Optimism keeps industry afloat
The travel and tourism fraternity is expecting the resumption of scheduled flights at the start of the New Year as the demand is higher. Due to limited flights, airfares are skyrocketing for all int'l routes. We expect the hotels and airlines to be flexible with cancellations, and offer a full refund on last-minute cancellations due to COVID-19. They should not make all products completely non-refundable. Such convenience would help the clients book freely and in advance, enabling business to move. We see tourism boards giving regular information on COVID-19 norms for their destinations and expect the same from them in 2022 on a regular basis.
The biggest expectation for the New Year for everyone in the industry is that things should be normal at the earliest. The association wants normalcy and have physical meetings in the upcoming year, just like pre-COVID times. We also plan to increase our membership and attend conventions, knowledge sessions, road shows, and FAM trips among others. We are also in consultation with the MoT & state tourism boards to interact with the association members to be able promote their respective states. Hence, we request the Ministry of Tourism to extend their help in rebuilding the association in the year 2022, so that we can continue seeing the growth in domestic tourism.
The expectations of the tourism and hospitality industry are very high for 2022. I am very optimistic for the upcoming year, and I think we can take appropriate lessons from the current situation and expect good things to happen in 2022. The most important thing is that we need to ensure that our businesses are back to normal, which goes for every player in the industry. It’s not going to be easy, but I am sure we would still be able to do it. However, it will take time because of the new Omicron variant situation, but otherwise it could be easier for us. I hope and pray that we will not lose this season. At least from January onwards, we can generate some business for the next four to five months, which will be good for survival and revival.
We didn’t have any business since 2020–21, but as soon as the news of the reinstatement of evisa and the int'l flights started coming, we started getting queries for 2022 and the later part of 2021. We still have bookings for the coming year and hope that the situation gets better by February, to be able to get some last-minute business even now. However, in 2022, I am optimistic that people will start making bookings for the New Year, even if the situation remains the same. At the IATO Convention recently, we have seen that the overall mood is towards recovery, and inbound operators are keen to get back to business.
We are hopeful that things will get better in the New Year, but nobody can say anything right now. For January-March 2022, we were looking to do some business. My company started getting bookings as well. Some of our clients came to India by the third week of November. They travelled and went back without any hassle. Bookings were there for December and January as well, which have now been cancelled. Some bookings are there for FebruaryApril, which may materialise if scheduled flights start. If quarantine restrictions for tourists travelling from tourist generating countries were lifted, then we could get something for the last quarter of our balance sheet and the year. Else, we need to look at 2023 to do our business.
DESTINATIONS
Thankfully, we are now seeing some light at the end of the dark tunnel. At this point, the situation of outbound from India into Spain finds itself in a difficult space, but with a very positive outlook for the future. I am very happy to share that the interest we have received from the tourism sector is tremendous. Along with segments like FITs, couples, and millennials travelling to Spain, we are also seeing interest in segments such as M!CE or group family travels. This indeed underlines the position of Spain as a safe tourist destination for tourists. We are providing all the updated information on travel to Spain via our TravelSafe website.