Page 6 - Travel

Ayodhya to Ujjain: Indians prefer spiritual trips over family, solo travel

There is a notable interest in spiritual journeys within tier-2 and tier-3 cities, with searches for destinations with or around religious spots growing 97% in the last two years

Top searched travel destinations by Indians

MakeMyTrip has compiled insights from the travel searches of their 100 million+ users in its India Travel Trends Report. Watch the video and dive into where Indians are jet-setting off to and who they

Hilton Holdings Q1 result: Revenue up 12% at $2.57 bn, beats estimates

The company forecast annual adjusted profit of between $6.89 and $7.03 per share, up from the previous range of $6.80 to $6.94 per share

Gen Zs, millennials prioritising travel, spending more on experiences

The survey identified an emerging generation of travel-focused, value-driven 'savvy explorers' in APEC who seek to maximise their travel dollars and unique travel experiences

For summer holiday, discover 8 countries with visa-on-arrival for Indians

For their summer holidays, Indians can travel to 43 countries that provide visa-on-arrival

This is India's decade as global destination for investments, travel: VFS

India has a vibrant and diverse economy, a large young population and a rich cultural heritage which make it attractive for investors and visitors, according to the CEO of the world's largest visa outsourcing company. Zubin Karkaria, founder and CEO of VFS Global, said India is undergoing a rapid economic and social transformation. "This creates new opportunities for business, trade, tourism, and culture. I truly believe this is India's decade," he said. "In VFS global, we are very optimistic about the prospects of India as a global destination, as a source, both for inbound tourism and outbound travellers. India has a vibrant and diverse economy, a large young population, and a rich cultural heritage. These factors make India attractive, both for investors and visitors, he told PTI in a recent interview. Known for creating a new industry of visa and passport outsourcing, VFS Global in just 22 years of its inception operates in 149 countries through 3,353 application centers. So fa

Kerala sets record with 21.8 mn domestic tourist arrivals in 2023

Kerala has set a new record in domestic tourist arrivals in 2023 with 2.18 crore tourist footfalls, a 15.92 per cent increase from the previous year, Minister for Tourism and Public Works P A Mohamed Riyas said on Monday. In 2022, Kerala witnessed 1,88,67,414 domestic tourist footfalls. Significantly, domestic tourist arrivals recorded an increase of 18.97 per cent compared to 2019, the minister told a press conference here. In 2023, Ernakulam district witnessed the highest influx of domestic tourists with 44,87,930 visitors, followed by Idukki (36,33,584), Thiruvananthapuram (35,89,932), Thrissur (24,78,573), and Wayanad (17,50,267). The state also witnessed a healthy increase in international tourist arrivals with 6,49,057 visitors in 2023, as compared to 3,45,549 tourists in 2022, indicating a remarkable growth of 87.83 per cent. Ernakulam district was visited by 2,79,904 tourists from abroad, followed by Thiruvananthapuram (1,48,462), Idukki (1,03,644), Alappuzha (31,403), and

Visa applications to beat pre-Covid levels in 2024, says VFS Global

In 2023, visa application volumes saw a 16 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth compared to 2022, taking it to 93 per cent of pre-pandemic levels of 2019

Hotel industry's revenue expected to grow 7-9% in FY25, says ICRA

The Indian hotel industry is expected to report a 7-9 per cent revenue growth in FY2025 with occupancy likely to be at decadal highs, ratings agency ICRA said on Tuesday. Sustenance of domestic leisure travel, demand from meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE), including weddings and business travel despite a temporary lull during the election period are likely to drive demand in FY2025, ICRA said in a statement. Spiritual tourism and tier-II cities are also expected to contribute meaningfully in FY2025, it added. ICRA said domestic tourism has been the prime demand driver in FY2024 and is likely to remain so in the near-term. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) are yet to recover to pre-Covid levels and the improvement would depend on the global macroeconomic environment. "Demand is expected to remain strong across markets in FY2025, as consumer sentiments continue to be healthy and corporate performance is stable," ICRA Ltd Vice President and Sector Head Corporate .

Hospitality industry expects 11-13% revenue growth on domestic demand

The hospitality industry is expected to clock 11-13 per cent revenue growth in 2024-25 on steady domestic demand and a rise in foreign travellers, a report said on Monday. This revenue growth will follow a likely 15-17 per cent growth in the current financial year, backed by steady domestic demand and ramp-up in foreign travellers, Crisil Ratings said in a report on Monday. The strong demand dynamics along with modest new supply will keep the operating performance of the industry healthy over the near term, the report added. According to the report, the healthy operating performance will augur well for the industry profitability where the EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization will continue the strong momentum over the current and the next fiscal. This, along with limited capital expenditure, will keep the credit profiles strong, the report noted. "The domestic travel demand, which remained a key driver this fiscal, will sustain next year as wel

Iran announces visa-waiver for Indian tourists for maximum of 15-day stay

Iran on Tuesday announced a visa-waiver programme for Indians entering the country by air for tourism for a maximum stay of 15 days. The visa-free entry has been rolled out for Indian citizens from February 4 subject to four conditions, the Iranian embassy said. In December, Iran approved a new visa-free programme for India and 32 other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. The Iranian readout said individuals holding ordinary passports will be allowed to enter the country without a visa once every six months, with a maximum stay of 15 days. "It is important to note that the 15-day period cannot be extended," it said. "The visa abolition only applies to individuals entering the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran for tourism purposes," it said. It said Indians wanting to stay for a longer period or make multiple entries within a six-month period or requiring other types of visas must obtain necessary visas fro

Lyft guarantees weekly earnings in a bid to lure more drivers

Last year about 15% of Lyft drivers across United States earned less than 70% of what riders paid, after external fees, but Lyft assured to pay difference if drivers made below 70% at end of week

ONDC launches ticketing services for passengers traveling on Chennai Metro

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) an initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has launched ticketing services for passengers traveling on the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd in the city. Chennai Metro Rail has become the first metro service to be available on the ONDC Network. Following the launch of the service in Chennai, ONDC in a statement here said, the Kochi Metro, Kanpur Metro, Pune Metro, and other metro rail services are poised to join the network. Passengers travelling on the Chennai Metro Rail can purchase 'single' or 'return' journey tickets through the applications -- 'Rapido', 'Namma Yatri', 'redBus' which are currently available on the ONDC network. The overall ticketing experience on the ONDC network was enabled by CMRL partnering with 'Yaary', the first seller-side technology partner, the release said. "At ONDC, we believe in embracing innovation. As Chennai Metro joins the Open Network, it is not just a milestone but rather

After consecration ceremony, 2.5 mn devotees visited Ram temple in 11 days

After the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22, around 25 lakh devotees visited the temple in the past 11 days and the amount of offerings and donations has crossed Rs 11 crore. According to Prakash Gupta, office in-charge of the temple trust, in the last 11 days, about Rs 8 crore rupees were deposited in the donation boxes, while the amount received through cheque and online is around Rs 3.50 crore. He said that in the temple's sanctum sanctorum, where the deity is seated, four big size donation boxes have been kept near the 'darshan path' in front of the sanctum sanctorum, in which the devotees are donate the amount. Besides, people also donate at 10 computerised counters. He said that the temple trust employees are appointed at the donation counter and they submit the account of the donation amount received in the trust office after the counter is closed in the evening. A team of 14 people, which includes 11 bank employees and three from the temple trust, counts

Tax roadblock to tourism drive: India isn't 1st choice for foreign tourists

India is still not the first choice for foreign tourists and operators because it levies higher taxes and Southeast Asian countries promote themselves more

Volvo Bus India bags order for 122 premium coaches from Odisha govt

Volvo Bus India on Thursday said it has bagged an order for the supply of 122 premium luxury coaches from the Odisha government. The order comes under the Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative (LAccMI) Scheme, a flagship programme initiated by the state government to provide rural connectivity through Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC). "We are honoured to be selected as the preferred partner for this landmark initiative by OSRTC and the Government of Odisha," VE Commercial Vehicles MD and CEO Vinod Aggarwal said in a statement. OSRTC MD Diptesh Kumar Pattnayak said the collaboration for the deployment of premium buses is a testament to the shared vision of creating a modern, efficient, and sustainable public transportation network. "This will have a long-lasting impact on government initiatives that aim to transform transportation infrastructure and contribute to the socio-economic development in rural and urban areas," he added. Over the past 25 years, Volvo Bu

Should railways revise approach towards general, sleeper class travellers?

According to estimated figures based on the FY24 Budget, passenger travel in the general and second classes, which account for a bulk of mass transit, is lower than it was in 2008-09

Committed to take forward development partnership with Maldives: Govt

India on Thursday said it remains committed to take forward its development agenda with the Maldives including implementation of various welfare projects in the island nation. The comments by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came amid strain in ties between the two countries following Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's call for withdrawal of Indian military personnel from his country by March 15. "We remain committed to our projects and to take them forward. We have been an important development partner of the Maldives," he said at his weekly media briefing while replying to a question. "We remain committed to doing all things that we can do as a development partner of the Maldives," Jaiswal added. On Male insisting on withdrawal of Indian troops, he suggested that the matter will be deliberated upon at the second meeting of India-Maldives core group. The next core group meeting is set to take place in New Delhi early next month. The issue of the Indian ...

The 10 best budget travel destinations for 2024; all details inside

The astonishing variety of travel places in India has to be seen to be believed. Tourists have given lifetimes to exploring the popular places and neglected corners of this incredible country

Lakshadweep Trip: Top 8 places to visit in Lakshadweep for your vacation

If you are planning to visit Lakshadweep to enjoy your holiday, here are the top 8 places you can visit in the Lakshadweep region