Port Blair, May 28: The Andaman Association of Tour Operators has urged the Prime Minister of India to announce some relief measures for the Tourism Industry of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is badly hit due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The President of Andaman Association of Tour Operators Mr. M Vinod who is also President of IATTE (Andaman Chapter) has written a letter to the Prime Minister of India, Minister of Finance and Minister of Tourism pointed out that the second wave of Corona virus which has wreaked havoc nationwide has caused double the damage to an already crippled tourism industry of Andaman and Nicobar Islands that had barely revived in the beginning of this year.

“With bankruptcies, unemployment and closures of businesses around once again, the impact this time is so grave that without government intervention and urgent aid, the lone industry of these islands shall founder,” Mr. Vinod added.

The AATO president demanded urgent implementation of some measures to succor Andaman’s Tourism Industry such as moratorium granted for a period of 1 year from April 2021 to March 2022 for Term Loans, Over Drafts from government and private banks to tourism-related firms and establishments.

All EMIs be deferred for a period of 1 year. After a period of 1 year, all such loans may have their interest rates slashed to half the levied rate at the time of sanction of such loans.

All travel and tourism-related businesses be exempted from GST for a period of three years till March 2024.

All tourism establishments that have their government permits/license renewals from Directorate of Tourism, PMB, DSS, Forest, PBMC, ZSI etc. be automatically renewed till 31st March 2023 subject to an undertaking from the owner that all norms have been complied with. These renewals may kindly be put on fast track mode through a single window system.

Any and all fees/charges/rents levied by the government bodies such as municipals, Panchayat etc on tourism establishments be waived off for a period of 2 years starting from 1st April 2021 for existing as well as upcoming establishments. The same may be done for the previous financial year due to the closure of tourism last year.

Port charges be waived off for a period of 1 year starting from 1st April 2021 for all private boats operating in the islands under IV or MS Act. The same may be done for the previous financial year due to the closure of tourism last year.

The technical Human Resource that is engaged in IV vessels/adventure water sports activities owned by private firms/individuals that have their competency licenses/certificates such as Power Boat Handling, Life Saving Techniques, First Aid, CPR, Parasailing master, SLST etc due for renewal in the next 1 year starting from 1st April 2021 may have their license renewal fees waived off.

Registration certificates/form 12/form 12A/form 8 of IV vessels be automatically renewed till 31st March 2022 subject to an undertaking from the owner that all norms have been complied with.

Tourist permit for cabs whose permissions be automatically renewed for a period of 1 year till 31st March 2022 subject to an undertaking from the owner than all norms have been complied with.

Registration of Shops and Establishments of tourism establishments is automatically renewed for a period of 01 year at no charge.

Electricity/water charges etc be waived off for a period of 1 year.

Applicants of capital investment subsidy scheme at Directorate of Industries be accorded the complete rightful subsidy on fast track mode.

The administration relaxes norms in all possible ways and allows the businesses to restructure and revive themselves through and posts this disaster for a prosperous economy in the future.

Any other monetary/regulatory/statutory relief be granted to travel and tourism establishments to support and prevent them from shutting down entirely.

A temporary separate division with adequate manpower from each department be dedicated as a single window to fast track all the above necessities without delay.

With focus on saving lives, a parallel emphasis be given to saving livelihoods by constituting a tourism revival task force constituting representatives from line departments as well as stakeholders from every segment of the industry. This task force is assigned the onus to brainstorm and plan a roadmap for revival of the industry.

In the first few months of 2021 the tourism industry of A & N Islands witnessed some revival but after arrival of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic again all tourism activities have been closed in this UT, causing huge loss to all stakeholders of A & N Tourism.

Port Blair, May 25: Mr. M Vinod President, Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO) and president of IATTE (Andaman Chapter) has urged in his letter addressed to the  Lt. Governor of A & N Islands and the Chief Secretary of A & N Administration to provide relief to tourism stakeholders, affected from Cyclone Yaas.

In his letter, Mr. M Vinod expressed his gratitude towards the selfless service for the Islands under their leadership. “The citizens of these Islands are safe from the wrath of Covid-19 to a large extent,” AATO president added.

He further pointed out that Cyclone Yaas has hit the Islands and it caused damages to the boats anchored in the harbor of Junglighat as well as blew boat ticket counters in the Water Sports Complex and Dive Shops and other small shops at North Bay. “The financial implications of the damages are substantial,” Mr. Vinod added.

He requested to provide relief in the form of direct cash transfer to such tourism stakeholders who were gravely impacted by Cyclone Yaas especially considering the plight of tourism stakeholders that are all currently unemployed or out of business, the president Mr. Vinod added to his letter.

Andaman is one the hottest tourist destinations in India and it is flooded with tourist all the time.

Most of the tourist selects from the tour plans available in the famous holiday packages websites of believe on tour operators blindly.

These websites are flooded with tour packages that offer 4N/5D visit at about Rs20,000/- (without airfare) which is practically impossible therefore tourists end up paying a lot more.

There are also genuine tour operators who give very good services to their guests but they are very difficult to spot.

So, basically through this post we will help you to select from the best tour plans available and save money during your trip and also help you to stop falling into the traps of those cheap tour packages.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK ABOUT ANDAMAN

Before you select any tour package, please Google about Andaman and know about its geography and about some of the important places.

Visit the Andaman Tourism Website which will give you correct information about Andaman.

It is also important that you check out the tour plans and speak to the operator directly and ask about the details of the trip. There are so many packages available so you will have to choose the most compatible one and also do the backgrounds check on the tour operator.

It is common misconceptions that the tour packages are usually a loss and inconvenience to the tourist but if one go with the best tour operator it will be very light for your pocket.

For instance, a hotel room which cost Rs. 7000/ night will be available to you @ Rs. 2500/ night if you book through this tour packages. This will save a lot of money and get you a pleasant stay.

ROOM BOOKINGS THROUGH ONLINE TRAVEL PORTALS

Now-a-days internet is flooded with websites through which you can book a room in any hotel. While coming to Andaman, it will be better to book the hotels through these websites rather than directly going to the hotel and booking. There is a simple logic behind this.

These websites offer a good discount in these hotels and if go directly the hotels will charge you the full amount so it’s preferable to book through these websites.

Another good thing of booking through websites is that you will get a good comfortable stay and others things like tour packages you can sort out yourself.

In case of doubt on websites, you can call the hotels directly and check out the price difference and also get the feedback from various sources.

If the feedback is good and the price difference is huge, there is no harm booking room from online websites.

TO AVOID A BAD HOTEL

You should look for hotels that offer complimentary services with the booking. Some hotel offer complimentary breakfast or lunch while some offer only a drink on arrival.

Look for other facilities available in the hotel like swimming pool, good restaurant, good locations etc. Most of the hotels offer wi-fi facilities.

Avoid the cheap hotels since it will only provide you a cheap room but it will not provide any services. Most importantly ambience will not be good.

Websites like trip advisory and lonelyplanet offer best review and ranking of most of the hotels.

You could visit these websites and know about the ratings of the concerned hotels and also its reviews.

Select the best one among them.

It will be best if you go with hotels of 4.5- 5 rating.

It will also be preferable if you choose a hotel near Aberdeen Bazaar so that you can go shopping and exploring the local markets in the evening hours, without any extra cost.

Remember most of the bad hotels are situated outside the prime area and hence in the evening hours if someone wishes to go shopping he/she will have to spend extra Rs. 400 to Rs. 600 daily + inconvenience.

DON’T GO BY NAME:

Before booking a hotel one needs to be very careful about the location of the hotel, for which one can check google map or google search.

There are many hotel and resorts in Andaman who uses the word ‘Resort’ ‘sea facing’ but are far far away from sea, which is a major source of disappointment for tourists. There are many hotels in which you can see sea only from roof top.

So don’t be carried away with the name of Hotel.

TRY HOME-STAY TO SAVE MONEY

Believe it or not, in Andaman there are atleast 70 guest houses, which have home-stay facilities, which mean small hotels run by ordinary people in their house.

These home-stays are often very comfortable and unbelievably cheap. Try google to locate a home-stay in Andaman or just ask your tour operator to include one.

 All you want to know about Andaman Tour Packages, what are the major points you need to understand before bookings

Ready for a Holiday!!!

To plan a trip to the islands, you will have to look after various key aspects that will be required for you to understand what is best for your trip. Please note that the Andaman is not like a city in mainland India where you just reach and then all things get done after your arrival. A careful planning will help you make a better utilization of your time. This is my detailed perception, which may help you planning your trip.

HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO ANDAMAN

Andaman trip can sometimes get difficult to deal with because of so many things happens all of a sudden like heavy rainfall causing cancellation of ferries which finally lead to skip the tour for the said day. Hundreds of people offer Andaman Tour Packages. How will you know what is best during your trip? Well, do cheapest tour to Andaman actually means it’s cheapest?

I would recommend you to first check for the flight tickets. Flight tickets usually get expensive in the season time (Oct – March). Book your flight tickets as early as possible. Suggested time is 4-5 months prior. If you are not finding cheap flight tickets during your travel date then put an alert in Skyscanner.com which will help you find best & low flight fares. Save time, save money! This website will give you regular updates about the price for your travel dates.

THINGS YOU NEED TO DECIDE BEFORE YOUR TRIP: 

• Destination and places you wish to visit.

• Things you wish to do in Andaman Islands.

• Number of Days you plan to visit, do not plan just 3-4 days. It is too less time to visit this exotic destination. However, if you want, then you can consider a 3 Nights as well, try to take at-least a day trip to Havelock.

• Check for the good hotel and resorts, you might not be getting the same services as in cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai or any other major cities for that sake as it is a small island.

MAJOR ISLANDS TO BE COVERED DURING THE TOUR:

Inn, Andaman Residency, Hotel Marine View, Hotel London, De-meadows etc.

Some even cheaper lodges are Phoenix, Hotel ASM, Hotel Paradise, Ram Niwas, Aashiana Hotel, Hotel Adarsh and many more. These might not have any websites; but still you can contact directly with the hotels.

Havelock Island – V Knot residency, Gold India, Hotel Saurav etc. The cheapest rooms in any known resort are the NON AC Rooms, Eco Rooms or huts in Havelock Island.

Neil Island – Pearl Park resort and Tango Resort NON AC Room are the best options currently available. Hotel Kingfisher or Deep Sea are dead cheap, and can be considered for budgeted tours.

Must Visit in Andaman Islands

Port Blair : JollyBouy Island – Opened only for 8 months in a year. Closed on Mondays

Baratang Island – Closed on Mondays

ChidiaTapu – Always Open

Ross Island – Closed on Wednesdays

North Bay Island – Always Open

Havelock : Elephant Beach for Snorkeling.

Radhanagar Beach – Always Open except after sunset.

Neil Island: Laxmanpur Beach, Sitapur beach, Bharatpur Beach and Howra Bridge can be visited.

Diglipur : Ross and Smith Island, Saddle Peak and Turtle nesting from December-March.

TIPS:

• Always look for the DMC’s (Destination Management Companies) to crack a better deal.

• In order to get a good package try for getting transport/logistic package for Andaman from local tour operators & Accommodation can be booked online availing better discounts.

• Make sure the brand is known and has good visibility and reviews.

• Before confirming kindly compare the deals provided.

• Make sure your itinerary contains the best of the experiences in Andaman. If it is not then customize and add your preferred tours in your itinerary.

• Ask for breakup of the total travel cost as this will help you to understand where you are paying for what.

• Book your ferry and cruise tickets in advance.

• Book your hotels and resorts in advance, as the best ones are mostly sold out.

• Non A/c accommodations can be opted for stay to meet you budget & also if you are not so particular about luxurious rooms.

• If you visit in a group of 20 people or above you will get the best deals. No matter where you stay and what you prefer because you will be travelling in your group and the cost will be distributed which will end up each person spending less amount than for travelers in less number. The discount can go upto 40%.

• For couples, your total cost depends upon the category of hotels, and the places you prefer to visit. Please don’t just go with the initial package cost you see. Also to reduce your cost you can opt for a two wheeler for the tour which is advisable for Honeymooners.

• Always prefer for a flight as ship journey to the islands is pathetic.

The above mentioned points should be taken into consideration while planning your trip.

Andaman is growing as a Tourist spot and inviting a rush of tourist towards its beauty. The stunning beaches and picturesque view is like the cherry on the top for the Tourist. But being an Island, limits the options of reaching Andaman. Andaman is accessible from mainland through airways and waterways. But sometimes it can become costly to reach Andaman especially during tourist seasons, through this post we will help you with some useful hacks to reduce your expenses to reach Andaman so that you may spend the vacation like you want it.

Catch a Flight:

Andaman is connected by flights from Chennai, Kolkata, Vizag and Delhi. Direct flights are available from these cities. For people from other cities they have to first reach any of these cities to catch a flight to Andaman. The air fare depends on the time you want the tickets and how soon you are planning the vacation.

During the peak times, the tickets cost will be at a rise. It will cost a lot on your pockets so either you can avoid those times or you can book your tickets through agents and tour operators.

Find a Group Ticket Guy:

It will be very costly if you book the tickets directly so the best option will be to get it through Tour operators. Some operators offer tickets in group that will be very cheap. In famous booking websites, if the tickets are available at around Rs.12000/-, in group tickets it will be available for around Rs 6000/- which is comparatively low.

Look for promotional offers:

You can also opt for the websites which offers tickets at discounts or on sale. Sometimes you can get tickets at cheap rate. Many website have alert system. So keep an alarm and whenever there is a drop in Airfare in Andaman route, you will get a mail.

Chartered Flight:

There are also Chartered flights operated by Andaman Administration which operates weekly once from Chennai and Kolkata. The tickets available for the tourist/ non- islanders are Rs 5000/- during off season and Rs 8000/- at normal times. The tickets for these flights will be available at Residence Commissioner Office, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Chennai and Residence Commissioner Office, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Kolkata.

Sail and Save:

Another way of access to these Islands is through ships. Ships are available from Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam ports. It will take roughly three days to reach Andaman through ships. In ships there are different class of reservation like the Bunks, 2nd class Cabin, 1st class Cabin and Deluxe.

The bunks would be not preferable to travel as it is not convenient but 1st class Cabin and Deluxe are available which could be opted for if you have time. The rates for various class of tickets slightly varies with ships but it will be around Rs 9280/- for Deluxe and Rs 7690/- for 1st class Cabin. 2nd class Cabin will cost around Rs 6110/-.

Most of the tourists avoid ships as it takes time to reach Andaman but if you have the time and you are coming during November to February, coming in ship might not be such a bad idea.

Book packages, which come with flight tickets:

Most of the travel packages to Andaman, starts only at Port Blair, which means that it doesn’t include airfare. This also means that for visiting Andaman one will have to pay for Airfare + Tour Packages + other costs including tickets/scuba diving/sea walk etc. This is always advisable to pick a package which will cost a little more than ordinary package but will also include Airfare.

There are many tour operators in Andaman who book tickets of every flight in bulk and then sell those tickets (known as group tickets) in high rate.

These guys also use these group tickets for their own guests and hence tourist get flight ticket in almost half rate.

The best benefit of buying such package is that even in rush season the flight tickets remain affordable.

The land of Kalapani is actually a land of crystal blue waters. And if you are looking to have a romantic honeymoon here, stay away from the clichés. Here are some unusual alterations that can make it an awesome experience for you on the most romantic getaway of their life, i.e., the honeymoon. Blessed with lush greenery, immaculate beaches, and unusual marine life, it has everything needed to enjoy a blissful vacation with your spouse and if you do your homework right, knowing about the places to visit beforehand, will let you have the best time of your life without spending a fortune.

As internet is flooded with many travel portals, offering various honeymoon packages for travelers visiting the Islands. Below are the various steps, if followed can be worth for you to plan/gift the most memorable honeymoon trip to your loved one.

The top legit mantras to be followed:

Mantra #1: SEASON & DATES

Always check for the dates which you are planning. Ok, this is something everyone should know, the season. Andaman is usually promoted as an all-weather destination and travelers visit the islands throughout the year. The season in Andaman is from October to April end and you can consider visiting the island in the month of May or September as well. In June, July and August most of the private ferries don’t operate. Also, activities such as Sea Walk, Snorkeling at Elephant beach and Jollybuoy Island are closed due to less inflow of travelers to Andaman. Monsoon hit the islands mostly by month of June, July, August and September as well. Keep a check on the weather forecast in case you are arriving during the off season. Peak Season starts from 15 December to 15 January or may extend to 20 January depending upon the hotels.

MANTRA #2: DESTINATIONS TO BE KNOWN

Know about the best destinations in Andamans. Top 03 exclusively visited destinations in Andaman are: Port Blair, Havelock & Neil Island,Each one of these has its own unique attraction that one should experience. You could also choose islands you find most fascinating. Honeymoon Packages should definitely contain these destinations. The best combination widely availed by the travelers is 03 Nights in Port Blair, 02 Night in Havelock & 01 Night at Neil Island. Make sure your Honeymoon Package contains all the best islands in Andaman.

MANTRA #3: LOOK OUT FOR DETAILED ITINERARY

Everyone wants a trip fully customized as per their requirement. Know about the best sightseeing places in Andaman. I would recommend you to check the list of Sightseeing places mentioned in the itinerary. Demand for a day to day itinerary with the category of rooms, as a picturesque view from the room acts as a perfect catalyst for setting off a romantic moment between a honeymoon couple, you may either opt for a Sea facing or other panoramic view.

MANTRA #4: PARTNER’S INTERVENTION

The most important thing while planning honeymoon is to discuss with your partner as whether the itinerary or the sightseeing trips are in his/her liking or not. This is must as honeymooners should be happy about the tours that are being availed. If both have different sort of interest then mix and match the trip so that it is liked by each one of you. Well, this will help both know each other in a better way through such trips.

MANTRA #5: KNOW THE FOOD

If you love coastal cuisines and seafood, a honeymoon in Andaman is just perfect. From small restaurants to four-star restaurants, everything will please your taste buds. Finding North Indian and South Indian cuisines is not going to be tough either. Vegetarian couples need to explore the various options available. You definitely don’t want to spoil the fun because of the kind of food you don’t appreciate.

While the finer restaurant offer you a host of Indian, Continental and European picks, the smaller local dhabas don’t disappoint either. Try the aloo-paratha meal at Havelock or the delicious fluffy idli’s at a near-by food joint. Exotic delicious food options are available at reasonable cost.

MANTRA #6: ACTIVITIES IN & AROUND

Yes, Honeymoon Couples keep scuba and snorkeling in their checklist as they this given a wonderful experience. Go for them, as the ocean is full of treasures, but explore other sports like, sea walking, fishing and island camping too. They are as romantic as your romantic beach dinner and give you a lot of memories of doing adventurous things together.

MANTRA #7: CONSULT A TOUR GURU

Andaman honeymoon packages can be offered by anyone. Consult with someone who knows the turf. However make sure that the company you are traveling with is a genuine company as you would never expectany issues after arrival in the islands. My advice will be to go with the DMC (Destination Management Companies)located in the Andaman Islands as these are the people who are in Andamans and who know the actual fact to help you better.

A FEW EXAMPLES TO CONSIDER

Package 01 : 05 Nights/06 Days (Package cost 26,000/- approx for a couple with 3 Star hotels)

Day 01 : Arrival to Port Blair + Evening Visit to Cellular Jail and Light & Sound Show

Day 02 : Port Blair To Havelock, Visit Radhanagar Beach

Day 03: Visit to Elephant Beach.

Day 04 : Havelock To Port Blair

Day 05 : Visit Ross Island & North Bay Island

Day 06 : Departure from Port Blair

Package 02 : 06 Nights/07 Days (Package cost 30,000/- approx for a couple with 3 Star hotels)

Day 01 : Arrival to Port Blair + Evening Visit to Cellular Jail and Light & Sound Show

Day 02 : Visit to Ross Island and North Bay Island

Day 03 : Port Blair to Havelock

Day 04 : Visit Radhanagar Beach

Day 05 : Havelock To Neil Island, Visit Laxmanpur & Bharatpur Beach

Day 06 : Vist Sitapur Beach, Natural Rock formation & return from Neil To Port Blair

Day 07 : Departure from Port Blair

Note: All the above packages cost are subjected to Season & hotels/resorts. It may vary according to the package & hotels selected.

DON’TS

• Do not book blindly without enquiring the package.

• Do not pay the full amount of the package before arrival.

• Do not opt for vehicle at disposal as charges may be high.

• Do not go for only one travel agent, check at least 4-5 operators.

• Don’t forget to check for Govt. Holidays & events.

Port Blair, May 20:The Secretary, IP&T, Shri Sunil Kumar Singh while addressing a COVID-19 media briefing held in the conference hall of IP&T today, said that after reviewing the prevailing COVID situation in Isles, all tourism activities in Andaman & Nicobar Islands ie. National Memorial Cellular Jail, Port Blair and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island including the sound and light show at both the places, all museums, all beaches, Baratang Caves, all water sports activities and any other tourism activities in all three Districts of Andaman & Nicobar Islands shall remain suspended for another 04 weeks and it has come into effect from today (May 20).

The Secretary also sought the co-operation of general public so as to bring down the number of active cases in our Islands. He once again appealed to the general public to minimize their movement, stay at home, don’t move around, don’t endanger your life, your family members lives and the lives of others.

Informing about the RAT test conducted among passengers, the Secretary informed that 3 flights with 138 passengers arrived today (May 20) and during the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) conducted on these passengers, 1 person was found positive. He further informed that 79 persons were tested at Ferrargunj of which 3 persons were found positive.

The Secretary has once again reiterated the need for strictly adhering to COVID-19 protocol and urged the people to follow COVID appropriate behavior for their own safety, safety of their family members and the society at large. Following COVID Appropriate Behavior in letter and spirit by every individual will help the A&N Administration to arrest the spread of corona virus and to contain the positive cases in A&N Islands, the Secretary said.

About vaccination drive, the Secretary informed that it is continuing and today 379 eligible beneficiaries were vaccinated, in South Andamans, of which 291 were of 18+ age and rest of them were above 45+ age.

The Secretary further urged the citizens to help Administration in its fight against COVID-19 by spotting persons violating COVID appropriate behaviour. The Secretary urged to click pictures of violators who are not wearing face masks, not following social distancing norms and inform through Whatspp on A&N Police Helpline 3rd Eye mobile no. 9531892228 indicating the area and time of the violation sighted so that stringent action can be taken against the violators.

The Deputy Director, G.B. Pant Hospital, Shri Amitabha De said that 15 new COVID patients were admitted today in G.B. Pant Hospital and 10 patients were discharged. With this, the number of corona positive patients in Hospital is 91. Out of the 91 patients, 75 are on Oxygen support and 3 are on ventilator.

The Deputy Director further said that altogether, 18 patients were admitted at COVID Care Centres and 1 patients was discharged and the number of patients in the COVID Care Centres is 48. He further informed that 1 covid patients was admitted and 1 patient was discharged from Covid Care Centre Wimberlygunj and a total of 9 patients are still admitted in the Centre, he added.

Responding to a query regarding the chances of people recovering from COVID-19 can be afflicted by black fungus – or mucormycosis – disease, the Deputy Director said orders to procure medicines to treat mucormycosis has been placed and we will receive it very soon. As of now, no cases of mucormycosis has been reported in A&N Islands.