• ‘Australia borders could be shut until late 2022 ‘

    ‘Australia borders could be shut until late 2022 ‘

    Australia is likely to remain shut to visitors until late 2022, the country’s trade and tourism minister said , as another global COVID-19 surge smashed hopes of a quick reopening.

    Minister Dan Tehan said that a wave of cases on the Indian subcontinent showed that Australia’s near blanket ban on arrivals was still essential to keep the country coronavirus-free.

    Since Mar 20, 2020, Australians have been barred from travelling overseas, and a hard-to-get individual exemption is needed for foreign visitors to enter the country.

    It is “very hard to determine” when borders could reopen, Tehan told Sky News, “the best guess would be in the middle to the second half of next year”.

    Before the pandemic, about 1 million short-term visitors entered the country each month. That figure is now around 7,000. Anyone who does enter must undergo 14 days of strict hotel quarantine.

    A recently established travel bubble with New Zealand has had mixed success, being paused for cities where the virus jumped from quarantine facilities before being contained.

    Australia has recorded 29,886 cases since the pandemic began. A large proportion were detected in hotel quarantine. Vaccination roll-out has been slow, with just 2.5 million vaccines administered in a country of 25 million people, each needing two doses.

    The prospect of the country being closed for almost three years will come as a hammer blow to the US$40 billion-a-year tourism industry.

    “The hope would be that we might be able to see a few more bubbles set up and we’d be able to see more travel undertaken, but we’re in a pandemic,” he said. “It’s going to very much depend on how we are able to deal with the global pandemic.” – AFP May 8 , 2021

    • Connecting you with the world of travel and tourism

      Theme Park Expo Vietnam 2025

      Asia Pool & Spa Expo , May 10 – 12, 2025 , Guangzhou , China

      KAZAKHSTAN International Exhibition “Tourism & Travel” Almaty, Kazakhstan

      CHINA- Beyond your imagination

      Gulf Cooperation Council Tourism 

      Dubai – As tourism destinations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) continue to grow, involving local communities in destination development has become increasingly vital for long-term success.

      Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030 aims for 39.3 million visitors per year, while Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 targets 150 million domestic and international visits, emphasising how tourism is being established as a key element of economic diversification throughout the region.

      At Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, industry leaders emphasised that sustainable revitalisation of destinations must align tourism investments with community partnerships, cultural authenticity, and immersive guest experiences to provide lasting value for both residents and visitors.

      During the session on “Considerations and Implications of Involving Communities in Destination Revitalisation” on the ATM 2025 Global Stage, experts shared insights into building resilience, enhancing local prosperity, and ensuring tourism growth is both inclusive and enduring.

      Arabian Travel Market 2025, held under the theme “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity”,  featured more than 200 speakers across three content stages and welcomes over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries.

      Messe Berlin India launched 

      to drive growth of ITB India 

      Messe Berlin announces the official launch of Messe Berlin India, a newly incorporated subsidiary that underscores the company’s long-term commitment to one of Asia’s fastest-growing markets. Headquartered in Delhi , the new entity will serve as a strategic base for expanding ITB India and launching future projects tailored to the Indian market. With this establishment, Messe Berlin is reinforcing its vision of India as a regional hub for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable business growth within the exhibition and events industry.

      “Messe Berlin’s presence in India reflects our strategic intent to strengthen our international reach by being where the growth is. India is a key market for us — vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunities. With Messe Berlin India, we are laying down long-term foundations to build strong partnerships, support local industries, and elevate our global platforms,” said Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO, Messe Berlin.

      ITB India, inaugurated in 2023, continues as the flagship event under the new subsidiary. Held annually, ITB India is a three-day B2B travel trade show and convention that connects the global travel and tourism industry with the Indian market. Alongside MICE Show India, Travel Tech India, and the ITB India Conference, ITB India serves as a unique platform to forge new partnerships, strengthen existing ties, and capitalize on the fast-growing potential of the Indian and South Asian travel economies. The show hosts key players from the MICE, Leisure, Corporate Travel, and Travel Technology sectors. The upcoming edition, ITB India 2025, will take place from 2 – 4 September 2025  in Mumbai.

      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)

      Best Tourism Villages 2024

      ” Nihao ! China ” Silk Road Tourism