Oyo Expands Vacation Rental Business in India
Hospitality company Oyo's European vacation rental brand DanCenter is expanding in India. As many as 50 homes were added under the brand's portfolio in India in the April-June quarter, the company said in a statement.
Oyo has further plans to add 200 more homes by March 2026.
DenCenter was launched in India in February this year. The first DanCenter property, a set of newly-built 3BHK villas, opened in Siolim, North Goa to mark the launch.
According to Oyo, the brand now has a network of vacation homes in Lonavala in Maharashtra, Kufri in Himachal Pradesh, Ramgadh in Uttarakhand, Chennai and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, Idukki in Kerala, Jaipur in Rajasthan, Bangalore in Karnataka, and Delhi.
Future Plans: The company is now planning to enter new regions such as Telangana and the Northeast. These expansion plans have been designed to 'meet the rising demand for premium, well-managed vacation homes across the country,' Oyo said in a statement.
DanCenter's offerings in the country include luxury villas and serviced apartments. In a statement, the company said that its focus remains on launching 'only newly constructed vacation homes.'
DanCenter is a full-service vacation home management company, and offers premium amenities such as chef-on-call services, concierge assistance, dedicated housekeeping staff, experiential tours, mixology lessons, and BBQ on demand as part of its efforts to provide luxury alternative accommodations.
Skift Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia had earlier reported that Oyo's decision to bring the brand to India aligned with its broader expansion strategy in the premium vacation home rental space. The move came at a time when Indian travelers were increasingly looking beyond traditional hotels, seeking more personalized and experience-driven stays.
At the time of the brand's launch in India, Aditya Sharma, luxury business head at Oravel Stays, said, 'There is a growing demand for luxury holiday home rentals in India, and we think it is the right time to introduce the DanCenter experience to our guests.'
IndiGo's Board Gets a New High-Profile Board Member
IndiGo on Thursday announced it has appointed former Indian bureaucrat Amitabh Kant as a non-executive director to its boHard, Skift reported. The appointment is pending security clearance from India's Ministry of Civil Aviation and approval from shareholders, the airline said in a stock exchange filing.
With Kant's history of travel in India, his entry indicates IndiGo's push to strengthen its long-term strategy, especially in areas where aviation meets tourism, trade, and infrastructure. Amitabh Kant is a retired civil servant who spent over four decades shaping India's economic and development policies. He most recently served as India's G20 Sherpa under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, helping India navigate global diplomacy during its G20 presidency in 2023.
He is also the man who spearheaded two important campaigns in India's tourism journey: 'God's Own Country' for Kerala Tourism, and the nationwide 'Incredible India' campaign.
Kant's appointment to IndiGo's board comes just days after Canadian investment firm Fairfax Financial Holdings hired him as a senior advisor. For context, Fairfax owns stakes in several companies tied to India's travel ecosystem, including Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC Travel.
Olive Hospitality Launches AI-Powered Budget Hotels in India
Olive, the hospitality arm of Indian real estate group Embassy, has launched a fully remote-operated, AI-native hotel brand called 'Open Hotels.' The company claims it is the first hotel brand to be entirely managed through remote operations. According to Olive Hospitality CEO Kahraman Yigit, the idea is simple - hotels that are tech-powered and human-led.
At the center of that vision is the removal of the traditional front desk, or at least the people behind it. Instead, Open Hotels offers a self-service check-in experience powered by virtual receptionists and AI.
Guests can check in, make payments, and receive digital keys using self-service touchscreen kiosks. A single remote receptionist, connected via videoconferencing, can manage multiple check-ins and guest inquiries across multiple properties.
"India is the only country on Earth with the potential to build a 1 million-room hotel brand and we're gunning for it," Yigit said in a LinkedIn post. The brand targets budget to midscale hotels with an emphasis on operational efficiency. Yigit said the model will reduce the staff-to-room ratio from 0.7 to 0.3, a reduction of 57%. The platform is already live across 12 hotels in five Indian cities: Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mysore, Vijayawada, and Chikmagalur.
Goa's Festival Push Drives Off-Season Travel Surge
Goa recorded a significant increase in tourist arrivals this June, typically considered an off-season in the destination. Goa tourism board chalked up this surge to targeted promotions around monsoon festivals such as São João and Chikal Kalo through digital campaigns, influencer partnerships, and storytelling focused on Goa's local heritage. These, it said, were a part of the state's Regenerative Tourism efforts.
Tourism businesses, including hotels, homestays, cruise operators, and cultural guides, reported higher inquiries and stronger footfalls. 'This June has been unlike any other in recent years,' said Jack Sukhija, president of TTAG in a statement, adding that the renewed focus on festivals has brought in culturally curious visitors who are engaging beyond beaches.
According to Goa tourism, bookings for homestays, hotels, and experiences have surged in the state.
'We have seen good occupancies in North and South Goa in June due to more grounded storytelling around Goa," said Ranjit Phillipose, senior vice president – operations at IHCL, Goa in a statement.
The state's tourism has been shrouded with controversy since last year as tourists have complained about exploitation and lack of cleanliness. However, Goa's tourism minister Rohan Khaunte is attempting to revamp the state's image as he is seeking more nuanced and refined travelers who do not create 'ruckus.'
Rising Demand for Southern Religious Routes
Intercity bus travel platform YoloBus is expanding services on key religious routes in South India as demand surges this monsoon. In a statement, the company said it has noted a surge in demand for key routes to religious destinations such as Tirupati, Madurai, and Rameswaram.
It currently operates 25 dedicated services on these routes and has plans to add 10 more services over the coming months, it said. The company has added three new premium buses on the high-traffic Bangalore-Tirupati corridor, where passenger flow has risen by 8% week-on-week.
'Southern India continues to draw travelers for its spiritual and cultural depth,' said CEO Sanjay Jadoun. 'The growth we're seeing is aligned with long-term preferences, not just short-term reactions.'
YoloBus is also seeing a shift in traveler profiles, with a rise in family and senior citizen bookings, particularly from metro cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Passengers over the age of 45 now account for 12% of YoloBus's customer base.
Onora Hospitality Signs Luxury Property in Puducherry
Bengaluru-based boutique hospitality company Onora Hospitality is set to convert the ancestral home of the Hidesign family in Puducherry into a luxury boutique property under its Bookmark Resorts brand. The resort, expected to open in late 2026, will mark the company's third property under the Bookmark Resorts brand after Manali and Ranthambore.
For this, the company has signed an agreement with Ayesha and Milan Kapur, the children of luxury leather goods brand Hidesign's Founder Dilip Kapur.
Explaining the idea behind this project, Ashish Vohra, founder and CEO of Onora Hospitality said, 'The Hidesign family is among the original residents of Puducherry and Auroville. Their legacy and intimate connection with the region bring unparalleled authenticity to this project.' He added that the project will also strengthen Onora's presence in South India.
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