STAAH, a global hospi-tech solutions provider, has announced a key milestone with over 30,000 live properties now using its platform across the world. This includes more than 8,000 properties in India, underlining the brand’s strong growth in the domestic market alongside its expanding global footprint.

The achievement reflects the growing confidence hoteliers place in STAAH’s cloud-based solutions at a time when global travel is steadily regaining momentum. From independent hotels and resorts to groups and chains, STAAH’s technology is helping properties simplify daily operations, improve distribution, and drive better revenue outcomes.

STAAH’s product portfolio includes Channel Manager, Booking Engine, Review Management, Global Distribution System, and other hospitality technology solutions. Together, these offerings support over 30,000 properties in managing online visibility, optimising bookings, and adapting to an increasingly digital hospitality environment.

Commenting on the milestone, Tarun Joukani (Director, STAAH) said, "Reaching 30,000 live properties is a testament to our relentless focus on innovation and customer success. We've seen explosive growth in key markets like India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, where hoteliers are embracing digital transformation to boost occupancy, streamline operations, and maximize revenue. This milestone positions us to empower even more properties as global tourism rebounds."

Headquartered in New Zealand, STAAH is a well-established hospitality technology platform that supports accommodation providers including hotels, motels, and vacation rentals. The company enables properties to grow online bookings and revenue through a user-friendly system that manages Online Travel Agents, direct bookings, and online reputation.

Founded by Gavin Jeddo in 2008, STAAH currently partners with over 20,000 properties across 90 countries. Its operations span New Zealand, Australia, India, UAE, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the UK, and Europe. The company continues to deliver solutions across Channel Management, Booking Engine, Websites, Vouchers, Reputation Management, and Global Distribution System, reinforcing its position as a trusted technology partner for the hospitality industry.

World Pizza Day is around the corner, and Woodside Inn Bengaluru is gearing up to celebrate it in its own relaxed, no-fuss style. Known for understanding what a good bar-style pizza should be, Woodside Inn continues to serve thin-crust pizzas that are crisp, indulgent, and perfect for sharing over long conversations and cold beers.

Staying true to the brand’s easygoing pub culture, these pizzas are designed for the table, order once, keep reaching back, and let the flavours do the talking. Among the clear crowd favourites is the Bacon Brie Melt, where smoky bacon pairs with gooey brie and a drizzle of maple chilli oil. Rich, bold, and packed with flavour, it’s the kind of pizza that vanishes sooner than expected.

Other popular picks include the Truffle 4 Cheese for those who enjoy indulgent comfort, the classic Pepperoni Delight, and the bold Lamb-a-licious topped with lamb bolognese, Kalamata olives, and feta. Vegetarian options are equally well represented, with favourites like Margherita, Primavera, and Southwest Sunset offering balance, comfort, and flavour without compromise.

Located in Indiranagar, Woodside Inn brings together warm hospitality, great music, and a steady flow of beers, making it a go-to neighbourhood pub. This World Pizza Day, the Bengaluru outlet offers the perfect excuse to drop in for good pizzas, easy vibes, and bar food that keeps guests coming back for more.

With the Union Budget 2026 set to be presented in the first week of February, expectations are building across the hospitality, tourism, and food services sectors. Industry leaders are looking to the upcoming budget for measures that can strengthen travel infrastructure, support sustainable tourism, ease operational pressures, and recognise the sector’s role in employment generation.

Sharing her views, Shruti Shibulal, Executive Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at Tamara Leisure Experiences, highlighted the opportunity for the budget to further strengthen India’s travel and tourism ecosystem. She said, "The approaching Union Budget has a strong opportunity to further strengthen India's travel and tourism ecosystem through focused interventions that promote ease of access, visibility and local employment."

She emphasised the need to identify and promote new destinations, particularly across North India and the North East, to attract new traveller segments and ensure balanced regional growth. Improved connectivity under the UDAN scheme, she noted, could also help ease pressure on overcrowded destinations by redirecting tourist flows. On sustainable tourism, she pointed to India’s potential in nature-centric travel and suggested that a calibrated relaxation of wildlife sanctuary guidelines, while maintaining strict conservation norms, could support future-ready tourism development.

Shruti Shibulal also underscored the importance of simplifying visas for health and wellness tourism, extending the PRASAD scheme to more destinations with timely execution, and giving a focused policy push to cruise tourism along India’s coastline to enhance global competitiveness. Stressing safety and ease of travel, she called for a dedicated focus on tourism police under police modernisation schemes. She further added that support for rural cooperatives, along with sustained investment in skill development and local employment generation, especially in rural and emerging destinations, would help create participative tourism models that benefit local communities.

From the food services perspective, Pranav Rungta, Cofounder and Director of Nksha Restaurant and Vice President of NRAI Mumbai, spoke about the financial pressures facing the sector. He said, "The hospitality and food services sector is at a critical inflection point. Revisiting the GST notification on commercial leases under the Reverse Charge Mechanism would provide much-needed relief to operators already managing tight cash flows."

He also highlighted the need to reintroduce support mechanisms such as SEIS to strengthen restaurants that contribute to foreign exchange earnings. According to him, the sector requires targeted subsidies, easier access to debt for SMEs, and formal industry status, given its significant contribution to employment. He further added that a dedicated food services ministry, along with structured employee welfare initiatives, would play a key role in building a more resilient and sustainable hospitality ecosystem.

As the industry awaits the Union Budget 2026, these expectations reflect a broader call for policy clarity, financial relief, and long-term structural support to help hospitality and allied sectors continue their growth momentum.