Category Archives: States

Luxury India Holidays celebrated its long-standing partnerships and industry friendships through a special networking event in Delhi. Founded in 2004, the company has carved a niche in luxury experiential travel, completing over 20 years of operations. Viswas Makhija, Founder & President, said India’s inbound tourism needs a fresh, unified push led by private players. He believes that the country must market itself as a “one-stop solution for holidays” through its diversity and depth, noting that private entrepreneurs, not the government, have long carried the responsibility of promoting India globally. The company, with sales representatives across Europe, North America, Russia, and Mexico, focuses on personalised global roadshows rather than trade fairs to attract high-value travellers. Makhija emphasised that inbound success depends on collaboration among Indian DMCs, associations, and marketers — “walking the roads of the world” to build new partnerships and promote niche, experience-led travel across India’s cultural and luxury segments. Highlighting the evolving preferences of international visitors, Prerna Pradhan, Director – Product Development, said that the company noted a growing demand for experiential and wellness travel. Cultural journeys remain the most popular, though repeat travellers are increasingly exploring India’s wellness, adventure and beach destinations.

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.”

Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, announced that the UDAN scheme will continue beyond 2027, focusing on connectivity with hilly, North-Eastern, and aspirational regions, and the development of around 120 new destinations. Under the scheme, 649 routes have been operationalised as on date connecting 93 unserved and underserved airports, including 15 heliports and two water aerodromes.

At the Minor Hotels India Roadshows in Delhi, Rohit Chopra, Area Commercial Director, India, Minor Hotels, said, “The company is expanding across key segments including corporate, MICE, and weddings, with strong demand from families, HNIs, and solo women travellers.” He highlighted Minor’s strategic approach through Minor PRO, a seamless digital platform for travel partners offering quick bookings and instant incentives.

Agoda’s latest insights highlight growing interest in India for the five-day Diwali festival starting 20 October. Combined domestic and international searches rose 24%, with domestic searches up 18%. Notably, inbound interest surged 67% year-on-year, reflecting India’s increasing appeal to international travellers during the festive period, underlining the country’s strong tourism potential.

At the State Tourism Ministers’ meet in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, the Goa tourism department proposed two flagship tourism projects. A state-of-the-art 20,000-seat mega performance arena at Mandrem and a Lord Parshuram statue and museum at Loliem in Canacona, have been planned in the state to enhance visitor experience, create employment and strengthen Goa’s positioning as a global tourism destination, said Rohan Khaunte, Tourism Minister, Goa. The initiative will serve as an anchor project for hinterland tourism development in South Goa, aligning with the state’s vision of regenerative tourism and ‘Goa Beyond Beaches.

Air India has announced the addition of 174 weekly flights on key domestic and short-haul international routes, operated by its single-aisle aircraft, as part of the Northern Winter Schedule, beginning 26 October 2025. This expansion enhances connectivity to major cities in India and Southeast Asia in high demand. ADDITIONS TO SHORT-HAUL INTERNATIONAL ROUTES Delhi-Kuala Lumpur: Increasing from 7x to 10x weekly flights, effective 15 November Delhi-Denpasar (Bali): Increasing from 7x to 10x weekly flights, effective 01 December   ADDITIONS TO DOMESTIC INDIA ROUTES  Seasonal additions of flights to Rajasthan, effective 26 October: Delhi-Jaipur (new route): Introducing 3x daily flights Delhi-Jaisalmer (new route): Introducing 2x daily flights Delhi-Udaipur: Increasing from 2x to 3x daily flights Mumbai-Jaipur: Increasing from 3x to 4x daily flights Mumbai-Udaipur: Increasing from 3x to 4x daily flights Mumbai-Jodhpur: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights   More flights to Madhya Pradesh, effective 26 October: Delhi-Indore: Increasing from 3x to 4x daily flights Delhi-Bhopal: Increasing from 2x to 3x daily flights Mumbai-Indore: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights   More flights to Gujarat, effective 26 October: Mumbai-Bhuj: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Delhi-Rajkot: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights   Other frequency additions, effective 26 October: Delhi-Varanasi: Increasing from 2x to 3x daily flights Delhi-Raipur: Increasing from 2x to 3x daily flights Delhi-Port Blair: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Delhi-Aurangabad: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Delhi-Guwahati: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Delhi-Nagpur: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Mumbai-Dehradun: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Mumbai-Patna: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Mumbai-Amritsar: Increasing from 1x to 2x daily flights Air India’s retrofit programme for …

Accenture’s latest report, Beyond the Stay, identifies gamification as a powerful tool to enhance guest engagement and loyalty. The study reveals that 76% of Indian hoteliers expect revenue growth from gamified strategies, with investments in this area projected to rise by over 15% in the next three to five years, reflecting strong industry confidence.

A delegation from the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) met Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Finance Minister, submitting a detailed representation seeking a fair, growth-oriented GST framework for hospitality. The association urged regularisation of past GST dues since 2017, restoration of Input Tax Credit (ITC) for hotels, and delinking F&B GST rates from room tariffs to ensure sectoral revival.

In a landmark milestone in the country’s aviation journey, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Speaking on the occasion, he said that the airport would play a major role in establishing the region as Asia’s biggest connectivity hub. It is a project that exemplifies the vision of a developed India, he added.