Samual Machado, Managing Director for India and South Asia, Sabre Travel Solutions said, “The data shows that India travel market will be more than $250 billion worth in the next four to five years. When it comes to challenges, the speed at which we are growing will bring a lot of challenges to us. One of these challenges is technology adaptation, which will be a huge challenge in India because most of the agencies that we have are brick and mortar. They all have to invest to make sure that they are elevating the offline travel business to online travel business.” 

The Department of Culture & Tourism, Abu Dhabi invites the Indian outbound travel trade to attend an exclusive webinar on Al Ain city, thethrilling new attractions it has to offer, exciting adventures, and authentic Emirati hospitality that your clients can enjoy. Tune in today at 3 pm. To register and get more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Bobby KS Sawhney, Hon. Secretary, ITTA, explained the challenges faced by the company in importing high-end vehicles, stating, “All vehicles imported primarily from Japan lack financial institution support for loans. They insist that the vehicle must be purchased by us, brought into India, and registered in Delhi within 14 days for them to provide a loan. Specifically, they require registration within 14 days of landing in Delhi, which necessitates having speed governors installed. However, speed governors are currently unavailable.”

Jammu and Kashmir has seen a remarkable rise in tourism, with a 300% annual increase in foreign tourist arrivals. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha urges collective efforts from experts and industry leaders to tap into adventure, border, and heritage tourism, along with offbeat destinations, golf, bird-watching, agro-tourism, and destination weddings to boost the region’s tourism sector.

Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that India will develop the North and South Blocks of Delhi’s Raisina Hill complex into the world’s largest museum in 2025 which will be almost double the size of France’s Louvre museum. An agreement has been signed between France and India for this purpose, the tourism and culture minister said, adding that he was fortunate and proud to be part of the opportunity to execute the world’s largest museum project.

Coorg, tops domestic tourism with a 1910% increase in hotel bookings, followed by Varkala (400%), Goa (366%). Velankanni (200%), and Jodhpur (179%), stated RateGain, Factors driving this surge include scenic beauty, cultural appeal, and enhanced transportation options, boosting tourism from July to September with bookings made between January and mid-June 2024.

Sanjay Kumar, President & CEO, InterGlobe Technology Quotient said, “Indian aviation for the next 5-10 years is poised to grow significantly. We anticipate a growth rate of 10-12% in the domestic market and 13-15% in the international market. Over the next 5-10 years, our fleet size is projected to increase to 2,000 planes, up from the current 700”. 

Aloke Singh, MD, Air India Express said, “In terms of capacity, we are going to be adding almost 40% compared to last year’s capacity. We have about 30 aircraft coming in by December alone. Additionally, we already have 20 aircraft that have joined the fleet. Another 30 are on the way, and then next year, we will enter another phase of growth”. 

Recently, two MOUs were signed at UP Tourism Directorate, Lucknow, aiming to boost rural tourism and livelihoods in Uttar Pradesh. The first agreement between UP Tourism and UPSRLM focuses on infrastructure development, community empowerment, and financial services access. The second MOU with Manyawar Kanshiram Institute targets sustainable food enterprises. These partnerships aim to transform Uttar Pradesh’s tourism sector, benefiting both tourists and locals by promoting authentic rural experiences. 

As per WeddingWire India report, Indian wedding industry, valued as the second-largest globally. The average cost of hosting a wedding celebration in India surged to Rs 28 Lakhs in 2023, representing a significant increase from Rs 25 Lakhs in 2022. This indicates a substantial 12% growth in wedding expenditures within just one year.