Tourism Breaking News
Signalling a clear intent to capitalise on the strong and growing opportunity presented by the India market, Thomas Cook (India), and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, have signed a 3 year agreement with Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator in the Middle East and North Africa. The partnership will deliver on a range of customisable air-inclusive holidays via a technology platform built by Thomas Cook India and SOTC. The exciting and extensive holiday portfolio will be curated by Thomas Cook and SOTC, with air inventory and exclusive fares being provided by Air Arabia. The partnership expands Thomas Cook India and SOTC reach with access to Air Arabia’s customer base in India and provides marketing investment to accelerate demand by targeting a range of India’s travel segments – across families, couples, millennials, groups of friends, seniors; also B-leisure customers.
Air Arabia operates from 12 Indian cities (metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and viable Tier 2-3 markets like Ahmedabad, Calicut, Coimbatore, Goa, Jaipur, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram; Nagpur from Nov 2021) giving India’s travellers an opportunity to holiday across its extensive network of over 170 international favourites – spanning the Middle East, CIS countries, Africa, Europe and Asia, via easy access of its gateway – Sharjah.
Indian consumers benefit via attractively priced bundled holiday products (air + land) that leverage the respective strengths of the industry leaders – Thomas Cook India, SOTC and Air Arabia. The partnership brings travellers the added advantage of a suite of ready-to-book holidays and customisable itineraries – all bookable via a simple and seamless online platform, conceptualised and built by Thomas Cook India & SOTC. Additionally, Thomas Cook & SOTC will also support customers through its omni-channel network of contact centres and over 350 retail outlets pan India.
Mahesh Iyer, Executive Director & CEO, Thomas Cook (India) said, “Our teams across Thomas Cook and SOTC have spent time meaningfully these past 18 months in re-imagining our business and I am hence truly delighted to sign a strategic agreement with Air Arabia, that expands our market. The consumer advantage is significant: an enticing proposition that leverages the strengths of Air Arabia’s highly attractive air product-pricing-network with the diverse holidays range and combined buying-power of Thomas Cook India and SOTC – leaders in the holidays domain. Further, our seamless distribution via an online platform built by Team Thomas Cook and SOTC, brings customers the convenience and choice of pre-packaged or customisable products and a simple, smooth, end-to-end experience. For that added assurance, via the partnership, customers are extended support via our contact centres and extensive retail presence, pan India.”
