Travel in India

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, May 1. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

While I admit I'm biased, Washington, DC, holds the key to my heart.

The Madras High Court has made it mandatory for all motor vehicles seeking to enter the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal between May 7 and June 30 to obtain electronic passes. The aim is to collect data on the number of tourists visiting and the number and types of vehicles that are entering these hill stations.

Imagine a day jet skiing between islands accompanied by a pod of dolphins, then getting in a round of golf before your stress-relieving Ayurvedic massage, heading back to your overwater villa to enjoy sunset cocktails then ending the evening with a gourmet meal overlooking the Indian Ocean. All right — they can’t always guarantee the dolphins. But the rest is a sure thing at your stay at Velaa Private Island resort in the Maldives.

Despite having met as college students in Los Angeles and currently living in New York City, Mitali Gupta and Nick Ruzicka have always known they’d get married in India. Mitali grew up in Delhi, and always assumed she’d return to her native country for her wedding one day. For Nick, who is half-Indian and grew up in the Bay Area, it was a bit more complicated: his mother left the country at age 17 and his exposure to the culture was limited to less frequent visits to his grandfather.

India’s largest carrier IndiGo, which recently placed its first-ever order for widebody aircraft, plans to offer nonstop connectivity from major Indian airports to global destinations.

The 60th edition of the art extravaganza that’s the Venice Biennale runs until 24 November at the two main venues Giardini and Arsenale. as well as countless offsite locations, official and unofficial. There are 88 National participations this year, with four countries participating for the first time: Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Democratic Republic of Timor Leste. Here are eleven of the must see country pavilions.

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.

India-based hotel aggregator and operator Oyo plans to increase its U.S. footprint by adding over 250 hotels in 2024. This would represent a 150% uptick compared to the previous year’s addition of 100 hotels.

The future of Australia’s newest low-cost airline is in the balance. On Tuesday, Bonza suddenly canceled its entire flying program and entered voluntary administration, a form of protection from creditors.

India’s largest bank State Bank of India (SBI) has launched its first-ever travel focused credit card. ‘SBI Card MILES’ has been launched in three variants to cater to different types of travelers, from beginners to frequent flyers. 

Singapore Airlines has been ordered to compensate a couple who said their business-class seats malfunctioned, according to local media reports.

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.

Often called Thailand’s “Capital in the North,” the mountainside city of Chiang Mai is an idyllic destination with bundles on offer across its rich and varied neighborhoods.

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.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, April 26. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

IndiGo, which operates on the no-frills philosophy, has perfected its model of keeping costs low since 2006. The airline is one of the biggest customers of the A320/320neo family, with 1,340 of these ordered and over 350 in operation. 

Indian budget carrier IndiGo has placed its first-ever order for widebody aircraft, with an order of 30 Airbus A350-900 jets. The move is expected to help expand IndiGo’s international network to long-haul destinations.

With all that moms do for us, it can be hard to find a gift that adequately expresses our gratitude. Instead of generic gifts like flowers and chocolate, experiential gifts are a more thoughtful gesture. Whether mom is burnt out and in need of a break from the family or retired and ready to travel, the gift of a vacation is one that keeps giving years after memories are made on her trip. The below list offers something for whatever mom is seeking—from elephant encounters in Thailand to truffle-hunting in Tuscany to forest bathing in the California Redwoods.

The Venice Biennale is renowned for tackling weighty and complex themes from nationalism to climate change. But that doesn't mean all the works on show are sombre or obscurely conceptualized. This year, dozens of contributions to what is known as the 'Art Olympics' are joyous, celebratory and spectacular to look at.

India recorded a cruise tourism footfall of 470,000 in the 2023-24 financial year – its highest ever. Domestic tourists accounted for nearly 80% of this, as international cruise tourism in India has yet to revive to pre-Covid levels.