TRAVEL
TCS at 2% sparks rise in overseas travel enquiries, lifts interest in Bali, Krabi, Oman
Easy on the wallet after Budget 2026 lowering TCS on overseas tour program package, more Indians are looking to pack their bags for their next travel adventure abroad.
TRAVEL
Rs 30-lakh rooms, sold-out hotels: Delhi sees demand boom as Pichai, Altman headline AI summit
Events of this scale drive not just short-term occupancy but also reinforce Delhi’s positioning as a global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) and policy hub, said hoteliers.
TRAVEL
Fewer calls, better conversions, leaner sales teams: How AI is becoming the new front desk of the travel business
Executives of travel platforms say AI takes care of mundane jobs, freeing up sales teams to focus on high intent travel queries for better conversion rates.
TRENDS
Smriti Mandhana-led RCB's second WPL win to spark endorsement rush for star players
RCB’s second WPL win is likely to accelerate endorsement momentum for its players, experts said, reflecting how women cricketers are steadily carving out space in India’s advertising and marketing ecosystem.
BUSINESS
When King rules and Dhurandhar roars: PVR INOX bets on Bollywood to outdo past highs
Along with Hindi films with big star releases fuelling high expectations in 2026, there is a strong slate of movie releases by Hollywood and regional as well.
BUSINESS
PVR INOX is cooking up a bigger F&B strategy, strengthening it as a key revenue driver
The theatre chain's F&B net revenue went up 14% at Rs 593.8 crore in Q3 FY26 and in nine months of FY26 it increased 16% at Rs 1679.4 crore.
BUSINESS
Saregama continues tuning into live events amid policy spotlight on concerts, Orange Economy
The events business revenue in FY25 touched Rs 285.2 crore, up from Rs 13.4 crore in FY24.
ENTERTAINMENT
From Dharma to Sikhya — why corporate capital is lining up for Bollywood
Recently, Reliance acquired stakes in Guneet Monga's Sikhya Entertainment which underscores a broader trend that has seen Adar Poonawala, Saregama and Universal Music Group place strategic bets on film companies which experts say is to largely secure intellectual property.
ENTERTAINMENT
Budget 2026 push: IICT eyes university status, gears up to train India’s next generation of creators
The government in Budget 2026 announced support to Indian institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) in setting up content creator labs and also earmarked Rs 250 crore for talent development in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector.
BUDGET
Sports gets a bigger play as Budget 2026 raises allocation by 18%
Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been allocated Rs 917.38 crore, up from Rs 830 crore in 2025-2026.
BUSINESS
Outlay for overseas promotion marginally up at Rs 3.5 crore, lower allocation for tourism in Budget 2026
The overseas promotion and publicity budget was dropped to Rs 3 crore in FY26 from Rs 33 crore in FY25.
TRAVEL
ixigo bets on temple town tourism; MakeMyTrip sees TCS cut in Budget 2026 fueling outbound travel
The government has proposed to reduce the TCS rate on overseas tour packages to a flat 2% from the earlier 5% and 20% slab based system.
BUDGET
National Institute of Hospitality proposed in Budget 2026 to power skills, service quality
A National Institute of Hospitality can create future-ready professionals who understand destination-led hospitality, regional cultures and experiential dining, hoteliers said.
BUDGET
National Institute of Hospitality to skill 10,000 tourist guides, FM proposes in Budget
The government also proposed to develop 15 archeological sites, including local Dholavira, Lake Palace into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations.
BUSINESS
Govt proposes setting up of content creator labs, Budget 2026 sets aside Rs 250 crore for talent development in AVGC
It has also allocated Rs 35 crore for National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics - Extended Reality (NCoE AVGC-XR). The allocation is up from Rs 17 crore in Budget 2025-26.
TECHNOLOGY
Finance Minister announces launch of Khelo India Mission in Budget 2026
The proposed Khelo India Mission will include the systematic development of coaches and support staff, integration of sports science and technology, and promotion of competitions and leagues to build a strong sports culture.
TRAVEL
Foreign tourist arrivals in India remains below pre-pandemic level, shows Economic Survey
While foreign tourist arrivals were down, overall international Tourist Arrivals (ITAs), including foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) and arrivals of non-resident Indians (NRIs), rose to 20.57 million in 2024, up 8.9 percent over 2023.
TECHNOLOGY
Economic Survey: Concert economy poised to drive growth in entertainment, tourism
The I&B ministry is working on a single-window mechanism for live entertainment permissions, including those needed from state governments
TECHNOLOGY
Economic Survey: Digital push keeps media, entertainment growth outlook strong
Industry estimates pegged the sector’s size at around Rs 2.5 trillion in 2024, driven by rising incomes, rapid internet penetration and a large domestic market
ENTERTAINMENT
Mahesh Babu–backed AMB Cinemas eyes South India expansion with over a dozen screens
The plan comes at a time when India struggles with screen growth, with iconic properties in Bengaluru, like Urvashi Theatre, shutting down..
BUSINESS
PVR INOX says 4700BC sale will not dent F&B revenues, sees big upside from Marico deal
The company's CFO called the Marico's Rs 227 crore deal of buying 4700BC popcorn brand as a timely monetisation opportunity for a non-core asset.
BUSINESS
PVR INOX exits gourmet popcorn brand 4700BC for Rs 226.8 crore, stake sold to Marico
The agreement for sale has been entered into on January 26 and the divestment is likely to be completed within 30 days from the date of definitive agreements, subject to customary closing conditions and terms of the definitive agreements.
BUSINESS
Marriott bets on cricket to drive membership in fast growing market India
The hotel brand is offering its members to use their Marriott Bonvoy points to bid or redeem for more than 500 Marriott Bonvoy Moments including Matchday Marriott Bonvoy Hospitality Experiences, pre-match Beyond the Boundary experiences, among others.
TECHNOLOGY
How ixigo's decade-old AI bet paid off during Indigo crisis
The IndiGo crisis that led to 4,500 flight cancellations saw a flood of customer queries. The travel platform's AI tools handled 90% of the calls
