DECEMBER 2020, PAGES 32, `100 VOL. 8, ISSUE. 12 2021 TO BRING OUT A NEW FACET OF TRAVEL SHAPING TRENDS THAT ARE LIKELY TO LEAD THE WAY THROUGH RECOVERY AND BEYOND TravelScapes PUBLISHER’S NOTE Travelling to 2021 and expecting a better, controlled tourism Dear Readers, The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has been a years to date. As the world slowly recovers from real turning point for the travel industry and COVID-19 and borders gradually start to open, its people. Airplanes stayed grounded, train we expect to travel to look a little different than services reduced, cruise ships could not dock it did pre-pandemic. because of infected passengers (and were later suspended entirely) and restaurants and hotels Closing the year that we were blatantly confident had to close because of sanitary measures. about, we spoke with industry experts and Owing to all such conditions and deterrents, advocates of the global and domestic tourism the economy has concurrently declined, rather sectors to comprehend how the very trends of surrendered. Looking ahead (with an optimistic travelling in the modern times would shape up mind), it is believed that the post-pandemic with utmost priority to “responsible” travelling. Varun Malhotra Publisher & CEO period will open a new era of precaution with Me and my entire team of TravelScapes surely less spontaneity and more protections against hopes for a happier new year in 2021. Other the virus. A new way of living and travelling will than this, we bring to you the latest and on- likely emerge and the world will be very different going news from across the segments of the but developing. Keeping the fingers crossed, our industry including the names that join the year-end issue brings together all the thoughts travel and tourism clan. of how the entire year wrapped up and how it is expected to be, from next month. Although I thank you all again for your kind support. nobody knows exactly what will happen, one thing is clear; we won’t be able to travel as freely We value your feedback and suggestions so (without consideration for our health) as we please do write to us at varun@versatilemedia. used to; at least for the foreseeable future. in. Every year travel trends come and go; however, Happy Reading! 2021 is set to be one of tourism’s most significant Editorial & Marketing Office: Versatile Media: 207, PUBLISHER & CEO Varun Malhotra [email protected] Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, DIRECTOR Pranav Khullar [email protected] New Delhi-110008 Contact: 011 - 45530380/83 • [email protected] ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gagneet Kaur All information in TravelScapes is derived from sources ASST. EDITOR Sayanti Halder we consider reliable. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract or interviews are BUSINESS HEAD Shilpi Sharma not necessarily shared by us. Material appearing in the AGM SALES & MARKETING (MUMBAI) Aarti Rajkhewa magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s) without prior permission. The publisher reserves the CONSULTANT Anindya Malhotra, Jitin Mann right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all ART DIRECTOR Rakesh Kumar advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisement Code. The ACCOUNTS Chandan Kumar Jha, Swati Jauhari publisher will not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to ADMIN HEAD Dilip Kaur appear. Owned and published by: Varun Malhotra, Editor & EXECUTIVE-CIRCULATION Hari Puri, Raja Rari Publisher, EB-63, Maya Enclave, Hari Nagar, New Delhi - 110064 and printed at in-house facility. CONTENTS DECEMBER 2020 VOL. 8, ISSUE. 12 LET'S TALK TRENDS pg-8 2021 TO BRING OUT A NEW FACET OF TRAVEL SHAPING TRENDS THAT ARE LIKELY TO LEAD THE WAY THROUGH RECOVERY AND BEYOND Travel has always been an integral part of our lifestyle, but the sector has been thrown into disarray this past year with travellers catching flights out of necessity rather than for leisure or business. The travelling experience might look and feel different once the world heads out to explore again but people can still bank on the positive impacts of travel. On that note and in search of insights about how likely the way we travel in the future will change, we gather the predictions from the tourism, aviation and hospitality leaders GUEST COLUMN 21 GOING THAT EXTRA MILE TO MAKE WEDDINGS A SAFE, INTIMATE AND MEMO- RABLE EXPERIENCE Sylvain Laroche, Director of Operations, ibis & ibis Styles, India shares his views while speaking about how the hotels across India are keen to adapt to the new normal in post-COVID era and GLOBETROTTER further elaborates how ibis, tiding over these pandemic blues, is keen to keep 26 ISLE OF SURPRISES the special days personal & memorable FIVE ABSOLUTELY MUST-DOS IN THE MALDIVES With several international countries restricting Indians’ entries, the Maldivian islands are stretching their arms out with a warm welcome and this time will be perfect for taking part in watersports, cultural tours, and hundreds of exciting things to do in the Maldives. TravelScapes handpicks the rarely-explored alter- natives that one can give a try, this season REGULAR UPDATES REPORT 5 ..................................................................................................................................MoT 14 .............................................................................................................................Trade 19 HOTEL SECTOR SHRINKS 20 ..................................................................................................................Hospitality TO 47 PER CENT AS INDIA’S 24 ....................................................................................................................Outbound GDP Q1 DATA EMERGES 28 ........................................................................................................................Aviation Report prompts that it will be a long road 30 ...............................................................................................................On the Move to recovery 4 travelscapesonline.com DECEMBER 2020 TravelScapes MoT UPDATE MoT organises 'Stories of Chennai' webinar under the 'Dekho Apna Desh' series ekho Apna Desh Webinar series has been organised in the Dspirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ to promote domestic tourism. Presented by Akila Raman, a postgraduate in History and a collector of assorted historical and mythological stories and trivia and Vijay Prabhat Kamalakara co-founding of Storytrails, the webinar started with an introduction to the most vibrant, electronic, IT hub and a cultural state of Chennai, formerly known as Madras. The capital of Tamil Nadu is famous for an assortment of things including silks, motor parts, gold, electronics and IT giants, among others. It is also a cultural hub, a social centre, a temple city and the gateway to interior Tamil Nadu and Pondy. ITDC signs MoU with APSSDC for The presenter further highlighted by taking the audience back in time to the year 1600. Summing up the webinar Rupinder setting-up ‘Centre of Excellence’ Brar, Additional Director General of the Ministry of Tourism spoke about the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification (IITFC) ndia Tourism Development Corporation valuable inputs to APSSDC in teaching/ Programme, a digital initiative of Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Govt. I(ITDC) Ltd, the public sector undertaking training methodology. As part of the MoU, of India for the citizens of India. The successful completion of this under the aegis of Ministry of Tourism (Govt. ITDC will also conduct various short-term programme would enable the learner to become a Certified Tourist of India) and Andhra Pradesh State Skill hospitality courses and online certificate Facilitator of Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. Development Corporation (APSSDC), in an courses to train the youth in the required attempt to further enhance skilled youth in skill-set to make them industry-ready. the hospitality sector, signed an MoU, on Speaking at the MoU signing, Rao said, November 12, 2020, for setting up a ‘Centre “This is a great opportunity for ITDC. The of Excellence’ in the state. The MoU was hospitality industry has a growing demand signed digitally by G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, for skilled and trained professionals and C&MD, ITDC and Dr Arja Srikanth, IRTS, the MoU with APSSDC is a step in the Special Secretary to Govt. of AP, MD&CEO same direction. Through this MoU, we of APSSDC in the presence of other senior aim to provide training and knowledge officials from ITDC & APSSDC. through courses of varying duration to To bridge the gap in the hospitality build competencies to match the global industry, ITDC will be responsible for standards. Employability is a huge designing and developing courses as well challenge posed by the COVID crisis and as curriculum for hospitality education and ITDC will provide the best of curriculum providing training to students registered and support to the state to create a skilled with APSSDC. ITDC will also provide young workforce.” MTDC partners with Airbnb to Odisha aims to promote homestay at promote its explored destinations eco-tourism spots aharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) Mis partnering with Airbnb to promote homestay and bed he Odisha Government recently decided departments to train local homestay unit & breakfast (B&B) tourism in the state of Maharashtra. By Tto promote homestay facilities