www.insightssuccess.in FEBRUARY 2018
The way of business solutions
The
10 Most Trusted
CORPORATE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
COMPANIES
Zelam Chaubal Director
KESARI TOURS
Bringing the World of Congenial Travel
Editorial
I
ndia is a huge tropical country and is well known for its varied climatic features. India has become the world’s prime and most promising tourist destinations with maximum count of visitors every year. It has a dramatic growth of tourism over the last 25 years and it is one of the most remarkable economic changes. As we all know, travel and tourism industry is a growing service sector in our country, the economic uptick marks the escalation of corporate travel. Driven by amalgamation of various factors such as globalization of organizations, rising income levels, policy and regulatory support by the government authorities, etc. business travel has emerged as one of India’s fastest growing industries. According to Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), India has been witnessing the highest growth rate in business travel across the globe. If the trend continues, it is quite possible that in the next 15 to 20 years, India may acquire the second place after China, thereby surpassing US in the process. Currently, business travel is approximately a $25 billion market in India which will grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5 per cent through 2019 to $45 billion. Also, the inbound MICE segment of India is growing at an annual rate of 15 to 20 per cent.
Facts behind the Booming Transformation of Travel Industries
With an upsurge in the corporate travel market in our country, it is essential for the market players to keep up with the requirements of consumers through updated technology, availability of services and upbeat infrastructure. Organizations are striving to give business travellers not just an altogether visionary & seamless booking, but also travel experience. Here is an outline of the trends which are likely to shape the rapidly evolving Indian business travel segment in the future: Expense and Budget Management, Trip Engineering, Policy Compliances, Mobile and Internet Technology, Analytics, and Connectivity. With these trends swiftly catching on, business travel will soon transform into a much more ‘smart’ space. The future of India Tourism industry is increasing year by year. India offers many tourism packages to the visitors. India is the only country that offers different categories of tourism. The Indian government took efforts to encourage different varieties of tourism in India. India shows an exponential growth in tourism industry because of the support given by the government. Indian government adopted different approaches for the promotion of tourism in India, which includes new mechanism for speedy implementation of tourism projects, development of integrated tourism and rural destinations, special capacity building in the unorganized hospitality sector and new marketing strategy. Stepping up, India already modifies the visa policy which allowing visitors from most countries to obtain an electronic visa online. As a result of this visa policy Indian government is expecting a boom in tourism industry. All types of tourism in India shows a rapid growth in the last decade .so the Indian government decided to increase revenues from the tourism sector by projecting India as the “ultimate tourist spot”. So there is no doubt that the development of tourism industry in India is very strong in the coming years.
Poulami Das
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Senior Editor Shraddha Deshpande Managing Editor Poulami Das Co-Editors Shweta Priyadarshani Sachin Bhandare Art & Design Director Amol Kamble Co-designer Poonam Mahajan Picture Editor Alex Noel Art Editor Aparna Vanzul Visualiser Savita Pandav Business Development Manager Akansha Garewal Marketing Manager Dhruv Apte Business Development Executives Tejaswini, Ashwini, Meera Research Analyst David Circulation Manager Vivek Database Management Prashant Technology Consultant Swapnil Patil sales@insightssuccess.com
February, 2018 Corporate Ofď€ ces: Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. th
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COVER STORY
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Kesari Tours: Bringing the World of Congenial Travel 24
30
22 Tourism Outlook
42
Our vision, for the growth of tourism sector
Cox & Kings: Providing luxury Travel Experience over the Last Three Decades
36 The Growing Industry A Closer look at the Opportunities and Concerns of Travel and Hospitality Industry
Global Zone India: The World's Foremost Medical Tourism Destination
Bon Voyage A Word or Two on Travelling
Travel Trends Travel Industry and its Emerging Trends
Interview 16
C O N T E N T S 26 Corporate Compass: Bringing the New Age of Corporate Travel Experiences
HAW Travel Management:
40
Specializing in Inbound and Outbound Tourism
32 Destinations Gateway: Delivering Exceptional Travel Services
Kaia Tourism: Making a Global Impact in Travel and Tourism Industry
44
34 Empathy Relocations: Leveraging Versatile Travel Experiences
Leo Travels: : A Complete Travel Agency with an Extraordinary Personalised Travel Management Solution
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THE
1
Most
Trusted CORPORATE
TRAVEL MANAGEMENT Companies
The MICE Industry is an Important Contributor to Regional and National Economies
M
ICE, the new form of business tourism is the fastest growing section of the International tourism market. It caters to various forms of business meetings, International conferences and conventions, events and exhibitions and it is steadily capturing every big hotelier’s attention. Being a perfect tourist destination, India is successfully leading into the corporate travel business. After the hot-spots like Hong Kong, Malaysia and Dubai, India is rapidly gaining its pace in the competition to become an ideal MICE destination. With the advanced technology and facilities, warm hospitality, personalized services coupled with immense natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. MICE tourism is the new buzzword in the international tourist market and relates to various business groups and individual travelers. Basically, MICE tourism is facilitating both domestic and International level of business meetings and conferences. In the issue of “The 10 Most Trusted Corporate Travel Management Companies”, we have presented the pioneer corporate travel organization providers, who have accomplished trademark by providing state-of-the-art travel solutions and are well equipped for continuing the travel-industries future. These organizations sponsored the diverse industries in changing their approach to business work with excellent strategy execution and customer satisfaction as the best priority. Doubtlessly, all organizations are continuously playing a vital role in Travel modernization. The journey of our magazine begins with Cover story, Kesari Tours which is corporate travel ability provider, which believes in evolution and affluence of Indian traveling. We have listed; Corporate Compass is a next-gen corporate travel company under the parent company Go Travellism Pvt. Ltd. They are one-stop destination for all corporate travel needs. Destinations Gateway is a leading travel company providing exclusive travel services like tickets and hotel bookings, international and domestic tour packages, visa assistance and other travel services to its elite guests and corporate institutions. Empathy Relocations is an Emerging Professional Relocation Management Company offering an extensive range of expatriation services with utmost care and focus on your relocation. HAW Travel Group, a Destination Management Company caters to B2B sector a company based on this idea to create personalized services and has started gaining momentum in the hospitality industry. Kaia Tourism is a global accommodation management company specializing in corporate and personal travel accommodation and M.I.C.E. Leo Travels is a travel management company in offering comprehensive professional services for the Corporate and Individual traveler. Skil Travel, a Complete Hospitality Solutions Company. They are a Destination Management Company, currently into hotel accommodation and ground transportation (car rentals). Thomas Cook is an integrated travel and travel related financial services company, with headquarters in Mumbai, India. The company offers a range of travel services including Foreign Exchange, International and Domestic Holidays, Visa, Passport, Travel Insurance & MICE. Uniglobe Travel have their specialization in managing the diverse and changing travel needs of companies and travelers in more than 20 cities across India with “hands-on” owner driven, responsive service. We have encompassed, - “Travel Industry and its Emerging Trends”, which scripted by our in-house editor in the wonderful pages of this magazine. Also, we have an existing corner of Interview with Insights Success with Co & Kings, a leading travel organization, which introducing a premium travel experience in the arena of corporate travel, education and activity travel, meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE), trade fairs, visa processing, and foreign exchange. So flip through the pages of our magazine and explore interesting insights into the world of Corporate Travel revelation!
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Trusted
TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
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U G TH A R G E VE U FI TO STR US EST & O N E S D W D GR NG ALL IF N O FE S U OW TH RE TR T O & N EN U TI G AT T R IO H N
S S LI E ILIE SM AM D YF A E N R A SP M TO OF UD VES O LI R P IN E S R A ES E IN W PP HA &
PE BE OP C LE A US PR E EF O ER F TH KE EI SA R TR RI A US S TA A N TRA D G VEL O O PA D W RTN ILL E R
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Company Name
Management
Brief
Corporate Compass corporatecompass.in
Mr. Saurabh Thakekar Founder
Corporate Compass is a next-gen corporate travel company under the parent company Go Travellism Pvt. Ltd. They are one-stop destination for all corporate travel needs.
Destinations Gateway destinationsgateway.com
Vivek Nigam Founder & Managing Director
Destinations Gateway is a leading travel company providing exclusive travel services like tickets and hotel bookings, international and domestic tour packages, visa assistance and other travel services to its elite guests and corporate institutions.
Empathy Relocations India LLP empathyrelocations.com
Samriddhi Kumar Managing Director
Empathy Relocations is an Emerging Professional Relocation Management Company offering an extensive range of expatriation services with utmost care and focus on your relocation.
HAW Travel Group holidaysaroundworld.com
Diwakar Tiwari & Zeenat Anjum Directors
HAW Travel Group, a Destination Management Company caters to B2B sector a company based on this idea to create personalized services and has started gaining momentum in the hospitality industry.
Kaia Tourism Private Limited kaiatourism.com
Ajay Anand Founder and CEO
Kaia Tourism is a global accommodation management company specializing in corporate and personal travel accommodation and M.I.C.E.
Kesari Tours kesari.in
Zelam Chaubal CEO
Kesari Tours which is corporate travel ability provider, which believes in evolution and affluence of Indian traveling.
Leo Travels leotravels.com
Sharmila Mehta CEO
Leo Travels is a travel management company in offering comprehensive professional services for the Corporate and Individual traveler.
Skil Travel skiltravel.com
Shylender K. Jindal Chairman & MD
Skil Travel, a Complete Hospitality Solutions Company. They are a Destination Management Company, currently into hotel accommodation and ground transportation (car rentals).
Thomas Cook thomascook.in
Mahesh Iyer CEO
Thomas Cook is an integrated travel and travel related financial services company, with headquarters in Mumbai, India. The company offers a range of travel services including Foreign Exchange, International and Domestic Holidays, Visa, Passport, Travel Insurance & MICE.
Uniglobe Travel have uniglobetravel.in
Navin Mallick Director
Uniglobe Travel have their specialization in managing the diverse and changing travel needs of companies and travelers in more than 20 cities across India with “hands-on” owner driven, responsive service.
Cox & Kings: T
ravel and tourism are one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors, with bookings hitting close to $1.6 trillion in 2017. A strengthening global economy lies at the heart of industry growth. Each year, the global traveler pool is flooded with millions of new consumers, from both emerging and developed markets, and many with rising disposable incomes and a newfound ability to experience the world. Addressing this entire scenario, a leading travel organization Cox & Kings introduced a premium travel experience in the arena of corporate travel, education and activity travel, meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE), trade fairs, visa processing, and foreign exchange. In an interview with Insights Success, Peter Kerkar, CEO of Cox & Kings gave some insightful views highlighting the influence of travel trends which help the travellers to explore the diverse ways of traveling. 1. Kindly brief us about your company. Cox & Kings Ltd. is the oldest travel company in the world and also one of the leading leisure and education travel groups with operations in 22 countries across four continents. It is one of the most experienced travel companies in the world, having been in operation since 1758. Headquartered in India, Cox & Kings has over the last three decades transformed itself into a diversified, multinational travel conglomerate with a focus on the new-age global consumer. C&K operates in three key verticals; Leisure, Education, Hybrid Hotels. Leisure—India is best known by the ubiquitous Cox & Kings brand in India, where we are an integrated travel enterprise, offering the best and widest range of travel options to individuals, groups, and businesses in the fastest growing major economy in the world.
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February 2018
Interview with Insights Success
Leisure—International operates in multiple countries, mainly under the Cox & Kings brand, with a greater focus on premium-end travel. Education operates under the brand names PGL and NST, among others. Menninger currently operates more than 8,500 beds across 17 hotels in 11 European cities. 2. Tell us something about the Founder/CEO. Peter Kerkar is the Group CEO of Cox & Kings Ltd. He completed his graduation in arts (B.A) with distinction in Anthropology from Stanford University, USA. He joined Cox & Kings Travel Limited in October of 1986, as a General Manager. Under his tenure, Cox & Kings Travel Limited expanded its product geographies from India to sell Latin America, Environmental Journeys, Special Interest Tours, Middle East, Africa, Egypt, China and the Far East.
Peter Kerkar CEO
He has been intimately involved in the growth of the Company and was responsible for the transformation from being a business travel and shipping and forwarding agency to being one of the leading leisure players. He is the driving force behind the Company’s initiatives in the geographies in which it operates today. Under his leadership, the Company is now positioned as the premier travel company in India as well as a brand leader in the premium market segment in UK, USA, and Japan. He was appointed to the Board of Cox and Kings, the first time on November 30, 1993, and since then he continues to be on the Board. Moreover, peter also helped the organization to launch its IPO in 2009 and it’s GDR in 2010. 3. Kindly share with us you’re prospective towards current trends of Corporate Travel Management. The foundation for Corporate Travel to consistently grow has been laid in the past few years. With requisite government support and India being considered as one of the biggest source markets the year 2018 is definitely set to see more corporate travels. • Indian corporates from pharmaceutical, cement, FMCG, retail, telecommunications, healthcare and BFSI are some of the
February 2018
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largest consumers of corporate travel. • India has moved up to occupy the 31st position in the recent list of global ranking published by ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) from 35th rank in 2014 globally. • Among the international destinations, Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. Spain, Switzerland, South Africa, South Korea, and Greece are some of the trending ones. • We have also observed a growing interest in the business circle in exploring newer and off-beat destinations in the MICE segment, some of these destinations are Finland, Kenya, Poland, Istanbul, Jordan and Japan. • In India, larger groups prefer destinations namely Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Jaipur as these destinations offer requisite infrastructure to hold major conventions. Smaller groups, those less than 200 have been travelling to Andaman, Srinagar, Udaipur, Shimla and Munnar. • In 2018, we set our plan to welcome some new connections such as Amritsar to Birmingham, Bengaluru to Colombo and Kuala Lumpur to Bengaluru, with the help of new air-routes which will facilitate further corporate travel. 4. Highlight the unique services and facilities of Cox and Kings provides towards their customer. Single Point of Access & Engagement (SPAE) – Keeping communication clear and always available, we make sure the customer is not left unanswered at any given time. The majority of our passengers since years have acknowledged our ‘SPAE’ approach. This ensures an end to end responsibility at a single source for many processes from sales to the departure that saves customers from speaking with multiple representatives. Tour Specialist – Our panel of tour specialists interact with potential customers at the time of inquiry. They are experts in making accurate information available to the customers. Ground Handlers & Enablers (GHE) – Our special ‘GHEs ensured smooth tour execution. The GHE carries out the mammoth coordination task on the ground to make sure every bit of the preparation is done. 5. Why people choose Cox and Kings to arrange their tours and travels? In the last 260 years, Cox & Kings has precisely mastered in being an expert. Across various travel segments, be it adventure or women-only tours, tours for disabled or handling the Asia’s leading luxury train, Cox & Kings comprehends the needs of the travellers in depth. Our repeat clients speak about the seamless travel we offer. While the customers don’t have to bother about any part at all, our timely service and connections with excellent suppliers worldwide make us a preferred choice. 6. What inspired Cox and Kings to enter the Corporate Travel Management segment? As the tourism market has witnessed a major boom in the country, figures show how Corporate Travel has been one of the
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February 2018
impressive contributors. There is a huge scope for MICE to grow in India in years to come. The need for seamless executions of large-scale events by growing number of organizations across industries has fast-paced the rate at which domestic MICE is growing. Cox & Kings specializes in all forms of travel. Our centuries-old expertise makes us a well-networked travel conglomerate in the world. We recognize the potential of this market and opine both our logistical and service excellence fits the demand. Corporate travel is about both large and small groups, be it of manufacturing or a pure service inclined industry, what it needs are fine management and efficient planning. Cox & Kings through its years of experience can offer best solutions to the most large-scale events, thus, making us the largest MICE expert in India. 7. Describe the exceptional strategies which help Cox and Kings to attract or satisfy your clients. Our prime focus remains travel innovation and fine customer service. Cox & Kings offers solutions to complex travel enquiries. We pay detailed attention on end to end service. We understand, a corporate getaway for the employees is as important as to the corporate house itself. Thus we innovate in offering unique event setups, selecting the right venues at competitive pricing, blending the serious work with unique leisure escapades, seamless trips and organize multi-industry expos with finesse for a hassle-free experience to our clients.
8. What are your plans in the pipeline for customers to explore the destinations? We are working with various tourism boards to craft journeys that are unheard of. We aim to reach far-away and remotest places to redefine tourism with an underlining philosophy of sustainability. While we spread our reach globally, we are also working with Indian states to popularize domestic tourism. We have launched Enable travel, tours for Disabled Travellers. The launch has made our brand much more inclusive as we believe in simplifying and presenting the gift of travel to all. Accessibility is the future and travel is its largest aspect. Bringing a host of accessible beautiful locations around the world and India to the disabled, Cox & Kings’ redefined the tourism industry. With specialised equipment, a fleet of wheelchair accessible vans, designed for the comfort and safety of the disabled, experienced guides, caregivers, escorts and sign language interpreters, one has to no longer limit their travel dreams. Cox & Kings has brought some of the most unheard, extreme and fascinating adventure travel ideas for enthusiasts in India. Under newly launched specialist brand called Trip 360, we aim to promote Safe, Social and Sustainable adventure for enthusiasts in India. From trekking to motorcycling, to diving, to cycling and even mountaineering, Cox & Kings has been crafting undeniable adventure travel packages. We have specialised in women-only tours, education tours, tours for senior citizens etc. Further inclusivity reflects our efforts to serve our customers from every segment.
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Tourism Outlook
Our vision, for the growth of tourism sector. I
ndia is poised for a vibrant growth in Tourism Sector. Domestic tourism is the lifeline for the people, who are engaged in the tourism related activities be it hotels, airlines, transporters, railways, restaurants, shopkeepers. It is a 24 hours economic activity in the country. People travel to pilgrim centers, tourist destinations, to participate in conferences, for visiting friends/relatives and events. “India has been home to multiple religions, and is blessed with a diverse range of tourism offerings, be it the rich cultural heritage, historically significant monuments and milestones, stunning locations for flora and fauna, or culinary delights strong destination for budget-friendly travel, over the years.
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Domestic tourism in India is fast becoming the secondlargest travel market with billion plus planned domestic trips impending next year by the Indians. This number looks quite favorable in comparison to 5.7 million foreigners visiting the country or 18 million Indians making international trips each year. Domestic tourism is increasing on a large scale as more and more Indians are giving increased importance to their own culture and heritage. Now Heritage tourism is a big hit in comparison to what it was 5 years back. While the places to see have largely remained unchanged, they offer a lot more today, and the way tourism in India is packaged, has evolved. Popular places such as Agra, Delhi, and Jaipur (Golden Triangle), Kerala, Goa, and temples of Tamil Nadu, NorthEast (Assam, Sikkim) are always sought after destination among the domestic tourists. Products such as luxury Indian holidays, luxury train journeys, Buddhist circuit, and wildlife circuit, etc. are availed by the affluent segment. Other States those are becoming very popular in the tourism map are Odisha, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal. Cruise tourism is also catching up in India. NorthEastern States have an array of products and Govt is making all out efforts to boost tourism in that region. With long weekends during the year, domestic destinations have become increasingly popular. There is great demand among the travelers specially the youth for destinations like Leh and Ladakh, Jim Corbett and Ranthambore, along with many unexplored locations. The larger segments surround destinations of historical, natural, and cultural importance. Spiritual, rejuvenation and wellness tourism (spa and yoga), volunteering tourism (For eg. visiting village schools to teach students in one’s spare time), and pilgrimages, are the prime focus of domestic tourism in India. In terms of pilgrimages, it has even caught on with youngsters. Sightseeing is one of the biggest pastimes in the country, where tourism is concerned. And bringing out the best for the domestic tourist are the country’s natural wonders, in the form of adventure tourism Goa, Rishikesh, Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Leh and Ladakh, are among popular destinations for adventure such as wildlife safaris, high altitude trekking, forest hiking, camping, and rafting..
February 2018
Chetan Gupta Director of Sales & Marketing R.G.Destinations
Increasing purchasing power of the middle-class, through economy package offers, better road and rail connectivity, better accommodation options, and evolving lifestyles, domestic tourist traffic is in fact one of the main drivers of growth in Indian tourism, which is getting more and more experiential. Steps taken by respective state governments, along with the Centre, have boosted the sector. Proactive measures in the realms of skill development, marketing and advertising, and trade shows and campaigns, have sent the message home. Private Sector plays a vital role in the promotion of domestic tourism. Domestic tourism is the base of the tourism industry and it brings multiplier effect on the economy apart from strengthening national integration. Domestic tourism has crossed billion and it will be billion plus in the coming years due to its vibrant growth. Both State and Centre Governments should work together to get maximum prosperity to all regions. Better infrastructure, cleanliness & hygiene, safety & security etc are of important factors need to be looked into for the tourism growth. Apart from earning valuable foreign exchange for the country Tourism also contributes to the country’s GDP. The true test of R&D function lies in time to market. Business exists for the sake of making profits. So, the role of R&D in shortening the time to market becomes extremely important. Unless the R&D efforts in the lab cannot be scaled up within a reasonable time frame, little can be expected in terms of the functional credit to be assigned to R&D.
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Global Zone
INDIA: The World's Foremost
MEDICAL TOURISM Destination
W
hen it comes to the health, we find the best healthcare which gives the best treatment at affordable cost. And Medical Tourism is an emerging from the same concept if anybody fails to get the health services within their circumstances then they need to get them from other states or other countries. Basically, Medical tourism is traveling of the patient from one country to another country to get the medical benefits, and this is creating a great platform for the policy makers, media partners and for researchers. The development in these sectors ultimately takes the nation at top place in all the sense. Medical tourism is the global concept, and its popularity is increasing day by day to help and exchange the prevalence. Medical Care, Dental care, and Surgical Care are the most prominent needs of a mankind living on an earth. For survival, Medical Tourism is the one kind of methodology used to attain these requirements. The basic theme behind the medical tourism is to travel across the countries to get the more benefits by means of medical care, dental care or surgical care which are not available in their own country.
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The main reason behind this is to get the quality treatment, with affordable cost. Major Destinations and Effect on Economy If we focus on India, the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, National Capital Regions (NCR), Andhra Pradesh, etc. will be the best medical destinations. High priced treatments in developed countries force the patients to search for the alternative destinations to get best treatments at comparatively low-cost. India is under construction stage but has few special features which can make India as a medical hub in upcoming years. Some key features of the country can add 5 Billion US dollars into the economy by attracting 1 million health tourists per year. According to the expert’s opinion, the medical tourism of India will double by 2020. Special Features of India The Surplus talent of health experts, travel and tourism at low-cost, availability of advanced technology, cost-effective treatments, tradition and trending market availability, highly facilitated and well-equipped hospitals, etc. are the special
February 2018
characteristics of the country, which imparts the essential role in promoting India as a global healthcare destination. In developing countries like India, the healthcare centers or clinics are ready to lower the cost of treatments which directly influences the economic status of the country. Service quality is also the main part responsible for attracting the more customers. Quality in terms of services of hospital staff including doctors, nurses towards the patient. Trends in Medical Tourism Different types of treatments must be covered under the medical trips such as organ transplantation, complicated cardiac surgery, cosmetic surgery or any orthopedic surgery. Also, there is another class as reproductive tourism which is all about surrogacy, and in-vitro fertilization. Things to Discover in India Apart from Treatment Besides Medical Tourism, India is famous for its ancient practices like Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, allopathy with this country is serving the complete health package for health tourism. It is said that Ayurveda is originated in India for the last few years and it is different from other health care systems. People from all over the world are turning towards the sub-continent part of India to get the benefits of these health practices. This would be the main reason to extend their stay in the country to learn different things from ancient culture of India and use it for selfemployment in their own country. Along with learning they can also visit the various beautiful places of India to taste the scenery of hilly mountains, historical monuments and much more.
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Saurabh Thakekar Founder
“
F
rom snow-capped mountains of Himalayas to Deep blue beaches of Andaman Island and from globally popular city of Mumbai to Largest Mangrove delta of Sundarbans, India is an absolute tourism epicenter in Asian continent and our company specializes in showing best of India to our prestigious clients with best of the services and at most professionalism.” says Saurabh Thakekar the Founder of the leading travel organization, Corporate Compass.
Corporate Compass is a subsidiary Corporate Travel Company under the root company of Go Travellism. They provide groundbreaking services for all corporate travel needs and gives solutions for all corporate travel event schemes. The organization started their voyage with the concept of organizing corporate adventure tours. Currently, they have full-fledged devoted team members, who organize the groundwork for Adventure, MICE & Training program.
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Bringing the New Age of Corporate Travel Experiences Since its establishment, CorporateCompass has successfully operated all contracted programs, delivering the full range of services to its clients, while trying to bring innovative ideas to the table in order to exceed expectations. Their adept services cover every aspect of the program development and execution from the earliest planning stage up to the final day of the event. A Dedicated Visionary With over 10 years of rich experience in the field of traveling, the dynamic young trailblazer, Saurabh Thakekar, Founded Corporate Compass that introduces a new dimension in the domain of the corporate travel. Since his childhood, he had always been a bright student and he ranked the SSC examination. He chose science for his higher study but then he realized that he doesn’t want to be a doctor or engineer. His love towards Wilderness and Adventure made him focus more on scoring exotic experiences of life than to score a handsome package. So,
he preferred a completely different subject like Zoology and completed his graduation in the same. He is an entrepreneur totally passionate about living & promoting the off-beat tourism experiences across all clientele segments like students, families, youth and corporate. Saurabh states, “Having started the company at a very early stage, I have been fortunate enough to understand the mindset of a vast gamut of people and also the shift of industry from Tourism to Travellism. This is exactly what I personally love and could clearly see the future, in.” Travel Around with Innovative Services Corporate Compass undertakes complete planning and execution of different corporate tours and incentive holidays. They plan tours to all the major holiday destinations across India and Indian subcontinent. They conduct many offbeat corporate getaways to unexplored locales within the country. In India, they provide flight and train
February 2018
THE
1
TRAVEL MANAGEMENT Companies
Our passion is to deliver in utmost satisfaction of our clients rather their success. That makes us one of the leading DMC in India with more than 10 years of experience in tourism.
bookings, hotel stay arrangements, Corporate Cruises, Gala Dinners & Theme Parties, Merchandising & Branding, and overall logistical support. They mainly believe in making business travel a hassle-free. “We are amongst the top 10 companies who laid the foundation of adventure industry in India with 100% safety record in different sort of adventure sports & activities. We are proud to maintain this record because of our certified technical team of trainers and adventure leaders.” Saurabh asserts. Different Strategies to Enrich Clients Base The organization’s dynamic team leaders believe that Corporate Compass is one of the prominent corporate travel companies in India which provides Corporate Travel solutions Corporate Adventure, Corporate Team Building & Training and Corporate MICE– all under the one roof that gives them an edge over other corporate tour operators. Travel organization can help travelers to get the most out of their vacation, booking them for unique opportunities on a complete trip and allowing travelers to get a fuller experience of a pleasurable itinerant. These Corporate Compass’s strategies help them to maintain vast difference from their competitor. The organization gives important following things are · Fulfillment of each and every objective/requirement
February 2018
· Exclusivity, creative alliance and measurable return on investment for event · Companies meeting, incentive tour, conference or event to be the best & memorable · Professional, experienced, costeffective, responsive, innovative and most importantly reliable team of domain experts Corporate Compass is the First Choice for Corporate Travelers Corporate Compass offers additional support for business travelers who need to visit foreign shores. Travelling for work to another country can get frantic and apart from flight bookings, hotel arrangements, and airport transfers, they also offer foreign exchange facility, help in the visa application process, and serve suitable travel emergency insurance options. The organization is catering quality learning & experience to their clients so they get back their offices with new values and motives which are in line with the organizational goal. The company executes their outings in three phases, Ÿ Understand the Need They speak to the stakeholders and understand their learning needs. They co-create there learning interventions with their clients and understand the need in-depth, analyze it from every angle possible. Ÿ Program Execution
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They finalize the learning design and facilitate a learning environment for their learners. The methodology of each program may vary depending upon the need. Travel industry experts are one of the best in experiential learning sector. The company takes utmost care of participant’s safety and delivers high energy learning programs which are full of entertainment, thrill, and excitement. Ÿ Assessment Any outbound is incomplete without any debrief. Debrief is an eye opener where facilitators having vast knowledge ask the participants program related questions. They take out the learning’s and connect them with the identified needs and track the agreed learning objectives as a separate assignment. Future Vision As a leading travel organization, Corporate Compass is continuously providing integrative & innovative travel solutions towards their clients. They always have the proactive and holistic approaches towards new corporate travel opportunities. They aspire to become the pioneer corporate travel events organization globally. They are presently leading the higher position in MICE tourism through their constant innovation & enrichment, and are creating unique & value for money travel experiences for their clients by keeping associate’s satisfaction on top of their mind.
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Destinations Gateway: Vivek Nigam
Meera Harjot
Founder & Managing Director
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ndia is the world’s tenth largest business travel market and is likely to clock the fastest growth in this segment in the next five years. Business travel spending is expected to treble until 2030 from $30 billion in 2015. There are many companies offering corporate travel management in their service portfolio, however, very few of these have a specialized focus in this segment. This can be attributed to the high level of risk and credit period involved in dealing with corporate companies in India. With the growth of this segment, more players are entering the domain. Destinations Gateway is an organization committed to provide a range of travel products to its customers in an innovative and cost effective way. The company was formed with a vision to be regarded as the best and most sought after Corporate Travel Management
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Delivering Exceptional Travel Services
Director
Company, delivering superior returns to its stakeholders. It has a dedicated team of experienced travel professionals, who strive to provide highest quality of customer service, ground operations and overall assistance to its valuable customers. It works closely with its clients to optimize their expenditure and manage complexities of business travel, while addressing the needs and expectations of the travellers. Its core services have a presence across the travel spectrum. A Responsive Leader Destinations Gateway (DG) came to existence as a private limited company on 6th January, 2013 under the perceptive leadership of Vivek Nigam, the Founder and Managing Director of the company. His inspiration to start a business stemmed from a burning desire to work for himself, to find pride and fulfillment and to reach the place
as a businessman that once his grandfather had. He was always passionate about travelling and started his career as a travel consultant in 2004. He worked his way up to the management level, gaining valuable insight about the industry working in different travel companies. In 2008, he went to Oxford to pursue a Master’s degree in International Tourism Management. After the completion of his studies, he struggled to find good opportunities in the U.K travel industry and faced rejections from everywhere. He had to change his domain for survival and started working in financial services. This went on for nearly two years and he continuously hoped that he’d find an opening back in travel because that’s where his true passion was. He had thought about starting his travel business a lot of times but couldn’t move forward in that direction. When
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We take great care to ensure high quality services and customer satisfaction at all levels
he finally took the leap, he received complete and unconditional support from his family who has always backed his idea of becoming an entrepreneur. Providing Matchless and Unforgettable Experiences As opposed to selling packaged tours with common inclusions while competing on price, team DG develops a repertoire of unique experiences and special access. For them, it is all about selling experiences. The more unique they are, the more value they add and the more differentiated they become. This practice is underlined by the fact that they don’t sell deals, they sell their expertise. Each team member has detailed information about the destinations they promote which is used for creating a unique and memorable experience for every guest they cater to. They show their customers behind the company. They believe that people buy from people. Travel is a serviceoriented industry and a face is always more trusted than a machine. They use
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this simple human psychology to show their customers the amount of effort they put in to make a good trip for them, and are always appreciated for it. The company’s USP is the passion and expertise of its destination specialists which it uses to make its customers’ holidays memorable. Each team member has a proven track record in their area of expertise and they are always available to provide all kinds of assistance to the customers and ensure that they have an unforgettable holiday experience. The
company’s network of associate offices are constantly engaged in contracting a range of travel products to provide value added services to its clients such as hotels, ranging from a budget accommodation to five-star property, sightseeing tours, transfers, and excursions in exotic destinations around the world. It ensures that its customers get the most competitive rates in the industry, and are provided with an exceptional service. Corporate
travel management is its flagship service. It has a unique approach to strategic account management that helps the companies take the stress out of business travel. Future Plans The company aims to be involved in all aspects of a traveller’s cycle and is learning from collective consumer behavior to deliver intelligent recommendations to enhance their travel experiences. Keeping up with the millennial generation of travelers, it will soon launch its corporate mobile app to engage them. It has already done the soft launch of its travel services platform yatrapartners.com which brings together social network and travel. Destinations Gateway plans to expand its operations, starting with an increased focus on ancillary services such as visa assistance, travel insurance, forex and others. It also plans to open more profit centers in tier two and tier three cities.
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Empathy Relocations: Samriddhi Kumar
Leveraging Versatile Travel Experiences
Managing Director
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orporate travel is everevolving. The mobile world has transformed the expectations of an always-connected traveler, who demands super convenience, personalization, and speed of use in every aspect of their travel booking. With travel becoming more and more accessible for leisure travelers, and more regularly necessary for the corporate traveler, these boundaries of expectation have started to merge. A distinguished organization, Empathy Relocations is widely known for offering an extensive range of expatriation services with utmost care and focus on client’s relocation. Empathy Relocations, provides bespoke and end-to-end relocation and consulting services to their esteemed multinational clients and their employees. Founded on the core of understanding,
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Empathy Relocations is a place where each and every detail of an expat’s need is understood and analyzed to create a one-stop delivery of multifaceted services. They ensure that work objectives never take a back seat for their clients. It has a dedicated team of inter-culturally trained Empathy Relocation experts, who understand every nuance of a traveler’s concern, whether it is the food on the table or the transport to the office. In short with Empathy Relocations, the experience of this majestic county stays… Incredible! The Organization Starts their Voyage with Experience The spirit of “Atithi Devo Bhava” gave birth to Empathy Relocations. As the name suggests, empathizing to understand the feelings of the other. Before starting out, the company has taken multicity surveys to capture the detail of an expat’s experience. They understood how difficult it was for an
expat to traverse these diverse and multi-lingual countries. Corruption and bureaucratic bottlenecks not only discouraged inflow but also tarnished the image of India. Once the research was complete, Empathy Relocations created a vast array of services that could be customized according to the taste and need of each client. And the result is thousands of smiles they have earned in a short time span. An Ingenious Businesswoman of Empathy Relocations With a vast experience in the Corporate Travelling, the Managing Director of Empathy Relocations, Samriddhi Kumar has scrutinized and transformed hospitality experience for a variety of professionals around the world. She has blossomed as a logistics professional by interacting with clients from various cultures. The results of Samriddhi efforts have been a steady rate of retention of the company’s clients and an impressive global
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feedback for the company. Knowledge, after all, is power and she has made sure it drives every aspect of their service delivery. Offering Unique Services to Satisfy Clients Needs Empathy Relocations is a one-stop shop for all Immigration related information and exigencies. Especially, they cater to most of the FRRO formalities in a consulting capacity. Once the expat deplanes they are there to guide them to the best accommodation facilities and furniture rental services. Their disciplined fleet management team ensures hassle-free leasing of cars and safe transport through verified drivers. Hospitality is not just a bland transaction of money. It can be an incredible exchange of emotions, feelings, concerns and happiness. The global citizen wants more than a rehearsed smile to feel welcomed. At Empathy Relocations, they monitor global cultural trends continuously and understand the ground realities of living in India. “When such knowledge is combined with the spirit of compassion and empathy the result is a blissful period of stay. It’s the emotion that counts in the end.”- asserts Samrridhi.
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The company believes that the uncertainties of the economy or operational inefficiencies should not pinch the client’s wallet. Their strict operations minimize human error and cost to the client. Furthermore, the team of experts has been well-trained to handle escalations of all nature, especially in a country which is foreign to their clients. They ensure that the client never feels abandoned, no matter what happens. After all, they have come to build a home away from home. Exceptional Strategies to Enrich Client Experience Transparency and strict quality control are the pillars of top quality service provided by the team members. Transparency is ensured at each step by enabling IT into billing services and supporting the client through various contact channels. Furthermore, best industry practices were applied to foster trust in the client. The quality control was ensured through ITenabled software’s and standard operating procedures. Nothing is left to chance. Future Advancement The company surveyed that, 10 million tourists flocked the Indian shores last year and the figures continue to grow,
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backed by massive FDI inflows. India is on its way to become an Asian superpower. They have managed to find a respectable 40th position in the UNWTO rankings. Despite all this inspiring development, the hospitality sector continues to be highly unorganized. The Delhi NCR region has gained recent notoriety for a spike in crime and pollution levels. According to their statewide surveys, the organization discovered that an international tourist finds it difficult to trust the hosts and especially, the middlemen who fleece the gullible expat. This is where the experts from corporate travel world could unite with the government to ensure stricter guidelines and monitor to further organize the industry. Thus, Empathy Relocations envision to provide transparent, affordable and efficient relocation solutions throughout the country for all inbound travelers with a special emphasis. They are not only enhancing the cultural exposure of the clients but also engaging in various communities, in order to benefit the local art and handicraft artists of the country and as a Corporate Social Responsibility, Empathy Relocations contribute in uplifting the Indian Handicraft Industry.
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The Growing Industry
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s India is one of the largest fastest growing economies in the world, it has seen a steep rise in investments for the Travel and Hospitality Industry not only from the Indian investors but from the overseas. There are several international hotel groups expanding their operations in India so the number of hotels have increased in large numbers in all the categories including in tier 1 -3 cities. While the growing economy of India and unsaturated hospitality and travel market has best of opportunities for the investors, fierce competition between the stand alone hotels and increasing numbers of hotels have also impacted on revenues of existing and upcoming hotels. In 2015 India was the fastest growing economy among the BRICS countries and its travel and tourism sector contributed Rs. 8,309.4 billion which was around 6.3% of the GDP. As per the forecasts from the industry experts the travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute in even greater numbers in future which continues to grow in all aspects. At the same time when the opportunities in Travel and Hospitality industry are growing, it is facing real challenges in terms of sustainability in the market of fierce competition. Best resources available are in very limited numbers who have the potential to drive an organization to success and same is divided in uneven ratios across the industry. That has impacted the business prospects of several pre-existing and upcoming projects and now the lead time for the breakeven cost recovery has significantly increased due to market unpredictability in the hospitality and tourism sector. Recent growth in cases of violence against women and increased issues of north east as well as Kashmir crisis has impacted a lot in decreasing nos. of tourist from across the world. At the same time political crisis in almost all regions of the world has fueled the decrease in tourism in different parts of the world. In the other hand make in India program of the BJP government has encouraged people from across the industries for the investments in different sectors, and alongside the hospitality industry has also seen a consistent growth in opening of low budget standalone hotels along with brands such as OYO Rooms, Bloom Rooms etc who have a lot to offer in very economical pricing. This has increased the competition among the hoteliers and at the same time has provided numerous options for the customers. Increasing numbers of the hospitality and tourism projects has also given rise in terms of the job opportunities the people (students) and in turn is contributing increase in business for several related industries as the demand has increased in a very large scale. Hospitality and tourism sector has seen severe demographical changes in past 10 years, as now the investors are not only making investments in urban areas but also in lesser known small town and remote areas where the guests can have entirely different experience of their lifetime. There’s a continuous growth in adventure and sports tourism in the country in the field of Mountaineering, stream watersports, paragliding and motorbike rallies in mountains etc. This has also not only increased the
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Manish Kumar Jha, Manager Procurement – HES, at Triguna Hospitality Ventures (India) Pvt Ltd. Manish comes with an extensive experience of 13+ years in Strategic Materials Management which includes functions of Procurement (Global/Domestic), Inventory Management, Logistic Management, Contract Management, Forecasting, Budgeting, Customs clearance, Import and Export Procedure, Preparation of SOP’s Guidelines, Audits and various level of liaison with government authorities related to customs, DGFT etc.
Manish Kumar Jha Manager Procurement
opportunities for the entrepreneurs but also the working communities across the country thereby contributing in the growth of the country’s GDP. India is one of the best tourist destinations of the world with locations known for its beauty, historical importance and the environment which have been attracting the travellers from across the world for centuries. Now the governments (state and central) along with the private organizations have started developing several locations with regional and historical importance which is proving to be a great success among a section of international travellers who visit India for exploring the fabled traditions, culture and history of the places and people. However, such developments have provided with the opportunities for the locals and under privileged people of the areas it has also impacted upon the culture and old traditions and environment of several areas. Hill stations are commercialized to an extent in the country that, urbanization has started taking toll on the environment and the people in a way that the places have started losing its own charm, natural essence which it was once known for. In a nutshell, there’s a considerable growth in opportunities in Travel and Hospitality sector which has contributed in several socio-cultural, environmental and economic changes in both good and bad ways, which in turn needs to be balanced for the wellbeing of all concerned including people, environment and economic growth of the region. There is need of the well-organized governance by the authorities concerned, focused in preserving the essence of the very objective of sustainable growth and same shall be expected by the organization’s and people involved in the activity related to the Travel and Hospitality Industry.
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HAW Travel Management: Specializing in Inbound and Outbound Tourism Diwakar Tiwari
Zeenat Anjum
Director
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very trip is a special emotion. Experience it with HAW Holidays”
HAW Travel Group, a Destination Management Company caters to B2B sector a company based on this idea to create personalized services and has started gaining momentum in the hospitality industry. The company has created high deliverance standards which are the key for them to stand apart in industry which is surrounded by stiff competition. Every member of HAW is ruled by an undying urge to be the best amongst the best. Journey with HAW Travel unravel a company that has a prestigious history and a very promising future. Along the way allow them to introduce you to their different entities, independent and yet functioning as one whole. There is no better way to discover the world but with HAW Group. HAW Group is one stop hospitality organization which supersedes many services options offered by other.
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Director
The Company works with Travel Agencies to provide them with authentic information, details and the best deals and packages from Tourism boards and service providers whom they associate with to deliver the following products:-Hotel rooms, shuttles, airport transfers, international packages, educational tours, sporting events, Dealers meet, concert tours, School trips and conferences, Trekking tours, Eco tourism, Spouse programs and Customized tours..Etc” Destination HAW caters to below destination AUSTRALIA, INDONEASIA , SINGAPORE , HONG KONG, MACAU, PHILIPPINES, CHINA , VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, THAILAND, MALAYSIA SRI LANKA, MALDIVES, MAURITIUS, SOUTH AFRICA, DUBAI, EGYPT, JORDAN, OMAN, MUSCAT, DOHA, ALMATY, RUSSIA, TASHKENT,EUROPE, USA, and ALL INDIA. Creative Minds of HAW Travel Team HAW is based on strong pillars
who are already veteran in the industry just to share small brief on their professional experience. A combination of young, experienced and energetic travel enthusiasts started in 2013 with a small step has turned to a strong team of professionals duly recognized worldwide. HAW is headed by two senior travel professionals namely, Diwakar Tiwari & Zeenat Anjum. Both have been an integral part of the travel industry and bring with them a combined experience of 30 years in the hospitality and tourism industry. They are responsible for overseeing the administration, programs, strategic plan, and marketing plan of the organization with a goal of increasing tourism and stimulating economic development Mr Diwakar Tiwari is strong pillar to HAW a very wellknown & respected figure in the Travel industry. Initiating his carrier at very early stage in 2008 and now handles the Sales and Marketing all over the world. He switched from successful retail carrier to Hospitality industry
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HAW Group is one stop hospitality organization which supersedes many services options offered by other
totally for his passion for travel. He placed complete confidence in Zeenat Anjum new venture rendering support to the company in various ways, which in turn provided a lot of boost to the company’s progress. He brings diverse backgrounds, decades of experience, and vast professional networks to HAW – plus an unmatched passion for the travel industry and advisors. Besides infusing the spirit of action and a result oriented work culture Zeenat is a firm believer in value based strategies and has created a unique quality control model of Operational Excellence. She set the tone and the vision for their organization, and as a result the company has risen to levels of fame. She is also vice president in Trivium Media a Media marketing company based in Mumbai having its branches all over the world and CEO in RREPS n events a destination wedding and representation company. Out of the box Services of HAW Travel The pioneer travel organization also provides some unique services, which deliver benefits towards their treasured clients, like Corporate Travel Management, MICE, Domestic Travel Plans, International Travel Plans, VIP Travel Plans, Executive Luxury Travel, Educational tours, Destination weddings, Group and Individual Travel Plans, Camping services, and Cruises worldwide.
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All over the year excursions and itineraries, (Adventures, Eco-Tours, Biblical Tours, Cruises, Diving, Sea Resort Holidays, Ski Holidays, Relaxation & Spa Treatment Packages, & Tailored Made Tours) Inspirational Story of HAW Travel The immense pressure and stress involved in today’s corporate economy, the use of travel management in corporate company help the business to reach new heights. Corporate travel management is vital for the successful planning and booking of a business trip, providing peace of mind and ensuring every aspect of the trip is covered. Their aim is to make corporate travel management more personalized and seamless. And they do this through their network of exceptional local partners that are not only leaders in their own respective markets, but who also meet the high operating and service standards. Extra-ordinary Strategies of HAW Travel “It takes 5 times as much to attract new customer than to keep an existing one” 1. Personalize services and offer relevant products: they keep a close relationship with their customers which are key part of building customer loyalty.
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They develop data of customer information to offer relevant services or tours that they might not have known about, but which will excite them. They pay attention to their individual needs, requests and interests. 2. Target customers with special offers: The more you know about your customers, the more you can tailor your approach to each individual. Haw Travel keeps in mind offer faculties to each individual and increase relevancy, which keeps their brand on their customers’ minds. Here are some couple of ways you can go that extra mile for your clients: Ÿ Pay attention to what your customers want and make their issues your issues – be proactive in addressing them. Ÿ Isolate potential issues and fix them before they become problems. Future Lane of HAW Travel HAW Travel is a team that creates unique and socially responsible travel experiences, providing services beyond expectations and to strengthen their position as the leading tourism company providing quality, creative, innovative, competitive and socially responsible services in the region. HAW Travel visions to be the Preferred Integrated Travel & Tourism Service Provider and be the world’s most trusted and creative Travel Management Company.
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Travel Trends
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change of scenery is sometimes just what one needs to get over boredom or the blues, and being far removed from a problem or stress often allows one to look at it through new angle. With the evolution of the online travel industry, in all its different guises, people now have a lot more information at their fingertips and the research process has become a larger, richer part of holiday planning. At the same time, travel industry providers have grown exponentially in India, so people now have much more options than ever. Travelling captures one with a sense of wanderlust and has a longing for more destinations to visit, cultures to experience, food to eat, and people to meet. Travel is seen as a mode of self-realization, exploration and experiencing different forms of lifestyles. Leisure travel is no more a product of luxury but rather considered a necessity to consolidate one's energy. When people think about travelling, definitions can vary widely. Solo Trip This is the perfect opportunity for people to find new friends from the various places they visit, be it small town and villages or metro-cosmopolitan cities. Another plus point of such trip is the cost of travels; food and night stay in the turns out to be the least. Many solo travelers worry about the pitying looks of smug couples in French bistros, or experiencing an overwhelming loneliness. Recognizing this, travel companies are working much harder to ensure solo travellers feel relaxed and happy, from hosted houseparty style beach holidays to tours that include convivial dinners each night. Road trip Road trips are not for any sort of advantages rather these
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are for experiences. It is the experience to live in the moment and cherish the journey more than the destination. There could be some associated advantages and disadvantages of meeting new peoples on the roads, having something unexpected, and plans go haywire, associated risk and adventures etc. As they say that the journey is more important than the destination, one is likely to visit more places during the journey. One would stop at newer and less visited places, would take a detour to visit a place just heard about from a local or would change the route to include newer places. “All travel has it’s advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.” – Samuel Johnson (writer) Travelling to the Unexplored India has got many interesting and unexplored places. Exploring undiscovered destinations will add a life time memory to the travelogue. Common tourist destinations are no more in vogue. As people say every place has its own story, all one needs is to embed that new story and add some freshness into the lives while manifesting something new yet raw. The best part about offbeat destinations is that they are secluded, lesser explored, and make for the perfect hideout. Culinary Tours with a Cultural Turn Whether taking full-immersion cooking courses, hiking through vineyards and orchards for tastings, scouring new farmers’ markets, culinary tourists or hunting down the best urban street food are increasingly fanning the globe in
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search of authentic food experiences. Real food adventure guided tours, which offer participatory food and wine pairings, festival dish preparation sessions and local market visits to check out seasonal goods are apt for a family gathering. A better way to understand the traditional rituals of a destination than through its festival food is through food guided tours. Much needed twist to a mundane culinary tour is the best in festive days. Considering the above travelling aspect, India has got the variety of destinations to offer. It has the potential to offer both mainstream and alternative styles of travel experience. Indian travellers are moving from packaged tours to becoming the free independent traveller. Though these independent travellers constitute a large part of the traveller base in India, the era of the brick-and-mortar travel agents is still not dead. With wonderful tourist spots, diverse topography, varied cultures and heritage sites in the country, India is one of the most lucrative options for tourists. The future of the Indian travel and tourism industry definitely looks bright with the latest trends prevailing.
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Kaia Tourism: Ajay Anand
Making a Global Impact in Travel and Tourism Industry
Founder and CEO
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he travel and tourism industry in India is one of the fastest growing industries on account of many factors such as globalization of organizations, rising income levels, and policy & regulatory support by the government authorities. The tourism industry in India has also witnessed a tremendous growth in the area of Business Travel. Business travel is the largest segment of travel industry. Today, India’s corporate travel market is estimated at no less than US$ 3 billion. Business travel thrives best in a free and robust economic scenario, and India is gradually moving in that direction. With liberalization paving the way for healthy competition and business going global, the Indian traveller too is evolving into a global traveller. Corporate travel management in the current scenario is dynamic and needs meticulous knowledge of the industry
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to ensure the end goal of efficiently achieving a comfortable, cost effective and a well-managed travel plan. Kaia Tourism, a global accommodation management company, is striving to give business travellers not just an altogether visionary and seamless booking, but also a thrilling travel experience.
right expectation, provide flexible cancellation/change policies, and provide small benefits like early check in/late check-out at no or minimal cost most of the time. The Adventurer
Kaia Tourism specializes in corporate and personal travel accommodation and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (M.I.C.E) in India and worldwide, managing over 100 plus corporate clients.
Ajay Anand, Founder and CEO of Kaia Tourism, started his career at a very young age of 19 while working for a travel management company. He subsequently worked for another three major travel management companies and ventured out as an entrepreneur at the age of 29.
In the current trend of consolidation and use of technology, there is always a discourse of reducing travel expenses; but it does not necessarily mean less travel or stay. Kaia Tourism, keeping this in mind, provides individual care, predictability, and availability 24/7. They manage the
Coming from a corporate travel background, he realized the presence of a huge gap and apprehended the opportunity to support and specialize in accommodation. As unlike other travel segments like ticketing, car rentals and visa’s, hotels were not very well organized and there were no
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specialized player/company at that time and what truly inspired him is his vision to create a very happy experience and memories for people who travel for business or leisure. Ajay set off in the field of travelling and exploration, right from the age of 19, triggered by a predictable passion towards the same, with an education from IATA-Geneva, Switzerland and as a Trainee Travel Consultant at Balmer & Lawrie. With his undeniable belief that travel should offer a fresh perspective and a renewed energy led him to set up his own. His aim since then is to bridge the gap in providing specialized service for corporates in Corporate Travel Accommodation. Travel Around with Innovative Services Kaia Tourism Specialize in corporate travel accommodations in India across all categories, be it a short stay, long stay, or residential conferences. On the leisure front, they are focused to promote unexplored destinations in India. At Kaia Tourism, they emphasize on quality of stay and excellence in service standards to help their
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customers have a hassle free accommodation across India. Kaia Tourism provides attention to each and every booking. Attention to detail, individual customer care, and focused on cost savings, Kaia Tourism is setting benchmarks but not at the cost of quality or service and that is their strength. Moreover, they prompt customers with driver details before the pickup from airport to the hotels and also assign dedicated staff to all clients to manage their travel expectations. “We have created trust and confidence by delivering the predictability and expectations of our customers, the first one is approachability, second quick turnaround time, then best available options , the best rates and then deliver and manage the expectation – these are qualities why customers book through Kaia Tourism again and again,” says Ajay. They are a strong off line player with strong presence in all major cities. Delivering as promised, sending monthly reports whether they ask or not with cost savings, being available to help at critical times of emergency, and being honest in giving the best
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prices as promised, are some of the exceptional qualities of Kaia Tourism which makes them a global corporate travel partner. Upcoming Endeavors Making individual business hotel reservations, booking, and coordinating group accommodation or implementing a Corporate Hotel Programme or Corporate Hotel Bookings, Kaia Tourism can manage all the accommodation needs, at the right venue for a right price. From national and multi-national corporates with complex multi-partner relationships to start-ups with minimal travel needs, they provide innovative solutions that save businesses cost, time and hassle. And give business travellers exactly what they’re looking for. Kaia Tourism aims to be the best global accommodation management company born in India and managing hotels worldwide with locations across all major global cities.
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Leo Travels: Sharmila Mehta CEO
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stablished in 1980 and serving the travellers for over last 30 years, Leo Travels is a unique and dynamic organization. It has uncompromisingly followed the tradition of providing leadership, innovation and creativity in every area of the travel management. Today, Leo Travels remains as committed to service travellers as and when they first opened their doors. Leo Travels believes that the steady growth and intelligent partnerships allow them to excel in the Corporate Travel, broadening their expertise into Luxury vacations and representations in India. Leo travels is an IATA approved agent, and is a member of Travel Agent Association of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and United Federation of Travel Agent Association (UFTAA).
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A Complete Travel Agency with an Extraordinary Personalised Travel Management Solution
An Accomplished Leader Sharmila Mehta, CEO at Leo Travels brings over 32 years of travel industry and business experience. She is a driving force for her firm’s business strategy and growth. Her industry experience and hands on approach saw the company soon make a niche in the market for Quality business and she is the one responsible for Travel Technology, Marketing & Business Development etc. Having worked with the GSA of Lufthansa German Airlines for 12 years gave her the necessary understanding she needed while dealing with clients, suppliers and handling their most important asset, the team. Today, thirty years later, Sharmila is very proud of her company’s success, which was founded on the principles of integrity, service, expertise, and reliability.
“My passion for travel was fostered by my early travels world over as a child. I have enjoyed creating unique travel experiences for a range of customers ever since I started working. As the person responsible for the day to day running of the business I endeavor to ensure my genuine love of travel, food and music and interest in the world, combined with a drive to provide the best service and experience to all our customers, is reflected in all of us here at Leo Travels. I enjoy seeking out new and unique places to visit, hotels to stay, restaurants to visit and music venues that are unique to each place,” asserts Sharmila. The Outstanding Services and Facilities “Each client is unique in character and has special requirements.” Leo Travels is more than a travel
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agency. They are a business partner, a friend, and a community resource. They say, “Our success comes from the success of our customers, their businesses, and the local economy and integrating ourselves into these key areas, we help ourselves by helping others first.” Leo Travels is a distinctive and selfmotivated Travel Management Team whose knowledge & expertise, professional approach, cost effective solutions and world-class service have enabled them to innovate personalized solutions to suit every client’s travel needs. The organization has promised some advanced benefits, which can help their treasured clients to explore the world without any issues. They are proffering amenities like- flights and car booking, normal and luxury hotel booking, international rail services, sightseeing, creative fares offer, Business travel insurance, Visa & Passports applications, and Airport assistance services. They also provide Online itinerary checks, 24/7 emergency assistance, Business travel account, Traveller profile storing and management, Senior travel consultants,
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Travel policy consultancy, creation, and management, Summary reports, Staff tracking and analysis, Email inquiry system and many more. Why Choose Leo Travels ? Our experience! Our attention towards detail, curated hotels, bespoke experiences. We create bespoke itineraries for each individual keeping in mind their likes and dislikes, budgets, age and passions. From Cruises to Antarctic expeditions, from the four seasons brand to small boutique hotels, our clients are mainly repeat clients that come back for more! One size does not fit all at our company! Leo Travels’ USP is a personalized service because of the care the company takes in ensuring their clients company’s individual requirements are met with the utmost professionalism and care.
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client are some of the strategies and qualities that Leo Travels have and implement. This ensures that the company has clients with them who have been with Leo travels for over 3 decades. And now thirty years later, Leo Travels is proud of them, which is founded on the principles of integrity, service, expertise, and accountability, with trusting clients who actively recommend it to others. The Future Vision After launching a new vertical an year ago - Leo Luxury Escapes, Leo Travels is now introducing new verticals with luxury travel , cruises , representations, women only tours, senior citizen specials etc. which is an exciting new expansion, besides core strength and experience in corporate travel management.
The Exceptional Strategies of Leo Travels Positive attitude, always giving their clients more than they expect, high quality of service standards and personalized business plans for each
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