Latest news with #Cleartrip
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
IPL final pushes hotel rates, occupancy in Ahmedabad and Chandigarh
As the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) nears its close, it has pushed overall travel demand, airfares, hotel room rates and occupancy in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad, where the last four matches of the season are slated to take place. Overall travel bookings for the entire season of the IPL rose by around 30–35 per cent, surpassing the 20–25 per cent growth in the previous season, according to EaseMyTrip. From Thursday, the main three matches — Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator in Chandigarh, and Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad — will decide the teams facing off in the final match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on 3 June. Premium stays in these two cities are currently priced between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,200, while budget options range from Rs 2,200 to Rs 5,200. Hotel room rates have increased by an average of 7–10 per cent, while domestic airfares to both cities are up by about 10 per cent, EaseMyTrip said. It further added that, on average, fares to these cities have risen compared to the same time last year, with match-day bookings up nearly 1.5 times, pushing prices higher, particularly on weekends. Travel and hotel executives collectively agree that the shift of the final match venue from Kolkata to Ahmedabad has resulted in a rise in rebookings, especially for flights and hotels near the Narendra Modi Stadium, and a sudden spike in last-minute bookings. 'The final has become a magnet for cricket tourism, with Ahmedabad witnessing the biggest spike in footfall this season,' said Rikant Pittie, chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder, EaseMyTrip. On the other hand, Karan Agarwal, director, Cox & Kings, said travel demand for this year's IPL final has definitely picked up compared to last season. Executives reported a surge in bookings near stadiums, with many hotels nearing full occupancy on match days. However, a hotel executive noted that the surge is not significant in Chandigarh, owing to recent geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan. Tavleen Bhatia, chief marketing and revenue officer, Cleartrip, said hotel rates in Chandigarh remain flat, while Ahmedabad airfares have risen by Rs 1,000. Santosh Kumar, country manager, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Indonesia, said that with excitement building for the IPL finals, the platform has seen a 40 per cent year-on-year increase in searches for Ahmedabad between 29 May and 3 June. 'In Ahmedabad, demand for the 2 and 3 June matches has surged by 35 per cent, with hotel rates rising by 45 per cent compared to the rest of the month,' said Nikhil Sharma, managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (COO), South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. 'Radisson Blu Ahmedabad is already tracking more than 30 per cent ahead of the usual occupancy pace, highlighting strong momentum leading into the finals.' Radisson Hotels observed a similar trend in Chandigarh. Sharma added that Radisson RED Mohali is operating at full capacity during the Qualifier 1 and Eliminator matches, with other nearby properties close to sold-out levels. Room rates in Chandigarh have jumped by 65–75 per cent. 'There is a great demand in Ahmedabad and almost all hotels see high occupancies,' said Keenan McKenzie, cluster general manager, ITC Narmada. McKenzie emphasised that the city's hospitality industry is poised for another boost through marquee tournaments like the IPL, as Ahmedabad continues to grow in stature as a leading hub for sports tourism. Akshay Thusoo, senior vice-president, commercial, Sarovar Hotels, said that current occupancy in Chandigarh is in the range of 70–75 per cent, with an increase of 3–4 per cent due to Thursday and Friday's matches. 'In Chandigarh, rates have increased by approximately 8–10 per cent, while Ahmedabad has seen a sharper rise of 12–15 per cent. In terms of occupancy, Ahmedabad hotels have experienced a 5–6 per cent uplift on match days, with a higher concentration of bookings from fans, crew, and corporate guests linked to the event,' said Thusoo. Royal Orchid Hotels expected room rates to rise by 70–95 per cent for the remaining IPL matches. Arjun Baljee, president, Royal Orchid Hotels, said that its Regenta hotel in Ahmedabad has observed a surge in business, which is similar to its properties in Chandigarh. 'We find that Regenta hotels in Zirakpur and Mohali become a stopover for guests who want to experience cricket and then do something else — like go to Shimla or even onwards to other destinations in Punjab. On the whole, the hotels sell out on match days with a responsibly managed increase in rate,' Baljee said.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
The impact of overtourism on countries and your role as a conscious traveller
A beautiful island becomes a backdrop for a hit show, and within weeks, the hotel bookings skyrocket. A beach or mountain view goes viral on Instagram, and soon, there are more selfie sticks than trees. While these OTT shows and social media influences wanderlust travellers, locals in destinations like Spain's Canary Islands, Mount Fuji's Dream Bridge in Japan and Thailand's Koh Samui island have raised red flags regarding the increasing number of tourists, with some areas even holding anti-tourism protests to reduce the numbers. These landscapes are crumbling under the footfall of tourists. The question is no longer where you travel but how responsibly you choose to do it. Locals of the Canary Islands in Spain protested against mass tourism, urging authorities to limit the number of visitors to protect residents from rising housing rents, traffic and environmental degradation. They marched with banners of 'Canaries have a limit'. The government has now demanded that Airbnb, a vacation rental company, remove more than 65,000 unlicensed holiday listings and is rolling out stricter regulations from July 1. Meanwhile, Mount Fuji's Dream Bridge in Japan has also become a victim of overtourism, with many tourists trying to get that perfect shot of the photogenic view of Mount Fuji. Built back in 2016, the local authorities had introduced free parking, and a sign board in several languages to attract more tourists and click pictures quietly. However, it is now struggling as locals have reported many illegal parking and tourists trespassing into private properties while also being very loud, all just to get that perfect shot. The bridge attracts up to 1,000 visitors daily, leading to a host of problems. But this is not all, the island of Koh Samui in Thailand has also seen a surge in tourism, thanks to the latest season of The White Lotus being shot there. Hotels where the series was shot saw a 40 per cent hike in bookings, while searches for trips to the destination increased by 115 per cent from Singapore, 95 per cent from the United States, and 70 per cent from Australia. This surge resulted in overburdening the resources with an already growing population of the island. 'When travel and pop culture meet virality, hidden destinations become a part of everyone's list,' explains Tavleen Bhatia, chief marketing and revenue officer, Cleartrip, adding, 'Social media platforms or popular OTT shows aren't the problem, but they speed things up, helping us discover these places faster than ever.' Often, this causes an influx of more tourists than the local economy can support. The damage is most visible through environmental degradation.'Mount Everest is littered with trash. In Bali, snorkellers come face to face with trash discarded by those before them,' shares Keshav Arya, partner at travel company PureLuxe by KFT. He adds: 'It also impacts animal behaviour and natural ecosystems. Gentrification is a major reason for anti-tourism protests. Short-term rentals are forcing out local inhabitants, leading to a housing crisis and impacting small businesses." As these picturesque locations grapple with overtourism, the need of the hour is conscious travelling and the responsibilities of a traveller when they visit such destinations. 'Conscious travel starts with awareness. Choosing direct flights over multiple layovers, and using public transport or walking tours where possible, can go a long way. Small actions like carrying reusable water bottles and packing light. The idea is to slow down, immerse more, and tread lighter,' suggests Hari Ganapathy, Co-founder at Pickyourtrail, adding, 'Learning about local customs, traditions, and etiquette before you arrive shows respect and helps build more meaningful connections. Small steps, like learning a few local phrases, understanding cultural norms, can lead to more meaningful and responsible journeys.' Slow travel is a sustainable as well as enjoyable way to travel in the future. Pritish Shah, Founder of A Travel Duet, suggests taking road trips over internal flights, staying longer in places to truly experience them rather than touch and go, and getting away from the cities to enjoy cleaner and greener pastures. 'In travel, people still follow the herd mentality, going to the same places where other travellers end up going. Orienting themselves [travellers] to the basics of any culture they are about to experience is a first. It is a sign of respect to the host in their destination. It also means you are genuinely interested in their culture,' he adds.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cleartrip appoints Manoj Awasthi as chief technology officer
Flipkart-owned online travel platform Cleartrip on Wednesday announced the appointment of Manoj Awasthi as its Chief Technology Officer, terming it a strategic move to bolster the company's leadership. At Cleartrip, Manoj will lead the tech charter, bringing together engineering, data, and infrastructure to build a more scalable and user-focused platform, it stated. Prior to joining Cleartrip, Manoj served as the chief technology and product officer at Julo. Ramesh Gururaja, senior vice president, consumer products & growth, Flipkart said, "Manoj's appointment is a big step forward in building a future-ready leadership team with strong, cross-functional expertise. His arrival aligns perfectly with our vision of strengthening our tech platform to drive long-term growth and innovation". Manoj Awasthi, chief technology officer, Cleartrip, said, "Over the years, I've led large product and engineering teams and built platforms that serve millions. At Cleartrip, I look forward to bringing that experience to modernise our tech stack, make room for faster experimentation, and build systems that make travel planning simpler and smoother for our users". In April 2021, Flipkart acquired a majority stake in Cleartrip.
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Business Standard
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Flipkart's Cleartrip appoints Manoj Awasthi as chief technology officer
Flipkart-owned online travel platform Cleartrip on Wednesday announced the appointment of Manoj Awasthi as its Chief Technology Officer, terming it a strategic move to bolster the company's leadership. At Cleartrip, Manoj will lead the tech charter, bringing together engineering, data, and infrastructure to build a more scalable and user-focused platform, it stated. Prior to joining Cleartrip, Manoj served as the Chief Technology & Product Officer at Julo. Ramesh Gururaja, Senior Vice President, Consumer Products & Growth, Flipkart said, "Manoj's appointment is a big step forward in building a future-ready leadership team with strong, cross-functional expertise. His arrival aligns perfectly with our vision of strengthening our tech platform to drive long-term growth and innovation". Manoj Awasthi, Chief Technology Officer, Cleartrip, said, "Over the years, I've led large product and engineering teams and built platforms that serve millions. At Cleartrip, I look forward to bringing that experience to modernise our tech stack, make room for faster experimentation, and build systems that make travel planning simpler and smoother for our users". In April 2021, Flipkart acquired a majority stake in Cleartrip.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cleartrip appoints Manoj Awasthi as chief technology officer
Flipkart-owned online travel platform Cleartrip on Wednesday announced the appointment of Manoj Awasthi as its Chief Technology Officer, terming it a strategic move to bolster the company's leadership. At Cleartrip, Manoj will lead the tech charter, bringing together engineering, data, and infrastructure to build a more scalable and user-focused platform, it stated. Prior to joining Cleartrip, Manoj served as the chief technology and product officer at Julo. Ramesh Gururaja, senior vice president, consumer products & growth, Flipkart said, "Manoj's appointment is a big step forward in building a future-ready leadership team with strong, cross-functional expertise. His arrival aligns perfectly with our vision of strengthening our tech platform to drive long-term growth and innovation". Manoj Awasthi, chief technology officer, Cleartrip, said, "Over the years, I've led large product and engineering teams and built platforms that serve millions. At Cleartrip, I look forward to bringing that experience to modernise our tech stack, make room for faster experimentation, and build systems that make travel planning simpler and smoother for our users". Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories In April 2021, Flipkart acquired a majority stake in Cleartrip.
