MakeMyTrip and Air India Express Launch Xpress Holidays - India Report

India’s largest online travel agency MakeMyTrip and budget airline Air India Express have partnered to launch ‘Xpress Holidays’ - a platform that would allow travelers to book end-to-end holiday packages. 

The platform is hosted on the website and mobile app of Air India Express. MakeMyTrip is also displaying these holiday packages on its website. 

MakeMyTrip’s Efforts: MakeMyTrip has been working towards becoming the first port of call for Indian travelers, and has been making several efforts toward that end:

• It entered into a collaboration with the government of Goa in February to promote the state as a year-round destination. 
• Also in February, it launched the ‘business class funnel’ for international flights to enhance the booking experience of first- and business-class passengers. 
• Last year, the OTA partnered with the Indian tourism ministry to develop a microsite showcasing more than 600 lesser-known destinations of India. 
• It also acquired a majority stake in intercity car rental company Savaari in what could be seen as a move towards vertical integration. 
• The company is also resuming its attractions and activities product for travelers, my colleague Peden Doma Bhutia reported in May. 
• MakeMyTrip entered into an agreement with Madhya Pradesh government to promote pilgrimage and wildlife experiences in the state. 
• On the international front, MakeMyTrip partnered with Singapore to promote the Southeast Asian country as a key destination among Indian travelers. 
• It also launched exclusive charter flight service between Mumbai and Bhutan as part of its holiday packages. 

The company has a long-term strategy of developing a travel superapp in India, not only increasing its product offerings but also focusing on ancillary products, including forex and travel insurance. 

Following IndiGo? The joint move by MakeMyTrip and Air India Express comes about a month after budget airline IndiGo introduced a hotel booking option on its website and app, looking to offer its customers a one-step booking solution. For this, IndiGo partnered with the Expedia group. 

Even before IndiGo, full-service airline Vistara was already offering a hotel booking platform powered by online travel company Booking.com. 

Sarovar Hotels Opens Sarovar Portico in Saharanpur

Sarovar Hotels has opened the 97-key Sarovar Portico in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. According to a statement by Sarovar, the property is Saharanpur’s first branded hotel. Although Skift could not independently verify if this is true, it indeed seemed to be the case when we tried searching for hotels in the city across OTAs and branded hotel chains. 

Sarovar is among the fastest-growing hotel chains in the country. In the first four months of 2024, it had opened seven hotels, with the goal of opening another eight to 12 properties during the rest of the year, Sarovar Hotels managing director Ajay Bakaya had told Skift.

The company is looking to have 125 operational hotels by the end of 2024, and expects this to increase to 150 by the end of next year. It has a pipeline of 70 to 80 hotels. 

Small Luxury Hotels of the World Expands Presence in India

Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) has expanded its presence in India by entering into a partnership with MRS Group of Hotels. This marks SLH’s first collaboration with an independent hotel group in India. 

Under the collaboration, MRS Group’s three properties - Suryagarh Jaisalmer, Narendra Bhawan Bikaner, and Mary Budden Estate Binsar - will be integrated into SLH’s collection of luxury boutique hotels. 

This would also lead to the three properties of MRS to be included in Hilton’s loyalty program Hilton Honors due to SLH’s exclusive partnership with Hilton.

Leisure Hotels Group Opens Two Properties Under Bedzzz Portfolio

Experiential hotel chain Leisure Hotels Group has opened two new properties under its Bedzzz portfolio - Bedzzz Xclusiv Ikshana Luxe in Nainital and Bedzzz Xclusiv Baikunth in Manali. 

The hotels continue the sociotel (social hotel) concept launched by the group in Goa. The concept is an extension of the group’s Bedzzz brand, and aims to foster social interactions among the residents at the hotel through communal spaces, group activities, and amenities. 

Leisure Hotels Group already has five concept-driven Bedzzz sociotels in its portfolio, said chief operating officer Sanjay Sood.

Air India Introduces Gift Cards

Full service airline Air India has introduced Air India Gift Cards. As part of this offering, users can purchase e-cards for any denomination between INR 1,000 and INR 200,000 ($12 - $2393) in order to either gift to someone or for their own use later. 

These gift cards can be redeemed on the airline’s website or app to book domestic and international flight tickets or for ancillary services such as seat selection, additional baggage, and more. 

According to the airline’s statement, these cards can be used in combination allowing travelers to club up to three gift cards in one transaction, and can be used for a single trip or across multiple bookings.