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Business Standard
06-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
SOTC Travel targets double-digit growth for FY26, to focus on expansion
SOTC Travel is targeting double-digit growth for the current financial year ending March, with a strong focus on expansion across regional India, the company's Managing Director & CEO Vishal Suri said. In an interview to PTI, he shared the company's vision for expansion and travel trends, including a strong rise in pilgrimage tourism with the onset of the Shravan season, particularly for the 12 Jyotirlingas. "We are targeting healthy double-digit growth for FY25-26. Regional India is a key focus area for us. We are not only widening our reach across the country but also deepening our presence in existing markets, based on the need and potential we see," Suri told PTI. He observed that the company's expansion strategy is both broad and focused, enabling it to tap into emerging travel demand across demographics and geographies. "We are committed to strengthening our omnichannel strategy with focused expansion across both digital and physical touchpoints. We're actively investing in strategic partnerships, tech integrations, and service enhancements to enhance customer engagement in these high-growth markets," Suri said. The SOTC Travel MD & CEO also shared insights on the travel preferences of Indians. "At SOTC, we've observed a strong rise in pilgrimage tourism with the onset of the Shravan season, particularly to the 12 Jyotirlingas across IndiaCruises and seacations, both domestic and international (Singapore, Malaysia, Middle East) -- are performing well, especially among couples, millennials, and young professionals capitalizing on long weekends," Suri stated. Another notable trend is the surge in wellness tourism, he pointed out, adding that destinations like Kerala, Goa, Gokarna, and Rishikesh are witnessing demand for certified retreats offering rejuvenation, yoga, Ayurveda, and holistic healing experiences. SOTC Travel Limited is a step-down subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Group; held through its Indian listed subsidiary Thomas Cook (India) Limited. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
From flamenco to igloos: How India Inc is turning work trips into bucket list adventure
Skiing in Azerbaijan , aerial tours of Mount Everest, outdoor barbeques and winery visits in Australia, master classes with local chefs in Japan, Flamenco and Fado dance classes in Spain and Portugal, and Oktoberfest in Germany — India Inc is sparing no expense in embracing unrestrained indulgence for employees. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack India stares at a 'water bomb' threat as it freezes Indus Treaty India readies short, mid & long-term Indus River plans Shehbaz Sharif calls India's stand "worn-out narrative" Thomas Cook (India), Cleartrip, and SOTC Travel are among travel companies witnessing a sharp uptick in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) segment, as companies dial up travel plans for staff to not just drive team bonding and strategy building but also reward and retain talent. Budgets are generous, with curated MICE journeys reaching more than ₹5 lakh per person at the top end, said executives. The BFSI, automobile, pharmaceutical, and technology sectors are leading the trend. 'We are seeing a robust 15-20% surge in demand for corporate offsites and reward & recognition (R&R) travel, signalling a clear shift in how corporate India is approaching talent engagement and retention,' said Vishal Suri, MD at SOTC Travel. Unique Destinations on Radar What stands out, he says, is the evolving nature of these programmes — they are no longer just about travel. Live Events 'Companies are prioritising team bonding, leadership development, and experiential learning by curating distinctive and immersive experiences, such as CXO-level meetings in Cape Town with helicopter tours, African-themed dinner and Djembe drumming sessions etc. Unique destinations like Brazil are also emerging on the radar for MICE groups,' he added. Despite geopolitical challenges and tariff clouds under the Trump administration hanging over their heads, companies aren't pulling back on their plans, said experts. While Sri Lanka, Goa, Coorg, Pondicherry, and Kerala continue to be popular choices, organisations are also exploring more unique destinations like Armenia and Azerbaijan. Thomas Cook (India) is seeing increased interest in unique/emerging and value destinations such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam. Marquee destinations like South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, US, Finland, and Norway also continue to be in high demand. In the past year, the company curated an R&R luxury Arctic escape to Finland, including luxury igloo stays, midnight aurora safaris, reindeer rides, snowmobiling, etc. — costing ₹6-7 lakh per person; a 250-people MICE group in Sri Lanka for an exclusive gala dinner at the Lotus Tower — revolving restaurant; a full-day outdoor adventure at Glenworth Valley in Australia featuring axe-throwing competitions, ATV rides, and the famous 'Running of the Horses' with over 200 horses galloping through the valley. Offsite Bonding, Brainstorming As high-end experiences see a spike, keeping pace are company offsites. At Panasonic , multiple offsites have already been organised this year. The India Innovation Centre team went to Chikmagalur; the automotive team went to Goa; the customer service division to Mussoorie; and the system solutions division to Rishikesh, among others. 'Our regular offsites include team bonding initiatives, annual business planning workshops, among other initiatives,' said Adarsh Mishra, CHRO at Panasonic Life Solutions India. Proptech unicorn NoBroker is planning an offsite this year to Coorg, for its 80-strong business team, said Amit Agarwal, co-founder of the Bengaluru-based company. Legrand India recently organised an offsite in Chennai for its supply chain management team.
