MakeMyTrip to Promote ‘Goa Beyond Beaches’ – India Report

Online travel agency MakeMyTrip has announced a collaboration with the Government of Goa that will promote the coastal state as a year-round travel destination with more than just iconic beaches. The state has launched measures that would highlight Goa’s inland destinations.

Rohan Khaunte, minister of tourism, Government of Goa, said that this is a part of the ‘Goa Beyond Beaches’ vision.

MakeMyTrip’s side of agreement: MakeMyTrip will focus on the inland culture and gastronomy of Goa. The online travel agency is set to curate a Cultural Map of Goa to provide potential tourists with the choice of exploring different facets of the state.

Regenerative Tourism in Goa: The coastal state became the first in India to launch a “regenerative tourism” initiative. The goal is to go beyond sustainable tourism and minimize the negative impact of tourism. It is also looking to improve and restore its environment, and create a positive impact on the well-being of destinations. 

Mahindra Holidays to Double Room Capacity With $543 Million Investment

Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India is planning an investment of INR 45 billion ($543 million) to double its room capacity to 10,000 by fiscal year 2030. It is setting up new resorts and looking to forge partnerships with state governments to achieve this target.

The company, which has five projects of around 690 keys underway, has already collaborated with the Government of Uttarakhand, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tamil Nadu government and is exploring a partnership opportunity with the Odisha government. 

Over 30% of Indian Travelers Choose Middle East Destinations

Of the Indian travelers visiting overseas destinations, one-third choose Middle East destinations. For Indian travelers, United Arab Emirates is the top regional destination, with Saudi Arabia standing at the second position, according to a report by McKinsey and Booking.com.

For Dubai, India is the top source market and the first 10 months of 2023 saw the emirate recording 1.9 million Indian tourists. The worth of Indian outbound market is forecast to be $143.5 billion annually by 2030. 

Accordingly, the Arabian Travel Market 2024, scheduled to be held in Dubai in May, is set to hold a dedicated India summit focusing on the outbound potential of India. It is predicted that as many as 50 million overseas trips will be taken by Indians in 2030, nearly double the 2019 pre-pandemic figure of 26.9 million. 

Radisson Hotel Group Signs 150-Key Radisson Blu in Ayodhya

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the signing of a 150-key Radisson Blu hotel in Ayodhya. The hotel is being developed in partnership with Jeewani Hospitality and online travel agency EaseMyTrip, marking the online travel company’s foray into hospitality. This is Radisson’s second hotel in the religious city, after it announced the opening of Park Inn by Radisson Ayodhya in January 2024. 

According to KB Kachru, chairman emeritus and principal advisor, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, the city is a promising market for the hotel group and occupies a significant position in its expansion plans for this year. This is also in line with the company’s strategic expansion in tier 2 and 3 cities of India. 

97% Indian Holiday Homeowners Trust Online Travel Platforms for Bookings

According to a survey by Booking.com, as many as 97% of holiday homeowners in India have or would use online travel platforms to manage their bookings.

Several aspects, such as secure payment platform, opportunity for customer and visitor reviews, reliability in booking confirmations, as well as secure communication with guests, have been cited by them as reasons for this trust. Moreover, 74% of the homeowners said that they listed their property on multiple platforms online in order to generate more bookings. 

Indian travelers, on the other hand, prefer beach houses the most, with 46% indicating them as their preference. This is followed by farm stays, city apartments, as well as country cottages. Unique travel experiences that are preferred by Indian travelers include houseboats, camps, cozy cabins, and chalets.

Air India’s New Inflight Safety Video Celebrates Classical and Folk Dances

Former national carrier Air India has unveiled its new inflight safety video that has been named ‘Safety Mudras’. The video aims to blend inflight safety instructions with Indian classical and folk dances. Eight dance forms – Bharatnatyam, Bihu, Kathak, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, Ghoomar, and Giddha have been used to showcase safety instructions to passengers. 

Airlines are rapidly moving away from having the cabin crew demonstrate safety instructions, and are making use of videos that blend the culture or current events from the airline’s country of origin to demonstrate safety protocols. Qatar Airways, for example, made a humorous sports-based video in the gear up to the FIFA 2022 World Cup held in the country to demonstrate safety instructions. 

Western Australia Increases Focus on India as Key Market

India is a priority market for Tourism Western Australia, according to Tourism WA managing director Carolyn Turnbull. Stating that India is one of the fastest recovering markets for the region post-pandemic, she said that the organization is now focusing on strengthening its position with its partners in India in order to maximize the growth of this market.

India had been the eleventh largest visitor market for Western Australia in 2019, accounting for 31,000 visitors who spent about $63 million in the state. In 2023, Indian visitors to the region had reached 87% of the pre-Covid levels and the country became the seventh largest source market with 27,000 visitors.