In 2007, <keyword id="21532126" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="brian-chesky" source="keywords">Brian Chesky</keyword> and Joe Gebbia, two hustlers in San Francisco, were struggling to pay their rent. To make ends meet, they devised a creative solution: renting out air mattresses in their living room to travellers. This simple yet innovative idea, dubbed "Air Bed &amp; Breakfast," aimed to offer affordable lodging options by leveraging the unused space in people's homes. It created a new industry in itself and made <keyword id="19900375" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AirBnB" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AirBnB" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AirBnB">AirBnB</keyword> a startup worth dozens of Billions. But it did create a dilemma for travellers! As the service quality tends to vary quite a lot based on the location and the host, how can you be sure that your stay will be comfortable? <h2>A monsoon staycation in <keyword id="19895061" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="goa" source="keywords">Goa</keyword></h2>In mid-August, my friend and I planned a week-long budget staycation in Goa to relish the monsoons and enjoy the hospitality of this tourist paradise of India. But the very first day, the long and arduous bus travel from Goa’s Dabolim airport to our AirBnB in Palolem wringed out every bit of our zeal for adventure from our bodies. It was dark, raining cats and dogs and we could not see a thing on our two-wheeler journey from the bus stop to our AirBnB. Only our strong desire to find a mattress (hopefully dry) to rest our weary backs on got us to our destination. It was 10 PM when we reached our homestay and it was still raining, giving us a real taste of the Goan monsoon we were so eager to experience. The caretaker was nowhere to be found, but our host assured us via WhatsApp that all had been taken care of and that we just needed to get the keys from the security guard stationed outside the gated community. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112809655" title="Hosts have ruined Airbnb with excessive fees, high demands, and bad customer service, travel experts say" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Struggles at the Goa AirBnB </h2>Soaked to our bones and shivering, we were quick to follow his bidding. As the key turned in the door, I was already thrumming with excitement at the prospect of a hot bath and warm blankets. However, as we stepped inside, the musty scents of mould and rotting wood hit our nostrils. Still optimistic, we warily ventured inside, reassuring each other that the room just needed a little bit of airing out. Peak monsoon was still in its last vestiges and the place had been closed for a long time, it was only normal for the place to smell musty, we comforted each other. But once we’d taken care of our sodden selves and equally sodden luggage, we got a closer look at our accommodation — the one we had booked after much deliberation and thoroughly going through the reviews. The place didn’t just reek of mould, the black stuff was everywhere and the smell wasn’t going anywhere. One asthmatic looked to the other, knowing that staying here for the entire duration of our trip was out of the question. Amongst them, the socially awkward one told the people-pleasey one to speak with the host and inform him of what was going on. When we texted our “superhost”, he offered to shift us to another property he owned in the same building. But lo and behold, that flat was just as bad, if not worse. We finally made the tough call of possibly upsetting our host and asking for a refund so we could find another property. Simultaneously speaking with him and AirBnB <keyword id="19925749" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="customer-support" source="keywords">customer support</keyword>, we shared why we couldn’t continue our stay there and attached a bunch of pictures — clearly displaying the mould and dust. The response was pleasantly surprising! <h2>Experience with the customer service</h2>The customer service executive immediately agreed to cancel our reservation and our host agreed to refund all of our money as well. In the meantime, we were panicking about finding another accommodation in the short window of time we had. Every passing moment felt like we were inching closer to a night stranded in the storm. Our refund was guaranteed, but there was a twist! The hosting platform said that it would need about 2 weeks to process our refund. And since we were overly confident about our meticulous planning, we didn’t have enough cash to book a whole other property without the refund. We communicated the same to our hosting partner’s customer service and they turned out to be empathetic to our situation. After much back and forth, mostly to get a better understanding of our situation, and which location we wanted to shift to, we finally went to bed at the same property, hoping for amicable resolution in the morning. Within a few hours, the AirBnB asked for our preferences for relocation. We also spoke with our potential new host to make sure their place was mould-free. Soon, customer service got back to us saying that they had reserved the new accommodation for the rest of our week-long trip and also gave us a “one-time courtesy” coupon for the same amount that the new place would cost us. It slowly dawned on us that this meant that our stay would be practically free! All the hopelessness from starting the trip full of rain and rot turned into glee and we wasted no time packing up our bags and riding off to our new destination — which turned out to be much cleaner, mould-free and in a much better location! <h2>Takeaway</h2>Our main takeaway from the whole experience was that you cannot research a place enough! When looking at reviews, firstly make sure that there are enough of them, and then ensure that they’re recent. Read between the lines and ask your potential host very specific questions. Most importantly, document any issues that you’re having immediately because Airbnb generally sides with the guest if there’s clear evidence, as per reports. Have a few alternative listings saved in case something goes wrong, especially during peak travel times or in popular locations and keep some extra funds handy for emergencies, like needing to book a hotel for a night while sorting out an issue with Airbnb or the host. This way, you can possibly skirt past the problems we faced during our stay and increase your chances of having a positive homestay experience! <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112495578" title="Airbnb&amp;#39;s struggles go beyond people spending less. They&amp;#39;re losing some travelers to hotels." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

An AirBnB property almost ruined our Goa staycation, but customer support saved the day with another free accommodation!

<ul><li>Indian celebrities are putting their homes for rent on sites like Airbnb, cashing in on the rising need for a deeper celebrity experience. </li><li><keyword id="351" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="yuvraj-singh" source="Orion">Yuvraj Singh</keyword> has become the first Indian cricket superstar of international stature to become an Airbnb host. </li><li>The cost of renting these houses generally range from ₹7,746 to over 5.5 lakh per night. </li></ul>We have seen images of fans flocking outside the homes of <keyword id="6357912" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan" source="Orion">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> and <keyword id="1671" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shah-rukh-khan" source="Orion">Shah Rukh Khan</keyword>. Now star-struck fans can actually live in homes of their favourite celebrities– for a price, of course. The trend of celebrities renting their homes for staycations is gaining currency. From Shah Rukh Khan to Yuvraj Singh, here are celebrity homes you can book to feel like a celebrity. These hotspots may not come cheap but it’s a small price to pay for the bragging rights. Here are some of the celebrity homes up for grabs: Yuvraj Singh Yuvraj Singh has become the first Indian cricket superstar of international stature to become an Airbnb host. He offers an exclusive one-time-only stay for a group of six at his home in Goa, India. Singh’s home will be available for as low as ₹1,212 per night - for a two-night stay from October 14 - 16, 2022. Guests will have exclusive access to Casa Singh, immersing themselves in the calming rhythms of life near the sea. <div type="image" title="Yuvraj Singh&amp;#39;s Goa home Casa Singh" msid="94450187" hostid="261" sizebytes="35352"></div> Mandira Bedi Tucked into a little bay next to a quaint old church in Madh Island, Mumbai, is Bougainvillea, actor Mandira Bedi’s luxury holiday home. Bedi’s home is available on Airbnb for rent at ₹50,000 rupees per night. The house has a view of the sea and five spacious bedrooms. It gets its name from the abundant presence of bougainvillea flowers around the home. <div type="image" title="Mandira Bedi&amp;#39;s Madh island home Bougainvillea" msid="94450278" hostid="261" sizebytes="173776"></div> Arjun Mathur Made In Heaven‘s Arjun Mathur is trying to create an experience by putting up his villa called Tranquil Haven on Airbnb in Goa. Arjun and his wife Tia have already been tagged as ‘superhosts’ by Airbnb. It has a fully-equipped kitchen and a private garden. Situated in a gated community, it also has a swimming pool, housekeeping with round-the-clock security, free-parking and a cook-on-call. It costs ₹7,746 per night. <div type="image" title="Arjun Mathur&amp;#39;s Goa home Tranquil Haven" msid="94450318" hostid="261" sizebytes="749394"></div> Bhaichung Bhutia The home of former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia is open for a staycation to all those who are visiting Sikkim. For slightly larger groups, Bhutia will even consider extending rooms from his private residence. The Eagles Nest, as it is called, offers a healthy farm-to-table experience and is 8 km away from Gangtok. The tariff is according to the availability of rooms and the season. Reservations can be made from the Northeast Odyssey website. <div type="image" title="Bhaichung Bhutia&amp;#39;s Sikkim homestay The Eagle&amp;#39;s Nest" msid="94450411" hostid="261" sizebytes="306700"></div> Padmanabh Singh He is known as the modern-day king and even though the princely privilege was done away with post Independence, the curiosity around royalty remains. Sawai Padmanabh Singh is the Maharaja of Jaipur and his palace is up for stays in Jaipur. He is the 303rd descendent in Jaipur’s royal lineage. The 23-year-old Indian Maharaja rents out a suite at his City Palace in Jaipur, at a cost of ₹5.69 lakh per night. Guests at the lavishly-styled Gudliya suite will also be treated to a private butler and guided palace tours. <div type="image" title="Padmanabh Singh&amp;#39;s Gudliya Suite in The City Palace Jaipur" msid="94450439" hostid="261" sizebytes="307310"></div> SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/top-10-cities-that-are-home-to-the-richest-indians/slidelist/94449889.cms">Top 10 cities that are home to the richest Indians</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/space-dedicated-to-food-and-beverage-companies-in-malls-on-the-rise-post-pandemic/articleshow/94398536.cms">Space dedicated to food and beverage companies in malls on the rise post pandemic</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/the-zepto-boys-competition-that-amazon-never-saw-coming/articleshow/94399979.cms">The Zepto Boys: Competition that Amazon never saw coming</a>

From Mandira Bedi to Yuvraj Singh, here are celebrity homes you can book for staycations

<ul><li><keyword id="826" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="goa" source="Orion">Goa</keyword> is where everyone’s headed for the long weekends in <keyword id="6415645" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AUGUST" source="Orion">August</keyword>. </li><li>For short haul international destinations, <keyword id="19988" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bali" source="Orion">Bali</keyword> has seen a rise in demand for <keyword id="638735" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flight-bookings" source="Orion">flight bookings</keyword> and queries.</li><li>Travel and hospitality industry is slated to grow by nearly 90% this year.</li></ul>With <keyword id="28240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="independence-day" source="Orion">Independence Day</keyword> and <keyword id="6385850" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="raksha-bandhan" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan</keyword> around the corner, August has three long weekends. Indian travelers, after staying home for almost two years, want to make the most of it by planning short getaways in advance. “Long-weekend cheer is back, and many are eagerly waiting to head-out to make the most of this upcoming weekend,” said Vipul Prakash, COO, MakeMyTrip. Companies are seeing an uptick in leisure travel, staycations and people traveling to their hometowns for the long break from August 11- 15. “Coorg, Kerala and Pondicheryy are amongst the top favorite destinations searched by travelers this monsoon,” shared Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO and co-founder of Ixigo. Goa however remains the strongest contender, ranking alongside the edgy suburbs — with more than 100% increase in flight search queries — as the ideal beach destination for unwinding. As per data recorded on Goibibo, there is a consistent week-on-week increase in bookings across hotels and alternate accommodation properties in some of the preferred leisure hotspots. "Currently, across both the segments, we are recording a w-o-w growth in higher single-digit, and we are expecting this momentum to continue over the comings days. We are noticing an uptick in bookings for homebound travel. Data further indicates that 49% of the flight bookings are for travel to tier II and III sectors, suggesting that many are planning to head home to spend the long-weekend and the festival of Rakhi with friends and family," Vipul Prakash, COO, Goibibo told Business Insider India Amongst cities, Bangalore is high on the list. Ooty too is a top favorite destination after Pondicherry. Delhiites and Mumbaikars are heading to the hills of Shimla, Mahabaleshwar and Lonavala. Udaipur and Rishikesh made it to the list. Travel bugs are also flying abroad for short-haul vacations. Vipul Prakash, COO, MakeMyTrip said, “On the international front, people are opting for short-haul travel to Singapore, Thailand and Dubai. Close on the heels are Bali, Istanbul and London – that are seeing a spike in bookings for the said period.” As consumer travel sentiments remain strong towards traveling, the hospitality industry is optimistic about the future of travel and the return of leisure as international borders have reopened. "The sector is expected to grow by around 80%-90% this year," says Aditya Gupta, Senior VP of Yatra.com. “So far, 2022 has been promising for the travel and hospitality industry owing to higher consumer confidence to travel, especially this season," Shreerang Godbole, SVP - product &amp; chief service officer of <keyword id="2808667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oyo" source="Orion">Oyo</keyword> told Business Insider India. Indians are also shelling out more money for the long weekend, as 4-star hotels see a rise in queries. Aditya Gupta, senior VP of Yatra.com, observed a “hike in demand and queries for premium accommodation options, mostly 4 and 5 star properties across hotels and resorts. There has been a subsequent increase in hotel tariff with the average hotel price being ₹7,000-8,000.” Travel is more flexible today than it ever was due to shifts in trends. For pocket travelers weekend trips often become compacted. For this, hostels have also witnessed a spike in their bookings almost at 100% in destinations like Goa, Udaipur and Coorg. Experts said that more consumers are opting for experiential and unexplored travel destinations today. Even during the typically lean monsoon season, Indian travelers expressed high travel intent for intercity road trips for about 1-3 days. "The yearning for travel still runs strong across the country," said Godbole. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/check-out-best-deals-on-smart-led-tvs-in-amazon-festival-sale-2022/articleshow/93363340.cms">Amazon Great Freedom Festival Sale 2022: Check out early deals on smart TVs</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/meta-rolls-out-nft-support-on-instagram-to-100-countries/articleshow/93362860.cms">Meta rolls out NFT support on Instagram to 100 countries</a>

August has a long weekend and Indian consumers are packing their bags to travel to Goa and Bali

<ul><li>Despite the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country, there seems to be an uptick in <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> in the country. </li><li>As <keyword id="123591" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Work-from-home">work from home</keyword> continues, there’s a new trend emerging – <keyword id="9458972" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Workation">workation</keyword>. </li><li>Indians are looking for newer and exciting avenues as they WFH; and they don’t mind splurging a bit.</li></ul>What was once a dream could now be turning into a reality for many. At some point during our vacations, we sighed and wondered – about the possibility of moving to the mountains or renting out a shack at the beach – and working from these remote locations. Well, thanks to the ‘work from home’ situation currently, Indians are now doing exactly that. The coronavirus pandemic has pushed even the most rigid companies to offer ‘work from home’ options to their employees. And the WFH fatigue is catching up now. After spending over seven months in lockdown, Indians are moving to <keyword id="6374356" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tourist-spots">tourist spots</keyword> or their favourite drive-to destinations near their city and are working from there. They are also moving back to their hometown as many companies have issued work from home until next year. Travel restrictions have also been done away with it. Popular tourist spots like <keyword id="826" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Goa">Goa</keyword> have opened up completely, and many states don’t even need a COVID-19 negative certificate for entry. While residents at these tourist destinations are <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/dont-come-to-goa-locals-on-twitter-want-tourists-to-stay-away-even-as-state-removes-mandatory-covid-19-test-2849443.html">questioning </a>this move, there is no stopping the travellers, who are seizing this window of opportunity. And the first proof of it comes with the booking of Ola ‘outstation’ cabs. Ola said it has seen an increase in booking requests for one-way travel from major cities of India. Top cities and their outstation bookings at Ola <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bangalore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mysore, Tumkur, Coorg, Hubli-Dharwad, Davangere </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Delhi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Meerut, Agra, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Mathura </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mumbai </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Pune, Nashik, Lonavla, Alibag, Badlapur </td></tr></tbody></table> Work from the hills or the beach The rising trend is that of a ‘workation’ – work and vacation combined. During a recent call with reporters, Rajesh Magow, MakeMyTrip’s CEO had mentioned that they have seen a rising number of hotel bookings from drive-to destinations. This ‘aas paas’ <keyword id="20048" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="tourism">tourism</keyword> is a philosophy that the hospitality industry is counting on to revive sales. And while doing so, Indians aren’t hesitant to splurge a bit. Luxury and private vacation homes startup SaffronStays said it has seen a 115% jump in the number of new users when compared to last year around the same time. The luxurious villas and pools are being booked not just for a weekend but a longer duration as long as it comes with a stable WiFi connection. “Travel is no longer limited to peak season and weekends. For best offers and in order to switch one’s office background, people are opting for weekday stays at a private vacation home. This should explain the rise of our website traffic by 98.47% than last year during the same time,” said Tejas Parulekar, founder, SaffronStays. Luxury hotel chain Marriott group has also doled out ‘staycation offers’ to cash in on the trend. But there are other alternatives too. Popular hostel startup Zostel has booked over 5,000 room nights in July and August alone and has seen rising requests for long-term stays. “As we see continued relaxations, the desire to travel remains at an all-time high, and people are willing to venture into offbeat destinations away from cities and closer to nature, while being mindful of safety, comfort and, internet connectivity, striking a balance between their work and leisure,” Aviral Gupta, Chief Strategy Head, Zostel told Business Insider. The popular destinations for Zostel bookings have been Gokarna, Coorg, Panchgani, Bir, Zostel Homes Mashobra, Zostel Homes Theog among others. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/charter-flight-private-jet-bookings-jump-as-india-wealthy-seek-private-and-safe-travel/articleshow/77976899.cms">Where there's money, there's a way – charter flight bookings jump as India's wealthy seek private and safe travel</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/kamath-committee-outlines-loan-restructuring-parameters-for-26-sectors/articleshow/77989911.cms">Kamath Committee outlines loan restructuring parameters for 26 sectors</a>

Workation – From private villa at the beach to a pool with a view, affluent Indians are finding unique new settings for ‘work from home’

<ul><li>Nearly 1.8 - 2 lakh guests spent their long weekend at OYOs across India </li><li>OYO’s <keyword id="9896751" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="booking-trends">booking trends</keyword> reveal that Jaipur, Goa, and Kochi topped as India’s most <keyword id="10055480" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="popular-leisure-destinations">popular leisure destinations</keyword> among travellers this long weekend.</li></ul>With state borders opening up and relaxation of restrictions across the country, travelers are back into action. As per OYO’s recent consumer survey, 57% of respondents said that their next trip would be for leisure, while 61% had already decided the destination for their coming vacation. OYO’s booking trends for the long weekend, between 02nd and 04th October, clearly reflects India’s travel aspirations and confidence to hit the roads once again. As a result, <keyword id="7036155" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO-Hotels-Homes">OYO Hotels &amp; Homes</keyword>, saw a 72% surge in bookings for leisure destinations between 02nd October and 04th October. Over the weekend, nearly 1.8 - 2 lakh guests spent their long weekend at OYOs across India. OYO’s booking trends reveal that Jaipur, Goa, and Kochi topped as India’s most popular leisure destinations among travellers this long weekend. Interestingly, most of this demand came from Delhi, making it the city with the highest aspirations to travel again. Through OYO’s consumer survey, safety emerged as the consumer’s top priority, further to which 56% would opt to travel via a private vehicle to nearby locations with their family or friends. The survey also highlights that travellers are most likely to plan their vacations between 1 - 3 days. Very close to the survey findings, OYO has observed that Delhiites took inter-state road trips to tourist hotspots, with Jaipur and Agra topping charts. Majority travellers from Pune, Bangalore, Mumbai preferred to spend their long weekend along the exotic and relaxing beaches of Goa. Down South, Kochi was the most popular leisure destination, with most people coming into the city from Bangalore, Kozhikode, and Thiruvananthapuram. As for leisure destinations like Lucknow, Jaipur and Vishakhapatnam, most demand stemmed from Bhubaneshwar and Vijaywada respectively. Here are the top leisure destinations across India and the four zones across the country: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"><colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Region </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Most popular leisure destinations for the 02nd October long weekend </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Jaipur Goa Kochi Vishakhapatnam Agra </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">North India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Jaipur Agra Mussoorie </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">South India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Kochi Vishakhapatnam Pondicherry </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">North East India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Digha </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">West India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Goa </td></tr></tbody></table> To ensure their health and safety, during their stay over the long weekend, OYO’s consumer survey shows that the majority of travellers are looking for value for money and cleanliness while booking their accommodation. Standing true to this insight, a whopping 91% of guests chose OYO hotels and homes with the ‘Sanitised Stays’ safety tag. Commenting on the boost in bookings and comeback of leisure travel, Rohit Kapoor, CEO, India &amp; South Asia, OYO said, “Travel is coming back, faster than we expected. All around the world, people are now looking forward to travelling and especially, exploring exciting local hidden gems. With safety being the traveller’s first priority, air travel has taken a backseat for more private and safer options like in-city staycations and roadtrips to nearby domestic vacation spots. We’re extremely happy to share that we saw a 72% surge in bookings this long weekend. These green shoots for leisure travel are a positive sign of rising consumer confidence. It shows that people are ready to move beyond the challenges brought about by the pandemic and embrace solutions to resume life in the new normal, with precautions and by diligently following the necessary government guidelines.” He adds, “At OYO, we are listening to our consumers, ensuring that we address their concerns, their worries and their requirements to make travel decisions simpler, more convenient. To do so, our senior leaders personally spoke with 2000+ consumers and through these conversations, we understood that leisure travel will eventually come back soon, and therefore, we strengthened our preparedness to welcome guests safely with Sanitsied Stays. We also introduced Travel Assistance on our app to help with COVID-19 testing and state-wise guidelines, and thereby, becoming a part of our guests’ journey right from the very beginning.” While there’s a surge in demand for leisure travel across the country, consumers are increasingly looking for trusted clean &amp; sanitised stays, with 80% users searching for sanitised stays, while 46% users seeking regulation related information while planning their next travel.

Indians are travelling again! OYO saw a 72% surge in bookings for destinations like Jaipur, Goa and Kochi during the long weekend

As the adoption of <keyword id="6358577" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payments" source="Orion">digital payments</keyword> and wallets grow significantly, credit card users spent more than ₹39,000 crore on wallets and digital payments, including ₹7,850 crore on travel alone in 2021, a new report revealed on Friday. Expenditure on food and utility bills remained consistent during all months while food and beverages saw high spending after the lockdown restrictions were eased from July to October, according to data provided by <keyword id="1763236" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="cred" source="Orion">cred</keyword>it card bill management platform CRED. "2021 can be defined as the year of self care for CRED members. This was visible from the increased spend across categories such as travel, shopping and health and wellness. In 2022, we look forward to growing and providing more experiences to our members,a said <keyword id="192201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kunal-shah" source="Orion">Kunal Shah</keyword>, Founder of CRED. As travel restrictions eased, more individuals packed their bags to venture out. Travel credit card expenditure was Rs 1,103.11 crore in September -- higher than any month in 2021. The spending remained on a high in October with ₹1,091 crore spent by members. May and June saw 24 lakh transactions, amounting to a total of ₹675 crore. However, July saw a return of travel with credit card spends rising to ₹602.26 crore. Maldives and Dubai, which opened borders to Indians, were the most picked international destinations this year. Within India, popular destinations were Goa, Coorg, Jaipur, Udaipur, <keyword id="6354321" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="Orion">Bengaluru</keyword> and Mumbai for staycations and short trips. From March to May, individuals spent over ₹1,000 crore, collectively, on food and beverages when the pandemic restrictions were strict and online food deliveries were the only alternative to dining out. As the restrictions were lifted across various states, more individuals started venturing out to eateries, cafes and bars. The months of August (₹1,750 crore) and September (₹1,727 crore) recorded the highest transactions and payments made on food and beverages, while October continued to see the rise with ₹1,427 crore spent. Expenditure on wellness and self care also saw steady growth with ₹44.96 crore being spent in September, compared to a combined total of ₹49 crore in June and July. Fitness remained a popular trend amongst individuals, especially in January-March witnessing spends worth ₹1,152 crore, according to the <keyword id="12756808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CRED-report" source="Orion">CRED report</keyword>. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasas-perseverance-rover-discovers-organic-chemicals-on-mars/articleshow/88340112.cms">NASA's Perseverance rover discovers organic chemicals on Mars</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/netflix-vs-disney-plus-hotstar-plans-compared/articleshow/88339217.cms">Netflix vs Disney+ Hotstar: Subscription plans compared</a>

Credit card users spent ₹39,000 crore on digital payments in 2021, says CRED report

<ul><li><keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword>'s <keyword id="1670338" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ritesh-Agarwal">Ritesh Agarwal</keyword> writes for Business Insider and answers the most important question – Will India travel again?</li><li>Businesses will need to prepare today for tomorrow’s travellers, and innovate to meet the new standards of good quality travel and hospitality experience, he says.</li><li>Here’s what will dominate the ‘new way of travelling’ in India in the post-COVID world. </li></ul>Will India travel again? The answer is a resounding yes! However, the one question we do not have an answer to is when, as it is hard to predict when this pandemic will subside and it will be safe for people to travel once again. But what’s most fascinating for me is the fundamental shifts we will see in consumer behaviour related to travel once the pandemic subsides. Businesses will need to prepare today for tomorrow’s travellers, and innovate to meet the new standards of good quality travel and hospitality experience. Here’s what will dominate the ‘new way of travelling’ in India in the post-COVID world. Goa over Thailand, Coonoor over Scotland In the short-term, there could be some sluggishness in demand as people postpone any non-essential travel or focus on saving money. In the post-COVID-19 phase, industries will have to comply with distancing norms to reduce risks. In such a world, the aviation industry, for instance, will have to offer limited seats on flights, consequently leading to an increase in airfares. As international travel will be slightly expensive, domestic travel will be a net gainer as wanderlust bites us in the post-COVID world. As the pandemic subsides, tourism hotspots of the country are likely to see an unfamiliar group of tourists show up – the ones who have been spending their summers across European destinations and winters in AZ/NZ. This is almost inevitable – driven by restrictions or fear of international travel as well as the unpredictability of needs to self-quarantine when back. We will see packed Mall Roads as well as the resurgence of newer forms of domestic tourism including eco-stays, rural tourism, and nature tourism. This will offer a unique opportunity for the sector, aided by the government, to use this force of domestic demand to make travel and tourism thrive in India in the post-COVID world. God's Own Country must expand beyond Kerala to cover large parts of our beautiful nation. Road trips galore The famous Indian act of fitting “carriers” on top of their cars is likely to see a bump as mechanics open up shops. As travel by any mode of public transport is likely to get more challenging, more families and friends are likely to pack their bags and hit the roads – in parts also encouraged by the smoother highways. Destinations that are within driving distance of major urban centres are likely to see a boost. However, people are likely to drive shorter distances and initially maybe within state borders as they will seek the assurance of being able to head home if there is a spike in COVID cases in local areas. Not only established destinations but hidden gems near cities will no longer be hidden from the seekers who long to escape urban life. Teekli village near Gurgoan may be the new Alibag. For hospitality players to recover from the financial impact of the pandemic, it’s important to identify these geographies early on and increase readiness to welcome guests, while ensuring their health and safety. Staycations, the preferred vacations During the lockdown, people have discovered all kinds of passions – many are experiencing the pressure of cooking, doing yoga, learning hydroponic farming and so much more - and are already looking for a change. A safe getaway, or an escape from home even if it is for a couple of days. We are here referring to staycations, where people check into a hotel in the same city often for short durations. As people begin travelling again and looking for safe spaces to stay, there will be a growing preference for staycations where travellers would prefer independent boutique hotels with limited capacity or even private vacation homes where they can plan get-togethers with friends and family. The idea is to enjoy a vacation but at the same time ensure safety and hygiene. Finding your purpose and spiritual calling Pilgrimages have been an inextricable part of Indian life – right from the ancient days to the present modern age. The allure of a Tirupati or Ajmer Sharif endures and the faithful will visit in even bigger numbers as more people turn to faith in tough times. It will not be wrong to say that the earliest bounce back in tourism could be led by pilgrimages, as restrictions ease up and there is no fear of community spread. Human touch to zero-touch, the new normal For an industry where high touch [the firm handshake, the tikka on arrival, the butler service] was seen as a luxury, this will be a whole new world to navigate. Travellers will want the ease of travel but at the same time, would prefer not to come in touch with people as social distancing becomes a way of life. Check-in robots? Vending machine for packed food? Robots for cleaning? This is a time for hotel chains to think forward and innovate “tap” and “go” models across the length and breadth of daily operations. We foresee many more shifts in the way hotels are run. For instance, at OYO, we are in the process of implementing a minimal-touch policy for check-ins, check-outs and room service. As an industry, our biggest priority at the moment is to ensure we collectively navigate the crisis, restore our economy back into shape, and take care of livelihoods. It’s also time to hit pause, reset and rethink ways to welcome travellers once they are willing to travel by planes, stay at hotels and socialise again. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-on-cloud-nine-with-lockdown-experience/articleshow/75833830.cms">Microsoft's lockdown experience puts Satya Nadella on ‘cloud’ nine</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/from-spicejet-to-oyo-to-mahindra-all-want-msme-tag-for-partners/articleshow/75821961.cms">Here’s why India's biggest hotel chain operator, a large car maker and airline would like to lose 'elite' tag</a>

Ritesh Agarwal imagines robots at OYO hotels while wondering when India will travel again

<ul><li>With COVID-19 impacting the hospitality industry, bringing revenues down to almost zero, to now the steady recovery of the industry, there’s a lot that has happened through the course of the year. </li><li>Hospitality was one of the worst affected industries worldwide, however, with cities unlocking and global restrictions easing gradually, India topped the charts for OYO as the most booked country.</li><li>As OYO launches its annual Travelopedia, Rohit Kapoor, CEO, <keyword id="7036155" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO-Hotels-Homes">OYO Hotels &amp; Homes</keyword>, India &amp; South Asia tells us about India's favourite tourist hotspots, COVID-19 impact on OYO, <keyword id="10519936" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="travel-sentiment">travel sentiment</keyword> this year and some trends he expects to see in 2021. </li></ul>2020 has been a unique year that pushed every brand and industry to transform itself. While it started on a good note for the hospitality industry, with January 2020 (pre-covid) being the most travelled month, April 2020 witnessed most cancellations across the country owing to the government’s precautionary lockdown. Hospitality was one of the worst affected industries worldwide. The grinding halt on travel and tourism impacted home-grown hospitality brand OYO by bringing its revenue down to zero levels during the lockdown. However, with cities unlocking and global restrictions easing gradually, India topped the charts for OYO as the most booked country while Delhi clocked in the most bookings across the world in 2020. Consumer confidence was at its highest during December 2020 as OYO saw the highest number of bookings since India unlocked. Today, Ritesh Agarwal’s OYO has reached ~45% of pre-COVID occupancy levels and its used room nights have grown steadily 40% m-o-m since bottoming out in May. Some of the brands are performing much better with <keyword id="4100346" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oyo-Townhouse">OYO Townhouse</keyword> operating at 85% of pre-COVID occupancy levels. An OYO Hotel in Shahjahanpur and another in Chennai witnessed an average occupancy of 100% since lockdown. Over 8.5 million new user bookings were made on the OYO app and website in 2020. We caught up with Rohit Kapoor, CEO, OYO - India &amp; South Asia to discuss some of the key trends that came out in its third annual report - OYO Travelopedia 2020. <div type="Video" msid="80040904" hostid="261" title="Rohit Kapoor of OYO hotels and homes on India’s favourite travel hotspots and trends to be expected in 2021" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=80040904"></div> Lockdown’s impact A month down into the nation-wide lockdown, OYO realised that the macro factors cannot be controlled. As the hospitality industry came to a complete halt till the end of June, OYO decided to focus on improving its consumers and stakeholders’ pain points. It also wanted to use its space smartly by giving back to the society. It offered a helping hand to various hospitals and their doctors across the country. “After a few consumers started showing interest in travel, we launched an extensive campaign across the country to get in touch with our partners and stay in very close touch with our consumers. We tried to identify what consumers were thinking, some problems they were facing and what we could do to solve them. We worked with 24+ state ministries, 50+ government and private hospitals and hosted about a 250,000+ hospital staff and asymptomatic patients during the lockdown. 200+ sailors were safely quarantined at OYOs across India. 1,50,000 litres of disinfectant and 70,000 litres of sanitisers were used since April to welcome our guests,” shared Kapoor. OYO also on-boarded Sonu Sood as its brand ambassador, who emerged as a knight in shining armour and has been applauded for his humanitarian work to send thousands of stranded migrants back home during the lockdown. It launched a nation-wide campaign with Sood to woo its consumers. <div type="Youtube" id="ijSg92O1d30" title="OYO Sanitised Before Your Eyes" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ijSg92O1d30/mqdefault.jpg"></div> When Vande Bharat started, approximately 73,000 repatriated Indians completed their institutional quarantine at OYOs across India. Amongst these, most bookings were made by guests travelling from the Middle East, primarily UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. Insights from OYO’s Travelopedia According to Kapoor’s predictions based on travelopedia’s insights, leisure travel is making a steady comeback - with tourist hotspots of Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Tirupati, Goa, Mussoorie recovering faster than other destinations. The data also revealed that Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad ranked as the most popular cities among business travellers while Jaipur, Goa, Kochi were travellers’ favourite domestic leisure hotspots. <div type="image" title="Oyo travelopedia" msid="80040415" hostid="261"></div> Speaking on one of the most important trends this year for OYO, Kapoor said, “One of the most humbling things we found out that has stayed with me is that a guest has stayed with us 128 times this year, something that tells us that we are on the right path and that our customers have immense faith in us even in tough times. While 2021 will be a new learning in itself, we’re hopeful that the changes we have brought in 2020 will set new precedents in the travel and hospitality sector and we are completely motivated to work towards providing safe stays to all our customers.” We're at that time of the year when people normally are in the mood to travel. Across India, without any surprise, the tourist hotspot of Goa emerged as the most booked beach destination, followed by Kochi, Vizag and Pondicherry. To target these beach-lovers, OYO also launched a campaign earlier this month titled ‘Chalo Beach Chalein.’ <div type="Youtube" id="6W_9U2C7G30" title="OYO | Chal Beach Chalein" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6W_9U2C7G30/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Interestingly, OYO has also seen a resurgence in religious tourism. Puri emerged as India’s top pilgrimage destination, followed by Vrindavan, Tirupati, Shirdi, and Varanasi. In December 2020, over 17 lakh people checked-in over the weekends. December 12, 2020 saw the most number of bookings (so far). The next estimated date is December 31, 2020 (bookings still coming in) Telling us how December turned out for OYO, Kapoor said, “This month, people are traveling to places they wouldn’t have thought of visiting earlier. For example, many of our users have shown interest in Mukteshwar, Ramgad or Bhimtal. Plus, one big change for everyone is that during this part of the year, people travel to international locations -- that’s not happening this year. That demand is getting funnelled to domestic markets and that is a trend I foresee continuing for at least 12 more months.” Kapoor has been traveling himself to locations he wouldn’t have been to otherwise. He has been to Jaipur and Udaipur with his family, then he went to Ramgad and worked from there for 15 days. He has also been on a road trip to Lucknow, Allahabad and Kolkata. From his many road trips to different parts of our country and from OYO’s in-depth research study, Kapoor noticed how people aren’t staying with their relatives anymore. They preferred living in a hotel, which is a cultural shift in our country. Walking us through Travelpedian further, Kapoor said, “If you look at the patterns emerge, the first unlock started with the big cities and we wondered what is it that these big cities offered: one type of cohort was those who wanted to just leave their homes and work from somewhere else. Secondly, people were worried about going and staying in someone else’s home, which is pretty common in India. I was in Allahabad in September and was trying to book an OYO, it was fully sold out. It was because of an exam which was going on and it was booked by parents whose kids were appearing for that exam. Third thing we saw is seasonality disappearing because work from home is allowed. The classic pattern of people travelling during peak seasons and vacations is phasing out. People are going away for staycations, working for 8-10 hours and using the rest of time for leisure. Lastly, they are also up for impromptu plans because they want to be reasonably sure that they are ready to travel.” OYO’s goals for 2021 The focus areas in 2021 would be more or less the same at OYO. Kapoor said that one thing that COVID-19 has taught us is that the future is unpredictable and the team is prepared for uncertain 2-3 quarters. “We have learnt the power of building product-led solutions for partners and that we will continue to invest in that. We want to open OYO-products and solutions to a much wider set of customers. We have all kinds of customers today but I think we have the opportunity to present OYO as the best option for anybody who is seeking good-quality experience. OYO has been recognised as the best start-up to work with and my focus would be to continue being the best place to work with for our target not just in India, but globally as well.”

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