Lauding MOT’s the new wedding tourism campaign, Rajeev Jain, Founder & Director, Rashi Entertainment, “We appeal to the MoT to start giving heritage monuments for weddings. Why they have not allowed this is beyond my understanding. We want them to allow weddings at India Gate, Purana Killa, and Hyderabad’s Qutub Minar. This way, weddings will become more experiential and more sought after.”

A Hotelivate 2023 survey data reveals a clear upward trend in the average meeting space as the positioning level of hotels increases. This trend is primarily influenced by hotels with larger inventories having more meeting space (typically the upscale and upper upscale positioning). Globally, luxury positioned hotels tend to have minimal meeting space. That being said, luxury hotels in India, typically in leisure locations, have large meeting spaces to cater to large-scale Indian weddings.

Sharing thoughts on How the aviation industry is looking with much anticipation on where India will go, Gavin Eccles, Managing Partner, GE Consulting & Advisory, says, “The new orders form the two biggest carriers is a wake-up call that India is potentially on the crest of a wave on the future of aviation.  Is it time for us to look at India with more reality, and, is the dream of having the largest aviation market space in the world, getting closer?”      

One97 Communications Limited (OCL) that owns the brand Paytm, India’s leading payments and financial services company and the pioneer of QR and mobile payments, has launched ‘Free Cancellation’ for international flight tickets booked on Paytm app. Making travel ticket booking seamless and convenient for users, free cancellation is aligned with the company’s user-first approach. With this, the company that also offered free cancellation on domestic flights, bus and train bookings, has now expanded its free cancellation protection to international flights, offering users a solution against hefty cancellation charges levied by airlines. The company is offering a free cancellation cover that starts as low as ₹499 for international flight tickets on Paytm app for countries like Dubai, Singapore, Honking, Malaysia etc. In case of any emergency or personal reasons, free cancellation enables users to claim a 100% refund for trips that are cancelled at least 72 hours before the scheduled departure time for flights. The refunded amount will be credited instantly into the source account with a no questions asked policy. The company also provides free cancellation starting at a premium of ₹149 for domestic flight tickets, ₹30 for train and bus tickets. Paytm Spokesperson said, “As India’s leading travel platform, we are continuously bringing new features to ensure that our users can experience seamless travel. With free cancellation for international flight tickets, users can be rest assured even in case of emergencies. Offering 100% instant refund, this will make travel planning easier for millions of users.”

Global travel marketplace Skyscanner is today launching a new Hindi language experience across its products and services as part of the company’s commitment to the India market. Hindi is the third most widely spoken language globally, and the number of internet users accessing content in Hindi is also rising. With the India travel market projected to reach US$ 125 billion by FY27 and Indians increasingly preferring to book travel online, the introduction of a new localized experience will benefit travelers and partners alike in metro cities as well as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across the country. India’s domestic and international air travel continues to showcase a strong recovery, surpassing pre-covid levels. This is reflective of travel demand on Skyscanner, with the company observing the highest spike in search volume in 2023 since pre-pandemic of 2019 for both domestic and international destinations. Commenting on the launch, Hugh Aitken, VP of Strategic Relations said, “The Indian travel market is one of the fastest growing in the world and we see immense potential to help connect millions of travelers with some of the most ambitious travel providers in the industry. When accessing flight options on Skyscanner travelers will now automatically be redirected to the Hindi locale on the airline or OTA site. As well as native language support, we are also investing across our entire product portfolio, not just for consumers but importantly too for our partners in areas such distribution, advertising, and data.”

Go City® (formerly Leisure Pass Group), the world’s largest attraction pass business, re-establishes its presence in India through Global Destinations. It is present in over 30 destinations from London, New York, Singapore, Dubai, to cities across America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Talking about the APAC & Indian market, Dan Penner, Senior Commercial Director – APAC says, given the importance of Asia Pacific, over the last few years Go City® has invested heavily in building a presence in the region. “We are seeing India emerge as a very strong market and our passes are well received by trade partners and consumers. We have seen a huge increase in outbound travel from India this year, with most purchases to London, Singapore, Dubai and Paris. Our expectation is that New York and the rest of the US will return significantly next year. In 2025, India is expected to hit 29 million outbound travellers which accounts for 6% of the urban population. We believe by appointing Global Destinations we will be in the best position to capture this market.” Pranav Kapadia, Founder, Global Destinations comments “We are happy that Go City® has recognised the potential in outbound travel from India and to represent Go City® once again. Post Covid, India has become one of the fastest growing outbound markets, hence now is the perfect time for Go City® to re-stablish its presence in India.”

Referring to MOT’s recent partnership with MakeMyTrip in which the OTA will showcase India’s 600-plus offbeat destinations via a microsite, Union Minister of Tourism Kishan Reddy, said, “We welcome MakeMyTrip’s initiative to present India’s diverse destinations and to promote domestic tourism. We invite more such initiatives to realise our collective dream of showcasing our country to the world.”

The Ministry of Tourism has selected Lakshadweep for a holistic mission to be developed as a sustainable and responsible destination under its Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme. Meanwhile, the Lakshadweep administration is planning to develop eco-tourism projects in 11 islands in public-private partnership, according to federal policy think tank NITI Aayog which has sought proposals from consultants.

Vietjet, Vietnam’s low-cost carrier, inaugurates a direct route connecting Kochi (India) and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), opening further opportunities to travel easily between the ancient commercial port of Southwest India and Vietnam’s leading economic and cultural central; additionally promoting the development of economic relations and cultural exchanges between the two cities, two countries. Vietjet has once again demonstrated its pioneering spirit by becoming the very first Vietnamese airline to operate direct flights between Kochi and HCMC. Four weekly return flights – departing every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday – promise passengers a swift journey of just over 5 hours, rendering distant destinations remarkably accessible. This achievement follows Vietjet’s successful establishment of direct flight routes to India’s foremost economic, cultural, and political centers, including Mumbai, New Delhi, and Ahmedabad. Departing from Kochi at 23:50 (local time), the flights will gracefully touch down in Ho Chi Minh City at 6:40 (local time), facilitating seamless journeys for travelers. Return flights from Ho Chi Minh City will take off at 19:20 and land in Kochi at 22:50 (local time), ensuring convenient options for both outbound and inbound travelers.

IndiGo is opening up new gateways between India and Central Asia, with the announcement of new flights between to Baku.  The capital city of Azerbaijan will be connected to Delhi four times a week, starting August 11, 2023. Baku is the 30th international destination and 108th overall destination in the 6E network. This fascinating new route will not only provide enriching experiences to business travellers but also mesmerize leisure travellers seeking culturally immersive journeys. With the inauguration of this flight, IndiGo proudly stands as the sole Indian carrier to operate direct flights between the two destinations. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said, “We are delighted to introduce our new direct flights connecting Delhi and Baku, the capital and commercial hub of Azerbaijan. This is the 30th International destination in the 108 cities in the IndiGo network and has been driven by the increasing demand for travel from India. Moreover, as a popular destination known for its thrilling F1 city track and modernity, Baku promises to offer a captivating experience, while also serving as a gateway for travelers from Azerbaijan to explore India’s rich culture & heritage. IndiGo continues its commitment to providing affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel experiences across an extensive network for our valued passengers.”