July 2020
Dear Friends, Guests, Patrons and Partners in Travel,
Namaste!
We hope good health and happiness are keeping you strong, wherever you are.
We at Far Horizon, believing that Change is the only constant, have turned the path of the current adversity into an opportunity. We have gainfully used this time to chalk out new avenues in the Indian subcontinent for domestic travellers, packaging them into shorter, self drive away destinations.
We are also happy to announce that our entire operations have been digitized and upgraded to a paperless work culture!
On this note, we hope these times are what brings the world towards sustainable tourism practices, encompassing the wellbeing of all life on the planet.
Please do continue to stay home and stay safe!
Anjali Babbar
CEO
India paves the way for recovery as the first phase of human trials for Covid vaccine begins
In the worsening outspread of the pandemic, India has finally set the ball rolling as human clinical trials for India’s first approved Covid-19 vaccine - COVAXIN, are set to begin in July across the country. The drug has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India ( DCGI) and was developed by Bharat Biotech, a vaccines bio-therapeutic manufacturer company based in Hyderabad, in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research in Delhi and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune wherein the SARS-CoV-2 strain was isolated before being transferred to Bharat Biotech.
Meanwhile, 3 potential compounds of the experimental Covid-19 drugs - Remdesivir, Favipiravir and Baloxavir have also been sent by Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical organization Hetero. This with DCGI’s approval for manufacture will be distributed across states including Maharashtra and Delhi - the two worst affected states in the country. The other states that will receive the first batch of the drug are Gujarat and Tamil Nadu and the same will be marketed under the brand name COVIFOR. The next batch of the drug will be sent to Kochi, Trivandrum, Kolkata, Patna, Goa, Indore, Bhopal, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi and Vijayawada. 1 lakh vials of the drug is the target set by the company which will be produced in about three-four weeks.
A 100-milligram vial of the drug will cost Rs 5,400 as per Hetero. 200 mg is the recommended dose for adults and pediatric patients on Day 1 followed by once daily upkeep doses of 100 mg for a total of five days. “The drug will be through hospitals and government, and not via retail and will not be given to those with liver disease, kidney failure, pregnant or lactating women, and children below 12 years.” Hetero Group of Companies MD Vamsi Krishna Bandi told Indian news channel NDTV.
The United States, South Korea and Japan have gained approval for emergency use of the drug as the treatment was the first to show improvement in trials on COVID-19 patients in the 3 countries. The drug is yet to be priced in the United States.
India wins seat in UNSC:
Another positive breakthrough for India saw light on the 17th June 2020, as the country secured a seat on the United Nations Security Council, making it one of the five non-permanent members in the 15-nation council for 2021-22 after receiving 184 of the 192 votes in its favour. India being the world's second-largest population and is the world's largest liberal democracy. The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Mr.T.S. Tirumurti, in an interview with Financial Express said that on becoming a non-permanent member, India will get the opportunity to actively shape the COVID-19 and post-COVID scenario.
India’s Culture Ministry gives clearance to 820 ASI monuments for reopening
In an effort to reboot India’s economy bit by bit, the Culture Ministry has given approval to a list of 820 ASI monuments, also including temples, mosques and churches. The composition so holds as 114 monuments in the north region, 155 in central, 170 in the west, 279 in the south and 103 in the eastern circle. All Covid-19 related protocols issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Health Ministry will need to be followed by the monument authorities.
While the list of monuments approved for reopening include the Taj Mahal, Agra’s district administration has decided not to open the monument for public as of now, as the area is classified as a Covid-19 hotspot.
Among the list is also, the Sankaracharya temple in Srinagar, the Buddhist monastery in Lamayuru, the Gurdwara in Bhatinda Fort in Punjab and St. Mary’s Church in Fort St. George in Chennai.
Home to 674 Lions, Gujarat celebrates an increase of 29% growth in their population
In the recently conducted survey by the state, its Forest Department proudly announced that the population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat's Gir Forest has increased by almost 29 percent which has had the help of active participation from the local community. From 523 in 2015, the lion population now stands at 674 in 2020, according to the State Forest Department. This includes a healthy male-female ratio of 161 male vs 260 females and 45 sub-adult males, 49 sub-adult females, 22 unidentified and 137 cubs. With a consistent increase in the population over the years, their distribution too has seen an increase by 36 percent, with an expansion from 22,000 sq. km in 2015 to 30,000 sq. km in 2020.
While nearly all wild lions are native to Sub-Saharan Africa, their subspecies, the Asiatic lions wandered over to Asia from the Middle East in the 19th century and now proudly mark the Protected Areas and agro-pastoral landscapes of Saurashtra, Gujarat.
After some lions were infected with Canine Distemper Virus, measures were taken to protect them. This includes - community participation, use of technology, improved veterinarian facilities, habitat management, increase in prey base and human-lion conflict mitigation.
The state chief wildlife warden in the report stated that a population estimation exercise was carried out by the Gujarat forest department on the full moon nights of June 5 and 6. The five yearly census could not be carried out in May due to the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown, the report further stated.
Madhya Pradesh opens National Parks for tourists
Madhya Pradesh has re-opened its State Tourism Development Corporation Hotels, Resorts and many private Hotels at tourist destinations for tourists. Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has also issued a circular stating the re-opening of National Parks from 15th June 2020. The Buffer Zones of the National Parks will remain open during the monsoon. All the hotels/resorts will be following the strict safety and hygiene guidelines as per the SOP issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India.
The first segment of the travellers that Madhya Pradesh is looking to attract to the tourist destinations are people from within and neighboring states. Travel by car to Madhya Pradesh is comparatively easy as 5 states are located in its periphery and its good road network connects major tourist destinations in the state. For starters, people will be taking short weekend tours consisting of a 3 to 4 day itinerary.
Madhya Pradesh has the forest area cover of approx. 77,700 sq.kms (Approx ¼ of the total land area) filled with Sal Trees & Bamboos. It has numerous wildlife hotspots with 11 National parks & 24 Wildlife sanctuaries such as Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary and Chambal Ghadiyal Sanctuary. The UNESCO World Heritage sites at Khajuraho, Bhimbetka & Sanchi are the iconic sites in the state. Madhya Pradesh has regained the tag of being “The Tiger State of the Country” by having the maximum Tiger count (526) in the state. The roar of Tigers has increased in the dense and beautiful forests of Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh tourism board has also introduced luxury caravans for travellers who wish to explore the state while minimizing physical contact.
Uttarakhand's Corbett and Rajaji tiger reserves will also be opening, with focus on eco-tourism, and with strict conditions in place. Apart from Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, several other states such as Rajasthan, Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal have also started to reopen tourist hotspots in a phased manner.
Sri Lanka to welcome tourists from August 2020
Known as the tear-drop of India due to its shape and proximity to India, Sri Lanka plans to reopen tourism activities as of August 1, 2020 and has drafted guidelines to welcome tourists from all countries. Accordingly, Operational Guidelines for Sri Lanka Tourism with Health Protocols-Version 1 that are to be adopted by all tourism stakeholders has been submitted by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
The guidelines were drawn up in consultation with stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Tourism industry and can be read and downloaded from here.
In line with the guidance obtained from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, Sri Lanka Tourism has adopted effective measures to minimize the chances of COVID-19 re-entry ensuring convenience for tourists and industry stakeholders. Other countries set to open their borders to tourists from across the globe are Maldives, French Polynesia, Tanzania, the Caribbean islands of Antigua, Jamaica, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and St. Lucia.
