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COVID-19 Updates

The Global COVID-19 Index (GCI) – India

Latest Update

24.12.2022

Updated Guidelines for International Arrivals in India w.e.f. 24th Dec 2022

In response to the increasing COVID cases in China & some other countries, following protocols have been laid out by the Government of India. These protocols have to be complied by international travellers and shall be valid w.e.f. 24th December 2022 (10.00 Hrs IST) till further orders.

 

A.1.  Planning for Travel

i. All travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their Country. Vaccination is preferred but not mandatory.

 

A.2.  During Travel

ii. In-flight announcement about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic including precautionary measures to be followed (preferable use of masks and following physical distancing) shall be made in flights/travel and at all points of entry.

iii. Any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol i.e. the said passenger should be wearing mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow up treatment.

 

A.3.  On arrival

iv. De-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing.

v. Thermal screening will be done in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the point of entry (airports, seaports, land entry).

vi. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated, taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocol (as above).

vii. The following protocol post arrival shall also be followed:

a) A sub-section (2% of the total passengers* in the flight) shall undergo random post arrival testing at the airport on arrival.

b) Such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport thereafter.

c) If such travellers’ samples are tested positive, their samples shall be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network.

d) They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol.

viii. All travellers should self-monitor their health post arrival also shall report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number in case they have any symptoms suggestive.

 * Children under 12 years of age are exempted from post-arrival random testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the period of self-monitoring period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol.

 

21.10.2021

India relaxes quarantine norms for international arrivals

India will comply with new immigration standards for international arrivals starting Monday (October 25), thanks to increased vaccinations worldwide and a change in the nature of the pandemic.

All international passengers flying must take the Covid RT-PCR test 72 hours in advance, greatly reducing quarantine requirements.

The Ministry of Health has identified some countries as “at risk”. These include European countries, United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Arrivals from these locations must follow additional measures upon arrival in India, including post-arrival testing.

Please find below Standard Operating Procedure, which shall be valid w.e.f. 25th October 2021 (00.00 Hrs IST) till further orders. Based on the risk assessment, this document shall be reviewed from time to time.

A.1. Planning for Travel

i. All travellers should

  • Submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal. (www.newdelhiairport.in) before the scheduled travel.
  • Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey.
  • Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise

ii. They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergo home quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted.

iii. Continuing with the earlier approach, travellers from certain specified Countries (based on epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in those Countries) are identified for additional follow up. These include need for additional measures as detailed in para (xv) below. The listing of such specified Countries is a dynamic exercise based on evolving situation of COVID-19 across the world and will be made available on the websites of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, (mohfw.gov.in) and the link of the same will be available at website of Ministry of External and Affairs and Air Suvidha Portal.

iv. There are Countries, which have agreement with India on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates of Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. Similarly, there are Countries, which presently do not have such an agreement with India, but they exempt Indian citizens fully vaccinated with Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. On the basis of reciprocity, the travellers from all such Countries which provide quarantine-free entry to Indians are allowed certain relaxations on arrival (Category A Countries). The listing of such Countries is available on websites of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (mohfw.gov.in) and the link of the same will be available at website of Ministry of External Affairs and Air Suvidha Portal. This is also a dynamic list and will be updated from time to time. The travellers from Category A Countries shall upload their fully vaccinated* certificate on the Air Suvidha portal.

A.2. Before Boarding

v. Do’s and Don’ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travellers by the airlines/agencies concerned.

vi. Airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal, uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report.

vii. At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening.

viii. All passengers shall be advised to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

A.3. During Travel

ix. In-flight announcement about COVID-19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports and in flights and during transit.

x. During in-flight crew shall ensure that COVID appropriate behaviour is followed at all times.

xi. If any passenger reports symptoms of COVID-19 during flight, he/she shall be isolated as per protocol.

A.4. On arrival

xii. Deboarding should be done ensuring physical distancing.

xiii. Thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the airport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff.

xiv. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol#.

xv. Travellers from specified Countries at risk [as mentioned in para (iii) above] will follow the protocol as detailed below:

a) If traveller is coming from a Country with which India has reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines (Category A):

i.   If fully vaccinated*: They shall be allowed to leave the airport and shall selfmonitor their health for 14 days’ post arrival.

ii. If partially/not vaccinated: The travellers need to undertake the following measures:

  •  Submission of sample for post-arrival COVID-19 test at the point of arrival after which they will be allowed to leave the airport.
  • Home quarantine for 7 days,
  • Re-test on the 8th day of arrival in India and if negative, further selfmonitor of their health for next 7 days.

b) If traveller is coming from a Country excluding those covered under Category A, they would be required to undergo the measures as mentioned in para a (ii) above, irrespective of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

xvi. Travellers from Countries excluding those Countries at risk, will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days’ post arrival. This is applicable to travellers from all Countries including Countries with which reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines also exist.

xvii. Travellers under home quarantine or self-health monitoring, if develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19 on re-testing, they will immediately self isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.

International travellers arriving at seaports/land ports

xviii. International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently.

xix. Such travellers shall submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival.

* 15 days must have elapsed since completion of COVID-19 vaccination schedule

# Contacts of the suspect case are the co-passengers seated in the same row, 3 rows in front and 3 rows behind along with identified Cabin Crew. Also, all the community contacts of those travellers who have tested positive (during home quarantine period) would be subjected to quarantine for 14 days and tested as per ICMR protocol.

 

18.10.2021

India opens E-Visa Site for Tourists

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast of the recent developments regarding Indian subcontinent, we are pleased to inform you, the Government of India recently announced that the E Tourist visa site is now operational. Further, as per the earlier notification shared by the Government, the first 5,00,000 30 days single entry E tourist visas are being issued. Tourists will be required to upload the RTPCR test on the Air Suvidha app 72 hrs prior to boarding the International flight to India. Upon arrival in India, the RTPCR test will be done again at International Airport. The client will not have to wait at the airport for the result which will be communicated to them on mobile etc. If found positive then guests will have to quarantine for 14 days. Further, please note that the Health guidelines are subject to change without notice.

We are waiting for more specific guidelines from the Government of India regarding quarantine rules and shall keep you updated.

The official website to apply for Indian E-Visa is https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with any further updates in the Indian Subcontinent.

 

08 Oct 2021

Indian to start issuing tourist visa to the foreign travellers from October 15

In our constant endeavor to keep you abreast on the recent developments, we are excited to inform you that Indian government has decided to start issuing tourist visa to the foreign travellers from October 15. Those travelling through chartered flights will be allowed to enter India from October 15 while other travellers coming via regular flights will be granted entry from November 15.

All due protocols and norms relating to Covid-19 as notified by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare from time to time, shall be adhered to by the foreign tourists, carriers bringing them into India and all other stakeholders at landing stations.

With this, the restrictions placed on visa and international travel stand further eased given the present overall Covid-19 situation. All visas granted to foreigners were suspended last year.

Link to official notification: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1761795

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with any further updates in the Indian Subcontinent.

 

23 Sep 2021

Nepal Reopens Visa on Arrival for Travellers

To give thrust to the Tourism in Nepal, Government of Nepal has resumed issuing on-arrival visas after a gap of months owing to the measures introduced to control the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Government says citizens of the countries approved on-arrival visas to Nepal can obtain the visas on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport and other entry points if the applicant has completed all doses of Covid-19 vaccination at least 14 days before the arrival. We are waiting for the official notification from the Government of Nepal regarding list of approved countries and shall share it with you as soon as the list is made public.

The travellers are also required to show evidence that they have tested negative for coronavirus in a test conducted at most 72 hours before the arrival, and have already booked a hotel in Nepal.

Meanwhile, if anyone wants to obtain visas from Nepali embassies abroad, they also have to complete the vaccination before that.

Those who are yet to complete the vaccination can also enter the country, but they have to apply for visas via travel agents before their arrival. Upon arrival, they will have to quarantine themselves for ten days before coming out on travel.

Further, travellers will be required to get a copy of the International Traveler online Arrival Form printed after filling it on www.ccmc.gov.np.

For all other travellers who are applying for visas at Nepali Mission in their country will only need to submit the documents numbered 1, 3 and 4. After your visa is issued, you will need to give the other two papers numbered 2 and 5.

The decision has come at a crucial time to help increase tourist arrivals in Nepal for the coming fall season. Still, more information is yet to be given by the Nepalese Government like list of approved nations and the technical points. We will update you as soon as we receive the full details. We at Indo Asia Tours are excited about this news, and we are sure you are as excited as well!

 

22 Jun 2021

India achieves the highest-ever daily vaccination count of 08 million jabs

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we are pleased to inform you that India recorded the highest single-day vaccination drive of 08 million jabs on 21st Jun. According to the data released by the Union Health Ministry on 21st June morning, so far a total of 280 million has already been administered in the country.

A total of 5.59 million people aged between 18 and 44 years have received their first dose, while 1.2 million have been inoculated with the second dose.

As many as 8 million people aged between 45 and 59 years have received their first dose, while 1.2 million have been administered the second dose.

A total of 6.47 million people aged over 60 years have received their first dose, while 2.1 million have been inoculated with the second dose.

Earlier this month, the government mentioned that they aim to reach as many as 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines per day by end of August.

As our areas are opening up (Bhutan is expected to be fully vaccinated by Aug 2021 and opening it’s door for the travelers from Sep / Oct 21. Srilanka is already open under bio bubble concept) and things are getting back to normal, we sincerely hope you will consider promoting the Indian Subcontinent soon for your clients again.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with any further updates in the Indian Subcontinent.

For regular updates on the Indian Subcontinent, kindly visit our website www.indoasia-tours.com or follow us on our social media handles:

 

19 Jan 2021

Sri Lankan Borders are Opening

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we are really happy to inform you that Sri Lanka will be opening its borders to Tourists from 23rd January 2021, from all countries.

Good thing is that there is no minimum stay requirement. The clients are allowed to stay in ‘Level 1 Safe & Secure Certified’ hotels during the first 14-days in Sri Lanka with their first night stay mandatory in either Colombo or Negombo. Another important thing is that the results of their very first PCR test (conducted on-arrival) should be a negative report in order to proceed.

During the first 14-days in Sri Lanka, guests are allowed to visit identified tourist sites in a bio-secure bubble. During this period, clients are not allowed to meet with the locals/community. Public transport including scenic train rides, tuk-tuk rides, etc. are prohibited to all foreign nationals.

Know more, for the safety protocols and guidelines that one needs to follow for traveling to Sri Lanka.

We feel that the tours will not run in the same way as it used to during the pre-Covid era, since we will have to accommodate certain changes to our daily tour program such as PCR testing times, the possibility of symptomatic clients, the possibility of not visiting a site during the planned time, etc. Though, we will try our best to make each and every trip go as smoothly as possible.

We may need to make some changes in the itineraries/tours we might have offered you in the past.

This is just the beginning and we are really hopeful that in the coming few weeks/ months India, Nepal, and Bhutan will also be opening their borders to guests whom we have missed a lot for the last many months. This hope is based on the fact that India started a massive Vaccination drive last week. The aim is to vaccinate Millions within the next 3 months. Being the largest producer of vaccines in the entire world, India aims to produce enough vaccines not only for local use, but also for export to other countries. That said, the Government has made it clear that we will take care of all the vaccine requirements of all our neighbours – which includes Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with any further updates in the Indian Sub continent. In the meantime we look forward to preparing some amazing itineraries for your clients wishing to visit Sri Lanka.

 

04 Jan 2021

India’s Wait Over, Drug Regulator Says Covid Vaccines Cleared

Though 2020 was a year of ups and downs, however the news of vaccination has brought smiles and a sense of relief in 2021. We would like to take this opportunity to share a very important update with you on India

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the country’s national drug regulator, announced on Sunday (January 3) that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has decided to accept the recommendations of its Subject Expert Committee (SEC), and approved the Covid-19 vaccines of both Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for restricted use in the country.

Serum Institute of India (SII), has manufactured Covishield, the Indian variant of the AZD1222 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and already stockpiled some 80 million doses. As such, the rollout can begin fairly quickly.

The other vaccine that has got emergency use authorization, Covaxin, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), could take a few days or weeks to be available.

Like other western countries which are already administering vaccine shots, in India too, the process is likely to be very fast. While no concrete timelines have been announced yet, it can be reasonably expected that the mass vaccination program may begin within a week.

The government has already announced that first in line will be 30 million workers in the forefront of India’s battle against the novel coronavirus, including 10 million healthcare workers and 20 million frontline workers. Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan announced on Saturday (January 2) that the vaccine will be administered to them for free. Also receiving the vaccine in the first phase will be a third priority group – consisting of some 270 million persons above age 50, and persons below age 50, but with associated co-morbidities.

“In 1st phase of #COVID19Vaccination, free #vaccine shall be provided across the nation to most prioritized beneficiaries that include 10 million healthcare & 20 million frontline workers. Details of how further 270 million priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are being finalised,” Dr Harsh Vardhan tweeted on January 2.

Critical here will be the pace of the vaccination, and the availability of the required doses. SII has said it is ramping up production at its facilities. Also, a whole lot of other vaccines — apart from Covishield and Covaxin — are likely to be approved for use in India soon . These may include the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, the Russian Sputnik-V, and Zydus-Cadila’s ZyCoV-D candidate. In all, some 30 vaccine candidates are being developed in India.

Preparations have been on for weeks for what will be India’s widest and most ambitious vaccination drive ever. Two rounds of mock drills have already been held — the first in four states on December 28-29, and the second on January 2, covering 285 session sites in 125 districts in all states around the country.

Some 96,000 vaccinators have been trained, including 2,360 in a National Training of Trainers, and over 57,000 in district-level training carried out in 719 districts. More than 7.5 million beneficiaries have been registered on the Co-WIN platform, which will provide real-time information on vaccine stocks, their storage temperature, and individual beneficiaries of the shots, Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday (January 3).

The country’s cold chain infrastructure has been sufficiently upgraded to ensure last-mile delivery, and adequate supplies of syringes and other logistics have been arranged, he said.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with any further updates in the Indian Sub-continent.

For regular updates on the Indian Subcontinent, kindly visit our website www.indoasia-tours.com or follow us on our social media handles:

 

06 Oct 2020

India Unlock 5.0

India has gone under the Unlock 5.0 phase. Under India unlock 5.0, from 15 October, cinemas, theatres, multiplexes, entertainment parks, and swimming pools used for sportspersons training can open outside containment zones. Business to Business exhibitions can open too. The other significant aspect is that states and UT’s are now allowed to move towards the reopening of schools from 15 October.

Another big news is, most of the Indian states are emerging through the haze of lockdowns and unlock and now welcoming tourists. Hotels and homestays are back in business, with strict health protocols. E-passes are nearly gone. Flights to major destinations in India are back, and most tourist attractions are reopening.

Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka have already started taking tourists with very minimal restrictions, if at all. Rajasthan hotels have been open for a few months now. Madhya Pradesh has rolled out workstation programs. Nearly all Agra’s tourist attractions are now fully open—including the Taj Mahal.

Maharashtra is unlocking cautiously: hotels and homestays are back in business, and the state has also launched a campervan rental program. The state’s premier tiger reserve in Tadoba opened on 1 October, with a new set of rules.

The forests of West Bengal reopened to tourists on 23 September after an extended closure. While these forests are locked down every year for two months during the monsoon—from 15 July to 15 September—this year, they have been out of bounds for tourists since March. Darjeeling, the state’s favourite hill-station, is also now accepting visitors.

Tamil Nadu’s lockdown state continues till October, but its hill-stations are open, with some exceptions. The Union Territory of Puducherry is also taking visitors, and the Himalayan heights of Ladakh are also accessible. Even the Andaman & Nicobar islands have restarted some tourist activities. As a result, flights from the mainland will increase to 14 per week from now. Kerala was expected to reopen its tourist experiences in September or October, but there is no word on it yet.

Most of India’s eastern states will start welcoming tourists at some point in October. Odisha has decided to open up the beaches of Puri and Gopalpur, temples of Bhubaneswar and Konark, Chilka Lake, and other experiences to tourists from October, though it has yet to announce a date.

Sikkim will reopen to tourists from 10 October. The state government has allowed hotels, homestays, and other tourism-related services to resume operations and open the state border with West Bengal for unrestricted travel by road from 1 October. Bookings for hotels and homestays resumed from 27 September. Inner Line Permits for foreign tourists with valid visas shall be issued from 10 October.

Tripura also reopened all tourist spots in the state from 1 October. The chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, has indicated that the state will reopen for tourists after October, given how crucial tourism is to the local economy.

 

31 Aug 2020

India enters Unlock 4.0

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new guidelines 29th August 2020, for opening up of more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones. In Unlock 4, which will come into effect from September 1, 2020, the process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further. The new guidelines, issued 29 August, are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments.

Here is what is allowed in Unlock 4:
1) Metro rail will be allowed to operate from September 7 in a graded manner.
2) No restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods.
3) No separate permission or e-permits will be required.
4) Social/academic/sports/entertainment/cultural/religious/ political functions & other congregations will be permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, from 21 September.
5) Open air theatres will be permitted to open with effect from September 21.
7) Only essential services will be allowed in containment zones.
8) Lockdown will continue in the containment zones till September 30.

Here is what remains closed in Unlock 4
1) Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students.
2) Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres will continue to remain closed.
3) International air travel, except as permitted by MHA, to remain suspended.
4) Persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes.

 

30 July 2020

India Unlock 3.0 and the Guidelines

The government on 29th July issued Unlock 3 guidelines, allowing gymnasiums and yoga institutes to function from August 5 and revoking night curfew even as all other activities banned earlier continue to remain prohibited.

Operation of metro rail, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places shall continue to remain prohibited, the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs have said. Schools and colleges too shall remain shut till August 31. Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations shall also not be allowed.

Below is the list of what is allowed and what isn’t.

Unlock 3.0 guidelines: What’s allowed.
* Movement of individuals during night hours.
* Yoga institutes, gymnasiums will open from August 5. A standard operating procedure will be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
* Independence Day functions allowed with social distancing.
* International air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission.

Unlock 3.0 guidelines: What’s not allowed.
* Metro Rail services.
* Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
* Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations.
* Vulnerable persons, i.e., people above 65 years of age, people with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes.

Unlock 3.0 guidelines for containment zones.
* Lockdown in containment zones will remain imposed till 31 August.
* Within the perimeters of containment zones, strict social distancing and other norms of containing the spread of the virus shall be maintained and only essential activities will be allowed, MHA said.
* These containment zones will be notified on the websites of respective district collectors of the states and UTs and activities taking place in these zones will be strictly monitored by the authorities. States and UTs can impose its guidelines outside the containment zones, which they deem necessary.

 

22 July 2020

International and domestic flights to start in Nepal from August 17

Nepal has decided to end the nationwide lockdown from Tuesday 22 July mid-night imposed for four months with some restrictions in place.

A spokesperson for the Nepal government, Yubraj Khatiwada on 22 July evening informed about the end of lockdown imposed since March 24 to end from today mid-night.

“Now we would not require to say we are under lockdown. It (lockdown) had created a psychological fear and pretext for many, so we decided on to end it. But the risk of infection is still at large along with the health problems, we need to adopt safety measures as well as precautions following the social distancing, wearing masks and using sanitizer,” Khatiwada said while announcing the cabinet decisions.

The Nepal government on March 23 announced a nationwide lockdown from March 24 as a preventive measure against COVID-19, which was extended further multiple times. As the state coffers started emptying, income standing at zero, the government started lifting off the lockdown in phases allowing the limited business to operate. Along with the expedition, climbing activities are also permitted on for autumn seasons as it missed the main spring season due to the pandemic.

International and domestic flights to and inside the Himalayan nation will also start from August 17 enabling the strangling tourism sector to recede.

Though the Nepal government has announced an end of the nationwide lockdown from mid-night restrictions on some activities are still on place, the government spokesperson said.

As per the decisions made at the Cabinet Meeting, educational institutions, public gatherings, exhibitions and seminars, places of recreational activities, dance-bars, saloon, beauty parlours, gyms, health clubs, community sports centre, religious places, libraries, museums and zoos will still remain closed.

 

06 July 2020

India approves reopening of ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) protected monuments

From today i.e. 06th July 2020, Ministry of Culture, India has approved the reopening of ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) -protected monuments after a shutdown of approx. more than 100 days.

There are more than 3,000 monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), including the Khajuraho temples, Sanchi Stupa, Red Fort and Qutub Minar etc. As per the notification, the monuments will be opened in “compliance of the state and district administration”. While all national monuments open up for the public, Agra’s historical monuments like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Fatehpur Sikri will continue to remain closed until further orders.

Here is the complete list of SOP’s and Guidelines

  • Only those monuments and museums which are in the non-containment zone will be open for visitors.
  • All Centrally protected monuments and sites shall be bound by the protocol issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as also any specific orders of the state and/or District administration.
  • Entry tickets shall be issued by e-mode only. No physical tickets will be issued until further orders.
  • At the parking, cafeteria etc., only digital payment is allowed.
  • Visitors will have to share their phone numbers at the entrance of monuments for the purpose of contact tracing, if required later.
  • There will be a cap on the number of visitors in select monuments. Like the number of visitors for Taj Mahal has been capped at 5,000 a day (in two slots), while that of other popular monuments is between 1,000 and 1,500 visitors in two slots each.
  • The visitors shall follow social distancing. The use of face cover/mask is mandatory. All entrances to have mandatory hand hygiene and thermal scanning provisions. Only asymptomatic persons are allowed.
  • There shall be designated routes for entry & exit and movement within the monument. The route shall be one-way only, with a single line maintaining norms of social distancing.
  • ASI can restrict access to the vulnerable and interior parts of any monument.
  • Visitors shall be asked to stick to time limits inside the monument, as far as possible. The security staff inside the monument shall ensure that there is no crowding at any point.
  • No group photography is allowed within the premises.
  • All Sound and Light Shows and films shows at monuments shall remain suspended till further order.
  • Vehicles shall be parked in designated areas. The contractor who runs the parking area shall collect the parking fee through digital payment only. No physical cash transaction is allowed.
  • Guides and photographers with valid licence are allowed to work inside the monuments.
  • No food/eatables shall be allowed inside the premises.
  • All the staff shall be well protected as per health protocol.
  • Cleaning and sanitisation of monuments and museums, including toilet blocks, benches and frequently used surfaces, shall be done at regular intervals.

 

30 June 2020

Dear Valued Partner,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we are pleased to inform you that the government of India on Monday issued guidelines for Unlock Phase II, beginning from July 1, with relaxations in night curfew, provision for more domestic flights and trains, and clearance for more than five people in a shop.

However, schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed till July 31, and Metro rail, multiplexes, gyms, swimming pools, bars and auditoriums will stay shut until further orders.

An order issued by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said that as per the instructions of the National Disaster Management Authority, more activities were being allowed in a calibrated manner in areas outside containment zones. Inside containment zones, lockdown measures have been extended till July 31.

In areas outside Containment Zones, all activities will be permitted, except the following:
I. Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will remain closed till 3| July. 2020. Online/ distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.

Training institutions of the Central and State Governments will be allowed to function from 15 July, 2020, for which Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).

II. International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA.

III. Metro Rail

IV. Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.

V. Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations.

VI. Dates for re-starting the above activities may be decided separately and necessary.

VII. SOPs shall be issued for ensuring social distancing and to contain the spread of COVID-l9. Domestic nights and passenger trains have already been allowed in a limited manner. Their operations will be further expanded in a calibrated manner.

Night curfew
Movement of individuals shall remain strictly prohibited between 10.00 pm to 5.00 am throughout the country, except for essential activities, including operation of industrial units in multiple shins, movement of persons and goods on National and State Highways, loading and unloading of cargo and travel of persons to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains and airplanes. Local authorities shall issue orders, in the entire area of their jurisdiction under appropriate provisions of law such as under Section 144 of CrPC, and ensure strict compliance.

Lockdown limited to Containment Zones
I. Lockdown shall continue to remain in force in the Containment Zones till 31 July, 2020.

II. Lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the Containment Zones till 31 July 2020. Containment Zones are required to be carefully demarcated by the State/ UT Governments with a view to containing the spread of COVID-19, after taking into consideration the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW). Within the containment zones, strict perimeter control shall be maintained and only essential activities allowed. These Containment Zones will be notified on the websites of the respective District Collectors and by the States/UTs and information will also be shared with MOHFW.

III. In the containment zones, strict perimeter control shall be maintained and only essential activities allowed.

IV. Activities in the Containment Zones shall be monitored strictly by the State/UT authorities, and the guidelines relating to containment measure in these zones shall be strictly implemented.

V. MOHFW will monitor the proper delineation of Containment Zones and the implementation of the containment measures.

Protection for vulnerable persons
Vulnerable persons, i.e., persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes.

Movement of persons with SOPs
Movement by passenger trains and Shramik special trains; domestic passenger air travel; the movement of Indian Nationals stranded outside the country and of specified persons to travel abroad; evacuation of foreign nationals; and sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers will continue to be regulated as per SOPs issued.

States to decide on activities outside Containment Zones
States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain activities outside the Containment zones, or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary. However, there shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements.

Use of Aarogya Setu
I. Aarogya Setu enables early identification of potential risk of infection, and thus acts as a shield for individuals and the community.

II. With a view to ensuring safety in offices and workplaces, employers on the best effort basis should ensure that Aarogya Setu is installed by all employees having compatible mobile phones.

III. District authorities may advise individuals to install the Aarogya Setu application on compatible mobile phones and regularly update their health slams on the app. This will facilitate the timely provision of medical attention to those individuals who are at risk.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with any further updates in the Indian Sub continent.

For regular updates on the Indian Subcontinent , kindly visit our website www.indoasia-tours.com

With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

18 June 2020

Dear Valued Partner,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we are pleased to inform you that the government of Nepal had eased the lockdown starting from 12 June at low risk areas, including Kathmandu valley, by allowing markets to reopen and private vehicles to ply according to the odd-even final digit on license plates matching the final digit of the Nepali calendar date, while adopting effective precautions against COVID-19.

Further, Department of Immigration (DoI) has decided not to charge any late fee or visa renewal fee while extending tourist visas. It had resumed visa services on Monday. As per the notice issued today, all foreign nationals with any visa type valid up to March 21 and departing within June 21 can extend their visa without any charges related to visa fee, late fee and penalty at the Immigration Office located at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Meanwhile, the department has also decided to issue only non-tourist visa – working, marriage, relation, business, NRN and others – on June 17. “Only those foreign nationals opting and eligible for non-tourist visa can apply for visa online on June 17,” reads the notice.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with any further updates in the Indian Sub continent.

For regular updates on the Indian Subcontinent , kindly visit our website www.indoasia-tours.com

Please stay safe and healthy!!

With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

8 June 2020

Dear Valued Partner,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we are pleased to inform you as per the recent update from Sri Lanka Tourism – Sri Lanka is readying to welcome travellers from across the world starting from 01st August 2020. Below are some FAQ’s:

  1. Who can visit?
    All nationalities are welcome and all types of travellers whether groups, families, individuals.
  2. Which airports will operate?
    Bandaranaike International Airport [BIA], Colombo Ratmalana Airport [RMA] and Mattala Rajapaksa Hambantota Airport [MRIA] will be operating for tourist arrivals from Aug 01st 2020
  3. What are the visa procedures?
    All travelers will require a valid visa; this will be issued for 30 days and extendable for up to 6 months after arrival.
    • Further relaxation for long stay guests is currently under consideration, enabling tourist to be granted five-year multiple entry visas with maximum 6 months stay.
    • Visa fee US$100. For more details, please visit http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/
  4. Information required for visa application
    Booking details at Certified Accommodation
    • Itinerary in Sri Lanka
    • Return ticket
    • Proof of medical insurance
  5. Where can I stay and is there a minimum duration?
    A minimum 5-night stay in Sri Lanka is required.
    • Independent professional audits will be done to certify accommodation providers that will be listed on the Sri Lanka tourism website. Details of bookings made with Certified Accommodation providers are required for the visa application.
  6. Pre departure Covid-19 PCR testing
    A negative PCR test is required prior to boarding your flight and on arrival in Sri Lanka. The test should be no older than 72 hours prior to boarding.
  7. On arrival in Sri Lanka
    The airport will have high intensity sanitation measures in place for all areas and staff.
    There is no quarantine on arrival unless symptoms are detected.
    • A PCR test would be done on arrival at the airport. No charge.
    • Currently it takes 24 hours to receive the test results. We are making changes to have results within 4-6 hours by August. In the event it is required to wait 24 hours for test results; you will be able to select a hotel for a one-night stay from Certified 4 or 5-star hotels in Colombo or Negombo until the test results are received.
    • A further test will be done 4-5 days after arrival by a mobile unit in coordination with your Certified Accommodation provider.
    • Travelers staying for more than 10 days will be required to take a third test during their stay. While this may be inconvenient it is essential to safeguard everybody and provide peace of mind.
    • In case of a positive PCR result, quarantine in a designated hotel or hospitalization will take place depending on the details of the case. Quarantine would usually be 14 to 21 days if symptoms are detected.
  8. Moving around Sri Lanka
    The airport will have high intensity sanitation measures in place for all areas and staff.
    To ensure your safety, please arrange transportation prior to your arrival, with your Certified Accommodation provider or travel agent. Public transport should not be used.
    • All tourist sites will be open from the 1st August onwards with safety protocols and measures in place to ensure the wellbeing of our travelers.
    • There will be no travel restrictions between districts for tourists.
  9. What is Sri Lanka’s status with COVID-19?
    Being an island, and thanks to the proactive measures taken, Sri Lanka has been able to manage the spread of the virus. No active community clusters have been detected in the last 30 days within the country.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated with further updates on the Indian Sub continent.

Please stay safe and healthy!!

With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

1 June 2020

Dear Valued Partner,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we would like to inform you that India’s post Coronavirus unlocking begins and the first clear message put up by the government is that the lockdown is going to end. The Ministry of Home Affairs introduced the guidelines of ‘Unlock 1.0’ where it will allow a phased reopening of most activities across India. This unlocking will happen in 3 phases and the first phase will begin on the 8th of June. The lockdown will be extended for only those places which come under the red zones as per the MHA guidelines. The new guidelines had been issued based on extensive consultations held with States and Union Territories, the home ministry said.

Phase I: Religious places and places of worship for public, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services, and shopping malls will be permitted to open from June 8, 2020.

Phase II: Schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions etc will be opened after consultations with the states and UTs. Bases on the feedback with all the stakeholders, including parents, a decision in this regard will be taken in July.

Phase III: Resumption of international flights, metro services, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks etc will be decided based on assessment of the situation.

Some other guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs are:

  • Social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions and other large functions will be re-started only after assessment of the situation.
  • Inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods will be permitted from June 1 without permission or e-pass. However, the states will be empowered to regulate movement after prior publicity of information and the procedures to be followed.
  • Night curfew will continue from June 1 but the timings have been relaxed to 9pm to 5am from earlier 7pm to 7am.
  • Movement of domestic flights and special trains will continue as per SOPs issued.
  • Lockdown will continue to remain in force in the containment zones till June 30. Containment zones will be demarcated by the district authorities after taking into consideration the MHA guidelines.
  • In the containment zones, there will be stricter perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential services and goods.
  • Persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.

Nepal
Nepal decided to extend the corona virus-induced lockdown till June 14. Nepal Government also decided to suspend all domestic and international flights until June 30. Earlier, the nationwide lockdown was to end on June 2.

In India lives are slowly and steadily coming back to normal. Starting from today i.e. 01st June onwards, we are opening our office on every alternate day with limited staff.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated.

Please stay safe and healthy!!

With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

 

26 May 2020

Dear Valued Partner,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

Due to COVID 19, the Tourism industry has come to a grinding halt. I felt that it might be a good time to share something with you.

I am with this industry for a very long time. Out of the many things this industry taught me is, “We (the Tourism Industry) is Resilient” and above all, we are all bunch of born optimists!

We are part of the industry, which employs one in 10 workers worldwide and, has defeated many world crisis like the financial crisis, pandemic, recessions, and wars in the past. But together, we have always come out stronger. I strongly believe that no matter how many times we burst into flames, we can always rise as a phoenix rises from the ashes. Our success stories are countless.

I have absolutely no doubt that when the world opens again and when things go back to normal, one of the most desired things will be “To Travel”. And, while we are in our homes, the boundaries are closed and our clients cannot travel today, but we can always start to plan for tomorrow. When your guests are ready to start thinking about their next journey, let me assure you that we will be ready to listen, guide, suggest and share our love for the Indian Sub-continent. Our hunger to assist your guests in exploring, this beautiful part of the world, the way they dreamed, will never go away.

We have been burning the midnight oil to redesign and developing some magnificent ideas on travel to the Indian Sub-continent. It will be my pleasure to share my thoughts with you.

In the meantime, I as travel enthusiast, I will just say one thing – “Dream Today and Travel Tomorrow”.

I sincerely hope and wish you a safe and healthy life.

With Best Wishes,
Sunirmol Ghosh

 

26 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you that today after a gap of two months, India’s airlines will be airborne with over a thousand flights scheduled taking off today with rigorous safeguards. Civil aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had last week expressed confidence of starting a good part of international travel, if not all of it, much before August-September, if the situation remains predictable. Recently the Indian Railways announces restart of 100 trains from 01st June in the graded resumption of passenger train operations in India.

We are in the reopening stance and situation is evolving on a daily basis.

The health ministry of India recently issued new guidelines for Domestic and International arrival in India as per the details given below.

Domestic Travel:

  1. All passengers shall be advised to download Arogya Setu app on their mobile devices.
  2. Suitable announcement about COVID 19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports / railway stations and in flights / trains.
  3. The States / UTs shall ensure that all passengers shall undergo thermal screening at the point of departure and only asymptomatic passengers to be allowed to board the flight / train.
  4. During boarding and travel, all passengers shall use face covers / mask. They will also follow hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and maintain environmental hygiene.
  5. At airports / railway stations required measures to ensure social distancing shall be taken.
  6. Airports / railway station should be regularly sanitized / disinfected and availability of soaps and sanitizers shall be ensured.
  7. Thermal screening at exit points shall be arranged.
  8. Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with the advice that they shall self-monitor their health for the 14 days. In case, they develop any symptoms, they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre (1075).
  9. Those found symptomatic will be isolated and taken to the nearest health facility. They will be assessed for clinical severity at the health facility.
  10. Those having moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated COVID Health facilities and managed accordingly.
  11. Those having mild symptoms will be given the option of home isolation or isolated in the COVID Care Centre (both public and private facilities) as appropriate and tested as per ICMR protocol available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Revisedtestingguidelines.pdfIf positive, they will continue in COVID Care Centre and will be managed as per the clinical protocol.If negative, the passenger may be allowed to go home, isolate himself / herself and self-monitor his/her health for further 07 days. In case, any symptoms develop they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre (1075).

Guidelines for International Arrival

  1. Before boarding, all travellers shall give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days – 07 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 07 days isolation at home with self-monitoring of health.
  2. Only for exceptional and compelling reasons such as cases of human distress, pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) accompanied by children below 10 years, as assessed by the receiving states, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days. Use of Aarogya Setu app shall be mandatory in such cases.
  3. Dos and Don’ts shall be provided along with the tickets to the travellers by the agencies concerned.
  4. All passengers shall be advised to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.
  5. At the time of boarding the flight / ship, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening.
  6. Passengers arriving through the land boarders will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, and only those who are asymptomatic will be enabled to cross the border into India.
  7. Self-declaration form in duplicate shall be filled by the person in the flight / ship and a copy of the same will be given to Health and Immigration officials present at the airport / seaport / landport The form may also be made available on Aarogya Setu app.
  8. Suitable precautionary measures such as environmental sanitation and disinfection shall be ensured at the airports as well as within the flights.
  9. During boarding and at the airports, all possible measures to ensure social distancing to be ensured.
  10. Suitable announcement about COVID 19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports/ports and in flights/ships and during transit.
  11. On arrival, thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all passengers by the Health Officials present at the airport/seaport/landport.
  12. The passengers found to be asymptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per the health protocol.
  13. These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for a minimum of 07 days. They shall be tested as per the ICMR protocol available at
    https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Revisedtestingguidelines.pdfIf they are test positive, they shall be assessed clinically.
  14. If they are assessed as mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or isolated in the COVID Care Centre (both public and private facilities) as appropriate.
  15. Those having moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated COVID 19 Health facilities and managed accordingly.

If they are found negative, they shall be advised to further isolate themselves at home and self-monitor their health for 07 days

  1. In case, any symptoms develop they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre (1075).

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated.

Please stay safe and healthy!!

 

With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

24 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

Due to COVID 19, the Tourism industry has come to a grinding halt. I felt that it might a good time to share something with you.

I am with this industry for a long long time. Out of the many things this industry taught me, one of the main things was “We Are Resilient”. We are part of an industry, which employs one in 10 workers worldwide and, has defeated many world crisis like the financial crisis, pandemic, recessions, and wars. Our success stories are incredible and countless.

I strongly believe that no matter how many times we burst into flames, we can always rise as a phoenix rises from the ashes. I have absolutely no doubt that when the world opens again and when things go back to normal, one of the most desired things will be “To Travel”. And, while we are in our homes with the boundaries and cannot travel today, but we can always start to plan for tomorrow. When your guests are ready to start thinking about their next journey, let me assure you that we will be ready to listen, guide, suggest and share our love for the Indian Sub-continent. Our hunger to assist your guests in exploring, this beautiful part of the world, the way they dreamed, will never go away.

We have been burning the midnight oil to redesign and developing some magnificent ideas on travel to the Indian Sub-continent. It will be my pleasure to share my thoughts with you.

In the meantime, I as a travel enthusiast, I will just say one thing – “Dream Today and Travel Tomorrow”.

I sincerely hope and wish you a safe and healthy life.

 

With best wishes,
Sunirmol Ghosh

 

24 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we would like to inform you that with the new cases of COVID-19 in Nepal, the government issued some strict rules whereby the vehicular movement and air traffic is banned. Further, the Government has also sealed Kathmandu city to break the chain of spread.

A few days ago, the previous lockdown, which was supposed to end on the midnight of 18th May, was extended till 2nd June of 2020. On 21st of May, the air ban implemented by the government and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has also been extended till 14th June 2020. However, rescue flights, freighter flights, and flights related to medical and other essential supplies are allowed with special permission from CAAN.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also decided to seal all entry points into the Kathmandu valley to minimize the risk of the outbreak. And, if someone needs to come to the valley for urgent reasons, they need to procure their rapid diagnostic test result before they are allowed in.

With testing being amped up, movement banned and sealing off districts, it looks like the Government is going in the right direction. Nowadays, people are less keen on coming out of their homes except to buy necessary stuff. Even when they are out, people are maintaining social distancing. We are very positive that with all these good practices, we are stepping towards controlling and beating the virus here in Nepal.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated.

Please stay safe and healthy!!

 

With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

19 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you that the Nepal Government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown by another 15 days as the Himalayan country is witnessing a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases. The current lockdown, imposed on March 24, expired on Monday i.e.18 May.

During the lockdown, the Nepal Government has suspended ground and air transport, shut down most of the shops and industries while relaxing it for certain industries and service sector, particularly related to essential food item and medical items and construction sectors.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated on any further developments.

Please stay safe and healthy!!


With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

 

18 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you that The Government of India on Sunday extended the lock down in the country by another two weeks until May 31, but with a fair bit of ease in the restrictions so that the economic activities can pick up again and life starts moving back to normal.

Lockdown 4.0 (as we are famously calling it) guidelines / ease in the restrictions, as PM Mr. Modi had indicated in his address to the nation on May 12, were in keeping with the intent to open up the economic activities and kick start the life once again. Inter-state movement of traffic based on consent of the respective states, have been allowed. Air travel, Metro and passenger Train services shall remain prohibited till 31 May, as most of the states opposed their resumption. Educational institutions, religious places, hotels, restaurants, cinema halls and shopping malls will remain closed till further notice. The offices, industries, factories etc. have been asked to resume functioning, strictly following the social distancing norms as well as keeping the safety of employees in mind.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated on any further developments.

Please stay safe and healthy!!


With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

 

11 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you that starting from 11th May 2020, the Government of Sri Lanka has lifted curfew from 23 districts. The only two districts where curfew will continue are Colombo & Gampaha districts.

The Sri Lankan government aims at total relaxation of the curfew restrictions imposed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic by June. The government is targeting the total lifting of all restrictions by early June depending on the progress after May 11. Now basic guidelines are being worked out for people to follow when carrying out their daily routine activities.

Further, there is no exact date to open the Sri Lankan Airports and relevant authorities are closely monitoring the entire global situation to formulate the next step.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated.

Please stay safe and healthy!!


With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

08 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you that the Nepal Government has announced on May 6 an extension to the nation lockdown till midnight of the 18th May 2020. All of us are working from home as following all the government protocols to keep our surrounding and us safe during this pandemic.

The air ban implemented by the Nepal Government and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has also been extended till 31st May 2020, however, rescue flights and flights related to medical and other essential supplies are still permitted with prior approval from CAAN.

We have kept a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you updated.

Please stay safe and healthy!!


With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

06 May 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavour to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you that the Government of India on Tuesday suspended all existing visas granted to foreign nationals, barring a few categories, till international air travel to and from India remains shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Union Home Ministry also said that it has extended on ‘gratis’ basis the visas of foreigners stranded in India due the lockdown. The extension will be for a period of 30 days beyond opening of international travel in the country. The ministry also said it has kept in abeyance multiple-entry life-long visas given to Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card holders till international travel remains suspended. However, the OCI card holders who are already in India can stay in the country for “any length of time”. All existing visas granted to foreigners — except those belonging to diplomatic, official, UN international organisations, employment and project categories — shall remain suspended till prohibition on international air travel of passengers from and to India is lifted by the government..

In the other order, the Home Ministry said regular visa, e-visa or stay stipulation of foreign nationals whose visas have expired post-midnight February 1 or would expire during the ban on international air travel from India would be extended on ‘GRATIS’ basis just on submission of an online application.

We are monitoring the entire situation and shall keep you updated on a regular basis.

Stay safe and healthy!


With best wishes,
Team Indo Asia Tours

 

02 May 20202

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavor to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you that the Government of India yesterday announced lockdown extension for two weeks till May 17. The Union Home Ministry has also come out with the new lockdown guidelines in this regard. This has been discussed at a review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday with key Union ministers and top government functionaries. The whole country is divided into 03 zones viz Red, Orange, and Green Zone. Areas with in Red zones are closed for any activity, in Orange zone some amount of activities allowed and where as in Green zones almost all the commercial activities are allowed but keeping in mind the social distancing norms etc.

Here is the list of number of districts in Red, Orange and Green zones currently in India:

Red zones:130
Orange zones:284
Green zones: 319

The infection is surely getting weaker in many districts but the situation will be reviewed regularly and areas will be marked accordingly.

Further, the union ministry of civil aviation today extended the suspension of all domestic and international flights till May 17. The directive comes a day after the Centre extended the lockdown period by two more weeks, starting from May 4. During this period, a ban on air travel, trains and interstate road transport will continue. The State Governments have, however, given some relaxations to various business activities and people’s movement within areas with limited or no COVID-19 cases.

We are monitoring the entire situation and shall keep you updated on a regular basis.

Stay safe and healthy!

Thanking you,

Team Indo Asia Tours

28 April 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

This is further to our last update. Please note that Nepal on Sunday extended the nationwide lockdown till May 7 as the novel coronavirus cases rose to 52 after three people tested positive for COVID-19, which has wreaked havoc on the Himalayan nation’s economy. The government during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli decided to extend the lockdown for 10 more days till May 7. Earlier, the lockdown was extended till April 27. The country has been under lockdown since March 23. All government services other than essential have been shut down. The government on Saturday restricted the operation of international and domestic flights until May 15 as a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The government decided to extend the lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus pandemic as the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 52 after three more persons, all in 50s tested positive.

We would also like to share with you that after Bhutan, Nepal has been able to contain and control the virus successfully without facing any unforeseen casualties. The situation is still critical around the world and in Nepal too but we are confident that together we can overcome the pandemic staying home and maintaining social distances.

 

Stay Healthy & Safe!

Thanking you,

Team Indo Asia Tours

24 April 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Travel Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavor to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you:

Bangladesh: Bangladesh has extended a nationwide lockdown till May 5 as part of measures to stem the spread of coronavirus pandemic, local media reported. “Holidays will be extended till May 5 from April 26. The government issued a gazette in this regard yesterday i.e. Thursday. The minister, however, added that May 6 is also a government holiday on account of the religious rituals of the country’s minority Buddhist community, or Buddhist Full Moon holiday.

Nepal: As per the latest update, Nepal has decided to extend the lockdown period till April 27 as the Himalayan nation continued to witness increase in the number of coronavirus cases, according to an official statement. The decision to extend the lockdown period was taken during a meeting of the council of ministers here after the number of coronavirus cases in the country increased to 16. The country has been under lockdown since March 24. All government services other than essential have been shut down and the domestic and international flights have been suspended.

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka announced that the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic will be eased to normalise public life and revive the economic activities in the country. Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said the government has been able to control the community spread of the virus. So now there is a need to reopen the country to normalise public life. The government said the respective institutional heads are given the discretion to decide on the staff attendance. Within the capital district of Colombo all institutions must have the presence of one third of the respective staff number. All public transport must ensure that only a half of the capacity must be carried at any given time. The public are advised to adhere to health protocols in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

India: As we had informed you in our last update, the complete country is under lockdown till 03rd May. However in order to revive the economy Govt. is slowly and steadily trying to give some relaxations especially in the areas with no cases / very little cases. We are awaiting more details by the Govt. in this regard and looking forward to the next edition of “Mann Ki Baat” scheduled to be aired on 26th April 2020, an Indian radio programme hosted by the Prime Minister of India. Mr. Narendra Modi. In this program he addresses the people of the nation on All India Radio every month. Having officially started from 3 October 2014, the program aims to deliver the Prime Minister’s voice and ideas to the general masses of India. Since television connection is still not available everywhere in India, especially in the isolated, rural and less developed regions, radio was chosen to be the medium for the program, owing to its wider reach. An estimated 90% of the total Indian population is reachable over this medium.

The entire team of the Indo Asia Tours is safe and working from home. We have digitalized our work processes and are available for you 24 x 7 over the phone, emails as well through various social media platforms and chat apps. There will be absolutely no change in our policy of replying to you in 08 hrs of receiving your email. Please feel free to write to us for any further information on the Indian subcontinent.

Stay Healthy & Safe!

Thanking you,

Team Indo Asia Tours

COVID-19 Update

14 April 2020

Dear Valued Travel Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.
In our constant endeavor to keep you abreast on the recent developments, we will like to inform you that today the Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi announced that India will remain under lockdown until 03 May, thereby extending the prohibitory measures by another 19 days. The PM also said, from 20 April, based on extensive scrutiny, a conditional withdrawal of the lockdown will be permitted in areas where the spread has been either contained or prevented.

In Nepal, as per the last update the lockdown is prevalent until today. But it is also most likely to be extended by the Government. As soon as we receive an update from Nepal Government, we will share the same with you.

In Sri Lanka, the situation is still the same. Most of the cities are under lockdown until further notice in order to break the chain of spread.

In Bhutan, till now, there has been only 01 confirmed case, however until further notice the entry to Bhutan is restricted. Taking into consideration the current situation in the neighbouring countries and worldwide, since, there is no indication of opening of Bhutan borders for tourism in the next 03 weeks, we can say that travel ban remains same as of India.

The entire team of the Indo Asia Tours is safe and working from home till 02nd May. We have digitalized our work processes and are available for you 24 x 7 over the phone, emails as well through various social media platforms and chat apps. There will be absolutely no change in our policy of replying to you in 08 hrs of receiving your email. Please feel free to write to us for any further information on the Indian subcontinent.

Stay Healthy & Safe!
Thanking you,


Team Indo Asia Tours

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April 7, 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Travel Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

In these challenging times, we are all navigating through uncertainty for ourselves, our loved ones and our community. We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

As India entered day 10 of the 21-day nation-wide lockdown last Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the citizens in a short video message where in, he requested all the citizens to turn off their lights for 9 minutes at 9 pm on April 5 and light a candle or a diya or even use the flashlight on one’s mobile to mark the country’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic & to dispel the darkness and gloom brought by the outbreak of the deadly novel Coronavirus.

Millions of Indians across the country switched off lights at their homes and lit candles, earthen lamps or turned on mobile phone torches for 09 minutes. It was a great moment for all of us when the entire nation stood united in fighting against COVID 19 and showing a gesture of unity and solidarity.

You can watch a Glimpses of the event from across India by clicking – “HERE“:

The announcement came a couple of weeks after the popular ‘Janata Curfew’ which saw Indians applauding doctors, nurses and those on the frontlines of fighting the pandemic by clapping, ringing bells, beating plates (thalis), blowing conch shells etc while standing in the doorways, balconies or windows of their respective homes.

The entire team of the Indo Asia Tours is safe and working from home till 14th April. We have digitalized our work processes and are available for you 24 x 7 over the phone, emails as well through various social media platforms and chat apps. There will be absolutely no change in our policy of replying to you in 08 hrs of receiving your email. Please feel free to write to us for any further information on the Indian subcontinent.

Stay Healthy & Safe
Thanking you,

Team Indo Asia Tours

March 23, 2020

Update COVID-19

It’s difficult for all of us to see the impact the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis which has impacted our industry, but we can be sure that times will improve again – crisis are also opportunities. In the past 24 hours India has taken a lot of bold steps in order to arrest the spread of Virus in the country.

Pushed into action by the unfolding global Covid-19 pandemic India on Sunday practised social distancing on a never-before scale through a “Janata Curfew” that kept the country’s 1.3 billion population indoors all day and delivered more than a few fringe benefits — sparrows and pigeons frolicking on otherwise congested streets, national landmarks bereft of surging weekend crowds and air purer than it has been in a long time. This was done on the call given by our Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi – A self-imposed isolation followed throughout the country in an attempt to break the chain for further spread of this virus.

According to the health ministry, at least 82 districts in 23 states across the country were shut by 8 pm on Sunday. This lockdown is a natural and logical extension of the ‘Janata Curfew’ and is vital to break the chain of transmission said a statement from health ministry. However, essential services like hospitals, telecom, pharmacies, grocery stores, milk and vegetables stores will remain open.

Indian Railways also announced that they also will stop operations of all passenger trains till 31st March 2020 in order to contain the rapid spread of virus.

Similar actions were taken in Nepal as well, where in the land borders with India and China are closed until further notice. Further, the Govt. of Nepal have imposed partial lockdown in Nepal and have halted non essential services by both private and public sectors from 23 March till 03rd April.

The entire team of the Indo Asia Tours is safe and working from home till 31st March. We have digitalized our work processes and are available for you 24 x 7 over the phone, emails as well through various social media platforms and chat apps. There will be absolutely no change in our policy of replying to you in 08 hrs of receiving your email. Please feel to write to us for any further information on the Indian subcontinent.

March 19, 2020

COVID-19 India – No scheduled International arrivals in India from 22 March 2020 for a week

This is in continuation to our early update on COVID 19 in India and Sri Lanka, today Government of India issued a notification stating that no scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft shall be allowed to land in India from 22 March 2020 for one week.

March 19, 2020

COVID Update: India and Sri Lanka

It’s difficult for all of us to see the impact the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has had on our industry. We are currently experiencing changes at a pace we could not have imagined before. With all the uncertainties that currently prevail in our societies, it is difficult to look forward. But we can be sure that times will improve again – crisis are also opportunities. This crisis affects us all, both personally and professionally. We would therefore like to express our solidarity in these difficult times.

Since today (i.e. 19th March) the entire team of the Indo Asia Tours moved to home offices. We have digitalized our work processes and are available for you 24 x 7 over the phone, emails as well through various social media platforms and chat apps. There will be absolutely no change in our policy of replying to you in 08 hrs of receiving your email. Hence, please feel to write to us for anything on the Indian subcontinent and we will be really glad to assist you.
We know one thing that’s consistent – people’s desire to travel. The travel industry has always shown its resilience and it will bounce back.

Some Recent updates on Travel in Srilanka & India

Sri Lanka
To give relief to foreigners who are staying in Sri Lanka and are not able to leave the country, Sri Lankan government issued a notification today stating that the validity period of all types of Visas will be extended for a period of 30 days with effect till 12th April 2020. Accordingly, all the foreign national extending their stay are advised to visit the Visa Division of the Department of Immigration and Emigration on either 08th or 09th of April 2020 to pay the relevant fee and to get the visa endorsed in their respective Passports.

If one intends to leave the island during the aforementioned period; the journey will be facilitated by paying the relevant visa fee at the Airport without any penalty. The validity period of the Acknowledgement Issued for the applications already submitted to the Department of Immigration and Emigration to obtain visas will also be extended for a period of 30 days with effect from 14th March 2020 to 12th April 2020. To leave the country during this time, a request to obtain your passport from this Department should be sent to the following email addresses along with a copy of the flight ticket. Necessary advice in this regard will be communicated accordingly via the same channel.

India
As a matter of abundant precautions in prevailing COVID19 circumstances, Statue of Unity located in Gujarat has been closed for visitors till 25th March 2020. Similarly, all National Parks, Sanctuaries and Conservative Reserves of the State of Gujarat including Sakkarabaug Zoological Park, Junagadh, Sardar Park shall also remain closed for the visitors till 29th March 2020.

March 18, 2020

Dear Travel Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!! 

We hope you have been getting regular updates on developments in India in order to contain the further spread of Coronavirus (COVID 19).

As per the advisory issued by the Civic body of Gurugram, Haryana, India, from tomorrow onwards, all the Indo Asia Staff will be working from home till 31st March 2020. We will again review the situation and make a decision on extending this time frame.

Although we will be working from home till 31st March, however, we are available 24 x 7 over the phone, emails as well through various social media platforms and chat apps. There will be absolutely no change in our policy of replying to you in 08 hrs of receiving your email. Hence, please feel to write to us for anything on the Indian subcontinent and we will be really glad to assist you.

We also would like to take the opportunity to update you with the recent updates in India. Today, the State Government of Maharashtra issued notification for the closure of Tadoba national park effective 19th March 2020 until 31st March 2020. Similarly, Rajasthan Government issued notification for the closure of Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve effective 19th March 2020 until 31st March 2020.

We look forward to receiving as many queries possible and wishing you safe and healthy week.
Thanking you,

Team Indo Asia Tours

March 17 2020

In our endeavour to keep you abreast with the recent updates in Indian subcontinent on Coronavirus (COVID 19). Please note that yesterday, Government of India issued additional Travel Advisory in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from high-risk areas.

  • Expanding compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days for passengers coming from/transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March, 2020 at the port of first departure.
  • Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from 18thMarch, 2020. No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March, 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.
  • Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia to India is prohibited with immediate effect. No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 1500 hours Indian Standard Time (IST). The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.

Both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till 31st March, 2020 and will be reviewed subsequently.

  • In a recent move, all the monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) including Taj Mahal, Agra will remain closed until March 31. All central museums and ASI-protected monuments will be shut for this month and the government will soon issue a notification regarding the same.

In order to contain further spread of COVID 19, few State Governments have taken precautionary measures as listed below in the last 24 hrs:

  1. Maharashtra: All tourism places including National parks (Wildlife) in Maharashtra will be closed from 18th March 2020 till 31st. March 2020. Apart from this, Mumbai police has put restriction on Group travel.
  2. Assam: It is decided that mass gatherings may be avoided in the Wildlife conservative and Protected Areas of the state till the spread of this disease is contained. Further, all Tiger reserves, national parks, zoological parks and sanctuaries will remain closed until 29th March 2020.

India: Clients are advised to take an international flight and return to your country without any delay

In continuation to our previous update on travel restrictions in India, please note that many State Governments like Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Andaman, North Eastern States and some other states have issued advisory not to allow any foreign tourist to enter in their states and no sightseeing is being allowed.

Any foreign tourists entering these states are being quarantine for 14 days. Even tourists who are already in these states are being quarantined.

We understand that similar advisories are going to be issued by other states in India as well.

Therefore, as per the guidelines given by Additional Director General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, it is advised that all the foreign tourists currently in India return to their respective country without any delay.

This action by our Government is being taken for the protection of tourists & citizens in order to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

We look forward to your understanding and need your cooperation.

March 14 2020

Most important and urgent – Restriction of Tourist Movements including foreign tourists within the Country

In continuation to our previous update on travel restrictions in India, please note that many State Governments like Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Andaman, North Eastern States and some other states have issued advisory not to allow any foreign tourist to enter in their states and no sightseeing is being allowed.

Any foreign tourists entering these states are being quarantine for 14 days. Even tourists who are already in these states are being quarantined.

We understand that similar advisories are going to be issued by other states in India as well.

Therefore, as per the guidelines given by Additional Director General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, it is advised that all the foreign tourists currently in India return to their respective country without any delay.

This action by our Government is being taken for the protection of tourists & citizens in order to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

We look forward to your understanding and need your cooperation.

March 13 2020

Update COVID 19 – Travel Restrictions in Sri Lanka

In addition to the banning of the travel from South Korea, Italy and Iran effective 14th March 2020 the following will also apply for travel to Sri Lanka:

As per the recent instructions received from Sri Lanka Health Authorities, all travel beginning from France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and Austria to Sri Lanka will be banned from 15th of March 2020 for two weeks ending 29th March 2020.

The ban will commence on all flights arriving after 15th March 2020, 2359 hrs (Local Time in Sri Lanka) and end on 29th of March 2020, 2400 hrs (Local time in Sri Lanka).

In case there are any further updates, we will keep you posted.

March 13 2020

Considering the declaration of World Health Organization regarding the scale of COVID-19 spread as global pandemic, following the recommendations and counter measures to be taken by the countries to cope with the pandemic and assimilating the International Health Regulation (IHR) 2005, Protocols and Prescriptions; Government of Nepal has decided to enforce the following decisions, directions, and precautionary measures in supplantation of all the earlier notices issued on this subject. The provisions enlisted in this notice will come into effect from twelve hours midnight (Nepal Standard Time) on 14th March 2020 till 30th April 2020.

i. Visa-on-arrival for all foreigners has been suspended for aforementioned period.

ii. All foreigners with a prior valid visa of Nepal have to submit a swab test PCR health certificate issued maximum 7 days before their arrival date to Nepal and must be submitted at the immigration office Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

iii. Any foreign nationals including NRNs willing to visit Nepal for compelling reasons may contact to Nepali diplomatic missions abroad. A recent swab test PCR health certificate issued maximum 7 days before their arrival to Nepal is mandatory along with visa application and it has to be submitted at the immigration office TIA.

iv. On-arrival-visa (Gratis) facility granted to Non-Resident Nepalese card holders is also suspended for the aforementioned period.

v. All foreign nationals entering Nepal since 14th March 2020 are subjected to stay in Self Quarantine and Nepali nationals including NRNs are subjected to stay in Home Quarantine for 14 days from the date of their arrival.

vi. Foreigners with diplomatic and official visa entering Nepal for the first time or travelling back to Nepal are subjected to stay in Self Quarantine for 14 days.

vii. Foreigners with Business, study and working visa travelling back to Nepal are subjected to stay in Self Quarantine for 14 days.

viii. All Nepali nationals residing abroad are requested to avoid non-essential travel and are urged to follow high precautionary measures.

ix. All the land ports of entry in Nepal remain closed for arrival in Nepal during the aforementioned period to the foreigners from third countries and are requested to use Tribhuvan International Airport only.

x. All the permits for mountaineering expeditions issued, and to be issued for spring 2020 season are suspended.

March 13 2020

In continuation to our previous update on travel restrictions in India, yesterday Sri Lanka and Nepal issued travel restrictions as per the details mentioned below:

Sri Lanka
Having considered the spread of Coronavirus (COVID19) infection throughout the world, Sri Lanka imposed several visa restrictions for the foreigners arriving in the Country.
Please note that “On arrival Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)” facility for foreigners arriving in Sri Lanka through Normal / Ordinary passports are temporarily suspended from 14/03/2020, 1200 pm (Sri Lanka Time) until further notice except for the ETA exempted countries: Maldives, Singapore and Seashells. This decision is not valid for Diplomatic, Official and Service Passport Holders.

Nepal
The Nepal government, late Thursday night, decided to temporarily stop issuing on-arrival tourist visas to all countries and has put an end to all spring mountaineering expeditions, including Everest ascents.
The decision comes a day after the World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic and urged countries to take precautionary measures. As per the available reports “The visa suspension, which excludes diplomatic and official visas, will come into effect on March 14 and last until April 30.”

A high-level coordination committee led by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel took the decision to this effect on Thursday. The meeting also decided to restrict traveller movement to and from India via land routes and adhere to strict quarantine measures at the border. No decision has been made to close down schools and colleges.

Those willing to visit Nepal can obtain visa beforehand from the Nepalese Missions abroad and all applicants required to submit a recently issued health certificate with the visa application as well as one need to present the medical certificate (issued before 7 days) on arrival declaring that they are free of the Coronavirus.

In case of any further updates, we will keep you posted.

March 12 2020

Yesterday, the Government of India reviewed preparedness on the prevention of the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India. After detailed deliberations on preventive measures, actions taken and preparedness for COVID-19, the Group of Ministers took the following decisions:

  • All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
  • Visa-free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is kept in abeyance till April 15th 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
  • Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Mission.
  • All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain, and Germany after 15th February 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
  • Incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, are advised to avoid non-essential travel and are informed that they can be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days on their arrival in India.
  • International traffic through land borders will be restricted to “Designated Check Posts” with robust screening facilities.

Please note that “On arrival, Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)” facility for foreigners arriving in Sri Lanka through Normal / Ordinary passports are temporarily suspended from 14/03/2020, 1200 pm (Sri Lanka Time) until further notice except for the ETA exempted countries: Maldives, Singapore, and Seashells. This decision is not valid for Diplomatic, Official and Service Passport Holders.

Nepal
The Nepal government, late Thursday night, decided to temporarily stop issuing on-arrival tourist visas to all countries and has put an end to all spring mountaineering expeditions, including Everest ascents.

The decision comes a day after the World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic and urged countries to take precautionary measures. As per the available reports “The visa suspension, which excludes diplomatic and official visas, will come into effect on March 14 and last until April 30.”

A high-level coordination committee led by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel took the decision to this effect on Thursday. The meeting also decided to restrict traveler movement to and from India via land routes and adhere to strict quarantine measures at the border. No decision has been made to close down schools and colleges.

Those willing to visit Nepal can obtain a visa beforehand from the Nepalese Missions abroad and all applicants required to submit a recently issued health certificate with the visa application as well as one need to present the medical certificate (issued before 7 days) on arrival declaring that they are free of the Coronavirus.

In case of any further updates, we will keep you posted.

March 11 2020

We hope you have been receiving our updates on Noval Coronavirus (COVID19), for the Indian subcontinent. For any further questions or clarifications, please feel free to write back to us.

Meanwhile, in the last 24 hrs, Kerala saw an increase in the number of confirmed cases to 08. Therefore, the State Government of Kerala took some immediate steps to isolate & quarantine the affected people. To contain the spread of the virus, Kerala government today announced that all eco-tourism activities in Periyar stand suspended until further notice, this also includes a boat ride on Periyar Lake.

As a precaution, responsible tourism activities in Kumarakom are put on hold. In Munnar a Tea factory is closed for visitors at the moment. Further, monuments in Fort Cochin area such as St Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica and Jewish Synagogue will remain closed to visitors until further notice.

As of today, 10 new cases of COVID19 were confirmed in India. Out of the new 10 new cases, 08 cases are from Kerala and 01 each from Rajasthan & Delhi. The total confirmed cases in India has risen to 60.

Please ensure all your clients fill the SELF DECLERATION FORM when travelling to India as same is required to be presented at airport and also at hotels at time of check in .

We are keeping a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you posted with further updates.

March 11 2020

Advisory: Travel and Visa restrictions related to COVID-19

In supersession of all earlier advisories issued on the subject the following advisory is issued for implementation with immediate effect

  1. All regular (sticker) Visas/e-Visas granted to nationals of France, Germany and Spain and issued on or before 11.3.2020 and who have not yet entered India stand suspended with immediate effect.
  2. All regular (sticker) Visas/e-Visas (including VoA for Japan and South Korea) granted to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan, and which have been issued on or before 3.3.2020 and who have not yet entered India remain suspended.

iii. Regular (sticker) Visas/e-Visas granted to nationals of China issued on or before 5.2.2020 suspended earlier, continue to be suspended.

  1. Regular (sticker) Visas/e-Visas granted to all foreign nationals who have traveled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany and Spain on or after 1.2.2020 and who have not yet entered India stand suspended with immediate effect.
  2. All aforementioned restricted categories of foreign nationals may not enter India from any air, land or seaport ICPs. Those requiring to travel to India due to compelling reasons may seek fresh visa from the nearest Indian embassy/consulate. Italian and South Korean nationals who are granted fresh visa issued after 05.03.2020 should carry ‘Tested Negative for COVID-19’ medical certificate from designated laboratories of Italy and South Korea.

Similar certificate needs to be carried by Indian nationals coming from Italy and South Korea.

  1. Visas of all foreigners already in India remain valid. They may contact the nearest FRRO/FRO through e-FRRO module for extension/conversion, etc. of their visa or for grant of any consular service if they choose to do so.

vii. Holders of diplomatic passports, official passports, officials of UN and other international bodies, OCI cardholders and air-crew from the above eight countries are exempted from such restriction on entry. However, their medical screening on arrival is compulsory.

viii. All foreign and Indian nationals entering into India from any port are required to furnish a pair of duly filled self-declaration forms (including personal particulars i.e. phone number and address in India) and travel history to health officials and immigration officials at all arrival ports.

March 09 2020

In our endeavour to keep you abreast with the updates on the Novel Coronavirus, please find below a recent circular issued by the Government of Nepal.

The Government of Nepal is monitoring the spread of Corona Virus (COVID -19). Taking in to account the global recommendations and measure of the WHO, the Government of Nepal has decided to temporarily suspend visa-on-arrival for the nationals of the following countries, effective from 10th March 2020, to till the date of further notice:

  1. People’s Republic of China, including Special Administrative Regions
  2. Islamic Republic of Iran
  3. Italy
  4. Republic of Korea
  5. Japan
  6. France
  7. German
  8. Spain

However, nationals from these countries, willing to visit Nepal can obtain visa before hand from the Nepali missions abroad. Those applicants and also the nationals transiting from these countries bound to arrive Nepal are required to submit a recently issued health certificate stating that they are not infected by COVID-19 along with their visa applications. The aforementioned health certificate will be scrutinized both at the immigration at the airport in Kathmandu and the land border entry-exit points of Nepal.

Nationals from the above mentioned eight nationalities are strongly recommended to use the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, the only one entry–exit point that will be remaining open for arrival and departure in Nepal. Rest of the land POE (Point of Entry and Exit) in Nepal are temporarily suspended till the date of further notice. The Airlines operators and travel/tour operators bound to Nepal are strongly directed to manage the travelling route accordingly.

The Nationals of those eight countries who already got the prior visa from the missions and embassies of Nepal abroad are also suggested to produce health certificate that proves COVID -19 is Negative & must be carried along with the travel documents. The Health certificate must be recently produced maximum seven days earlier before the time of arrival in Nepal.

The Nepali missions abroad are requested to deal visa matters accordingly. A specific Directive and Circular for the Missions will be shortly circulated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in accordance with this Notice.

March 09 2020

In our endeavour to keep you abreast with the updates on the Novel Coronavirus, please find below a recent update on travel to Arunachal Pradesh a state in the North-Eastern part of India.

“In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) in Arunachal Pradesh, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners with immediate effect.

Currently Foreigners require Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to enter the state that shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar in the east, and China in the north.”

We are keeping a close eye on the entire situation and shall keep you posted with further updates.

March 07 2020

We hope you have been receiving our updates on Coronavirus impact in the Indian subcontinent. In case of any further questions / queries please feel free to get in touch with us.

In the last 48 hrs, India saw 04 new confirmed cases. Upon detection, all of them have been quarantined and shifted to Isolation wards.

Government both at the Centre and at the regional level has taken steps to deal with the current situation and all the International travellers arriving into India are being screened at the airports / ports of entry.

As always all our cars and coaches are well equipped with the hand sanitizers. All the guests travelling with us are being provided with the respiratory face masks. All the vehicles being used by our guests are being cleaned and disinfected regularly.

We being a responsible Tour Operator, have kept a close eye on the entire situation and are in regular touch with every client travelling with us.

In case there is any further update, we will immediately share the same with you.

March 06 2020

In our endeavour to keep you abreast with the updates on the Novel Coronavirus, please find below recent updates on travel to Sikkim, a Himalayan state in the North-Eastern part of India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Update on Sikkim
The Government of Sikkim, India, has banned the issuance of Inner Line Permit effective 05th March 2020 for all the foreign nationals until further notice. Furthermore, no permits will be issued by the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department for Nathula, a mountain pass in East Sikkim district, which links the state with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, with immediate effect. Currently, foreign nationals are required to obtain Inner Line Permit (ILP) from the state government to visit Sikkim. The tourists visiting the state are being screened. Nobody is tested positive for the virus yet in this part of India.

Update on Bhutan
In line with the precautionary measures taken by the Government with the detection of one positive case of COVID-19 on 5th March, considering the health, safety and well being of the tourists, tourism personnel and general public at large, the following advisory notice is being issued for the tourism in Bhutan: –

  • All incoming foreigners (Tourists) from tomorrow i.e. 06th Mar will be restricted to enter Bhutan for two weeks.
  • Government will assess the current situation in this two weeks and accordingly decide on the restrictions.

Tour operators are requested to keep track of those tourists who are already in the country and below steps are being taken:

  • Inform Guides and Drivers to be vigilant and monitor the status of tourists, people at the attraction sites and themselves at all times.
  • Keep record of places visited by the tourists.
  • Maintain good personal hygiene, avoid gatherings, wash/ sanitise your hands regularly and avoid contacts.
  • Minimise service personnel at hotels, resorts, restaurants and attractions sites.
  • It is advised to restrict movement beyond Thimphu, Paro and Punakha. Change the itinerary, if the tour programme includes travel beyond Thimphu, Paro and Punakha.
  • Hotels to keep record of contact details of the clients and their next destination.

Update on Nepal
The Government of Nepal is monitoring the spread of Corona Virus (COVID-19). Taking into account the global recommendations and measure of the WHO, the Government of Nepal has decided to temporarily suspend visa-on-arrival for the nationals of the following countries, effective from 10 March, 2020 to till the date of further notice:

  • People’s Republic of China, including Special Administrative Regions
  • Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Italy
  • Republic of Korea
  • Japan

However, nationals from these countries, willing to visit Nepal can obtain visa beforehand from the Nepali missions abroad. Those applicants and also the nationals transiting from these countries bound to arrive Nepal are required to submit a recently issued health certificate stating that they are not infected by COVID-19 along with their visa applications. The aforementioned health certificate will be scrutinized both at the immigration at the airport in Kathmandu and the land border entry-exit points of Nepal.

We will keep you posted on further updates..

March 05 2020

In the last 24 hrs, India has not seen any dramatic spike in the no. of confirmed COVID 19 cases. All of the earlier affected people are in quarantine wards and monitored by the well-equipped doctors.

To safeguard the safety of the tourists, some of the monuments such as Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Ranakpur Temple near Udaipur have also started screening every tourist at the entrance.

As always all our cars and coaches are well equipped with the hand sanitizers. From tomorrow onwards, will provided all our guests with the respiratory face masks for their safety. We being a responsible Tour Operator, have also kept a close eye on the entire situation and are in regular touch with every client travelling with us.

In case there is any further update, we will immediately share the same with you.

March 03 2020

Update on COVID-19: Revised Travel Advisory

In view of the emerging global scenarios regarding COVID19, in supersession of all earlier advisories, the following advisories are issued for immediate implementation:

  1. All regular (sticker) Visas/e-Visa (including VoA for Japan and South Korea) granted to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and issued on or before 03.03.2020 and who have not yet entered India, stand suspended with immediate effect. Those requiring to travel to India due to compelling reasons, may seek fresh visa from nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate.
  2. Regular (sticker) visa / e-Visa granted to nationals of Peoples Republic of China, issued on or before 05.02.2020 were suspended earlier. It shall remain in force. Those needing to travel to India under compelling circumstances may apply for fresh visa to nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate.
  3. Regular (sticker) visas/e-Visas granted to all foreign nationals who have travelled to Peoples Republic of China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan on or after 01.02.2020, and who have not yet entered India stand suspended with immediate effect. Those requiring travelling to India under compelling circumstances may apply for fresh visa to nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate.
  4. Diplomats, officials of UN and other International bodies, OCI cardholders and Aircrew from above countries are exempted from such restriction on entry. However, their medical screening is compulsory.
  5. Passengers of all international flights entering into India from any port are required to furnish duly filled self declaration form (including personal particulars i.e. phone no. and address in India) and travel history, to Health Officials and Immigration officials at all ports.
  6. Passengers (foreign and Indian) other than those restricted, arriving directly or indirectly from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan must undergo medical screening at port of entry.

Feb 20 2020

Since the outbreak of this latest virus in China in late December 2019, there have been 71,429 confirmed cases (WHO data). Only around 1% of the cases have been reported outside China, with Japan, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, USA, Germany and France having the largest number of cases till date (Data updated 17th February, 2020 – WHO).

India has had only 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19, all in the southern state of Kerala, and among students who were studying in Wuhan at the time of the outbreak. These cases were immediately quarantined with no further impact within the community. The students have recovered and are out danger.

Other than these 3 cases, it has been business as usual for all major attractions, tourist sites and restaurants. There has been increased information being shared to drive awareness of hand sanitation, and health etiquette overall.

The Indian government has issued travel advisories restricting travel to China and has also restricted entry of anyone who has travelled to China in the past fortnight. For the time being, they have cancelled all e-visas of Chinese who had travelled to China during the Chinese New Year festival to limit the chances of the virus being brought back to India.

Thermal screening has been installed at 21 airports including all major international entry points to check for Coronavirus in India. Anyone with symptoms are being quarantined until they are tested and cleared.

Join us to keep the tourism industry committed to responsible tourism – taking it beyond safe, sustainable and environmental standards, to also being responsible, healthy tourists.

Latest Updated

April 25, 2020

COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Partners,

Greetings from Indo Asia Tours, your reliable DMC for Indian subcontinent since 1987!!

We hope you are staying healthy and safe.

In our constant endeavor to keep you abreast on the recent developments in the Indian Subcontinent, we will like to inform you:

Bangladesh: Bangladesh has extended a nationwide lockdown till May 5 as part of measures to stem the spread of coronavirus pandemic, local media reported. “Holidays will be extended till May 5 from April 26. The government issued a gazette in this regard yesterday i.e. Thursday. The minister, however, added that May 6 is also a government holiday on account of the religious rituals of the country’s minority Buddhist community, or Buddhist Full Moon holiday.

Nepal: As per the latest update, Nepal has decided to extend the lockdown period till April 27 as the Himalayan nation continued to witness increase in the number of coronavirus cases, according to an official statement. The decision to extend the lockdown period was taken during a meeting of the council of ministers here after the number of coronavirus cases in the country increased to 16. The country has been under lockdown since March 24. All government services other than essential have been shut down and the domestic and international flights have been suspended.

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka announced that the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic will be eased to normalise public life and revive the economic activities in the country. Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said the government has been able to control the community spread of the virus. So now there is a need to reopen the country to normalise public life. The government said the respective institutional heads are given the discretion to decide on the staff attendance. Within the capital district of Colombo all institutions must have the presence of one third of the respective staff number. All public transport must ensure that only a half of the capacity must be carried at any given time. The public are advised to adhere to health protocols in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

India: As we had informed you in our last update, the complete country is under lockdown till 03rd May. However in order to revive the economy Govt. is slowly and steadily trying to give some relaxations especially in the areas with no cases / very little cases. We are awaiting more details by the Govt. in this regard and looking forward to the next edition of “Mann Ki Baat” scheduled to be aired on 26th April 2020, an Indian radio programme hosted by the Prime Minister of India. Mr. Narendra Modi. In this program he addresses the people of the nation on All India Radio every month. Having officially started from 3 October 2014, the program aims to deliver the Prime Minister’s voice and ideas to the general masses of India. Since television connection is still not available everywhere in India, especially in the isolated, rural and less developed regions, radio was chosen to be the medium for the program, owing to its wider reach. An estimated 90% of the total Indian population is reachable over this medium.

The entire team of the Indo Asia Tours is safe and working from home. We have digitalized our work processes and are available for you 24 x 7 over the phone, emails as well through various social media platforms and chat apps. There will be absolutely no change in our policy of replying to you in 08 hrs of receiving your email. Please feel free to write to us for any further information on the Indian subcontinent.

Stay Healthy & Safe!

Thanking you,

Team Indo Asia Tours

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