Trevolution Has Good News for India’s Inbound Industry: India Report

Trevolution Group reported 37% growth in travel sales across the Indian market during the first three quarters of 2023. Here are some of the key takeaways:

• The growing demand for transpacific flights is strongly exceeding pre-pandemic volumes. In the first nine months of 2023, Trevolution Group reported a 22% increase in travel to India. The company also noted that the Indian diaspora in the U.S. is growing.

• Over 59,220 flight tickets have been sold to and from India’s main airports, resulting in almost $103 million in gross bookings or more than 11% of the overall company’s gross profit during the nine months.

• This year, from January to September, there has also been a 179% increase in outbound tourism from India.

Top Inbound Markets to India:  U.S., Canada, UK and the UAE. Mumbai and Delhi were the most popular arrival airports. 

Countries Indians are Flying to: U.S., Canada, UAE, and UK. 

Preferred Airlines: Air India, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines.

Booking Windows: Over one-third of global travelers flying to India in the first nine months of 2023 purchased their tickets 90 days prior to the departure date. This indicates increased confidence allowing people to plan ahead. Only 15% of all inbound flight tickets were purchased up to 10 days before the trip.

“India’s growing economy and expanding international business relations are fueling a rising demand for global travel. The three quarters of 2023 have proven a strong increase in international travel between Asia and other regions. Our strategic partnerships, such as the one with Air India, are a key driver of this success,” said Alex Weinstein, founder of Dyninno Group, the parent company of Trevolution.

Lufthansa Connects Bengaluru With Munich

Lufthansa has launched direct flights connecting India’s Bengaluru with Munich. Bengaluru is the third Indian city, after Delhi and Mumbai, to be connected directly to Lufthansa’s hub in Munich.

The Lufthansa Group will be operating 64 weekly flights between India and Europe by January 2024. The Indian aviation market is currently the third largest globally for Lufthansa Group. 

The Bengaluru-Munich service represents Lufthansa’s commitment to the Indian market as its capacity to India now exceeds pre-Covid levels. 

“India is witnessing tremendous economic growth. It is now the 5th largest economy and is on track to be the 3rd largest economy by 2030. We have been invested in India for more than 90 years and when looking for our first new APAC destination since the pandemic, Bengaluru was a natural fit,” Lufthansa Group senior director – South Asia, George Ettiyil, said. 

Kerala to Launch ‘Mission 2030’ Master Plan  

The Kerala government is planning to bring a comprehensive master plan “Mission 2030” for the tourism sector next year. This plan will include policies and suggestions to increase tourism’s contribution to Kerala’s GDP from 12% to 20%.

Key points:

• In 2024, Kerala Tourism aims to focus on leveraging private investments on a larger scale to enhance the state’s presence in the global tourism domain. 
• To ensure that the entire state benefits from tourism, rapid decentralization in the tourism sector is deemed necessary.
• The government plans to develop heli tourism and cruise tourism in partnership with private players in the coming year. 

Post-Pandemic Developments: 

• Kerala Tourism successfully sustained tourism flow post-pandemic by introducing trendy attractions like Vagamon Glass Bridge, Floating Bridge, Cinema Tourism, and Caravan Tourism as part of leisure tourism activities.
• Wayanad has seen a significant increase in domestic tourists, with a substantial rise in revenue. In 2022-23, the number of domestic visitors reached 2.4 million and the revenue stood at INR 122 million.

The state’s tourism sector contributes 10% to the state’s GDP and generates approximately 15 lakh jobs. In 2022, the total revenue from the sector was INR 350 million, foreign exchange earnings were INR 20 million, and direct earnings from domestic tourists were INR 240 million.

Collinson’s Partnership With Travel Fintech Firm Scapia

Collinson, the global end-to-end travel experiences, airport services, has partnered with Indian travel fintech company Scapia allowing eligible Scapia cardholders access to over 60 premium airport lounges and travel experiences across all major cities in India.

Scapia users can also gain access to over 1,400 international airport lounges and travel experiences through Collinson’s LoungeKey program. 

In its latest consumer insights report — The New Rules of Engagement: Customer Expectations Revealed — Collinson had shared that 86% of consumers in India perceive the experiences that brands and companies provide to be as important as its products and/or services. 

Travel-related rewards and benefits have emerged as a rising opportunity for financial services brands to drive better commercial returns.

Consumers in India, particularly millennials, have ranked access to airport lounges as one of the top two travel-related rewards and benefits they value highly. The report also highlights that eight in 10 consumers in India are more likely to use their payment cards for travel and everyday expenses should the payment card offer travel-related rewards or benefits.

Ranveer-Alia Attempt to Charm and Inform in MakeMyTrip Campaign

MakeMyTrip launched a new campaign aimed squarely at attracting new users to its platform by spotlighting its unique value propositions. 

The new campaign brings back its ambassadors, Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, highlighting the depth of room-specific information available on MakeMyTrip, from the charm of sea-facing rooms to the practicalities of included amenities. These films also highlight attractive offers for first-time users, aligning perfectly with the timing for those planning their year-end travels.

By introducing a discount scheme for new users and showcasing the value of detailed, competitively priced offerings, MakeMyTrip intends to move the needle on how India plans and books their travel, promising a hassle-free experience for every traveller.

Efcee Hotels and Uttarakhand Partner for Eco-Friendly Hotels

Efcee Hotels, the hotel investment arm of the esteemed Leela Group of Companies, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uttarakhand, paving the way for the development of environmentally responsible hotels at four strategic locations within Uttarakhand.

The project is slated to break ground in the coming year, focusing on local employment and eco-friendly practices.

“This initiative will simultaneously boost our economy and preserve our natural heritage, creating a win-win scenario for all stakeholders,” Pushpaksingh Dhami,  Uttarakhand chief minister,  said. 

Recently, online travel company EaseMyTrip teamed up with the state of Uttarakhand in a significant partnership valued at over INR 2500 million to launch awareness campaigns and homestay programs.