Agra vs Jaipur: which Indian city is best?

Lonely Planet editor Akanksha Singh traveled to Jaipur to experience its history and culture. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip.

The creations of Arizona-born Orlando Dugi, a member of the Diné Nation, are nothing if not dramatic: gowns glittering with delicate beadwork, silks embroidered with symbolic flora and fauna. Some have been exhibited at places like the Denver Art Museum and the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles. While his imagination is fueled by his upbringing—days spent watching his grandmother sew and nights stargazing at his family's sheep ranch—Dugi also finds inspiration in Santa Fe, which he's called home since 2010. “All the tribal, colonial, and Spanish history—it's all here,” he says. “It's very small, but it's also pretty international.” New Mexico's capital city is set to draw a global audience as host of the inaugural Santa Fe Native Fashion Week, the first of its kind in the country, held from May 2 to 5, where Dugi will present highlights from his mens- and womenswear collections. When he's not designing, he enjoys connecting with Indigenous culture on the ancestral lands of the Tewa people—or kicking back with a margarita.

The world’s biggest hotel chains are doubling down on India, betting that the country’s rising affluence will fuel a surge in travel demand for years to come.

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) is bringing back its Gateway brand from “cold storage,” but it will be a reimagined version: A full-service hotel offering in the upscale segment.

More than 81% of the Indian GenZs – aged between 18 and 25 years – start planning their first international trips as soon as they secure a job or receive their first paycheck, online travel agency Skyscanner has revealed in a new report. Indians are historically known to start saving as soon as they are employed and have been conservative with their travel spends. These findings highlight how the youth, especially the growing middle class, is changing the tourism landscape in the country.

On an otherwise unremarkable Saturday in Tucson last month, I visited the intersection of the Harlem Renaissance and romance lit with Netflix darling Tia Williams, brushed up on global security threats with MSNBC contributors Barbara McQuade and Frank Figliuzzi, got an easy Roman-Jewish cake recipe from cookbook wunderkind Leah Koenig, and caught a dramatic reading by National Humanities Medal winner Abraham Verghese. All before lunch. And tens of thousands of people around me were doing much the same thing: making the rounds at the famed Tucson Festival of Books, where I’d decided to spend a few hours on a trip to see my parents. As I began to realize the more people I met in line, many had come to town just for this.

The European Commission has introduced a new visa “cascade” regime for Indian nationals applying for Schengen visas in India. This regime looks to offer longer-term, multi-entry Schengen visas, based on the applicant’s travel history.

Indian travelers have an increased interest in weekend getaways and spiritual tourism, according to online travel agency MakeMyTrip’s first-ever travel trends report. Searches for destinations with or around religious spots increased by 97% in the last two years, the platform stated in the report, which was released on Monday.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand on Thursday hosted a group of more than 8,000 incentive visitors from India. The delegation is part of the authority’s goal of receiving at least 1.7 million Indian visitors this year, it said in a statement. 

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, April 19. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

The travel and tourism industry in India is projected to generate revenue of nearly $24 billion in 2024, according to industry promotions body India Brand Equity Foundation. At an estimated annual growth rate of 9.6% between 2024 and 2028, the industry is also expected to reach a market volume of $34.25 billion by 2028. 

The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators is determined to increase Indian arrivals to the island destination and is taking steps to achieve this.