Earlier this month, Thomas Cook India’s company – SOTC Travel – unveiled a series of 6 regional film campaigns around travel. The campaign was launched to mark its 75th anniversary and to reinforce the company’s focus on regional markets in India.
29.10.2024 - 06:05 / skift.com / Narendra Modi / Pieter Elbers / Pedro Sanchez / Bulbul Dhawan
The Indian aviation sector is poised for significant growth, and civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu believes the country might need 4,000 additional planes over the next two decades to cater to the demand. Currently, Indian airlines are operating around 800 planes and have an order book of over 1,200 aircraft.
The minister, while speaking at Airbus’ India and South Asia Headquarters, added that in the next 20 years, 200 more airports will be developed in the country. During the event, civil aviation secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said air-passenger traffic in India is expected to double in the next five years. Last year, India recorded 220 million air passengers.
Made In India Planes: The minister said the government’s long-term plans for the aviation sector include efforts to design and manufacture planes in India. On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez inaugurated the TATA Aircraft Complex in Vadodara to manufacture C-295 aircraft.
Modi said that this will make way for a Made in India civil aircraft and that the factory will play a key role in the design and manufacture of civil aircraft to meet the requirements of Indian travelers.
India has the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world, according to aviation analytics firm OAG. The domestic airline capacity in India in April 2024 was about 15.6 million, up from 8 million in April 2014. The firm noted that over the past 10 years, the Indian domestic market grew at an annual rate of 6.9% and was one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.
Over the past few months, two new airlines have received regulatory approvals to commence operations as more players are seeking to enter the booming market. Last week, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers noted that the sector is projected to grow at a fast pace, and that infrastructure on the ground and in the air need to keep up. He was optimistic about the growth of the sector despite the airline posting a quarterly loss for the first time in two years.
The Indian government is planning to invest INR 920 billion ($11 billion) in airport infrastructure for construction of new airports and expansion of existing ones. It is looking to have 200 operational airports by 2025, up from 157 airports at present.
Hilton has signed its first property in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The 118-room hotel will be operated under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand and is expected to open in 2026.
The chain is currently operating two hotels in Rajasthan – Hilton Jaipur and DoubleTree by Hilton Jaipur Amer. Due to its position as a premier wedding destination in India, Rajasthan has been the focus of several major hotel chains for some time, including Marriott
Earlier this month, Thomas Cook India’s company – SOTC Travel – unveiled a series of 6 regional film campaigns around travel. The campaign was launched to mark its 75th anniversary and to reinforce the company’s focus on regional markets in India.
Global hotel rates are expected to rise in 2025, but with more moderate price increases when compared to recent years, according to the recent Amex Global Business Travel Hotel Monitor 2025 report.
Oct 28, 2024 • 9 min read
Budget carrier IndiGo on Friday reported a loss of INR 9.9 billion ($118 million) in the most recent quarter – a reversal after seven straight profitable reports for India’s largest airline.
The Department of Justice announced Thursday that it would launch a “broad public inquiry” into the state of competition in air travel — the government’s second inquiry into the airline industry in just the past two months.
Online travel company Ixigo’s board on Thursday approved plans to acquire a 51% stake in train e-catering food service Zoop. The deal is for INR 125.4 million ($1.5 million).
Goa’s Department of Tourism has launched a slew of adventure tourism activities, such as paramotoring and shooting range experiences along with white water rafting, bungee jumping, and scuba diving. This, it said, is meant to cater to the growing demand for unique experiences among travelers.
Indians spent over $2 billion on international travel in August, data from the Indian central bank shows – the highest amount in the past 12 months. Travel held the lion’s share in total overseas spending during the month: close to 63% of $3.2 billion.
This episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast sets the stage for an in-depth discussion on India’s evolving corporate travel market. Avinash Chandani, partner at Deloitte India, talks to Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia about the growth potential of the Indian corporate travel market. Key topics include growth drivers, industry trends like blended travel, the impact of technology and data, and the role of travel management companies. The podcast provides an insight into how businesses are navigating high travel costs, geopolitical challenges, and shifting traveler expectations providing a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and challenges in India’s corporate travel landscape, with a mix of data-driven analysis and expert commentary.
Breezing through airport security without an ID or a boarding pass may have once been a futuristic idea. Today, it is a reality in India.
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Indian hospitality chain The Leela has announced the launch of Arq by The Leela – its collection of “ultra-luxury villas.” The collection has been launched at the Leela Palace Udaipur and is being positioned as a “hyper-personalized Palace within a Palace” by the hotel chain. The hotel chain will introduce more Arq by The Leela collections across its portfolio.