February 22, 2018 TnH Global

Thomas Cook India continues expansion drive

South India currently the company’s largest and fastest growing source market
Strong 32% increase in the company’s Leisure Business from South India
Expands organically- opens 8 new outlets in the region

Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated travel and travel related financial services company, in a focussed initiative to tap the strong potential of South India, has strengthened its presence across the region with the opening of 8 new outlets over the last year. This expansion augments Thomas Cook India’s distribution and reach in South India to 50 consumer access centers: 23 owned branches and 27 Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlets.

Thomas Cook India’s internal data has revealed significant and growing demand from its South India markets: 28% YoY over the last 3 years, and currently at +32% over the same period of the previous year. What is noteworthy in Thomas Cook’s South India growth story is that this demand is being witnessed across metros, smaller highly viable (yet underleveraged) catchments within metros, as also tier 2 & 3 markets. Source markets of Mysuru, Mangaluru, Udupi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Kozhikode have been key growth drivers for the company.

Thomas Cook India’s consumer insights for South India reveal that South India’s new age traveller of today is a clear value-seeker, who looks for “brag-worthy” experiences and exciting new destinations/locales to explore. Family vacations have topped the company’s leisure travel segment, followed by cruise holidays, honeymoons and extended weekend getaways. The last year has seen significant demand for destinations like Europe (Italy, Switzerland, France, and Austria), Australia, Scandinavia, and Bali; while destinations like Egypt and Japan have also emerged as strong favourites.

Thomas Cook India’s unique Kannada, Tamil & Telugu group escorted tours offer its customers a home-away-from-home experience with Thomas Cook’s professional, friendly tour managers who speak the local language; and the added comfort of local Indian meals on tour. The company’s Regional Tours have been a strategic initiative to leverage the strong growth of South India’s 2 & 3 markets.

To accelerate its growth momentum, Thomas Cook India continues focus on its organic strategy for South India and recently opened a new Gold Circle Partner franchise outlet at Vadapalani, Chennai. Situated in the heart of Chennai, Vadapalani is a significant catchment area for Thomas Cook India. The new outlet offers consumers end-to-end travel solutions with a bouquet of travel and travel related services, including:

International & Domestic Holidays (Group escorted tours, Personalised individual holidays, Regional Tours, Cruises and more)
Travel Insurance

Rajeev Kale, ‎President & Country Head, Leisure Travel & M.I.C.E – Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said “South India continues to power our growth story- it is today our largest and fastest source market, growing currently at 32%. Our strategic focus is to maximise on this market potential via organic expansion and we’ve carefully selected high footfall centres for our new outlets- in prime catchment locations within metros as well as in Tier 2 & Tier 3 locations in South India. Our new outlets in this region give our customers (across families, business travellers, millennials, senior citizens, students and NRIs) access to Thomas Cook’s experts right at their doorstep!”

He added, “While we have witnessed a strong demand from cities, smaller catchment areas within these cities, mini metros and tier 2 & 3 markets have also been emerging strongly. We intend to continue to focus and grow in the smaller catchments areas given their high potential for our holidays business.