Advocating for promoting domestic tourism during her maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha, Sudha Murty, Philanthropist highlighted India’s cultural richness, noting that while the country boasts 42 World Heritage sites, an additional 57 are awaiting recognition. She emphasised the need for well-packaged tourism initiatives, with adequate infrastructure to attract more visitors and boost revenue within India.

Taiwan Expo 2024 is all set to make a comeback to India after five years and is scheduled to be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from July 8-10. The expo is being organised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, International Trade Administration (TITA) and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and will feature five key themes namely Smart Manufacturing, Smart Medical, Green & Sustainability, Halal and Intelligent Lifestyle, fostering international trade and partnership between Taiwan and India. This year, over 120 Taiwanese exhibitors will participate in the expo, showcasing their products and services at 224 booths across five themes.

Thomas Cook India & SOTC in its India Holiday Report 2023 highlighted a 70% surge in cruise holidays. Speaking on this, Daniel D’souza, President, SOTC Travel, said, “Cruise holidays offer an all-inclusive experience onboard a luxurious floating hotel.These include a wide range of services, from entertainment and exciting activities to diverse cuisines, wellness spas, shopping, and exploring new locales. We are witnessing strong growth in this segment from regional India’s tier II-III markets, besides metros and mini metros.”

Jaiveer Singh, Minister of Tourism & Culture, UP, said, “Uttar Pradesh has an immense potential for tourism, particularly spiritual tourism. Our government’s zero-tolerance policy towards crime has improved the law and order situation of the state that led to the surge of 48 crore footfalls in UP in 2022 and 2023, a number double the population of the state.”

Speaking at the ‘Bodhi Yatra’ conclave, V Vidyavathi, Secretary, MOT, GoI, said, “Govt of India in collaboration with the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh aims to not only create a memorable experience for the Buddhist pilgrims but also ensure the development and better employment opportunities for the local communities. We are also keen to enhance the infrastructure and amenities of Buddhist Museums in the state as they are a living source of history.”

According to Reserve Bank of India data, Indians are spending more on overseas travel. They took out (outward foreign exchange remittances) almost $1.42 billion (₹12,500 crore) a month on an average in 2023-2024 compared with just $400 million (about ₹3,300 crore) a month on an average five years ago in 2028-2019.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is coming up with another exciting project named ‘Cinnamon Life‘ in Colombo. Sharing more details, Radhey S Tawar, Chief Commercial Officer, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, said, “The entertainment complex comprises 687 rooms and includes a shopping mall. In addition to two office towers and two apartment complexes, there will also be a gaming complex opening next year, managed by an international gaming operator.” Cinnamon Life is set to transform the landscape of Colombo and attract new tourists to Sri Lanka. As India remains one of the top markets for the island nation, hopes are high that this new property by Cinnamon will further attract more tourists from India, especially youth.  

Dimitris Manikis, President, EMEA, Wyndham Resorts and Hotels, said, “India wants to be one of the fastest-growing hospitality countries in the world. Its growth in infrastructure means that it will need brands like Wyndham. Thus, we plan to have 150 properties by the end of 2025 as India is the market with the biggest potential for us.”

Riya Group announces its strategic alliance with Air India Express. The collaboration integrates Riya’s comprehensive visa services on the airline’s website, enabling customers to promptly access and apply for visas to any destination worldwide. This progressive step is conceived to ease the visa application process and enhance a traveller’s holistic booking journey on the Air India Express website.

Sales of global sports tourism packages are forecast to increase by 15% this year. This was released by Google in its list of key travel trends for 2024. It predicts that travel demand will reach record levels this year with Europe set to see a real influx of tourists due to many sporting events such as the Olympic, Paralympic Games and Euro 2024.