The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has published the GSTC-Certified Hotels Directory, a comprehensive resource designed to help destinations, businesses, and consumers identify accommodations that have been certified as sustainable by GSTC-accredited Certification Bodies. It reinforces the importance of traceability and transparency from an assurance perspective, providing credible validation of sustainability certifications.

Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, says, “IATO members, after visiting Kashmir, as part of ‘Rubaroo with J&K’, will be better equipped to apprise their clients about the on-ground situation in the valley and how safe it is.” The association’s 22-member delegation is visiting Pahalgam and Srinagar to promote the destination after the unfortunate terror attack.

The Indian hospitality industry is experiencing significant growth in branded hotel rooms, particularly in major cities and popular tourist destinations. According to Hotelivate data, Dehradun leads this growth, with a staggering 67.5% increase in branded rooms, reaching 1,236 rooms in FY2023/24. Average occupancy rates remain strongest in tier-I cities, at 73.6%.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing major Indian carriers, has sought waivers on user development fee and aviation security fee for a year at Srinagar Airport to boost air travel demand to and from Kashmir. Currently, every departing passenger shells out ₹1,050 as UDF and ₹200 as Aviation ASF plus GST, as per FIA.  

In a bid to promote tourism in the hill State, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh, launched border tourism activities at Shipki-La. He said, “We have eased restrictions for the tourists to enjoy the beauty of Shipki-La, and the tourism activities here would strengthen the economy of the local people, along with boosting tourism in the region.”  

According to HVS Anarock’s latest report, hotel occupancy in India in April 2025 increased by 2 percentage points (pp) from March 2025. In comparison to April 2024, it was up by 4–6 pp.

To strengthen ties between Oman and India’s travel trade, Oman has organised its Sales Mission in Hyderabad, which brought together industry leaders and tourism professionals from across India. The event saw engaging panel discussions on travel opportunities, strategic networking and relationship-building and insightful presentations showcasing Oman’s unique offerings.

Despite India holds 18% of the world’s population, its air travel market remains under-penetrated. In FY25, 715 crore Indians travelled by rail and only 16.6 crore flew domestically by air, as per the DGCA. With rising incomes and a growing appetite for luxury, India’s airline passenger count is projected to double by 2030, marking a major shift in travel preferences.

To boost tourism revival in Jammu and Kashmir, TAAI launched its ‘Rally for Valley’ campaign, showcasing solidarity and support for the region’s travel industry. Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI, said that the campaign will run for the next three months, till the end of September, with region-wide efforts to regain traveller confidence and strengthen tourism in Kashmir.

Speaking about how a volatile stock market impacts tourism, Naveen Kundu, Managing Director, Ebixcash Travel Services, said, “A volatile stock market leaves a discernible impact on travel and tourism by influencing consumer confidence and spending behaviour. Travel is closely tied to how secure consumers feel financially, and the stock market plays a central role in shaping that sentiment.”