Travel Guides & Articles
MakeMyTrip Introduces New AI-Powered Hotel and Homestay Booking for National Parks of India

Published on
August 20, 2025
MakeMyTrip (MMT), one of India’s top online travel players, has introduced a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at making the search and booking process for hotels and homestays in and around India’s national parks easier. The innovative initiative is likely to solve the age-old problem for tourists: finding the best accommodation based on either the proximity to entry gates or the park limits. By targeting over 100 national parks in India, the company intends to improve the overall experience for adventure seekers and wildlife lovers.
Solving a Common Traveler Challenge
The national parks in India are often vast and multi-zoned, making it difficult for travelers to find suitable accommodations. For many, the proximity to entry gates is one of the most important factors when booking stays for safaris or wildlife experiences. However, finding this information has historically been a challenge, leaving many travelers frustrated. With MakeMyTrip’s new initiative, the process of selecting the right accommodation has become much easier and more reliable.
Ankit Khanna, Chief Product Officer for Hotel, Growth, & Emerging Businesses at MakeMyTrip, commented on the growing interest in wildlife tourism in India: “India is home to more than 100 national parks and over 1,000 protected areas, offering immense potential for wildlife tourism. On our platform, searches for national parks have doubled over the past two years, a clear sign of the growing interest among travelers.”
AI-Powered Solution for Seamless Booking
To address the specific accommodation needs of wildlife tourists, MakeMyTrip has leveraged AI technology to map over 2,000 hotels and homestays with their nearest national park zones. Travelers can now search for a specific national park or even a particular gate on the platform and instantly find relevant accommodation options mapped to the entry gates and park boundaries. This feature is designed to make the process of selecting and booking a stay faster, more intuitive, and more personalized.
In addition to accommodation mapping, the platform also offers a ‘Tips’ section providing important park information. This includes details on operational hours, peak visitation periods, entry protocols, transport routes, and links to the official website of the state tourism boards. This comprehensive resource is designed to support travelers in making informed decisions about their visit, contributing to a more seamless and enjoyable wildlife experience.
A Vision for the Future of Travel
This launch highlights MakeMyTrip’s commitment to transforming what are often fragmented and difficult-to-search travel experiences into smooth, accessible journeys. Over the years, the company has introduced a series of innovations aimed at making travel search more intuitive and personalized. This initiative is a prime example of how technology is being used to enhance the travel experience and streamline the booking process.
The move is also in line with the company’s broader goal to contribute to the growth of wildlife tourism in India. By making it easier for travelers to access national parks, MakeMyTrip hopes to promote awareness of India’s natural heritage and encourage more tourists to explore the country’s diverse landscapes and wildlife.
The Future of Wildlife Tourism in India
Meanwhile, with the increasing popularity of nature tourism, the Indian tourism sector is likely to see further growth, particularly in those areas where there are opportunities to experience distinctive wildlife. This new MakeMyTrip initiative goes a long way in facilitating this development by allowing travelers to book accommodations that are not only closer to national park gateways but are also made according to their personal requirements.
The demand for wildlife tourism growing steadily, MakeMyTrip’s technology-driven solutions are on the cusp of transforming India’s future of travel. By combining AI technology with an emphasis on hassle-free booking experiences, MakeMyTrip is becoming a trendsetter in offering cutting-edge travel solutions to the next generation of wildlife travelers.
Travel Guides & Articles
India eyes bigger slice of Philippines’ $2.5 billion rice market with export push

The Philippines has emerged as a critical market for India’s agricultural exports. In 2024, Manila imported farm goods worth nearly $20 billion, including semi-milled rice, wheat and meslin, oilcake, food preparations and palm oil. India’s shipments to the country stood at $413 million, making up just 2% of the Philippines’ total agricultural imports.
Key Indian exports to the Philippines included beef, groundnut, rice and tobacco. Despite being the world’s largest exporter of rice, with overseas sales worth $11.83 billion in 2024-25, India’s rice exports to the Philippines were valued at only $48.91 million during the same period.
“Philippines is the largest importer of rice in the world, with imports in 2024 valued at $2.52 billion. However, there is significant opportunity to expand India’s rice exports in the Philippines as, despite India being the world’s largest rice exporter, India’s rice exports were only $48.91 million to the Philippines in the same period,” the official noted, calling it an untapped opportunity.
To bridge this gap, the commerce ministry is facilitating a delegation of rice exporters, along with those dealing in other potential products such as onions, potatoes, groundnut and meat, to travel to the Philippines in early September. The initiative is expected to strengthen trade linkages and help Indian exporters establish a stronger foothold in the region.
The engagement is set to continue later in the year, with a team of Philippine food importers due to participate in World Food India, scheduled for September 25-28 . They will take part in the International Rice Conference on October 30-31, 2025, billed as the first large-scale trade fair of its kind for the rice sector.
India is also witnessing a surge in agricultural exports to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Exports to the bloc rose from $480 million in 2023-24 to $628 million in 2024-25, driven largely by stronger trade ties with Russia.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority has played an active role in the growth of India agriculture exports by showcasing Indian produce at international trade events such as World Food Moscow. According to officials, such platforms have been vital in boosting visibility, forging new business partnerships and consolidating India’s presence in the CIS market.
Travel Guides & Articles
KSRTC adds 90 extra buses for Onam festivities between Bengaluru, Kerala: Report | Bengaluru

Published on: Aug 31, 2025 02:47 pm IST
The KSRTC will deploy 90 additional buses from September 2 to 4 to accommodate Onam travellers between Bengaluru and Kerala.
Travel Guides & Articles
Chennai witnesses cloudburst, heavy rainfall disrupts air travel

What’s the story
Chennai‘s Manali area witnessed a cloudburst on Saturday night, leading to heavy rainfall.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 10.6cm of rain from 10:00pm to 11:00pm and another 12.6cm from 11:00pm to midnight on August 30, 2025.
Wimco Nagar received the highest rainfall of 15.7cm during the hour from 11:00pm to midnight on August 30, followed by Korattur with 13.7cm and New Manali Town with 10.3cm during the same period.
Manali receives 27cm of rain
The IMD recorded over 100mm of rainfall in several parts of Chennai.
Manali received 27cm of rain while New Manali Town and Wimco Nagar received 26cm and 23cm, respectively, during a 24-hour period ending at 8:30am on Sunday.
Other areas such as Kathivakkam (13.6cm), Tiruvottiyur (12.6cm), and Ayapakkam (12.1cm) also witnessed heavy rainfall during this period.
Heavy rainfall affects air travel
The heavy rainfall in Chennai also affected air travel. Three flights from Frankfurt, Mangaluru, and New Delhi were diverted to Bengaluru as they couldn’t land at the city airport due to the weather conditions.
However, once the weather cleared up in Chennai, passengers were flown back from Bengaluru by different flights.
Weather forecast for Tamil Nadu
The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecasted light to moderate rain in isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal in the next 24 hours.
Strong winds with speeds of 40-50km/h are also likely over these areas.
This weather update comes after a similar pattern was observed on August 23 when several districts, including Chennai, received moderate to heavy overnight rains.
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