Where Indians Are Traveling Now – India Report

Indian travelers to Singapore have exceeded the 1 million mark, Singapore Tourism Board said on Wednesday. There was a 12% increase in Indian travelers to the country between January and October 2024 year-on-year. With this, India has become the third-largest source market for Singapore.

For all of 2023, a total of 1.1 million India travelers visited the country. However, the number has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, when Singapore received 1.4 million tourists from India. Earlier this year, the Singapore Tourism Board said that there was potential in the India market to reach 1.5 million tourists this year, but added that it had not set any target.

Indian Travel Trends: According to data shared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in the first half of 2024, passenger movement from India was the highest to the United Arab Emirates: nearly 5.4 million. As many as 1.45 million air passengers from India headed to Singapore. Apart from this, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Qatar made up the top 5 countries in terms of passenger movement from India. 

It is important to note that this data includes both Indian and non-Indian travelers. However, the DGCA data is crucial as it reveals the trend among Indian travelers. Short-haul destinations continue to form the lion’s share in international travel, with only the United Kingdom and Germany being long-haul destinations in the top 10. 

Air India Completes Merger With Vistara

The merger of full-service airlines Air India and Vistara has been completed. The merged entity will operate under the Air India brand and will operate over 5,600 weekly flights. As part of the merger, the loyalty programs of the two airlines have also been merged to form a redesigned program called ‘Maharaja Club.’ 

“The merger of Air India and Vistara leaves the Indian aviation industry with only one single full-service carrier in India. This shift brings both opportunities and challenges, largely dependent on Air India’s ability to meet high service standards and address the capacity previously offered by Vistara. This industry consolidation may, at times, lead to fare increases, particularly during peak travel periods such as year-end holidays and festival seasons.,” Pragya Priyadarshini, Vice President at management consultancy firm Primus Partners, told Skift. 

Jaideep Mirchandani, Group Chairman of aviation services company Sky One, said, “The Air India-Vistara merger represents a game-changing phase for the Indian aviation industry regarding changes in supply, services, and competition within the sector.”

He added that the merger could lead to a rise in the service standards within the Indian aviation industry. 

The combined entity has a fleet of 208 aircraft. The Tata Group purchased Air India from the government of India in 2022 and promptly commenced its reformation. In preparation for the merger and eventual expansion, Air India last year placed an order of 470 new aircraft to upgrade its fleet.

Apart from the order, in 2023, the airline also got new brand imagery, and announced plans to retrofit its planes to improve in-flight experience.

Air India also added Premium Economy to its cabin class configuration, something which was only offered by Vistara in India before this. 

Oberoi Parent to Open 9 International Properties by 2029

The parent company of Indian luxury hospitality chain Oberoi Hotels, EIH Limited, said Tuesday that it plans to open 20 properties by 2029, nine of which would be in international destinations, my colleague Peden Doma Bhutia has reported.

Skift had earlier reported that Oberoi will be debuting with a hotel in London’s Mayfair. Skift has now learnt that 8 more hotels would be opening in destinations that include Egypt, Bhutan, Nepal, and Saudi Arabia.

The total developmental pipeline of 20 properties would include 17 hotels, two luxury boats, and a Nile Cruiser, having a combined inventory of about 1,350 keys. “With a confirmed expansion plan of 20 new properties, including 9 owned and operated flagship hotels and 11 managed properties, we are strategically growing our portfolio across key domestic and international markets,” said Arjun Oberoi, executive chairman of EIH.

Cox & Kings’ India Brand Returns

Tour operator Cox & Kings is returning to India, but under a new leadership: Singapore-based venture capital firm Wilson & Hughes. The venture capital firm had acquired Cox & Kings earlier this year through insolvency proceedings for an undisclosed amount.

Skift’s Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia reported that the acquisition of the 260-year-old-Cox & Kings brand name marks a fresh start for the brand that has in the past struggled with financial liabilities. 

However, the acquisition made through Wilson & Hughes’ Indian subsidiary is distinct from the erstwhile Cox & Kings company in India, which remains under liquidation, the Singapore investment firm said. Further, this new entity operates separately from Cox & Kings UK, which did not enter administration. Abercrombie & Kent acquired the UK operation in 2019.

“The focus is on integrating advanced technology — AI, machine learning, and data analytics — to offer travelers tailor-made journeys that anticipate their needs and elevate the traditional travel experience,” Wilson & Hughes said in a release.

IndiGo Commences New Goa-Bhopal Route

IndiGo has launched a new and exclusive direct route between Goa and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The airline will commence flights on the route from December 1 with six weekly flights. 

With this new route, the airline will connect Goa with 22 Indian cities, Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said. 

IndiGo is expanding domestically as well as internationally, and is forming a robust network that would allow Indian travelers from smaller cities to travel internationally. In an earlier interview with Skift, CEO Pieter Elbers had said, “India is largely underserved in terms of number of planes and seats per capita. If the economic growth slows down, aviation will still grow, perhaps at a different percentage, as long as infrastructure and airports continue to be built.”

Visa Startup StampMyVisa Raises $780,000

AI-powered travel and visa processing startup StampMyVisa has raised INR 66 million (over $780,000). With this funding, the B2B travel startup aims to undertake expansion and enhance its AI capabilities. 

The platform aims to streamline visa processes for businesses. It is also planning to use the proceeds from the fundraising to launch new products including an insurance that would refund visa fees in case of rejection and travel eSIMs.