Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

Tourism for sustainable development focus of U.N. forum

The event will showcase India's G20 Presidency's Goa Roadmap for Tourism

Tourism for sustainable development focus of U.N. forum

WITH SUPPORT FROM India’s Ministry of Tourism, the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations is hosting a high-level roundtable on 'Sustainability in Tourism' at the U.N. headquarters in New York on July 14. The roundtable, organized in collaboration with Croatia's Ministry of Tourism, is a part of the forum on sustainable development, the UNWTO said in a statement.

The event will advance UNWTO's work in sustainable tourism through public-private partnerships.


“It aims to bring collective action for sustainable tourism across sectors through discussions with global leaders and U.N. representatives,” the statement said.

In New York, UNWTO and partners will promote sustainable development goals understanding, present the Goa Roadmap, raise awareness about measuring tourism sustainability, outline benefits of an ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses, and share key points from the "Achieving the SDGs through tourism: Toolkit of Indicators for Projects," developed with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the statement added.

Csaba Kőrösi, president of the U.N. General Assembly, and Lachezara Stoeve, president of the Economic and Social Council, will jointly inaugurate the event. Moderated by UNWTO's executive director, the high-level roundtable will include Tourism Ministers from Croatia, India, Jamaica, and Spain, along with Ivan Šimonović, permanent representative of Croatia to the UN. Matt Callaghan, director of EasyJet Holidays, and Edward Brooks, executive director of Oxford SDG Impact Lab, will represent the private and academic sectors respectively, the statement said.

In June, the World Travel & Tourism Council and UNWTO signed a memorandum of understanding at the G20 Ministerial meeting in Goa to promote global collaboration for job creation, talent development, and business opportunities in the travel and tourism industry worldwide.

More for you

Mahindra Holidays plans 10,000 hotel rooms by 2030 amid India tourism boom
Photo credit: Club Mahindra

India's Mahindra maps 10,000-room expansion

Summary:

  • MHRIL targets 10,000 rooms by 2030, up from 5,700.
  • It is exploring new models to become more competitive.
  • It calls the goal “conservative” amid India’s post-COVID tourism boom.
MAHINDRA HOLIDAYS AND Resorts India Ltd., a subsidiary of Mahindra Group, is aiming to have 10,000 rooms by 2030. The company is expanding beyond vacation ownership into the travel and tourism sector, Anish Shah, Mahindra Group CEO and managing director, said in an interview with PTI Videos.

MHRIL, led by Managing Director and CEO Manoj Bhat, had 5,794 keys as of June 30, 2025, and plans to add about 1,000 rooms this fiscal as part of its target to increase its room count to 10,000 by the 2030 fiscal, according to PTI.

Keep ReadingShow less
US Tops India’s Inbound Tourism in 2024
iStock

U.S. led India’s inbound tourism in 2024

Summary:

  • India received 9.95 million foreign tourists in 2024, up from 9.52 million in 2023.
  • U.S. led India’s inbound and outbound travel in 2024 with 1.8 million American visitors.
  • The UAE was the top overseas destination for Indians, hosting 7.7 million travelers.

THE U.S EMERGED as India’s largest inbound tourism market in 2024, sending 1.8 million visitors, according to the India’s Ministry of Tourism. The U.S. also ranked among the top destinations for Indian travelers, welcoming more than 2.1 million visits last year.

Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said these figures signal strong momentum in both inbound and outbound travel, The Tribune reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marriott & Brigade Plan Six New Hotels Across India
Photo credit: Marriott International

Marriott, Brigade eye six hotels across India

Summary:

  • Marriott and BHVL plan six hotels with 940 rooms in four Indian markets.
  • Bengaluru-based BHVL is a subsidiary of Brigade Enterprises Ltd.
  • BHVL recently launched a $101.2 million IPO, including a $14.4 million pre-IPO placement.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL AND Brigade Hotel Ventures Ltd will open six hotels totaling 940 rooms across four markets in India. The projects will be developed under five Marriott Bonvoy brands: The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott.

Keep ReadingShow less
Prestige Hospitality Ventures announces $308M IPO to expand luxury Marriott and Hilton hotel portfolio across India

India's Prestige secures $308M IPO approval

Summary:

  • Prestige Hospitality Ventures received SEBI approval for a $308 million IPO.
  • It operates hotels under multiple Marriott International brands.
  • As of December 2024, its portfolio included seven hotels with 1,445 keys.

PRESTIGE HOSPITALITY VENTURES recently received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India for a $308 million, or ₹2,700 crore, initial public offering. The company develops and operates luxury to upper midscale hospitality assets and is part of Bengaluru-based Prestige Group, promoted by Prestige Estates Projects.

Keep ReadingShow less
IHCL and Ambuja Neotia unveil $240M plan for 15 luxury hotels in India by 2030
IHCL

IHCL, Ambuja plan 15 new hotels in India

Summary:

  • IHCL and Ambuja Neotia Group aim to develop 15 new hotels across West Bengal, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.
  • The projects are expected to be completed by 2030.
  • The expansion aims to boost tourism in East and North-East India.
INDIAN HOTELS CO. Ltd. recently signed a new agreement with the Ambuja Neotia Group to develop 15 additional hotels across West Bengal, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. Ambuja will invest approximately $240 million toward executing the projects.

The IHCL and Ambuja Neotia partnership will open Taj resorts in Sunderban and Darjeeling, West Bengal; Shimla, Himachal Pradesh; and Rabong, Sikkim. They will build SeleQtions hotels in Kolkata, West Bengal and Siliguri, West Bengal. A Tree of Life hotel will be built in Lataguri, West Bengal. The expansion will include a mix of greenfield, brownfield and conversion projects, PTI reported.

Keep ReadingShow less