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Mr Armin Meier, Group Chief Executive Officer, Kuoni Travel Holding, and Mr Reto Wilhelm, Executive Vice-President, Leisure Travel Continental Europe, Asia and Destination Management, at a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday. — Shashi Ashiwal

Mumbai , Jan. 24

FOR the well-heeled traveller, there is help at hand, even on holiday.

Kuoni, the tour operator that owns brands such as SOTC (for outbound travel), SITA (inbound travel), and BTI-Sita (business travel), on Tuesday announced the launch of its premium holiday brand, `Kuoni'.

The brand is targeted at high networth individuals seeking exclusivity in service, delivery and experience.

Here to launch the product, Mr Armin Meier, Chief Executive Officer, Kuoni Group, said the expectations of the elite Indian traveller were far more demarcated and streamlined than that of the regular leisure traveller. The product, which is offered in 20 countries, has been launched in India keeping in mind the growing prosperity of Indian families.

Mr Reto Wilhelm, Executive Vice-President, Leisure Travel, Continental Europe, Asia, and Destination Management, said the Indian market was a strong, middle-maturity market that was more evolved than the emerging markets. The country was ripe for a product like Kuoni and with time it would have the potential to sustain demand for the premium holiday product.

Turnover of the Indian operations, he said, were the fourth highest in the group. In 2004, Kuoni India generated a total turnover of CHF 146 million, while the group's turnover stood at CHF 3.58 billion.

The product would initially be launched in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. Customers would be helped by counsellors; a call centre has also been set up to handle their queries.

Mr Sunil Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, India and South Asia, Outbound Division, Kuoni Travel (India), said the new brand would be differentiated from the existing brands. The company had taken on board a new team and office space for Kuoni Holidays.

He added that the Indian operations, which handle about a lakh of passengers every year, would improve its online capability in the current year. Online reservations were currently available to the US-based NRIs planning a holiday in India.

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