Booking.com’s Travel Trends for 2024 revealed that to make the most of monsoon, Indians are looking at exploring the mountains, the beaches and soaking in some natural beauty. Besides metros, leisure destinations such as Lonavala, Udaipur, Jaipur, Ooty and Mussoorie are among the most searched destinations this rainy season.

Opening the International Kayaking Facilitation Centre at Pulikkayam in Kodenchery, PA Mohamed Riyas, Public Works Department & Tourism Minister, Kerala, said it will be ideal to have off-road championships regularly within Kerala, and Kodenchery that will boost the tourism sector. ‘We will attract not just locals but participants from all over the globe,” he said.

Ahead of the Union Budget, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, said, “To make India a preferred travel destination, the Union Budget 2024-2025 must focus on infrastructure, more favourable GST rates and GST credit, industry status including travel operators, development of new airports, and rapid expansion in rail, road and waterways.”

KB Kachru, President, HAI, said, “The forthcoming Union Budget offers an opportunity to unleash the potential of India hospitality in its contribution to India Vision 2047. We request the government to make key policy shifts in the sector by giving infrastructure status to hotels rather than categorising them as luxury, elite or even ‘sin’ goods”.

Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO said, “We requested the Prime Minister for financial support to be provided to tour operators based on their foreign exchange earnings. Additionally, we urged the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, to allocate a Unof rupees ₹1000 crore or more for the revival of incoming tourism.”

Bidisha Mukherjee, Additional Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, shared, “Madhya Pradesh Tourism aims to position itself state as a premier multi-speciality destination. There has been nearly a threefold increase in footfall numbers, from 32.1 million visitors in 2022 to 112 million in 2023. Inbound tourism is also on the rise, with travellers from Poland expressing interest in participating in the Khajuraho Festival. Scandinavian countries, have shown significant interest in Madhya Pradesh, with Finland being one of the largest source markets.”

Advocating for promoting domestic tourism during her maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha, Sudha Murty, Philanthropist highlighted India’s cultural richness, noting that while the country boasts 42 World Heritage sites, an additional 57 are awaiting recognition. She emphasised the need for well-packaged tourism initiatives, with adequate infrastructure to attract more visitors and boost revenue within India.

Taiwan Expo 2024 is all set to make a comeback to India after five years and is scheduled to be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from July 8-10. The expo is being organised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, International Trade Administration (TITA) and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and will feature five key themes namely Smart Manufacturing, Smart Medical, Green & Sustainability, Halal and Intelligent Lifestyle, fostering international trade and partnership between Taiwan and India. This year, over 120 Taiwanese exhibitors will participate in the expo, showcasing their products and services at 224 booths across five themes.

Thomas Cook India & SOTC in its India Holiday Report 2023 highlighted a 70% surge in cruise holidays. Speaking on this, Daniel D’souza, President, SOTC Travel, said, “Cruise holidays offer an all-inclusive experience onboard a luxurious floating hotel.These include a wide range of services, from entertainment and exciting activities to diverse cuisines, wellness spas, shopping, and exploring new locales. We are witnessing strong growth in this segment from regional India’s tier II-III markets, besides metros and mini metros.”

Jaiveer Singh, Minister of Tourism & Culture, UP, said, “Uttar Pradesh has an immense potential for tourism, particularly spiritual tourism. Our government’s zero-tolerance policy towards crime has improved the law and order situation of the state that led to the surge of 48 crore footfalls in UP in 2022 and 2023, a number double the population of the state.”