Melange 2024, that took place in Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre over two days, saw an overwhelming response from exhibitors, visitors, and invitees alike. With the aim to bring purely B2B agents to exhibit at this show, the exhibition brought together a diverse range of participants from various segments of the trade. The MTF team gave its best effort to plan and deliver an exceptional event, and is grateful for the faith and positive feedback that has been shown by the trade. Pradeep Saboo, Co-organiser of Melange, says, “While we are proud of the event’s success, we also acknowledge that there were a few minor challenges, and we are committed to taking lessons from them to improve future editions. Your faith and confidence in Mélange have been the key to our achievements, and we will continue to improve with every edition.” The MTF team, that has Pradeep Saboo, Sameer Karnani and Rajat Bagaria at its helm, is pleased to announce the dates for Mélange 2025, scheduled for 20th & 21st September 2025. The event will take place at the soon-to-be-unveiled state-of-the-art exhibition space at NESCO, promising an even grander, high-tech experience for both exhibitors and visitors. As a token of appreciation, the MTF team is offering special pre-registration rates for exhibitors who register before 30th September 2024.

With ₹812 crore budget being sanctioned in the Union Budget for tourism budget in Odisha, Pravati Parida, Dy. CM & Tourism Minister, Odisha has said that they want to develop Odisha as a hub for sustainable tourism. “We are planning eco-friendly stays and eco-tourism projects in Bhitarkanika, Deomali, Similipal, and Konark,” she revealed.

Collinson International’s 2024 Travel Benefits & Engagement report reveals that millennials in India are spending as high as USD 6,031 per annum on travel – the highest when compared to other generations. Travel is one of the highest credit card spend categories for survey respondents in India, accounting for almost a third (27%) of annual expenditure.

With a strategic intent to capitalise on the strong and growing demand from Kolkata, Thomas Cook (India) with its own store in the city. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India), said, “Kolkata is an important source market for us. The top traveller segments include multi-generational families, couples, millennials and GenZ, as well as GenS (seniors).”

Winner of ‘Best Airport’ at the recent India Travel Awards 2024, GMR Hyderabad International Airport is developing India’s first Airport City (Aerotropolis) spread across 1,500 acres in its vicinity. Ashish Kumar, Chief Commercial Officer – Aero & Cargo, GMR Hyderabad International Airport, said that GMR leverages technology extensively and is one of the most innovative airports in India.

DreamFolks has announced the launch of its newest service – highway dining for travellers. This service will be available at over 600 outlets along key highways across the country.  This new offering marks DreamFolks’ expansion beyond airports and railway stations to provide enhanced convenience for highway travellers. DreamFolks members can now enjoy specially designed meals at popular restaurants on more than 60 key highway routes emanating from major cities,      including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata. The service offers travellers a seamless, hassle-free dining experience while on the road. Commenting on the launch, Liberatha Kallat, Founder and CMD of DreamFolks, said,“At DreamFolks, we are committed to delivering premium experiences to travellers. With this launch, we’re excited to extend our services to highway travellers, providing them with access to quality dining options throughout their journeys. As we continue to identify opportunities to enhance the travel experience across multiple touchpoints, expanding our offerings to highways is a natural progression. This new service reflects our vision of creating seamless and elevated travel experiences at every mode of the journey.” The DreamFolks highway dining service offers travellers an exclusive range of thoughtfully crafted meals, combining gourmet flavours with unparalleled convenience. Designed to elevate the dining experience for discerning road travellers, this service ensures that every meal reflects our commitment to quality and sophistication. As highway networks continue to grow and road travel gains popularity, DreamFolks is proud to extend its premium hospitality to ensure travellers enjoy exceptional dining at every stop along their journey. With this latest offering, DreamFolks reinforces its commitment to delivering a seamless travel experience and expanding its footprint in India’s growing travel ecosystem. From airports and railway stations to …

Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu has said that the ongoing Ministerial conference will address the immediate challenges and long-term growth prospects for the aviation industry in Asia Pacific region, which is home to some of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. He informed, “By 2035, the region is expected to account for over 40% of global air traffic, with nearly 3.5 billion passengers traveling annually.”

India’s travel industry is experiencing a remarkable rebound, with over 2 billion travel-related searches on Google platforms annually. This figure highlights a significant recovery from the 70% dip in travel interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Encouragingly, travel demand continues to grow, with a 12% increase year-over-year into the first half of 2024. The resurgence is further supported by a notable rise in app downloads, with travel-related apps witnessing a 40 million average monthly active usage, reflecting an increasing consumer appetite for travel planning and bookings.

More than ever, cultural exploration will be a priority for travellers in 2024. Skyscanner is seeing a broad spectrum of cultural curiosity in travel, from gig trippers, jetting off to see their favourite artists, to budget bougie foodies seeking the very best food experience. The cost of living, though, remains top of mind. Travellers also want to enhance their holidays in a cost-effective way too with ‘luxe-for-less’ holiday experiences trending. There’s a continued willingness from travellers globally to upgrade their holiday experience on everything from better quality food on board flights (29%) to upgrading to business or first class (20%).

Sandipan Bose, General Manager, Mementos by ITC Hotels, Ekayaa, Udaipur, expressed his gratitude and pride while accepting two awards at the India Travel Awards 2024. He said, “We received two awards, and they represent the immense hard work and dedication we put into our work. The acknowledgement and your appreciation mean a great deal to us, and it has been a motivating factor for us.”