Federico J. Gonzalez, Executive Vice Chairman, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “India has the potential to be the number one hospitality market globally for Radisson Hotel Group.” The economic growth in India is significant. But, besides the economic growth and the growth in population and infrastructure, the ambition and dynamism of Indians is one of a kind. The hotel chain should aim to have 500 hotels in the country by 2030, he added.

From lush mountains to pristine islands, 2025 is the year of eco-conscious tourism, authentic experiences, and mindful exploration. According to the Agoda 2025 Sustainable Travel Survey, India has emerged as the second-most sustainability-conscious travel market in Asia, with a staggering 82% of Indian travellers making eco-friendly choices—far surpassing the Asian average of 68%. India’s Sikkim is among the top sustainable travel destinations for 2025.

KR Naidu, Aviation Minister, GoI, said, “We are going to extend the UDAN scheme for another 10 years starting from April 2027. During the 10 years, 120 new destinations will be added to the existing ones. The scheme will benefit 4 crore people, just like how we have seen addition of 1.5 crore people in the last 8 years.”  

Participating in the Winter Tourism Program in Uttarakhand, PM Narendra Modi said, “There should be no off-season in the picturesque hill state and this would strengthen the state’s economy in a big way, making a strong pitch for round the year tourism. The government’s vision of round the year tourism will strengthen the economy and create jobs for the youth.”

As Australia and India continue to strengthen their trade ties under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), the demand for premium Australian agrifood products in India is rapidly increasing. The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) in partnership with the state governments of Queensland and New South Wales is bringing together 11 Australian brands to display their products at the Australian Pavilion located at Hall No.1, Stand No.1G-02A in Aahar 2025. Aahar 2025 serves as a significant platform for Australian food and beverage companies to showcase their world-class quality, innovation, and sustainability. With a strong reputation for high food safety standards, advanced production techniques, and environmentally sustainable practices, the exhibition will provide an opportunity for Indian buyers, retailers, and food service professionals to explore the superior taste, nutrition and versatility of Australian produce, reinforcing the growing trade opportunities between the two nations. The Australian Pavilion at Aahar 2025 will highlight a diverse portfolio of Australian brands across categories like packaged food, nutritional supplements, and gourmet ingredients to world-renowned meats and seafood. Over 85% of Australian goods exports by value to India are now tariff-free after the AI-ECTA entered into force on 29 December 2022. Australian businesses have a wonderful opportunity to expand their footprint in India’s dynamic market and Aahar is a step towards this – as well as a step toward the provision of further inputs into India’s food processing industry. Speaking about Australia’s participation at Aahar 2025, John Southwell, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner – South Asia, Australian Trade and Investment Commission, said, “India and Australia share a deep and growing trade relationship, strengthened further by AI-ECTA. Through the implementation of AI-ECTA, Australia’s agrifood exports to India …

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia hosted a high-impact networking event, bringing together leading travel agents and trade media to discuss India’s growing outbound travel trends. The event highlighted India as Indonesia’s largest market in South & Central Asia and the 6th biggest source of visitors, with 710,688 Indian arrivals in 2024, surpassing the target by a significant margin. For 2025, the Ministry is expecting 918.480 Indian visitors. Indonesia is set to enhance its engagement with Indian travellers in 2025 through travel exhibitions, sales missions, collaborations, and exclusive familiarization trips. The country is actively promoting its top destinations, including Bali, renowned for its natural beauty and cultural heritage; Jakarta, a vibrant cosmopolitan hub; Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world; Borobudur, a UNESCO-listed Buddhist marvel; Mandalika, Lombok, a rising luxury resort destination; and Labuan Bajo, home to the iconic Komodo Dragon. With a well-structured tourism strategy, Indonesia is poised to welcome more Indian travellers in the coming year. Her Excellency Ina Krishnamurthy, Ambassador Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, was glad at the enthusiastic response from the travel industry. Speaking to the media, she emphasized her ongoing commitment to attracting more Indian tourists to the archipelago, highlighting its diverse and enriching experiences that cater to Indian travellers. She also noted that with direct flights now available through Air India and IndiGo, traveling to Indonesia has become more convenient than ever, and she is expecting more Indians to select not only Bali but also beyond Bali as Indonesia is an archipelago consisting of over 17,000 islands. She added that Indonesia’s advanced digital platform for the Electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VoA) has also streamlined the visa application process for …

Israel Tourism Ministry invites the Indian outbound travel trade to attend an exclusive webinar today at 12 pm to gain insights and updates on the destination. From the ancient streets of Jerusalem to the serene shores of the Dead Sea, experience Israel’s exciting offerings. For more information, or to register, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

As per HVS Anarock’s recent report, the nationwide ARR of hotels has seen a growth of 10 to 12% while the ARRs remained in the range of ₹9,100 to ₹9,300. This growth in ARRs reflected positively on the RevPARs of hotels resulting in a growth of 15 to 17%. The RevPAR of hotels crossed the ₹6,000 threshold whereas the RevPAR of hotels in January 2025 was in the range of ₹6006 and ₹6,324.

By 2026, any hotel that hopes to attract travellers from the EU or to do business with EU-based tour operators and OTAs such as Bookings.com or Agoda, has to obtain recognised sustainability certifications. Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, President, THA, said, “By 2026, the GSTC will ban non-sustainable tourism businesses. Online platforms will only feature certified hotels.”

Karnataka is set to boost tourism by introducing sea planes to key destinations like Hampi and KRS. Highlighting their commitment, HK Patil, Tourism Minister, Karnataka, said that the government also plans a multi-lingual website and 3D virtual tours of heritage sites, making the state’s cultural and historical landmarks more accessible to tourists worldwide.