Hosur to Get New International Airport: A Boon for Tamil Nadu's Economic Growth

Hosur to Get New International Airport: A Boon for Tamil Nadu's Economic Growth

By Nithyakala Neelakandan

Published on June 29, 2024

Tamil Nadu’s industrial town of Hosur is set to receive a major infrastructural boost with the announcement of a new international airport. Chief Minister MK Stalin made the announcement in the state assembly, emphasizing the strategic importance of this development in propelling the state’s economy towards a $1 trillion target by 2030.

The proposed airport will cover 2,000 acres and is designed to handle 30 million passengers annually. This move is expected to significantly enhance connectivity and support the burgeoning industrial and economic activities in the region. Hosur has emerged as a hub for electronics, automobile, and more recently, electric vehicle manufacturing.

Chief Minister Stalin highlighted that this project is part of a broader initiative to develop Hosur, Krishnagiri, and Dharmapuri districts into key economic growth centers. The government sees the airport as essential for facilitating business and travel, reducing dependency on Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, which is 74 km away.

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Image is for representational purposes only.

Industries Minister TRB Rajaa praised the project, noting that it would not only benefit Hosur but also nearby districts such as Dharmapuri and Salem. He added that the new airport would create a twin-city ecosystem with Bengaluru, fostering growth in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Despite the enthusiasm, the project faces challenges due to current central government policies that restrict new airports within a 150-km radius of existing ones. This policy could pose a hurdle since Hosur is within this range from Bengaluru’s airport. However, Tamil Nadu’s government is determined to push forward, citing the airport's critical role in the state’s economic strategy.

Hosur’s existing industrial base, which includes major companies like Ashok Leyland, Titan, TVS Motors, and newer entrants like Ola’s e-vehicle factory, stands to benefit greatly from improved air connectivity. The airport is expected to streamline logistics and travel, thereby attracting more investments.

The new airport will complement Tamil Nadu’s existing international airports in Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy, and Madurai, and domestic airports in Salem and Tuticorin. This development aligns with the state’s broader infrastructural and economic goals, reinforcing its position as a leading industrial and export hub in India.

Overall, the Hosur international airport project is poised to be a game-changer for Tamil Nadu, enhancing regional connectivity, boosting economic growth, and supporting the state’s ambitious vision for the future.


Spalba Eyes ₹100 Cr Turnover by FY26, Expands into 6 Asian Markets

Spalba Eyes ₹100 Cr Turnover by FY26, Expands into 6 Asian Markets

By Nishang Narayan

Published on May 30, 2025

Spalba, a SaaS-enabled B2B venue marketplace, has set its sights on a ₹100 crore turnover by FY 2026. The company recently closed FY 2025 with a consolidated turnover of ₹60 crore, marking an impressive 3000% year-on-year growth since its inception just five years ago. What makes this journey even more remarkable? Spalba remains fully bootstrapped and profitable, a rarity in today’s startup ecosystem.

Driven by innovation, Spalba is expanding rapidly across Asia. The platform has entered six new markets—Malaysia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal—taking its VenueTech vision global. Back home, the company plans to grow its venue inventory from 11,000 to 13,000 and expand property listings from 2,067 to 4,500 by FY26, effectively doubling its offering and increasing its presence in over 80 Indian cities.

“Our journey from a bootstrapped startup to a ₹60 crore revenue run-rate has been driven by continuous innovation and an unwavering commitment to customer success,” said Vishal Puri, Co-Founder of Spalba. “With our tech-first approach—combining AR-powered Virtual Property Tours, an Event Mockup Builder, AI-driven sales tools, and more—we expect to cross ₹100 crore by FY 2026 and continue modernizing India’s ₹200 billion events industry.”

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Over 250 marquee properties including The Leela, Radisson Hotel Group, Accor, and The Oberoi have partnered with Spalba to streamline venue sales and boost cross-selling opportunities. The platform not only simplifies the venue booking process with immersive digital walkthroughs but also reduces the need for paperwork and physical site visits—supporting both revenue growth and sustainability for its clients.

Founded in 2020, Spalba is redefining event planning by making venue discovery and booking faster, smarter, and more collaborative. Its roadmap to ₹100 crore highlights a focus on scalable innovation, customer-centric solutions, and long-term value creation—all without raising external funding.


Starbucks India Faces 65% Surge in Losses in FY25 Despite Modest Sales Growth

Starbucks India Faces 65% Surge in Losses in FY25 Despite Modest Sales Growth

By Nishang Narayan

Published on May 27, 2025

Starbucks India posted a 5% rise in revenue to ₹1,277 crore in FY25, but the good news ended there. Losses widened significantly by 65% to ₹135.7 crore, up from ₹82 crore in the previous year, reflecting the growing strain on profitability amid soft demand in the quick service restaurant (QSR) segment.

Operating under a 50:50 joint venture with Tata Consumer Products as Tata Starbucks Pvt Ltd, the company noted that almost half of the losses—₹67.6 crore—were borne by Tata Consumer. According to the brand’s annual report, demand across the QSR space remained muted through most of the year, though a rebound was noted in the latter half. Still, profitability remained under pressure.

Despite the headwinds, Starbucks continued to expand, opening 58 new outlets and entering 19 new cities, including several in tier-2 markets. However, this was a notable slowdown compared to the 95 new outlets launched in the previous year. As of now, Starbucks operates 479 stores across 80 Indian cities.

The company remains optimistic about long-term growth in India. “We remain committed to increasing our store base in India and get to 1,000 outlets by FY28, despite a more moderate number of store openings in the short term,” Starbucks said in a statement.

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Tata Consumer Products Chairman N Chandrasekaran addressed the broader economic landscape, noting that India remains a stronghold of economic growth amid global uncertainty. “India’s long-term growth is underpinned by strong demographic and economic fundamentals and ongoing structural reforms,” he told shareholders.

However, rising competition from both international and domestic brands continues to challenge Starbucks’ market share. Rivals like Tim Hortons and Pret A Manger have entered the Indian market with aggressive expansion plans, while homegrown brands like Third Wave Coffee and Blue Tokai already operate more than 250 outlets combined.

A senior QSR official highlighted a key operational challenge: “Starbucks’ revenue per square foot is about 35% lower compared to metros. Also, city stores seem to be cannibalising heavily after it opened stores at a record pace in cities such as Mumbai and Delhi.”

While a strong takeaway culture offers a margin boost, uneven store performance continues to drag the bottom line. Some stores thrive, but others suffer from low footfalls and declining revenue per square foot, affecting overall profitability.

With the coffee wars heating up and Indian consumers spoilt for choice, Starbucks will need more than just store count to brew up sustained success in the coming years.


OYO Adds 3500 Corporate Clients in FY25, Sees 20% YoY Growth

OYO Adds 3500 Corporate Clients in FY25, Sees 20% YoY Growth

By Nishang Narayan

Published on May 18, 2025

OYO is riding high on its corporate wave. The global hospitality tech brand has added over 3500 new corporate clients in FY25 through its business accelerator division, marking a 20% year-on-year growth in this segment. With this, OYO’s corporate network now exceeds 6500 clients, ranging from large enterprises to traditional business houses and startups.

Mumbai emerged as the top-performing city, onboarding over 700 clients, followed by Hyderabad (400) and Pune (350). Other metros such as Chennai and Bangalore also contributed significantly to the growth.

Some of the key additions to OYO’s client roster include SBI Life, Cult Fit, and Sun TV Direct, further strengthening its footprint among large, pan-India brands.

The growth momentum picked up following the launch of Oravel Travel Solutions in October 2024—a dedicated vertical to meet the end-to-end needs of corporate travellers. From smooth check-ins at over 1100 serviced hotels across 300+ cities, curated meal options and conference support, to tailor-made event and holiday packages, OYO has positioned itself as a comprehensive solution for business travel.

Manish Kashyap, Head of OYO Business Accelerator, noted:

“The growth has been driven not just by large corporations but also by a diverse mix of SMEs, traditional business houses, startups, travel management companies, and even film production houses. These clients are increasingly leveraging OYO’s expansive network, flexible bookings, and tech-enabled tools to meet their evolving travel needs.”

OYO also witnessed a rise in long-term and event-based stays, signaling a shift in how businesses engage with hospitality solutions.

With a strong pipeline ahead, OYO aims to double down on its premium brand offerings like SUNDAY, Palette, Clubhouse Townhouse, Townhouse O, and Collection O.

According to the Global Business Travel Association, India has become the 4th largest business travel market in Asia-Pacific, with rising SME activity playing a major role. These trends have set the stage for OYO to scale faster and meet the evolving demands of modern corporate travel.

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