Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Speaking about the hotel group’s performance for FY 2025, Arjun Baljee, President, Royal Orchid Hotels, said, “Our asset-right model has enabled us to sign a record number of new deals, taking our pipeline to over 30+ properties, across segments and brands. The successful opening of 14 new Regenta hotels with 963+ keys has further strengthened our presence in the midscale and value segment. We are diversifying our portfolio with new brands catering to different segments and look forward to the opening of Iconiqa Hotel Mumbai International Airport, which is a category defining upscale lifestyle hotel in India.”

Air India has unveiled a new campaign, ‘There is an Air About India’, a tribute to the new India that is bold, joyous, confident, and resoundingly vibrant. The campaign, which includes an OOH segment, print ads and a stunning digital film, captures the essence of a nation on the rise that Air India is proud to carry around the world. Conceptualised and produced in partnership with creative agency McCann, the digital film’s centrepiece is the rap-style soundtrack composed by renowned music director Sneha Khanwalkar, with vocals by emerging rap artist Aarya Jadhao. The film blends rhythmic storytelling, sharp transitions, and stunning visuals — capturing the soul of India, from bustling metros to remote heartlands. Each beat and verse weaves together the diverse cultural fabric of India — its colours, cuisines, communities, and ambitions. From traditional performances and spiritual motifs to modern skylines and global aspirations, the narrative culminates in a powerful refrain “There is an Air about India” and that Air India is proud to carry it around the world. After its return to the Tata group in 2022, Air India is in the middle of a five-year transformation – Vihaan.AI – to evolve into a world-class global airline that matches the aspirations of new India. India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world where the number of airports has doubled in the last decade and over 350 million passengers took to the skies last year. Air India is building a world-class airline that reflects the warmth, ambition, and spirit of India. For this, the airline has ordered 570 new aircraft, is undergoing a $400 million retrofit program for its legacy fleet and as part of …

Shalini Nair, Founding Member and Director – Product Development, Marketing and Hotels Operations, TravelBullz.com, said, “Over the past year, we’ve seen phenomenal growth in our global hotels business, driven by strategic partnerships and robust demand. Our goal is to scale this success tenfold within the next two years. To achieve this, we’re doubling down on technology-driven solutions, enhancing efficiency and user experience.”  

René de Monchy, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand, said, “Visitor numbers from India is experiencing double digit growth and the travel trade has been integral in shaping this. We are focused on enhancing these commercial partnerships and through improved connectivity and strategically targeted high-impact marketing campaigns, we are keen to convert this interest into bookings and visitation.” 

Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, said, “There must be a synergy between all associations working in tourism. When inbound and outbound tour operators collaborate and exchange insights, it benefits the entire tourism ecosystem.” Gosain highlighted that countries like France and Spain have successfully leveraged a balanced mix of inbound and outbound tourism. “We need to adopt similar strategies to strengthen India’s position in the global tourism market.” 

Ministry of Heritage & Tourism, Oman, invites travel partners to an exclusive webinar on 28 May at 3 pm (IST) to discover its incredible destinations. From ancient forts to breathtaking wadis, gain insights about their tourism offerings for your clients and win exciting prizes. For more information or to register, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 96501 96532.   

Meliá Hotels International has launched the Atithi Program, a dedicated initiative designed to welcome Indian groups traveling to Europe with warmth, authenticity, and exceptional hospitality. With decades of global expertise in hosting world-class events and group stays, Meliá now introduces a specialized offering for Indian travelers, complete with culturally familiar touches, impeccable service, and the finest Indian cuisine. Whether for weddings, corporate offsites, or celebratory getaways, Meliá’s Atithi Program ensures every detail is thoughtfully taken care of. To support this initiative, Meliá presents a thoughtfully curated portfolio of hotels across key European destinations, all experienced in hosting Indian groups and events. Participating hotels include Meliá Vienna in Austria; Meliá Berlin and Meliá Frankfurt in Germany; Meliá Paris La Défense in France; and Meliá Milan in Italy. In Spain, the program spans multiple cities: in Barcelona, guests can choose from Meliá Barcelona Sarrià, Meliá Barcelona Sky, and INNSiDE Barcelona Apolo; in Madrid, the options include Meliá Castilla, Meliá Madrid Serrano, and Meliá Madrid Princesa; in Sevilla, Meliá Lebreros and Meliá Sevilla offer exceptional service; while in the Canary Islands, Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora in Tenerife provides a luxurious resort experience. Meliá Valencia also joins the list for groups heading to the eastern coast of Spain. In the United Kingdom, the centrally located Meliá White House in London offers the ideal setting for Indian groups visiting the UK. These properties offer state-of-the-art event facilities, central locations, and culturally sensitive hospitality, making them ideal for Indian group travel. A hallmark of the program is the Atithi Cuisine, a signature culinary offering of traditional Indian dishes such as Butter Chicken, Rogan Josh, Amritsari Fish, Paneer Kadai, Chole, Rajma, and more. The menu provides …

Digital travel platform Agoda announces a strategic partnership with the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), one of India’s largest hospitality companies. This collaboration expands Agoda’s premium offerings across the globe enabling travelers internationally to access IHCL’s world-class portfolio of properties through Agoda’s platform. The partnership brings 250 of IHCL’s operating properties — including iconic brands such as Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, Ginger, and the newly launched Claridges Collection — to Agoda’s global customer base. As Agoda celebrates its 20th birthday this year, the collaboration underscores the organization’s continued focus on enhancing customer choice, value, experience and industry partnerships in key travel markets. “IHCL is an iconic name, and that says something in a market like India where hospitality is in a league of its own,” said Omri Morgenshtern, Chief Executive Officer at Agoda. “Under the leadership of MD & CEO Puneet Chhatwal, IHCL continues to set benchmarks in the industry. One of Agoda’s strengths is working together with the best wherever we operate, and with this partnership, we’re doing exactly that. I’m thrilled to combine IHCL’s portfolio of heritage palaces, luxury city hotels, and more with Agoda’s tech-driven solutions and global reach.” Through this alliance, Agoda connects IHCL to its growing user base of international and intra-regional travelers, particularly from Asia Pacific and the Middle East — two regions where demand for culturally rich, luxury travel is rising fast. The collaboration is also aligned with IHCL’s strategy to grow its portfolio to over 700 hotels by 2030 and build deeper connections with the digitally savvy traveler. “This partnership with Agoda supports our ambition of driving global awareness for IHCL’s diverse brands,” said Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL. “As travel demand continues to grow, we are confident that Agoda’s strong …

Amadeus and Google today announced a landmark partnership to deploy Google Cloud’s technology, reinforcing Amadeus’ commitment to cloud and AI innovation. Under the agreement, Amadeus, one of the leading travel technology companies, will migrate part of its technical platform to Google Cloud, leveraging its open, secure, and reliable infrastructure, to enhance operational efficiency and resiliency, while being closer to customers’ needs. The partnership will also enable Amadeus to build future innovations and services based on Google Cloud’s generative AI technologies and other solutions.   The selection of Google Cloud, underscores Amadeus’ commitment to a multicloud strategy, complementing and expanding its reach across 42 global regions. Amadeus’ open cloud approach helps the company foster innovation and autonomy, while prioritizing security and reliability. In particular, Google Cloud’s expertise in data analytics and management will provide agility and efficiency for Amadeus, enabling the company to harmonize data across its diverse customer systems.   Amadeus will also explore future AI-driven innovations by leveraging Google Cloud’s AI technologies. By using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, Amadeus will have access to a vast selection of large language models (LLMs), allowing the company to deploy faster AI solutions. Amadeus will explore Agentic AI with Google Agentspace and Google Cloud’s open and interoperable approach to agents, considering a possible integration into its own solutions. Amadeus’ exploration of AI, including use cases for AI agents collaborating with each other, could help bring concrete benefits to travel players and travelers, offering a richer, more fluid and more comprehensive travel experience.   Furthermore, the two companies are exploring collaboration opportunities to enhance flight search accuracy and airline offer management by integrating Amadeus MetaConnect and Amadeus Nevio with Google Flights and the Google Offer Management system (QPX), …

The hospitality industry stands at a critical crossroads, where two powerful forces, technology and sustainability, are reshaping every aspect of how we lead, operate, and innovate. At the heart of this transformation is a fundamental shift in leadership: tomorrow’s leaders must be agile, ethically grounded, and deeply literate in both digital fluency and sustainable strategy. Technology as a Driver of Human-Centric Innovation In recent years, digital transformation has redefined the guest journey. AI-powered personalization, data-driven decision-making, and seamless automation are no longer optional; they’re expected. From contactless check-ins to smart-room technology, innovation is improving efficiency while enhancing the guest experience. But the future is not just about convenience. It’s about connection. Virtual reality is being used to offer immersive previews of destinations, while blockchain is enabling secure, transparent loyalty systems. These advancements are only the beginning. What’s needed now is leadership that can strategically deploy these tools in a way that maintains the soul of hospitality: authentic, human-centered service. Sustainability as a Core Business Imperative Sustainability has moved from the sidelines to the strategic core of hospitality businesses. Guests, investors, and employees alike are demanding action on issues like climate impact, energy efficiency, food waste, and responsible sourcing. True sustainability is no longer about isolated green initiatives; it’s about rethinking business models entirely. This includes embracing circular design, decarbonizing operations, and embedding ESG metrics into performance evaluations. For instance, Accor had committed to eliminating single-use plastics by 2022 and reducing carbon emissions by 46% by 2030. Leaders of the future must have the courage to challenge the status quo and the knowledge to build organizations that balance profitability with purpose. Leadership for a Transformative Era As the hospitality industry undergoes …