TUI India to Focus on Tier II and Tier III Cities in 2015

 TUI India, the Indian arm of one of the world’s leading international leisure travel group, TUI Travel PLC, discussed its expansion plans and travel trends for 2015 at Le Meridien today.

TUI India plans to open two new stores in Mumbai, as well as expand their footprint in the Southern market in this year. TUI India is also launching an app soon and will be available only to customers who book through TUI India. This app will serve as their personal guide throughout the trip, right from informing them of their booking status, to the weather report and even the best places to visit in the city.

Mr. Vishal Sinha, COO, TUI India said, “We have witnessed a tremendous growth potential in the Indian market. While we plan to launch new stores in Mumbai and the South, as well as a TUI app by the end of this month, we also understand the demand in Tier II and Tier II cities. Our luxury packages including the Antarctica drew one-fourth of its bookings from cities such as Mathura, Ludhiana, Coimbatore and Muzaffarpur. Keeping this in mind, we want to reach out to different segments and offer them experiences which last a lifetime.”

TUI India’s portfolio of Lifetime Experiences comprise of unforgettable luxurious holidays in the Arctic region, personalised yacht cruises, journeys off-the-beaten track around the world besides luxurious holidays within India.

Indian travel enthusiasts who are either keen to explore the icebergs and fjords around Greenland and Spitsbergen, or visit the penguin colonies in the Arctic region can opt for TUI’s Quark Expeditions.

Moorings, on the other hand, allow customers the freedom to sail anywhere in the world on board an exclusive private yacht, piloted by a professional. One may go island hopping, beachcombing or even indulge in water activities, while the chef whips up lip-smacking gourmet fare. Choose from destinations such as Thailand, Italy, Nice-France, Bahamas and Seychelles and enjoy an experience of a lifetime.

TUI’s Intrepid Holidays caters to adventure travellers and introduces them to real people and real cultures. With an opportunity to explore different countries and cultures in a deeper and fun way, Intrepid Holidays regularly surprises even the most avid globe-trotters.

The fourth offering from TUI India is the Indulgent India collection, in which tourists can experience the beauty of grand mediaeval forts amid undulating sand dunes of Rajasthan, lounge in a comfortable house-boat in the languid backwaters of Kerala or be a witness to the Sun illuminating the lofty snow-capped Himalayan mountains.

TUI India also highlighted some of the travel trends that will shape 2015:

• Upcoming destinations:

• Personalized vacations: Tailored vacations are going to play a big role in 2015. Fixed itineraries and group tours are only chosen by first time travelers. Personalization and customization are taking over fixed itineraries and unique travel experiences and unexplored destinations are being evaluated not just by the rich and the famous. While destinations like Europe, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Dubai remain as favorites, many Indians are revisiting these destinations and spending more time in single cities as well as exploring the local culture, cuisine and art as a local. Some of the newer places are UK and not just London, Bhutan, Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam. TUI India has always emphasized on personalization as one of the main factors for their holiday offers.

• Authentic Experiences: A lot of travelers are also opting for localized holidays, where they want to enjoy the destinations in an authentic manner. We have seen the younger urban population opting for a holiday where they eat, sleep and travel like a local, meet travelers from all over the world and experience the local culture. The kind of traveler who does not require a guide, will travel in public transport instead of hiring a car, wants to learn some local dishes, interact with the locals in their native language and come back with rich experiences. TUI India encourages such a ‘TUIrist’ and offers experiences, such as pub-hopping in Ireland, Amsterdam Food by Foot experience, a Tuk Tuk Ride in Bangkok among many others.

• Luxury Vacations: A lot of travelers are also opting for luxury vacations, where they want to enjoy the same old destinations in a plush manner. Over 60% of affluent consumers in India plan to increase their spending in 2015, out of which 49% people are expected to increase their budgets on family holidays. TUI India boasts of their Quark and Moorings experiences which enables a traveler to go on an expedition to the Arctic as well as the South Pole to witness the Northern Lights, polar bears and penguins, or a private yacht vacation called the Moorings that would have a Captain and Chef on board to ensure that the traveler experiences true luxury while chartering one’s own course.

• Dependence on smartphones: We have seen a recent surge of interest of travelers in smartphone technology and their dependence on this technology while travelling. Keeping this in mind, TUI India is launching an app for travelers who book through us which will be their personal guide throughout the trip, right from informing them of their booking status, to the weather report, to the best places to visit in the city. The objective of launching this App is to ensure that the traveler has a guide to refer to at any point during their journey.

About TUI India

TUI India was officially formed in 2006 as a result of a joint partnership between Le Passage to India, the India-based leading inbound destination management company, and TUI Travel PLC, one of the world’s leading international leisure travel group. TUI India boasts of an impeccable reputation for quality services in holidays, incentive travel, special interest tours and conference management. For more information visit www.tui.in

For more details and holiday planning, engage with TUI’s team of holiday consultants at 1800-3000-8000 or access its products online at: www.tui.in

Alternatively, one can also visit the TUI India stores at:

Delhi:

Shipra Mall: Shop No. 49, first floor, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad (U.P.) Tel: +0120-4545860/70/80/960

Select Citywalk: G-60, Ground Floor, District Centre, Saket, New Delhi. Tel: +91 11 - 42658467 / 68 / 69

Connaught Place: 10 - A, 1st Floor, Gobind Mansion, H Block, New Delhi. Tel: +91 11 41513311

Galleria Market: TUI Concept Store- Travelhood Café, Shop No –SF-068, 1st floor, , DLF-IV, Gurgaon. Tel: +0124–4552446 / 49

Ahmedabad:

Ambawadi: Shop No. 116 & 117 Grand Mall, Opp SBI Zonal Office, Nehrunagar Road, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad. Tel: +91 079 – 33005555 / 30046332 / 33 / 34 / 35

Mumbai:

Linking Road: Shop number 1, Unit 5 & 6, Natraj Co-Operative Housing Society, Near National College, Linking Road, Bandra west, Mumbai.Tel: +91 22 42971111