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Business Standard
05-08-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Full house at hotels for Independence Day long weekend; airfares up 30-100%
With only a few long-weekend opportunities left in the second half of the year, hotels have begun reporting near-full occupancy for the upcoming Independence Day holiday on August 15, which extends over the weekend to August 17. Luxury villa rental firm StayVista has recorded 100 per cent occupancy across its portfolio for the long weekend. 'We are sold out across destinations, which is a strong validation of the shift towards meaningful getaways and trusted stays,' said Pranav Maheshwari, co-founder at the platform, which is seeing full bookings in locations such as Maharashtra, Goa, Ooty and Coorg. ITC Hotels has also witnessed a strong uptick in demand for the long weekend and is curating special experiences for its Club ITC members. Both city hotels and hill properties have seen healthy advance reservations. Welcomhotel-branded properties in Jim Corbett, Chail and Shimla are all reporting near-full capacity, while the Sheraton New Delhi is also witnessing increased demand for staycations and restaurant bookings. 'The upcoming long weekend has ignited strong travel intent, with robust bookings across leisure, spiritual and wellness destinations — many of which are already nearing full occupancy,' said Atul Bhalla, vice-president (operations), ITC Hotels – North & West. At Sarovar Hotels, too, occupancies are expected to be high, particularly in leisure destinations like Goa, Agra, Dalhousie, Udaipur and Jaipur. 'We're witnessing a strong resurgence in domestic travel around the Independence Day long weekend, with occupancy levels pacing 8–10 per cent higher than the same period last year. We're also seeing strong pick-up in Tier-II and drive-in destinations — signalling a clear shift towards accessible, experiential getaways,' said Akshay Thusoo, senior vice-president, commercial, at the chain. To build on this momentum, the company has introduced a range of offers, including complimentary late check-outs till 4 pm, free stay and dining for children under 12, and more. 'The Independence Day long weekend is shaping up to be a strong period. We are seeing encouraging signs of early bookings across key leisure destinations, reflecting growing confidence and a desire for quick, premium getaways,' said Nikhil Sharma, managing director and chief operating officer, South Asia, at Radisson Hotel Group, where some resort properties have already secured over 75 per cent occupancy a month in advance. 'All our resort hotels are witnessing high demand for the long weekend, with particular interest in destinations across Rajasthan, Goa, Uttarakhand, Himachal and Maharashtra. People are increasingly willing to spend more on premium experiences and amenities, with average stay durations ranging from two to two-and-a-half days,' he added. It's not just hotels — flight bookings and airfares have also surged ahead of the long weekend. 'We've seen a significant rise in flight bookings for the Independence Day long weekend this year, with travel to popular leisure destinations up by 25–30 per cent year-on-year. Demand for beach getaways like Goa has especially spiked, driving fares on routes such as Delhi–Goa and Mumbai–Goa up by over 100 per cent week-on-week,' said Rajnish Kumar, group co-chief executive officer at ixigo, to Business Standard. Other scenic destinations like Dehradun and Kochi are also witnessing strong traction, with airfares rising 35–40 per cent week-on-week. 'Among the top domestic destinations booked this year are Dehradun, Port Blair, Goa and Coimbatore,' Kumar added.
Entrepreneur
27-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
JSW Ventures Leads INR 40 Cr Round in Villa Rental Platform StayVista
The funds will be used to expand operations, strengthen the team, and enhance customer experience. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. JSW Ventures, the venture capital arm of the JSW Group, has led an INR 40 crore investment round in villa rental platform StayVista, with participation from existing backers DSG Consumer Partners and Capri Global Family Office. The funds will be used to expand operations, strengthen the team, and enhance customer experience, according to the company's official statement. Founded in 2019 by Ankita Sheth, Amit Damani, and Pranav Maheshwari, StayVista offers a curated selection of luxury villa rentals, primarily comprising second homes owned by individuals. The company currently operates 1,000 properties across 85 locations, having served over 1 million customers to date. "StayVista is the largest player in the space and is well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for alternative accommodations," said Sachin Tagra, Managing Partner, JSW Ventures. "It's a capital-efficient business with significant growth potential." Co-founder Pranav Maheshwari added, "We aspire to make StayVista not just India's largest villa hospitality brand, but also the go-to platform for alternative accommodations." StayVista's model provides a win-win for both homeowners and travelers, allowing property owners to monetise their second homes while offering unique stay experiences. The Indian vacation rental market, currently valued at USD 22.3 billion, is projected to grow at 9% annually, reaching USD 34.1 billion by 2029, driven by rising disposable incomes and flexible work trends. JSW Ventures focuses on early-stage investments in tech-led startups, with a portfolio spanning healthtech, agritech, fintech, and AI-powered enterprise solutions.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
StayVista raises over Rs 40 crore in Series B funding round
Luxury villa rental platform StayVista said it has successfully closed its Series B funding round raising over Rs 40 crore. The company said the investment was spearheaded by JSW Ventures , alongside continued backing from current investors DSG Consumer Partners and Capri Global . 'Over the past few years, we've quietly but consistently built a strong foundation for long-term growth. Along the way, we've achieved several meaningful milestones — turning profitable, scaling to over 1,000 luxury homes, and hosting more than a million guests," said Pranav Maheshwari, co-founder at StayVista. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo "Each of these achievements is a reflection of the trust our homeowners and guests place in us. As we look ahead, we're excited to build on this momentum and shape StayVista into not just India's largest villa hospitality brand, but also the largest platform for alternative accommodations in India," he added. The company said this 'significant' capital injection will empower StayVista to strategically expand into new markets, 'strengthen' its service offerings, and 'elevate' its guest and host experiences. Live Events Sachin Tagra, managing partner at JSW Ventures said he is seeing a clear shift in preference of travelers from hotels to alternate sources of accommodation. "With technology, standardization, and a strong customer-first philosophy, StayVista, being the largest player in this space, has a front row seat to capitalize on this trend," he said. "The founders have built a highly capital efficient business and we are excited to partner with StayVista as they continue to scale with multiple offerings," he added. Hariharan Premkumar, D and Head of India from DSG Consumer Partners commented saying the company is 'excited' to back StayVista for the third time. "We first invested in 2019 — and soon after, the pandemic upended everything we had underwritten. Through one of the toughest periods in hospitality, Ankita, Amit, and Pranav demonstrated remarkable grit, adaptability, and execution discipline," he said. "They've navigated multiple inflection points with clarity and composure — emerging stronger each time. StayVista is now the market leader in luxury homestays, built with capital efficiency and long-term focus," he added.
