JOIN USCovid-19 vaccine rollout in UK, Russia gives rise to 'Vaccine tourism' in India
With the UK and Russia having initiated roll outs of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sputnik-V vaccines against Covid-19, respectively, travel agents in India have been on their feet, sensing a possible window of opportunity to revive their businesses.
Agents across the country have been on the receiving end of calls from customers about possible 'vaccination tours' to these countries, and have been setting up partnerships with hotels and hospitals abroad.
One travel agent is planning to launch a three-night package for the Indians who want to get the benefit of the mass vaccination drive in the UK that is likely to begin this week, news agency PTI reported.
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The UK last Wednesday became the first country to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 after "rigorous" analysis by its independent regulator Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
A Mumbai-based travel agent told PTI that some people on Wednesday raised queries on "how and when and if" they can travel to the UK to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
"I have told them it is too early to say (whether Indians can get the vaccine in UK). Anyway, the first in line to the get the vaccine would be the elderly and health workers in the UK who are most vulnerable to the coronavirus," the agent added.
Nishant Pitti, Co-founder and CEO, EaseMyTrip.com said while this is an offbeat season for travel to London, after Wednesday's announcement about the Pfizer vaccine, he has already received queries from some Indians who have got UK visas and can afford to go to London.
He said his company was waiting for clarity from the UK government on whether there would be compulsory quarantine requirements for travellers who want to get vaccinated and whether Indian passport holders are eligible for vaccination there or not.
Pitti said his company is planning to launch a three-night package for those interested in travelling to the UK for the purpose of vaccination only.
"We are dealing with an airline to offer fixed price seats. We already have deals with London hotels. And we are planning to do some deal with a hospital over there so that we can generate a package for that," he explained.
The Indian Government has presently banned commercial passenger flights from entering or exiting the country, but those that wish to travel abroad or vice versa can the 'Vande Bharat' or the air bubble arrangement flights that they have with 22 countries. The UK happens to be one of them.
The recent UK government rules state that from December 15, every international arrival in the UK would have to remain in self isolation for five days and then get the RT-PCR test done on the sixth day. The passenger can leave isolation on the sixth day if found Covid-negative in the test.
Bengaluru-based Chariot Travels is readying a 4-5 night package from the silicon city to London, which will be priced at around 1.29 lakh per head. In a conversation with The Print, the company's chairman Anand Shanbhag expressed his confidence in the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine being made available to foreigners by the third week of March.
While the UK Government is yet to confirm whether vaccines will be made available to foreigners, Shanbhag claims to have well-placed contacts who have confirmed this. "We want to include the vaccine in the tour cost. However, UK government authorities are yet to announce how vaccine distribution will be carried out,” Shanbhag said. “It is mainly concerned with UK citizens for now.”
The Print also reported that a few other companies like Zenith Holidays claimed that a tour to Russia is in the offing. Gem Tours & Travels, despite no confirmation on a vaccine rollout from the US, has already made elaborate plans to fly passengers on a 10-year visa from New York to Mumbai.
However, Jyoti Mayal, President, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) told PTI that people are right now "waiting and watching" as they want to know what the vaccine is going to be like.
"Though the government has said there would be no side effects of the vaccine, people want to watch all this before getting the shot," Mayal noted.
However, Mayal told The Print that any agency offering such tours must tread with caution. “Unless we hear from the Indian or the UK government, nobody should be offering tours like these.” "Also, travel agents can get dragged into legal suits if they are making offers that are not authentic or yet to be approved by local governments."
(With agency inputs)