MAM
Agoda survey: 87 per cent of Indians care about sustainable travel
Mumbai: As Indians venture to explore new horizons, they are increasingly mindful of the potential impact of their choices. According to a survey conducted by digital travel platform Agoda, 87 per cent of Indian travellers care about more sustainable travel. Respondents highlighted that financial incentives, the availability of sustainable travel packages and clearer guidance on sustainable travel practices could encourage them to make more sustainable choices on their next trip.
Over ten thousand respondents were polled on Agoda’s platform, from ten markets across Asia. Almost 8 in 10 travellers stated their willingness to make more sustainable travel choices: with 18 per cent of respondents indicating that they would always make every effort to ensure they travel more sustainably. Still, 22 per cent of travellers rarely consider sustainability in their travel decisions – with Japan’s travellers least concerned (45 per cent) versus only 8 per cent of travellers from the Philippines.
Financial incentives could play a key factor in making more sustainable choices
Agoda’s Eco Deals Survey also asked respondents for the key factors that could help encourage them to make more sustainable travel choices. In all markets, financial incentives came out on top, with an average of 45 per cent of respondents highlighting incentives like discounts as the key factor. This sentiment was particularly strong in Singapore (58 per cent), Taiwan (54 per cent) and Indonesia (47 per cent). 41 per cent of Indian travellers opted for incentives or discounts as a core driver.
The availability of sustainable travel packages ranked second, with offerings ranging from guided conservation hikes to supporting local initiatives of more interest to travellers from the Philippines (28 per cent), Vietnam (24 per cent) and Thailand (23 per cent). Clear guidelines on sustainable travel practices (#3), education and awareness on environmental impact (#4), and relevant sustainability policies from the local government (#5) completed the top five.
Agoda associate vice president Enric Casals said “The message is loud and clear: Travelers want to make more sustainable choices. Agoda’s Eco Deals Program offers travellers a range of great value deals on selected properties, and for every booking, Agoda donates one US dollar to local conservation projects of the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF). With a total donation target of up to one million US dollars, we are helping travellers to see the world for less, and do their part to give back to the destinations they care about.”
When asked which sustainable travel practices travellers from India prioritize on their trips, supporting local communities and conservation projects came out on top with 29 per cent of the respondents choosing this practice. The sentiment was the same across Asia, with over a quarter (26 per cent) of the respondents on average choosing this option.
Across Asia, recycling and waste reduction (20 per cent), like reusing towels and bed linens, was the second-most named preferred action, followed by participating in conservation-focused activities and tours (17 per cent). Other key practices include opting for accommodations with sustainability certifications in the fourth and selecting more sustainable transportation options in the fifth.
Since the launch on 3 March 2024, World Wildlife Day, anyone travelling to Southeast Asia can book Eco Deals on Agoda. For every Eco Deals booking, a dollar is donated to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) conservation projects aimed at protecting wildlife and conserving critical habitats in Southeast Asia. In addition, travellers can benefit from a discount of up to 15 per cent. More information can be found on
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
