Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

The 10th edition of the Global Hospitality Conclave (GHC) was recently held at The Oberoi, New Delhi. Considered as a prestigious and dynamic event in the hospitality industry, it has raised the bar of discourse on critical issues impacting the world in general and hospitality in particular over the last decade. GHC, steered by the alumni of the erstwhile Oberoi School of Hotel Management (OSHM), now The Oberoi Centre for Learning & Development (OCLD), was started to share and gain knowledge and provide an enviable opportunity to network with the best in business. Over the years, the conclave has grown in representation and credibility into a powerful forum for Oberoi Hotel alumni to celebrate their journey of learning and excellence. It seeks to bring together professionals from different areas of the service and hospitality industry, encouraging interactions and debates. This year, the event commemorates The Oberoi Group’s 90 Years of Excellence in hospitality. It brought together a distinguished gathering of senior leadership of The Oberoi Group, OSHM / OCLD alumni and those who currently hold or have previously held executive roles at The Oberoi Group to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future.  

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, today announced the opening of Ginger Dehradun. This new addition to the Ginger portfolio brings the brand’s signature lean luxe philosophy to the capital of Uttarakhand. Ms. Deepika Rao, Executive Vice President – Hotel Openings & New Businesses, IHCL, said, “Ginger Dehradun reflects our focused approach to accelerating growth for the brand in high-potential markets. The mid-scale segment continues to see strong demand driven by rising domestic travel. Dehradun, with its mix of leisure, commercial activity as a state capital and presence of multiple educational institutions offers itself as a good market for diverse hospitality brands like Ginger.” Strategically located near major tourist attractions and commercial hubs, Ginger Dehradun offers 72 rooms designed for comfort. Guests can enjoy all-day dining at Qmin, a smart meeting room, the fully equipped fitness centre, and the vibrant community spaces. Nestled in the heart of the Doon Valley, Dehradun, serves as a gateway to several popular tourist destinations in Uttarakhand, including Mussoorie, Rishikesh, and Haridwar. Known for its prestigious educational institutions and numerous attractions including Robber’s Cave and Sahastradhara, Dehradun is one of India’s most popular hill cities.

Amadeus has signed an extended partnership with BCD Travel, which will see the global travel management company become the latest reseller of Cytric Easy for Microsoft Teams. Through the new integration, corporate travel managers will have access to the benefits of Cytric Easy technology as part of the BCD Travel portfolio.

Conducted by Allianz Partners, the India Travel Index 2025 reveals that about 47% of Indian travellers planning trips in 2025 have saved at least ₹126,000, with 85% intending to purchase travel insurance due to personal safety, extreme weather and flight disruptions. This indicates a growing trend of financial preparedness and a strong emphasis on travel protection among Indian travellers.

Indian Railways will launch a special tourism initiative — the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Glorious Maratha Tourism Train — offering travellers a six-day heritage journey through Maharashtra’s legendary Maratha forts and temples. The train blends history, culture, and spirituality and will depart from CSMT, with boarding available at Dadar and Thane.

Travelport will offer Latam’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) content under the terms of an extended agreement. The technology company connected agencies will be able to offer both EDIFACT and NDC content via Travelport Plus. The agreement will enable agencies access to enriched content that will help deliver a better value to Latam travel customers.

PATA Annual Summit is set to be held at Gyeongju and Pohang in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Korea (ROK) from 11-13 May next year. This is the first time in PATA’s history that two cities will co-host the Summit. Kim Namil, President, GCTO, said, “Our goal is to make PAS 2026 more than just a tourism event — it will be a platform for sustainability, innovation, and human connections.”

The report ‘Scaling Up Sustainable Fuel’ by WTTC warns that unless the travel and tourism sector acts collectively, SAF mandates introduced by governments, requiring a 5% to 10% blend by 2030, could increase travel costs and limit consumer choice. With Travel and tourism forecast to generate $16.5 trillion and support over 460 million jobs by 2035, scaling up sustainable fuel is an economic imperative.

Mahesh Iyer, MD & CEO, Thomas Cook India, said, “Thomas Cook expects to outperform the country’s overall travel industry growth (including both inbound and outbound travel segments), which is estimated to grow in the range of 12–15 per cent in financial year 2026 (FY26).” For the summer season (April–June quarter), bookings are expected to be better than they were two weeks ago, he added.

Commenting on the current travel situation in India, Rikant Pittie, Chief Executive Officer, EaseMyTrip, said, “Due to recent geopolitical tensions, the platform saw a 22% rise in cancellations for Turkiye and 30% for Azerbaijan.” Travellers had switched to Georgia, Serbia, Greece, Thailand, and Vietnam, he added.