Category Archives: States

Rikant Pittie, Co-Founder, EaseMyTrip.com, recently met Hon’ble CM of Delhi, Rekha Gupta ji and Hon’ble Minister for Art, Culture and Language, Kapil Mishra to discuss transforming Delhi into India’s premier cultural and spiritual destination. They also discussed the tourism board’s vision for the Yamuna Aarti and cruise initiative , which will boost tourism by combining traditional evening prayers with scenic river journeys. “We spoke about the strategic partnership between Delhi Tourism and EaseMyTrip to position Delhi as more than just a transit point. Our technology infrastructure can seamlessly package everything from spiritual circuits through Easy Pilgrimage to immersive art experiences, world-class productions, and Esports & gaming events, reaching our 30 million customers globally. Easy Green Mobility secured Madhya Pradesh Government’s first inter-city electric bus tender, and we can bring similar sustainable solutions to Delhi, transforming how travellers experience the capital, prioritising environmental responsibility. If you are an entrepreneur building in tourism, cultural tech, or sustainable mobility that can elevate Delhi’s travel experience, please comment or DM me. Let us connect and work together to scale impactful solutions,” Pittie said.

SpiceJet announces the launch of daily flights to two of India’s most sought-after winter destinations – Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Udaipur, the city of lakes. The airline will operate daily flights to Port Blair from Kolkata and Delhi, and to Udaipur from Delhi and Mumbai, offering travellers the perfect opportunity to plan their winter getaways. As part of its ambitious winter expansion plan, SpiceJet is adding new routes, more flights, and a significantly larger fleet to meet soaring travel demand. The airline is set to more than double both its daily flights and operational fleet this winter, with several exciting new destinations on the horizon. Flights to Port Blair have already commenced, while daily non-stop flights to Udaipur from Delhi and Mumbai will begin November 6, 2025. Tickets are available for booking on SpiceJet’s official website and mobile app. Passengers flying to Port Blair from Kolkata will enjoy seamless, non-stop connectivity, while those travelling from Delhi will make a short stopover at Kolkata. The Delhi–Port Blair service is a direct connection with no aircraft change, ensuring a smooth and convenient journey. Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer, SpiceJet, said, “As winter approaches, we are thrilled to offer travellers two of India’s most beautiful destinations – the Andamans and Udaipur – now easily accessible with our new direct and non-stop flights. Whether it’s a beachside escape or a royal retreat, SpiceJet is making your dream holiday closer than ever. This expansion is part of our larger commitment to strengthen our domestic network and provide seamless, affordable, and delightful travel experiences to our passengers.”

Embracing the spirit of World Tourism Day 2025 and its focus on inclusive and sustainable tourism, Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, unveiled the OneConnect Meghalaya Tourism Helpline and the new Website for Meghalaya Tourism. The new revamped website is a one-click gateway, which serves as a unified platform for every traveller’s needs. These launches, complemented with the release of Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission Scheme and the Community-led Tourism Infrastructure Scheme, position Meghalaya as a hub of responsible travel, nurturing authentic, human-centred experiences for every visitor. Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister, presented a comprehensive vision for Meghalaya’s tourism sector, highlighting it as a top priority over the last seven and a half years. He showcased the impressive results of this focus, with domestic tourist arrivals growing to 1.6 million and a clear target to create 50,000 new jobs within the next three years. This growth is backed by a massive infrastructure push, with 210 ongoing projects valued at ₹3,625 crores and a recent sanction of an additional ₹260 crores from the DoNER Ministry specifically for developing the Sohra (Cherrapunji) destination. The centrepiece of his strategy is the new Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission, designed to address a critical accommodation shortage.

About 59% of Indian travellers plan more international trips, with Luxembourg and Norway emerging as breakout global destinations, it was revealed recently at the Google Think Travel event. Domestically, travellers are keen to visit Jibhi in Himachal, revealing Indians’ growing appetite for both global exploration and offbeat local escapes.

Speaking at GPS Kochi, Biji Eapen, National President, IAAI, stressed that knowledge, skills, and the right attitude are essential to thrive in the travel trade. He said, “GPS gives you knowledge, suppliers provide skills, but attitude must come from within. With all three, you become an asset to the industry”. He also underlined challenges, such as rising airfares, taxation pressures, and dollar fluctuations, weighing on tourism growth.

CGH Earth sees domestic tourism outpacing international arrivals. The group expects 20% inbound growth this year, driven by the demand from the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, and Southeast Asia. “At the same time, short-stay domestic demand from Bangalore, Chennai, and Cochin has surged,” said Michael Dominic, MD, CGH Earth, stressing that the brand’s sustainability practices are value-driven and community-first. “To capture this market, we have intensified social media, PR, print, and influencer-led campaigns to ensure year-round visibility and occupancy.”

Tamil Nadu emerged as a leading travel destination, attracting 306 million domestic and 1.6 million international tourists in 2024, revealed Venkatesan Dhattareyan, Regional Director (South), MoT, GoI, at TTE 2025 in Madurai. “While these figures highlight vast opportunities, they also underline the responsibility of sustainable growth,” he said, stressing the importance of leveraging this momentum for further investment and development in India’s tourism sector. India recorded a major tourism boost in 2024, with 9.95 million foreign tourists and 2,950 million domestic travellers. Domestic tourism is projected to reach 30 million by the year-end.

The Karnataka Tourism Society (KTS), the premier association dedicated to uniting tourism and hospitality professionals across the state, successfully held its 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM) recently. During the event, elections were conducted for the office bearers and the executive committee who will lead the society for the next two-year period. The newly elected team is committed to further strengthening the vision and projects that have marked KTS as a dynamic partner to both state and national government bodies, elevating Karnataka’s position as a leading tourism destination. K Syama Raju, President, stated, “It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I extend a heartfelt welcome to each one of you as the President of the Karnataka Tourism Society. In the dynamic realm of tourism and hospitality, we are united by a common passion for innovation, excellence, and the transformative power of our stakeholders here in Karnataka. I look forward to working alongside each of you as we embark on this exciting journey together.”

Discussing the plans ahead, Himanshu Patil, Director, Kesari Tours, said, “We are gearing up for 2026 and plan to open four offices pan-India.”

Udaipur will host a two-day national tourism conference, bringing together Tourism Ministers and officials from all States and Union Territories. Scheduled for 15–16 October and chaired by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI, the event will focus on shaping India’s tourism policies and roadmap. Key discussions will include sustainable and digital tourism, alongside presentations on ongoing schemes from various state tourism departments. The conference aims to create a collaborative framework for enhancing India’s tourism ecosystem.