Friday, March 13th, 2026
Welcome to Quests Daily | Your Compass for the Day in Travel.
The Lead Story:
LPG Shortages Threaten India’s Hospitality Recovery
A disruption in global energy supply routes following tensions around the Strait of Hormuz is rippling through India’s tourism economy, triggering severe LPG shortages across major hospitality destinations from Goa’s beach belts to the Himalayan hill stations of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Darjeeling.
Commercial LPG cylinders, the backbone of hotel kitchens and restaurant operations, are now being rationed or delivered irregularly, forcing many hotels to cut menu options, delay group bookings, or scale down food and beverage services altogether. In several tourist towns, hospitality associations report delivery backlogs stretching days beyond scheduled supply.
The impact is particularly acute in high-altitude regions such as Himachal Pradesh and Darjeeling, where unreliable electricity infrastructure makes LPG the primary cooking fuel. Without consistent gas supply, hotels face operational constraints that effectively cap occupancy and disrupt F&B services often the highest-margin revenue stream for many properties.
Industry bodies warn that if shortages persist, hotels may be forced to shift to costlier alternatives such as diesel-based cooking or electric equipment, pushing up operating costs and potentially leading to higher menu prices for travelers during the upcoming peak tourist season.
The Briefing:
A national strike in Belgium grounded all flights at Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport on 12th March, prompting authorities to issue a travel warning for passengers. Source.
Rising aviation fuel prices are pushing up airfares across India, potentially making summer holiday travel significantly more expensive for passengers. Source.
The Air India Group will operate 58 flights to West Asia as carriers restore Middle East connectivity, while IndiGo resumes services to key regional destinations. Source.
Visual- Stat of the Day:
Takeaway: Rising jet fuel prices are forcing airlines to rapidly adjust pricing through surcharges and selective fare hikes, with long-haul carriers most exposed as rerouted flights increase fuel burn and operating costs.
The Loyalty-to-Advisor Pipeline: Bilt Rewards Acquires Sion for $30M
Bilt is turning its rent-payment app into a high-end travel agency hub by acquiring Sion for $30M.
Bilt members can now book trips through professional human advisors directly in the app. Sion’s 1,500+ agencies gain instant access to a "walled garden" of 5 million pre-qualified renters. This follows Bilt’s $200M funding round to expand beyond basic payments into "lifestyle" services.
Implication: Traditional OTAs now face a new competitor that owns the customer's most consistent monthly expense: rent.
Term of the Day: ADR Decay
Definition: The gradual loss of Average Daily Rate value when a hotel fails to raise prices in line with sudden inflation or rising utility costs.
Used when: Assessing if your revenue management strategy is actually keeping pace with the rising costs of "hidden" overheads like LPG and electricity.
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