MakeMyTrip’s Push to Simplify Payments — India Report

MakeMyTrip has introduced multi-currency payment options, allowing users to make booking payments using the currency of their choice. A move that follows the Indian online travel company’s compliance with Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

The latest facility will allow users to make payments in major global currencies apart from the Indian Rupee. These include: 

• North America: U.S. Dollar and Canadian Dollar.
• Europe: British Pound Sterling, Euro, and Danish Krone.
• Asia: Japanese Yen, Thai Baht, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar, UAE Dirham, Bahraini Dinar, Qatari Riyal, Kuwaiti Dinar, Saudi Riyal, Russian Ruble, and South Korean Won.
• Africa: South African Rand
• Oceania: New Zealand Dollar

“Travel is becoming increasingly borderless, and this step makes it easier for global travelers to engage with us seamlessly. This feature simplifies payments in the currency of their choice for the Indian diaspora spread across the globe, as well as our international customers,” said Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip.

The move is also aimed at expanding MakeMyTrip’s inbound tourism segment. Earlier this year, MakeMyTrip extended its services to over 150 countries, including the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, and France. Until then, it operated primarily in India, the U.S., and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Chalo India Program: India has also been looking to boost its inbound numbers, which is yet to cross the pre-pandemic high of almost 11 million tourists. The Indian government earlier this year announced visa-fee waivers for the first 100,000 tourists entering the country under the “Chalo India” program. The initiative aims to enable Indian diaspora members to become Incredible India Ambassadors. 

IHCL’s Strategy to Double Portfolio

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) aims to double its portfolio to over 700 hotels by 2030, and double its revenue to INR 150 billion. A lot of the growth will be driven by the international expansion of its flagship Taj brand.

“On the international front, anything which is beyond 2 to 3 hours of flying distance, we don’t think we want to go with any brand other than Taj,” said Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and CEO, during an investors meeting.

IHCL’s international strategy is defined by its “capital-light” model, which according to Chhatwal helps reduce financial risks. Unlike its earlier days of asset-heavy acquisitions, the company now emphasizes management contracts and operating leases. This approach allows IHCL to grow in high-demand markets without the burden of ownership, ensuring sustained profitability even in competitive environments.

Data We Love: Revenue of Indian Companies

The July to September quarter of the 2025 fiscal year was favorable for Indian companies in terms of revenue.

Oberoi hotel group’s parent company EIH Limited posted its best-ever second-quarter performance: a consolidated revenue of INR 6230 million, marking a 13% year-on-year growth. It’s profit after tax increased by more than 40%. 

Online travel company Yatra posted a revenue of INR 2.36 billion ($28.2 million). This marked a year-over-year increase of nearly 150%.

Budget airline IndiGo reported a loss of INR 9.9 billion ($118 million) in the most recent quarter – a reversal after seven straight profitable quarters. However, its revenue from operations increased by 13.6% year-on-year. 

The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) saw its quarterly revenue surge 28% year-on-year to nearly INR 19 billion ($227 million).

During the quarter, MakeMyTrip reported $211 million in revenue, marking a 25% increase compared to the same period last year.

IndiGo Enters Into Codeshare Deal With Japan Airlines

Budget carrier IndiGo has entered into a codeshare agreement with Japan Airlines. The partnership will commence in December. At present, Japan Airlines operates daily flights between Delhi and Tokyo Haneda and five weekly flights between Bengaluru and Tokyo Narita. 

The codeshare will cover five routes operated by Japan Airlines to Thailand and Singapore from Japan. The codeshare agreement will also include IndiGo-operated 30 domestic routes originating from Delhi and Bengaluru to different Indian cities. 

Honeymoon Travel Demand Up 30%

Demand for online searches for honeymoon travel has increased by 30%, according to data shared by Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel. There is also a shift in the trend as the couple travel segment is witnessing growth driven by honeymooners and couples wanting to celebrate anniversaries and special occasions. 

Thomas Cook also shared that due to limited vacation time, newlyweds in India are looking at 3-4 days at a nearby destination. This is followed later in the year by a longer holiday spanning 1-2 weeks of travel. Indian couples are also increasingly traveling before the birth of their child, resulting in the rise of a trend that’s now known as “baby-moon.”

Tier-2 and 3 cities are also contributing to the growth of this trend, Thomas Cook noted. “Honeymoons have emerged as a strong and growing travel driver and what is noteworthy is the growing trend – an extension to mini-moons, mega-moons, baby-moons and milestone anniversary celebrations. What is also interesting is that Indian couples are demonstrating higher spend appetite and interest in longer stays,” said Rajeev Kale, Thomas Cook India’s president and country head — holidays, MICE, Visa. 

Vietjet Thailand Announces Mumbai-Bangkok Service

Low-cost airline Vietjet Thailand has announced a new Mumbai-Bangkok service set to commence in December. The airline said it will initially operate a daily flight between the two destinations.  The new flight will allow travelers from India to further connect to Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen in Thailand through Vietjet.