IHCL has announced the signing of a new hotel in Jaipur, Rajasthan. This greenfield project will be branded a Vivanta. Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President – Real Estate & Development, IHCL said, “Fuelled by major infrastructure developments, Jaipur has rapidly evolved as key regional hub, significantly boosting demand from business and MICE segments apart from the long established leisure segment  This signing aligns with IHCL’s strategy to expand presence in such high-growth micro markets of metros an state capitals across India. We are delighted to collaborate with Dinesh Choudhary, Vivek Choudhary and Rajat Choudhary for this project.” The 160-key Vivanta Jaipur in Jagatpura is the closest hotel to the newly renovated Terminal 1 of Jaipur International Airport. The hotel features an all-day dining restaurant, a bar, a fully equipped gym, swimming pool, health club, specialty roof top restaurant and state-of-the-art conference facilities, catering to both leisure and business guests. Vivek Choudhary, Director, Wonder Build Developers Private Ltd, said, “We are proud to partner with IHCL to bring the Vivanta brand to Jaipur. This collaboration will contribute to the city’s growing hospitality landscape and offer a world-class experience to travelers. With IHCL’s expertise and the strong brand recognition of Vivanta, we are confident that the hotel will emerge as a preferred destination for travellers.” With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have 31 hotels in Rajasthan including 8 under development.

Ventive Hospitality along with its Promoter Group Companies, announced the expansion of their strategic partnership with Marriott International, by signing management contracts for seven luxury, upper upscale and upscale hotels comprising of 1,548 rooms across India and Sri Lanka. This partnership marks multiple brand debuts in key locations including Sri Lanka, Varanasi, Mundra, Pune, and Navi Mumbai. Further, Ventive Hospitality also announced its plans to develop a hotel on its existing leasehold land in Mundra, India. Of the seven hotels, three hotels are being developed by Ventive Hospitality and its subsidiaries – the Ritz-Carlton Reserve (73 villas along with 80 branded residences for sale) at Pottuvil, near Yala East National Park in Sri Lanka; Varanasi Marriott Hotel (161 rooms) at Varanasi, India and Courtyard by Marriott (200 rooms) at Mundra, India. The remaining four hotels – the proposed JW Marriott Navi Mumbai (450 rooms), Moxy Navi Mumbai (200 rooms), Moxy Pune Wakad (264 rooms) and Moxy Pune Kharadi (200 rooms), are being developed by the Promoter Group companies on Right Of First Offer (ROFO) or alternative structure basis for the Ventive Hospitality and will be transferred to the Company under a suitable arrangement that maximizes value for all stakeholders equitably. This partnership, one of India’s largest in the luxury and upper-upscale hotel sector, leverages the strength of Ventive Hospitality’s project execution capabilities along with Marriott International’s renowned brands and hotel management expertise. Both companies are poised to unlock significant growth opportunities by capitalizing on a favorable demand-supply dynamics. This strategic partnership was formally announced by Atul Chordia, Chairman and Executive Director of Ventive Hospitality Ltd, and Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International. Also present at the event were Ranju …

The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI celebrated excellence at its 5th Empowering Hospitality Conclave & Awards on 26th June 2025 at Della Resorts & Adventures, Lonavala. Graced by Chief Guest Shri Mohamed Farouk – Regional Director (Western Region), India Tourism Mumbai, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the event recognized pioneers reshaping Lonavala and Khandala’s hospitality and culinary identity through innovation, sustainability and leadership. Among the distinguished recipients was the Late Subhash Thakker, the pioneer behind Dukes Retreat, Khandala recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Maganlal & Sons, the iconic Lonavala Chikki brand founded in the 1880s at a railway cart, now a four-generation legacy of authentic taste and tradition, and Cooper’s Fudge & Chikkis, the family-run Lonavala institution since the 1950s were bestowed with Founder’s Excellence in Regional Cuisine. Jimmy Mistry (Della Group), the Creator of Sky Garden – India’s first levitating fine-dining experience 150 ft. above ground, was recognized with Innovation in Dining Award as well as with the Best Adventure Resorts Award for Della Adventure Park, which is India’s largest extreme adventure destination. Kishore Keswani MD & Founder of Kailash Parbat Hotel was recognized for his Outstanding Contribution in the hotels category. The award for the Best Iconic Hotel in Lonavala was bagged by the Fariyas Resort and The Fern – An Ecotel Hotel was awarded the Best Hotel in Lonavala. Rhythm Hospitality, the innovator of the ResiTel model was recognized as Best Boutique Resort in Lonavala while Mr Madhav Todi Director of Triose Boutique Hotel was awarded the Sustainable Hospitality Award for the championing of green practices including solar energy, zero plastic, rainwater harvesting and waste recycling. Ikshana Resort & Spa won the …

The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is proud to announce the launch of its first-ever India Travel Trade Hub—a dedicated online platform created exclusively for the Indian travel trade community. This initiative serves as a comprehensive one-stop resource for travel advisors, tour operators, and MICE planners across India, offering the tools, insights, and support needed to promote and sell Los Angeles more effectively. The hub provides a curated experience tailored to the Indian market, featuring: Ready-to-sell itineraries DMC list Digital brochures and destination videos Trade-exclusive offers including the LA Perks Pass Training modules and webinars Offline events and trainings “India continues to be a key growth market for Los Angeles, and we are thrilled to deepen our engagement with the launch of this dynamic, first-of-its-kind Travel Trade Hub” said Seema Kadam, Regional Director, Los Angeles Tourism India.” This initiative underscores our commitment to supporting our trade partners with simplified tools and insights that make selling Los Angeles easier, more effective, and more rewarding.” This strategic step aligns with Los Angeles Tourism’s ongoing efforts to deepen engagement in India, enhance destination knowledge, and support the trade with best-in-class selling tools. This also aligns perfectly with Los Angeles’ exciting trajectory, as the city prepares to host a series of global, marquee events—including the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028. Major cultural and infrastructure developments such as the opening of Destination Crenshaw, a celebration of Black art and culture, and the ongoing transformation of LAX airport, are also expected to enhance the visitor experience. Visit the India Trade Hub or the QR code.

The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) had the honour of meeting Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Cabinet Minister for Culture & Tourism , to discuss key matters impacting India’s outbound tourism industry. The discussion focused on the TCS (Tax Collected at Source) issue, where the Minister gave his valuable time and attention to the concerns raised by the OTOAI delegation. The meeting reflected the Ministry’s openness to dialogue and the importance of supporting the travel trade sector. OTOAI also extended a formal invitation to the Minister to attend the upcoming OTOAI Moscow Convention 2025 as the Guest of Honour, further strengthening the association’s vision of collaboration with the government. The meeting was represented by OTOAI leadership, including Immediate Past President Riaz Munshi, Vice President Shravan Bhalla, General Secretary Sidharth Khanna, and Executive Committee Member Vineet Gopal. This marks another significant step in OTOAI’s efforts to advocate for India’s growing outbound tourism industry.

In a focused endeavour aimed at bringing back confidence in travel amidst global uncertainty, Thomas Cook (India) and its group company SOTC Travel, have launched ‘TravSure’. This first-of-its-kind, safe travel program reiterates Thomas Cook and SOTC’s customer-first commitment – and delivers a stress-free journey with comprehensive support and financial protection. Emergency situations result in significant disruption to travel plans for customers – including cancellations, charges and rescheduling.  Understanding the multiple pain-points during emergency situations, TravSure has been meaningfully designed to provide customers with 24/7 assistance-support via a dedicated representative. Importantly, the program protects travellers from financial burdens by covering costs that arise during such unforeseen events. With traditional travel insurance policies typically excluding war/war-like and force majeure scenarios, Thomas Cook & SOTC’s TravSure is a bold industry-first initiative, designed to fill that critical gap and financially safeguard their international group tour customers. The program offers protection against travel emergencies such as flight suspensions, trip curtailments due to war/war-like situations, political unrest, riots, airspace closures, etc. TravSure aims at empowering customers: travel with confidence, knowing that you are protected at every step.

Arjun Baljee, President Royal Orchid Hotels has said that Regenta Z – the everywhere budget hotel brand to explore every neighbourhood, is something he is excited about. “It’s fresh, vibrant, and designed for the new-age traveller. Today’s Gen Z and millennials don’t just want a place to stay—they want an experience. Regenta Z brings together style, tech, art, and social connection in a fun and affordable format. We’re creating spaces where people can work, chill, and share their journeys. It’s bold, it’s local, and we believe it will really connect with today’s digitally driven, experience-seeking crowd,” he says.

According to a new study from Marriott International, luxury travellers in Asia Pacific are approaching their journeys with both confidence and discernment, as 72% plan to increase their spending on high-end travel in the coming year. This growth is led by travelers in Australia (85%), Indonesia (81%), and Singapore (80%), who are showing the strongest intent to invest more in premium experiences. Among all travel types, family travel stands out as the top priority for spending, with 47% of affluent travelers most willing to splurge when journeying with their immediate families.

Cross Hotels & Resorts in Thailand invites the Indian travel trade for an exclusive webinar on 4 July at 3 pm IST, focusing on its latest offerings. Get insights to help create enriched itineraries for your corporate clients, showcasing the best of what the hotels has to offer. For more info, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Speaking about the challenges in booking international train travel, Björn Bender – CEO & Executive Chairman – Rail Europe, says “It is still too complicated – too fragmented. We don’t need more apps, we need more cooperation. We don’t need more ‘mobility talk’, we need open standards, transparent fares and access to data. That’s where our energy and resources goes, every day.”