The Newsletter from the Creative Travel Family of Brands
Dear Industry Colleagues,
Welcome to another edition of 'Creatively Yours'.
As summer settles across India, bringing with it a season of growth, renewal, and reflection, we take a moment to celebrate the stories, experiences, and achievements that continue to shape the travel landscape of South Asia.
In this edition, we are delighted to share that we have received the Platinum Award at the 2026 Eventex Awards in the Incentive Travel Experience category. Our winning journey, Omnilife Viaje Diamantes 2025: India – Maldivas, took participants from the dramatic landscapes of Ladakh and the sacred ghats of Varanasi to the turquoise waters of the Maldives, creating unforgettable memories along the way. Read more in the Creative In The News section.
We're also excited to share the 2026 edition of our Be Our Guest portfolio - your passport to immersive experiences across India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Many may imitate, but there is only one Be Our Guest. For personalized training or strategic sessions, feel free to contact us at knowledge@creative.travel, and do subscribe to The South Asia Travel Journal for weekly insights.
We begin with exciting industry highlights, and this month's Cool Location takes us to Fort Dadhikar in Alwar — a thousand-year-old masterpiece. Our Iconic Things to Eat feature explores Five Summer Drinks of India. In Indians Around the World, we honor C.V. Raman — the visionary physicist and the first Asian to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Looking ahead, we are preparing for major global events such as Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas and PURE Life Experiences in Marrakech - essential opportunities to reconnect with our industry community and shape the future of experiential travel.
Lastly, we are honored to be nominated once again in three categories at the prestigious 33rd World Travel Awards. Your vote means the world to us — you can find the links in our Creative in the News section and across our social platforms.
Creative Travel and JungleSutra Make the Nominations at the 33rd World Travel Awards
Trust is not claimed. It is earned, quietly, over time. For 49 years, Creative Travel has been built on one simple promise, which is to never let a partner down. Not once. Not ever. It is a promise we intend to keep.
Creative Travel Wins Platinum at the 2026 Eventex Awards
From the icy mountains of Ladakh to the spiritual heart of Varanasi and the pristine shores of the Maldives, one remarkable journey has now been recognized on the global stage.
They say, “seeing is believing.”
Can words describe 3.2 million sq. kms. of the Indian subcontinent? Can pictures capture a terrain as diverse as lush green forests, golden deserts and the majestic Himalayan range?
Can stories tell you all you want to know about the complex cultures of the Indian people, their languages and dialects, their rituals and traditions? To feel their magic, be touched by her spirituality, experience her intensity or join in her celebrations, you have to be in India.
Kairali Ayurvedic Group Launches Boutique Wellness Resort In South Goa
Kairali Ayurvedic Group has entered luxury hospitality with Villa Raag, a six-room beachfront retreat at Agonda Beach in South Goa’s Canacona region. The property marks the wellness brand’s first foray into boutique hospitality, positioned squarely at international travellers seeking privacy, personalised care, and holistic wellbeing.
Olive Garden Opens Its First India Restaurant At Delhi’s Aerocity
Olive Garden has made its India debut with a flagship restaurant at World St., Worldmark Aerocity in New Delhi. Brought to the country by Gourmet Investments Hospitality Group in partnership with Darden International & Franchising, the launch marks the beginning of a planned national rollout for the American-Italian dining brand.The Aerocity location draws on Olive Garden’s Tuscan-inspired aesthetic, with sun-washed tones, rustic textures, and warm lighting across indoor and alfresco spaces designed for everyday meals and larger celebrations alike.
Jazeera Airways Adds Four New Indian Destinations via Dammam
Jazeera Airways has expanded its Indian network with the launch of four new destinations: Calicut, Tiruchirappalli, Mangalore and Kannur, all operated via Dammam Airport. The new routes come into effect between April 7 and 14, with twice-weekly frequencies on each sector.
Sri Lanka Expands Free Visa Access To 40 Countries To Boost Tourism
Sri Lanka has approved free visa entry for nationals of 40 countries, significantly widening a facility that was previously extended to just seven nations. The regulations, passed under the Immigration and Emigration Act, cover major source markets including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, India, China, and the UAE, among others.Under the new framework, visitors from eligible countries will receive a free 30-day visa.
Seaplanes To Connect Lakshadweep Islands For The First Time
Reaching Lakshadweep has long meant either a 10 to 20-hour sea voyage or a single, heavily booked flight into Agatti Island. That could change. Starting May 13, 2026, 12 trial seaplane flights will operate from Kochi.
Air India Scales Back International Routes Through August 2026
Air India has announced a rationalisation of its international network between June and August 2026, citing record-high jet fuel prices and continued airspace restrictions over certain regions. The airline has firmly denied circulating claims that all international flights have been cancelled, calling them false and baseless.Despite the reductions, Air India will continue operating over 1,200 international flights monthly across five continents. North America sees the most significant changes.
Leh Airport More Than Doubles Daily Flights Ahead Of Tourism Season
Leh’s Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has seen its daily flight operations more than double, rising from eight to 18 flights per day, with two additional services expected to follow shortly. The increase, announced by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, connects Leh with Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar, and Chandigarh, alongside two charter flights to Delhi and Chandigarh.
FLY91 Adds Three Cities And Five New Routes To Its Network
Regional carrier FLY91 is expanding its network with the addition of Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, and Hubballi, alongside five new sectors being introduced in phases between April 10 and 17, 2026.The new schedule includes double daily flights on the Hyderabad-Rajahmundry and Hyderabad-Vijayawada routes, daily services connecting Hyderabad with Hubballi and Hubballi with Bengaluru, five weekly flights on the Hyderabad-Solapur sector, and increased frequency on Goa-Solapur to six weekly services. The expansion is expected to add approximately 30,000 seats per month to the airline’s regional network.
Bhitarkanika National Park Closes For Three Months For Crocodile Nesting
Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district has closed to tourists until July 31, as the annual mating and nesting season of saltwater crocodiles gets underway. The closure, which came into effect on May 1, is a conservation measure aimed.
Wild Buffalo Return To Kanha After Four Decades In MP
Madhya Pradesh has reintroduced the Asiatic wild water buffalo to Kanha Tiger Reserve, marking the species’ return to the region for the first time since 1979. Four sub-adult buffaloes have been translocated from Assam in the first phase, with a target of 50 animals established as a founder population. Eight will be moved during this season.The reintroduction is being carried out under veterinary supervision from both Kaziranga and Kanha, with the Supkhar and Topla area within Kanha identified as the release site.
Rajasthan Moves To Regulate Leopard Tourism In Jawai
Jawai has long operated outside the structured safari circuits that govern most of India’s wildlife destinations. Leopards, Rabari communities, luxury camps, and independent operators have shared this granite landscape in Rajasthan’s Pali district with minimal formal oversight. That is now changing.
Pulikali: The Day Thrissur Turns into a Parade of Tigers (29 August 2026)
Most harvest festivals are solemn affairs. Pulikali is not. On the fourth day of Onam each year, the streets of Thrissur fill with hundreds of men painted head to toe as tigers and leopards, shaking their bellies and dancing to the thunderous beat of the Chenda drum. It is one of the most joyful, most irreverent celebrations in Kerala’s festive calendar.
Sawan: The Season That Wrote Itself Into Indian Culture
No season in India has inspired as much as Sawan. The monsoon month, arriving in July and lingering through August, has been a muse for poets, filmmakers, classical musicians, and painters for well over a thousand years, and its hold on the Indian imagination shows no sign of loosening.
Where Peace Is Not Just a Promise: Sanctuary Amaidiyana, Auroville
The name says it all. Amaidiyana is the Tamil word for peace, and at this CGH Earth retreat on the quiet fringes of Auroville, that promise is architectural, culinary, and deeply felt.Designed by Auroville-based architect Mona Doctor Pingel, the spaces are built from hand-cut stone, reclaimed wood, and locally forged metal, all shaped by local artisans rather than factory finishes. The result is a retreat that feels lived-in rather than constructed. A standout is the Japanese Heiwa Room, its roof shaped like two palms in prayer, centred around a rock garden designed to invite stillness and balance.
In Thimphu, tucked within a designated studio, master artists have been passing down one of Bhutan’s most sacred art forms for generations. A Thangka painting workshop offers rare access to that lineage.
A Fort That Has Stood for Over a Thousand Years: Fort Dadhikar, Alwar
Somewhere in the hills near Alwar, far enough from the main road to feel genuinely removed, a fort has been standing for over a thousand years. Fort Dadhikar traces its origins to some of the oldest prehistoric settlements in this part of Rajasthan, and that weight of history is present in every stone corridor and carved archway.
Five Drinks That Have Kept India Cool for Centuries
Long before refrigeration, India had already solved the problem of summer. Across its cities, villages, and farming communities, a quiet tradition of cooling drinks took shape over centuries, each one rooted in local ingredients, practical wisdom, and the particular needs of the land.
C.V. Raman: The Man Who Changed How the World Sees Light
In 1921, on a voyage to Europe, C.V. Raman looked out at the Mediterranean Sea and found himself unconvinced by the accepted explanation for why it was blue. That curiosity, characteristically precise and relentless, would lead him seven years later to one of the most significant discoveries in modern physics.
Mango Kulfi – A Timeless Indian Delight Mango Kulfi is a beloved Indian frozen dessert that beautifully blends tradition with tropical flavor. Its origins trace back to the 16th century during the Mughal Empire, where the royal kitchens of Delhi crafted kulfi by slowly simmering milk with pistachios and saffron, then freezing it using a salt-ice mixture. The word “kulfi” comes from the Persian “qulfi,” meaning “covered cup,” reflecting the cultural fusion of the era. Over time, regional variations emerged, and mango—India’s most cherished summer fruit—became a favorite addition. Creamy, dense, and intensely flavorful, mango kulfi is more than just a dessert; it’s a nostalgic celebration of Indian heritage and seasonal joy, enjoyed at festivals, family gatherings, and roadside stalls across the country.
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