Category Archives: Agents

Sharing his experience in Thailand, Sanjay Mehta, CEO, Trans Globe Travels, “Two years ago, I went on a Mega fam trip to Thailand. It was a refreshing and amazing experience visiting Thailand. The weather was really good and I loved spending time on the pristine beaches. I visited Koh Chang and Pattaya and it is truly a hidden gem of Thailand.  Enjoyed Kayaking, snorkelling and spending time at pristine beaches during the trip. Overall, the country is the best place for a holiday.”

Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) will host its biggest virtual travel trade event “Travel Business Azerbaijan Online” (TBA 2020) on October 14. The online event will bring together local and international tourism professionals in hopes to forge partnerships and profitable business deals. The event aims to bring together 300 buyers from around the world.

Sharing her experience in Thailand, Sonal Swamy, Managing Director, Syrisa Travels, says, “Our unforgettable trip to Thailand in the summer of 2019 was filled with memories and wonderful experiences. Can’t wait to travel again and enjoy late night walks, foot massages, green Thai curry lunches, long shopping tours and being in the wild with nature again in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.”    

As per the order dated 31 August, 2020 by the Office of District Magistrate, North Goa, there is no requirement for COVID-19 testing for travellers coming to Goa whether by road, rail or air. This is compulsory only for international passengers. Bars have opened, however ban on casinos and river cruises will continue.

Naeem Khan, Director, Mulberry Tours , says, “Thailand is a destination well suited for all kinds of travel, whether it be leisure, FIT, MICE or weddings. The country has a lot to offer—amazing beaches, wonderful food, great night life and a vibrant culture, I have so many fond memories to remember from my numerous trips to Thailand. It is the most preferred holiday destination for Indian travellers.”

Manish Kriplani, MD, Baywatch Travels, has launched Baywatch Stayzz, which include serviced luxury villas and houses for rent. “There was a huge void of having luxury full-service villas, where travellers can relax with having dedicated butler service, and housekeeper, chef and other resources at their disposal. We found that there was demand and availability for the same, which was a great prospect. We have 9 villas as of now and we plan to have 50 such villas in the next 2-3 months in Chennai. While some villas we are obtaining on lease, some are on revenue share, while for others we are only doing sales & marketing. While we have made PDF brochures now, we are preparing a very robust e-commerce website portal, where we are going to host all these villas and which will have all the information about them.”

Ravi Gosain, MD, Erco Travels, has said that with moratorium limit ending on 31st August, many travel companies must shut down. “Situation is very unfavourable for tourism industry. On 31st August, moratorium is ending, and most of the people, whether employees or employers took a moratorium and were expecting that something will roll out. However, things haven’t improved. From September onwards, I don’t think companies of any size are able to pay a single bill. Hence, this will be a huge setback. Hence, I am sure there will be many bankruptcies after this moratorium has ended,” he shared.

Ark Travels, a B2B company specialising in cruise representation business, has penetrated further into the non-cruising space with the acquisition of Outbound Konnections, spearheaded by Anjum Lokhandwala, who will continue as its Director. Kishan Biyani, MD, Ark Travels, says, “I felt this was the right time to enter into the non-cruise space. Along with Ark Travels, we can have a bouquet of products besides cruises, Club Med Resorts and Europamundo Vacations to offer to their B2B network without increasing overheads.”

TAT India’s TogetherThailand digital campaign has entered today in its 4th and concluding week where the key theme focuses on new destinations in Thailand. Agents have to make an itinerary with 2 nights 3 days or 3 nights four days and post on social media platforms about Khao Yai / Chiang Rai/ Trat + Koh Chang/ Phangnga.   

The Globus family of brands is showing its solidarity to its partners by empowering them with vital destination knowledge. Realizing that ultimately one of the concerns faced by frontline sellers is not only lack of good destination knowledge but also it being present with them as a ready reckoner of information and tips that can be used to convince clients. The Globus family of brands has therefore re-launched its destination programmes with ‘I Know South America’ and ‘I Know Europe’ certifications based on popular demand. Globus family pioneered destination specialisation in 2008 with the launch of ‘I Know Europe’. Varesh Chopra, Regional Director, Globus family of brands, says, “A vacation should be absolutely stress-free and unique for every traveler. This is where a travel agent steps in as a partner. We chose these destinations for the re-launch of our certification programs due to little knowledge on these countries and the fact that our opinion poll pointed out these regions as a top choice amongst sellers.” The programs were overwhelmingly successful with over 500 agents from India, Srilanka, Mauritius and the Middle East taking part in each session. Program attendees were put through an extensive training schedule over three days in May, June and August.