Cleartrip Is Winning More Travel Agents for Its Agency Business – India Report

Online travel agency Cleartrip has announced that its travel agent partners increased by 40% in 2023 as compared to 2022. The company’s business-to-business platform Agentbox 2.0 recorded four times higher volume of business in 2023 than the previous year, it added. 

Agentbox 2.0: Cleartrip’s agency business is a platform that aims to provide travel agents with a one-stop solution for booking airlines, hotels, and holiday packages. It allows agents to earn commissions as well as create sub-agents and expand their businesses. 

With 70% growth in monthly agent transactions, Cleartrip had onboarded more than 5,000 agents in fiscal 2022, establishing what it called “the fastest-growing agency network in India.” In a May 2023 release, the company had said that it has built a presence in over 27 cities.

Cleartrip on Indian market: In the Skift India Travel Podcast, Cleartrip CEO Ayyappan Rajagopal shared that the company aims to become a travel superapp. As part of its plans to capitalize on the country’s travel potential, Cleartrip also recently launched a corporate travel booking tool for organizations. 

AirAsia Planning to Increase Malaysia’s Connectivity to Smaller Indian Cities

Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia is looking to increase the connectivity between Malaysia and tier 2 and 3 cities in India. Currently, the carrier operates 14 routes between the two countries. It has said that the plans to further grow its network in India are underway. The carrier had recently announced three new routes from Indian cities to Kuala Lumpur set to begin during the course of 2024.

India is a major source market for Malaysia. In 2023, India stood sixth in terms of nationals that visited Malaysia. Notably, the number of Indian tourists that visited Malaysia in 2023 was more than double of the 2022 levels. With the recent decision that allows visa-free entry to Indians in Malaysia, these numbers are expected to spike further. 

Lemon Tree Hotels Signs Two New Properties

Lemon Tree Hotels has signed two new properties. Sankhwas Garh, a Lemon Tree Resort is set to come up near Mundwa in Rajasthan featuring 51 keys. Keys Lite by Lemon Tree Hotels, Vijayawada will feature 44 rooms. Both the hotels are slated to open in 2026. The company had recently announced the signing of Lemon Tree Resort, Marpalle in Telangana. 

This expansion spree is in line with the company’s strategy to leverage the growing middle class segment in India. Expecting it to be the driving force for the industry in the near future, the company is increasing its presence in tier 1, 2, and 3 cities. 

Tripura Government Focusing on Boosting Tourism Sector 

The Tripura government is working on enhancing the tourism sector, Chief Minister Manik Saha said while inaugurating the project for beautification of Jagannath Dighi in the state’s Udaipur town. He also shared that the Bhadarghat railway station in Agartala has been modernized to provide facilities similar to those available in an airport. 

In 2022, the state recorded a footfall of 235,600 tourists, up nearly 25% from the 2021 levels. The state is ramping up its efforts to position itself as a sought-after travel destination. Last year, it announced its plans to invest INR 10 billion ($121 million) to build tourism infrastructure. These plans included making available five houseboats in Dambur Lake and setting up four ropeways in various parts of the state. 

Cygnett Hotels and Resorts Planning Aggressive Pan-India Expansion

Cygnett Hotels and Resorts has announced its plans to undertake aggressive pan-India expansion in 2024. This comes as the group, which has now completed 10 years of existence, recorded a 15.6% increase in Average Daily Rate (ADR) in 2023. The company, which operates in the midscale hospitality segment, also recorded occupancy rates of 80%. 

Cygnett aims to have at least 33 operational hotels by the end of the year. It is targeting regions that have high tourism potential, with special focus on Northeast India. The company has in its pipeline hotels in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang, and Guwahati, Barpeta, Nagaon, and Galahad in Assam.

Air Mauritius to Operate Between Chennai, Mauritius From April 2024

Mauritius national carrier Air Mauritius will operate flights from Chennai to Mauritius from April 13, 2024. The weekly flight will operate every Saturday from Chennai. This marks the resumption of the airline’s operations in Chennai after a four-year gap. The carrier currently has flights from Mumbai and Delhi. 

India is Mauritius’ biggest source market in Asia and in the first quarter of 2023, nearly 8,000 Indian tourists visited the African nation. This figure was more than triple that of 2022 first quarter level.