Travel will live on….From the founder’s desk of Emperor Traveline – Part 3
Let’s push the limits a bit, precisely what is required if you are part of the wide travel ecosystem to succeed out of the devastating effects of the COVID-19. We have been discussing the impact of technology on the revival of the travel sector in the previous two blogs and we will continue to deal with more technological changes viz. Digital health passports that will turn the tables on in this blog.
Digital health passports:
Health could be embedded in every travel process. A study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicates that the use of masks, visible sanitizing and screening will help enhance passenger’s feeling of safety post-COVID-19.
To date, there is no agreement or standard on the acceptable level of risk for permitting individuals to travel or reopening borders. Until or otherwise any vaccine is developed, the focus will be on shifting to assessing the risk of individual travellers. With the consent of the passengers, airline and travel companies could make use of personal data including underlying health conditions, age and travel history to come up with an individual risk profile.
Efforts to develop heath standards and protocols utilizing digital technology for the travel and tourism industry are still in infancy. Erstwhile, airlines including Emirates have ensured that passengers need to undergo on-site COVID-19 testing. European airports have framed industry guidelines and regulations for passenger health screening.
While not novel a technology, the use of thermal cameras at airports is more prevalent post COVID-19 outbreak. There are many apps built for symptom-tracking and contact-tracing in several countries. Google and Apple are on the verge of finalizing contact-tracing software for developers to put together compatible apps.
New health-screening and tracking tools ensure the safety of passengers. All said and done privacy and data issues too have to be dealt with all the while. Any solution has to be fully transparent and secure if the travellers are to approve them for wider use. Sharing of data on a ‘need to know’ and ‘authorized to know’ basis, with prior consent conforming applicable guidelines and regulations should be in place.
10 points on how the Indian Travel & Tourism industry is affected by COVID-19 crisis
1. Foreign tourist arrivals (FTA) last month declined by 9.3% month-on-month and 7% year-on-year, according to reliable government sources.
2. The number of FTAs in February 2020 were 10.15 lakh against 10.87 lakh during the same period in 2019. The number of FTAs in January 2020 were found to be 11.18 lakh.
3. The number of visitors to the newly built Statue of Unity in Gujarat dropped by over 38 % during January and February.
4. As a result, the revenue collection during the same period declined by approximately ₹5 crore.
5. A report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the total revenue from ticketed monuments was INR 247.89 crore in FY18, INR 302.34 in FY19 against INR 277.78 crore in FY20 between the months April and January.
6. According to a reliable report by an Archaeologist of ASI, Agra Circle, at the Taj, the number of tickets sold at the Taj during the month of March fell over by 6,000 tickets compared to the period between January and February.
7. Two days prior to the first shutdown during the month of March, the authorities at the Taj were hardly able to sell 8,000 tickets, according to the ASI reports.
8. As per the report by the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, about 70% out of a total estimated workforce of 5.5 crore (direct and indirect) that is over 3.8 crore could go jobless.
9. Tourism Industry is one of the biggest sectors, and the ongoing COVID-19 could impact 10% of the total GDP of the country.
10. The recovery phase for the travel and tourism sector of the country is estimated to be 8-10 months, even if the government were able to fight the COVID-19 crisis successfully.
10 points on how the global Travel & Tourism industry is affected by COVID-19 crisis
1. The World Travel and Tourism Council has warned that the ongoing Corona virus could axe 50 million jobs all over the world in the travel and tourism sector.
2. Of all regions, Asia is likely to be the most affected. Wuhan province in China is believed to be the source of this worst pandemic affecting almost every region of the world.
3. The council has also mentioned that it would take at least 10 months for the travel and tourism industry to recover and revive its prospects.
4. As the tourist industry currently makes for 10% of the global GDP, the COVID-19 pandemic has put 50 million jobs in danger, with travel expected to slump by a quarter later this year. Asia will take a heavy punch due to this slump.
5. Around 8, 50,000 people travel every month from Europe to the US, which pumps in $3.4 billion every month to the US coffers.
6. Of the 50 million job loss estimated, Asia accounts for nearly 30 million jobs lost, Europe 7 million; the US makes for 5 million job loss and the rest in other parts of the world.
7. The slump in global travel in three months is estimated to cause job reduction between 12% and 14%.
8. The council has warned that the restrictions in place in many countries could only make matters worse for travelling medical experts and delivery of medical equipment and essential supplies.
9. The International Air Transport Association has estimated that Airlines’ passenger revenue will fall by $314 billion in total or 55 percent from the previous year.
10. A report by the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization mentions that a total of 217 nations and territories all over the world have imposed stringent travel restrictions to fight the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
All about the Fort Aguada – the Fortress of Strength
- Goa, the smallest state in India in terms of area and word length, synonymous for the spectacular beaches, stunning parties and ultra modernity has lot more to offer in terms of heritage and culture in addition to its exciting touring destinations popular the world over.
- A stark reflection of the state’s colonial history, the Fort Aguada is built in 1510 after the Portuguese conquered it comprehensively.
- The fort that stands stall is located on the Sinquerim beach at the mouth of the Mandovi River facing the Arabian Sea.
- Built between the years 1609 and 1612, the name of the fort comes from ‘agua’ meaning ‘water’. There is a spring within the fort that enabled the crews of passing ship to top up their freshwater sources.
- The fort was bifurcated into two sections: the upper part functioning as a watershed, and a fort well insulated by a deep dry moat. The lower part served as a safe hour for the Portuguese vessels to hoard and top up their supplies, in addition to being a bastion, gun powder room and a clandestine escape passage during emergency.
- Besides the huge cistern of the fort could store up to 2, 30,000 gallons of water. The high fort served as a citadel against invading forces during the Portuguese rule.
- Main attractions of the fort include a four-storey lighthouse, one of the oldest in Asia, which was raised in 1864. However, it has remained out of use since 1976.
- Interestingly, huge bonfires were lit on the ‘Hills of Pilot’ just above the site of the Church of Immaculate Conception in Pune to guide the sailing ships into safety.
- It was under the administration of Antonio de Oliveira that he turned the lower part of the fort into prison, and protestors who demanded that Goa be handed back to India were imprisoned here. Today, it is more popular as Goa’s central jail housing those accused of trafficking and narcotics-related offenses.
- Much of the fort today is acquired by the Taj group of Hotels as a Heritage hotel. Get yourself transported back to the time where the angry waves rolled the ships into its sheltered harbour. Definitely, worth a visit.
Emperor Traveline steps into the 41st year of Customer service
A big shout of gratitude to all customers for helping us step into the 41st year of service. We couldn’t have achieved anything without your incredible support and continuing patronage. We are all geared up to offer even more superior service to all our customers as we understand them the best.
From tour packages to exotic touring destinations local, domestic and abroad in different segments including corporate, education, family, honeymoon, pilgrimage, and adventure to flight and train ticket reservation to Passport & Visa services, Money transfer, Overseas Insurance, and Overseas SIM card services, our range of service is diverse as much as challenging. At a time when technology was sparse, Emperor Traveline romped up its infrastructure to deliver the best travel booking and related services to our esteemed customers.
When we started off there were not many computer applications, let alone software, tools, and modern-day apps. We carved a route for ourselves in the area of travel services and soon other agencies followed suit. The fact that we were able to expand to Chennai and Hyderabad from Coimbatore early on speaks volumes of our growth.
Emperor Traveline has partnered with other travel service providers and organizations including SIGTOA, TAFI, SKAL, Western Union Money Transfer, Ministry of Tourism (GOI), ATTOI, OTOAI, IATA, ATO, ADTOI, TAAC, Tamilnadu Travel Mart Society, TAAI, Incredible India and many others.
A hallmark of our service is the timely execution of travel bookings and seamless processing of customer orders. We have also gone the extra mile in almost every occasion to bring a smile to our customers. Our customer’s satisfaction is the foundation upon which we have built our business. And as we continue to deliver extraordinary service to our customers, we once again express our sincere gratitude to all our customers. Also, kindly let us know how we can improve our existing customer service further as this will enable us to better our offerings.
Tour around Turgen Waterfalls in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is a treasure of ice-capped mountain peaks, shining glaciers, susurrate rivers, evergreen forests, giant rocky canyons painted vibrantly by emerald mountain lakes, vivid rainbows, elegiac sunrises, and unique flora and fauna.
The Turgen Gorge in the Ili-Alatau National Park is 90 km from Almaty and blessed with abundant bounties of nature. The gorge has hot wells, a trout farm, cascades and thick forests. Full of coniferous and assorted trees, apine and sub-alpine bawns, springs and lakes, herbs and berries of medicinal value, the gorge descends 44 km into the expanse of Assy plateau (2,560m). In the bygone days, caravans from Asia and Europe crossed the Royal Gates en route to India and China. The broad valley extends 60 km east.
Wonders of Turgen in Kazakhstan
The Turgen Gorge is famous for its seven waterfalls: the Medvezhy (Bear) falls has a drop of 30 m flanked by massive cliffs and green fir trees; the Bozgul Falls is known for the sheer might of the water as it washes away an entire tunnel in the solid rough rocks. Another major attraction of the gorge is the earliest Chin Chin-Turgen mossy fir forests, which form a thick vegetation cover with a dense layer of trees.
A must-visit spot in the Turgen Gorge is Boten, the hunting base. The very place of the confluence of three rivers is the deepest point of the gorge – 920 meters. While the Kishi-Turgen flows southeast, the Turgen River runs southwest. The plateau also has an observatory. Prehistoric burial mounds and rock drawings are found along the River Asy. Also dotted are several Sacae and Usun graves in the gorge belonging to the period between 500 BC and 300 AD.
There are a couple of resorts located around the natural hot springs that discharge into the swift-flowing Turgen River. The Sinegorye, found at an altitude of 1500m above sea level in the picturesque Mirushino gorge (which is about 70 km from Almaty), gives you a wide choice of accommodations. The small mountain lakes above the Sinegorye offer good possibilities to fish and bathe; the lower down, a trout farm, allows you to test your fishing skills, and maybe catch a few fish if you’re lucky, for supper.
Top 10 Travel Essentials
One of the most rewarding experiences of your life is to travel the world over and visit new cities. However, if you do not carry the right things with you the journey can become quite uncomfortable.
To make your trip feel like your home away from home carry these top 10 travel essentials with you.
1. World Adapter
Plug sockets that you find in another country need not match your device. But if you carry a world travel adapter, there is no need to worry. While buying the adapter, just check on the packet if it will fit every socket of the world.
2. Portable Power Source
While travelling you may not always be close to a power source and you might not feel comfortable asking someone to share their device. By carrying a portable power source you will be able to charge most of your electrical items whenever and wherever you want. Even if your hotel is not providing a plug socket you need not worry.
3. Travel Towel
For your round the world trip you need two towels – one to keep you clean and one for the beach. Carry a micro towel. It will dry fast and is lightweight. It won’t take much space in your suitcase and is low maintenance. It will keep you sand free, clean and dry in minutes.
4. Earplugs
To block out the snorers, earplugs are an essential item. To get the beauty sleep you deserve all you need is a good pair of earplugs. This will make your travel much more comfortable.
5. Padlock with a combination
Get a padlock with a combination. Searching for keys, especially while travelling, is not an easy task. A padlock with a combination will give you more security and make your life a lot easier.
6. Wet wipes
Wet wipes are really useful while travelling. It saves you the trouble of going to the toilet every time you want to eat something. You can use them not only to wipe yourself but any surface.
7. Sleeping liner
Hotels rooms are not always neat and tidy. You will always have the fear of whether there are bed bugs and who stayed in the bed or whether it is a clean blanket that you are using. All these thoughts can give you sleepless nights. Sleeping liner will make your hotel stay much more comfortable. You will have peace of mind, and you will feel at home. They can be folded up nicely into a small ball and are lightweight.
8. Flip Flops
Flip flops are very comfortable and lightweight and you can use them on long journeys. A good pair will go with any outfit.
9. Packing Cubes
The ultimate travel organiser is packing cubes. It can be daunting to leave the comfort of your wardrobe but your backpacker life will be made easy by packing cubes. You can rely on them even though you can’t expect too much organisation in your life while travelling.
10. Camera
Travelling is all about making memories. So while travelling you need a good camera to capture them. To look back and see what an amazing journey you had you need a camera. To save photos you can invest in memory sticks as well.
Passport Service Travel Agent in Coimbatore – Emperor Traveline
The Passport and Visa Division acting under the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, provides various passport services to Indian citizens. Citizens can apply for passports through two schemes for different fees.
1. Normal Scheme
2. Tatkaal Scheme
Passports applied under Tatkaal Scheme will be processed in a short time that the applicant will be able to receive the passport within 3 working days. In the case of a normal scheme, the processing time is longer.
The three services available for issuing passports are:
1. Issue of Fresh Passport:
If you are applying for the first time, you can make use of this service by filing your application with all the supporting documents for reference.
2. Re-issue/Renewal of Passport:
You can utilize this service based on any of the following reasons:
- Lost passport
- Passport expiry
- Damaged passport
- Personal particulars update
3. Issue of Police Clearance Certificate:
The issue of the PCC certificate comes under the miscellaneous services. You will be provided this service as part of the background verification procedure with reference to your personal particulars.
Indian Passport Services by Emperor Traveline
Emperor Traveline, a self styling travel organization in the city of Coimbatore, provides quick and hassle-free Indian Passport facilitation services. They are the leading online passport agents in Coimbatore, approved by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. They ensure proper passport documentation and efficient processing of all Indian passport services.
We operate to provide timely and infallible passport services to clients in a cost-effective manner.
Their passport services in Coimbatore encompass a golden opportunity for those looking forward to completing their documentation for obtaining a New Passport, Passport Renewal, or Emigration Clearance work in a day, thereby reducing loss of precious time and effort standing in long queues at the passport office for enquiry.
Getting your Indian passport done through the online passport services at Emperor Traveline also comes as an advantage to all working individuals or those into business, who have leave restrictions, housewives, school/college going children and a real benefit for senior citizens or minor kids who need assistance at every step. Getting an online passport appointment done is now compulsory; however it depends on the traffic of applicants.
We provide complete Assistance for the following activities in Indian Passport Services:
- Issuing new Indian passport
- Renewal of Indian passport
- Indian passport formalities
- Indian passport documentation
- Child passport services
- Online passport appointment
- Passport formalities
- Passport documentation
Their online passport services include complete guidance, preparing your Indian passport documentation online, scheduling your online passport appointment with Passport Seva Kendra for your biometrics, etc.
How To Apply For Passport Online
The very thought of applying for a passport in India puts us off. Many are confused how to fill the form and which documents are needed. If you are one of these people, relax. To avoid such troubles, many people get the help of travel agents because no one wants to waste hours running from pillar to post to get things done.
You can now apply for a passport online. However, it is not an easy process. You’ll still have to go to the passport office. But a travel agent can help you by giving you the right guidance. They can arrange all types of domestic and international travel, and even provide assistance with passport and visa applications.
To apply for passport online, you have to go to the Passport Seva website. You will see an orange coloured box “New User? Register Now”. Click this box. You will now see a user registration form. Fill it up to create an account. While filling, be careful as you should not make any mistakes. Select the passport office of the city you’re living in now, not your native place. For instance, if you are currently living in Coimbatore select passport services in Coimbatore. Applying for passport online is not that hard a task. It is just like filling any other application form.
After filling in all the details, click Register. Your account has been created. Now you can go back to the Passport Seva website and login. You can just enter your email address and continue.
You will see many options like “Fresh passport or Re-issue”, “Tatkal passport” etc. Make your choice and then go to the next page.
Here you will be asked to fill your personal information. To fill the application form, you can either download the PDF form to fill it offline or you can use the form online and fill it instantly. It is better to use the PDF form. However, there is no harm in filling it online directly.
Click on the link — Click here to download the Soft Copy of the Form -to download the application form. Your form will be downloaded in a Zip folder. Unzip this folder to find the Passport Application Form in PDF format. You can open this file by double clicking.
After filling in all the details, read the Self Declaration and click on I Agree. Then mention the name of the place and date. Finally click on Validate and Save.
After submitting your passport online application, check for available slots and then make the payment. After payment, don’t forget to take a printout of the receipt of the application. You need to take it along with you on the appointment day. Also, check for the bar code on the application. Ensure that is clearly printed and whether the information regarding the payment confirmation is on it or not.
If all this is too confusing for you, get the help of a travel agent. They will clear your queries and will help you get the documents processed without any delay.
If you have already applied for a passport online, the next step is to go to the Passport Seva Kendra at the time mentioned in the receipt. Before that, make a passport checklist, so that you won’t forget any documents that you may need to submit while visiting the Passport Seva Kendra. If you have all the documents required, your job at the office will be over within two hours. And your passport will be send to the address given to you within a few weeks after police verification is complete.
Places to Travel this Winter
Winter is the season of festivities and fun. It is the most welcomed break from our routine at the end of the year, with Christmas and New Year just around the corner. It is time with family and friends. Some like to spend this precious quality time at home, and some like to have an exciting vacation
Winter is the season of festivities and fun. It is the most welcomed break from our routine at the end of the year, with Christmas and New Year just around the corner. It is time with family and friends. Some like to spend this precious quality time at home, and some like to have an exciting vacation. For those looking for a vacation, here are a few places you should not miss during this fabulous Winter in the last calendar month.
To start with, one of the best places to travel in winter is Goa. Goa is the land of beaches and shores. With its beautiful, vast seas and pristine water, Goa is one of the best destinations in India for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. During Winter, Asia’s largest music festival, the famous Sunburn Festival happens here. Sunburn is an electronic dance music festival that is held on the beach on multiple stages, with artists playing simultaneously. You can welcome the New Year in a party style here.
To beat the winter chill you can escape to Rio de Janeiro. The mighty Copacabana Beach has the best party for New Year in Rio. Many pack their bags to this party-crazy destination. If you want to stay away from the crowd, there are serene beaches to spend some time for yourself or the enchanting fireworks display to keep you entertained.
Australia, famous for its Sydney Opera House looks spectacular during the Christmas season. There are some stunning fireworks displays across the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Year’s Eve which can not be missed no matter where you are in the city. For the foodies, you can hop to Tasmania which has a Taste Festival. There is also the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland which is Australia’s biggest cultural festival.
Cruising around Hawaii and Mexico is fantastic during Winter. It is the best family vacation one can look forward to. The weather is excellent around this time of the year. To add to it the Christmas glitter and pomp is a big bonus for all and there are many things to do on a cruise. Spending time in Cancun, Mexico in a beautiful resort is very relaxing with very nice weather. They have white sand beaches that are a visual treat.
Phuket in Thailand has the most popular regatta during Winter to celebrate the King of Thailand’s birthday. It is an island with many beach towns, each of these being unique in its own way. If you travel a little further you can go to the best diving destination, Similan Islands. This place is mostly done with rains by the end of the Monsoon and has clear skies and calm seas and is very inviting for adventurous divers.
If you want to ski in the snow then head to Colorado. Some of the best ski resorts are present in Colorado which has powder snow. By December it would get sufficient snow for skiing. You can go to Vail, Squaw Valley, or Jackson Hole. Also, there are breathtaking hot springs in Glenwood Springs.
Last but not least and if you do not mind the chillness, getaway to New York. With Christmas and New Year in the season, the whole city is brightly decked up with exquisite lights and decorations. The ice skating in Rockefeller Center is a must during this season.
