Travel in city Delhi

The civil aviation ministry is looking to integrate DigiYatra, the digital initiative for airport check-ins, for international travel. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the civil aviation minister, recently met airport operators to discuss it.

As president and CEO of one of Europe’s most prestigious flag carriers, Pieter Elbers was at the top of his game. He successfully navigated Dutch airline KLM through the 2010s and the worst of the pandemic – it seemed like there was little he couldn’t do. 

In an exciting milestone for Skift, we are thrilled to bring our first-ever Skift India Summit to India, happening on March 19-20 in Delhi-NCR. The decision to host a groundbreaking Skift event in India has been a long time coming and reflects why now is such an important moment for India’s growth and its impact on the global travel industry.

After a horrific start to January, Boeing has received a much needed boost. The good news has come from India where the country’s youngest carrier Akasa Air has ordered 150 Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The deal was confirmed at the aviation event Wings India 2024 on Thursday in Hyderabad. 

The Indian aviation watchdog, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said Monday that it issued a decade-high of 1,622 commercial pilot licenses in 2023, up from 1,165 licenses in 2022. 

Daily flights to Kozhikode (CCJ) and Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) began on New Year’s Day

Vietnam was the most-searched destination for Indians in 2023, according to the Google trends. There was a revival of global exploration after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The resurgence is evident in the latest report, unveiling the most Googled tourist destinations of the year. Here are some of the top searches:

Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet on Tuesday officially confirmed its intent to bid for Go First, which filed for bankruptcy in May this year.

From towering Himalayan peaks to vast expanses of grassland and the steamy hills of the Western Ghats, India offers a diversity of hiking experiences like nowhere else on Earth.

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Air India, privatized in 2022 and now part of the Tata Group, made big strides in 2023 to make up for  years of neglect. The airline ordered a large number of aircraft for its ambitious growth plans, unveiled its new brand imagery, and showcased the planned retrofit of its existing widebodies. The airline is also preparing to induct its first A350 aircraft into service.

I'd seen images of baby Krishna atop a banyan leaf in pop devotional art posters all over India. Yet it was only on a dusty lane in Jaipur's Old City that I witnessed the leaf of the banyan tree deliver something divine in person. “That's outstanding,” said Chintan Pandya as he tasted a piece of kesar pista makhan—a seemingly simple bar of saffron-tinted butter topped with bits of crushed pistachio—picked off the dried leaf. “No…mind-blowing.” Licking his fingers, America's most acclaimed Indian chef passed the bar to me. “Here, use your hands.”

Happy Tuesday, folks! If you need as much coffee as I did this morning, you had a good weekend. 

Even before Sri Lanka included India in the list of nations that will get free visas, it was among the most preferred destinations for Indian families, along with Sharjah in United Arab Emirates. A report from online travel agency Cleartrip chronicles what, how and which destinations were trending between July and September 2023. Domestically, Goa, Gurugram, and Chandigarh were the preferred non-metro destinations. 

Low-cost carrier IndiGois set to be the first airline partner for India’s new Noida International Airportwhen it begins its first phase of operations by the end of next year. 

India’s accommodation sector remains upbeat about its economic development, despite a sluggish inbound travel recovery. The sector has been reporting rising room and occupancy rates over the past six months.

The stage is set for the grand finale of the Cricket World Cup, where two cricketing giants — India and Australia — are poised to clash this Sunday in a battle that promises to be nothing short of monumental.

Major conflicts in recent years, most notably in Israel and Ukraine, have significantly impacted travel worldwide, another hurdle for the industry in its quest to make a complete recovery from the pandemic.

InterGlobe Enterprises, which backs India’s top airline IndiGo, and U.S.-based Archer Aviation will launch an all-electric air taxi service in India in 2026 that will be “cost-competitive” with on-road services, the companies said Thursday.

As India’s outbound travel market gears up to reach $45 billion by 2032, there is a growing focus on high-spending travelers coming from the country.

Excitement is building as we draw closer to Skift India Summit, set to take place in Delhi next year on March 19-20. For the inaugural event, we’ve curated an exceptional lineup of speakers who promise to offer valuable insights and expertise in the travel industry.