Written by - Over 85% respondents keen to travel between Oct–Dec 2021
- 77% interested in international holidays; of this 60% indicate intent to visit the UAE (Dubai-Abu Dhabi) with Expo 2020 heading the list of favourites
- Average duration of stay for Expo 2020: 4 – 7 nights
- Key Consumer segments: Families, Couples, Millennials (Techies), Education/Students; MICE, Business (start-ups with Tech background, Trade Associations, CXO/CIOs) & B-leisure
- Average Age group: 35 years and above
- Willingness to spend: Average Rs. 70,000 per person (4nights); upward of Rs 2,50,000 for a luxury trip
Mumbai, October 6, 2021: Thomas Cook India, India’s leading integrated travel services company, and its Group Company SOTC Travel Ltd., have jointly surveyed over 2500 customers across India’s key metros like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and mini-metros like Pune and Tier 2 & 3 source markets, including Jaipur, Lucknow, Madurai, Kochi, Indore, Cuttack, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Surat. The survey reveals insightful customer data, behaviour and travel trends with UAE (Dubai-Abu Dhabi) and Expo 2020 Dubai emerging as a clear driver of international demand for Q4 2021:
- Significant Travel Desire: 85% of respondents keen to travel (77% International, 61% domestic)
- Over 60% indicate clear intent to visit UAE with Expo 2020 Dubai topping the leader board of favourites; also cricket fixtures of IPL & T20
With re-opening of borders, vaccine acceptance/easing of restrictions, Indians are displaying strong travel appetite for UAE (Dubai & Abu Dhabi). Expo 2020 Dubai, starting October 1, 2021 and continuing up to March 31, 2022, has created a significant opportunity – with over 47% of respondents indicating keen interest to visit the event at least once this year.
Demand for Expo 2020 Dubai extends across a range of segments:
Business Travellers (MNCs, India corporate houses, SMEs) & Trade Associations: 15%
MICE Travellers: 25%
Leisure Travellers (Families/ Extended families, Couples, Millennials, Seniors): 45%
Education: 15%
No. of Visits & Duration of Stay:
47% respondents are likely to visit Expo 2020 at least once between October – December 2021
57% respondents indicated they would visit the Expo more than once (Oct 2021 – March 2022)
Average duration of stay: ranges from 4 – 7 nights
Willingness to Spend:
Approx. Rs. 70,000 for a trip of 4 nights to upward of Rs. 250,000 per person for luxury products
Customer Wishlist: Top Activities/Experiences at Expo 2020 Dubai:
- Business: Automation presentations/launches, Sustainability ideation, Architectural innovations, Seminars & Summits, Business engagements
- MICE: Networking, Award ceremonies & Gala Business Events
- Families: Mars-inspired playground, penguin robots, an array of fun activity like an exciting transparent slide, children menus and family-friendly dining options, extravagant fireworks
- Couples: Future of space travel, driverless cars, exciting acrobatic and opera shows, robotic bands, walk through waterfalls, rivers, mangroves, and wander through streets of famous world cities
- Millennials: Workshops by world-renowned chefs, Futuristic Culinary Experiences – Lunch with robots, sensory engagement with innovative technologies, Virgin Hyperloop One simulator experience, healthcare innovations, A.R. Rahman’s Firdaus Orchestra, Expo Beats – shows & performances, Late Nights @ Expo (every Thursday & Friday) & Jalsat @ Expo for people & artists from across the world
Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited said, “Our survey highlights strong travel demand for the last quarter 2021, with 60% customers indicating UAE with Expo 2020 Dubai as their top preference; followed by the cricket fixtures of IPL/T20. The survey further reveals strong appeal across range of traveller segments – from India’s millennials, families, students, and business to our MICE corporate and across India’s metros as well as Tier 2-3 source markets. For industry associations and businesses, Expo 2020 Dubai offers an invaluable platform for ideation, R&D, business and networking. MICE being a strong segment driver, we have designed unique programmes – tailor made and co-curated based on the interests of specific corporates across Insurance, Automobile, Pharma, e-Commerce, Start-ups & Trade Associations. We are also seeing interest in gala dinners and events at the Expo site itself. In addition to Expo 2020, the exciting cricket fixtures of the T20 World Cup & IPL, have allowed us to combine the two opportunities with a compelling product for the India market.”
Mr. Daniel D’souza President & Country Head, SOTC Travel said, “As per our survey there is an encouraging travel desire and confidence amongst customers pan-India. The survey reveals positive interest for families to witness this once-in-a-lifetime global mega-event. Expo 2020 Dubai, length of stay trends highlight, customers are looking at longer stay compared to short trips in the past. Over 57% of respondents said they would visit the Expo again along with an increased willingness to spend.
He added, with significant interest for a 4 – 7 nights stay, we have curated attractive 5 and 6 nights Expo itineraries with Single Day/ Multi Day Tickets included along with a Guided Tour of Expo on some itineraries. Our offers also include experiences like Sundowner Yacht Cruise, Ain Dubai, Pink Limousine Rides, Dubai Museum, Bridge & Heritage tour of the QE II amongst others and Luxury experiences like, hi-tea at the Burj Khalifa, desert camping and a VIP Desert Safari with a Private Butler are also part of our offers.
To reassure customers, our products are inbuilt with TravShield – comprehensive Safety Commitment & Assured Safe Travel Program in association with Apollo Clinics.”
About Thomas Cook (India) Limited: Set up in 1881, Thomas Cook India) Limited. (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, Value Added Services, Visa and Passport services. It operates leading B2C and B2B brands including Thomas Cook, SOTC, TCI, SITA, Asian Trails, Allied T Pro, Australian Tours Management, Desert Adventures, Luxe Asia, Travel Circle International Limited (TCI 勝景遊), Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, Distant Frontiers, TC Tours, Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI), Go Vacation, Private Safaris East & South Africa.
As one of the largest travel service provider networks headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, The Thomas Cook India Group spans 25 countries across 5 continents.
TCIL has been felicitated with CNBC-TV18 & ICICI Lombard India Risk Management Award – Travel & Leisure Category 2021, The Best Travel Agency – India at TTG Travel Awards 2019, The Best Outbound Tour Operator at the Times Travel Awards 2018 & 2019 and Leading Company with Cutting Edge Travel Innovation at the Times Travel Awards 2018, Silver award for Asia’s Best Integrated Report (First Time) category at the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards 2019, Best Risk Management-Framework & Systems at the India Risk Management Awards 2019; Best Cash Management Solution – India at the Asset Triple A Treasury, Trade, Supply Chain & Risk Management Awards 2018, Best Outbound Tour Operator at the SATTE Awards 2019, Excellence in Domestic Tour Operations at the SATTE Awards 2018, The French Ambassador’s Award for Exemplary Achievements in Visa Issuance – 2015 to 2019 and the Condé Nast Traveller – Readers’ Travel Awards from 2011 to 2019.
CRISIL has reaffirmed the rating on debt programmes and bank facilities of Thomas Cook (India) Limited – ‘CRISIL A+/Negative on the long-term bank facilities of TCIL and CRISIL A1 rating on the short-term bank facilities and short- term debt of the Company.For more information, please visit www.thomascook.in
Fairbridge Capital (Mauritius) Limited, a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited promotes TCIL by holding 65.60% of its paid-up capital and is responsible for the execution of acquisition and investment opportunities.
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. Founded in 1985 by the present Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prem Watsa, the company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Its common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol FFH and in U.S. dollars under the symbol FFH.U.
About Subsidiaries of Thomas Cook (India) Limited:
Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of TCIL is engaged in time share and resort business.
SOTC Travel Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of TCIL is a leading travel and tourism company active across various travel segments including Leisure Travel, Incentive Travel and Business Travel.
Travel Corporation (India) Limited. (TCI), a brand owned by TCIL through its wholly owned subsidiary company, is the leading Destination Management Company in India that offers tailor-made travel and related services to India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
Thomas Cook India Group holds 51% stake in DEI Holdings Limited (DEI), one of the world’s leading imaging solutions and services providers.
For more information, visit:
Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited: http://www.sterlingholidays.com
SOTC Travel Limited: http://www.sotc.in
About SOTC Travel: SOTC Travel Limited (Formerly SOTC Travel Pvt. Ltd.) is a step-down subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Group; held through its Indian listed subsidiary, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL). SOTC India is a leading travel and tourism company active across various travel segments including Leisure Travel, Incentive Travel and Business Travel and Foreign Exchange. SOTC was established in 1949. Since then, it has escorted lakhs of travellers across the globe for more than 70 years to various destinations around the world. A new age innovative holidaymaker, SOTC strives to make holidays a priority for every Indian. ‘We are for holidays’ and we want Indians to prioritize their holidays.