BUSINESS
More of GenZ flocking to Maha Kumbh; youth driving spiritual travel: Ixigo's Aloke Bajpai
Solo travellers are the dominant demographic on the rail side, making up over half of train bookings to Prayagraj, Ixigo's Chairman, MD and Group CEO Aloke Bajpai said. Also, as flight travel becomes expensive and rail bookings are not so easy, the company has seen a rising demand for bus travel, he said.
ENTERTAINMENT
Make movie tickets cheaper; bring policies to spur ad growth: Media & Entertainment Budget 2025 wish list
Last year marked one of the harshest years for advertising, particularly for traditional platforms, an expert noted.
TRENDS
India more than triples influencer count in four years, travel category sees strong rebound
Infotainment saw the highest growth at 448 percent while gaming recorded the fastest growth of 213 percent from 2020 to 2022, and maintained its momentum to reach 4,67,000 influencers by the end of 2024.
BUDGET
Sports sector urges budget boost for 2036 Olympics dream
The government needs to enhance grassroots infrastructure and promote public-private partnerships to make India an elite sporting nation, said experts.
ENTERTAINMENT
Pickleball's playbook: Star-studded leagues, celebrity investors and a media blitz
World Pickleball League (WPBL) is just the beginning of the many league format tournaments the sport is set to see in India where love for the game is seeing Karan Johar becoming the brand ambassador of Indian Open 2025 and Rishabh Pant co-owning a team in WPBL.
BUSINESS
Hope Budget 2025 will revive consumption cycle, spur ad growth, says Zee's Punit Goenka
Zee's ad revenue declined to Rs 940 crore. Domestic ad revenue came in at Rs 880 crore, down 10.8 percent YoY as softness in the overall ad environment continued
BUSINESS
Davos 2025: Digital inclusion creates opportunity for India to lead in AI, said Publicis Sapient's Nigel Vaz
On AI's impact, Vaz said that AI has moved out of being a technology that people are interested in and moved to being businesses recognizing AI is about enabling their physical workforce with a digital companion.
BUDGET
India versus Thailand: Hoteliers seek infrastructure status in Budget 2025 to beat competition
Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) expects infrastructure status for hotel and convention centre projects with costs starting from Rs 10 crore. The current criteria require hotel projects to exceed Rs 200 crore and convention centres Rs 300 crore.
TRAVEL
Divine rush: Maha Kumbh may spark a boom in spiritual tourism
The Maha Kumbh has also amplified interest in surrounding regions, creating a ripple effect in travel demand, say experts
BUSINESS
India's advertising industry vibrant, looking to expand, says S4 Capital's Martin Sorrell
Indians have woken up to the importance of digital communication, Sorrell said
TECHNOLOGY
Modi understands branding, is a great ad man, says S4 Capital's Martin Sorrell
Sorrell said that India is front and centre at the World Economic Forum
BUSINESS
Donald Trump dominating Davos agenda, says S4 Capital's Martin Sorrell
Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as the 47th US president in a few hours from now, will join this year's World Economic Forum virtually on January 23
BUSINESS
Purana Pyaar: PVR Inox zooms in on reruns with customised shows amid falling footfalls
ScreenIT is a new feature on the PVR Inox app where users can create from the available catalogue or join an already created show. From Amitabh Bachchan's Kabhie Kabhie to Raj Kapoor and Nargis-starrer Chori Chori, movie-goers can pick the movie they want to re-release in theatres and not wait for producers or exhibitors to run old content.
TRENDS
Holy Grail of marketing: Maha Kumbh 2025 drives brand spends by 300%
Social media ads targeted at Maha Kumbh pilgrims are estimated to cost 20-40 percent higher than standard rates in non-peak seasons while regional influencers command fees ranging from Rs 2 lakh-9 lakh per post and macro influencers charge Rs 10 lakh-30 lakh for integrated campaigns.
BUSINESS
South movies limit Bollywood's Rs 1,800 crore loss; PVR Inox to script a comeback
Malayalam cinema had a breakout year, doubling its share from 5 percent in 2023 to 10 percent in 2024. Its box office business grew the highest with more than 100 percent increase in 2024 at Rs 1,165 crore from Rs 572 crore in 2023.
TRAVEL
Influencers took Goa for a ride, said Tourism Minister as he clears air with fresh tourist data
While growth in foreign tourist arrivals is on the lower side at 3 percent, it is better than industry average, said Goa’s tourism minister Rohan Khaunte
TRAVEL
Oh My God! Maha Kumbh drives 162% jump in flight bookings; hotels brimming with tourists
This once-in-148-years affair is a karmic event like no other. Naturally, domestic as well as international travellers are making a beeline for the action.
ENTERTAINMENT
Concerts to comedy, PVR Inox is looking for blockbusters beyond movies
Usually performed in auditoriums or hotel venues, Candlelight Concerts are soon coming to cinemas near you. Nayana Bijli, Content Acquisition Director at PVR Inox, says this is the first time when concerts will be performed live in a theatre.
TRAVEL
India sees one of the lowest supply of hotels in FY24; average room rates to touch new highs
Although supply announcements have picked up in the last 18-24 months, it is expected to lag demand over the next few years.
SPORTS
From Sudha Murty to Zerodha's Rainmatter, it's funding spring in sports, thanks to India Inc and CSR
India's record medal haul in Paris Paralympics was a result of support from corporates through CSR, says GoSports' Deepthi Bopaiah who sees more increased CSR grants towards sports and expects to more than double the number of CSR corporate partners by LA 2028 Olympics
SPORTS
Padel Power: The smashing new game that’s got India moving
In spite of the higher infrastructure and attendant costs, this new sport is rapidly spreading across India, from big cities to small towns.
ENTERTAINMENT
Laapataa Bollywood, regional rebound and a bruised box office; 2024 a mixed bag for cinemas
Overall, the India box office business for the first six months was down 7.5 percent versus last year, according to data by media consulting firm Ormax. It added that box office business between January to November is four percent lower than the same period last year.
ENTERTAINMENT
Makers of 'Breathe' charged up for New Year, plan to raise funds for Rs 750-cr content slate
Out of the 23 titles in development actively at the content company Abundantia, the next three years will see an output of 18 of them, starting with six releases in 2025
ENTERTAINMENT
Will popcorn get costly at cinemas? The new GST rate creates confusion for exhibitors
Exhibitors remain confused over the tax rates for popcorn. While a few multiplex owners see no change in popcorn sold in cinemas, one single screen exhibitor noted that caramel popcorn, sold loose or packaged, will attract higher GST of 18 percent
