The upcoming Coldplay concerts in Mumbai have caused a surge in hotel prices, with rooms near the DY Patil Stadium costing up to INR 640,000 ($7,600) for three nights. Major branded hotels like The Westin, Four Seasons, and The Oberoi are all listed at over INR 150,000 ($1,800) for three nights during the concert, far exceeding their typical prices of INR 7,000 to INR 30,000 ($84 to $360) per night. Most of the hotel inventory has already been sold out, with only about 20 hotels available within a 10-km radius of the venue. Coldplay tickets have caused a frenzy among Indians, with the band having to add a third show in Mumbai due to high demand.
IndiGo has announced direct flights to Mauritius from Bengaluru, becoming the first carrier to offer this route post-pandemic. Mauritius has become IndiGo’s 35th international destination, with the airline operating on the route four times a week. The country is targeting 85,000 Indian travelers this year, with Indians being able to travel visa-free to Mauritius. The country’s tourism authority is focusing on attracting tourists from Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions in India and has enabled digital payments through India’s UPI technology to make travel payments more convenient for travelers.
EaseMyTrip has launched a co-branded travel debit card in partnership with Bank of Baroda, offering discounts on travel bookings, access to airport lounges, and complimentary memberships to OTT platforms for frequent travelers and lifestyle enthusiasts. A report by Booking.com has found that movies, shows, and social media are the biggest inspirations for Indian travelers, with over 40% watching TV shows and movies for travel ideas. As a result, states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have introduced film tourism policies to attract fans of popular films and landmarks.
Intrepid Travel’s non-profit body Intrepid Foundation has launched Holy City Rickshaws in Varanasi to promote sustainable tourism, with 10 e-rickshaws driven by female drivers. The program aims to train women to drive and maintain e-rickshaws for tours of Varanasi, with plans to incorporate female-led tours into Intrepid’s itineraries in India. Airbnb is seeing an uptick in travel searches for the upcoming festive and autumn season in September to November, with Indians seeking unique festive experiences or natural beauty. Top domestic destinations include Kanpur for Dussehra festivities, as well as international destinations like Tokyo for autumn leaf viewing.
