Travel

India’s hospitality sector is witnessing renewed momentum as global hotel majors Hilton and Radisson, alongside travel-tech platform ixigo, step up their expansion strategies across the country. Driven by robust domestic travel, rising business mobility and improving tourism infrastructure, companies are deepening their footprint beyond metro cities into tier-2 and tier-3 markets.

India’s largest online travel platform has reached a significant milestone in its business-to-business segment, with corporate travel bookings surpassing USD 1 billion. The achievement highlights the steady recovery of business travel and the growing preference among enterprises for technology-driven travel management solutions. Rising demand from large corporations, improved compliance tools, and integrated expense management have fueled this growth. Industry analysts view the milestone as evidence of structural strength rather than a cyclical rebound.

India’s online travel platform ixigo has entered a strategic partnership with OpenAI to integrate advanced artificial intelligence across its travel ecosystem. The collaboration aims to simplify trip discovery, enhance personalization and improve real-time decision-making for travelers. By embedding conversational AI and predictive intelligence into its platform, ixigo is positioning itself at the forefront of travel-tech innovation.

India’s leading online travel platform has entered a strategic partnership with a global artificial intelligence pioneer to redefine how consumers plan and experience travel. MakeMyTrip has joined hands with OpenAI to integrate advanced AI capabilities across its digital ecosystem. The collaboration aims to deliver more intuitive trip planning, personalized recommendations and faster customer support.

Indian travel technology firm Ixigo has strengthened its international expansion strategy by acquiring a minority stake in Spanish rail-focused platform Trenes for €11.7 million, equivalent to about Rs. 105 crore. The investment signals Ixigo’s intent to deepen its presence in Europe’s fast-evolving mobility market while diversifying beyond its core Asian operations. By partnering with a specialized rail aggregator, Ixigo gains access to advanced distribution capabilities, local market knowledge, and a customer base aligned with sustainable travel trends.

Online travel platform ixigo posted a robust 54% increase in net profit for Q3, reaching Rs. 24 crore, as travel bookings surged following seasonal and post-pandemic demand recovery. Revenue growth was supported by higher flight, train, and bus bookings, along with increased monetization from premium services and advertising partnerships. Operational efficiencies and digital platform optimization contributed to margin expansion, underscoring ixigo’s ability to scale profitably in India’s competitive travel-tech ecosystem.

MakeMyTrip reported a solid financial performance in the third quarter, with net profit rising 14.47 percent year-on-year to USD 51.4 million, supported by robust demand across air ticketing, hotels and holiday packages. The results reflect sustained recovery in travel activity, improved operating leverage and disciplined cost management. Higher booking volumes, favorable pricing trends and growth in ancillary services contributed to the earnings expansion.

Intercity mobility startup zingbus has set an ambitious revenue target of Rs. 350 crore as it accelerates expansion across key travel corridors in India. The company is focusing on scaling its fleet, deepening route penetration and leveraging technology to improve operational efficiency and customer experience. The growth push comes amid rising demand for affordable, reliable intercity travel and increasing preference for organized mobility platforms.

India’s travel industry is poised for a robust expansion in 2025, driven by a powerful combination of Gen Z preferences and improved affordability. Younger travelers are reshaping demand through shorter trips, experience-led itineraries and a strong preference for digital-first planning. At the same time, competitive airfares, budget accommodations and flexible payment options are lowering entry barriers for first-time and repeat travelers alike. Together, these forces are accelerating domestic tourism and revitalizing international travel from India.

In a major stride toward simplifying business travel and expense management, MakeMyTrip’s corporate travel arm, myBiz, has partnered with Swiggy to integrate corporate meal solutions across its platform. The collaboration enables employees to order meals from Swiggy’s vast restaurant network and charge them directly to the company account, eliminating the need for reimbursements.