Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Julia Simpson, President & CEO, WTTC, said, “India has great infrastructure, but to grow further, we must embrace digital and seamless travel.” Citing her easy UK-to-India visa experience, she stressed replicating that for others. “We should learn from China’s short-stay visa model-fast, digital and paperless,” she added, advocating smart reforms to support tourism recovery and expansion. 

The Uttar Pradesh government has approved the Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Policy 2025 to promote tourism, improve accommodation standards, and generate local jobs. Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the policy enhances tourist experiences while supporting economic growth. It also mandates NOCs from local bodies for operational compliance by eligible homestay and B&B units. 

Commenting on India’s outbound, KD Singh, Founder & President, TravelBullz.com, said, “India’s outbound market is going to grow by at least 10-12%, minimum, if not more. We are issuing a million passports a month. That is the base for the future travel people. Indians who have seen it all will go out but they are wanting to go to Kenya or Egypt. They are going to make walking tours. Overall, their way to look at a holiday is changing.” 

In a move aimed at strengthening its tourism appeal, the Puducherry Transport Department has opened its doors and brought camper vans and caravans under a formal tax structure. This key initiative facilitates the issuance of permits not only for Puducherry-registered vehicles, but also for vehicles from other States, through a convenient tax system for 3, 7 and 30-day durations.

Thailand remains the most searched Asian market by European travellers for the second consecutive year, revealed Agoda. Following closely are Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia, with Vietnam making its debut in the top five. Interestingly, India has also captured growing interest from European travellers, with the UK and the Netherlands ranking among the top source markets searching for accommodation in the country.  

ICRA has revised the outlook on the Indian hospitality industry to stable from positive, considering the expectations of normalised revenue growth of 6-8% in FY2026 on the high base, posted after three years of double-digit revenue expansion seen by the industry over FY2023 to FY2025. It estimates pan-India premium hotel occupancy to hold at 72-74% in FY2026, slightly higher than the 70-72% levels witnessed in FY2024 and FY2025.

Chatchaya Glaiprayong, Head of Global Sales, Cross Hotels & Resorts, confirmed that the Cross Vibe Bangkok Srinakarin hotel, part of Cross Hotels & Resorts, is scheduled to open in July. She said that the modern 196-room hotel caters to the needs of today’s savvy travellers. With eight innovative meeting spaces, the hotel is ideal for both business and leisure stays.

According to HEDNA’s 2025 State of Distribution report, the hotel industry is sitting on a goldmine of data and wasting it. The report revealed that 80% still spend up to two work-days each week on manual reports and fewer than 20% invest in reporting tools. Most reporting platforms are built for Revenue Management workflow, forcing distribution staff to stitch data manually, it added.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh, is set to formally inaugurate the border tourism initiative during an upcoming two-day tour beginning at Shipki-La village. This move will allow regulated tourist access to strategically sensitive yet culturally vibrant destinations. The objective is to promote sustainable border tourism while ensuring national security and preserving the unique tribal heritage of the region.

To highlight the cultural, spiritual, and historical richness of Uttar Pradesh, the state’s tourism department will set up a pavilion at the upcoming Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart, scheduled to take place in Bangkok from 26 to 28 August. Positioned as a major international tourism platform, PATA helps tourist boards to attract global footfall.