(MENAFN- Thomas Cook) Mumbai, November 25, 2021: The pandemic brought the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions) sector to a standstill for most of 2020. To stay connected with its key MICE stakeholders, Thomas Cook (India) Limited - India’s leading integrated travel and travel related financial services company, transformed its business into a digital model - delivering over 100 virtual events for over 3 lakh attendees based in India, USA, Canada, Germany and Ireland. The Company also launched Gourmet Genie - specially curated corporate hampers that helped corporates stay in touch with their top performers and stakeholders with delivery of approx. 18,000 hampers till date.
To build corporate confidence in MICE travel, Thomas Cook launched its “Assured” Safe Travel Program - developed in association with Apollo Clinics that ensures best in class travel safety protocols covering every distribution, delivery and partner touch point in the travel ecosystem. This was followed by “TravShield” an upgraded safety commitment of only vaccinated staff and co-passengers among many other precautions, that ensures traveller safety in the pandemic era.
Despite the restrictions of the pandemic, Thomas Cook’s sustained corporate engagement towards driving MICE demand has resulted in delivery of over 200 physical groups of between 20-200 delegates per group in 2021. Top destinations included key metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad, top conference locations of Goa and Jaipur; also leisure favourites like Udaipur, Puri, Mahabalipuram, etc. With the reopening of international borders, several international MICE groups have been conducted to Dubai, Maldives, France and Germany with group sizes ranging between 20-200 guests. With growing appetite for exclusive experiences and increased spends, Thomas Cook has successfully managed premium groups with delegates comprising global business heads; stays at uber luxury hotels like Waldorf Astoria and The Ritz Carlton and exclusive experiences including dining at a Michelin star restaurant.
Sporting events were maximised by Thomas Cook towards delivery of 3 mid-sized MICE groups (between 30-100 delegates) during the T20 World Cup in the UAE. In addition, Expo 2020 Dubai continues to see growing interest from corporate R&D teams and trade associations.
Thomas Cook India has also organised weddings and related events ranging between 30-400 guests at Goa, Jaipur and Udaipur.
Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited said, “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, our focussed initiatives that included health and safety, have increased corporate confidence in MICE Travel. And this has resulted in our delivery of over 200 physical MICE groups (both domestic and international) since January this year. With increased demand for physical groups/events our pipeline for 2022 looks robust and our teams are all geared up to delivering truly exceptional programs to delight our MICE clients.”
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.
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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.
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 millions 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.
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