Another Kerala-Based Airline Set to Take Off — India Report

Travel services operator Alhind Group based in Kerala’s Kozhikode has received the Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’s initial approval to start an airline. Alhind aims to commence operations of Alhind Air by the end of 2024. 

According to reports, the company is planning an initial investment between INR 2-5 billion ($24-60 million) with three ATR-72 turboprop planes. The airline’s initial focus is expected to be in South India: Kochi, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai, after which it will become eligible to operate flights between Kerala and West Asia. 

Last month, low-cost airline Air Kerala also received the no-objection certificate (NOC) from India’s ministry of civil aviation. Run by Dubai-based businessmen Afi Ahmed and Ayub Kallada, Air Kerala hopes to commence operations by next year and connect Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities using ATR 72-600 aircraft. It is eventually hoping to branch out into international operations. Air Kerala is set to become the first regional airline from Kerala, unless Alhind Air begins operations earlier.

In March this year, Manoj Chacko’s Fly91 commenced operations from its base in Goa. The airline operates between Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Lakshadweep, Pune and Jalgaon.

Boom in Indian Aviation: The Indian aviation industry is currently witnessing a boom. India has now become the third-largest domestic aviation market, after the U.S. and China, data by aviation analytics firm OAG showed. In this growth, budget carriers played a key role, accounting for 78.4% of the domestic airline capacity in the month of April.

The growth of the aviation industry is being supplemented by the increase in the number of airports, which doubled between 2014 to 2023. The annual passenger capacity at Indian airports is also set to increase by 60 million. The market, however, is underserved, as former aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said earlier this year. This provides significant opportunity for new entrants, such as Fly91 and Akasa Air, to enter the aviation industry.

India’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN is also playing a role in encouraging private players to establish regional airlines, which can then scale into international operations.

Earlier this month, IndiGo’s managing director Rahul Bhatia said that a country like India deserves more than two airlines. In India, IndiGo held a market share of about 61% in the domestic market in the April to June quarter. The Air India group, including Vistara, was a distant second at nearly 29% market share.

IHCL Opens Ginger Hotel in Coimbatore

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has announced the opening of its budget brand Ginger in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore. The 68-room Ginger Coimbatore Airport, Avinashi Road property marks the brand’s entry into the Tier-2 town. 

With this, the hotel chain has 18 hotels in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, of which two are under development. The Ginger brand is present across 43 cities in India with over 60 operational properties. 

Ginger is the second-largest hotel brand under IHCL, after its flagship Taj. Last year, the company signed six hotels under Ginger. By the beginning of April 2024, Ginger had a portfolio of about 90 developing and operating hotels. 

Cricketer Adam Gilchrist Roped in by Western Australia to Attract Indians

Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist and his son Harry have been roped in by Tourism Western Australia for a new campaign geared towards Indian travelers. In the campaign, Gilchrist and his son promote day trips from Perth, highlighting various attractions in and around Perth. 

The partnership has come ahead of India and Australia’s West Test match at the Optus Stadium in November this year. For the promotion, Western Australia has also partnered with travel services company Thomas Cook India and Skyscanner to offer packages to Perth. In a statement, Tourism Western Australia said that between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, 34,000 Indians visited the region, spending $128 million during the year. This led to India becoming the seventh-largest source market for the region, up from its 11th spot in 2019. 

Morocco Witnesses 41% Growth in Indian Market

The Moroccan National Tourism Office (MNTO) has witnessed a surge of 41% year-on-year in the Indian market in the first half of 2024. It is expecting a growth of 45% by the end of 2024, it said in a statement. 

Morocco tourism aims to attract 100,000 Indian visitors by 2026. For this, the organization has been ramping up its efforts in India, including recent roadshows in Delhi and Mumbai. It has also participated in travel trade shows held in India this year. 

“In the coming months, we will accelerate our efforts in the Indian market, with plans to tap into the film industry for future collaborations,” said Jamal Kilito, country manager of MNTO in India. The tourism office is also focusing on its MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) capabilities to attract business travelers and event organizers. 

Oberoi Group Announces Scholarship Program For Hospitality Workers

The Oberoi Group has announced a scholarship program to commemorate its 90th anniversary. Two distinct scholarships, named after founder Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi and his son and successor Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi, are meant for hotel operation employees. 

The Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi — ‘Dare to Dream’ Scholarship is open to hotel operations employees from hotels in India other than The Oberoi Group. The Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi — ‘Be the Best’ Scholarship, on the other hand, is being offered to hotel operations employees across The Oberoi Group in India and overseas. 

With these, scholars would have the opportunity to pursue a two-year Masters of Business Administration in Hospitality at Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL).

Zoomcar Records 9% Increase in Bookings

Car rental company Zoomcar has announced its earnings for the April to June quarter, reporting a 9% increase in bookings as compared to the same quarter previous year. It also reduced its cost of revenue by 58% as compared to last year through technology and product initiatives, including a tighter guest verification process. 

It also narrowed its loss of $6.8 million last year to a loss of $3.3 million during the quarter this year.

Zoomcar CEO Hiroshi Nishijima said, “We achieved record non-GAAP gross profit and contribution profit, while also laying the groundwork for substantial revenue growth in the coming quarters.”