Category Archives: Agents

Displaying keen appetite in India’s high growth international education segment, Thomas Cook (India), has announced its ‘Study Buddy’ program – with special offers on all student remittances made until September 30, 2021. The offers are available across the company’s omnichannel touch points – over 1100 retail outlets (both owned and FX Mate B2B partner outlets), toll free contact centre # 1800 2099 100, and portal www.thomascook.in With Indian students having lost out on their academic year due to the pandemic, 2021 has witnessed a significant resurgence in the overseas study opportunity. The increasing uptick in admissions for the upcoming semester commencing July-August 2021, offers Thomas Cook India strong potential. To maximise on this opportunity, the company’s Foreign Exchange business has launched its special ‘Study Buddy’ program to benefit students on every education remittance made until September 30, 2021. Highlights of the Study Buddy offer include a Grand Prize – One Free* Air Ticket to study destination per month (for travel up to Sept 2022), daily prize to be won – a bluetooth headphone, and assured gifts including a Lenskart Gold membership, P&G vouchers. Deepesh Varma, Senior Vice President, Foreign Exchange, Thomas Cook (India) said, “The international study segment is a highly opportune one and we are already witnessing growth of over 20%. Our Study Buddy program with attractive offers has hence been specially designed to benefit our students and thereby increase our share of the education remittances business.”

Imaginative nature play is the order of the day at the Koala Conservation Reserve, Phillip Island Nature Parks, with a new nature play area opening on Saturday 26 June, just in time for the school holidays. The play area is designed so that kids will create their own fun and be imaginative as they jump, run, sit, crawl and climb throughout the different areas that showcase some of the island’s native species – an Eastern barred bandicoot burrow, a honeyeater nest and a koala deck. Recycled timbers were sourced from the plantation at the Koala Conservation Reserve, as well as Churchill Island, to allow for a sustainable and aesthetic design that complemented the surrounding woodland. The new nature play area is located at the front of the Koala Conservation Reserve, so paid entry is not required. It’s the perfect place for families to bring along a picnic and spend some time getting back to nature with the kids. Nature will also be a feature of a new mural artwork being created by renowned contemporary artist Jimmy Dvate. Wildlife will be celebrated in this mural that is set to feature native species including a honeyeater, a curlew and more. Work will be starting on the walls of the old Chisholm centre on Wednesday 30 June, and Jimmy is expecting the project to take approximately ten days to complete.

Reacting on the Finance Minister’s relief measures announcements announcement for the tourism industry, Subhash Goyal, President, Confederation of Tourism Professionals of India said the announcement is ‘too late and too little’. “Already 10 million people in the industry have become jobless and thousands of companies have become bankrupt,” he said.

Madhavan Menon, Managing Director, Thomas Cook India Group, welcomes the announcement by the honourable Finance Minister, Sitharaman, saying, “This is a much needed step towards the revival of tourism – a sector  that is a significant contributor to the GDP, foreign exchange receipts and employment generation – with a cascading force multiplier effect on allied sectors. The three-pronged approach for the sector covers 100% guarantee for loans up to Rs 10 lakhs per government recognised Travel & Tourism stakeholder (TTS), up to Rs 1 Lakh financial support to over 11000 licensed guides at a state/regional level, and 5 lakh gratis visas that will serve to catalyse much needed inbound inflows.  The stimulus announcements reflect the government’s focus on the travel and tourism sector and augurs well for the industry, while simultaneously building consumer confidence in travel.”

Anil Oraw, Regional Director, Indiatourism North, has said, “One support we give to tour operators is that if they are doing online activities and have a website with 50-100 itineraries, we give financial assistance of up to Rs50,000 to revamp the website. If a tour operator is doing a campaign on Facebook or Google, we will support them.”

Krishna Murthy, Founder & Managing Director, SWT Club, shares that they have developed an authentic-time solution platform potentiated with technology and customisable product offerings for agents across India. “It is supplemented with a team of enthusiasts who handhold travel agent partners’ business growth with zeal and transparency. The year 2020 gave us enough time to redesign our business process by harnessing technology,” he says. SWT is a Global DMC, empowering Travel Agents in India to connect with travel service providers worldwide through a dynamic two-way online interface. With an industry experience of more than 18 years, the company has a vast network of travel supplier across the globe.

Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel surveyed over 4000 customers across India’s Tier I-III cities in a recent survey to identify emerging consumer behaviours and trends that will drive travel preferences in the COVID era. The survey revealed that as many as 66% respondents are willing to spend additional towards personal health & safety, while 19% cite uncertainty as a concern. Safety seems to be a key parameter for at least 70% respondents.

In a survey by Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel, 77% respondents continued to express strong preference for interaction with an expert for guidance/ reassurance – 27% opting to purchase holidays through retail outlets; 17% for home service; 33% preferred a contactless experience of a virtual store/video chat. On the other hand, 23% respondents opted for bookings via website/app. Over 4000 customers were surveyed across India’s Tier 1 – 3 cities to identify emerging consumer behaviours and trends that will drive travel preferences in the COVID era.

Sabina Chopra, Co-Founder and COO, Corporate Travel & Head Industry Relations, Yatra.com said they have witnessed that the turnaround time for travel bookings has been considerably quicker as compared to last year. “With the ongoing vaccination process in the country, people are more confident about booking for travels which will provide a boost to the industry,” she further said.

The first virtual ‘Korea Travel Expo’ will see buyers from West and South India indulging in B2B meetings with over 15 exhibitors from South Korea. In fact, 1/3rd of the delegation from South Korea is looking to explore the India market for the very first time or after many years. Register at www.koreatravelexpo.com, email jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 9650196532.