BUSINESS
Star alleges non-payment of instalment for ICC sports rights deal, Zee claims breach of agreement
Both Zee and Sony have alleged breach of agreement for the ICC Cricket TV rights deal.
TRENDS
Wonderla, Imagicaa to add more thrills, new theme parks after bumpy Covid ride
Top amusement park chains, which had struggled during the pandemic, are now expanding their portfolio with newer parks in more cities.
TRENDS
Hotels record highest brand penetration in a decade, but demand may face challenge
Top-branded hotels are increasing their supply of rooms, but hotel chains could witness some demand squeeze as the inflow of foreign tourists is not back to pre-COVID levels, while in some metro markets, occupancies are lower due to pressure in the IT sector.
TRENDS
Coldplay, Taylor Swift concerts a big draw for Indians as music tourism sees surge
Travel bookings on platforms like Cleartrip and EaseMyTrip surged in India thanks to the recent Coldplay and Taylor Swift music concerts, which took place in Bangkok and Singapore, respectively.
TECHNOLOGY
AI in Ayodhya: Ram Katha Museum's makeover powered by immersive tech to drive footfalls
Tagbin, a startup, is redesigning the Ram Katha Museum using immersive technology to increase daily footfalls from the current 1,000 to 10,000 and make the museum the second-biggest attraction after the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
TRENDS
OneVerse to acquire 13 gaming firms in 2024, a mix of esports and GST-hit companies
The company's founder said that consolidation will help mitigate the impact of the GST pressure along with bringing different types of companies under one roof, benefiting users.
TRENDS
Women’s Handball League: Stage set for launch of another female-only game in India in 2025
An initial investment of Rs 30 crore will be put in for the inaugural edition by the sports arm of the Pavna Group.
TECHNOLOGY
Shock and oh: Poonam Pandey’s fake death news shows creeping rise of shock advertising
Its purpose is to be a differentiator and it is gaining ground, said marketers, who also noted that such advertising is a double-edged sword as it can harm a brand’s reputation if not done right
TRENDS
Sterling Resorts in Ayodhya and Lakshadweep in Thomas Cook blueprint
The company expects the two destinations to be a major attraction especially for overseas travellers at a time when foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) are yet to go back to pre-Covid levels.
BUSINESS
Budget 2024 boosts tourism but slashes allocation for overseas promotion by 97%
The allocation for overseas promotion and publicity including market development assistance has been reduced to Rs 3 crore in FY25 Budget from Rs 100 crore in the previous Budget.
TRENDS
Cricket World Cup took the shine away from PVR Inox business as movie releases slowed down
The match timings overlapped with peak movie show timings in theatres and India's matches were over the weekend which made the film industry hold back releases, said the multiplex chain's Managing Director, Ajay Bijli.
TRENDS
Skilling a challenge in animation, gaming; more training programs will fill the gap: Experts
While the foundation has been laid for the growth of talent in the AVGC sector with courses and institutes, the gap in skilling is a concern, said panelists at the GAFX conference in Bengaluru
TRENDS
Netflix’s Scoop was a one-off case, Baweja Studios IPO tops Harman Baweja's priorities
The company is scaling up its two verticals -- digital content and animation titles. It also has projects in various stages of development and the majority of the IPO proceeds will be utilised to fund the content development.
TRENDS
Bengaluru biggest market; expanding pilgrim portfolio with Ayodhya packages: Thomas Cook
The online travel platform is bullish on Bengaluru expecting the region to grow as a source market. It is also betting big on spiritual tourism, one of the largest travel segment in the country
TRENDS
Ayodhya’s hotel infrastructure a work in progress as the city awaits more premium properties
While OYO's Ritesh Agarwal expects a 10x growth this year in Ayodhya's tourism, the temple town needs more development in the hotel infrastructure especially in terms of premium properties to attract both local and global tourists.
BUSINESS
MakeMyTrip's adjusted operating profit soars 70% in Q3, driven by robust demand
The online travel aggregator is betting on homestays as well emerging spiritual destinations like Ayodhya in terms of growth in travel and hospitality demand.
BUSINESS
Zee-Sony legal war over failed deal hinges on $90-mn termination fees
The aftermath of the merger fallout is likely to pose more problems for Zee than Sony as Zee may have to face a claim from Sony for the termination fee along with other financial commitments.
BUSINESS
Sony calls off $10-billion merger deal, Zee denies allegations
Sony on January 22 issued notice to Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) terminating the agreement dated December 22, 2021, to merge ZEEL and CME.
TRENDS
OYO's Ritesh Agarwal says startup investments in early, mid-stages is accelerating
Startups will make India a developed nation. The largest companies in the country India in the next few decades will be today's startups, says Agarwal
TRENDS
BCCI’s biggest World Cup payments made to marketing firms, airlines and hotels
Sports marketing and management company Twenty First Century Media bagged the highest amount of Rs 39 crore as World Cup payment from BCCI
TRENDS
ITC's Fortune Hotels plans presence in Ayodhya as it eyes potential in smaller cities
Fortune Hotels' MD said that the increased interest for Ayodhya adds another potential option for pilgrimage tourism, a segment which has seen significant growth both in terms of searches and demand in the post-Covid period.
TRENDS
PVR Inox to script a muted December quarter after a blockbuster show in Q2 FY24
After a blockbuster September quarter in FY24, industry wide box office collections declined 22 percent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to Rs 2,560 crore in Q3 FY24 due to weak performance of films in October and November.
TRENDS
Don’t bet on funding going up for startups in 2024, said Sugar’s Vineeta Singh
According to Singh, the third season of the Shark Tank India is like an oasis in the desert against the funding background. She said that the amount of capital in India has been low but Shark Tank India has continued to be one place where entrepreneurs have a much better shot at raising capital.
TRENDS
EaseMyTrip to focus on high value order for insurance business, to launch platform in 5 months
The company is in discussions whether to integrate the insurance segment on the existing website of EaseMyTrip or to launch a separate platform for insurance business.
