Latest news with #leisuretravel
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
New Shangri-La luxury brand lures rich Chinese tourists with unique cultural experiences
Shangri-La Group has launched its super-luxury hotel brand in mainland China, Shangri-La Signatures, featuring a convergence of cultural heritage and nature aimed at attracting wealthy tourists amid a rebound in demand for leisure experiences. Advertisement The company was spearheading a move among global hoteliers to focus on unique offerings, operational agility and the evolving preferences of Chinese travellers to stay abreast of the competition. 'Affluent Chinese travellers, particularly millennials and Gen Z in mainland China, are reshaping the meaning of luxury,' said Ulrich Joblonka, general manager of the Silk Lakehouse at the Shangri-La Hangzhou, in an interview. 'No longer defined solely by opulence, today's luxury is rooted in authenticity, emotional connection, cultural depth and personal well-being.' The Silk Lakehouse, located on the shores of Hangzhou's West Lake – a Unesco World Heritage site – is the first outlet to open under the new brand, inaugurated in May. Shangri-La, founded by Malaysian tycoon Robert Kuok Hock-nien in 1971, said each Shangri-La Signatures room would be a refined private residence, rooted in local heritage. The brand would also be expanded to other parts of Asia. Advertisement 'In cities like Hangzhou where prime sites near the West Lake are becoming increasingly scarce, a well-positioned luxury hotel can surely stand out,' said Zhou Tao, head of hotels and hospitality at JLL in China. 'High-net-worth travellers continue to place a premium on experiences that combine exceptional location with thoughtful design and cultural relevance and a product that delivers on these fronts is well placed to capture their attention.' According to the property services firm, revenue per available room on the mainland dropped 5 per cent from a year earlier during the first five months of 2025. But luxury and upscale hotels showed resilience and experienced strong demand, Zhou said.
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Etihad Airways takes off to Egypt's Al Alamein
ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways today marked the launch of its inaugural flight to Al Alamein (DBB), adding the Egyptian coastal city to its list of seasonal summer destinations. This new direct service brings travellers closer to one of the Mediterranean's most alluring seaside destinations, with twice-weekly flights from Abu Dhabi to Al Alamein. The conveniently timed flights operate on Thursdays and Sundays enabling a quick weekend getaway or longer break away. 'The launch of Al Alamein reflects our strategic focus on expanding Etihad's network to serve high-demand seasonal routes,' said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer at Etihad Airways. 'As leisure travel continues to grow, destinations like Al Alamein offer tremendous appeal for our guests seeking premium summer experiences. This new connection supports our broader commitment to offering more choice and flexibility across our rapidly growing network.'
Skift
7 days ago
- Business
- Skift
Biggest Aviation Markets – and the Sectors Driving the Most Growth
The global airline sector is in a growth phase, with annual revenue on pace to reach $1 trillion, driven by strong leisure demand and the significant rebound of business travel. Skift Research's latest deep dive into the global airline sector reveals an acceleration of several key trends: Leisure travel accounts for over half of global airline revenue, business travel is nearing pre-pandemic highs, and the shift toward premium cabins has picked up. Online channels dominate ticket sales, while regional trends point to the Americas leading in overall revenue and Asia-Pacific gaining fast — all detailed in Global Airline Sector Market Estimates 2025. Global revenue is heading toward the $1 trillion mark – we project $949 billion by 2026. The Americas Leads, Asia-Pacific Is on the Rise Of all the major regions,
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Visit Qatar, Discover Qatar and Qatar Airways lead joint roadshow in Nigeria to promote leisure travel to Doha
Visit Qatar, in collaboration with Discover Qatar and Qatar Airways, hosted a strategic roadshow in Nigeria aimed at promoting leisure travel and stopover packages to Doha. The initiative brought together a total of 120 key trade partners and travel professionals through a large-scale trade engagement in Lagos, attended by over 100 guests, followed by an exclusive business networking luncheon in Abuja, which hosted 20 stakeholders. The events were designed to spotlight -state of Qatar's unique tourism offerings, support business-to-business engagement, and strengthen Qatar's positioning as a preferred leisure destination in the region. Through these activations, Visit Qatar and its partners seek to identify collaborations with tour operators and leisure travel partners while promoting awareness of Qatar's key attractions, hospitality infrastructure, and stopover products. The programme also aims to connect Nigerian travel agents with Destination Management Companies (DMCs), hotels, and other suppliers in Qatar to facilitate future collaboration. By showcasing the country's world-class experiences and accessibility through Qatar Airways' extensive network, the roadshow underscores Qatar's commitment to unlocking the travel potential of the Nigerian market and strengthening trade relationships across West Africa. About Visit Qatar Visit Qatar is the main arm of Qatar Tourism. Visit Qatar's mission is to promote and expand tourism in Qatar by cultivating its rich culture, developing thrilling attractions, enhancing Qatar's calendar, becoming the leading MICE destination in the region, diversifying events and luxury experiences. Visit Qatar is rooted in Service Excellence, boosting the entire tourism value chain, and increasing local and international visitor demand in Qatar. Through Visit Qatar's network of international offices in priority markets, cutting-edge digital platforms, and marketing campaigns, Visit Qatar is expanding Qatar's presence globally and enhancing the tourism sector.
Skift
01-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
How India Is Set to Be a Powerhouse in $15 Trillion Global Leisure Travel Market
India's fast-growing leisure travel market is set to reshape global tourism, driven by a new generation of travelers with rising disposable incomes who are prioritizing meaningful, experience-led journeys over budget constraints. The global leisure travel market is expected to triple in value by 2040 to reach $15 trillion, according to Boston Consulting Group's new report. And India is among the countries expected to drive this surge. Domestic leisure travel is expected to reach $12 trillion by 2040, while regional travel will triple to over $2 trillion, according to the report. International leisure travel is projected to grow the fastest, however, it will still hold the smallest share of around $1.4 trillion. BCG added that the next wave of travelers is increasingly originating from 'emerging markets' such as China, India, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. These markets, it added, are outpacing traditional tourism drivers like the U.S., U.K., and Germany. Projections for India: 'India is poised to become one of the most dynamic leisure travel markets globally,' said Nitima Malhotra, partner at BCG. 'With domestic leisure travel spend projected to grow at 12% annually and international spend at 10% through 2040, Indian travelers are increasingly exploring both their own country and the world,' Malhotra added. 'As travel becomes more digital, culturally relevant, and experience-led, India's rising consumer base will play a pivotal role in shaping the next chapter of global leisure travel.' In its report, BCG noted that India experienced moderate to strong growth in leisure travel spending from 2019 through 2024, 'suggesting a quick recovery from Covid-19-related impacts on travel.' It is expecting significant continued growth as Indian travelers are increasingly traveling domestically as well as internationally. It projected that for Indian travelers, domestic, regional, and international overnights will rise by 3%, 4%, and 6%, respectively, per year. The Changing Indian Dynamics: There is a clear shift in the travel industry led by millennials and Gen Z travelers, Malhotra said. This generation is traveling more and also seeking 'experiences that blend value, personalization, and purpose.' 'India also stands out for its strong preference for multigenerational travel and the growing popularity of 'bleisure', with over 70% of travelers looking to combine work and leisure,' she said. BCG's report found that younger Indian travelers are planning to take more trips next year and also intend to spend more on travel. While Millennials are most likely to combine business with leisure travel, over 80% of Indian travelers have done so at least once. Indian travelers prefer taking trips with their spouse or with family, with less than 10% preferring to travel alone, BCG said. Still, family or friends is a lower factor for Indian travelers' travel plans as compared to activities and ease of travel. These factors also trump the cost factor, even as Indians are historically budget-conscious travelers. This is in line with the recent trend of Indians choosing to spend more on travel plans for unique experiences. It added that religious travel, although a global niche, is a prominent travel preference among Indians. Vacation Rental Brand StayVista Raises $4.7 million Indian villa rental platform StayVista has raised more than INR 400 million ($4.7 million) in its Series B funding round. The company said that the funding will drive its strategic expansion into new markets, while allowing it to 'strengthen its service offerings' and 'elevate its guest and host experiences.' StayVista Co-Founder Pranav Maheshwari said that over the past few years, the company has turned profitable and has more than 1,000 homes on its platform. The investment was led by JSW Ventures, along with existing investors DSG Consumer Partners and Capri Global. For JSW Ventures, the investment came as there is a clear shift in traveler preferences from hotels to alternative accommodation, said Sachin Tagra, managing partner. According to Skift Research, in August 2023, only about 7% of Indian travelers opted for vacation rentals. However, last July, Skift Research's preliminary analysis indicated that the Indian short-term rental industry could expand into a $3 billion market by 2033. In an interview with Skift last year, Amit Damani, the co-founder of StayVista, said, 'The market for alternative accommodations in India is still in its nascent stage.' He said that Indian travelers often take trips in groups, and seek 'private, exclusive spaces that can accommodate their entire group, which hotels often cannot provide.' Travel is India's Biggest Global Spending Category Indian travelers spent nearly $1.3 billion on international travel in April 2025, Skift reported. This is a 10% increase year-on-year and 13% higher than March, according to data from India's central bank Reserve Bank of India. Travel accounted for over 51% of the total international spending by Indians during April, while in March this was around 44%. The monthly international travel spending of Indians has consistently exceeded $1 billion, with it having reached $1.1 billion in February and $1.13 billion in March. In fiscal year 2024, Indians spent a record $31.7 billion abroad. International travel accounted for 54% of this spending amounting to $17 billion. In the 2025 fiscal year while total overseas spending dipped to $29.5 billion, travel spending remained steady at $16.9 billion, signaling a stabilized international travel spending pattern post-Covid. Notably, in August 2024, Indians spent over $2 billion on international travel, accounting for nearly 63% of that month's $3.2 billion in foreign spending. Scandinavian Airlines Returns to India After 17 Years Scandinavian Airlines, the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, is returning to India after 17 years. The airline will be launching a new direct service from Copenhagen to Mumbai next June, allowing people to travel on the route in nine hours. The airline will operate five weekly flights on the route. The airline's President and CEO Anko van der Werff said that India is a key global market, both in terms of growing demand and economic importance. 'Mumbai is a natural next step in our strategy to link Scandinavia with one of the world's most important regions for business and leisure travel,' he said, adding that the route will also support increased connectivity between India and Northern Europe, as well as between India and North America. In line with this, the airline said that the flight times have been 'designed to support smooth transfers to and from major destinations in Scandinavia, Europe, and North America.' Assam Ties Up With BookMyShow for International Concerts Northeastern state of Assam has tied up with entertainment platform BookMyShow to boost the concert economy in the state. Through this agreement, the state is seeking to become a leading music and tourism destination. This initiative is set to begin with rap artist Post Malone's concert in Guwahati in December. Under the partnership, the concerts will be conducted exclusively through BookMyShow and the state government will not interfere. No free passes for the concerts will be issued, even for ministers, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. This comes after the state recently approved its Concert Tourism Policy as live concerts have become a strong driver for travel in India. Skift had earlier reported that over 222,000 people attended British rock band Coldplay's Ahmedabad concerts earlier this year. A report by BookMyShow Live and EY's strategic consulting arm EY-Parthenon said that the concert generated an estimated economic impact of INR 6.41 billion ($75 million) for Ahmedabad. For the three days that the concert was held, Ahmedabad airport handled 138,000 travelers. The inflow of tourists for the concert also pushed up room rates as hotel bookings increased 1047% during January 26-28. IndiGo to Commence Hindon-Goa Direct Flights IndiGo has announced a direct service between Hindon airport in Ghaziabad and Goa starting this month. The airline will operate six flights a week on the route. Last week, the airline announced its plans to commence operations from the Hindon airport in the Delhi national capital region (Delhi-NCR). At the time of the announcement, it said that it would launch services connecting Hindon with eight cities - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, and Varanasi. The Hindon airport in Uttar Pradesh is located in Ghaziabad providing connectivity for residents of Ghaziabad, East Delhi, and Western Uttar Pradesh.
