In recent years, the Chettinad area has seen an uptick in tourism, as new hotels have opened in restored mansions and the nearest airport expanded. Kanadukathan, a village roughly a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Tiruchirappalli airport, offers visitors a glimpse of rural South India with cows grazing along dusty lanes, temple pools for ritual bathing, and artisan workshops for weaving and woodcarving. What surprises many, even seasoned travellers, is the sheer scale of the local architecture: streets lined with colossal historic mansions.

The village’s mansions, organised in neat grids, feature Italianate balustrades, castle-like turrets, marble columns, Burmese teak doors, and Hindu statuary. Kanadukathan is just one of 73 villages in Chettinad, which is home to an estimated 10,000 such residences. Many are abandoned or in disrepair, yet each tells a story of a mercantile community’s wealth, refined tastes, and eventual decline.

Tourism in the region began growing after the opening of well-serviced hotels, which adapted historic mansions for modern visitors. The Bangala, opened in 1999 by Meenakshi Meyyappan, was the first such property, converted from a private family home into accommodation. More recent openings, like THE Lotus Palace run by THE Park Hotels group, showcase lavish restorations with vibrant facades, Renaissance arches, and ornate statues. Courtyards once used for family rituals and business meetings have been transformed into dining areas, pools, and guest spaces, maintaining the mansions’ ceremonial grandeur.

The Chettiars, a mercantile community dating back to the 13th century, originally built these homes. After relocating inland following a tsunami, they thrived as moneylenders and traders, establishing trade links across Burma, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Indochina. Their wealth was displayed in imported marble, glass mirrors, and cast-iron columns, often combined with traditional Hindu motifs, including statues of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. Many homes even feature figures reflecting British colonial influence.

The community’s fortunes waned in the 20th century due to World War II, Indian independence, and domestic taxation. Subsequent generations redirected wealth into education and professional careers, leaving the mansions neglected. Many architectural elements—teak doors, carved columns, and painted safes—have been salvaged and sold in local antique shops, highlighting the fragility of this heritage.

Tourism now offers a way to revive Chettinad’s cultural legacy. Visitors to THE Lotus Palace can explore nearby artisan workshops, including the Venkatramani Thari Chettinad handloom and Athangudi tile factory, as well as shops selling Chettinad cotton sarees. Guests can also experience traditional feasts, such as the Raja Virundhu meal, served on banana leaves with dozens of meticulously prepared dishes, or high tea in the palace’s Burmese-themed Red Room.

As tourism grows, these restored mansions provide more than luxury stays—they offer a window into Chettinad’s rich mercantile history, its architectural extravagance, and culinary traditions. For travellers, the area combines historic splendour, cultural immersion, and rural charm, ensuring the legacy of the Chettiars remains alive for generations to come.

From Poland to Ethiopia, several new transport hubs are set to open over the next decade, promising to reshape international air travel. While airports such as London Heathrow, Istanbul, and Dubai International currently handle millions of passengers annually, a new wave of mega airports is expected to challenge their dominance.

In Poland, Port Polska, previously known as Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), is planned between Warsaw and Łódź and is scheduled to open in 2032. The hub will feature two runways and is expected to accommodate around 40 million passengers each year, making it one of Europe’s largest airports. Plans also include a railway station connecting the airport to Kraków, Gdańsk, and Wrocław via high-speed rail. Construction is set to begin this year, with the British architectural firm Foster + Partners leading the design.

In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai International Airport, currently the world’s second busiest airport, will gradually transition operations to Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport. The new facility, which currently handles just over a million passengers annually, is set to expand into the world’s busiest airport with five runways and a projected capacity of 150 million passengers per year. Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths announced at the Dubai Airshow in 2025 that the transition is expected to be complete by 2032.

Saudi Arabia is also planning an ambitious expansion with King Salman International Airport, which will replace the existing King Fahd International Airport in Riyadh. Covering 780 square kilometres, King Fahd served 12.8 million passengers in 2024, but authorities aim to increase that figure to 120 million by 2030. Once completed, King Salman International Airport will feature six parallel runways and is projected to handle 185 million passengers annually by 2050.

In Africa, Bishoftu International Airport in Ethiopia is under construction about 40 kilometres south of Addis Ababa. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the first phase will allow the airport to manage 60 million passengers each year, with plans to expand to 110 million in the future, making it the continent’s largest airport. High-speed rail links are planned to connect Bishoftu International to Addis Ababa and the existing Bole International Airport.

“These upcoming transport hubs will not only increase passenger capacity but also improve connectivity through integrated rail networks,” said an aviation industry analyst. “They represent a significant shift in how global air travel will operate over the next decade.”

These new airports highlight the rapid growth of international aviation infrastructure in the coming years, with Europe, the Middle East, and Africa positioning themselves as central nodes in the global air transport network. As projects like Port Polska, Dubai World Central, King Salman International, and Bishoftu International come online, travelers can expect larger, faster, and more connected hubs to accommodate increasing passenger demand worldwide.

This marks the second regional train service that is not connected to Baku and operates outside the capital.

Azerbaijan has introduced a new passenger rail route connecting its second-largest city, Ganja, with the mountain resort city of Gabala, improving access to one of the country’s key tourism destinations. Gabala is famed for its ski resorts, natural landscapes, and cultural events, including the Gabala International Music Festival, which draws visitors and artists from around the world.

The new service is operated by the national state-owned rail company, Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), using Stadler trains, a Swiss manufacturer known for modern, high-quality rolling stock. The route spans approximately 139 kilometers, with a one-way travel time of around 1 hour and 50 minutes. ADY said the service will make travel easier for both locals and tourists alike.

Passengers can choose from four classes: Standard, Standard+, Business, and First Class, with fares starting at 4.80 manats (€2.45). The train stops at Goran, Yevlakh, Laki, and Aghdash stations, and offers connectivity with Baku through a transfer at Laki station, allowing daily travel in both directions.

Travelers from the capital can take the Baku–Gazakh train to Laki station, arriving at 10:50 a.m. local time, and continue to Gabala on the new service at 11:12 a.m. The return journey allows passengers to board the Gabala–Laki service at 18:45, connecting to the Gazakh–Baku train at 19:02.

Gabala offers a range of attractions for visitors. Its surrounding mountains, forests, lakes, and waterfalls make it ideal for skiing, hiking, and cable car rides. Year-round activities and cultural events have made Gabala a growing destination for both domestic and international tourists.

Ganja, the country’s second-largest city, is celebrated as the birthplace of the 12th-century poet Nizami Ganjavi. The city preserves his legacy through museums, monuments, and cultural sites, most notably the Nizami Mausoleum. The new train service enhances accessibility to these historical and cultural landmarks, making it easier for visitors to experience Ganja’s rich heritage.

The launch of the Ganja–Gabala train highlights Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to expand regional rail connectivity outside the capital and support tourism development. Officials expect the service to boost local economies, encourage domestic travel, and provide a convenient, sustainable alternative to road transport for both leisure and business travelers.