Category Archives: Agents

FCM Travel Solutions launched FCM 360, a new product suite for customers which delivers an all-encompassing travel experience. FCM 360 consists of three categories of products and services falling under: ‘FCM 360 technology’, ‘FCM 360 travel’ and ‘FCM 360 services’. The program provides real solutions for travellers, travel bookers and organisations designed to meet every need throughout the travel buying process. Introducing the product suite, Global General Manager for FCM Travel Solutions Marcus Eklund said that FCM 360 was born to demonstrate the total approach FCM take when developing and managing client travel programs. “Within FCM 360 we offer a wide range of specialised travel services and technology solutions which drives transformation of our clients’ business travel programs,” said Marcus. “In most markets we offer a complete suite of products and services ranging from our own exclusive travel product, best-in-class technology tools, specialised services and partnerships with leading travel service providers, which demonstrates our holistic approach to travel management.”

Karan Anand, Head (Relationship), Cox & Kings, has been nominated by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to the National Tourism Advisory Council for a period of three years. The Council will act as a ‘Think Tank’ and advise the government on policy matters relating to tourism in the country. The committee comprises luminaries from the central government and the private sector. Anand will continue to carry out his responsibilities at Cox & Kings.

Thomas Cook India has opened a new Gold Circle Partner outlet in Bikaner. The Thomas Cook Gold Circle Partner programme is an exclusive partner programme for tour operators and travel agents in India that helps in increasing the brand’s presence and reach across the country. With this programme, the Gold Circle Partner reaps benefits of a brand association with Thomas Cook, along with knowledge sharing, training and expertise to manage a travel business. In addition, a Gold Circle Partner is empowered to provide customers with a wide range of travel and financial products & services, including sales & marketing support for customer retention and further new business development, thereby enabling them to reach out to a larger customer base. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head Leisure Travel & MICE at Thomas Cook India Limited said, “We have observed that India’s Tier II and III markets exhibit immense potential for growth and we want to be a catalyst in this key opportunity. Bikaner is a ]new market for our travel and travel related businesses and we believe that the city offers tremendous potential to cater to a diversity of retail consumers such as business families, government employees, and business and leisure travelers. Our newly opened outlet in Bikaner is located in a well-known commercial hub- right in the heart of the market.” With this new Bikaner outlet, Thomas Cook India’s network in Rajasthan extends to 10 locations across the state, offering its customers easy access via 2 owned branches in Jaipur and Udaipur and 8 Gold Circle Partner outlets (3 in Jaipur, and one each a Kota, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Alwar and now in Bikaner).

Cox & Kings marked Children’s day by granting wishes of over 100 children with life-threatening illnesses at a fun- filled event, organised by Cox & Kings Foundation and Make a Wish Foundation. Cox & Kings planned the celebration across cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune. Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings said, “The Cox & Kings foundation is committed to help bring positivity and joy into the lives of many children every year. Today, as the nation celebrates Children’s Day, this is our effort to reduce the pains and struggles of children with life-threatening illnesses and fill them with happiness and enjoyment to make them feel better” More than 150 employees of Cox & Kings across cities celebrated Children’s day with the kids. Describing the event, Deepak Bhatia, CEO, Make A Wish Foundation said “it is our endeavour to make this a special day for our children and we partnered with Cox & Kings who supported us and all our children had a very good time.’’ Different wishes of Bicycles, TV, Remote control cars, Mobiles, Laptops etc. were fulfilled across India.

In an emergency meeting last night, the government has extended payments in demonetized 500 and 1,000 currency notes at all utilities and ASI monuments till November 24, as confirmed by Pronab Sarkar President, IATO. Earlier, based on the advice of Ministry of Finance, the Director General of ASI had issued orders for accepting demonetized 500 and 1000 currency notes till the midnight of November 11, 2016, for entry tickets to centrally protected monuments.

Holidays By Sahibji has introduced a new online venture www.travkart.com which is launched to promote international and domestic destinations, packages, sightseeing, excursions and different products online. Travkart.com is unique in its features and is complete online and offline travel management solutions to both B2B and B2C clients for all specialised fixed departures to destinations around the world. Some of the main services include: Fixed departure packages including Air and Non – Air packages to Indian & International destinations, ranging from the shortest possible tour itineraries to long vacations, thus making travel easily accessible & feasible for everyone, Domestic & International Hotel bookings, Cruise Holidays, Special Theme holidays, Day Trips / Weekend Getaways and MICE: Special group rates for Meetings, Incentives, Conference, Exhibitions, Leisure or Training programme on all Domestic and International destinations.

Rajan Sehgal, Chairman, TAAI Northern Chapter, feels that for the next few months, it will be a big problem for domestic tourism as people use cash transactions for everything from staying, to eating and sight-seeing. “Foreign tourists also are facing a challenge in paying for basic needs like food as well as reports have also come from many places about people being denied entry in the monuments as they do not have the required cash. Foreign tourists who are in the middle of their journey in India and have already exchanged money, have no idea what they need to do with the cash they have as most of it is in denominations of 1000 and 500. Another big problem for us is that all the embassies and VFS centres do not take cheques or credit cards. They only take demand drafts, which is a longer process or they accept cash, which is posing as a big problem today. We are in talks with them and hoping for a positive outcome.”

Sarabjit Singh, Vice Chairman, FAITH, reveals that tour operators are facing problems everywhere they need to pay higher amount, especially at interstate tolls, which has now been relaxed till Nov 11. “The denominations for 50 and 100 is not available in large numbers as of now. Paying monument fee turned out to be a big problem for tourists. Jaipur has made the entry complimentary for the monuments, and the same should be followed at other places. Either there should be alternate arrangements to deal with this problem, or there should be some relaxation until normalcy returns,” he adds.

E.M. Najeeb, Chairman, IATO Southern Region, and Chairman & Managing Director, Air Travel Enterprises Group of Companies (ATE), says the decision has badly hit tourists today as thousands of tourists who are in India cannot pay in restaurants, do shopping, or pay for local purchases. “Apart from the stay, which is pre-paid, they can’t do anything else with the foreign exchange they have already taken. People are facing great hardships, queuing up at petrol pumps, there was not enough change at railway stations despite them accepting the 500 and 1000 bills. The government’s step to curtail black money is much appreciated, but I think it should have been better managed and the steps taken by the government shouldn’t have affected the normal people so much. We also have our hospitals and since the concession of accepting the larger denominations is only in government hospitals, private hospitals like us had to treat people for free.

Debjit Dutta, Chairman, IATO Eastern Chapter and Founder & CEO, Impression Tourism Services, says this bold move has definitely caused an inconvenience for travellers. “Foreign tourists who have recently exchanged money are now facing several problems even to buy food and shop since they are on holiday. Since we are tour operators, our business runs mostly on cash payments so it has hindered business as well. I feel that some facility should have been in place keeping in mind the number of tourists that are affected with this change – such turn of events might just lead them to have a bad impression of the country and go back with the same thing in mind,” he adds.