Receiving the ‘Luxury Destination of the Year’ award for VisitBritain at the India Travel Awards 2025, Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said, “It’s amazing because Indian tourists spent over 800 million pounds in 2024, setting a new record. We are incredibly proud of the scale of Indian tourism to the UK, and we are honoured to receive this award tonight on behalf of VisitBritain.”

Neel Ghose, Skyscanner’s Travel Trends and Destinations Expert, says, “Marked by a shift towards deeper meaning and hyper-personalised choices, we are witnessing a change in how Indians are approaching travel. One in three travellers are steering clear of touristy spots in favour of quieter, authentic alternatives.”

Nearly 18 states have now given industry status to tourism and hospitality, revealed Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture. “The Ministry has also shared a draft of national tourism policy with all states. We discussed the policies of all states that adopted the best practices, made a draft policy on that basis, and shared it on Tourism Day. We are working to give incentives to all states in the hospitality sector and for new hotel investments.”

Addressing the HRAWI Convention held in Mumbai recently, Neelesh Gatne, MD, MTDC, said, “Maharashtra Tourism is launching a major initiative to develop its tourism assets. We have identified 157 land parcels and plan to privatize our existing resorts. Tenders for these opportunities will be floated within the next two months. We invite all hoteliers and tourism stakeholders to participate. Your valuable suggestions are essential to the success of this endeavor, and we will be sharing further details shortly.”

Indian travellers heading to Japan will soon be able to use United Payments Interface (UPI) for everyday purchases, making the experience more convenient and reducing reliance on cash or forex cards. The service is being introduced through a collaboration between NPCI International Payments (NIPL) and NTT DATA Japan, a payment processing company. Under the agreement, select Japanese merchants will start accepting UPI. Tourists can pay simply by scanning QR codes on their phones, allowing a quick, secure, and familiar payment option during shopping, dining, or transport.

IndiGo has announced its daily, direct flights between Mumbai and Madinah starting 15 November 2025. IndiGo will operate its Airbus A320 aircraft on this route, offering seamless and affordable access for religious, business, and leisure travel. Bookings are now open on IndiGo website and across authorized travel partners. IndiGo already operates over 150 flights between India and four cities in Saudi Arabia – Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Madinah. This new route will be IndiGo’s second connection to Madinah, in addition to the existing 4x weekly service from Hyderabad, which is also being increased to daily service starting 16 November 2025. This also makes IndiGo the only Indian carrier to offer direct connectivity between Mumbai and the holy city. The launch comes at a time when travel between India and Saudi Arabia is witnessing robust growth, driven by religious tourism, trade, and workforce movement. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Sales, IndiGo, said: “Madinah is a destination of deep cultural and spiritual significance that attracts pilgrims from across the globe, including India. We are pleased to launch this new Mumbai-Madinah route with the objective to cater to the growing demand for religious tourism to the holy city. These flights are in addition to our existing flights, Hyderabad to Madinah, and strengthen our vast domestic and growing international network.”

Royal Orchid Hotels (ROHL) has announced the launch of a new property in the desert city of Bhuj, Gujarat. Expanding its footprint in western India, the 4-star property marks ROHL’s 15th hotel in Gujarat, furthering the brand’s state expansion plans. Earlier this year, ROHL commenced operations of one of the state’s largest all-suite hotels, The World, Surat. Regenta Science Centre, Bhuj offers guests a seamless blend of hospitality and leisure in the historic ‘walled city’. Strategically located near the Regional Science Centre, Smritivan, and the main highway market yard, the hotel provides easy access to major attractions. It is only 5 km (10 minutes) from Bhuj Airport, 2 km (5 minutes) from Bhuj Railway Station, and 2 km (10 minutes) from the Local Bus Stand. Guests can explore popular sites such as the Smritivan Earthquake Memorial & Museum, Prag Mahal, Aina Mahal, Bhujia Fort (Bhujio Dungar), Shree Swaminarayan Temple, and the Vande Mataram Memorial. The nearby Regional Science Centre features six distinctive galleries dedicated to Space Science, Marine Navigation, Energy Science, Nanotechnology, Bonsai, and the Fields Medal – inspiring visitors from across the country to explore, wonder, and learn. The city’s soon-to-be-unveiled renewable energy power plant, expected to be one of the world’s largest, will also become a major attraction in the near future. The 59-key hotel features elegantly designed rooms with modern amenities to ensure a comfortable stay. Guests can enjoy Pinxx, the all-day multi-cuisine restaurant (72 covers), and Fusionzz, the rooftop specialty restaurant (54 covers) offering panoramic views of Bhuj. Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, spa, fully equipped gymnasium, and an indoor games zone for guests of all ages. For meetings, events, and celebrations, the property houses the Orchid Banquet Hall (3,000 sq. ft.) offering flexible seating arrangements: Theatre style for up to 250 guests, Cluster setup for 120 guests, and U-shape setup for 60 guests. The hotel also includes a Forum Board Room, …

Accepting the award for Best B2B Travel Platform at the India Travel Awards 2025, Dharmendera Kumar Sahu, Vice President, Fly24hrs Holiday, says, “Winning this award validates our excellence, strengthens client trust, and boosts team morale. It inspires us to innovate, enhance customer success, and continuously improve our performance, driving our company to deliver greater value in the travel industry.”

Speaking about the limitations of AI in travel, Hari Ganapthy, Co-Founder, Pickyourtrail, says, “In the short term, the effect of AI is hugely over-rated, and I think Agentic AI is one of them. While everyone speaks about AI writing 80–90% of the code, nobody is telling you the amount of guardrails and checks & balances in place to make that happen. I think we will all be short-changed if we believe AI is going to change our life dramatically in the next few years.”

Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director and COO, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, said that India’s hotel industry is entering a healthy growth cycle, with premium occupancy projected at 72–74% in 2025–26. He said that from a long-haul perspective, India is slightly more expensive compared to other Southeast Asian countries. The government is currently working on an Incredible India 2.0 campaign, and it should launch the campaign sometime next year, he added.