~Targets the high potential honeymoon & romantic travel market with its curated ‘Love Trails’ portfolio~
Chandigarh, July 25, 2016: Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated travel and travel related financial services company, has announced a strategic partnership with Matrimony Bazaar (a division of Matrimony.com which manages brands such as BharatMatrimony), to tap India’s wedding/honeymoon segment by offering end-to-end honeymoon packages, in a pan India roll out commencing with the Chennai market.
Online statistics reveal that ‘honeymoon’ features as the second highest searched keyword of Google’s holidays category. Thomas Cook India’s internal research and consumer analysis also reiterates the significant and growing potential of the honeymoon/romantic travel segment- a 20 to 25% YoY increase in demand over the last 3 years. The data highlights that this demand is not restricted to merely the honeymoon, but also includes a fun filled bachelor and hen party for friends of the couple, and a honeymoon, often with family in tow! With clear customer demand for extravagant indulgence in their honeymoon requests- from uber luxury accommodation to spectacular and offbeat destination experiences- Thomas Cook India’s partnership with Matrimony Bazaar aims at addressing this high growth opportune market via a wide range of romantic holiday getaways, at attractive price points.
What is noteworthy, is that the Thomas Cook India trend analysis reveals that the demand for romantic travel is not limited to just honeymooners, but also extends to three new opportune Indian traveller segments: 1. An increasing working millennial & DINKS (Double Income No Kids) segment that leverages romantic travel to break away from the monotony of their work routine via romantic weekend breaks or for occasions like Valentine’s Day 2. Empty Nesters with grown up kids and hence free from family responsibilities, rekindling romance with their spouses on a romantic getaway 3. India’s Gen S/Silvers segment with disposable income and plenty of leisure time to indulge in their dream of a decadent romantic vacation.
Thomas Cook India’s focussed endeavour to harness this segment potential has resulted in launch of a unique “Love Trails” portfolio across 19 international destinations, via 3 categories (Platinum, Gold and Silver), showcasing exotic locales such as New Zealand, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Seychelles, Greece, Hawaii, Ireland, Scotland, Mexico, Germany, South Africa, Maldives; as also favourites including Switzerland, Bali, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Mauritius, with exclusive itineraries to ensure a truly memorable experience. This is in line with Thomas Cook India’s strategic distribution partnership with Matrimony Bazaar tapping India’s wedding/ honeymoon segment as well as the significant opportune travel segments for romantic getaways.
The specially curated Thomas Cook Love Trails includes an array of special experiences like romantic tandem cycling tours amidst Switzerland’s alpine beauty, private waterfall dining in Fiji, grape stomping in France’s Bordeaux or a culinary experience in Provence, a swim with whale sharks in Seychelles, a private love-boat photo shoot in French Polynesia, the unique diversity of glow-worm night trails coupled with the geothermal splendour of shooting geysers and natural hot springs at Rotorua, New Zealand, unique accommodation such as Trulli (a traditional stone dwelling) in Bari, Italy, sun downers on a safari in South Africa, spectacular sea-plane rides or fine dining on luxury yachts on a private island in Australia, romantic add-ons while staying at The Sands’ Macao properties, romantic slow travel against picturesque backdrops at Korea’s Jeju Island, private cable car fine-dining at Mount Faber, Singapore or an unforgettable spa experience at Iceland’s Blue Lagoon.
Commenting on the strategic partnership and launch of Love Trails, Mr. Rajeev Kale – President and Country Head – Leisure Travel & MICE, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said, “The romantic leisure travel segment is witnessing exponential growth with Indian couples expressing increasing appetite for fresh, new and off-beat locales with engaging itineraries. Our Love Trails packages are aimed at leveraging this high growth opportune segment- be it honeymooners, India’s DINKS, Empty Nesters or Gen-S.”
He added, “Our partnership with Matrimony Bazaar provides us a captive base of target customers; our travel experts extending their valuable guidance to ensure smooth execution of our personalised honeymoon packages.”
He elaborated, “Our distribution and sales strategy will include several synergistic alliances that add value to our customers, including beauty and hair salons like Lakme that are popular with brides, grooms and their families.”
About Thomas Cook (India) Limited: Thomas Cook (India) Ltd (TCIL) is the leading integrated travel and travel related financial services company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services that include Foreign Exchange, Corporate Travel, MICE, Leisure Travel, Insurance, Visa & Passport services and E-Business. The company set up its first office in India in 1881.
TCIL’s footprint (exclusive of its subsidiaries) currently extends to over 229 locations (including 16 airport counters) in 91 cities across India, Mauritius & Sri Lanka and is supported by a strong partner network of 111 Gold Circle Partners and 112 Preferred Sales Agents in over 130 cities across India.
ICRA upgraded the long term rating of Thomas Cook (India) Limited’s non-convertible debenture programme to ‘ICRA AA/Stable’. CRISIL has assigned a long term rating of ‘CRISIL AA-/ stable‘ to the non-convertible debenture programme and long term banking facilities, and a short term rating of CRISIL A1+ to TCIL’s banking facilities. Further, ICRA has assigned a rating of ‘ICRA AA-/Stable’ to the company’s preference share programme.
Thomas Cook (India) Ltd has been voted as Favourite Outbound Tour Operator at the Outlook Traveller Awards 2015, Best Tour Operator - Outbound at the CNBC AWAAZ Travel Awards 2015, 2014 & 2013 and Best Company providing Foreign Exchange at the CNBC AWAAZ Travel Awards 2015 & 2014; felicitated with Diamond Award for Exemplary Achievements in Visa Issuance at the French Ambassador's Travel Awards Ceremony 2015; Thomas Cook India’s Travel Quest was honoured with a Gold Award at PATA Gold Awards 2015; honored as India's Leading Tour Operator 2014, World Travel Awards Asia & Australasia 2014, Favourite Tour Operator at the Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards 2015 - 2011 ,recognized as a Consumer Superbrand 2013-14 & 2012-2013 and National Tourism Awards 2013-2014. Thomas Cook India’s Centre of Learning has received IATA accreditation as “Top 10 South Asia IATA Authorized Training Centers” 2016, 2015, 2013 & 2012. For more information, please visit www.thomascook.in
Thomas Cook (India) Limited is promoted by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fairbridge Capital (Mauritius) Limited and its controlled affiliates. Fairbridge is responsible for the execution of acquisition and investment opportunities in the Indian subcontinent on behalf of the Fairfax family of companies.
About Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited: Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is a holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and investment management. The Company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and has a global presence in insurance and reinsurance, including ICICI Lombard (India). The Company, founded in 1985 by the present Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prem Watsa, has, over the past 30 years, demonstrated a strong and consistent financial track record. For the year ended December 31, 2015, Fairfax increased book value per share at a compounded annual growth rate of 20.4% since its inception with a corresponding compounded annual increase in share price of 19.4% and had over US $41 billion of assets.
Fairfax is engaged in long term investments from its own resources, with a focus to delivering long term capital appreciation through a flexible and value oriented approach. Fairfax Financial Holdings through Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. owns 62.6% of the Quess Corp Limited (formerly IKYA Human Capital Solutions Limited), a provider of integrated business services and 100% of Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited (formerly Thomas Cook Insurance Services (India) Limited) engaged in time share and resort business.
About Quess Corp Limited (formerly IKYA Human Capital Solutions Limited): Quess Corp Limited is one of India’s leading integrated business services providers operating in four broad segments: Global Technology Solutions, People and Services, Integrated Facility Management and Industrial Asset Management. Headquartered in Bengaluru, it has a pan-India presence with 47 offices across 26 cities, as well as operations in North America, the Middle East and South East Asia. As of February 29, 2016, it employed over 120,000 employees.For further details on Quess Corp Ltd. please visit: http://www.quesscorp.com
About Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited: Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, a pioneer in vacation ownership and a leading leisure hospitality company in India, was incorporated in 1986 with the vision of delivering great holiday experiences to Indian families. To achieve this vision, the company pioneered Vacation Ownership in India and set about building a network of leisure resorts at some of the best holiday destinations in India. Currently, Sterling Holidays has a total inventory of 1914 rooms spread across a network of 26 resorts in 23 scenic holiday destinations in India.
In pursuance of the Order of Hon’ble High Court, Bombay, dated 2nd July, 2015 sanctioning the Composite Scheme of Arrangement and Amalgamation between Sterling Holiday Resorts (India) Limited (SHRIL) and Thomas Cook Insurance Services (India) Limited (TCISIL) and Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) and their respective shareholders and creditors (Scheme), the time share and resort business division and undertaking of SHRIL was Demerged into TCISIL and the residual business of SHRIL was Amalgamated with TCIL.
Post implementation of composite scheme, Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited (formerly Thomas Cook Insurance Services (India) Limited) continued the vacation ownership and resort business. In March 2016, Sterling acquired 100% stake in Nature Trails (an adventure holiday company) and this will add 93 rooms + Tents and Dorms [400 beds] to the total room inventory of Sterling. The company also has 16 additional sites where it plans to add new resorts in the coming years. For more information visit: www.sterlingholidays.com
About SOTC Travel Services Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Kuoni Travel (India) Pvt. Ltd) & Kuoni Hong Kong: SOTC Travel Services Pvt Ltd (Formerly known as "Kuoni Travel (India) Pvt. Ltd.") is a step-down subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Group; held through two companies, its Indian listed subsidiary, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) and TCIL's subsidiary Travel Corporation (India) Ltd.
SOTC is a leading travel and tourism company active across various travel segments including Leisure Travel, Business Travel, Destination Management Services and Distribution Visa Marketing Services.
TCIL through its step down Subsidiary Horizon Travel Holdings (Hong Kong) Private Limited holds 100% stake in Kuoni Travel (China) Limited (Kuoni Hong Kong), which has an attractive business in the travel sector backed by a trusted brand name, and a stable and motivated professional management team. Kuoni Hong Kong is a premium outbound travel operator in Hong Kong.