Author name: vibrant colours

ibis, one of India’s leading hotel brands, is strengthening its sustainability focus in the country by embedding responsible practices into the everyday running of its hotels. With a growing presence across the country and 22 ibis and ibis Styles hotels already Green Key certified, the brand is moving beyond certification-led sustainability to focus on the operational choices that shape a hotel stay. This extends to everyday operational choices, from how water is provided in guest rooms and breakfast is managed to how water and electricity are consumed, and waste is handled across its hotels.  ibis is integrating sustainability into its day-to-day hotel operations, with a focus on reducing resource consumption and waste across the guest journey. This includes replacing single-use plastic water bottles with reusable glass bottles, reducing food waste and incorporating local and seasonal ingredients where feasible. The brand is also focusing on responsible water and energy use, along with stronger waste segregation and recycling practices. The move assumes greater significance as India’s travel economy expands rapidly. The country recorded 4.29 billion domestic tourist visits in 2025, while tourism contributed an estimated 5.22% to India’s GDP and supported 84.63 million jobs. As the number of hotel stays, meals served, and travel-related consumption grows, the cumulative impact of everyday hospitality operations is becoming increasingly important to India’s sustainability agenda. For ibis, the focus is therefore on the areas where a hotel consumes resources every day. In food and beverage, the brand is working to reduce food waste and has incorporated measures such as eliminating single-use plastic from breakfast sideboards, using local and seasonal supplies where possible and promoting more responsible sourcing. In hotel operations, the focus extends to responsible water consumption, energy efficiency and reducing waste generated through routine activities. “The next phase of sustainable hospitality will be determined by what happens behind the scenes, not only by what guests see. A hotel operates continuously, with water being consumed in rooms, food being prepared and discarded, energy being used across multiple touchpoints and waste being generated throughout the day. The opportunity is to redesign these everyday processes so that the more responsible choice becomes part of the operation itself. At ibis, we are focusing on practical changes that can work at scale and become part of the normal guest experience rather than asking guests to choose between sustainability and convenience,” said Mr Deeppreet Bindra, Director, ibis & ibis Styles India.  ibis’ sustainability focus also extends beyond its hotel operations to on-ground environmental action and community engagement. In June 2026, ibis India launched a nationwide beach clean-up initiative across Mumbai, Goa, Chennai and Kochi, bringing together hotel teams, local NGOs, civic authorities and community volunteers to support cleaner coastlines and promote responsible waste management. The initiative reflects ibis India’s broader approach to sustainability, combining practical measures within its hotels with community-led efforts that contribute to cleaner and more responsible destinations.

Navi Mumbai International Airport is set to further expand its international network with the introduction of direct flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, operated by Akasa Air, beginning December 15, 2026. The airline will operate twice-daily services on the route, providing passengers from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region  and surrounding areas with enhanced connectivity to one of Saudi Arabia’s key commercial and travel destinations. The new services will be operated using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with a seating capacity of 197 passengers. Bookings for the flights are now open across major booking platforms. The introduction of the Jeddah route marks another step in NMIA’s expanding international connectivity, offering greater travel convenience to passengers travelling for pilgrimage, leisure and business purposes. As a major gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, Jeddah is an important destination for religious tourism, particularly for passengers undertaking Umrah and Hajj pilgrimages. The direct services will provide travellers from Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and the wider Maharashtra region with an additional international departure option, facilitating more convenient journeys to Saudi Arabia. Beyond pilgrimage travel, the connectivity is also expected to support business and leisure travel between the two countries, contributing to stronger people-to-people and commercial exchanges. The addition of Jeddah to NMIA’s international network further strengthens the airport’s role in supporting regional and international mobility. With growing demand for international travel from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the new route will offer passengers greater choice and convenience while supporting NMIA’s continued development as an emerging international aviation gateway.

1. “The Difference Between a Memorable Holiday and a Forgettable One Is Never the Marble Floors” By Krishna Shantakumar, Co-Founder, Adevo Academy Thirty years behind the pass at South India’s most celebrated restaurant concepts, including The 13th Floor and ASEAN On The Edge, taught Krishna one thing: the guest experience is decided in the back of house, not the lobby. A personal, narrative piece on what makes five star service feel effortless and the unglamorous training that produces it. 2. “I Left the Taj to Fix What the Taj Never Could” By Rashmi Koppar, Co-Founder, Adevo Academy Former Taj and Oberoi trainer, then Deputy Registrar at Ramaiah University, Rashmi Koppar walked away from institutional prestige to build something the hotel chains had never prioritised: a genuine management development system for mid level hospitality professionals. A first person piece on ambition, frustration, and building something from scratch. 3. “India’s Luxury Hotels Are Filling Up Faster Than Ever. The People Running Them Are Not Ready.” By Brendon Pereira, Co Founder and CEO, Adevo Academy Ex CFO of an NSE listed hospitality company, IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, and with 30 years in operations, Brendon makes the case, with data and candour, that India’s travel boom is running ahead of its management infrastructure, and what that means for the guest experience your readers are paying a premium for. INDUSTRY STORY ANGLES 4. “India’s 50,000 New Hotel Rooms Have a Problem Nobody Is Talking About at Check In” India’s hotel pipeline is the fastest growing in Asia. What’s not keeping pace is the mid management layer that determines whether brand standards are actually delivered. A reported piece on India’s hospitality supervision gap, anchored by Adevo’s data and client work across South India. 5. “Why Your Resort Holiday Feels Different Every Time You Visit” The inconsistency that frustrates repeat travellers isn’t about chefs or GMs. It’s about the 200 untrained decisions made daily by supervisors who were never taught to lead. A piece your readers will recognise immediately from their own travel experiences. 6. “The Gen Z Hotel Worker Who Quit in 60 Days” India’s luxury hospitality is haemorrhaging its youngest staff at rates the industry is only beginning to acknowledge. This is not a Gen Z problem. It is a management problem, and it is directly affecting the guest experience your readers expect. FOUNDER PROFILE (suitable for a long form profile or dual or triple interview) 7. “Three Hospitality Veterans With 87 Combined Years Are Teaching India’s Hotels How to Grow Up” Brendon Pereira (IIM Ahmedabad, ex CFO), Krishna Shantakumar (30 years in F&B operations across South India), and Rashmi Koppar (Taj, Oberoi, Ramaiah University): how three people who spent their careers inside India’s finest hospitality institutions decided the industry needed to be rebuilt from the management layer up. A story about ambition, institutional frustration, and what it takes to train the people who train India’s hospitality workforce.

The German National Tourist Office, India is building on positive market momentum with its ongoing India Roadshow and a series of campaigns designed to inspire travel to Germany. These activities follow the successful GNTB India Digital Travel Knowledge Tour, held in Delhi and Mumbai which brought together decision-makers from the German tourism sector and India’s travel, technology and lifestyle industries. Strong participation, a positive response and valuable exchanges throughout the programme highlighted opportunities for closer collaboration, particularly as digital platforms, artificial intelligence and changing consumer preferences reshape travel planning and booking. India: A Growing Market for Destination Germany India continues to offer significant potential for German inbound tourism, supported by rising purchasing power and strong travel intentions. According to MMGY figures cited by the GNTB, planned annual holiday budgets among Indian outbound travellers are set to rise from 4,536 to 5,154 US dollars indicating growing willingness to invest in travel experiences. India is Germany’s fourth-largest overseas source market, while Germany ranks third among European destinations for Indian visitors, after the UK and France. This positive trend continued in 2026: from January to August, overnight stays from India reached 604,102, up 3.1% compared with the same period in 2025, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Building on these strong travel intentions, the current India Roadshow in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai will connect German tourism partners with Indian travel agents and tour operators, strengthening business relationships and providing fresh inspiration for travel to Germany. “Indian travellers are increasingly looking for holidays that combine discovery with memorable experiences, and Germany has so much to offer—from regional cuisine and romantic escapes to festive winter traditions. Our year-end campaigns will bring these experiences closer to Indian audiences, while our upcoming roadshow will strengthen collaboration with the travel trade to turn this interest into inspiring holiday itineraries,” said Romit Theophilus, Director, German National Tourist Office, India. Inspiring Travel Through Focused Campaigns The Culinary Germany campaign invites visitors to discover regional specialities and local food traditions, while Honeymoon & Wedding highlights romantic journeys through picturesque towns, castles and scenic landscapes. “Next Stop: Travel Destination Germany” brings these diverse experiences together to inspire travellers’ next German holiday. As the festive season approaches, Season’s Greetings will spotlight Christmas markets, seasonal cuisine and winter breaks. From Nuremberg and Dresden to Frankfurt and Stuttgart, travellers can combine festive traditions with shopping, cultural visits and relaxing spa stays.

ixigo Group has strengthened its position as India’s second-largest online travel agency (OTA) by gross booking value (GBV), with an 11% share of the Indian OTA market in FY26, according to VIDEC’s India Travel Market Opportunity Study, FY23–FY28. The study pegs the Group’s GBV at ₹18,690 crore in FY26, up from ₹14,970 crore in FY25 (~25% YoY growth), with its overall OTA market share increasing from 9.9% to 11%. The findings highlight ixigo Group’s continued leadership in OTA rail bookings, growing presence in air travel and strong position in intercity bus bookings. Strengthening leadership and growth in key business verticals According to VIDEC, ixigo Group’s share of India’s OTA rail market increased to 63.5% in FY26 from 60.4% in FY25. The Group’s rail GBV rose to ₹8,280 crore from ₹7,410 crore over the same period, reinforcing its position as the largest player in the segment through ixigo Trains and ConfirmTkt. As per ixigo’s recently disclosed Q2 numbers, its market share among OTAs in train bookings has further grown to 64% as of September 2026.  These market shares relate specifically to the OTA/B2C rail booking segment, which forms part of the broader Indian rail market. The study reinforces ixigo as the fastest-growing air OTA for the second consecutive year, highlighting its ability to leverage its large rail and bus user base to expand in air travel, with ixigo identified as India’s third-largest air OTA. Its share of the OTA air market rose to 8.3% from 6.7% in FY25. Its air GBV increased to ₹7,510 crore from ₹5,650 crore during this period. AbhiBus (ixigo Group’s bus business) retained its position as the second-largest player in India’s OTA intercity bus segment. As per the study, the Group’s market share increased to 15.1% in FY26 from 13.8% in FY25, while its bus GBV rose to ₹2,620 crore from ₹1,800 crore (45% YoY growth) A growing digital travel opportunity The report highlights the role of OTAs in aggregating fragmented bus supply and digitising small and mid-sized private operators, and it expects the online bus booking market to grow at 26%+ over the next two years. According to VIDEC, India’s OTA market reached ₹1,70,300 crore in FY26, up from ₹1,51,400 crore in FY25, a growth of 12.4%, providing a growing opportunity for digital travel platforms. The study also points to significant potential in lodging, comprising hotels and alternative accommodation. India’s online lodging market is projected to reach ₹81,000 crore by FY28, representing a 23.6% CAGR in rupee terms over FY23–FY28. This expanding market provides a broader industry backdrop to ixigo’s presence in hotel bookings. Rajnish Kumar, Co-Founder & Group Co-CEO, ixigo & Aloke Bajpai, Co-Founder & Group CEO, ixigo, said, “Our growing presence across hotels, rail, air and bus travel reflects the trust travellers place in ixigo Group. We have built deep relationships with users through the ixigo, ConfirmTkt and AbhiBus brands, and our journey on hotels has just gotten started. Our focus remains on leveraging technology and AI to build the best peace of mind apps for travellers.” Virendra Jain, Co-founder and CEO, VIDEC, said, “India’s OTA market reached ₹1.7 lakh crore in FY26, reflecting the growing role of digital platforms in how travellers discover and book travel. ixigo Group’s performance demonstrates its ability to leverage product, technology and a peace-of-mind product stack to leapfrog growth across the segments it operates in. It continues to dominate the rail OTA market, has expanded its share in the intercity bus OTA market and has become India’s fastest-growing air OTA. Its ability to grow the air, bus  travel & hotels business stands out, while its hotel business offers it further room for growth & diversification.”