How I got the shot: Tristan Bejawn on capturing Jaipur's arts & crafts scene

In Linde Freya Tangelder’s opinion, great design starts with demolition. “To pull something down or destroy a little bit of the past gives you freedom,” says the 35-year-old Dutch-born designer. Breaking apart her own work and starting over, deconstructing her models and rebuilding them, is, she says, an integral part of her creative process.

The overall nights booked on Airbnb in India have grown by almost 70% in 2022 as compared to pre-pandemic levels while domestic nights grew by 110%.

Given the relentless heat waves that have affected much of the U.S. this summer, it’s pretty reasonable to expect that a so-called Indian summer will follow in temperate regions like the southwest. Which is why autumn just might be the perfect time to enjoy the last of the year’s idyllic days spent at the swimming pool in places like Las Vegas.

Moving away from mundane heritage walks, Eesha Singh, co-founder of No Footprints, brings a new take to storytelling through tour experiences. 

As long as people have been traveling, they’ve sought mementos and souvenirs. Ancient Egyptians and Romans brought spices, animal skins, and gold back from foreign trade missions or conquests. Modern travelers hunt for handicrafts or traditional art, tangible reminders of other places to use in their own lives at home: a Moroccan rug splayed across the living room floor, a gleaming Venetian glass vase to fill with wildflowers.

In our weekend roundup, we delve into the pros and cons of Google’s latest foray into the tours and activities industry, providing insights into how online travel agencies might stand to benefit. We also catch up with IHG’s new CEO Elie Maalouf and his ambitious plans for the brand’s future. From AI’s influence on the travel sector to the latest controversies in short-term rentals, keep reading for a comprehensive look at the most pressing issues in today’s travel landscape.

Southeast Asia’s tourist economies are set to be leading beneficiaries of China‘s scrapping of travel bans as they have steered clear of the COVID-19 tests before entry that Europe, Japan and the United States have imposed on Chinese visitors.

Having started as a mom-and-pop travel agency, EaseMyTrip today figures among the largest online travel agencies (OTA) in India with a market capitalization of $1.1 billion while being completely bootstrapped.

This week Executive Editor Dennis Schaal stepped back from the earnings buzzsaw that has been the last month and took a longer look at three brands he covers a lot: Airbnb, Expedia, and Booking. In the case of Airbnb, he looked at what it and Booking may do with their piles of cash, as well as what it should expect from Expedia’s Vrbo. These are two stories that would not have been possible to write this time last year when Airbnb didn’t have a year behind it as a public company.

India’s largest private airport operator — Adani Airports will bid for about a dozen more airports in the country to expand its footprint in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, confirmed the company’s chief executive officer Arun Bansal. “India will have 1 billion air passengers by 2040, with passenger traffic growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.5 percent over the next 20 years,” he said. On their strategy to acquire more airports in the country, Bansal remarked, “Our strategy is simple, to create a scale [of operations]. If the bid condition is right, we will bid.” The Indian government recently privatized six airports — Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram — all of which were won by Adani Airports. Adani currently manages seven operational airports including Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and is also developing the Navi Mumbai airport in Maharashtra. The airport is expected to handle 90 million passengers per year by 2036. In the first phase, which is scheduled to be completed by December 2024, the airport will have a passenger handling capacity of 20 million. All of Adani’s airports have experienced significant growth in passenger traffic in recent years. The company’s six airports together saw a 92 percent increase in domestic passengers and a 133 percent increase in international passengers. The number of domestic flights increased by 58 percent, while international flights increased by 61 percent.

Marking the debut of Hilton’s luxury brand Waldorf Astoria in India, Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton, announced on Wednesday that Jaipur would be the first destination for the brand.

Thailand-based Minor Hotels will launch its luxury Anantara brand in India with Anantara Jaipur Hotel in the north Indian state of Rajasthan, scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2023. The hotel will feature 150 guest rooms and suites, including four terrace suites with private plunge pools, and a 160-square-meter royal suite with a large terrace and private pool. Besides bars and restaurants, other facilities will include a spa, beauty salon, gym, semi-outdoor pool, kids’ club, and event spaces. The hotel will be able to cater to weddings of up to 2,500 guests with its collection of indoor and outdoor venues. “Jaipur is one of India’s most vibrant destinations, with a huge destination wedding potential, and I look forward to working with (owner) Ajay Gangwal and his team to launch our first Anantara in India, which is a significant strategic step for Minor Hotels,” said Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels. Minor Hotels currently has a portfolio of more than 530 hotels and resorts in 56 countries across its brands, which include Anantara, Avani, Elewana, Oaks, NH, nhow and Tivoli. In other developments, Hilton announced that it, too, has an interest in Jaipur, where it will debut its luxury brand, the Waldorf Astoria. Radisson, too, is thinking luxury, and announced on Wednesday that it would be debuting its luxury lifestyle brand, Radisson Collection in India with the signing of the first hotel in Hyderabad.