Holiday & Travel

India's national carrier, Air India, has been officially handed over to the Tata Group, which bought the debt-ridden airline in October last year. The Tatas paid nearly $2.4bn (£1.7bn) after the government made the terms of the debt less onerous for the buyer.

The salt-to-steel conglomerate founded the airline in 1932 before it was taken over by the government in 1953. The handover brings to an end a years-long attempt to sell Air India, which has racked up losses worth $9.5bn.

Travel Counsellors, the UK’s leading, independent travel company witnessed another record week, taking as many bookings last week (commencing 17 January) as it did for the whole of January 2021. 

With sales now back to at nearly 90 percent of 2019 levels, Travel Counsellors can report the highest new leisure booking week since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic as UK government scraps all testing requirements for the fully vaccinated.

Hundreds of families across the Philippines in desperate need of help in the aftermath of Typhoon Rai will be receiving essential supplies thanks to a grant of £25,000 to Plan International from the Freemasons.

Freemasonry, through the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), is responding with Plan International to support affected communities at this critical time.

Rail passengers are being advised of changes to journeys over nine days in February 2022 while essential engineering work takes place at Water Orton in North Warwickshire and Duddeston in Birmingham.

Major alterations to track and lineside drainage will take place between 19 and 27 February as part of long-term improvements to the network, including preparations for HS2 – Britain’s new zero carbon, high-speed railway.

The Outrigger Surin Beach Resort in Phuket opened at the end of December and is offering a special value added ‘sandbox’ offer, following changes which came into effect 11 January.
 
Destination Phuket is one of four - Phuket, Samui, Krabi and Phangnga - locations in Thailand where vaccinated guests can arrive and spend seven days at leisure exploring a beach destination under the Thai Government’s ‘sandbox’ promotion. After seven days and a negative test, guests can travel to other places in the country.

New for 2022, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) has launched a collection of healthy recipes from across the island to inspire people who want some inspiration for healthy eating at the start of the year.

The dishes have been created by hotels and independent restaurants and are available around the island.

In response to Wednesday’s announcement (5 January) that the UK government is scrapping the pre-departure Covid 19 testing for anyone arriving into England (and Wales), from Friday 7 January and switching the day 2 PCR for a lateral flow, Alistair Rowland, Chief Executive for long-haul tour operator, Blue Bay Travel, and Chair of ABTA, said:

“The scrapping* of the restrictive travel testing measures imposed by the UK government in December, in a bid to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, is a relief for the travel industry and great news for holidaymakers.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has asked the region’s government leaders to reduce the isolation periods for travellers to align with the United Kingdom and the United States to avoid reversing the progress made by the tourism sector since the COVID-19 pandemic slammed the Caribbean’s most important economic driver.

Qatar Airways Cargo has long been committed to ensuring that all animals entrusted to the airline for transportation, receive the best care both on the ground and in the air. Now, following six months of intense process and product audits, Qatar Airways Cargo is proud to announce that its strict adherence to the highest standards and relevant regulations has been accredited CEIV Live Animals certification by IATA.

Doubly vaccinated passengers will no longer have to take pre-departure Covid tests in England from 04:00 GMT tomorrow (Friday), the government has said.

They will also not be required to self-isolate while awaiting test results after arriving in England. If they arrive after 04:00 GMT on Sunday, people without symptoms will not need a PCR test if a lateral flow test is positive on day two.

Luxury small ship specialist, Scenic will introduce guests to a host of new experiences along Europe’s rivers in 2022. From guided tours through 16th century palaces to meeting a local cheese producer in the Netherlands and kayaking excursions along the Danube River, Scenic’s 2022 river cruise programme has something for everyone. 

There are several exciting landmarks that newly feature on Scenic’s Europe river cruises for next year, giving guests a deeper and richer understanding of the culture and history of the regions in which they find themselves.

Businesses working in Morocco's key tourism sector say the country's tough COVID-19 restrictions, including a full flight ban, are undermining its competitiveness compared to rival destinations.

Morocco shut its borders in late November and will only reopen them at the end of January.

The tourist port of Taino Bay, located in the port of Puerto Plata, the Dominican Republic, received the Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship, one of the largest ever built, with 2,647 passengers and 1,514 crew members.

The ocean liner, owned by Royal Caribbean International, arrived from Fort Lauderdale, United States.

Earlier this week, Scenic Eclipse departed the Red Sea and is making its way to Antarctica in preparation for its highly anticipated return to the Antarctic peninsula this coming January. Following an almost two-year hiatus, this marks a significant milestone for the luxury truly all-inclusive operator as Scenic Eclipse is set to resume the first of its scheduled sailing programme since the beginning of the pandemic and will be among the first ships in the world to return to Antarctica. 

The Datai Langkawi is delighted to announce the 2022 edition of The Chef Series. This year the focus is on Malaysia, bringing the best of eclectic Malaysian dining experiences to guests of the resort.

The Chef Series is a signature dining experience of The Datai Langkawi, it has previously welcomed culinary luminaries such as Michel and Sébastien Bras, Michel Roux, Nils Henkel, and other acclaimed Michelin-starred Chefs from around the world, showcasing their peerless talent to guests in the beautiful setting of the resort's ancient rainforest.

Preliminary Ministry of Tourism (MOT) data in The Central Bank of The Bahamas’ (CBOB) Monthly Economic Financial Developments (MEFD) report for November 2021 shows that visitor arrivals to the island by air and sea in October reached 260,942 compared to 265,799 in 2019.

The report notes that with those visitor numbers near pre-pandemic levels, the tourism sector remains in a “gradual pace of recovery”.