Sandeep Dwivedi, COO at ITQ, this year has witnessed an inclusive union budget release catering nearly all aspects of travel fraternity needs, giving impetus on infrastructure improvement to capital investment and not just economic but green growth. Initiatives such as pushing tourism to border villages, 50 additional airports, 2.40 lakh crores for railway sector -9 times higher compared to FY 13-14, will foster regional connectivity in the country. A 33% hike for last 3 years in capital investment of 10 lakh crores this year on infrastructure improvement, tourist guides information, high standards food streets and security of tourists is all we expected and included in the current budget announcement. However, there is no relief provided from any rationalism to exemption on foreign exchange earnings, rather 4 times increment in TCS on outbound travel from 5% to 20% is going to affect market growth. Strategic schemes like ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, ‘One district-One product’, and ‘Panchamrit’ are not limited to domestic upliftment. In my opinion, these schemes will create greater impact at the global level having vision in the direction of clean fuel clean environment leading to zero carbon emission by 2070. Dekho Apna Desh shall promote tourism to every corner in India targeting Indian citizens and foreign tourists. In fact, sanction of additional airports and investment in infrastructure is a step towards India’s long been dream of becoming a global aviation hub. Moreover, the vision of ‘Amrit Kaal’ is a hugely welcome step towards significant growth and development of India’s technology driven and knowledge based economy.
Read More »We expect international traffic to pick up pace at around 120% of pre-COVID levels: Sandeep Dwivedi, ITQ
Sandeep Dwivedi, COO, InterGlobe Technology Quotient, has said that they expect travel to be at the peak of renewal next year and international traffic to pick up pace at around 120 per cent of the pre-COVID levels.
Read More »We will become a dominant player in the OTA area: Sandeep Dwivedi, COO, ITQ
Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating Officer, ITQ, has announced that they have signed a multi-year agreement with Cleartrip where we are going to empower a GDS connectivity on Cleartrip platform. “Our market share will increase, we will become a dominant player in the OTA area where all OTAs will use our technology,” he said.
Read More »Trust first for 50% Indian travellers when choosing travel supplier: Travelport
In India, trust directly influences traveler purchasing behavior, claims a research by Travelport. Due to COVID-19, for example, half (50%, versus a global average of 46%) of travellers in the country said they prioritize trust over all other factors when choosing a travel supplier (such as an airline). Many travellers in India also stated, when trust is in place, they will consider purchasing multiple travel-related items (47%), upgrading their package (47%) and buying non-travel-related items such as credit cards (42%) – putting India amongst the countries with the strongest link between trust and purchasing propensity. “The Indian travel industry has a golden opportunity to come out of COVID-19 strongly”, said Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating Officer of InterGlobe Technology Quotient, Travelport’s official partner in India. “It’s clear that building consumer trust can lead to commercial success. By focusing on the most important issues for consumers in India, we can accelerate industry recovery.”
Read More »Travel retail platform Travelport rebrands and reveals new identity
In its first-ever end-to-end rebrand, Travelport has launched a new visual identity already visible on its website and social media channels. Sandeep Dwivedi, COO, ITQ (distributor of Travelport), says, “Indeed, this is just the beginning of the bright future that awaits, in terms of futuristic technology, products & services that enhance travel trade and retailing at large.”
Read More »165% increase in Indian bookings for passengers with special needs on Travelport
The Travel Unified global campaign by Travelport, launched in 2019, drives awareness about DPNA (Disabled Passenger with intellectual or Developmental disability Needing Assistance) as a Special Service Request (SSR) code available in the airline industry for passengers. In India, the use of the code for flights booked through Travelport has increased by 165%. Under the campaign, the requests for assistance for airline passengers with intellectual disabilities have nearly doubled. Globally, use of the code on flights booked through Travelport has increased by 89% since the launch of the Travel Unified campaign. Little-known SSR code, DPNA 1, can be used to alert airlines when a traveler has an intellectual or developmental disability and needs assistance. Travelport has now extended the campaign until at least the end of 2019 and called for all parties in the travel industry to do more to support people with intellectual disabilities. Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating Officer at InterGlobe Technology Quotient, stated: “Air travel is meant to be hassle-free and safe for all passengers and particularly for specially-abled. And, when there is a system in place for them, it is our responsibility to let the patrons with intellectual and developmental disabilities benefit from it. Travelport‘s Travel Unified campaign is a great initiative that has been instrumental in raising awareness about DPNA SSR code among travel trade fraternity as well as specially-abled passengers. The code usage while booking flights through Travelport has grown by 165% in India, which clearly shows the effectiveness of this campaign. We encourage all travel professionals in the travel industry to come together and make this campaign reach to everyone.” SSR codes are used in the airline industry to communicate traveller preferences or needs …
Read More »India’s millennial business travellers want constant booking info with human advice
Millennial business travellers in India are changing the landscape of corporate travel by demanding both cutting-edge digital support throughout their trips and on-demand advice from human consultants, according to a recent independent global study commissioned by Travelport. For the research, 11,000 travellers were surveyed in 19 countries who took at least one return flight in the last year. The results showed that half (47 per cent) of India’s millennial business travellers now count being unable to access booking information across their devices 24/7 as one of their biggest gripes, compared to two fifths (40 per cent) of Gen X2 travellers and one third (35 per cent) baby boomers. The research also revealed that three fifths (56 per cent) say they get frustrated when companies don’t use data analytics to provide highly personalised travel recommendations based on their past preferences, compared to two fifths of both Gen X (43 per cent) and baby boomer (41 per cent) travellers. Two fifths (43 per cent) say not being able to get expert advice from human consultants during the booking process is a major pain point. Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating Officer, InterGlobe Technology Quotient, said, “The findings demonstrate the digital shift among Indian business travelers before and during their journeys. And the necessity of $7.6 trillion global travel and hospitality industry to adapt continually to provide responsive, relevant and timely services for customers. More importantly, in an age where Gen X and Millennials are increasingly becoming tech savvy, they want relevant and timely content at their fingertips, at the very moment, from the time they search to their return from the trip.”
Read More »Sandeep Dwivedi takes on the role of COO at ITQ
Sandeep Dwivedi has been elevated to the post of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) to lead the overall responsibility of ITQ’s growing operations including strategic business development and implementing growth strategies. Having previously led the position as Chief Commercial Officer at ITQ and served in InterGlobe Group of companies in different capacities, he has demonstrated spectacular leadership competency with company’s growth in the market. With over 25 years in executive management and business supervisory roles, he spearheads commercial strategy and business growth in the organisation.
Read More »ITQ’s Student of the Year 2017 kicks off
The Student of the Year contest, powered by InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ), took place at Ibis New Delhi Aerocity in an attempt to hone budding talent from tourism institutes to launch dream careers for the best candidates. The final round of the contest was held amongst five finalists who presented on a tourism-related topic, and were judged by an esteemed panel consisting of Ashish Kumar, Managing Partner, Agnitio Consulting; Geeta Jain, CEO, Carlson Wagonlit Travel India; and Prof. (Dr) M Sajnani, Director – Tourism Management, Amity Institute of Travel and Tourism. Anil Parashar, President and CEO, ITQ, said, “The contest has been growing every year and this time, a total of 160 colleges participated in this out of which five reached the finals. Student of the Year aims to give the best talent from tourism universities a chance to acquire the ideal skill-set for a technology-first future, and is our way of ensuring a win-win situation for the student, as well at the industry. Elaborating on the same, Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Financial Officer, ITQ, stated, “Our idea is to give students from the industry a platform to showcase their talent and fast-forward their career. This is our anvil event and since several of the participants are from different corners of the country, we would like to make it regional in the coming future so that more students get a chance to participate.” Also present on the occasion for the awards ceremony were Cristina Ionela Tarteata, Deputy Minister – Tourism, Government of Romania, along with His Excellency Radu Octavian Dobre, Chargé d’Affairs, Romanian Embassy in New Delhi, India.
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