Podcast episode (STR Daily, episode 270) hosted by Bob and created/uploaded by Mark Simpson (June 25, 2025). The episode covers two main stories: (1) India's booming tourism market — forecast to grow to $38 billion by 2033 from $22 billion in 2024 — driven by government campaigns (Deco Apnadesh, Swadesh Darshan), rising middle-class spending, improved aviation infrastructure, and expansions by airlines and hotel groups; (2) a distribution challenge for hotels caused by secondary OTAs that scrape and undercut rates, squeezing margins, especially for independent hotels; responses include direct-booking incentives, member rates, digital marketing, and alternatives like the startup RoomAngel. The show targets short-term rental professionals and includes promotional CTAs for Boostly.
Questions this episode answers
Episode 270
June 25, 2025
$38 billion by 2033, up from $22 billion in 2024
Deco Apnadesh; Swadesh Darshan
Marriott, Hilton, Emirates, Indigo
Chapters
Welcome to episode 270 of the STR Daily podcast, powered by Boostly, the industry's first AI driven show for short term rental professionals. I'm Bob, your host, bringing you the latest news, trends and insights in travel, AI and hospitality. Whether you're a host, property manager or industry expert, this podcast is your go to source for staying ahead in the fast moving world of short term rentals. Our mission to equip you with actionable strategies and updates so you can navigate the industry with confidence. Hit that subscribe button and never miss an upload in today's episode. First up, India's tourism market is booming. Forecasts suggest it's set to hit $38 billion by 2033, up from $22 billion in 2024. What's fueling this explosive growth? A perfect mix of government led tourism campaigns like Deco Apnadesh and Swadesh Darshan, plus a rapidly growing middle class with rising disposable income. Add in better aviation infrastructure, new airports and an explosion of low cost airlines and suddenly both domestic and international travel is easier than ever for Indians. Global giants like Marriott, Hilton and Emirates are betting big on India's potential. Marriott just launched a new hotel brand in India, while Indigo expands with more flights across the country, including a major move to operate from Delhi's Hinden Airport. Switching gears to hotels and a problem that's becoming impossible to ignore, hotels around the world are grappling with what the industry now calls secondary OTAs smaller, less known online travel agencies that are undercutting hotel rates. These rogue platforms often scrape rates from wholesalers or poorly managed affiliate networks and then advertise prices cheaper than the hotel's own website or even major OTAs like booking.com or Expedia. It's creating a messy race to the bottom. For independent hotels, the pain is even greater. They're losing control of their pricing, paying more for ads and watching their margins shrink. Some hotels are fighting back by introducing stronger direct booking incentives, member only rates, and investing heavily in digital marketing to take back control. Others are exploring brand new solutions like RoomAngel, a startup designed to bypass OTA commissions entirely. If you need help boosting your direct bookings, check out the Boostly website and if you'd like a shout out on the podcast, leave a review. We love hearing from our listeners and your feedback helps us improve. Also, don't forget to share this podcast with your industry peers. Tag Boostly UK on social media when you do and we'll be sure to share it too. Thanks for tuning in and remember Book direct.
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