MAM
How Indian travellers are finding value in sustainable travel
Mumbai: Indian travellers today are seeking mindful experiences that allow them to travel and discover new places while being conscious of the environment. According to Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel Report 2024, travelling inspires 75 per cent of Indian travellers to be more sustainable in their everyday lives and 93 per work want to ensure that trips they’re taking over the next year are more mindful and environmentally conscious.
Balancing travel with environmental responsibility
The desire to travel sustainably is evident among Indian travellers as 76 per cent of Indian travellers feel the environmental impacts of travel are important to them. At the same time, they are also cognizant that their travel has a broader impact on the environment as well as the destinations they visit. 73 per cent of Indian travellers are most likely to recognise the impact of their travel on the natural environment followed by local economies (62 per cent) and local communities (50 per cent). Travellers are also looking at destinations that complement their desire to support local businesses, embrace different cultures and provide opportunities for walking, using bicycles or public transport for travel.
With World Environment Day around the corner, Booking.com shares a list of destinations across India with a noteworthy number of accommodations with a credible third-party certification. From quaint coastal cities to cyclable towns, there’s a destination for every type of traveller that can help them have a more positive impact with their next trip, from check-in and beyond.
Top destinations with independent third-party sustainability certification in India*
Recognising the growing desire for mindful travel experiences, here are some of the destinations across India with the highest number of properties holding independent third-party sustainability certification (not ranked).
Bandipur
Coonoor
Kozhikode
Candolim
Agra
Jodhpur
Mumbai
Hyderabad
Vadodara
Chennai
Silver linings to clouds of doubt around sustainability
New areas of research in this year’s report have found that Indian travellers who are adopting and making more mindful travel choices feel that more sustainable travel experiences are adding value to their trips. Additionally, they believe that the potential for countering environmental impacts of travel/tourism comes from travel services like airlines and hotels (42 per cent) as well as travellers (41 per cent) and major sites and apps (38 per cent). This acts as a silver lining that can support travellers in balancing the adventure of exploration while still making responsible choices.
● The Best Version: 74 per cent of Indian travellers recognise that they are the best version of themselves when they travel more sustainably and consequently take home this positivity.
● Feeling Inspired: 75 per cent feel that witnessing sustainable practices while travelling inspires them to be more sustainable in their everyday life.
● Experiences: Local and Authentic: 95 per cent of Indians who did tours or activities for authentic, local and cultural experiences. Such local and cultural experiences help foster connections and take forward cultural exchange.
● Shopping Choices: 94 per cent of travellers shopped at small and independent stores which helps them experience the unique options available within the locality, along with being able to support the livelihoods of small-scale entrepreneurs.
● Conscious Travel Planning: 93 per cent of Indian travellers planned their trips so that they could walk, bike or take public transport allowing them to immerse themselves in the local experience completely. It also allows slowing down and taking in the culture, while being able to minimise the environmental impact. Additionally, 72 per cent of Indians also felt access to nature added value when staying at accommodations with sustainable practices.
According to Booking.com country manager, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia Santosh Kumar “Today for Indian travellers, sustainable practices not only enhance their travel experience but also inspire them to adopt similar habits in their daily lives. There is a desire to have a positive impact, with travellers more forthcoming in exploring activities that are driven by sustainability, whether it is indulging in cultural experiences or exploring local markets. Through collective efforts and a shared vision for sustainable tourism, we at Booking.com aim to make it easier to experience the world in a more mindful and responsible way.”
Brands
Reserve Bank of India cancels Paytm Payments Bank licence
Central bank cites compliance failures; curbs tighten as wind-up looms
MUMBAI: India’s banking watchdog delivered its sharpest blow yet to Paytm Payments Bank, cancelling its licence and effectively ending its ability to operate as a bank under the law.
The Reserve Bank of India said the entity can no longer conduct banking business under the Banking Regulation Act, citing concerns that its affairs were not being run in the interest of depositors or the public and that it had failed to meet licence conditions.
The move escalates a crackdown that has been building for months. The bank had already been barred from onboarding new customers since March 11, 2022, and later faced restrictions on deposits, credit and wallet top-ups. In January 2024, the central bank ordered it to stop accepting fresh deposits, pointing to persistent non-compliance, including lapses in customer due diligence, use of funds and technology systems.
Operationally, the bank is now on a tight leash. It may process withdrawals of existing deposits and facilitate loan referrals through banking correspondents, but it cannot take fresh deposits.
The central bank said it would apply to the high court to wind up the bank.
Paytm sought to ringfence the fallout. In a regulatory filing, it said the licence cancellation applies to Paytm Payments Bank Limited, a separate entity, and should not be attributed to One 97 Communications. It added that there is no exposure or material business arrangement with the bank and that it operates independently, without Paytm’s board or management involvement.
“As informed earlier, Paytm (One 97 Communications Limited) and its services, which have been operating without interruption, will continue to operate uninterrupted. These include the Paytm app, Paytm UPI, Paytm Gold and all other services offered by its subsidiaries and associated companies,” the company said.
The distinction may reassure users of the app ecosystem, but the regulator’s verdict is unequivocal. After years of warnings, caps and curbs, the payments bank experiment at Paytm is being shut down—decisively, and with little room left to manoeuvre.
