Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Tripura Tourism will receive an additional ₹150 crore from the Central government for tourism development, announced Sushanta Chowdhury, Tourism Minister. The funding will support projects like beautifying tourist spots, establishing rural homestays, and upgrading heritage site amenities. The state government is actively seeking investments to boost tourism and enhance visitor experiences. 

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 …

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.

Outbound travel from India remained strong, with visa application volumes increasing by 11% Year over Year in 2024, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 4%. This increase indicates a recovery and a rise in the number of Indian travellers visiting international destinations. Yummi Talwar, COO—South Asia, VFS Global, said, “India continues to show a strong demand for international travel, and it’s clear that this robust momentum will persist in 2025.”

Renowned for its excellence in hospitality and luxury education, Glion Institute of Higher Education is shaping the future of luxury customer experience through innovative programs that perfectly align with the evolving demands of the industry. Founded in 1962, Glion first established itself as a pioneer in hospitality excellence before naturally extending its expertise to the world of luxury, training graduates who are ready to excel in a sector where excellence and the art of experience are essential. Cutting-Edge Programs for an Exceptional Industry Staying true to its heritage, Glion offers an academic programme entirely dedicated to the world of luxury, meeting the highest standards of the sector: Bachelor’s in Luxury Business: A program combining business expertise, luxury marketing, and customer experience management. Master of Science in Luxury Management and Guest Experience: Designed for future leaders, merging luxury and hospitality. Executive Master in Luxury Management and Guest Experience: An advanced program for professionals looking to refine their strategic vision. Luxury Business Summer Program: An exclusive immersion into the codes and management of luxury. A Pioneering Commitment to Luxury Education With a visionary approach, Glion anticipated the changing dynamics of luxury by integrating this demanding world into its academic programmes dedicated to hospitality since 2013, by introducing a Bachelor’s speciality dedicated to luxury management within its emblematic hotel curriculum. Building on its hospitality heritage, the Institute is passing on to new generations the fundamental values of luxury: attention to detail, exceptional service and the creation of memorable experiences. This approach addresses the growing demand from prestigious brands seeking talent capable of enriching and elevating the customer experience to its highest level. Glion graduates distinguish themselves in major watchmaking houses, private aviation companies, …

Fawzan Fareid, Regional Manager for India, Bangladesh, and Nepal- SriLankan Airlines, called Ramayana Trail a game changer. The airline curated an authentic Ramayana experience, attracting strong interest. A recent Chennai-Colombo group had 190 passengers, with numbers expected to grow significantly between April and June, reflecting rising demand for religious tourism.

India’s industrial output, growing at 5.7% to 7%, will drive the expansion of the MICE sector, said Naveen Kundu, Managing Director, Ebix Travel Group. “Higher industrial output enhances manpower quality, leading to more rewards and recognition programmes, which will in turn fuel outbound MICE travel. As industrial output rises, so will MICE travel overseas. Meetings and incentives from India are set to become the world’s largest market,” he added.

Madhya Pradesh is planning to set up a spiritual city in Ujjain ahead of Simhastha Kumbh 2028, state Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced. “The plan to set up a spiritual city spanning around 3,300 hectares in Ujjain is being approved,” he said. The chief minister also stated that the state government is implementing investor-friendly policies to attract private investments across all sectors, including tourism.