Discover where locals travel in India

I woke up to see the sun shining, and my heart dropped. Normally, during a vacation, sun is a good thing. But when you’ve come all the way to India to experience the monsoon, all you want is rain.

Airbnb contributed over $920 million (INR 72 billion) to India’s gross domestic product (GDP) and supported over 85,000 jobs in the country between April 2022-March 2023, according to research by Oxford Economics.

India is having a moment. And Skift has been there documenting it for the last few years as it is ready to shape the future of the global travel industry. The India outbound traveler is poised to become the biggest global force in coming years, and the Indian domestic market is one every major global brand is now clamoring to be part of.

It’s impossible to tell how big the black eagle really is until it alights on the oak tree in front of me, making the branches droop and creak as it clings to its perch like an elephant on a tightrope. With a wingspan of around three feet, this giant bird of prey is far less graceful on its talons than it was a moment ago, when it was gliding in broad arcs over the rippling green valley. As I clasp a cup of chai on a terrace 1,800 metres up in the Kumaon Hills, I’m close enough to see its peppercorn-coloured wing tips.

The tourism sector is booming in India, and companies have jobs to fill: There was 44% growth in hiring demand in the industry in August, according to latest data by recruitment platform foundit (formerly Monster).

Ideal conditions await you in Lamu, the island off mainland Kenya, in January: skies are clear, waters are translucent for diving and snorkelling, and afternoon sea breezes keep temperatures balmy. It can be busy early in the month, but the archipelago has plenty of hidden corners where you can find solitude.

TV viewers have reveled in the world of Reservation Dogs since the revolutionary FX show debuted in 2021. With an almost entirely Indigenous team both behind and in front of the camera, the dark comedy offers a rare authentic look at modern Native American life. It revolves around the lives of four teenagers growing up on a fictional Indian reservation in Oklahoma as they confront the many complicated issues facing tribal communities, from Indigeneity to intergenerational trauma to high rates of poverty and suicide. And yet, so much joy and humor surges throughout the series.

Online travel company Agoda has announced that it has partnered with Indian e-commerce platform Snapdeal to deliver what it calls cost-effective travel options for Indian consumers.

Last week, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green said India became the first country to return to and surpass pre-pandemic levels of travel to Australia. 

Four tech startups involved with the travel industry announced fundraises of more than $31 million in the past week.

One evening after a long day at work, Diksha Manocha was idly scrolling Instagram when she stumbled across something peculiar: an account for Join My Wedding, an online service that allows tourists to purchase tickets to weddings in India.

Last week, Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific announced the resumption of three non-stop weekly flights from Chennai.