Bulbul Dhawan travel tips

The domestic air passenger traffic in India during the 2023-24 financial year is estimated to stand at 154 million, according to credit rating agency ICRA. This figure surpasses the pre-Covid figure of 142 million domestic air passengers recorded in the 2019-20 financial year. The agency further stated that domestic air passenger traffic witnessed a 13% increase from last year. 

“Ninety percent of the success of hotel companies is linked to two things – demography and emerging middle class,” Accor chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin said at the recent hospitality conference, HICSA 2024. This is especially true for India, he said, which has accounted for 25% of the emerging middle class in the past 10 years.

Corporate travel in India is booming – spending surged nearly 25% in 2023. And online travel companies are ramping up their efforts to profit from it.  

Online travel agency MakeMyTrip has announced a new exclusive charter service between Mumbai and Bhutan. This service is a part of its holiday packages and the exclusive charter will depart once a week.

The Goa tourism department has partnered with the organizers of the Ironman 70.3 India race to promote sports tourism. According to Goa tourism director Suneel Anchipaka, the aim of the agreement is to promote Goa as the premier destination for sports tourism. 

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has announced the opening of The Earth Amritsar under the Trademark Collection by Wyndham brand – its debut in India. The 57-key heritage hotel is operated in collaboration with Earth Suites and Resorts Private Limited. 

Online travel platform Agoda has signed an agreement with Goa Tourism to promote the coastal state. The collaboration aims to highlight various experiences that the state can offer to different travelers. 

French hospitality company Accor signed a record 11 hotels in India last year and opened six properties, it said in a statement released on Thursday. 

Malaysia Airlines has entered into a codeshare agreement with India’s largest airline IndiGo. The agreement would allow the airlines to provide the networks of both carriers to their respective customers. 

The Indian hospitality industry witnessed investments to the tune of $401 million in 2023, real estate company JLL revealed in a new report. This was nearly four times the transaction volume recorded in 2022. 

The Saudi Tourism Authority has said that the kingdom aims to make India its top source market. The country is seeking to bring in 7.5 million Indian visitors over the next seven years. 

Intrepid Travel talked about the importance of India as a destination to the group’s 2030 strategy. The tour operator currently operates 800 trips in the country as part of its offerings that allow travelers to experience the local culture of the destination. 

Indians have budgeted more for travel in 2024, according to Skyscanner Horizons 2023-2024 report. According to Skyscanner, 63% of Indians are planning to spend more on travel this year, the highest of any country. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is number 2, with 56% of travelers planning to spend more. 

At the inaugural Skift India Summit held at The Leela Ambience Gurugram on Wednesday, hospitality chain Oyo’s CEO Ritesh Agarwal addressed the speculation around its potential IPO. He said that the company does not have a need to raise money at this stage from the public or private markets. Oyo is currently focusing on delivering good earnings results, he said. 

Marriott International has announced the signing of its debut Ritz-Carlton property in Jaipur, Maharashtra. The 250-key hotel is expected to open in 2028. Currently, the hospitality company operates five hotels in the city. Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific excluding China at Marriott International, said that the Indian market is flourishing and its interest in luxury travel is leading to a growth in demand for global luxury brands. 

The first commercial flight of India’s newest airline, Fly91, took off on Monday. The Goa-based airline’s maiden flight was on the Goa-Bengaluru route. Its next flight is scheduled for Tuesday between Goa and Hyderabad. 

The annual passenger capacity at Indian airports is set to increase by 60 million. This comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated new terminal buildings at 12 airports across the country.

The Adani Group is set to invest INR 600 billion in its airport business over the next five to 10 years. This investment will be used to expand seven of the existing airports in its portfolio and will be split evenly between ‘airside’ expansion and ‘cityside’ development, the conglomerate said. 

The hospitality industry in India is undergoing a rapid expansion. According to data from real estate services firm JLL, a total of 131 hotels opened in the country between January and September 2023, with another 182 properties signed. That’s over 8,200 keys, with more than 16,000 in the pipeline. 

India is set to get multiple tourism projects worth INR 14 billion ($169 million). Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating these projects on Thursday during his visit to Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The projects aim to boost the domestic tourism industry in the country with the help of Swadesh Darshan and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) schemes.