All published updates

UK Updates India Travel Advice: Avoid Certain Regions

The UK FCDO updated its India travel advice, maintaining warnings against all travel to areas within 10km of the India-Pakistan border, most of Jammu and Kashmir, and Manipur. The Wagah-Attari border crossing remains closed. Middle East escalation is causing flight disruptions. Entry requirements now include e-OCI and a mandatory health self-declaration form.

Impact and considerations

For business travelers, high security risks in parts of India and Middle East-related flight disruptions require itinerary adjustments and compliance with new entry rules.

Yatra considers options to regain Nasdaq compliance

Online travel agency Yatra received a Nasdaq non-compliance notice due to its share price falling below $1, and has 180 days to regain compliance, possibly through a reverse stock split. Q1 revenue fell 14% to $201 million, and adjusted EBITDA dropped 49%.

Expedia Group's Latest Research Shows APAC Travel Growth but Complexity Risks

Expedia Group research shows 65% of APAC travel professionals expect demand growth in the next 2-3 years, but complexity in payments, content, and technology risks slowing momentum. India and Australia have highest confidence at 82% and 76%.

Air India and Booking.com Partner for Integrated Booking Experiences

Air India and Booking.com announced a strategic partnership to deliver a co-branded platform on Air India's website and app, offering access to Booking.com's global accommodation inventory. Maharaja Club members earn 5 points per INR 100 spent, with exclusive discounts up to 15% for a limited period. The partnership aims to provide a seamless, end-to-end travel booking experience.

Ixigo acquires majority stake in Brevistay to expand hotel business

Indian online travel platform Ixigo has agreed to acquire a 54.66% stake in Brevistay for about $6.9 million. Brevistay specializes in flexible-duration hotel stays. Upon completion, Brevistay will become a subsidiary, and the combined network will include over 10,000 directly contracted hotels.

Ixigo launches AI-powered travel app with conversational booking and agentic AI

India-based OTA Ixigo launched a rebuilt AI-native mobile app at its Ixigo NEXT event, featuring an upgraded TARA assistant supporting voice, text, or tap interactions in English, Hindi, and Hinglish. New features include Trip Mode consolidating boarding passes, gate/terminal details, baggage claim info, and travel alerts, plus Agentic Travel Flows that automate tasks like sending boarding passes via WhatsApp, updating Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes on flight changes, monitoring delays/cancellations, and coordinating with hotels for room readiness. Most agentic features are permission-based and opt-in.

The Hosteller raises $16M to expand hostel network, build travel super app

Mumbai-based hostel company The Hosteller has raised approximately $16 million in Series B funding, led by PROMAFT Partners with participation from V3 Ventures. The funds will be used to expand to over 150 hostels and develop a travel super app integrating accommodation, F&B, mobility, and local experiences. The company currently operates over 70 hostels across 40+ destinations.

Losing control, data privacy top concerns around AI travel booking

Expedia Group's AI Trust Gap study found that only 8% of consumers rely on AI chatbots for trip planning, compared to 59% using search engines. Phocuswright research shows 39% of U.S. travelers use AI for travel research and planning, while search engine usage dropped from 51% in late 2024 to 36% in H2 2025. The survey found 53% are comfortable with AI suggesting options, but 66% don't trust AI to book for them, and 57% worry about loss of control and data/payment privacy.

MakeMyTrip Partners with Mastercard on AI Travel Concierge

MakeMyTrip (MMT) has partnered with Mastercard to launch an AI-powered travel and lifestyle concierge called Lifestyle Navigator. The service combines MMT's travel marketplace and trip planning assistant Myra with Mastercard's AI capabilities to offer personalized experiences, including destination insights and payment product recommendations. MMT is the first OTA partner for Mastercard in this initiative, and it will be deployed first in India, available on MMT's platform later this year.

MakeMyTrip ponders IPO in India

India-based OTA MakeMyTrip is considering a listing in India to unlock additional capital for growth. The company recently completed an internal restructure bringing brands under a single entity. It also acquired tour operator Flamingo Transworld and invested in visa processing company Atlys. Revenue increased 11% to $296 million in Q3 FY2026.

Google Maps adds Gemini-powered conversational interface

Google has launched a Gemini-powered conversational interface called Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation in Maps. Ask Maps allows users to ask questions in natural language, get personalized recommendations, and book restaurant reservations. Immersive Navigation provides a 3D view of buildings, overpasses, and terrain, highlighting crosswalks and stop signs. Ask Maps is rolling out in the U.S. and India, and Immersive Navigation is available to U.S. users.

SAP Concur Fusion 2026: AI and Integrated Innovations Enhance Travel and Expense Management

At SAP Concur Fusion 2026, SAP Concur showcased AI-driven innovations including Joule integration with Microsoft 365, new Expense Automation and Pre-Submit Audit Agents, and deepened partnerships with Amex and Visa. Concur Travel expanded to India, and TripIt Pro added new risk alerts.

MakeMyTrip Acquires Flamingo Transworld to Expand Holiday Packages

India-based OTA MakeMyTrip has acquired a majority stake in tour operator Flamingo Transworld to strengthen its holiday packages business. Flamingo operates group tours in regions like Gujarat and Maharashtra. The acquisition will leverage complementary customer bases and distribution to widen package options.

ACI World and Amadeus Announce 2025 Airport Innovation Awards

ACI World and Amadeus announced the winners of the 2025 Technology Innovation Awards at Airports Innovate 2025 in Busan, Republic of Korea, recognizing airports for advances in digital transformation, data-driven operations, identity-enabled self-service, and sustainable climate-smart terminals. Winners include Kempegowda International Airport for biometric baggage drop and Queen Alia International Airport for smart cleaning.

Drukair Signs First Global Distribution Agreement with Amadeus

Drukair, Royal Bhutan Airlines, the national flag carrier of Bhutan, signed its first global distribution agreement with Amadeus, making its fares, schedules and inventory available on the Amadeus Travel Platform to travel agencies worldwide. Headquartered at Paro International Airport, Drukair connects Bhutan with key Asian cities including Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, Singapore, Dhaka, Kolkata, Guwahati, Bagdogra, Bodh Gaya and Dubai. Travel sellers in India, Thailand, Singapore, Nepal, Bangladesh, the UAE, Australia, the UK, Germany and France will be able to issue tickets, with further global rollout slated for 2026.

Amadeus Research: Brits Still Rely on Friends and Family, but AI Use Grows 60%

Amadeus released a global study covering 2,000 UK travellers. Friends and family recommendations remain the top source of inspiration for UK travellers (36%), but generative AI use grew 60% year-on-year, travel influencers 33% and social media ads 27%. AI use grew 146% in China, 82% in Singapore, 64% in Spain, 53% in India and 30% in the US. Among UK travellers, 70% would consider biometrics and 64% would use door-to-door baggage services. 80% agree provider quality emerges in disruption handling, and 81% would rebook with providers who handle disruptions efficiently.

Amadeus research: traveler appetite for AI and travel tech skyrockets in 2025

Amadeus released its Connected Journeys: How Technology Will Transform Travel in the Next Decade study, surveying 9,500 travelers across China, France, India, Singapore, Spain, the UK and the USA. Generative AI usage rose 64% year over year; 42% valued time savings, 37% personalized recommendations and 36% discovering new destinations. 64% would pay for an in-trip AI travel assistant, and 17% would pay up to five percent of total trip value. However, 25% encountered outdated or inaccurate AI information and another 25% found AI unable to capture personal preferences. 90% of air travelers reported some anxiety, 69% favored biometric gateways and 66% showed interest in remote baggage check-in.

Survey: How Business Travel Perspectives Differ by Generation

SAP Concur's seventh annual Global Business Travel Survey covered 3,750 business travelers across 24 markets, analyzing differences among Gen Z, millennials, Gen X and baby boomers. 97% are willing to travel for business, but Gen Z and millennials are more likely dissatisfied with current travel frequency. Younger generations more often report company travel cuts and are more open to AI and recommendations; older generations prefer manually sorting options. Air safety concern is similar across generations, 64% for Gen Z versus 52% for boomers.

SAP Concur Annual Survey: 2025 Business Travel Budgets Rise but Policies Tighten

SAP Concur released its seventh annual Global Business Travel Survey, covering 3,750 business travelers across 24 markets, 700 travel managers across seven markets, and 600 CFOs across six markets. The findings show 89% of travelers, 93% of travel managers, and 90% of CFOs expect travel budgets to increase or stay the same this year, yet 69% of travel managers say budgets do not reflect business travel's importance and 81% of CFOs agree budget limits prevent employees from traveling as needed. Meanwhile, 87% of travelers report their company cut back on previously allowed items over the past 12 months, including overnight stays, business class, and non-client travel.

Amadeus Expands Bogotá Engineering Site to Focus on Global Travel Technology R&D

Amadeus announced the expansion of its engineering site in Bogotá, Colombia, reinforcing its commitment to technology and development. As of March 2025, the site has over 600 employees, 75% of whom focus on technology and development. Headcount grew 10-15% over the past couple of years, investment grew 10-15% year-on-year over the past four years, and office space doubled in the last year. The site will develop technology solutions for airlines, low-cost carriers, agencies, mobility, airport and hotel operations, collaborating with global hubs in Bangalore, Nice, and Manila. Amadeus plans to gradually increase to over 3,000 engineering positions in the next 5-7 years.

Amadeus and World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance Partner to Expand Global Youth Employability Pro…

Amadeus and the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance announced an enhanced partnership, with Amadeus committing as a global partner to support the global expansion of the Alliance's Employability Program, aiming to improve youth employment and promote inclusivity. The first pilot project began recruiting students in April in India, in collaboration with local NGO Kherwadi, supporting 200 disadvantaged young people in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi, and engaging local hotels and global brands. Beyond financial support, Amadeus will contribute through employee volunteering, mentoring, and introducing hospitality software. The program currently operates in India, Egypt, and Sri Lanka, wi…

U.S. State Department Issues Level 2 Travel Advisory for India

The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for India, urging increased caution due to crime and terrorism. Some rural areas carry higher risk, and U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel there. Terrorists may target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, and government facilities.

Impact and considerations

The advisory affects U.S. citizens and corporate travel risk management in India, particularly for organizations with itineraries involving rural areas that may need to reassess security measures.

U.S. State Department Updates India Travel Advisory with Entry Requirements

The U.S. Department of State reissued India's Level 2 travel advisory with updates to entry/exit requirements. The advisory cites crime and terrorism risks and lists multiple Do Not Travel areas, including Jammu and Kashmir (except eastern Ladakh), the India-Pakistan border, parts of central and east India, and Manipur. It also notes that satellite phones and GPS devices are illegal in India, with penalties up to $200,000 or three years in jail.

Impact and considerations

The updated entry requirements and device ban directly affect corporate travel compliance, and itineraries involving high-risk areas in India need reassessment.

PhocusWire Presents the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2025

PhocusWire has released its Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2025, featuring companies from Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, the UK, the US, and India. Despite a slowdown in travel startup funding, these companies continue to reimagine travel processes. About 10 startups use artificial intelligence. According to Phocuswright data, travel startup funding dropped to $5.2 billion in 2023, an almost 10-year low; Q3 2024 funding is at $4.2 billion, on track to match 2023 levels. In 2024, B2B funding overtook B2C for the first time, accounting for 51% of total funding as of Q3 2024.

SAP Concur Survey: Safety and Sustainability Shape Business Travel

SAP Concur released its 2024 Global Business Travel Survey of 3,750 business travelers in 24 markets and 600 travel managers in six markets. 44% of travelers would consider declining a trip over destination safety concerns, 35% over political or social concerns and 33% over transport-mode safety. 39% of travel managers said geopolitical safety concerns will make their job harder over the next 12 months, and 37% said duty of care is hard without full trip visibility. Only 23% of travelers said their company requires use of its booking tool. On sustainability, 27% would decline a trip over environmental impact, up from 23% in 2023.