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Booking.com: Expanding horizons, redefining travel
Mumbai: With the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup – one of the world’s most notable cricket tournaments – around the corner, the excitement amongst fans is palpable as sports tourism soars. Booking.com, the official accommodation partner for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, launched its integrated campaign ‘Howzat for your perfect stay’, integrating the world of travel, cricket, and its passionate fans that make it happen. A press event was hosted in Mumbai with former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan, Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan, and Booking.com country manager – India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Indonesia Santosh Kumar.
The campaign featuring Indian team captain Rohit Sharma along with well-known international cricketers Jos Buttler, captain of the England team, and Glenn Maxwell highlights the fun and excitement of booking with Booking.com. It showcases the end-to-end ease and incredible choice of accommodations that Booking.com offers by taking viewers through the journey of a family dreaming of their perfect cricket stay.
With more than 28 million reported listings in over 171,000 destinations worldwide, including destinations where ICC matches are taking place, Booking.com offers the widest selection of incredible places to stay including hotels, resorts, apartments, villas, and more.
On the sidelines of the event, Indiantelevision.com caught up with Booking.com country manager, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Indonesia Santosh Kumar.
Edited Excerpts:
On the differentiation between Booking.com and its competitors
Number one, I would say the flexibility and convenience that we offer to our consumers. Second is the transparency in pricing because what you see on the first page when you get the search listing is ultimately the price that you book. There are no hidden fees of any sort, etc. So it’s very much consumer-focused. So I would say, those are the two key USPs.
On the specialty that Sports Tourism has, that other forms of tourism don’t
I think both sports and travel go pretty well because they both connect people, they help people see the destination and get access to experiences that they would not have otherwise. I think, in general, it also helps people connect across cultures. Sports is a great leveler and I think travel does the same. Therefore, I think they both go hand in hand.
On reaching out to tier-2 and tier-3 markets
Earlier this year, we introduced Hindi as a new language option to enhance our appeal to regional consumers seeking a localized experience. Hindi is now available both on our website and app. Our partners can access our platform in Hindi, allowing them to upload their property listings and manage their inventory in this language. Likewise, consumers can browse, search for, and make bookings in Hindi, making our services more accessible and relevant at the local level.
Hindi marks the first Indian language we’ve introduced, and it is the 46th language available globally on our platform. If it proves beneficial, we may consider launching additional regional languages in the future.
Furthermore, we are actively working to increase our local relevance in social media marketing, such as on Instagram, to better connect with Indian consumers. Additionally, through our investment in ICC Cricket-related initiatives, we hope that we’ll be able to bring about more brand awareness in tier-2 and 3 markets as well.
On future expansion plans
In general, we’ve obviously launched new categories beyond accommodation. We were primarily an accommodation player previously. Now we have launched, flights, cars, and attractions, with flights being live in over 50 countries globally now.
In India, it’s been live for about 18 months. We are also continuously expanding our range of attractions, forming partnerships with companies like Kluck and Viator in the Asia Pacific region. We want to become the one-stop shop for somebody who’s traveling.
Secondly, we’re investing also in the area of sustainability, because a lot of consumers want to travel more sustainably. They want to find sustainable options. So, we have a sustainable badge that we launched in 2021. This badge offers various levels of certification for accommodations and properties, allowing travelers to easily identify and choose sustainable options when booking.
This is our effort to continue to meet the net zero ambitions in the hospitality and travel industry.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
