Future Market Insights (FMI) report revealed that the Asia Pacific religious tourism will progress with an estimated CAGR of 11.4 per cent between 2024 and 2034. Starting at US$7,940 million in 2024, it is on track to reach US$23,371 million by 2034. The industry size of religious tourism in the Asia Pacific was US$7,146.8 million in 2023.

Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister, Odisha said that state government will develop rural tourism in the state. Funds will be sanctioned for the development of Maa Mangala temple, along with road from Nimapara to Astaranga and Konark. Villagers will be made aware of monuments in the region, and products of Self Help Groups will be on sale in villages.

It is interesting to note that India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) score is 71 for 2023-24, which is a significant improvement from 66 in 2020-21 and 57 in 2018 as per SDG India Index 2023-24  released by NITI Aayog. This shows that India’s potential as an inbound destination has gone up with cleaner cities and better amenities.

Union government has revised the annual ground rent for land leased to several prominent five-star hotels in New Delhi from thousands/lakhs of rupees a year to crores each. In March 2024, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued notices for ₹177.29 crore for The Imperial and ₹69.37 crore for Claridges as revised ground rent from 2002 and 2006, respectively, until now.

39th IATO Annual Convention is scheduled to take place from 30 August to 2 September 2024 with the theme ‘Resurgent India Inbound’ in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The event is expected to witness the participation of 15 states and 900-1000 delegates from all over the country, which includes leaders from travel industry.

Yuri Alemao, Leader of opposition, Goa Legislative Assembly, said, “I will vociferously raise concerns of tourism stakeholders in Assembly session.” He assured the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) that he will speak against the various deviations in the proposed Bill from the Tourism Policy 2020, which ignores the role of local tourism stakeholders.

With the rising trend of dining out among millennials and GenZ, the growth of India’s food services sector is projected to reach up to ₹7.76 trillion by 2028 from ₹5.69 trillion in 2024, according to a report by National Restaurant Association of India report and Kantar, a market research agency. This would translate into a compounded annual growth rate of 8.1 per cent.

The AAI’s draft of National Airports Development Plan has scribed its agenda to expand the airport count to 300 by 2047. As per the plan, around 70 airstrips can be developed into full-fledged airports that can handle narrow-body aircraft such as A320 or B737, and nearly 40 airstrips can be developed to handle smaller aircraft.

Sofitel Mumbai BKC was delighted to commemorate the Sofitel brand’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2024, celebrating 60 years of the global hotel brand. The elegant hotel situated in the heart of BKC hosted a delightful Moulin Rouge-themed celebratory soiree. The event brought together loyal guests, prominent media figures, and leading influencers. In collaboration with Travel + Leisure India and Lifestyle Asia India, the evening welcomed notable personalities including Kritika Kamra, Kusha Kapila, Miss Malini, Gurfateh Pirzada, Pallavi Singh, and Tanuj Garg. Manish Dayya, General Manager, Sofitel Mumbai BKC commenced the evening with a heartfelt speech, acknowledging the brand’s 60-year milestone and reflecting on Sofitel’s presence in India through its flagship Mumbai hotel over the past 12 years. Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, Consul General of France in Mumbai, graced the event as the Chief Guest, adding to the evening’s significance. Rahul Gangwani, Editor, Lifestyle Asia, and Simon Clays, Editorial Director, Travel + Leisure, also shared their thoughts, highlighting the longstanding partnership between the publications and Sofitel Mumbai BKC. The intimate yet captivating event transformed Sofitel Mumbai BKC with vibrant red décor, adorned with pearls, feathers, and crystal accents, complemented by glamorous red lighting. Guests enjoyed live music by a violinist, saxophonist, and cello player performing instrumental renditions of popular tunes, along with captivating Cabaret dance performances evoking the true spirit of the Moulin Rouge. Enhancing the sensory experience, a perfume bar by Scentido offered guests a unique olfactory journey. The evening’s culinary highlight featured a selection of exquisite French cuisine, showcasing the culinary expertise of the Sofitel Mumbai BKC team. This spectacular celebration marks the conclusion of a successful first half of the year for Sofitel Mumbai BKC, with anticipation building for an …

The 10th Travel MICE & Corporate Show concluded at the Hyderabad Marriott Convention Centre from 6-7 July in the City of Pearls. Around 2300 B2B meetings were held across two days with around 33 exhibitors and 72 buyers. The theme of this year’s event was sustainability, with dignitaries sharing insights on how to develop sustainable travel programmes.