The Hindu Business Line : SITA Inbound to start air charters to Agra

This year, for the first time, SITA Inbound, a unit of Kuoni Travel India Ltd and a leading inbound tour operator, will handle weekly air charters from the UK to Agra beginning October and extending up to April next year.

According to Mr Prithviraj Singh, Chief Operating Officer, SITA India, the average stay of clients would vary from a week to 15 days, with the travel itinerary covering popular tourist destinations such as Jaipur, Khajuraho, Nepal and Delhi.

The company had handled air charters to Delhi last year, but has decided to skip the Capital where hotel rates have shot up, making it unviable to operate charter services there.

The charter business earned revenues of Rs 22 crore for the company last year, accounting for about 7.5 per cent of the total turnover of Rs 300 crore garnered from all their business units. Revenues from the charter business unit are expected to touch Rs 30 crore this year, he said.

Talking about the growth prospects in the air charter business, Mr Singh said the main limitation was the availability of hotel rooms — with Goa already exhausted.

About expansion of air charters to other cities, he said, besides securing landing rights at the new centres, the charter operator also had to consider whether these centres could sustain tourist interest and offered travellers enough to do during their stay.

Under its air charter business unit, SOTC offers ground handling support for the air charter operator. The charter business gives the company access to a large number of customers, with each flight bringing in about 200 passengers. The company also earns revenues in arranging hotel rooms and making arrangements locally for the touring party.

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