August 22, 2017

SOTC launches Darshans – crafted spiritual experiences
First national Travel service provider to enter the integrated spiritual + leisure segment
• Over 40 curated end to end itineraries that cover 60 popular spiritual destinations; 12 standalone and 30 circuits in partnership with ePuja
• Offers on ground services at the temples to aid pilgrims
• Premium services including pre booked darshan, pujas, abhisheka and homa

India has been one of the richest centers of spirituality over the last four thousand years. Tourism opportunities have developed immensely in the last couples of decades. Religious places are ranked high in preferred tourist destinations for Indians.

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report shows that between 2007 and 2015, the share of respondents in India who perceived religion to be very important increased by 11% to 80% now and the average expenditure on religious trips has more than doubled during this period. According to National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) half of the package trips were made for religious and pilgrimage purposes and about 28 percent for leisure and holiday purposes. These are clear indicators of the expanding sector.

A survey by SOTC was conducted in the age group of 18-55 years and above. Findings from the survey:
53% are interested to opt for a pilgrimage tour if a reputed travel operator offered their services.
47% have travelled on a pilgrimage tour.
38% sought assistance to plan a pilgrimage tour.
19% sought assistance from a local travel agent.
45% take a pilgrimage tour once in a year.
15% take a pilgrimage tour once in 6 months.
51% of the respondents look at a hassle free experience as the top requirement from a pilgrimage tour.
38% want sightseeing and a guided tour as part of their pilgrimage tour.

To cater to this growing demand of spiritual tourism in the country, SOTC has introduced Darshans in association with ePuja, India’s first online portal for religious ceremonies. Darshans by SOTC is a selection of over 40 specially designed religious and spiritual experiences across 60 holy destinations in India. The tours have been designed keeping in mind the specific needs of the travellers to seamlessly aid their spiritual journey. The package includes peaceful, quick, convenient, hassle-free religious experience, pooja, special ‘havan,’ abhisheka, assisted temple visit amongst others.

Speaking about the launch, Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel said, “Spiritual Tourism is the single largest category in domestic tourism which is an untapped, fragmented industry - opportunity. Indians are seeking a pre-planned, organized, comfortable, spiritual travel experience. SOTC Darshans, offers customers this very service. Religious travellers can now explore a new way of travel that aids their spiritual journey. Pricing of our products has been worked around to suit every budget, offering travellers a seamless spiritual journey.”

Package Details:

August 04, 2017

SOTC Travel conferred the 2017 Today’s Traveller Award for ‘Best Outbound Tour Operator’

SOTC Travel was conferred the ‘Best Outbound Tour Operator’ at the 11th annual ‘Today’s Traveller Awards 2017’, Taj Palace, New Delhi. Today’s Traveller Awards, the most respected awards in the travel industry, has always recognized the achievements and accomplishments of pioneering companies and leaders from the industry. Daniel D'souza, Head Sales, India and NRI Markets, SOTC Travel received the award at a gala evening of celebration. The Today’s Traveller Awards by Gill India Group is one of the acknowledged awards presented to corporate, hospitality, travel and tourism sector in India. Speaking on the win, Daniel D'souza, Head Sales, India and NRI Markets, SOTC Travel said, “It’s an honor to receive this prestigious award. The award recognizes SOTC’s significant contribution to Outbound Travel. Our endeavor has always been to facilitate breakthrough services and be a trusted and preferred Outbound Tour Operator to our customers. The Today’s Traveller Award creates high levels of motivation and zeal at SOTC to continue to perform, strive for excellence and be leaders in the travel and tourism industry.”

March 07, 2017

SOTC enters the Travel E Commerce space with the launch of its all new www.sotc.in

SOTC enters the Travel E Commerce space with an all new sotc.in portal, offering exciting new features. The platform presents an experiential holiday buying experience for its customers with a new map navigation feature. With a more contemporary design, variations have been made to the site-wide navigation to help customers find the information they need faster. The website offers customers a more engaging user experience with enhanced search and navigation.

Highlights of the new site include:
- Multiple payment options
- Price comparing feature for choosing the best holiday option
- Integrated website that allows repeat customers to access their previous fellow traveller details
- Retrieval feature that shows previous bookings and highlights current offers and promotions
- Share/ recommend holiday to friends and family
- Easy navigation and clean user interface built on holiday theme
- Images & videos for an easy itinerary presentation
- Calendar view of pricing to pick the best deal and dates
- Faster download time

Speaking of the website launch, Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel said, “With the new design, our desire was to use technology to allow customers to engage seamlessly with us across our physical & digital platforms. The new website is built on SOTC’s Omni-channel approach which is customer-centric and helps us deliver an integrated digital experience to our customers. The clean and more attractive website presents a more engaging user experience. Features such as multiple payment options, price comparing feature and share/ recommend holiday to friends and family offer our visitors a very informative experience. We have also added new and enhanced content offering huge innovative packages- international and domestic. We look forward to an increase in website visitors, content consumption and feedback from our users on our exciting new developments.”

March 10, 2017

SOTC wins the Kamikaze Best Customer Experience Award of the year

SOTC was recently honoured the Best Customer Experience Award of the year by Kamikaze. The Customer Experience Awards, Conceived & Managed by Kamikaze honours the highest level of achievement in customer experience across the Indian community. The awards pay tribute to organizations and inspiring role models that lead the way in Customer Experience. Each nomination received was well researched and thoroughly evaluated by the awards core jury.

Other nominees in this category included leading corporates like Citi Bank India, ICICI Securities, Flipkart, HP India, Lenovo, Mahindra Holidays, Samsung India, DHL Express, Acer India, VFS Global, Nestle India, American Express, Max Bupa, Yes Bank, Tata Realty, Jet Privilege, Birla SunLife, Tata Technologies, Shoppers Stop, ICICI Bank, JW Marriott, ITC Infotech, Shell India, Big Bazaar, Tata Starbucks, Bata India, Raymonds, Axis Bank, Tata Motors, Audi India etc.

On winning the prestigious accolade, Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel said “It is indeed a significant achievement to be conferred with this prestigious award. This award forms the industry’s benchmark in terms of best practice and process excellence and provides an opportunity to gain recognition for our achievements and initiatives at SOTC. Our focus has always been being customer centric and the award adds immense value to our brand and reinforces our position as a Customer Centric Organisation. It truly serves as an inspiration and encouragement in enhancing and delivering enriching holiday experiences to our customers”.

March 29, 2017

SOTC wins Best Travel and Hospitality Risk Management Award 2017

~ICICI Lombard-CNBC TV18 India Risk Management Awards 2017~

Mumbai, March 29, 2017: SOTC Travel has been honoured the prestigious award for the Best Risk Management Practice in the Travel & Hospitality category in the 3rd edition of ‘ICICI Lombard-CNBC TV18 India Risk Management Awards 2017.

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd., India’s largest private sector general insurance company and CNBC TV-18, India’s leading business channel announced the winners of ‘ICICI Lombard-CNBC TV18 India Risk Management Awards 2017 at Taj Lands End, Bandra, Mumbai.

The awards recognized companies like Tata Steel, Airtel, Tech Mahindra, Jubilant Food Works, Glenmark, Dabur, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hero Honda, Allcargo Logistics among others that have developed best in class risk management practices and capabilities across various business categories. The selection process consisted of analysis of company data, systems and frameworks of organizations, judged by an independent panel of experts.

Speaking on the achievement, Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel said, “It is indeed a significant achievement to be the only Travel Company to be honoured with this prestigious accolade. This success has been possible because of SOTC’s strong commitment towards developing best in class business risk management practices. In a highly globalized and deeply integrated world, risk management is now becoming the most important strategic tool for the sustainable growth of organizations.”

Speaking on winning the accolade, Brijesh Modi, Head-Finance & Commercial, SOTC Travel said, “It is truly an honour to be felicitated with this award. The India Risk Management Awards is a unique platform that recognizes companies that have created best in class risk management practices. In the current global environment, identifying and managing risks across an organization has become important for the success and longevity of any business. The award serves as an inspiration and encouragement in enhancing and delivering future risk management practices at SOTC”.

April 04, 2017

SOTC launches bespoke tour packages to attract Gujarati travellers

In an attempt to cater to the rising number of Gujarati travellers opting for international vacations, SOTC has crafted unique group tour packages especially for Gujaratis. The special tailor-made tours offer Gujarati travellers a home away from home experience with professional, friendly Gujarati speaking tour managers, Gujarati brochures and the added comfort of vegetarian, home cooked meals. From enjoying an Indian Breakfast in Las Vegas to a Gujarati Thali in Los Angeles and Niagara to experiencing a scintillating Garba night with Gala Dinner in New York to relishing a steaming cup of Masala Chai at select cities across the world, SOTC’s products are designed to create delightful experiences for our Gujarati travellers amidst exotic locations spanning across Zermatt, Spain, Portugal, Canada and South Africa.

Speaking about the move to tap into this segment of travellers, Amod Thatte, Head Product, Contracting & Innovation, SOTC Travel said, “Our research has shown that Gujaratis are avid travellers but they have some specific demands. Keeping this in mind we have created Gujarati group holiday packages for various destinations where you are ensconced in your own environment, yet exploring something new in a way that they are never far away from their own language, from their own people & can explore a new destination in a way that they like. Keeping in mind the preferences of our travellers, some of the USP’s include a stationed Chef in countries like Thailand, Malaysia and South Africa and a kitchen caravan in Europe to cater to the specific culinary tastes of our customers. Most of all the communication happens in a language they are familiar with – right from the tour manager to the brochures for the tours. At SOTC, we drive customer centricity in all our holiday propositions enabling us to create memorable holidays for our travellers.”

Few of the bestselling packages are:

Albelo Spain and Portugal

Duration: 11 Nights / 12 Days
Visit: Madrid, Salamanca, Lisbon, Seville, Granada, Valencia, Barcelona
Highlights

• Visit to Las Ventas Bullring in Madrid
• Enjoy a Cruise on the Tagus river in Lisbon
• Visit Alhambra Complex and General Life Gardens in Granada
• Visit to FC Barcelona Stadium
• Enjoy Flamenco Show with Glass of Wine.

Romanchak Europe with Zermatt

Duration: 18 Nights / 19 Days
Visit: London, Paris, Lisse , Innsbruck , Cologne , Venice , Florence , Cannes , Zermatt , Lucerne , Zurich
Highlights

• Visit to Swaminarayan Temple in London
• Visit to Eiffel Tower Level 3 in Paris
• Enjoy a Romantic Rhine Cruise in Germany
• Visit to Drubba in the Black Forest in Germany
• Private Water Taxi to St.Marks Square in Venice
• Visit to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello
• Visit Monaco Ville and Monte Carlo
• Visit to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
• Visit to Aare Gorge in Meiringe

Romanchak America with 4 Nights Add On Eastern Canada

Duration: 18 Nights / 19 Days
Visit: Los Angeles , Las Vegas , Lake Tahoe , San Francisco , Orlando , Niagara falls , Williamsport, Washington , New jersey , Williamsport , Washington ,New jersey , Montreal , Ottawa, Toronto
Highlights

• Helicopter Ride over the Strip
• Cruise on Lake Tahoe
• Bay Cruise in San Francisco
• Enjoy 3 Nights Luxirous Norwegian Sky Cruise
• Free Open Bar on board cruise
• Visit One World Observatory - New Tallest Skyscraper in Western Hemisphere
• Walk on Wall Street in New York
• Enjoy Indian Breakfast in Las Vegas.

Aflatoon South Africa

Duration: 10 Nights / 11 Days
Visit: Johannesburg, Sun City, Kwantu, Cape Town
Highlights

Suncity: Valley of Waves
Kwantu: Big 5 Game Drives
Tsitsikamma National Park: Bloukraans Bridge.
Oudtshoorn: Ostrich Farm, Cango caves, Cango Wildlife Ranch.
Cape Town: Guided City Tour, Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point, Seal Island, Boulders Beach.

The tour inclusions include economy class return airfare, hotel accommodation, sightseeing, specially trained Gujarati speaking tour manager services, meals as per the itinerary and insurance

April 25, 2017

SOTC offers “Domestic Holiday pe International Holiday Free”

~Limited period offer- Valid for booking till 03 May 2017~

With an aim to leverage the ongoing holiday season and provide best value deals to customers on their purchase, SOTC- the leading Travel and Tourism Company has announced “Domestic Holiday pe International Holiday Free” offer. Travelers with a budget for a Domestic vacation can now enjoy an International vacation at the same cost.

This offer enables customers to enjoy free stay for 3 nights at Thailand or Dubai on booking any domestic holiday. The free stay at Dubai or Thailand includes accommodation for 3 nights in a 3-star hotel or equivalent inclusive of breakfast. The free stay need to be availed before 30 September 2017.

This one-of-a-kind unique proposition will encourage the value seeking Indian customers to be able to affordably book both domestic and international vacations within the same budget. The offer includes a bouquet of destinations such as Kashmir, Sikkim, Bhutan, Karnataka, Ladakh, to name a few. To reach out to customers; digitally, native and retail, and ensure convenience and easy access, “Domestic Holiday pe International Holiday free “offer, is available across SOTC’s Omni-channel network – its online platforms (mobile & website), call centers & extensive offline outlets.

The packages included under “Domestic pe International Holiday free:

Escorted Holidays:

1. 6-Day Andaman- Visit: Portblair, Havelock & Neil Island- Starting from Rs. 38,300
2. 6-Day Ladakh- Visit: Leh, Alchi, Nubra & Pangong-Starting from Rs 38,300
3. 8-Day Eastern Himalaya-Visit: Darjeeling, Gangtok & Pelling-Starting from Rs. 45,200
*inclusive of airfares

Customised Holidays:

1. 7-Day Wonders of Kashmir -Visit: Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonamarg & Pahalgam -Starting from Rs. 29,970
2. 7-Day Best of Himachal- Visit: Shimla, Manali & Chandigarh- Starting from Rs. 33, 500
3. 7-Day Buddhist Splendor-North East- Visit Bhalukpung, Dirang, Tawang, Bomdia & Guwahati- Starting from Rs. 37,200

6-Day Eastern Chills – Sikkim- Visit: Darjeeling, Gangtok & Kalimpong- Starting from Rs` 33,800

The packages include accommodation, meals, transfers & sightseeing as per itinerary. Escorted holidays also include airfare and service of the SOTC tour manager.

May 09, 2017

SOTC offers “Last Minute Holiday Deals”

~6 Days Limited Offer: 8th – 13th May~

In an endeavor to provide best value deals to customers on their last minute bookings, SOTC- the leading Travel and Tourism Company has announced “Last Minute Holiday Deals” for travelers who prefer making immediate travel plans. The “Last Minute Holiday Deals” offer by SOTC includes an array of destinations such as Europe, South Africa, USA, Australia and Mauritius, to name a few. To reach out to customers; digitally, native and retail, and ensure convenience and easy access, “Last Minute Holiday Deals” offer, is available across SOTC’s Omni-channel network – its online platforms (mobile & website), call centers & extensive offline outlets.

Speaking on this exciting offer, Amod Thatte, Head Product, Contracting & Innovation, SOTC Travel said, “Instead of a single conventional annual vacation, the quintessential urban Indian travelers with high disposable income prefer taking frequent but shorter trips. About 7% per cent of travelers book just four or five days in advance for international travel and about 35% for domestic travel. Our endeavor is to 'Make Holidays a Priority'. At SOTC, we continue to encourage the Indian consumer to view holidays as a necessity & not postpone their holiday plans. The concept of last minute holidays is to encourage the workaholic Indian traveler to make most of his last minute travel plans”.

The packages included under “Last Minute Holiday Deals” are:

Europe Escorted Holidays- All Inclusive:

1. 7-Day Scenic Switzerland- Visit: Interlaken, Lucerne, Geneva, Bern & Zurich- INR 99,900 all inclusive
2. 8-Day European Dreams- Visit: France, Belgium, Germany & Switzerland- INR 1,06,700 all inclusive
3. 15-Day Splendid Europe- Visit: United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy & Vatican- INR 1,86,800 all inclusive

Escorted Holidays- All inclusive:
6-Day Thailand Surprise- INR 46,900 all inclusive

Customised Holidays- All inclusive:

4. 5-Day Singapore- INR 43, 300 all inclusive
5. 7-Day Mauritius- INR 55,000 all inclusive

Holidays of India- All Inclusive:

1. 6-Day Enchanting Ladakh- INR 35,300 (Ex-Delhi) all inclusive
2. 8-Day Highlights of Himachal- INR 31,600 all inclusive

The packages include airfare, accommodation, taxes, visa fee (for international holidays), sightseeing & Indian meals as per itinerary, all ground transportation and standard travel insurance up to 60 years of age. Escorted Holidays also includes services of tour manager.

June 13, 2017

SOTC announces special Janmasthami holiday packages

In an endeavor to cater to the rising number of Gujarati travellers opting for international vacations, SOTC has crafted unique group tour packages specially for Gujarati vacationers, launching their exclusive Janmasthami holiday packages such as Romanchak Malaysia, Albelu Hong Kong, Advik Dubai, Maujilo Far East & Akarshak Mauritius.

The special tailor-made group tours offer Gujarati travellers a home away from home experience with professional, friendly Gujarati speaking tour managers, Gujarati brochures and the added comfort of vegetarian meals. SOTC’s products are designed to create delightful experiences for the Gujarati travelers amidst exotic locations spanning across Far East and Middle East.

Speaking about these innovative packages, Amod Thatte, Head Product, Contracting & Innovation, SOTC Travel said, “Gujaratis are zealous travellers and the community has always been trendsetters in international tourism. In recognition of the consistent and strong support from our Gujarati markets, we have designed special Janmasthami packages that cater to important aspects like language and food, to offer our loyal Gujarati customers an exceptional international holiday experience. Our well experienced Gujarati-speaking tour managers ensure delivery of the essential elements of expertise and customer care. At SOTC, we drive customer centricity in all our holiday propositions enabling us to create cherished holiday experiences for our travellers.”

Few of the bestselling packages are:

1. MAUJILO FAREAST WT CRUISE – 11 Nights | 12 Days Ex Rajkot

2 Nts Pattaya |2 Nts Bangkok | 2 Nts Kuala Lumpur| 2 Nts Super Star Gemini Cruise |3 Nts Singapore
Meals: Full Board
Chef Meal: In Bangkok, Pattaya & Kuala Lumpur & Veg Restaurants in Singapore
Sightseeing:
City Tour of Singapore | Sentosa Island with Luge & Sky Ride & ‘Wings of Time Show’ Show, S.E.A Aquarium, Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay – Two Domes - Singapore
City tour of Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Lagoon Pass (All 6 Parks) - Malaysia
City tour of Bangkok & Safari World with Marine Park | Coral Island, Nong Nooch & Alcazar Show – Thailand
Offer: Free Upgrade to Ocean View Cabin

2. RANGILO FAREAST WT CRUISE – 08 Nights | 09 Days – EX AHMEDABAD

3 Nts Singapore | 2 Nts Super Star Gemini Cruise | 3 Nts Kuala Lumpur
Meals: Full Board
Chef Meal: In Kuala Lumpur & Veg Restaurants in Singapore
Sightseeings:
City Tour of Singapore | Sentosa Island with Luge & Sky Ride & ‘Wings of Time Show’ Show, S.E.A Aquarium, Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay – One Dome - Singapore
City tour of Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Lagoon Pass(All 6 Parks), Snow Park in Genting - Malaysia Offer: Free Upgrade to Ocean View Cabin

3. ROMAANCHAK MALAYIA, SINGAPORE WT CRUISE – 09 Nights | 10 Days – EX AHMEDABAD

3 Nts Kuala Lumpur | 2 Nts Super Star Gemini Cruise | 3 Nts Singapore
Meals: Full Board
Chef Meal: In Kuala Lumpur & Veg Restaurants in Singapore
Sightseeings:
City Tour of Singapore | Sentosa Island with Luge & Sky Ride & ‘Wings of Time Show’ Show, S.E.A Aquarium, Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay – Two Domes - Singapore
City tour of Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Lagoon Pass(All 6 Parks) - Malaysia

4. MAGICAL SINGAPORE – 04 Nights | 05 Days – EX MUMBAI

4 Nts Singapore
Meals: Full Board
Sightseeing’s:
City Tour of Singapore | Sentosa Island with Luge & Sky Ride & ‘Wings of Time Show’ Show, S.E.A Aquarium, Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay – Two Domes - Singapore

5. THAILAND DHAMAKA – 05 Nights | 06 Days – EX MUMBAI

2 Nts Bangkok | 3 Nts Phuket
Meals: Full Board
Sightseeing’s:
City tour of Bangkok & Safari World with Marine Park - Bangkok
City tour & Phi Phi Island tour with Local Lunch – Phuket

6. ALBELU HONGKONG, SHENZHEN, Chimelong & MACAU – 6 Nights | 7 Days – Ex Ahmedabad

3 Nts Hkg | 2 Nts Shenzhen |2 Nts Macau
Meals: 6 Breakfast | 5 Lunches| 6 Dinners
Sightseeing’s:
HKG: City tour, Disneyland, Harbour Cruise, Visit to Madame Tussauds
SHZ: Window of the World
Zuhai (Chimelong): Ocean Park
MAC: City tour + Macau Tower
Offer: Child Free on land – Max 2 per departure

7. ADVIK DUBAI – 6 Nights | 7 Days – Ex Ahmedabad

5 Nts Dubai | 1 Nt Atlantis
Meals: 6 Breakfast | 6 Lunches,|6 Dinners.
Sightseeing’s:
Dubai: City tour, Desert Safari, Dhow Cruise, Visti to Burf Khalifa – 124th Floor, Day trip to Ferrari Park & Yas Water Park & Aqua venture & Lost Chambers in Atlantis Hotel

8. AKARSHAK MAURITIUS – 6 Nights | 7 Days – Ex MUMBAI – 3 * Tamrin Hotel

6 Nts Mauritius
Meals: 6 Breakfast | 6 Dinners.
Sightseeing’s:
Full day North Tour with Caudan Waterfront, City Tour & Mall of Mauritius.
Full day South Tour with Shivji Temple & a visit to the Spectacular Valley of colours with its 23 colourd Earth & numerous waterfalls.
Full Day ILE Aux Cerfs tour with speed boat.

9. AKARSH MAURITIUS – 6 Nights | 7 Days – Ex MUMBAI – 4 * All Inclusive Riu Creole Hotel

6 Nts Mauritius
Meals: 6 Breakfast | 6 Dinners.
Sightseeing’s:
Full day North Tour with Caudan Waterfront, City Tour & Mall of Mauritius.
Full day South Tour with Shivji Temple & a visit to the Spectacular Valley of colors with its 23 colored Earth & numerous waterfalls.
Full Day ILE Aux Cerfs tour with speed boat.
Offer: Child Free on Land

The packages include airfare, accommodation, taxes, visa fee (for international holidays), sightseeing & Indian meals as per itinerary, all ground transportation and standard travel insurance up to 60 years of age. Escorted Holidays also includes services of tour manager.