Anil Parashar, Executive Director, ITQ Technologies, has been honoured with the DDP Game Changer Award. With over four decades of leadership experience across Swissair, ACC and InterGlobe, he has consistently demonstrated financial acumen. The former Group CFO of InterGlobe guided the company through critical growth phases, handling capital restructuring, M&A, taxation and cross-border transactions. He also serves on the boards of IndiGo Airlines and Awfis Space Solutions.

Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, has been named DDP Trailblazer for 2025. Since joining in 2020, he has led the airline’s remarkable recovery post-Covid, driving growth and profitability. Under his leadership, Air India Express, operating over 500 daily flights across 58 airports with a fleet of 115 aircraft, successfully merged with AIX Connect in 2024. With over three decades of aviation experience, Singh has strengthened India’s aviation landscape.

Arjun Sharma, Chairman, Select Group, has joined the Gallery of Legends at the prestigious India Travel Awards. Son of the late Padma Shri Inder Sharma, he began his journey at SITA World Travel, later steering Kuoni and Le Passage to India into India’s top inbound tourism companies. Beyond tourism, he co-created Select CITYWALK, still known for the highest sales per sq ft in India. He continues to shape hospitality as Chief Vision Officer of Heritage Village Resorts & Spa.

The India Travel Awards 2025, held on September 9 at Le Méridien New Delhi, brought together leading voices from the travel and hospitality industry for an evening of recognition and celebration. The presence of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister, Tourism & Culture, graced the prestigious event. Honouring achievers who have driven growth, innovation, and excellence in India’s tourism sector, the event sets new benchmarks for the industry. Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, GoI, was the Honoured Guest at the event. A highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the India Travel Awards coffee table book. The event also saw the presence of eminent industry leaders, including Ashwani Lohani, Director, Prime Ministers’ Museum & Library, and Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India.

India’s MICE industry is expanding at a healthy rate of 8–10% annually, driven largely by domestic corporates and associations. However, the bigger challenge lies in attracting inbound MICE, which remains underdeveloped, according to Naveen Kundu, Founder, Tourism Futures.AI. He highlighted that nearly 26 million Indians travel abroad annually, with 25–30% linked to MICE. In comparison, India welcomes only 8–9 million foreign visitors across all categories. “Unless we grow inbound MICE, we miss out on significant foreign exchange and global positioning,” he said. Corporates currently split budgets between domestic and international destinations, with a strong preference for short-haul hubs like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Dubai, citing better infrastructure and visa ease. Despite rising volumes, per person MICE spends have stagnated, limiting profitability for operators. Kundu stressed the urgent need for large-scale convention infrastructure in destinations like Goa and Kerala, stronger marketing through India’s overseas missions, and meaningful state-level action. While the G20 Summit showcased India’s capacity, he said, the momentum was not leveraged.

Amid signs of improving diplomatic ties between India and China, the travel fraternity in India expects a 20–25% increase in business from China. Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, said, “Before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, China was an important source market for Indian tourism, and we expect a gradual recovery of inbound travel from China in the coming months as direct flights resume and the e-visa process eases.” “We expect at least a 20–25% boost in tourism-related business from China within the next 12 to 18 months,” he added. According to him, tour operators are actively preparing curated itineraries, improving digital booking systems and enhancing their partnerships with Chinese counterparts to cater to the likely surge in demand.

India Cruise Forum was officially launched at ITB India in Mumbai. This multi-city B2B initiative, jointly conceptualised by STIC Travel Group and DDP Group, will connect global cruise players with India’s most dynamic travel sellers. Speaking at a panel discussion, Isha Goyal, Director & CEO, said, “Travel agents play a significant role in selling cruises. Globally, almost 70% of cruise sales is done through travel agents even in mature markets, such as the US, Australia, and Europe. It is not because cruises are difficult to sell but because there is a lot of nuanced information, and travel agents can help consumers make better choices.”

The government plans to reduce operational costs for event venues in Delhi, including the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. “We are committed to supporting Delhi as a global hub for live events and entertainment,” said Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Sports Minister, addressing a high-level meeting convened by the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) recently. Kapil Mishra, Tourism Minister, Delhi and Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary (Sports), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, also attended the event, which aimed to extend support to the events industry. Mandaviya said, “By streamlining processes and reducing costs, we aim to foster a vibrant cultural scene that benefits both artists and audiences.” Addressing the event, Kapil Mishra said, “Our vision is to transform Delhi into a creative capital that celebrates art, music, and culture. This initiative will not only boost tourism but also generate large-scale employment opportunities.” Sabbas Joseph, Co-Founder & Director, Wizcraft International, said the Union minister’s support will help realise the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision to promote a concert-economy to help drive tourism and grassroots development.

Booking.com’s latest search trends reveal that 58 per cent Indian travellers opted for short domestic trips this year, while 36 per cent chose international trips. Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi were the top searched domestic destinations. Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok were the top searched international destinations on Booking.com by Indian travellers from 1 Jan–30 Jun 2025 for stay dates 1 Jan–30 Jun 2025.

West Bengal’s tourism sector attracted private investment worth ₹5,710 crore last year, driven by new luxury hotels, homestays and festival-driven growth, said Nandini Chakravorty, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), GoI. In the same period, 42 new luxury hotels have opened in the state. She also added that Bengal ranked first in homestay registrations with 5,322 operational units and 3,755 more in the pipeline.