Category Archives: Trade News

SAT partners with Ethiopian Airlines to offer low fares to tap Indian travellers

In its endeavour to make the Rainbow Nation more accessible to Indian travellers, South African Tourism (SAT) has partnered with Ethiopian Airlines to launch its #ExploreMore&MoreForLess campaign.

Aiming to alleviate the burden of air travel costs while visiting international destinations, the campaign offers lowest ever fares for visiting South Africa from India at just INR 37,839/-. The airfare is applicable to Ethiopian Airlines’ routes from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai to Cape Town and Johannesburg and is up for grabs through the campaign period valid till September 30, 2024.

Available exclusively through the Ethiopian Airlines’ website and mobile application, customers can choose to travel anytime between October 1 and December 31, 2024 while making their bookings during the offer period.

As per the offer terms, travellers can further avail an additional discount of 10% on the base fare. Announced at the onset of festive season, the offer enables Indian travellers to effectively plan their long-haul journey keeping in mind two significant occasions – Diwali and Christmas.

Expressing his enthusiasm on the campaign launch, Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager – Asia, Australasia, and the Middle East, South African Tourism, said, “It gives me immense pleasure to introduce our #ExploreMore&MoreForLess campaign in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines to Indian travellers. At South African Tourism, our goal is not only to promote the destination but also to make it more accessible, enabling travellers to experience our country’s warm hospitality and vibrant culture. India is among our top three focus markets, and its contributions to South Africa’s inbound travel market are integral to fulfilling our long-term tourism goals. Moreover, we cherish deep ties with India, owing to our shared history and unwavering camaraderie over the years. This campaign reflects our commitment to delivering value to Indian travellers, and we invite them to explore the different shades of the Rainbow Nation this festive season.”

On the back of strong traveller momentum, SAT witnessed a 43% growth from India in 2023 as compared to its previous year. Building on the increased traction, the tourism board now aims to attract more than 100,000 visitors to the Rainbow Nation in 2024.

Early this year, SAT concluded their 20th Annual India Roadshow, moving through 5 cities in 5 days and conducting more than 12,000 meetings on-ground. Collaborative initiatives such as these only furthers the tourism board’s intentions of hosting more and more Indians to South Africa each year whilst providing a value for money proposition to travellers.

Indians taking 2 or more overseas trips have grown by 32%: MMT Report

MakeMyTrip (MMT) has released its ‘How India Travels Abroad’ Report for June 2023 to May 2024, period.

Highlighting the importance of the report, Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said, “With rising disposable incomes, greater exposure to global cultures, and the increasing ease of travel, more Indians are exploring both domestic and international destinations for leisure as well as business. Our data attests to the growing confidence in exploring new destinations and indulging in different/luxury experiences, which is also transforming the travel industry.

While domestic tourism remains buoyant, as noted in our previous report, our latest findings highlight the notable changes in international travel behaviour driven by macroeconomic factors that are fuelling the surge in travel among Indians. These trends present an exciting opportunity for the travel and tourism industry to innovate and cater to the evolving needs of Indian travellers.”

A key finding from the report suggests that international travel search volumes remain relatively steady across all seasons, with December being the most active month for international travel searches.

The October-December quarter attracts the most searches for short-haul destinations, while the six-month period between April and September sees higher searches for mid & long-haul destinations.

The report also reveals that popular destinations such as the UAE, Thailand, and the USA top the chart of the destinations that Indians love to travel to, with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Bhutan leading the emerging destinations chart.

Some other key highlights from the report are:
• Wanderlust Boom: More Indians are taking trips to international destinations, with a 32% growth in people taking 2 or more trips in a year. The top ten most searched countries remain the same as 2023, contributing to 64% of all international searches on the platform. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi lead the charts for international travel searches. UK, Australia and Germany are the most popular student destinations.

• Emerging Hotspots – There has been a 70% increase in the combined search volume for the top 10 emerging destinations. Almaty and Baku have seen phenomenal growth rates of 527% and 395%, respectively. The overall contribution of searches for emerging destinations on our platform has increased from 10% to 14%, indicating that Indians are exploring newer global destinations.

• Business Class not just for Business – Interest in luxury travel is rising among Indians, with a 10% growth in searches for business class flights in the international segment. Hong Kong shows the highest growth with a 131% increase in searches followed by Sri Lanka, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.

• Luxury vs. Budget: Indian Travelers’ Hotel Choices – While Indians are on the lookout for pocket friendly experiences, close to 50% of international hotel bookings fall in the above INR 7,000 per night tariff bracket. With New York being the most expensive place to book a hotel, South Asian destinations such as Pokhara, Pattaya, and Kuala Lumpur emerge as the top destinations for budget-friendly stay options.

o Travellers from Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana spend the most on premium hotel bookings
o In contrast, travellers from Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu show a higher preference for budget hotels

• Homestays and Villas on the Rise – Searches for homestays and villas have surged by 42%. Bali, Dubai and Singapore make for the highest share of searches for homestays and villas, while cities like Interlaken, Kuala Lumpur, Paris, Amsterdam, and Rome are also leading this trend, showing maximum growth in search volumes.

• Jet-set for Leisure – Fifty-five percent of all trips to international destinations are for leisure, followed by 33% for VFR (visiting friends and relatives). Thailand is the most favourite leisure destination for Indians. An impressive 44% of international travellers from West Bengal chose Thailand as the overseas destination. The UAE, Europe, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam are the other top leisure destinations for Indian travellers.

• Urban Nightlife Dominates – More than one-third of Indians prefer urban destinations with a vibrant nightlife. Travellers from West Bengal and Punjab make up the largest share of those seeking urban nightlife. Bangkok, Pattaya, Kuala Lumpur, Abu Dhabi, and Ho Chi Minh City are the top five destinations for travellers seeking vibrant urban nightlife. Additionally, 23% of Indians also have a proclivity towards shopping and luxury, with Dubai and Singapore being the top favourites.

• Love for flexibility, assurance, and extra baggage – Japan, Europe, the USA, and South Korea are the top destinations where Indians opted for Zero Cancellation for flight bookings. The UAE, Thailand, Europe, and the USA, on the other hand, had the highest share of travellers purchasing travel insurance. Indians also have a preference for additional baggage – travellers from Rajasthan booked the most extra baggage, followed by those from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Additionally, Europe, the UAE, Singapore, and the USA, saw the highest share of travellers opting for Visa Rejection Full Refund.

• Impulsive Travel Trend – Close to 50% of international flights and 56% of international hotel rooms are booked less than 14 days before the travel date. Oman, Nepal and UAE have the highest last minute flight bookings, while Qatar, Oman and Azerbaijan lead in last minute hotel bookings. European cities, on the other hand, have longest Advance Purchase (AP) windows.

The “How Indians Travel Abroad” report spotlights India’s emergence as a global travel force. As travellers seek authenticity and personal connections, the travel ecosystem must adapt. Whether it’s exploring ancient ruins in Greece or sipping tea in Sri Lanka, Indian travellers are leaving their footprints across continents.

 

Bihar’s Purnia to get its own airport; AAI completes survey

The long-awaited demand for an airport in Bihar’s Purnia is set to become a reality, with all obstacles to its construction now cleared.
An Airports Authority of India (AAI) team from Delhi recently conducted a comprehensive site survey, addressing all concerns related to the project. Purnia District Magistrate Kundan Kumar confirmed that there are no longer any impediments to building the airport.

The technical survey by the AAI team involved gathering approximately 3,000 data points on the acquired land using drones and a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). This survey included detailed measurements of the land’s latitude, longitude, and elevation, as well as contour mapping and topographic analysis.

Following the visit of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to Purnia, a meeting was held with relevant officials, during which all issues regarding the airport’s construction were resolved, according to District Magistrate Kumar.

AAI has confirmed that 52.18 acres of land in Goasi village have been acquired for the Purnia Airport, paving the way for the construction to begin soon.

IndiGo resumes flights from Delhi Airport’s T1

IndiGo will resume operations from Terminal 1 (T1) at the Delhi airport from September 2. The airline will operate 35 departures daily from T1.

“Proactive measures have been taken to ensure that passengers are well-informed about this transition. Domestic flights with flight numbers 2000-2999 will operate from Terminal 2 and flight numbers 5000-5999 will operate from Terminal 3 and the rest of the flights will operate from Terminal 1,” the airline said in a release.

The old T1 was temporarily shut on June 28 following a roof collapse incident and flight operations from the terminal were shifted to T2 and T3.

Thomas Cook India expands its retail distribution in Chennai

Thomas Cook (India) Limited has inaugurated its new franchise outlet in Chennai Parry’s Corner – to leverage the high-growth market of the city and its surrounding catchments.

This outlet is in close proximity to the Tamil Nadu High Court, Chennai Central railway station and major bank headquarters, also viable surrounding catchments of Fort St. George, George Town, Broadway and Sowcarpet. The new Chennai outlet expands Thomas Cook India’s network to 8 locations in the city and 14 locations in Tamil Nadu.

In its commitment to enhance access and convenience, this new outlet is set to cater to a diverse customer segment – business professionals, families, couples, Young India’s millennials & Gen Z, and seniors alike. Thomas Cook’s new outlet offers end-to-end travel services: International & Domestic Holidays (Group Tours, Personalised holidays, Cruises, etc.), Value Added Services like Travel Insurance, etc.

Travel Trends from Chennai:
• Longer stays: duration has increased from 3 days to 5 – 8 days for short trips; from 5 days to 10 -15 days for longer trips
• Growth of experiential travel northern light tours in Finland, whale watching in Sri Lanka
• Emergence of fresh new destinations: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea
• Top destinations:
o International: Japan, South Korea, Europe’s Switzerland, France, Finland, Spain-Portugal, Czech Republic-Hungary, Australia, Finland & Scandinavia, USA and Kenya
o Domestic: Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal, Andamans, North-East
• Pilgrimage Tourism continues to see demand: Char Dham, Kashi, Ayodhya, Rameswaram, Tirupati, Amritsar, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Dwarka and Sri Lanka: ‘Ramayan Anant Yatra,’ and ‘Ramayan Trail’

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said, “Chennai is an important source market for us, and we are witnessing a significant demand for travel from the city. Hence, we are delighted to announce the opening of our Gold Circle Partner franchise outlet in Chennai. Carefully chosen for its central location, this new outlet will enhance our ability to serve the growing needs of customers in the region, offering easy access and seamless services to our customers – right at their doorstep!

I extend a warm welcome to our customers from Chennai. My team and I look forward to co-curating memorable holidays both domestic and international – for each of our customers.”

 

Yatra acquires Globe Travels for INR 1,280mn in cash to expand its corporate travel portfolio

Yatra Online Limited has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Globe All India Services Limited (Globe Travels), a premier Corporate Travel Services provider for INR 1,280 million in cash.

Through this acquisition Yatra will gain Globe Travels’ robust portfolio of approximately 360 corporate customers and annual gross bookings of approximately USD 90 million. This strategic acquisition further solidifies Yatra’s position as the leader in the corporate travel sector and marks a significant expansion of its corporate customer footprint in India.

Yatra adds 360 Globe customers to its current base of over 850 corporate clients through this acquisition, significantly expanding its leadership position and market share in the Corporate Travel segment in India (an estimated 40% expansion based on number of customers). This increased market leadership also enhances Yatra’s positioning with suppliers, allowing the Company to secure more favorable terms and deliver greater value to its clients.

Corporate Travel and MICE Expertise: Globe Travels is recognised for its robust capabilities in Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE). Adding Globe Travels’ strong capabilities to Yatra’s recent organic MICE expansion will make Yatra one of the largest players in India in this fast-growing segment.

Minimal Customer Base Overlap and High Cross Sell Potential: Yatra gains access to a new and diverse set of clients through this acquisition with minimal overlap in the corporate customer base thereby further diversifying its client portfolio across industries. This acquisition will enable Yatra to leverage cross-selling opportunities for hotels and its expense management platform, and to provide comprehensive travel solutions tailored to the unique needs of these customers.

Synergistic Benefits: With annual gross bookings of USD 90 million and Adjusted EBITDA margins of over 20%, this acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to Yatra’s financials, with further potential for margin expansion as synergies are realized. Given that the majority of Globe Travel’s business is currently offline, this acquisition presents a strategic opportunity to integrate our Corporate Self Booking Platform in to Globe Travel’s customer base, thereby enhancing synergies and driving further value creation. Moreover, Globe Travel’s corporate clients will benefit from increased efficiencies and reduced costs through Yatra’s digital platform.

Dhruv Shringi, Co-founder and CEO of Yatra, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Globe Travels to the Yatra family. This acquisition aligns with our strategy to deepen our presence in key verticals and markets while further strengthening our corporate travel and MICE capabilities. Globe Travels’ expertise in corporate travel and MICE and outstanding service record complement Yatra’s existing offerings, allowing us to provide an even more comprehensive and tailored travel experience to our clients across India.”