Louisiana Makes Its Case For More Indian Tourists

Exploring the West Coast just got easier with new airline routes. 

In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia talks to Mehul Sharma, CEO and founder of Signum Hotels and Resorts, about the demand-supply gap in India’s hospitality market. Sharma goes on to talk about the growing demand for religious tourism in India and what makes religious destinations such a strong investment for hospitality companies.  

Delta Air Lines is on a roll in Austin with plans to add five new routes next year.

Carnival Corp. said Monday that Alaska has emerged as one of the cruise line operator’s top destinations this year, especially for first-time cruisegoers.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Celia Robbins, an American who relocated to Berlin with her family. She works at the Embassy of the United States of America in Berlin. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

It hasn’t been an easy year for Southwest Airlines. 

A popular low-cost air airline is expanding globally. Southwest Airlines recently announced a partnership to offer international flights by partnering with carriers who operate international fights in Southwest markets. “Southwest is formalizing partnerships with international carriers to expand its network and connect Customers with more global destinations to generate additional demand for travel across the Southwest network,” Southwest shared in a news release. The launch of this new international flight program will take place in 2025, with Icelandair as the first partner airline, and will depart from the Baltimore, MD (BWI) airport. There, travelers can fly on Icelandair to Iceland, where they can connect to a variety of European destinations including Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Oslo, Prague, Rome, and more. Icelandair is a discount carrier that operates international flights, and similar to Southwest, does not have a first or business class section on their aircraft.  “The partnership will unlock many exciting travel options for our customers, and our extensive network in Europe will open for Southwest customers,” Icelandair President and CEO Bogi Nils Bogason said in a statement.  “As part of our strategic focus on expanding our global partnership network, we seek out airlines known for exceptional service and connectivity.” As an example, a traveler would start their journey on Southwest from Nashville to Baltimore, and then continue on Icelandair from Baltimore to Iceland.

Alaska Airlines is simplifying its flight subscription pass, offering just two options.

Hotel tech startup Mews said Thursday that it has secured $100 million in venture credit to fuel more acquisitions. 

Goa is not ready to lose out on the destination wedding business, especially this close to the upcoming wedding season. The state has rolled back its decision to increase the fees to hold private events, including weddings.  

Luxury hospitality company Four Seasons is wowing travelers with a brand-new around-the-world private jet trip from California back to Canada, touching on three different continents.

Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" returns to the U.S. next month, and while I'm no Swiftie, I have a 9-year-old daughter who's a massive fan. I may not be able to belt out the lyrics to many of her songs, but I do have a ton of experience leveraging my travel credit cards and knowledge of points and miles to make memories with my family.