India entered 2025 with serious travel momentum. Stadiums were sold out for Coldplay concerts, and the once-in-144-year festival Mahakumbh Mela sparked a surge in religious tourism. During its 45-day run, Mahakumbh was visited by over 660 million devotees.
However, the early gains were short-lived. By the April-June quarter, the tone from India’s biggest travel companies had shifted.
MakeMyTrip Group CEO Rajesh Magow described the period as one shaped by “exceptional external events.” He explained, “Domestic demand was impacted due to the unfortunate incident in Pahalgam, leading to geographical escalations in the month of May, and the tragic crash of a passenger airplane in June.” Magow shared these remarks during MakeMyTrip’s July earnings call.
IHCL CEO Puneet Chhatwal echoed similar sentiments, noting the challenges faced during the same period. While the Taj…
https://skift.com/2025/12/28/4-shocks-that-broke-indias-travel-momentum/
