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Learn moreThe year 2025 has started on a challenging note due to carryover geopolitical issues from 2024. Inbound business has only slowly recovered post-COVID and has yet to reach 2019 figures, which by themselves were not particularly impressive. India's efforts have slowed at a time when they should have been intensified to attract inbound tourists. Hira feels that many opportunities, including India's G20 presidency, were missed in leveraging inbound tourism growth.
A highly respected figure in Indian public policy and governance, Kant is best known for his pivotal roles in shaping transformative national campaigns such as Make in India, Startup India, and Incredible India. A 1980-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, he has had an illustrious four-decade career in government and economic reform.
Travel marketing firm MMGY Global has acquired Think Strawberries, a representation agency based in India and the GCC. The move marks MMGY’s first direct entry into the Asia-Pacific region. Think Strawberries will now operate as MMGY Think Strawberries, with founder Amit Kishore and senior leaders continuing to head operations, aiming to deepen market connections across South Asia and the Middle East.
Rajasthan is diversifying its tourism offerings with new tribal circuits, war museums, and initiatives to support women-led tourism. Deputy CM Diya Kumari outlined the state's plan to go beyond traditional destinations and make every district a part of its tourism economy. From light and sound shows to temple upgrades and travel marts in new cities, the state is aiming for inclusivity and global engagement.
India’s luxury villa rental platform StayVista has secured INR 40 crore in funding, led by JSW Ventures with participation from existing investor DSG Consumer Partners. With over 1,000 villas listed across 50 destinations, the platform has hosted more than one million guests to date. The capital will support expansion, tech upgrades, and hiring as StayVista taps into growing demand for private, premium holiday stays.
Leisure travel is set to triple in value, reaching USD 15 trillion by 2040, according to a BCG report. Domestic tourism will drive USD 12 trillion of that growth. India is among the fastest-growing markets, with younger travellers, AI adoption, and blended trips shaping new behaviour. Emerging economies like India and Vietnam are expected to surpass traditional markets in outbound spend.
In a post on X, the official handle of the U.S. Embassy in India (@USAndIndia) shared the announcement stating, "Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States."
With Iran launching a missile attack on a US airbase in Qatar, tensions have mounted in the Gulf region, and a few countries, including Qatar, have closed their airspace. Air India's long-haul flights to Europe and North America overfly the Middle East, and the airspace curbs have disrupted its services.
The decision follows a wider internal review of the airline’s operational resilience, launched in the wake of the fatal AI171 crash earlier this month. Despite the current reductions, Air India reiterated that nearly 600 daily flights continue to operate, serving the vast majority of its domestic and short-haul international network. The airline plans to review and restore affected routes in phases beginning mid-July, depending on fleet and crew availability.
The airline's recent launch of direct services between Kolkata and Kuala Lumpur forms part of a broader network expansion targeting India's secondary markets. In an exclusive conversation with ET TravelWorld, Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer of Airlines from Malaysia Aviation Group, outlined the airline's comprehensive growth strategy that spans network expansion, strategic partnerships, and significant investments in fleet modernization to capture the evolving preferences of Indian travellers.
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