accompanied by guidelines under the Disaster Management Act. Only essential services related to security, government utilities, food, medical supplies, municipal cleaning, hospitals, police etc. were permitted to continue operations, sometimes in lower capacity. Even transport was stopped and inter-state and district borders were sealed. All citizens, not engaged in the above ‘allowed’ activities, were strictly directed to stay at home and observe social distancing. Any violation amounted to a criminally offence. Testing facilities were started, strict quarantine rules implemented and contact tracing were employed to detect and prevent further transmission of the virus. The state governments also issued guidelines and implemented measures under the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to further enforce the strict lockdown measures. These included measures for testing, quarantine, social isolation of affected persons, sealing of containment zones etc. The sudden lockdown, without a pre-planned and executed migration programme for migrant workers resulted in a big chaos. The lockdown resulted in sudden closure of all factories and transport. Migrant workers who depend on daily earnings for survival, were left with no work, no shelter in many cases and no money. Being away from their villages added to all the pain as they had no one to seek help from in the situation. Left with no other option, millions of migrant workers were forced to start their journey of hundreds of miles back home with their family including kids, on foot. Many met with accidents on the way and many others also died due to ill health and malnutrition. Many were put in temporary jails for violation of lockdown orders. Many others also faced the inhuman act of being sprayed with disinfectants at various state check posts. The central government finally issued an order dated 29th March 2020 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 directing the state governments to provide food and shelter to the migrant workers. In reality however this was mainly done by NGOs and some individuals instead. A petition to pay minimum wages to the migrant workers was filed with the Supreme Court wherein the apex court directed the central government to take necessary steps to resolve the issues raised in the petition. Nothing was done in this regard as well. Under the Vande Bharat Mission the government arranged special flights to bring back to India many Indian tourists, businessmen, employees and students stranded abroad and all was done at the government’s expense. This step of the government won accolades from many. There was no such special arrangement for the migrant workers unfortunately. In many places the revolts of migrant workers were quelled by police action. Finally, just before the lockdown was partially lifted, the government arranged for special trains for migrant workers to return home. Then again initially the workers were made to pay for the train fare; the issue was resolved later when the government declared that the expenses would be borne by it. Then came the next problem, many states cancelled the trains. All these led to a lot of debate on the violation of the constitutional right to equality, the right to life and to move freely throughout India of the migrant workers. A petition was filed at the Supreme Court to which the latter directed the government to make necessary directions. After the four lockdown phases during which more or less all commercial establishments and businesses were closed, the Unlock phases were introduced from 1st June. The Unlock phases represented the gradual opening of the economy with more and more relaxations being given at successive phases. The dates of the phase-wise lockdown in India were as follows: Phase I (25th March to 14th April 2020), Phase II (15th April to 3rd May 2020), Phase III (4th May to 17th May 2020) and Phase IV (18th May to 31st May 2020). The dates of the Unlock phases are as follows: Unlock 1 (1st June to 30th June 2020), Unlock 2 (1st July to 31st July 2020), Unlock 3 (1st August to 31st August 2020) and Unlock 4 (1st September to 30th September 2020). And on the date of writing this article, the country is in Unlock phase 4. Economic and Legal impact The following is a detailed account of the economic and legal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic globally with special emphasis on the country: The impact of COVID-19 on domestic and international businesses has been severe. While most sectors have been negatively hit in some way or the other some sectors like transport, aviation, tourism, restaurants and hospitality, fashion and beauty products, sports and entertainment have been particularly the worst affected ones. A huge number of companies with production facilities in China closed their offices there. Many foreign companies procuring raw materials or parts from China have had to face disruption of supply chain thereby affecting the production in their home countries. Due to closure of factories and business the production and sales in first quarter of 2020-21 largely suffered across most industries globally. There were many legal issues arising from the pandemic like termination of employment, non-payment or short payment of salaries and wages, insurance coverage of loss in travel bookings due to the pandemic, losses due to disruption of supply chain, non-performance of contract and so on. As a result, the keywords, often included in agreements and contracts, ‘Acts of God’ and ‘Force Majeure’ gained all the more importance. The ‘Force Majeure’ clause or the term ‘Act of God’ included in contracts and supply agreements are meant to govern the cases of default in performance which are not intentional on the part of the party to the contract but is due to circumstances or events that are beyond the control of the contracting parties. Examples of such events are natural disasters like cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc. or political unrests, wars, terrorist attacks, strikes etc. Legal consequence of a ‘Force Majeure’ clause in a contract is that it gives the affected party a right to delay or suspend, or altogether cancel the performance of the contract which is beyond his capacity. Such clause also provide for obligations and requirements, which must be observed by the other contracting party not directly affected by the clause. Generally the other party is obliged to limit damages receivable by him due to non-performance or delayed performance of the contract. Now that we know what ‘Act of God’ or ‘Force Majeure’ clause means, the next question that arises under the current scenario is whether the COVID-19 pandemic can be regarded as a Force Majeure. This will largely depend upon the respective agreement and the exact scenario of implementation of the contract. Under the current situation not every type of performance of contract is impossible. The impossibility of the performance has to be judged with respect to the obligation of the parties and the circumstances where they are operating and whether the same is actually making the performance of the contract not possible or the same is getting delayed. Willful avoidance of performance must be ruled out before applying this clause. In a situation where there is no ‘Force Majeure’ clause included in the contract, the latter shall be subjected to the statutory provisions of the country in this regard like temporary impossibility, frustration of contract etc where the court will look into the facts of the case to decide whether the default on the part of one of the parties is willful or unintentional before granting relief. It is important to note that some countries like China have qualified COVID-19 pandemic as a Force Majeure and allowed contracting parties to use the same as a valid reason for non-performance etc. in court proceedings. Hence, for companies having plants and operations in China and now facing damage claims from the contracting partners, it is possible to claim that delay in performance or lack of performance is due to production disruptions attributable to the pandemic. Parties to the contract may opt for re-negotiation of price and terms of the contract. Now coming to the provisions of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, one may note that the word 'force majeure' is absent in the Act. However, Section 56 of the Act, allows for temporary discharge of obligations on grounds of impossibility of performance of the contract due to any event or circumstances totally outside the control of the parties to the agreement. The mandatory pre-conditions for invoking this clause are the following: (i) existence of a valid contract between the parties; (ii) the contract is yet to be performed; (c) the contract was good when it was entered but later it became impossible to perform due to a fact or law. Once the above conditions have been proved, if the period of force majeure continues for long, the court may allow the parties to terminate the contract also. In this context one may also note that the Ministry of Finance, Government of India vide its office memorandum dated 19th February 2020 has clarified in respect of the Manual for Procurement of Goods, 2017 that in the event of any disruption in the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country, such situation will be considered as a natural calamity and Force Majeure clause may be invoked. It may be noted that the Manual is issued by the Ministry of Finance for various Ministries or Departments which have been delegated powers to make their own arrangements for procurement of goods under the Delegation of Financial Power Rules, which have to be exercised in conformity with the 'Procurement Guidelines'. A similar office memorandum was issued by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy with respect to 'solar project developers' on 20th March 2020. It declared that companies/parties missing contractual obligation deadlines due to COVID-19, may invoke the force majeure clause to avoid any financial penalties. Taking account of the current pandemic situation and the difficulties faced by litigants in filing petitions, appeals or applications for other legal remedies, the Supreme Court of India has invoked its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to extend the 'limitation period' in all these cases under the Limitation Act, 1963 by an indefinite time until further orders in this regard. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued a number of notifications under the Companies Act, 2013, most of which seek to provide relaxations on timely compliances like holding of meetings, filing of returns etc. The holding of board meetings and general meetings via video-conferencing has been allowed and the time gap for ensuring compliances has also been increased. Additional fees required in case of late filing of forms and returns in many cases have been relaxed. Time limit for filing of certain important forms has also been increased. Similarly the Finance Ministry has issued many relaxations to people in respect of filing of returns, residency and other reliefs. Legal challenges during COVID-19 There have been a number of legal hurdles and questions confronting the nation during the pandemic. The following are some of them: The introduction of Aarogya Setu for all persons employed in workplaces was largely debated. It was said to be a privacy invasive technology employed to create lists of persons suspected to be infected with COVID-19. Drones were also said to be deployed to monitor compliance by quarantined individuals. In this regard one may note that in the Puttaswamy (Privacy) judgment of 2017, it was held that to validly introduce an action that restricts privacy of the people the State had to show the presence of the following in a case: i) restrictions sanctioned by law; ii) restrictions made pursuant to a legitimate state aim; iii) there is a rational relationship between the purpose and the restriction; and iv) it is the least restrictive measure available to achieve the objective. Further, the Puttaswamy (Aadhar) judgment of 2018 had also mandated that there should be a data protection law. It was contended that all of these were absent in the Aarogya Setu App. In a petition filed with the Supreme Court regarding the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) of health care workers (HCWs), the apex court directed the Government to provide PPEs to HCWs, but it did not provide for any compliance monitoring system for the same to check whether the orders were being complied with. Way back in 1989, the Supreme Court had ruled in the case of Parmanand Katara vs Union of India in a writ petition filed by him that a person should not be deprived of treatment merely because he does not have the means to pay for it. During the current pandemic a similar concern arose when private hospitals were refusing admission to COVID-19 patients. A writ petition was filed to this effect and the SC directed the private hospitals to admit COVID-19 patients. In addition under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 the SC also directed hospitals not to turn away patients just because they cannot pay for the treatment. Long Term Impact in various sectors of the economy The COVID 19 impact on the economy is not just temporary; many businesses will have a long term impact. Certain sectors of the economy will take a substantial time to rise up again to the pre-pandemic normal. While most of the impacts have been negative, some good things have also happened during the pandemic and going forward business houses are likely to incorporate these learnings in their strategy and be better prepared for a future mishap like this. Many sectors have been extremely affected, and these include Tourism and Allied sector, Hospitality, Restaurants, Education, Media and Entertainment, Sports, Real Estate, Fashion and Accessories, Cosmetics, and so on. The service sector has also been badly hit. As of April 2020, 40 million people employed in the unorganized sector and those doing semi-skilled jobs have lost their employment as per an MRD report. The businesses will have to adapt to the new normal and the same is bound to have profound impact on the way business is conducted and revenue is generated. Offices will probably not be operated at full capacity anytime soon and ‘work from home’ options will be more openly offered and accepted now, which again is a good option for those staying in remote places, working mothers, pregnant women, persons temporarily ill, differently-abled persons and senior citizens on re-employment. Another positive side of the pandemic experience is that it will have a long-term impact on the drafting of contracts and agreements in future. Sales and revenue planning will also be done with these extraordinary situations in mind. Post COVID-19 Having discussed the current scenario at length, we are in a position to draw some inferences about the new normal after the pandemic. However, saying anything conclusively will be very difficult at the moment as we all are still very much uncertain about the future course of the pandemic (as to how long it will stay, whether it will resurge or not, when will the vaccine be discovered and so on) and the government roadmap for economic revival is yet to be made public. However, the following are some of the basic assumptions that can be made about the near future as to the Post COVID life. There has been a paradigm shift towards digitalization and the same is here to stay. Many businesses have discovered that surviving on e-platform is not that difficult after all. Examples are consulting businesses, professionals like lawyers, educational institutes, performers and so on. ‘Normal’ is now of two different types, the old normal and the new normal. The old normal is the ‘normal’ normal, to which none of us can probably ever return. The new normal will incorporate the elements of extreme precautions and health concerns. Shops, offices, schools, malls, hotels, restaurants and parlours will gradually open their doors (some already have) and each of them put a lot of efforts to ensure that they survive and get back their old clients. Restaurants will bring in the concept of cloud kitchens. E-concerts and other e-events will be the ‘in thing’, at least for a while, and there will be innovative ways to make them popular. Live performances may be replaced by the performer live streaming on YouTube or Instagram. This has happened during the period of lockdown and Unlock phases, and has been liked to a large extent by people. Hence, this system is probably here to stay. Gathering at the movie theatres for the first day first show may as well be a thing of the past as well as all types of movies will probably be released on streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar etc. as people will be apprehensive about going to movie theatres. Film producers will find a new way of earning revenues from movies. Business in physical mode is a thing of the past. Apps of every kind will be the new mantra for the new world. There will be increased reliance and emphasis on automation going forward. Transport will remain a major challenge but two-wheelers will be back in demand. A lot of jobs will be lost as digitization becomes the rule of the day. Gatherings will no longer be looked forward to. Live events and event management business are going to be very badly hit in the days to come as regulations will not permit large gatherings. Big sporting events may be played in empty stadiums and live-streamed to TV and mobile audience. It is not difficult to imagine the spectator galleries being replaced by huge screens showing fans and viewers watching the game sitting on their couches at home. Supply chains will need to be re-established, restored and repaired. Contracts would require renegotiation at all levels considering the economic disruption caused by the pandemic. Labourers will probably try to find employment within the state now. This will result in a shortage of labourers in many industries. There will be more surveillance system in place along with strict mobility tracking of people. A lot of innovation including but not limited to less-touch and less-interface will be required for the travel and tourism industry in order to bring it close to the pre-COVID-19 normal. Board Meetings, Committee Meetings and other conferences will probably continue to be organized via video-conferencing. Businesses as well as people have learnt to appreciate the fact that video conferencing saves a lot of cost. Pre-COVID the structure of offices were people in the front end and machines in the back end. In the post-COVID era, the opposite is going to happen with machines in the front end and people in the back end. More and more zero-touch interfaces will be developed by businesses going forward. Conclusion The impact of the pandemic is here to stay for some time, so is the knowledge acquired during this time. We are still in the middle of the pandemic and it is difficult to say yet as to when things will start getting back to normal. But at least, it is important for us to stay positive, focused on revival strategies and keep doing the best in our respective areas of work. Once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, things will gradually return to equilibrium after some time. Probably like a nightmare we are going to forget this dark period of modern history soon enough thereafter. But the need of the hour, as of now, is a COVID-19 vaccine, to start with, and then fail-proof strategies for economic revival of the country. This should be accompanied by stringent legal directions that on the one hand make people abide by the law for the sake of health and safety, and on the other hand encourage business organizations to carry on their operations hassle-free, without worrying about compliances that could not be made due to the extraordinary situations and not intentionally avoided. Businesses that can come up with innovative solutions to survive now, will remain in operation. For products and brands it is important to stay focused and continue to maintain its visual presence in front of its customers through social messages, innovations, charity etc. Going forward, staying in touch would ideally come with pre-conditions of ‘social distancing’ and human touch would probably lose its sheen forever. The challenge is to survive this paradigm shift.

8 September, 2020, Kolkata: “Dance is my pran, atman and soul. I loved both part of my life - being a dancer and a bureaucrat. I entered the world of dancing when I was barely three-year-old and before my formal education. There is a framed lehenga of mine at home which shows how small I was when I was initiated into dancing,” said kathak guru Padma Shri, Shovana Narayan, while connecting with a cross-section of audience across India through a session of Ek Mulakat presented by Shree Cement and organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation. Shovana was responding to a question from kathak exponent and conversationalist Shinjini Kulkarni of Ehsaas Women - “How did you manage to become a dancer and a bureaucrat?” Shovana, a woman of stupendous achievements, is a kathak guru, choreographer, former bureaucrat, author and a researcher. Belonging to the guru-shishya parampara (tradition), Shovana believes in expanding the boundaries of kathak through cross-cultural experimentation and innovation in dance styles while rooted to kathak’s ancient Indian tradition. Prabha Khaitan Foundation showcases India's rich cultural legacy through various initiatives in India and abroad. Ek Mulakat is an exclusive initiative that allows patrons to rendezvous with legends and stalwarts from various walks of life like Shovana Narayan. It was an honour to host her and we look forward to more such enriching sessions,” said Manisha Jain, Branding & Communication Chief, Prabha Khaitan Foundation. Shovana Narayan has popularised kathak in international fora by weaving dance and philosophy in her craft. She has successfully choreographed many international collaborative works with kathak and Western classical dance, Flamenco, tap dance, Buddhist chants and so on. In 2003, she choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of Abilympics. Shovana has won over 37 national and international awards including Padma Shri, Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Japan’s OISCA Award, Bihar Gaurav Award and so on. Shovana started learning kathak as a child in Calcutta under the tutelage of Sadhana Bose, then she moved on to Bombay and continued under guru Kundanlal ji Sisodia of the Jaipur Gharana and later she moved to Delhi under Pandit Birju Maharaj. “I will never forget my indebtedness to Guru ji Birju Maharaj who announced my performance prior to his own performance at the Sapru House in Delhi. That was the kind of launching pad I got for my first stage performance,” she said. Reflecting on her research on kathak, its antiquity, and “kathak villages”, Shovana recounted that about 17 years ago she was in Bodh Gaya for a performance and came to know about villages known as “kathak villages” for the first time from a journalist. “I found two or three such villages and later, along with an IAS colleague of mine, we started on our journey to discover these “kathak villages” and went from village to village, met people and gathered records and official documents and started delving deeper,” she said. Sharing her findings on how ancient kathak was, Shovana said, “An epigraph from Kameshwar archive in Mithila has been confirmed by epigraphists to date back to the Mauryan period which is BC. The inscription in prakrit and brahmi lipi clearly mentions kathak as devotional dancing and mentions the region around Varanasi.” “The kathak dance we see today is very different from the kathak community. The sculptures depicting dance forms in today’s standing temples, at best, go back to about a 1000 to 1100 years. So where are the temples and sculptures of the Gupta and Mauryan period which were so rich in architecture and sculptures! We don’t look into the small museums and archives of India which is the haven of information. That is where we have to see and find continuity in the form and stance of the kathak dance,” Shovana said. “I believed in myself and have never deviated from kathak, I was true to my kathak tradition just like the Western classical dancers were to their’s. So what did we do? We just found commonality in terms of poems, moods and even movements but the emphasis, the field and flow, as in the approach, tenor and flavour is different. I am careful about using the term fusion which means I lose my identity to merge myself into something. No, I keep my identity, so do they, and it is a beautiful collage of patterns and rhythmic dimensions,” she said Ek Mulakat series of webinars have connected artistes, achievers, cultural aficionados, thinkers and authors with people across India and other continents.

Sesto Fiorentino, 2 September 2020 – Richard Ginori, since 1735 the maximum expression of Italian excellence in the high-quality artistic creation of pure porcelain, takes a new step forward in its digital growth, opening its own official account on WeChat, the most important and widely used Chinese multi-function platform in the world, used for chatting, browsing, buying and paying online, with a monthly base of more than 1 billion active users and a penetration exceeding 93% of the population in the biggest cities of the country. The Official Richard Ginori Service Account on WeChat provides users with a unique touch experience, thanks to the innovative functionalities and the efficiency of a multi-function social communication platform. Through its Account, Richard Ginori can, in fact, send weekly push messages to users in the form of articles, with clickable content, animations and internal and external links to WeChat. The Account also features a series of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces, i.e. app that simplify the dialogue between one application and another, ed.) that allow Richard Ginori to integrate greater functionalities, including user analyses, loyalty initiatives, social CRM and e-commerce. Users can also comment on the content published and chat with the Company. Finally, an automatic bot system can redirect users according to their different needs, such as to lists of locations where to find Richard Ginori products in China, brand and product information and much more. The account will allow all fans of the Maison to stay in touch with the latest products by Richard Ginori, wherever they are, in real time, allowing the brand to increase its brand awareness and engagement with Chinese consumers. Thanks to this tool, Richard Ginori further reinforces its competitiveness in the Chinese luxury market that, according to estimates, will have a total value of approximately 160 billion euros in 2025, with internal demand that will account for 50% of worldwide demand, and online sales of approximately 19 billion euros1. The opening of the new Account is an integral part of the digitalisation and internationalization strategy of Richard Ginori, with the goal of approaching a younger and connected audience, desirous of alternative interactions with top brands.

(Washington, DC) – Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, today announced that pre-COVID-19, the nation’s capital welcomed 24.6 million total visitors, with 22.8 million domestic visitors (up 4.1 percent), and 1.8 million overseas visitors (down 7.9 percent). (Sources: MMGY Travel Intelligence, Travel Market Insights, National Travel & Tourism Office, U.S. Department of Commerce). According to 2019 data from IHS Markit, visitation supported 78,266 jobs across all sectors in Washington, DC, up 2.3 percent from 2018. Tourism also generated $8.2 billion in visitor spending and $896 million in local tax revenue to the District. Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of DDC, addressed approximately 1,000 attendees virtually at the organization’s annual Marketing Outlook Meeting. He also shared data from Tourism Economics that projects approximately 11 million domestic visitors, down 53 percent,will travel to the city in 2020. However, if a vaccine is available early next year, and if the recession does not deepen in a significant way, that estimate could rise to 20 million by 2022.By comparison, it took the travel industry 10 years to recover following 9/11. “We set the bar high with 10 consecutive years of growth before the pandemic changed things for us, and as we can expect, this year won’t look good,” said Ferguson. “The key for us will be securing funds to market our destination when the time is right, adapting our sales efforts virtually and focusing on the safety measures the city and industry have adopted to keep visitor safety in mind.” Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke about the importance of tourism to the local economy. “We know that Washingtonians are resilient, and so is our culture and our community. Together, we will bring our tourism and hospitality industries back and better than before,” said Mayor Bowser. “As we continue through our pandemic response and recovery, we remain focused on supporting the local businesses that represent the livelihoods and dreams of Washingtonians. And with Destination DC’s help, and when the time is right, we are ready to remind everyone that DC is still a city with something for everyone – whether you’re here to live, work or play.” Data from MMGY Global shows that consumers view their personal cars as a safer mode of transportation than travel by air or train. Once advertising resumes, DCC will prioritize the drive market, comprised of more than 50 million people within a four-hour radius, through its Discover the Real DC marketing campaign. The Stay Local DC campaign will target locals in the region, a key market in destination recovery. Shifts in messaging prioritize safety, proximity and masks. Editorial outreach and content are key, especially until advertising is in place, and DDC’s website, washington.org, is undergoing a redesign that will launch at the end of the year. The new site will feature captivating video and photography contenttobetter engage consumersand ultimately inspirevisitation. Currently, users can find the latest travel status updates and safety measures, what’s open and closed, virtual events and ways to support local businesses on  washington.org. COVID-19 has greatly impacted tourism spending. According to Tourism Economics, visitor spending was down 83 percent, or $5.6 billion, for March 8-Aug. 22, 2020 compared to 2019. When it comes to large-scale events and groups booked by DDC, there have been 42 cancellations to date, resulting in a $422 million total loss, not including in-hotel meetings and leisure groups. Thirty-fivemajor events would have taken place in 2020, resulting in a loss of $369 million, and seven events in2021, valued at $53 million.However, during the pandemic,DDC has booked five citywide meetings, including Delta Sigma Theta sorority’s57th national convention in 2025 with an estimated economic impact of $14.5 million. The team is positioning DC to attract combination virtual and in-person events in addition to being a connected city that provides access to local innovators and global leaders. In 2019, DC’s top 10 overseas markets, in order of visitation, are China, UK, India, Germany, South Korea, France, Australia, Italy, Brazil and Spain. Though overseas visitors only represent 7 percent of the total number of visitors to DC, international visitors [overseas visitors plus visitors from Canada and Mexico] represented 27 percent of visitor spending for 2019. According to Tourism Economics, overseas visitation is not expected to fully rebound until 2024. During the down period for international travel, the tourism team has launched a virtual travel agent training program that provides education for group operators to sell DC. The program has trained more than 570 people from 40 countries. There are new tourism opportunities ahead, in addition to DC’s reopened restaurants, hotels, attractions and museums. On June 5, Mayor Bowser created Black Lives Matter Plaza. DC welcomes a newborn baby panda at the Smithsonian National Zoo on Aug. 21. MLK Libraryreopens Sept. 14 after a three-and-a-half-year renovation. DC Jazz Fest is virtual from Sept. 24-28. Planet Word, dedicated to language arts, opens Oct. 22. Three new memorials are expected, the National Native American Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial on Sept. 17 and the National World War I Memorial park in December. The city will also welcome new brands in the coming months including Viceroy, YOTEL, CitizenM and the city’s first Tribute Portfolio hotel from Marriott International, The Ven at Embassy Row, as well as new hotels AC Hotel Convention Center and Cambria Hotel Capital Riverfront. In 2021,arts and culture milestones include the 175th anniversary of the Smithsonian; the 125th anniversary of the DC Public Library system; the 100th anniversary of The Phillips Collection; the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Center, 50th anniversary of Amtrakand the 40th anniversary of the National Building Museum. Preparations are also underway for Inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021.

A B to B Network operating a digital portal that connects luxury travel buyers to verified sellers in Japan New Delhi, 25th August 2020: India’s leading luxury hotel sales representation company – One Rep Global is delighted to announce its appointment as the India partner for Bear Luxe Japan to represent them in the outbound tourism sector of the Indian market. Bear Luxe Japan, a Japan specific B2B networking operating a concierge service and an industry-first digital portal that connects a global network of luxury travel designers specializing in travel to Japan with leading luxury travel suppliers. A member’s only platform, Bear Luxe Japan provides access to services and amenities of leading Japanese agents who have been verified to provide bespoke travel programs and offer the most spectacular travel experiences by way of showcasing authentic insights and contributing to the experience of Japanese culture and traditions. Designed and created in response to international buyers’ difficulty in communicating with independent Japanese suppliers, add to which was the ambiguity and absence of a standard payment and commission system, the portal bridges the gap by offering a one-stop window for accommodation, transportation, custom experiences, negotiations, reservations and payments. Along with providing a comprehensive access to a host of services, the goal is to contribute to the creation of meaningful luxury travel experiences that in turn support the further development of Japanese culture and tradition and sustain local industries. According to reports, the government of Japan expects Indian tourist footfall in Japan to reach 40 million by 2020. Ryoji Noda, consul general of Japan in Mumbai, said the Land of The Rising Sun has a lot to offer on its tourist landscape. Bear Luxe Japan co-founder and COO Hiroyuki Miyatake said, “India is a land of opportunity! Partnering with One Rep Global increases our visibility in the Indian market and to the Indian consumers and we look forward to welcoming them in the near future.” Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Hemant Mediratta, the founder of One Rep Global said, “Post Covid 19, people will be more encouraged to take fewer, more immersive trips as opposed to travelling multiple times a year. Their emphasis will be on experiential travel and their choice of hotels will follow suit. To that end, our partnership with Bear Luxe Japan is tremendous as it will open up the doors to many experiential hotels and destinations in Japan for the Indian consumer. ” One Rep Global is responsible for sales and marketing initiatives for Bear Luxe Japan and will be showcasing its unique services and offerings to the luxury travel trade, corporate and MICE sectors and to the Indian media. One Rep Global is a sales and marketing organisation that offers a 360 degree approach and bespoke solutions to luxury hotels, travel, luxury lifestyle and wellness brands. It is known to be a one stop solution across multiple disciplines offering sales and marketing representation, creative studio and digital, public relations and consulting. The company is driven by a team of luxury hoteliers and seasoned professionals to offer partners their expertise in innovation, creativity and technology and offers solutions across India and the Middle East for some of the most prestigious hospitality, travel and lifestyle brands.

Mumbai, September 1, 2020: The pent-up travel demand due to the lockdown has resulted in a new-found interest in Destination India. Consumers are moving away from crowds/traditional tourist spots while seeking to discover India’s untold stories and traveller secrets. And to tap into this demand for non-standard/unique journeys, Thomas Cook India, India’s leading integrated travel services company and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, have introduced India’s Hidden Gems. Starting at an attractive price of Rs. 11 500.00*, the holidays include accommodation for 2 nights/3 days at 4-5 star hotels or delightful boutique properties, breakfast and an additional dining experience, unique sightseeing, private transport and travel insurance. Bringing to life nuggets of India’s fascinating history-heritage, spectacular scenic beauty and unparalleled travel experiences, Thomas Cook India and SOTC’s Hidden Gems incorporates a handpicked selection of Exquisite Locales: from Khajuraho, Rishikesh, Udaipur, Munnar, Jawai Sagar, Manali, Coorg, Kollam, Thekkady, Pachmarhi, Kabini, Bandhavgarh, Lalsot and Goa, amongst others. Exceptional Experiences: An array of exciting traveller secrets have been woven into each journey, including a jeep safari amidst the lush plantations of Kolukkumalai, Munnar - the highest tea estate in the Western Ghats, a royal 4-course dining experience set against an evening bonfire at the luxurious Amritara Pali Jawai Sagar, picturesque coffee & spice plantation tours in Coorg aboard a specially designed jeep, an exclusive, private, night drive and star gazing experience in a gypsy at Pachmarhi, a unique bush-dining experience in Bandhavgarh, a vintage car drive around Udaipur’s picturesque lake, mangrove walks in the Sundarbans biosphere or the heady adrenalin rush of bungee jumping in Rishikesh, etc. Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said, “Together with significant pent up travel demand, the lockdown has seen growing interest from Indians wanting to re-discover their own country, yet seeking non-standard experiences. And so, our teams have conceptualised Hidden Gems - holidays that offer unparalleled experiences at exquisite locations across India - at attractive prices starting at just Rs. 11 500.00*. Catering to a range of segments from families, couples, solo travellers to adventure seekers and wildlife enthusiasts, our Hidden Gems offers a well-deserved break, coupled with exceptional experiences that rejuvenate: be it bush-dining in Bandhavgarh, mangrove walks amidst the stark beauty of the Sundarbans or the thrill of bungee jumping in Rishikesh, etc.” He added, “Our Assured Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics ensures meticulous health & safety protocols across every touch-point and to further assist our customers, we have tied up with ICMR accredited labs to offer seamless end-to-end COVID-negative certification services with contactless facilitation – across India. Our Safe Holiday Helpline is yet another meaningful consumer initiative - a free service to support customers in safe holiday planning. With our zero cancellation, flexible rescheduling and our guaranteed refund promise, we want to ensure that all our customers travel smooth.” Mr. Daniel D’souza, President and Country Head, Leisure, SOTC Travel said, “The choice of destination and the experiences offered inspires travel decisions across all age groups, especially among millennials. From exploring the local cuisine, to finding offbeat experiences at every destination, Indian travellers wish to explore the unknown. Given the current situation and in order to satisfy their desire for immersive experiences, SOTC has designed unique domestic experiences that highlight this trend of experiential travel. These include incorporating workshops, wellness experiences, culturally immersive activities, food and drink experiences, outdoor activities and more.” He added, “As health and safety is a key concern, all our holidays come with ‘Assured’ - a comprehensive program to safe travel in the COVID-19 era in partnership with Apollo Clinics. To further assist our customers, we have launched India’s first Safe Holiday Helpline, a free service to the public - offering expert guidance & assistance for safe holiday planning, visa assistance, country specific updates, on-ground health and safety measures, travel documentation, health certification, etc. and have also tied up with ICMR accredited labs to offer seamless end-to-end COVID-negative certification services with contactless facilitation – across India.” For details on Thomas Cook India’s Hidden Gems Holidays click here

An Adept Course For Hoteliers and Restauranteurs Bengaluru, 31st AUGUST, 2020: Skill India today announced the launch of its specialized program “Food Safety And Sanitization” program that equips hoteliers and restauranteurs adapt to the new norms of food handling in the current times. Skill India or the National Skills Development Mission of India is a campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. It is managed by the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) of India. Since its inception, Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) are one of NSDC’s significant pillars of strength, which play a vital role in bridging the gap between industry demand and the skill ecosystem. Playing an instrumental role, SSCs bring together all the stakeholders - industry, labour and academia together to ensure that the industry is furnished with skilled and efficient workforce. Through six extensive modules and assessments, food handlers gain an adept knowledge on heightened measures of food and safety hygiene required at hotels and restaurants. A one-of-its-kind certification, one gains an education on the art and science of food, the cause, prevention and spread of Corona Virus and the importance of personal hygiene in food production. A module wise assessment results in a certification, issued by Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council. Mr. Rajan Bahadur, CEO, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council said, “Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), as an Industry Body under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is well-aligned to hand-hold & guide our workforce to embrace the new normal in these unprecedented times. The launch of this app is one of many significant steps in the direction of combating the situation & restrictions owing to the pandemic & creating a better awareness and preparedness to overcome health & safety concerns across our sector. The need of the hour is to inculcate and restore the trust, comfort and confidence of our guest to continue to use our facilities, and the best possible way to do this is through skilling our people right. We at THSC would like to thank our Knowledge Partners Conrad Bangalore and BCIC who have put in their heart and soul to create such a wonderful & empowering program keeping in line with our vision and mission.” Setting a new benchmark for the industry, Conrad Bengaluru, Exclusive Knowledge Partner to Skill India for this program, has paved the path with an Online Certificate Program in Food Safety & Sanitization on the guidelines of FSSAI for businesses during Covid-19 pandemic. Conrad Bengaluru, a leading luxury hotel and partner to Bangalore Chambers of Industry & Commerce is the knowledge partner in creation of multimedia content which is certified by THSC. Vidyashree C.V., Hygiene Manager at Conrad Bengaluru has been instrumental in designing the course material for this program. Possessing six years of experience, Vidya holds a degree in MSc Microbiology, she is Certified ISO 22000:2015 Lead Auditor(2017, Certified ISO 22000:2018 Internal Auditor and Food safety team leader for the hotel’s ISO system. Srijan Vadhera, General Manager, Conrad Bengaluru and Chairman – Tourism, Hospitality & Facility Expert Committee (Karnataka), Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce (BCIC), said, “I am humbled to be a part of this initiative and to be able to contribute to the growth and wellbeing of the industry. With two decades of experience as a hospitality professional, I have had firsthand exposure to the criticality of appropriate food handling and the nuances that it brings along with it.” Also, a member of the Management Committee at BCIC for 2020-21 he added, “More than ever before, we need to understand the responsibility we carry when we serve millions of guests at our restaurants and hotels. At Conrad Bengaluru, we have a dedicated Hygiene Manager who ensures compliance, as the impact of mishandling procured items can be immense. It is my submission to industry colleagues to ensure that their teams are aware and comply with heightened safety and sanitization standards.” Speaking on the occasion, Mr. TR Parasuraman, Whole Time Director of Toyota Industries Engines Pvt Ltd. And President Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce said, “I am very excited to be associated with Skill India through BCIC, a 43 year old chamber of leading industry honchos. This is the first big time Skill India and BCIC have brought synergies of working together after signing the MOU. I am confident that restaurant and hotel operators will see great value in the e-learning platform. Intended for upskilling the knowledge of food handlers, this is a unique program that offers a certified course, absolutely free of cost amidst a pandemic.” Offering a range of employment linked learning of vocational skills, the 6 hour online course will be offered over Android App powered by Learnet Skills Limited. Participants can complete the course and obtain certificates post successful completion of assessments absolutely free. This widely used platform enables employers and recruiters to identify potential hired by evaluating working skills and job readiness. For this reason, emphasis is laid upon evaluating the knowledge of applied skills gained through real work experience rather than theoretical knowledge. Steps to take the course: ● Type "Linq Skills" in Google Play Store ● Download the App ● Register with your email id and 10 digit mobile number ● Take the course under Hospitality ● Complete the course and Online Certificate will be generated