Tag Archives: Daniel D’souza

Daniel Dsouza joins DreamSetGo as Co-Founder

DreamSetGo, India’s premier sports experiences and travel platform, has appointed Daniel Dsouza as its new Co-Founder. He will join the leadership team to help drive the company’s next phase of growth and strengthen its position as a leader in the rapidly expanding sports travel sector.

Daniel brings valuable expertise from his key role in shaping the leisure and holiday business at SOTC Travel Limited, a part of the Thomas Cook Group (formerly Kuoni Travel). His deep knowledge of the travel and tourism industry, along with a keen understanding of evolving consumer preferences, will be instrumental in enhancing DreamSetGo’s premium sports travel offerings.

On welcoming Daniel to the team, Monish Shah, Co-founder & CEO of DreamSetGo, said, “We are thrilled to have Daniel join us as a co-founder at DreamSetGo. His extensive experience in the travel and tourism industry will be instrumental in driving our vision forward and expanding our offerings in premium sports tourism. In his new role, Daniel will focus on building a high-performance team and broadening DreamSetGo’s product portfolio to cater to the fastest-growing segment in the travel industry, enhancing the experience for sports fans across the country.”

Daniel added, “I am thrilled to join DreamSetGo at such an exciting time. The intersection of travel and sports presents enormous opportunities in India, and I look forward to contributing to a platform that offers sports enthusiasts truly unique and immersive experiences at global sporting events.”

Based in Mumbai, Daniel will collaborate with the leadership team to steer DreamSetGo’s strategic initiatives as the premier brand for luxury and premium sports travel.

 

Thomas Cook, SOTC unveil AI-powered platform for cutomised holidays

Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its Group Company, SOTC Travel have launched an AI-powered platform to help customers plan their customised holidays, check availability and book – in minutes.

The platform has been deployed with sellers initially. Over the next few months, end customers will have direct access to the platform via the company websites thomascook.in & sotc.in and the company apps.

Creating a customised travel programme has traditionally been an arduous task for holiday experts: from the discovery-research stage to creating an itinerary and then pricing and booking. This involves coordination with several disparate sources, with multiple external suppliers for various components, be it air, hotels, attractions, local transportation, etc. The average time frame involved being between 48 – 72 hours, or more. With the Thomas Cook and SOTC AI-based platform, customised trip planning will now become seamless – in under 10 minutes!

Leveraging a combination of Deep Learning & AI algorithms, intelligent recommendations intuitively tailor travel itineraries by analyzing unique customer preferences. With access to a global network of partners for flights, hotels, experiences and transport, holiday planning and booking is now more personalized and streamlined than ever before.

Capabilities of the AI platform:
• Inspire Engine: AI-driven suggestions to optimize time and budget based on customer interests
• Swift Personalization: Build a customized trip in just minutes with tailored recommendations
• Speed: Turnaround time reduced – to under 10 minutes
• Convenience: Curate a trip at ease – anytime, any day
• Flexible Customization: Book recommended options or adjust every element of the itinerary to suit individual preferences.

Key Features:
• Theme-based destination rankings
• Flight price predictions and recommendations
• Activity ranking and scheduling
• Hotel price predictions and recommendations
• Optimization within budget

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said, ”The new age Indian consumer is increasingly demanding personalized trips – unique, tailor-made programs based on their preferences. Extending our digital-first strategy, I am delighted to announce our AI-powered platform, to help customers plan their customised holidays, check availability and book – in real-time. This will empower both our frontline and customers to create deeply personalized programmes in minutes. This cutting-edge AI technology will transform how Indians plan their travel, and as travel pioneers, we continue to improve our customer experience.”

Daniel D’Souza, President & Country Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel said, “We are excited to unveil our AI-powered platform to help customers plan their customised holidays in real time. This platform will ensure the delivery of real-time recommendations and optimize every aspect of trip planning – personalizing travel like never before. We believe that AI is the key to unlocking intuitive, efficient, and personalized experiences in this new age of travel, and we at SOTC are excited to lead the way.”

Thomas Cook, SOTC see 25% growth in demand for monsoon travel

Indian consumers are displaying sustained interest in travel post the traditional peak summer season. With the onset of the monsoons, ushering in pleasant weather and nature at its best, Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its Group Company, SOTC Travel’s has reported an increase in demand for monsoon travel – with a growth of 25% compared to last year.

Thomas Cook India and SOTC have also announced value-options that make monsoon travel an attractive value proposition for Indians.

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Leisure Travel, MICE, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, said, “Monsoon travel is seeing growing popularity from Indians. We are witnessing a 25% increase in demand for this monsoon season compared to last year. Short driveable holidays; weekend & extended weekend getaways are witnessing an uptick from young professionals/millennials & GenZ, couples, families. Our customers are showcasing interest in offbeat & adventure experiences like bike trips, hiking, rafting, waterfall rappelling/trekking. To cater to this demand we have curated a diverse portfolio of over 150 monsoon holidays designed to inspire travel hungry Indians.”

Daniel D’souza, President & Country Head, Leisure, SOTC Travel, added, “The monsoon season offers travellers a unique opportunity to explore India’s greener locales, cooler and serene wellness retreats. With our rich heritage of 75 years, we firmly believe that no one understands the Indian traveller better than SOTC. India travellers are maximizing their holidays with off-season rates and incredible monsoon discounts to unique monsoon destinations like Ooty, Coorg, Wayanad, Coonoor and Munnar, Western Ghats. Our Monsoon Holidays are curated for customers who want to experience India’s untapped beauty amidst the rains.”

SOTC announces official partnership with Mumbai Indians Cricket Team

 

SOTC Travel Limited has joined hands with Mumbai Indians, one of the most beloved cricket teams, for the ongoing T20 cricket season as an ‘Official Partner’. Through this collaboration, SOTC gains the rights to utilise imagery featuring Mumbai Indians’ players.

This partnership, coinciding with SOTC’s 75th year celebrations, taps into India’s profound love for cricket, strategically timed during the country’s peak summer travel season. SOTC will integrate this association across its promotional efforts across various platforms, including print, digital, social media, point-of-sale, and activations.

Daniel D’souza, President & Country Head, Holidays, SOTC Travel Limited, expressed, “At SOTC, we take immense pride in our Indian roots and 75-year heritage. In celebration of this milestone, we have partnered with Mumbai Indians, a T20 franchise adored by millions. Cricket and travel evoke strong emotions in India, and this iconic collaboration blends the excitement of cricket with the thrill of travel adventures. Our engaging campaign aims to introduce Indians to new destinations and experiences, uniting the excitement of cricket with the joy of exploration. Together with Mumbai Indians, we are honored to embody the spirit of India, bringing people together and igniting aspirations.”

Thomas Cook & SOTC: Pilgrimage Tours

 

The prevailing YOLO (You
Only Live Once) sentiment, influenced by the pandemic, has significantly impacted the preferences of Indian travelers. Modern-day travelers aspire to immerse themselves in destinations and experience them authentically, embracing various facets such as adventure, wellness, food, culture, and history. Thomas Cook (India) Limited, the leading omnichannel travel services company, and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, have observed a noteworthy surge of 100% YoY in the demand for spiritual locales, with a particular emphasis on cultural experiences and adventure.

The recent inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, coupled with enhanced connectivity and infrastructure, has intensified online searches by 10x. Capitalising on this burgeoning yet unorganized segment, the companies have expanded their spiritual tours portfolio, offering a diverse range of ready-to-book and personalised tours to spiritual destinations across India and the subcontinent.

While spiritual travel traditionally appealed to seniors (Gen S), Thomas Cook & SOTC are now witnessing increased demand from diverse segments, including multigenerational families, honeymooners/couples, and the millennial and Gen Z cohorts.

Consumer data from the companies reveal that the demand extends beyond traditional pilgrimages to include unique local experiences. To cater to this evolving trend, Thomas Cook and SOTC have curated an enticing product range called Pilgrimage Plus. This includes spiritual breaks combined with local experiences such as mountain biking and paragliding in Vaishno Devi, diving with PADI professionals in Rameswaram, river rafting and kayaking in Rishikesh, camping in Uttarakhand, jungle trekking in Gujarat, sunset boat rides in Varanasi, the Chhau dance, Olive Ridley turtle nesting in Odisha, and learning Kalayaripayattu martial art in Kerala.

Additionally, the spiritual tours feature customised wellness options like meditation, yoga, and wellness programs such as the Panchakarma ayurvedic program at Kumarakom and Yoga Centre/Ashram in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

Key themes within Thomas Cook and SOTC’s Spiritual Tourism portfolio include:

Spiritual Journeys – tours to India’s popular religious sites, including Char Dham, Do Dham, Kashi-Vishwanath corridor, Vaishno Devi, Varanasi, Rath Yatra, Amarnath Yatra, Kailash Mansarovar, Bodhgaya, Dwarkadish, the Tamil Nadu temple circuit, Muktinath in Nepal, and more.

Ramayana Trails – private guided tours featuring locales associated with the life and times of Lord Ram in India and Sri Lanka.
Jyotirlinga Darshan Trails – dedicated tours to the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines across India.
Anant Kashi Ayodhya Yatra.
Navagraha Temple Tour – Tamil Nadu.

The inclusions in these tours comprise guided/VIP darshans at temples, a guide cum storyteller explaining the historical-spiritual perspectives, Satvik meals, escorted group tours with expert regional language-speaking tour managers, and accommodations ranging from hotels to tents.

To provide customers with ease and convenience, special offers such as Travel Now Pay Later and zero-interest EMIs have been introduced.

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, commented on the growing interest in spiritual journeys, emphasising the expanded portfolio’s ability to cater to diverse segments and offer unique local experiences. He highlighted the government’s focus on connectivity and infrastructure, contributing to the surge in demand.

Daniel D’souza, President & Country Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel Limited, shared insights into the significant growth of spiritual tourism in India, with the Pilgrimage Plus tours providing a spiritual core combined with leisure, outdoor adventures, and authentic local experiences. The tours cater to a range of price points, ensuring accessibility for every consumer segment.

TC, SOTC focus on travellers seeking pilgrimage with local experiences

The pandemic influenced YOLO (You Only Live Once) sentiment has created a strong impact on the Indian traveller.

Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its Group Company, SOTC Travel’s data reflects a surge in demand of 100% YoY for spiritual locales with a high preference for cultural experiences and adventure.

The recent inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, along with improved connectivity and infrastructure, has accelerated online searches by 10x. In a focused endeavour to tap into this high potential yet unorganized segment, the Companies have expanded their spiritual tours portfolio with a diverse range of ready-to-book and personalised tours to spiritual locales across India and the subcontinent.

While historically India’s seniors/Gen S comprised a key segment for spiritual travel, Thomas Cook & SOTC are witnessing an uptick in demand from segments like multigenerational families, honeymooners/couples and Young India’s millennials and Gen Z.

The Companies’ consumer data reveals that demand is not restricted to traditional pilgrimages, but also for unique local experiences.

Thomas Cook and SOTC’s range of spiritual tours include customised spiritual/wellness options like meditation, yoga, and wellness programs like the Panchakarma Ayurvedic program at Kumarakom, Yoga Centre/Ashram in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, etc.

Thomas Cook and SOTC have introduced special offers like Travel Now Pay Later and zero interest EMIs.

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said, “Indians are increasingly drawn to spiritual journeys, more so with the pandemic increasing appreciation for life, in gratitude and to invoke blessings. Spiritual locales are attracting interest from not only seniors and families, but also from the younger segment – millennials and group of friends. With the government’s strong focus on connectivity and infrastructural development, we have seen an uptick of 100% YoY. To tap into this high growth segment, we have expanded our spiritual plus tours to feature a range of popular sites coupled with unique local experiences – across culture, cuisine and outdoor-adventure. Customers can book a hassle-free darshan with us as we seamlessly handle their end-to-end comfort while they focus on their spiritual experience.

To offer customers ease and convenience, we also offer them the choice of Travel Now Pay Later and zero interest EMIs”

Daniel D’souza, President & Country Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel Limited, added, “Spiritual tourism has witnessed significant growth in India: our data reflects an uptick of 20-30% month- on-month. Over our 75 years as a company, we have witnessed the evolution of Pilgrimages with Indians now combining darshans with leisure and this was the genesis of our extended range of Pilgrimage Plus tours.

Pilgrimage Plus tours provide a spiritual core together with a getaway amidst tranquil nature or in combination with outdoor-adventure and authentic local experiences. Our ready to book and personalized spiritual tours have been designed with care and offer a range of price points to suit every consumer segment.”