Online Advertising Industry in India

Advertisement Main Stay of Businesses

Without propaganda, no business flourishes the World Over. India a rising economy is as dependent on good advertising as any other country. Fortunately, the country has some of the globally popular media houses and they are doing well. 

Combined online marketing and advertising in India INR 667 billion in the year 2020. The growth rate stands at 17.6% CAGR. By all means, this is an impressive figure. Advertisement campaigns are conducted by small-time advertisement agencies, individuals providing digital market services both paid and organic. 

The major chunk of advertisements is provided by Media Houses that are adept in online propaganda of various types. They differ from houses that organize an offline campaign on TV, radio, and streets. 

Unlike offline advertisements, the online paradigm is much different, although some of the principles are applicable to both types.   

Online Advertisement What it is? 

Let me begin by highlighting the online media channels. 

• Email Marketing 
• SMS Marketing 
• Content Marketing 
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 
• Online/Display Advertising 
• Microblogging 
• Blogging 
• Podcasting  
• Social Media Marketing (Organic)
• Online Video Marketing (Paid)
• Google Ads (Paid)
• LinkedIn Ads (Paid)
• Pinterest Ads (Paid)
• Facebook or Meta Ads (Paid)

You can well make out that there are no TV, Radio, or Roadside Banners involved. Online marketing may combine campaigns with offline endeavors as a part of the strategy but usually, both types of campaigns are conducted separately.  Usually, big business houses and corporates combine organic and paid marketing since their financial resources and marketing muscle permit.  

Focus on Brand & Services Promotion.

Online advertisement is focused on brand promotion for big companies and even their product lines. Professional services are offered by large houses of conglomerates to advertise online. Hence marketing potential for the media houses is diverse and potential. 

The online promotional campaigns are extensive in nature and require teamwork executed by talented and experienced professionals. These campaigns are conducted on the channels listed above and are extensive. Central to all campaigns is content creation which could be in form of videos, podcasts, articles, blogs, graphics, and memes. In the final course of action, gated content like performance reports, reviews, and mentions in important magazines and websites, blogs, etc are often used to finally convince the target audience. 

The main course of action follows:

• Awareness & Attraction
• Consideration & Trust
• Goal Conversion or Action

The above steps are the vital pathways, that online campaigns for marketing and advertisement work on. This is the methodology leading media houses use for online advertisements. The fundamentals work for both paid and organic campaigns. 

Understand Online Tutoring Business It Has A Great Future

Online Tutoring The Beginning 

It all started with computers, well, yes and no.  The true form of online tutoring started after the advent of the Internet. There was a simultaneous development taking place two decades back in cyberspace. Web development technology was evolving fast along with networking techniques, but that was not all a phenomenon called the World Wide Web was emerging as a platform for online browsing and interaction with websites and blogs.  

Before all this, face-to-face, teaching had started on computers with the lessons stored on a hard disk. But as mentioned earlier the true face of online teaching began post-2000.  The teaching business on the World Wide Web is expected to grow to 8.17 Billion USD in 2022. Within one year the figure of 6.98 in 2021 crossed over to 8 billion USD. The spectacular growth registered per annum is 16.9% highlighting a promising future for tutors seeking teaching jobs online and for the enthusiastic students shaping their careers. Almost 44% growth will accrue from the APAC region especially India and China with an ever-expanding network of schools and colleges. 

Understanding Online Teaching Business  

Some of the subjects being taught on the Net are:

• • Maths
• Algebra
• Geometry 
• Trigonometry
• 
  
• • Science
• • Computer Hardware & Programming Courses
• Software Development
• Software Programming 
• Web Application Development
• Networking Technologies
• • English
• • Entrance Exams 
• • Competitive Exams 
• • Foreign Languages
• Digital Marketing 
• Search Engine Optimization 
• Content Writing  
• Business Management 

The largest share of this learning or virtual teaching trade is held by STEM which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.  

I can fill the whole blog entry with all that can be taught on the Net using the website as an interface. Most online teaching websites act as go-betweens facilitating student-teacher meetings on the website. The best aspect of this teaching business on the Internet is the immense reach of the virtual world has no boundaries. The networked environment makes it possible for a teacher to conduct online classes with several students in attendance at the same time. These classes are interactive in nature like those offline. Technology makes it possible to show examples, visuals, and graphs by the master to the learners. 

There are two popular methods of teaching on www. 

• Asynchronous 
• Synchronous 

In the asynchronous form, student-teacher interaction is not spot on. The former leaves a question that is answered by the teacher later on. In the synchronous form, the lectures emulate offline classrooms.  A larger number of software are available to help in the process and technologies like podcasts, VOIP, and Video-based lectures. Live streaming on video and audio has now been enabled by WebRTC Technology.  Even blogs can be part of the teaching process hence there is no limit. But remember the tutorials available on video streaming sites are independent of this process and there is no interaction with the creator at any stage except in the comments. 

There are two popular forms of teaching on the Internet using the www interface. 

• Tactical Online Tutoring 
• Strategic Online Tutoring 
• Private Tutoring 

While the first two relate to group learning with the latter being more planned and focused. The third option of private learning online is usually between one student and a teacher. The private tutoring market size is over 132 billion USD which includes offline student-teacher interaction. But as online activities grow most of the market will move to WWW.  This business has opened immense opportunities for teachers and the job potential is constantly being enhanced. 

Online Learning Portals 

These sites help with many other aspects of tutoring through their portal but the core focus is to facilitate a search for both parties to come across and sign a contract.  These websites charge a fee from both parties to make them members or subscribers, or the revenue model could depend upon Ads or both. 

With a large database of tutors, it is possible for young minds to seek a guide, teacher, or master on the Net. And these online learning portals make it possible. These technology-driven portals are being managed by young entrepreneurs well aligned with the trade and technologies involved. These are the best websites to hire teachers for online learning the World over. India is the greatest beneficiary with a large database of students and teachers alike. The country also benefits from lower fees applicable unlike in the case of tutors from developed countries. The popularity of the English language in India is another dominating factor that kills global competition.  

Signatures in The Digital World

 The History of Signatures

It all must have started with a thumb impression as the World moved towards modernization.  As the writing paper came into the existence and a large number of the populace become literature handwritten signatures came into practice. The signatures became a vital instrument for acceptance, and their impersonation and forced enforcement became a crime. All valid documentation intended for legal purposes and otherwise required the producer to sign using an inked pen.   

The first instance of a pictorial signature is recorded in 3000 BC. A series of pictures and symbols represented a person in those days. In Sumeria in 3100 BC, a scribe named Gar Ama first recorded his signature as a composition of words and pictures on a clay tablet.

Modern Signatures

It was the State of Fraud Act 1677 that truly legalized signatures as we recognize them today. Thus, contracts began to be legalized by parties subject to an agreement, a contract, or any legal tender.  Signatures became mandatory from then onwards.

Signatures in the Electronic Age

With the introduction of the Fax Machine, Computers, and Printers a large amount of communication turned into a digitized print form. The Fax machine became very popular and documents were scanned and sent electronically. This was a great challenge to the fast-developing business world thrust into a changing paradigm as technologies advanced.

The E-Signature Technologies

Bill Clinton in the year 2000 signed the E-Sign Act giving a big boost to electronic signature technologies. Thus data or documents could be sent through electronic medium or faxed by legalizing them with electronic signatures. This was revolutionary and the business world was being transformed by technologies. The fast-advancing computerization, the introduction of the Internet, and the World Wide Web. The introduction of email messaging meant complete trade transactions on the Net.   Electronic payment systems plugged the remaining hole in online business a system where most often the two parties did not meet each other but communicated electronically or on the World Wide Web.

Thus, acceptance of electronic signatures revolutionalized online transactions and complete business modes. But there were flaws, since sending documents or signed documents was fraught with risk.  A more secure method was being developed using cryptographical means. A method that could encrypt documents and prevent manipulation by hackers. This development was advancing fast and the emergence of digital signatures was becoming a possibility from 1988 onwards. 

The Emergence of Digital Signatures & Benefits

In 1988 digital signature scheme was launched. In the time to come, it has become a legal instrument in many countries including India. In the year 2006 digital signatures became legal under the Information Technology Act. DS is widely used in many legal tenders all over the world. They are globally popular and help online businesses and e-tendering grow.

 Why Digital Signature Certifications?

DSC is secure and cannot be manipulated and identify the sender. The certification guarantees it hence the acronym DSC.

The DS short for digital signature is certified CA or certifying authority. CA is an entrusted authority that verifies the owner of the digital signature. In India, the CA is authorized by the CCA or Controller of Certifying Authority under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs or MCA. Businesses can obtain DSC Online from the CA Website. Thus there is no need to be physically present in the CA office. The DSC in India is generally issued in five days and sent by post to the registered address.

 

Amazing Tally Enterprise Accounting Package Development & F1 MIS Tool

 Tally Accounting Package History

A long-felt need for an accounting package was eventually fulfilled in the year 1986. A father and son duo Shyam Sunder Goenka and Bharat Goenka developed accounting software more for their personal need than for commercial purposes. But the future had other plans for eventually the package was going to be a big commercial success, and dominate business management in India.

The architect behind the application software was Bharat Goenka a mathematics graduate. He developed the first Tally version as an MS-DOS Package and from there onwards there was no looking back. The company named Peutronics Electronic has later renamed Tally Solutions in the year 1999.
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The accounting software application was named Peutronics Financial Package. For the father and son duo, the journey into the world of corporates and big business had begun. But the accounting package was so user-friendly and flexible that it became very popular among small businesses and SMEs.

There was no shortage and the application was evolving day by day. This was thanks to the enthusiasm and zeal behind the pioneering efforts to provide India with an enterprise accounting package.

Tally Versions & Emergence of MIS

The journey entered a developmental stage from the year 2006  onwards, and many versions were subsequently launched.  The software application development company was keeping in tandem with the needs and demands of the customers as buyers and subscribers began to grow rapidly.  The latest versions also kept in mind the changing landscape of the economic front in India, and the emerging business paradigm.

There was a need to keep into account the development of advanced computing and networking in India. These were the two fronts that were fast-changing computerized accounting possibilities, and Tally Solutions had to be in tandem. The greatest impact brought in business management was the development of management information systems or MIS.  This development became possible due to advanced computerization. The development in the hardware and software sectors was taking place overnight beside the networking capabilities. These systems had developed capabilities to integrate software tools and associated programs to enhance MIS capabilities. MIS was now a bundle of diverse capabilities for categorized storage and information retrieval. The system was now a unified source of information with immense capability for customized reporting and data accumulation for spot analysis.

Integrated Software Tally & F1 MIS

MIS emerged as a database retrieval source that could help business owners, CEOs, and Executives. With little adaption, they are data-ready and make important on-spot or planned strategic decisions. 

Tally emerged as a key player enacting the role of a computerized accountant, database storage, and retrieval system. Its capabilities to provide customized reports comprising multiple metrics in required dimensions was enhanced by the introduction of F1 MIS by Meta vision Technology based in Mumbai.

With the help of F1 MIS application software, data can be sliced and diced as required. This helps managers to view reports comprising the dimensions needed. Hence the stripped-down versions of Tally were restructured using F1 MIS. It was like an empty apartment being fully furnished and appointed by a specialist interior decorator. F1 MIS core focus is thus explained.        

Futuristic Outlook

Both Tally and F1 MIS are products with a tremendous future behind them. This is due to them keeping in tandem with the economic landscape, ever-changing business paradigms, and complex regulatory compliance. eCommerce and entry of Government into online regulatory compliance, e-tendering, and emerging tax structures like GST for example require constant feature additions to this software.  

|The financial rules and regulations call for major changes in enterprise accounting and management software. Tally Solutions keeps in tandem with times ad  Tally Prime is an example. Along with GST it is compatible with other managing regulatory compliances in electronic formats and producing invoices and desired reports.

As complexities in the economic front increase with globalization solutions like Tally and F1 MIS help simplify day-to-day working and decision-making. Both these packages can be sourced from Metavision Technology based in Mumbai in India.   

Digital Signature Certification Under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs India

 What Are Certified Digital Signatures?

As time and technology, advance businesses experience a paradigm shift, and this applies to legal instruments as well. Digital Signature is one such legal process that validates electronic documents or legal instruments using the cryptographical technique.

 The signing process has come a long way from thumb imprints to signing using the pen to electronic signatures. But what seems to have broken the barrier are the digital signatures that are certified by a licensed authority.  

These certified digital signatures or DSC are used to authenticate the identity of the sender who uses electronic messaging systems. Electronic documents if manipulated in this way can easily be detected. The cryptographical process involved encrypting the document that can only be deciphered by a public key mechanism.

The DSC Process

The sender encrypts the documents before sending them to the receiver to prevent them from being hacked midway. The document is sent along with the certificate and the public key to ensure authenticity. The encryption is carried out using hash algorithms that generate the key pair as well. The private key generated is as the name suggests kept a secret by the sender. The other key known as public as the name suggests is sent to the receiver to facilitate encryption.  

Digital Signature generation is a simple process and is not as cryptic as it seems. The generate as there are many types of algorithms available but SHA 256 is the most used.

Legal Validity

The DSC is issued under the aegis of MCA of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in India. The scheme is under the purview of the Information Technology Act 2000.  In the case of LLPs or Companies under the MCA21 e-governance Program, all filing being done online have to use digital signatures.

The certificates are used by the certification agencies by CCA or Controller of Certification Agencies. This is valid under the provision of the IT Act 2000. There are a total of 14 Certification Agencies (LA) authorized by the CCA to issue Digital Signature Certificates (DSCs). The details of these Certification Agencies are available on the MCA portal. However to widen the net authorized partners are appointed by the LA who can issue the certificates. These agencies or partners act through the authorized CAs they represent.   

The Certifying License issuers authorized by CCA are:

• NSDL
• NIC
• SafeScrypt    
• Code Solution CA
• E-Mudhra
• CDAC
• IDRBT
• SIGNX CA
• Capricorn
• Pantasign
• Idsign
• Xtra Trust
• Verasys
• ProdigisignCA

These CAs are granted a license to issue DSC under the information technology Act 2000. The section applicable is section 24 under the IT Act. The site: is https://www.mca.gov.in/MinistryV2/certifyingauthorities.html

Class II and III are specified DSC for efilling under MCA21. The class II and class 3 certifications can also work for other related applications and fresh ones are not required. The certifications are issued for a period of one or two years and the cost includes the UBS Token.

One can apply for DSC online or through an agency in Kolkata and Mumbai. The necessary documentation is sent by email and then further verified by a video interview. The DSC certification is received within 5 days at the given address. The use of digital signatures is increasing pan India as more and more communications, e-tendering and online transactions seek authentication of electronic documents.

UI & UX Design What it is?

The world has been taken by storm, and that raging storm is UX Design. Although designing is an age-old concept and art, it is with web development that user-friendly design (UX) came into the picture. With the increasing diversity of browsers, desktop screens, and other handheld devices screen and cross-browser capability became important. All apps and desktop applications have to undergo rigorously 

The UX or user-friendly concepts and techniques flourished with the popularity of mobile phones, and tablets. The user experience too became an imperative for websites and portals, and it was delivered by design that was smooth and did not hinder onscreen actions. 

Enter UI & UX 

UI stands for the user interface, and that in technical terms means the front end of mobiles and desktops. For the amateur, it is the touchscreen performance and aesthetics that matter for handheld devices. For desktop or laptop users the smooth working of the curser, and keyboard matters besides the aesthetics. 

UX is a short form for user experience, hence, it stands for an overall experience not only the visuals, touch screen elements, cursor, and keyboard. Voice support counts for UX as many users seek information using voice support. 

The web core vitals stand true for all devices be they smartphones, tablets, laptops, or desktops. In the world of handheld communication and recreation devices, developments favoring users are taking place rapidly. This is cutthroat competition at work. With a large number of companies entering the handheld device fray and a plethora of apps being developed the diversity is also baffling the buyers and hence the primary yardstick of measures are now UI and UX that include the web core vitals.   

Design Principles a Paradigm Shift 

Thus, there has been a major paradigm shift in designing that was considered an art that carried visual appeal, aesthetics, and attraction. Though these concepts and techniques did apply initially to handheld communication devices and desktops, they do not work now after the UX and UI imperatives.   

The design of front ends has become complex, and specialist UI and UX designers have to be integrated within the development teams. When app development is concerned UI and XU play a major role besides the regular. These specialists are much in demand and are very well paid depending upon the country they belong to.  The backend and frontend development complexities may weigh slightly in favor of the UX designer making his task much more difficult. He or she may get paid more. Nevertheless, most of the designing takes place in the digital format hence coding and programming capabilities are required. Many tools enable custom and native designing easier. But for greater innovative and appealing designs specialization is a must. Designing is a big business with UX design experiencing a major rise. 

UI & UX Design Agencies  

Designing is professional work and requires a team of experts. Hence the service is provided by Design Agencies with a team of UI & UX designers. While many agencies are deep into app development some are focused on designing web pages. Above the Fold Agency in Mumbai, provides service for UX design for web pages and portals for cohesive user experience.  

Brand Name Logo And Motto Go Side By Side for Popular Branding

 We are all familiar with brands and recognize several brands that are World famous as well within our country. Even laymen have an idea of brand popularity and are attracted by it the product and services. A brand name is usually associated with a logo that is as popular in case of famous ones and a motto or a slogan. These three elements signify the importance of the name, vision, and identity. Users or loyal always visualize all three when they reckon the name or come across it.  Thus catchy slogans and well-designed logos/insignia are instrumental in the promotion and instant reckoning. We have the Mercedes Benz insignia for example which is recognized the world over by almost everybody.  

Brand Marketing

But for marketers, brand popularity and its promotion is a compound exercise. Whether online or offline promotion of a company or a corporate name is a complex marketing exercise. But the campaign can be explained in a few steps;

• ·         Creating Awareness or Reckoning
• ·         Developing Trust or Affinity
• ·         Developing Loyalty

Advertisements or propaganda are the means of brand promotion online,  but so are social media campaigns. For organic campaigns, social media are the best means of creating awareness, trust, and loyalty. Social media promotions are comprehensive ones, and extensive teamwork is required.   Success depends upon consistency and creativity. Another factor that makes a greater impact is familiarity with the platforms being used for promotions. Experienced marketers are highly familiar with the social platforms they use to target the right audience. They understand the functioning and offerings of the platforms and utilize the social characteristics very well. The most important consideration is the profiles or target personae that favor the platform and this factor is often used in choosing the right one for a promotional campaign.

The choice of platforms depends upon the monthly active users and the popular ones are:

• ·         Facebook Active Users 2.91 billion
• ·         Instagram Active Users 1.2 billion
• ·         Twitter Active Users 391 million
• ·         Pinterest Active Users 459 million
• ·         LinkedIn Active Users 310 million
• ·         YouTube Active Users 2.19 billion

To these are added several Internet-based publishing sites and blogs to extend the reach of the campaigns. SEO or Search engine optimization is also used for gaining an organic presence on search engines.

Paid Marketing Campaigns

Larger companies and corporates include paid marketing campaigns with organic ones for greater response. According to LinkedIn Marketing Solutions combination of organic and paid marketing results in a three times greater response.

Paid marketing is another niche best handled by teams experienced and experts in the field. Most of the campaigns are automatically run but do require inputs that shape the target audience, bidding, and geolocation. These campaigns can be managed by laymen as well but require acclimatization.

The most popular methodology for paid advertisement is PPC or pay-per-click campaigns but another methodology is also employed. Platforms have their mechanism which can differ. Youtube provides audio-visual means of ad presentation and these are proving to be the most effective. Youtube ranks second to Google Ads in online advertisement annually and may overtake it.    

YouTube's revenue per year is nearly 28 billion USD while Google's annual revenue is over 210 USD annually but Youtube is fast catching up. Hence paid brand promotions are potentially effective for those who can spend that kind of money.

Shaping Impactful Campaigns

As mentioned earlier creativity, consistency and innovation are key factors that determine the success of the campaign. The effort required a team to execute brand promotion campaigns. Most brand promotion agencies employ expert and experienced workforce. The team comprises writers, social media experts, content marketing specialists, marketing specialists, and down-the-line management that play a key role in deliveries whenever required. 

Online brand marketing is very popular all over World. In the face of stiff competition and the struggle for survival, companies use all means for success. In all countries, online marketing campaigns are highly productive. Social Media provides an option to promote brands in many languages for local gains. 

   

Post Covid-19 Economic Status

 The Impact 

After the dramatic pause due to the impact of the coronavirus, economists have begun to wonder what shape would the recovery take place after the pandemic is over. And when would the rise if any stabilize or be at par with the pre-covid-19 level.  In spite of enthusiasm expressed by some planners, a V-shaped trajectory is nigh impossible taking into account the disruptive nature of the pandemic. 

The state of financial well-being and business stability is always expressed in figures and percentages in graphs and info graphs online. The methodology adopted in order to compute the economic status at any given time is standardized. But there are many if and buts that regulate the outcome.  At the present juncture, all cogs in the wheel have been badly disrupted. There seems to be no recourse to a stable environment that will fetch prosperity back to the people with states being shrouded by the dark clouds of death and destruction.     

The lowest figures stated by the World Bank and rating agencies are suggestive of a deep plunge due to the impact on the growth which was witnessing a downslide for the first time since liberalization in 1990. Growth figures projected for the fiscal year 2021 have come spiraling down indicating a deep recession. The negative growth rate is attributed to the pandemic and not surprisingly calls for economy booster packages.      

After a deep plunge downwards due to intense lockdown globally, there was a brief upward trajectory whence the first wave ended, and it seemed that this was the end of the travails. But this was not to be, for the second wave after a brief lull shook the Nation with complete surprise.  

The contraction of GDP in the year 2021 is as much as 40% which is not at all encouraging. This is a testing time for planners and the dispensation as to how it extracts the country out of the quagmire.  

The coronavirus is attacking humanity in waves, each being as uncertain as the first one. The second wave has struck with complete surprise causing an unimaginable loss in terms of humanity, as well as the economy. Though the period has been relatively short, the economic impact has not been as devastating as the death toll. But the scars are going to take a long to erase, and the uncertainty that prevails will definitely affect the economic recovery if we add the impact of the first wave now already exhausted. 

In order to comprehend the post-pandemic state we will have to consider many factors that currently govern our economy.  

India remains a third World mixed economy, even if we take into consideration a few strides of success we have made here and there. We are certainly yet to reach the top in order to be seen as a developed Nation.  

The first aspect that we are concerned about is the pandemic itself and how it will unfold further. Will it die down after the apocryphal third wave in a short time or will it be a prolonged tragedy pulling the country deeper into to chaos and economic downslide? No wonder the pandemic has been the worst disaster of the century.  

The impact has been cataclysmic, and we are still reeling under the human tragedy that has unfolded. The destruction has not been in material terms like in the World wars. But the deaths have certainly been more than them. Equally, the next worst impact heaped upon us has been the economic downturn which has affected all strata of society, all over the globe. Hardly few sectors have been left unscathed, but they too have suffered indirectly from the abrupt cessation of industrial activities all around. Both the manufacturing and the service sector have been performing badly. The reduction in employment and the salary cuts including that of the daily wage group and the informal sector have directly impacted the spending power of Indians which has reflected upon the manufacturing as well as the service sector.  Knee-jerk solutions have provided no succor in the current state. They have not made any positive impact on the situation albeit substantial relief has been provided to those below the poverty level as far as sustenance is concerned.  

More than forty percent of Indian households have reported an income drop during the ongoing lockdowns. More than fifty percent of businesses have reported a total closure or significant slow down this has impacted the country's 2.8 trillion economies such that only a quarter of it is functional. The supply chains have been put under severe stress with the agriculture sector being the worst sufferer during the lockdown.  

The business resumption index stands at the dismal figure of 44 much less than 89 which was the pre-pandemic figure. There is a lot of hesitancy as regards stability in this period and business operations have been significantly affected by the absence of contingency management within and at the National level since even when the virus struck in Wuhan none assumed that the emerging epidemic would turn into a pandemic. The spread has been universal and the significant slowdown due to frequent lockdowns has increased the suffrage of the people exaggerated by sickness, deaths, and unemployment as a result.   

There would be a significant improvement in the situation if the vaccination is successful or if the pandemic subsides completely on its own. India has the resilience and the necessary wherewithal to bounce back as a Nation and this applies to the economy as well. Will we see the daylight in the year 2022 or 2023 is a matter of conjecture?

Indian Hospitality Industry in Doldrums

Impact of Pandemic on Travel 

Unfortunately, the impact is global and has set a domino effect of sorts. Nowhere has been the impact of Covid 19 Pandemic so severe as in the case of our tourism sector especially as regards inbound travel in India. The forecast is that it will take as many as two years for the valuable foreign exchange earner to emerge from the shackles of frequent lockdowns, flight cancellations, travel hesitation, Visa constraints, and now vaccine-linked passports. Perhaps leisure travel will take a longer time to reach the pre-pandemic level, forget about growth.  The picture is grim, and the reality is that we are facing stark challenges not only in the recreation and leisure sector but all spheres of life. 

But the future seems mired in pitch darkness because we have limited knowledge of the behavior of this deadly coronavirus. Our previous experience of Spanish Flue suggests that this will end with time after leaving millions of dead in its wake. It is too early to predict even though we have modern technology and research at our behest unlike in earlier times, but still there prevails an inexplicable confusion as to the origin of the disease. If it is zoonotic then nothing else is known of its long-term behavior. Things will get globally compounded if this is a lab virus mishap or a deliberate attempt. The scope of impact is greater than the World wars, and anything can happen in the time to come.   

At present, the industry is occupied by several questions? 

Will the emergence of variants spell complete doom?

Will the vaccines overpower? 

Will it become innocuous like seasonal flu? 

Will travel peak after the scourge is over? 

Lots of questions remain unanswered to this date. We rely on research and therapeutic solutions all the time, but we must also be hopeful of quick deliverance. The industry is bound by the virus for a long time even after emancipation, and thus travel hesitancy will hamper the flow of the tourists in near future. 

Post-Pandemic Impact at Glance

However, there would be many travel enthusiasts eagerly waiting for a quick getaway as soon as restrictions are done away with. They have sufficient funds which were stocked away during the lockdown. Then there are peripatetic travelers who would risk it without much hesitation. Not as much, but vaccination will further boost confidence albeit it will start with local travel first.  Hence those in the industry seeking this segment should be well-appointed with Covid 19 compliance, SOPs, and all. 

Health precedes adventure, and those not complying with the new normal will sink further.  Health and safety will be a dominating concern for travelers and there is no leeway as far as allaying concerns embedded deep in people's minds after the pandemic.            

The worst impact has been on the psyche of International travelers who have closely observed the sudden surge of the second wave and its devastating nature in India. The gruesome image of rows of funeral pyres well publicized by Western Media has further vitiated the prospects of safe travel in India. The country has experienced devastation at its worst this century and will have to submit all strength and resilience to come out of this tragic and deadly economic slowdown.   

Countrywide vaccination and a complete halt to the pandemic will not bring the trust back as far as inbound tourism is concerned.  Though the decline of the pandemic to innocuous numbers will open doors for travel, only those with enough confidence and the will to travel will head toward the Indian shores. The figures would be pathetically minimal not enough to revive the ailing industry.   

Already lagging behind countries that garner a greater share of overseas tourism, the lockdown, and International flight cancellation has further paralyzed the industry.  Even inland and outbound tourism has been staggered by the pandemic. Total uncertainty prevails. 

This is for the first time in the contemporary era that the whole of India has come to a standstill, not only niche sectors like tiger tourism which draw a large number of wildlife tourist enthusiasts to the country. All sectors that attracted overseas tourists have been badly hit. 

Intermittent relief has somehow kept local tourism alive but this start-and-stop phenomenon is discouraging the peripatetic Indians as well. The savagery of the second pandemic rebound is going to take a long time for the industry to revive as it has badly marred our psych for a long long time to come. 

The forecast of the third wave is further compounding our fear and confidence, and the travel hesitancy is palpable. Taken by surprise the second wave has shocked us to no end and has perpetuated fear that it might never go away. Forget the oncoming third wave however apocryphal it may seem, the ravage of the second wave, slow down, and deaths that followed have economically exhausted the industry. The sufferers belong not only to the small segment,  the big ones have been hit equally hard.   

It is time to show confidence in ourselves whence the pandemic becomes innocuous or is halted by extensive vaccination which India is fully capable of. If we begin to travel not only will the domestic tourism sector revive quickly but it will also showcase our resilience and capacity to fight back for good and thus encourage overseas visitors to head for our shores. 

Role of The Dispensations 

The only saving grace is that tourism sectors both inbound and local will experience a renaissance albeit much later, but till then the closures and extensive unemployment it causes will remain a major challenge. The pandemic has left a large number of the unskilled labor class, and the semiskilled unemployed in its wake. This segment is most vulnerable irrespective of the industry sector and will need assistance from the Government which anyway is being provided without hesitation, but there are many who may not have been the direct beneficiary. This only means there will be assistance gaps that will have to be filled up. For instance, micro and small business owners who have faced the worst brunt of the intermittent closures and the disease prevalence at a personal level are in dire need of economic revival if they have to survive, and providence is not going to prevail this time. 

The only way out of this quagmire is to open up all sectors fast, with the implementation of schemes and incentives not only at the Governance level but also boosted by the industrialists and big businesses. Vaccination is bringing back hope but much more has to be done.   

The tourism sector calls for urgent attention not only as regards infrastructure buildup but also for a widespread economic package full of incentives and relief. This has to come from both the Centre and the State Governments.  

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Uday is a content writer and SEO. He also teaches Digital Marketing in his home town Jabalpur. He loves to write on various topics. 

He can be contacted at:

pateluday90@hotmail.com

09755089323

  

Gin Trends and Marketing Forecasts for Europe

Just woken from slumber the demand for gin is rising phenomenally all over Europe especially in UK. It is not gin alone that counts it is the ubiquitous tonic a fabulous mixer that goes along with the drinks. The spirit G&T is simply remarkable, a potent combo that delivers not only taste and aroma but also many health benefits thanks to the botanical distilled along with it.     

The health benefits accrue from the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are found in the botanical. Anyway this fact does not advocate irresponsible consumption. The herbs, roots, essential oils and extracts used during the distillation does not still qualify this alcohol based drink as gin since without the inclusion of juniper berries it cannot be classified as such.   

                                                                Osel Gin & Estonic Tonic 
   

The much-favored spirit was discovered in Holland as Genevar, and later it was modified to generate an alcohol-based drink. Genevar was a mixture of wine and juniper in the past.  Similarly, the use of tonic as a combo  originated in India whence the British ruled. This was to make the combo palatable since the soldiers had to imbibe bitter quinine along with it to ward off the scourge of malaria.  

The addition of craft or boutique liquor has given rise to a new concept and boosted demand everywhere. The craft spirits are unique blends of liquor in this case with exotic and local botanicals to create a remarkable taste and flavor that large-scale distilleries cannot emulate. This is the work of master blenders some of whom have entered into small-scale distillation businesses with the potential to expand rapidly.  This is also known as small-batch production. 

In the case of craft production, there is no match with the large-scale produce aimed at the global market. The craft produce is simply unique and is attracting not only the local segments but expanding further on the way to capture a global share.  

Osel Gin distilled by Lahhentagge Distillery based in Estonia is one such example. Maarit Poor and Tarmo Virki have done a commendable job and the spirit along with the Estonic tonic is breaking the sales barrier that is surprising the connoisseurs and market leaders in the EU.    

What goes into distillation comes out, and the fresh rye base used for fermentation is capable of absorbing the botanical to create an amazing taste and aroma thanks to the creativity of the blenders.  The craft gin produce is crisp and clear with a strong aroma and subtle taste of juniper and botanical.  

The market forecast of G&T consumption is bright and sales are booming. The boutique distilleries are creating a wide spectrum of gin spirits which can be seen on the racks. In spite of tough competition, Osel Gin is experiencing robust sales with an ever-increasing line of brand loyalists.

The product has to carve a sizeable niche in order to excel since there is steep competition with beer, vodka, and whiskey in the global market. At present beer is in greater demand than hard drinks, especially among the younger lot. Its acceptability is greater.      

There are authentic market reports available regarding the Gin market in Europe and the forecast is bright. The most promising segment is the millennial who throng the restaurants and bars in large numbers to make merry. With a wide range of boutique gin spirits available on the racks, this is not hard to comprehend.  

                                                          Non Alco Spirit Flaneur Estonia  

For teetotalers, there is good news. Lahhentagge has come up with nonalcoholic spirits called Flaneur and Flaneuse. These albeit devoid of alcohol content deliver the taste of gin without making one tipsy. Nonalcoholic bars are equally popular as the spirits mentioned above and a new niche is being created.  

Forecasts A Sample Report for 2020