The Air India and Vistara merger has been ongoing for over 20 months and is now in its final phase with an expected completion date of November 12, the airlines announced Friday.
28.08.2024 - 14:36 / skift.com / Peden Doma Bhutia / Narendra Modi / Bulbul Dhawan
Over 80% of Indians have either had or are planning a destination wedding, a survey conducted by search aggregator Skyscanner showed. This preference is strongest among Gen Z, with about 50% of that group indicating that they are considering a destination wedding. This figure is 33% among Millennials.
Anam Zubair, Director Consumer Marketing, WeddingWire India, said, “The concept of planning a destination wedding in India is growing in popularity, with nearly a 13% increase year-over-year in the number of couples who are opting for destination weddings.”
According to the Skyscanner survey, which involved 2,000 respondents from India, there is an increased interest in holding pre-wedding festivities with their friends and family, especially in the aftermath of the Ambani wedding extravaganza. Indians are opting for weekend getaways, cruise parties, Italian-style gatherings, and concerts and events to celebrate.
Locations such as Goa, Dubai, Bali, and Bangkok emerged as preferred locations in the survey, along with the UK, Spain, France, and Italy.
Here are some of the trends that the survey revealed:
Despite couples willing to increase their budget for destination weddings, they are still careful with their spending. Mohit Joshi, Skyscanner Travel Trends and Destination Expert, said, “The survey shows that for 41% of respondents in India, prioritizing cost when picking destination wedding venues is key.” Hence, they start planning their weddings a year in advance to organize all the details, with 40% of the respondents relying on wedding planners to get guidance.
Big Fat Indian Weddings: Indian weddings are an extravagant affair. In a Skift feature earlier this year, my colleague Peden Doma Bhutia reported that the 2023-24 wedding season in India generated an estimated revenue of $75 billion.
A survey by the Confederation of All India Traders revealed that between November 23 and December 15, 2023, about 3.5 million couples tied the knot in India leading to spending that totaled around INR 4.25 trillion ($57 billion).
A typical Indian wedding at an international destination costs about $215,000, according to Skift Research estimates. And in 2024, destination weddings are projected to account for 21% of the total weddings
According to Skift Research’s survey, Indian destination weddings account for $1.9 billion (INR 159.6 billion) in outbound travel spending. To capitalize on this market, India is actively promoting itself as the next big wedding destination: Wed in India. According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called for Indians to host weddings in their families in India itself, having destination weddings within India would help boost the economy.
Visa applications by Indian travelers
The Air India and Vistara merger has been ongoing for over 20 months and is now in its final phase with an expected completion date of November 12, the airlines announced Friday.
The northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has its eyes on India for inbound tourism. That on its own isn’t new – just about everyone wants to tap into India’s growing middle class. But in doing so, RAK could chip away at Dubai’s largest source market.
Did you know: In 2022, the number of domestic tourists who visited Indian pilgrimage sites was more than India’s population – 1.43 billion.
A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller India.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, August 27, 2024, and now, here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
India’s tourism industry is experiencing a major transformation, fueled by the growing middle class and increasing disposable income. Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan recap this month’s developments, discussing India’s rising influence in global tourism. With the country’s booming economy making headlines, what does this mean for global travel?
Sri Lanka is set to launch a six-month pilot program on October 1, offering free 30-day tourist visas on arrival to citizens from 35 countries, including the U.S., UK, Russia, India and China. The initiative, which temporarily waives the typical $50 visa fee, aligns with the island nation’s peak travel season, lasting from December to mid-April. This move is part of a broader strategy to revitalize tourism, a sector crucial to Sri Lanka’s economy.
What can India and U.S. do to boost tourism? According to the first Indo-U.S. Tourism and Hospitality Summit held by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce in Delhi on Friday, the answer is speedier visas and more direct flights.
Skift’s State of Travel 2024 report highlighted that the Middle East and Africa are seeing a surge in international tourism, driven largely by Saudi Arabia’s push in recent years.
China brought in over 17.25 million foreign tourists from January to July this year, a 130% increase compared to 2023, according to latest data from the National Immigration Administration (NIA). The influx is set to generate over CNY 100 billion ($14 billion) in consumer spending, with per capita daily spending nearing CNY 3,459 ($485).
I've been invited to more bachelorette parties than I can count.
Branded hotel room signings in India during the April to June quarter surged by nearly 40% from the same period in 2023, according to data by real estate services company JLL. During the quarter, over 9,700 new keys across 82 branded hotels were signed, while another 50 hotels opened during this period.