The government of Goa is rolling out free public WiFi hotspots at 75 locations. It is also installing 11 4G BSNL mobile towers to improve network coverage area. These initiatives are expected to enhance creativity. The initiative to launch public WiFi hotspots, which aims to benefit Goa residents, comes amid the state’s efforts to attract Digital Nomads.
Skift had previously reported that the state was planning to roll out high-speed internet across its rural areas and create coworking spaces along its iconic beaches to draw in digital nomads.
Goa tourism minister Rohan Khaunte had said, “By next year, we should have the infrastructure in place with beachside co-working spaces and high-speed internet to attract digital nomads and freelancers who don’t follow a typical 9-5 schedule.”
The state is aiming to have 100% internet connectivity to make even the remote villages accessible to digital nomads, in a bid to make tourists explore Goa’s hinterlands.
More Tourism Initiatives: Apart from the free WiFi and more mobile towers, the state also introduced the ‘Let’s Goa’ platform for tourists. The platform lists hotels and activities for tourists. There are also plans to add other services like food and shopping on the platform.
Speaking at the launch of the portal, Khaunte said that the platform serves as a guide to Goa’s services, integrating tourism with technology and local businesses. Goa tourism director Suneel Anchipaka said the platform lists over 100 hotels and local activities from more than 50 providers. It aims to streamline bookings and inventory management.
The state has also launched One Map Goa GIS (Geographic Information System) portal for better state planning, infrastructure development, and governance.
Treebo Launches New Mid-Market Hotel Brand ‘Medalio’
Indian hotel chain Treebo’s parent company Treebo Hospitality Ventures (THV) has launched a new premium hotel brand called “Medalio.” The brand aims to provide a more premium experience to travelers as compared to Treebo’s current products.
The first hotel under the brand has been opened in Udaipur. The Medalio Resort Udaipur Shobhagpura has 30 keys along with a swimming pool and spa. This has come shortly after Treebo opened Park Inn & Suites by Radisson Thrissur in partnership with Radisson Hotel Group as part of their collaboration to open 150 hotels under the Park Inn & Suites by Radisson brand over 10 years.
Treebo said that both the openings are a part of its strategy to capture the mid-market segment — which has a price range of INR 3,500 to 6,000 ($41-$77) a night. Medalio properties will have between 20-50 rooms, while Park Inn & Suites by Radisson hotels require a minimum of 50 rooms.
On the idea behind the expansion, co-founder and CEO Sidharth Gupta said, “India is going through an unprecedented reshaping of the income pyramid. As per a recent report by Google, Bain, and Temasek, by 2030, there will be an additional 65 million households that would have joined the upper middle-income segment. Together, these 168 million households will represent 52% of all consumption that happens in the country, up from about 35% today. This made a compelling case for us to expand from the economy segment to the mid-market segment.”
Indian Arrivals to Thailand Cross 2 Million Mark
Over 2 million Indian tourists have visited Thailand this year. On December 16, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) marked the arrival of the 2 millionth Indian visitor with a grand welcome ceremony. TAT said that this milestone highlighted India’s role as a key source market for the country.
With this, Indian tourists to Thailand have crossed the pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, over 1.96 million Indians visited the country. Last year, Thailand received nearly 1.63 million Indian tourists.
This comes as Thailand has extended its 60-day visa waiver for Indians until further notice. Last week, it also announced its decision to implement its electronic visa system (e-visa) for Indian travelers to replace the regular system. While the 60-day visa exemption for Indian tourists will remain in effect, the e-visa would be for stays exceeding 60 days.
The air connectivity between the two countries, however, has not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels. According to TAT, as of June 2024, 342 weekly flights were operating between the two nations, with a capacity of 2.9 million seats annually. This was a 92.2% rebound from pre-pandemic levels. However, over the past few months, new additions from IndiGo, Thai Airways, and Thai AirAsia have also been announced.
Fintech Company Paytm Shares Travel Insights from 2024
There was a significant surge in people traveling for concerts as bookings increased by 44%, according to data from One97 Communications, the parent company of financial services company Paytm.
Paytm data also revealed that younger travelers continued to look for affordable travel, as 36% of bus bookings came from travellers under 25.
Throughout the year, Mumbai and Dubai emerged as the most-searched destinations, while Independence Day was one of the busiest days for flight booking on Paytm.
Paytm also noted a last-minute late-night travel planning trend, as about 30% of bookings were made post 8pm. There was also an uptick in travel to visa-free destinations like Almaty and Kenya.
The Postcard Hotel Debuts in Assam
Experiential luxury hotel chain The Postcard Hotel has opened a new property in Northeast India: The Postcard in the Durrung Tea Estate, Assam. The 12-key boutique hotel is located on 1,400 acres of tea plantation.
With this, the hotel chain has a total of 10 operating hotels, including one each in Bhutan and Sri Lanka. It also has five hotels set to open soon, across Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The Oberoi Group Launches Upskilling Program
The Oberoi Group has launched RISE — Refine and Invest in Skill Enhancement Program. The program is an employment and skill development initiative which aims to provide education and training in hospitality to students.
Through RISE, the group aims to onboard around 2,000 trainees annually by 2025, providing them training in food and beverage service, kitchen operations, front office, housekeeping, and laundry. Thr group said it is looking to select trainees from skilling institutes such as The Job Plus, the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
