--- title: Blinking into the Light…It’s time to get Smart as the World wakes up description: More than a Billion vaccinations delivered under Prime Minister Modi’s pandemic relief programme - we’re starting to see a spike in travel numbers. image: https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/blog-16.jpg --- [+44 (0)20 7183 3710](tel:+44%20(0)20%207183%203710) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/eco-hotels-uk-plc/) - [**](https://twitter.com/eco_hotels) [![Eco-logo-white-1](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/Eco-logo-white-1.png "Eco-logo-white-1")](https://www.ecohotelsglobal.com) ![](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/blog-16.jpg) # Blinking into the Light…It’s time to get Smart as the World wakes up You wait ages for some good news, and then it all comes along at once: a historic surge in financial markets (the BSE Index rose to 61,765 last month), more than a Billion vaccinations delivered under Prime Minister Modi’s pandemic relief programme, and now, as COVID restrictions are gradually eased, we’re starting to see a spike in domestic and international travel numbers as well. All of which is particularly good news for the Subcontinent: with the Festive Season getting into full swing, we can start traveling again. And as we emerge blinking into the light, it feels as though the darkest days of COVID might just be behind us…so in fact it’s no surprise travel numbers and hotel bookings are running at a two year high: they are, after all, the perfect expression of our best hope for a brighter future. **Ticking up** In the light of air travel indicators remorselessly ticking up month on month, sector analysts are currently forecasting an aggregate increase of 15% in passenger numbers between the third and fourth quarters of this year: that’s an increase of 113% since the dog days of the first lockdown restrictions last year. And looking ahead into the Festive Season proper, there’s been a 50% increase in average bookings (and a 70% decrease in last minute cancellations), so steady, inexorable rise seems firmly on the cards for the foreseeable future …not, of course, forgetting train travel, that old Indian stalwart: rail bookings are also peaking, with waitlists reaching saturation point on a number of key routes, and bookings up 45% month on month: especially on festival dates, but driven also by a basic urge to escape from home after more than a year of watching the walls closing in and the children cracking up. Short breaks and getaways are back on the cards too, as India reaches once more for the attractions of fresh air and countryside. The lush, eco rich landscapes of [Goa](https://hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/goa), Kashmir and India’s [North Eastern](https://hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/north+eastern) territories have all witnessed a surge in demand for environmentally sustainable hotel accommodation: accommodation that is built and operated in a manner consistent with the special needs of the subcontinent’s precious natural heritage. That’s why surveys have consistently placed ecological sustainability at the very top of the list of demands for today’s travellers…more aware than ever before of the climate challenges facing our fragile planet. It’s something [Eco Hotels](https://hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/eco+hotels) has been placing at the forefront of its business model for years: a leader in sustainability, with a track record of building environmental consciousness into its operations from the ground up: making best use of green energy on a daily basis, structuring its activities with minimal waste levels in mind, and supporting communities by sourcing supplies and creating employment opportunities locally too. But its not just about sustainability, the Eco Hotels model is smart as well…on multiple levels. **[Smart Sustainability](https://hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/smart+sustainability)…and Safety**  Eco Hotels are designed to the highest standards, making best use of materials and facilities to secure an optimal customer experience, with market leading efficiency levels, sumptuous levels of comfort, and sufficient flexibility to ensure maximum freedom of choice too. Customers can make smart decisions on everything from cuisine to room type, all carefully calibrated to meet their individual requirements. And, of course, despite the (happily) receding challenges of COVID, that means customer safety too. Its why Eco Hotels have marshalled the full potential of modern technologies to ensure top to bottom assurance in all of its properties. It's a message that’s bound to resonate with travellers: at last, a hotel chain that’s not only passionate about sustainability, but capable of acting smart as well. That’s something we should all bear in mind as we emerge, blinking, into the light… [**Back to the News](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/) ### Search ### Recent News ![feature image](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/2023-global-hotels.jpg) [ Hotel Market Recovery: A Global Perspective by CBRE ](https://blog.redribbon.co/en/reports-lists/hotel-market-recovery-a-global-perspective-by-cbre-this-report-examines-the-global-hotel-market-recovery-in-2022) 1 December 2023 ![feature image](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/cityscape-with-little-planet-effect.jpg) [ Oxford Economics - Future Of Construction 2030 ](https://blog.redribbon.co/en/reports-lists/oxford-economics-future-of-construction-2030) 1 December 2023 ![feature image](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/Private%20markets%20rally%20to%20new%20heights.webp) [ McKinsey & Company: Private markets rally to new heights ](https://blog.redribbon.co/en/reports-lists/mckinsey-company-private-markets-rally-to-new-heights) 31 March 2022 ![feature image](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202022-03-10%20at%2011.25.09%20AM-1.png) [ JLL: Global Hotel Investment Outlook 2022 ](https://blog.redribbon.co/en/reports-lists/jll-global-hotel-investment-outlook-2022) 10 March 2022 ![feature image](https://blog.ecohotelsglobal.com/hubfs/modxl.webp) [ Oxford Economics - Future of Construction 2030 ](https://blog.redribbon.co/en/reports-lists/future-of-construction-2030) 19 October 2021 ## SIGN UP TO RECEIVE THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM ECO HOTELS - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/eco-hotels-uk-plc/) - [**](https://twitter.com/eco_hotels) - [**](https://www.facebook.com/EcoHotelsIndia) Capital at risk. Investments of this nature carry risks to your capital, including lack of liquidity, lack of dividends and dilution. Balance risk with a diversified portfolio. Please seek independent advice as required as Eco Hotels UK Plc does not give investment or tax advice. Suitable only for sophisticated or high net worth investors. Eco hotels is an incubation by [Red Ribbon Asset Management Plc](https://www.redribbon.co/), a Mainstream Impact Investment company following the principles of the "Triple P Bottomline" of Planet, People and Profit. [Privacy & Cookies](https://www.ecohotelsglobal.com/privacy-policy) | [Conflicts of Interest](https://www.ecohotelsglobal.com/interest-policy) | [Terms & Conditions](https://www.ecohotelsglobal.com/terms-and-condition)