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
TRAVEL
Goa @ Rs 1.1 lakh vs Bali @ Rs 1.2 lakh: Indians rush to spend year-end holidays abroad
Along with affordability, many tourism boards across nations are offering lucrative packages to Indian travellers. Foreign tourism groups have invested close to Rs 200 crore since the pandemic in advertising campaigns across India to attract Indian travellers
ENTERTAINMENT
Keeping up with OTT: PVR Inox offers flexible movie shows, refund for unused screen time
In the first phase, flexi shows are available in Delhi and Gurugram and in the second phase it will be launched in Tier I cities.
BUSINESS
Maldives loses out; Phuket, Bangkok top picks as travel bookings soar for Christmas, New Year
While international destinations are in demand, spiritual hotspots are also catching Indian travellers' attention. For every person choosing a leisure destination, six are preferring a spiritual destination, according to ixigo data.
BUSINESS
Airfares surge up to 35%, hotel rates rise 3 times for Christmas and New Year holidays
While airfares are costly, the good news is most airlines operating flights in the country or flying to India have offered discounts to boost ticket sales during the on-going festival season
SPORTS
New world champion Gukesh’s moves drive housefull shows, record online views for chess tournament
The success of the on-ground event of the World Chess Championship has encouraged Chess.com to plan more such events next year.
SPORTS
King's game: New world champion Gukesh to open up endorsement market for chess in India
Indranil Blah, a sports and athlete brand management consultant, points out that any brand that is looking beyond cricket will be looking at chess, especially due to the boom in the board game in India.
BUSINESS
Spirit of entrepreneurship has seeped into the country deeply, says Snapdeal's Kunal Bahl
Bahl, the newest judge in Shark Tank, said that the business acumen of the founders of today is so strong that they are ready with answers for all the keywords like revenue, gross margin, unit economics and EBITDA.
ENTERTAINMENT
Fire nahi wildfire: Pushpa 2's success spurs Allu Arjun to add more brands to his endorsement portfolio
The south Indian superstar, who endorses around 10 brands, is likely to add many more to his kitty amid further widening of his pan-India mass appeal, say brand experts
