Chatchaya Glaiprayong, Head of Global Sales, Cross Hotels & Resorts, revealed that the upcoming Away Bangkok Sukhumvit hotel with 75-room urban retreat offers guests a perfect escape from the everyday hustle with its blend of relaxation and activity. Conveniently located near Emsphere, Bangkok’s newest landmark, this cutting-edge shopping and lifestyle destination spans over 200,000 square meters and is redefining how visitors experience retail, dining, and entertainment. Just a short walk from Phrom Phong BTS Station, the retreat provides easy access to top attractions while allowing guests to unwind in a serene setting after exploring the city’s most dynamic areas.

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are are set for an upgrade in intercity rail connectivity as the new Vande Bharat Express between Gorakhpur and Patna will commence operations on June 20.  The upcoming train service is not just a leap in travel efficiency but also an infrastructural boost for the northern part of the country. Running on the Gorakhpur–Bettiah–Narkatiaganj–Muzaffarpur–Patna corridor, the Vande Bharat is expected to connect major commercial and cultural centres.

Balitrip Wisata has launched API integration with one of Indonesia’s most aggressive hotel aggregators, bringing dynamic and static rates, instant confirmations and real-time availability to its B2B portal. This tech upgrade solves a major DMC challenge of delayed pricing and confirmation by offering a faster, more reliable, and price-competitive booking experience. This marks a bold step in transforming Bali hotel bookings for Indian travel agents.  

IATO has taken a delegation of 22 members to Pahalgam & Srinagar, as part of its ‘Rubaroo with J&K’ initiative with an idea to revive tourism in the valley after the unfortunate terror attack some time back. In fact, LG, J&K has announced the reopening of many destinations in Pahalgam.

Oyo is entering the food and beverage (F&B) market, aiming to increase hotel revenue by 5-10 per cent by introducing in-house kitchens and quick service restaurant (QSR) concepts across 1,500 of its company-services hotels by FY26. This initiative, called ‘Townhouse Cafe,’ will offer in-house dining options, pantry-style setups, and quick service carts. 

Hilton has announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Jabalpur, marking the brand’s entry into Madhya Pradesh’s thriving commercial and cultural hub, Jabalpur. The launch marks a significant milestone as the city’s first internationally branded hotel, bringing Hilton’s globally recognised brand to the region. The 101-room new-build property has been developed in partnership with Ajay Satya Prakash Hospitality LLP.

Starting from May 2025, India will issue chip-based biometric e-passports, which  will feature RFID chip containing biometric data with the aim to enhance security and reducing fraud. The announcement marks the formal transition of India into the league of technologically advanced nations like Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom, who have already adopted biometric-based travel documents to bolster security and efficiency.

As per HVS Anarock April 2025 report, Indian hotels’ occupancy growth trends in March 2025 showed a mixed pattern across key Indian markets, with Bengaluru, Chennai and Gurugram emerging as the top gainers. However, strong year-on-year Average Room Rate (ARR) growth (₹9,000–₹9,200) was recorded with Hyderabad at the top.

As per IATA’s global passenger demand report of March 2025, international demand rose to 4.9 per cent compared to March 2024. Additionally, capacity was up by 7 per cent year-on-year, and the load factor was recorded 79.9 per cent. Domestic passenger demand rose 0.9 per cent compared to March 2024.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, Government of India, emphasised on the critical role of the MICE and exhibition industry in boosting tourism and the wider economy. “Studies and analysis suggest that a business traveller attending an exhibition often spends significantly more than a leisure tourist over seven days. This is a clear signal that we stand at the threshold of a sector brimming with immense opportunities,” he added.