STAYVISTA
Delhi's air woes drive demand for hill getaways, resort stays
Hotels and alternative accommodations are reporting increased bookings from Delhi as air quality deteriorates. Popular destinations for travelers include the hills for cleaner air and cooler weather. Younger travelers are opting for short getaways to leisure destinations nearby. Remote workers are also seeking overseas trips during this polluted period. Overall, there is a noticeable rise in demand for escapes from the city.
Travel platforms and hotels see uptick in bookings for Diwali
An impressive uptick in Diwali travel bookings has been recorded this year, surpassing last year's figures. Online travel sites report a boom in both domestic and international reservations, particularly among Gen Z adventurers. These travellers are opting for extended holidays and making early bookings, indicating a shift towards peaceful, eco-friendly options that allow them to escape the hustle of urban life.
Corporate offsites, incentive trips make a comeback as companies resume travel plans
Corporate offsites and incentive trips are witnessing a revival as companies resume travel plans. Businesses are now scheduling deferred trips alongside new programmes for enhanced team engagement. Popular destinations include both domestic locations like Goa and international options such as Japan and Thailand. Companies aim to create curated experiences that foster collaboration and learning among employees. The focus remains on building connections and strengthening team culture during these offsites.
Infinity pool, lake views, cricket room: Inside Ajinkya Rahane’s 5-bedroom holiday home near Mumbai
RAAYA Estate, Ajinkya Rahane’s beautiful holiday home, is nestled in scenic Igatpuri near Mumbai, amid the Sahyadri mountains. Built during the pandemic, the upscale property boasts 5 elegantly designed bedrooms, a dedicated space displaying cricket memorabilia, and a play area for children. The inviting living room, featuring earthy hues and abundant natural light, creates an ideal atmosphere for unwinding and enjoying a peaceful retreat.
India needs to fix travel experience to attract more foreign tourists, Nikhil Kamath ignites tourism debate
To increase the number of foreign visitors, India should improve the tourist experience upon arrival. Experts highlight the importance of resolving issues such as lengthy queues and inadequate public washrooms. The lack of hotel rooms during peak seasons also deters travelers. Innovative travel solutions, including AI assistants, are on the rise. By diversifying destinations, India can promote longer visits and encourage repeat travelers.
D2C fragrance brand Fifth Sense raises Rs 6.3 crore in round led by OTP ventures
D2C fragrance brand Fifth Sense has raised Rs 6.3 crore in pre-seed funding led by OTP Ventures. The startup, founded by IIM Kozhikode alumni, offers premium, climate-adapted fragrances. This funding round saw participation from Sadev Ventures, ISV Capital, and angel investors, signaling growing investor interest in the evolving perfume market.
StayVista plans to hire over 1000 hospitality professionals in FY26
StayVista, a luxury villa rental platform, announced its ambitious plan to hire over 1,000 hospitality experts in financial year 2026. This recruitment drive aims to bolster on-ground service teams across its 1,000+ villas nationwide, focusing on roles like housekeeping, guest relations, and F&B. The hiring will prioritize emerging regions such as Goa, Coorg, Lonavala, and Himachal Pradesh.
StayVista raises over Rs 40 crore in Series B funding round
StayVista, a luxury villa rental platform, has secured over Rs 40 crore in Series B funding. JSW Ventures led the investment, with support from DSG Consumer Partners and Capri Global. The company plans to use the funds to expand into new markets and enhance its services. StayVista aims to become India's largest platform for alternative accommodations.
Luxury gets a royal treatment this New Year's Eve
Luxury hotels in Rajasthan, such as The Leela Palace Udaipur and Taj Group’s Rambagh Palace, are commanding high rates for New Year's Eve due to increased domestic demand. Indians constitute a significant portion of bookings with packages offering exclusive amenities. Despite a rise in outbound travel, domestic travelers are driving revenue at unprecedented levels.
Tellado Realty divests its hospitality business to StayVista
Tellado Realty has sold its hospitality business to villa rental brand StayVista, which will offer fully-serviced stays at Tellado's villa establishments in Goa. This partnership enables Tellado to concentrate on building luxury villas while StayVista takes over operations and management.
Weekend Break: India Inc actively push to leverage upcoming extended weekends
Even companies, at their end, are encouraging their staff to take these microbreaks and return rejuvenated as it increases productivity, executives said. Employees either solo or with friends and families are heading for either a quick break or visiting their hometowns in the upcoming long weekends (August 15-19; August 24-26 and September 5-8).
StayVista launches new luxury venture called Vieda
The company said the menu at Vieda properties will be crafted by the country’s best chefs, and will offer 'unlimited' meal options. Vieda by StayVista will launch with one single celebrity-approved home in Alibaug called Magnolia Villa.
A home away from home? Travellers take to the hills to beat summer heat
Villas continue to be the dominant preference driver in the homestays, alternative accommodation category experiencing significant growth this summer, said MakeMyTrip co-founder and group CEO Rajesh Magow. "Leading the surge are prime leisure destinations such as Ooty, Lonavala, Coorg and Mahabaleshwar. Goa is experiencing the maximum growth in villa bookings closely followed by Alibaug and Kodaikanal," he added.
Global wellness economy is $5.6 trillion. India should vie for a larger chunk of the pie
India has unique strengths in traditional forms of well-being such as yoga and ayurveda and also offers new-age wellness solutions. How can the country leverage such advantages and position itself as a wellness hub for the world?
Hoteliers seeing extraordinary spike in bookings from Delhi-NCR as residents look to take a break from toxic air
Traditionally, Indians stay at home for the festivities; however, residents seem to be travelling to avoid deteriorating air quality. There has been a sharp increase in bookings for the Diwali weekend from the Delhi NCR region, said Amit Damani, co-founder of villa and bungalow rental company StayVista.
Don't have a weekend booking yet? You're probably too late
"We are pretty much sold out across our major properties. For example, in Nainital, both our properties are sold out. Bhimtal is sold out. Corbett is almost sold out and our Aloha on the Ganges property in Rishikesh is also sold out," said Shahzad Aslam, head of sales at Leisure Hotels Group. "Our property in Haridwar is sold out. We are doing 100% occupancies during September 8-10. In Varanasi, we are currently at 70% occupancy, but hopefully by tomorrow, we will be touching between 90% and 100% occupancy. Prices have gone up by about 20-25% on an average for this weekend."
Hotel, travel companies take a hit as rains lash North India
Amit Damani, co-founder of villa and bungalow rental company StayVista, said business has been impacted in the hills of North India and it would be down by 50%."Interestingly, demand has increased at places such as Sohna and Kurukshetra as people are rescheduling their holiday destination," he added.
Travel companies, hotels enjoy bumper long Republic Day weekend
The prices and search data were based on searches between November 1, 2022 and January 1 2023 for travel during January 26-29. These were compared with searches between November 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020 for travel for January 26-29, 2020.
Homestays stay buzzing despite 'back to office' calls
Amit Damani, co-founder of villa and bungalow rental company StayVista, said October is an extremely busy month for the chain with festive holidays. "We are the largest luxury villa brand in India with over 500 villas, and basis the demand, are looking to continue expanding our network. We are looking to scale up to over 750 homes in the next six months with an annual run rate of over ₹200 crore," he said.
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