Air India travel tips

Vietnam was the most-searched destination for Indians in 2023, according to the Google trends. There was a revival of global exploration after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The resurgence is evident in the latest report, unveiling the most Googled tourist destinations of the year. Here are some of the top searches:

Travel platform EaseMyTrip anticipates a robust quarter during the festive season, with a big increase in Christmas week bookings – a year-on-year surge of 20% to 30%.

Air India, privatized in 2022 and now part of the Tata Group, made big strides in 2023 to make up for  years of neglect. The airline ordered a large number of aircraft for its ambitious growth plans, unveiled its new brand imagery, and showcased the planned retrofit of its existing widebodies. The airline is also preparing to induct its first A350 aircraft into service.

In November, the average daily international passenger traffic surged by 8.4% month-on-month, reaching 198.5 million. This significant increase marks the beginning of the inbound travel season, as indicated by data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. 

As the year-end holiday season approaches, more people are choosing to travel than stay at home, a MakeMyTripreport suggests. However, traditional Indian leisure spots continue to be a hot favorite. 

Low-cost carrier IndiGois set to be the first airline partner for India’s new Noida International Airportwhen it begins its first phase of operations by the end of next year. 

Air India announced it would be adding more than 400 weekly flights to its domestic and international route network until March 2024. On the back of expected new aircraft deliveries over the next six months, Air India aims to strengthen its domestic India network by adding more than 200 weekly flights. 

While metropolises like New Delhi and Mumbai continue to be on the travel list, leisure destinations like Udaipur, Puri, Goa, Jaipur and Munnar are some of the top searched domestic destinations during the festive season (between November 10-14), according to Booking.com.

Boosted by the travel boom, the Indian hotel industry is set to report double-digit revenue growth in fiscal 2024, as projected by ratings agency ICRA.

In this year’s winter schedule, Indigo will have the largest number of domestic flights among Indian airlines, with a total of 13,119 flights each week – a 30% increase from a year earlier.

Due to the swift rebound in domestic passenger traffic, credit rating agency ICRA maintains a stable outlook for the Indian aviation industry. The agency anticipates that this recovery will persist through the latter half of the financial year.

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).

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

IndiGo is developing a wrist device designed to gauge pilot fatigue and alertness levels before and after flights, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters The budget carrier will work in partnership with the French aerospace conglomerate, Thales Group, and also intends to appoint a consultant to improve its fatigue risk management procedures. 

Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands, together making up nearly 70% of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)’s portfolio in India, are going to remain the “driver of growth” in the market, said the company’s South West Asia Managing Director, Sudeep Jain.

Air India has entered into an interline partnership with Bangkok Airways that will allow the Tata Group-owned airline’s passengers connections to 10 Southeast Asian destinations beyond the Thai capital. 

Travel fintech start-up SanKash has observed a surge in travel bookings from September 8 to 10 as the capital city of New Delhi prepares for a scheduled closure for the G20 Summit. 

Only 25% of Indians traveling abroad purchase travel insurance well in advance while making travel arrangements, while the majority of them wait until the last three days to buy it, according to data compiled by insurance aggregator Policybazaar.

Antitrust watchdog Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Tata group’s plan to merge its full-service carriers Air India and Vistara.