Autumn Training Project Report On

MARKETING AND SELLING STRATEGY OF SOTC

FOR THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT

FOR THE AWARD OF
POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN MANAGEMENT

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF: UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF:

Prof. Shekhar Chaudhuri Mr. Towsif Anam

SUBMITTED BY
Abanty Majumdar
PGDM 2018-20

CALCUTTA BUSINESS SCHOOL

Diamond Harbour Road, Opp. Nilgiri Cinema Hall, Bishnupur, Bara Bagan,Gohalia ,24
Parganas South, Kolkata , West Bengal 743503

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 Content
Page number

Chapter 1 3-4
1. Introduction
1.1 The Topic
1.2 Scope and Rational of study
1.3 Objectives
1.4 Methodology

Chapter 2 4 - 11

2. Organizational Profile
2.1 Key member
2.2 About SOTC
2.3 Consolidation
2.4 Vision mission and goals
2.5 Types of services
2.6 Diagram of organizational structure
2.7 About organizational structure

Chapter 3 12 - 30

3. Profile of the company and competitors

3.1 background
3.2 features of the product
3.3 marketing strategy
3.4 competitors
3.5 major problems
3.6 achievements
3.7 key of success
3.8 future prospect

chapter 4 30 - 38

4. literature review
4.1 targeting
4.2 4I’s of services
4.3 PEST Analysis
4.4 SWOT Analysis
4.5 Segmentation

Chapter 5 38 - 42

5. Research Methodology and limitation

5.1 research plan
5.2 research design
5.3 developing the research plan
5.4 research limitation
5.5 questioners
5.6 Pie chart diagram
5.7 Findings
5.8 Project outcomes and recommendation
6. bibliography

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 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project work done on (Title) is a bonafide work carried
out by Ms. ABANTY MAJUMDAR under my supervision and guidance. The
project report is submitted towards the partial fulfillment of 2–year, full time Post
Graduate Diploma in Management.
The original work was carried during 18th October To 26th November in SOTC
Kolkata, Camac Street

Name & Signature of Industry Guide-

Towsif Anam
Date 26th November, 2018
Name & Signature of Faculty-
Prof. Shekhar Chaudhuri
Student’s Name and Signature
Abanty Majumdar
Roll No- 18001
.

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to all those who provided me with the required
guidance and a learning opportunity throughout. I would also like to thank ‘DR. SUMAN
KUMAR DAWN’ for instituting this autumn internship programme in the curriculum which
gave us a great industrial exposure. I would also like to thank Professor ‘DR. SHEKHAR
CHAUDHURI’ who not only guided me but also helped me to carry out and complete this
project successfully, as per the project guidelines.

My sincere thanks to SOTC for providing me with an opportunity to work with them and
giving necessary directions on doing this project to the best of my abilities. I am highly
thankful to ‘MR. TOWSIF ANAM’ who had provided me with the necessary information and
also extended necessary support for completion of this project. They also time to time gave
me valuable suggestions & comments on completion of this project, in the best possible way,
on “Marketing and Selling Strategies of SOTC”.

Kolkata Abanty Majumdar

26th November, 2018

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DECLARATION
(FORM STUDENT)

I, ABANTY MAJUMDAR, hereby declare that the project work

entitled…Marketing and Selling Strategy of SOTC” submitted towards partial
fulfilment of requirements for the award of Post Graduate Diploma in Management
is my original work and that this report has not formed the basis for award of any
degree, associateship, fellowship or any similar title to the best of my knowledge.

(Signature of Student)
Abanty Majumdar
(Name of the student)
ABANTY MAJUMDAR
Roll No. -18001
Place- Kolkata, Camac Street
Date- 26th November, 2018

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Chapter 1
1. Introduction

1.1. The Topic “Marketing and Selling Strategy of SOTC- Tours and Travelers”

At SOTC I was assigned the above topic as my project work. This topic was selected so that I could understand
how tours and travel companies create their own customer base and also how they promote and sell their
products to customers. In today’s world travel and tourism as a sector has great potential through this project
I have been able to understand how their system works and also the various offers that they give to customers
to retain them and enhance their business.

1.2. Scope and Rationale of the Study

In the present scenario Tourism is a very growing form of business and a lot of players are there in this booming
market. So each and every Company works on a Strategy and Goal to achieve their respective objectives. In
a place like India and abroad where a lot of cultural heritage is there, it is very difficult for the travel companies
to promote and sell their products to the new customers as well as the existing clients that they have. So to
know what ideas, strategies SOTC implements to market and sell their products to the customers, we have
chosen this topic as a part of our research.

1.3. Objective of The Study

 To understand the concept, features of Tourism in India.

 To identify various Services Provided by the companies who manage Tourism and Travel Business

 To study the progress of SOTC and know they market and sell their products to the customers

 To study the challenges faced by the Companies in sustaining their business in this hugely competitive
market

 To make an analysis of the competition between SOTC and its competitors with respect to products and services
offered by these companies. Also the advantages that SOTC has over its other competitors in respect to marketing and
selling of their products to the customers through which they have sustained their business for a long run.

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1.4. Methodology of The Study

Technique/Research Methodology

 Primary source- Data gathered specifically by talking to people at SOTC and going through various
brochures, packages, offers through which they try to market and sell their respective product. Doing a
thorough research on various marketing and selling strategies that are adopted by these kind of companies and
then coming to a conclusion.
 Secondary source- Other information and data are collected from web sites of SOTC, web sites of other
competitors, different informative web sites and information also gathered from talking to customers and other
competitors to get a better insight and knowledge related to the Travel and Tourism Sector.

Chapter 2
2. Organization Profile
2.1 Key Members

Mr. Vishal Suri

Managing Director
An engineering graduate with B.E. in Electrical, Vishal Suri has over 25
years of experience across consumer centric industries like Office
Automation, Internet, Telecom in start-up as well as mature and
established firms and has spent last 10 years in Travel Industry.

Prior to his elevation as Managing Director, SOTC Travel Limited

(Formerly SOTC Travel Pvt. Ltd.), he was the Chief Executive Officer-Tour Operating
at SOTC Travel (formerly Kuoni India). Vishal Suri joined Kuoni-Tour Operating in August 2012 from
Thomas Cook India where he was the Chief Operating Officer Leisure Travel. Vishal joined Thomas Cook in
2005 and progressed to become the Chief Operating Officer - Leisure Travel (Outbound & Domestic) in 2007

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2.2 About SOTC

SOTC Travel Services Pvt Ltd (Formerly known as Kuoni Travel (India) Pvt. Ltd.) is a subsidiary of Fairfax
Financial Holdings Group; held through two companies, its Indian listed subsidiary, Thomas Cook (India)
Limited (TCIL) and TCIL's subsidiary Travel Corporation (India) Ltd. Established in 1949, it is a travel and
tourism company active across travel segments like Leisure Travel, Business Travel, Destination Management
Services and Distribution Visa Marketing Services. Established in 1949 with just five employees at an office
in Cawasji Hormusji Street, Mumbai, it has grown to become one of India’s largest travel companies. By the
year 1968, the Company had moved to a much bigger office at Mint Road and was also counted as one of the
top ten travel agents in Mumbai, with a turnover touching Rs 25 million.

Between the years 1983 and 1995, SOTC grew by leaps and bounds. It moved to new premises at Church
gate, Mumbai, installed the first computer for sales and operations, and went through a management
metamorphosis with a complete restructuring of the business into autonomous Strategic Business Units (Subs)
with a state-of-the-art call centre. SOTC has been fulfilling the travel needs of Indians for over five decades
now. It continues to seek out new and exciting destinations to offer to outbound travellers

It is also significant to note that Kuoni India, the parent company of SOTC has won all the 3 top awards in
the travel operations category at the prestigious Galileo Express Travel and Tourism awards for all its three
core activities.

Kuoni was presented the highly prestigious World’s Leading Tour Operator 2006 award ' World's leading
tour operator ' at WTM, London in November 2005. The World Travel awards, which are bestowed for
exceptional services in the travel sector, have evolved into one the industry’s most important annual events
over the past few years. The awards are voted on by thousands of travel – sector specialist from over 80,000
agencies in more that 200 countries. And winning one is clear confirmation of a company’s excellence within
the travel sector.

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2.3 Consolidation of SOTC with Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook and SOTC: The both travel agency plays an important role in Indian travel and tourism
industry and both are international and domestic and also have more than 50 years of experience.

Tour operator Thomas Cook Ltd(India) is consolidate the travel business of Kuoni Group in India six month
after acquiring it. Under the new structure Kuoni India Ltd renamed as SOTC Travel Ltd.

Kuoni Travel Group India managing director Vishal Suri said the company is in the process of de-risking the
business and transitioning into a new SOTC brand.

An independent board would be running SOTC and it will continue to run its business independently, the
pricing and products would be different from Thomas Cook.

2.4 Vision & mission:

Vision Statement

“SOTC vision focuses on providing all travel and travel-related services to travellers from, within and to
India”

Mission

The mission of the SOTC is:

 to advance the sustainable development and management of tourism;
 to creating best value for people: our customers, our employees, our shareholders and our business
partners

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Goals & Aims

Kuoni Travel Group India managing director Vishal Suri said the company is in the process of de-risking
the business and transitioning into a new SOTC brand.

An independent board would be running SOTC and it will continue to run its business independently, the
pricing and products would be different from Thomas Cook.

2.5 Types of service:

 SOTC World Famous Tours

SOTC World Famous Tours is the flagship brand of SOTC, which pioneered the designing and marketing of
escorted tours for cosmopolitan travelers in India. SOTC World Famous Tours has escorted over 3, 00,000
travelers across the globe for more than 30 years, to various destinations including Europe, Australia, New
Zealand, USA, Africa, Mauritius, South Asia, and the Far East Being a 100% subsidiary of Kuoni Travel
Holding, Switzerland - one of the world's largest travel companies SOTC leverages the advantage of the buying
power and travel services to provide customers value for- money packages. SOTC has built a reputation that
it lives up to its promise to take Indians around the world, while making them feels completely at home, no
matter where they are.

 SOTC BhramanMandal

In 2002, SOTC BhramanMandal was launched exclusively for Maharashtrian, to cater to their specific needs
and requirements. SOTC BhramanMandal offers 'All-inclusive' exciting package tour options to Europe, Far
East, Australia and New Zealand. While designing the tours, every single need of the Maharashtrian is kept in
mind - their culture, eating habits and likes and dislikes

Prominent features of SOTC BhramanMandal Europe and Australia tours are the Predeparture meeting, Travel
Kit and an experienced Marathi speaking Tour Manager who accompanies them all the way from Mumbai to

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the destination and back. Within just five years of existence, SOTC BhramanMandal has become a household
name amongst the Maharashtrian

On 14th January in the year 2002, BhramanMandal was born. It was the auspicious day of Sankranti. But more
importantly, it was a moment of reckoning for Tourism. As SOTC, India’s Greatest Packaged Tour Company
launched BhramanMandal, a packaged tour division exclusively to cater to the needs of Maharashtrians. While
designing the tours, every single need of Maharashtrian was kept in mind. Be it their eating habits or their
likes and dislikes, every aspect was taken into consideration. But it was the experience of traveling with them,
that was even more enriching, for both, the travelers and us

Within just over a year of our existence, BhramanMandal has become a household name among
Maharashtrians. And this has been possible because of all of those fellow Maharashtrians who chose to travel
with us.

 SOTC Gurjar Vishwadarshan

SOTC Gurjar Vishwadarshan was launched especially for Gujarati community residing in India, to cater to
their needs of having a Pure Indian Vegetarian Meal with a Gujarati flavor, Gujarati speaking tour manager at
your service right from India to India and traveling with the finest Gujarati families makes your holiday the
most memorable and comfortable one. Gurjar Vishwadarshan launched in the year 2004 received an
overwhelming response from the Gujarati's staying all over India. Since then it has been scaling heights year
after year today in its 4th year of existence it has become a household name for Gujarati's and is fondly
rembererd by Gujarati holiday goers, this has been possible because of all of those fellow Gujarati's who chose
to travel with us. With the new positioning of our brand "Expect More" ....in Gujarati which means "Apeksha
Thi Vadhare" we assure our patrons that every time they can just expect more with SOTC.

Gurjar Vishwadarshan is one of the business units of SOTC. SOTC has pioneered its position in the packaged
tour segment with its unparallel expertise devised over last 50 years. Being a 100% subsidiary of Kuoni Travel
Holding, Switzerland - one of the world’s largest travel companies - SOTC leverages the advantage of the
buying power and travel services to provide customers value-for-money packages.

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 SOTC Do-it-Yourself Holidays

SOTC Do-it-Yourself Holidays caters exclusively to the needs and requirements of the discerning Free
Individual Traveler. It offers a wide range of customized holidays that allows individual travelers the freedom
to define their preferences of the destination, length of stay and pace of travel

Following high-quality standards, SOTC Do-it- Yourself Holidays have ensured accommodation at some of
the world's finest hotels allowing for proximity to city centre attractions such as shopping malls, pubs, cafes,
restaurants and scenic delights. An individual traveler on SOTC Do-it-Yourself Holidays has the option to
explore all the attractions of a single city. Or focus on all key cities of a particular country. They can even
combine two to eight countries in their holiday, depending on their tastes, time and budget.

 SOTC Holidays of India

SOTC Holidays of India has something for every kind of traveler - be it families, youth, students,
honeymooners, groups or individuals. SOTC Holidays of India offers packages that cover every conceivable
tour requirement - whether it is an extended vacation with the family, a paragliding spree with friends or
simply a rejuvenating weekend break. SOTC Holidays of India offers an opportunity to visit and explore all
the splendors of India through various categories of holiday packages. SOTC Holidays of India has categorized
all holiday packages into Standard, First and Deluxe Class categories.

It also offers a wide range of customized holidays thereby giving individual travelers the complete freedom
and flexibility to define their preference of the destination, length of stay and pace of travel

SOTC Holidays of India has something for every kind of traveler - be it families, youth, students,
honeymooners - groups or individual. SOTC Holidays of India has a range of holiday options namely:
Classic Holidays of India, Fun-filled Beaches of India, Hill Stations & Quick Getaways and Spiritual Retreats.

SOTC Holidays of India is a division of Kuoni Travel (India) Pvt. Ltd., India's Largest Travel and Tourism
Company. A market leader in its field, this division markets and operates foreign holiday packages under the
SOTC World Famous Tours brand in India and in the big NRI markets of the Middle East, USA and UK. It
currently operates from 120 sales points across India and boasts of more than 250,000 loyal customers.

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SOTC Holidays of India offers packages that cover every conceivable tour requirement; whether it is an
extended vacation with the family, a paragliding spree with friends or simply a rejuvenating weekend break

SOTC Holidays of India offers you an opportunity to visit and explore all the splendors of India through
various categories of holiday packages

Classic Holidays of India are time tested popular attractions like Kashmir, Himachal, Rajasthan and Kerala
those have proved their ability to completely satisfy the traveler

Fun-filled Beach Holidays offers not just sun and sand but also cool lagoons, clear waters, corals, reefs and
beach resorts.

Hill Stations & Quick Getaways offer a break through a multitude of retreats at a short distance from home.

Spiritual Retreats to Rediscover Your Soul provide excursions to various spiritual and hallowed sites

SOTC Holidays of India has categorized all holiday packages into Standard, First and Deluxe Class categories.

2.6 Organizational Structure:

This diagram shows the various department and reporting relationships in the office at Camac Street,
Kolkata.

CEO

sales Operation &

Marketing
service team

Account executive

Hotel or
Travel service
accommodation
Foreign For Domestic Customized
service
tour tour tour

Sales Sales Sales

Passport or Transport,
person persons persons
tickets booking entertainment
& guide service

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2.7 Organization Structure of office at Camac Street:

CEO: The CEO is the head of the organization at Camac Street. His responsibilities are to take major
decisions, managing the overall operations and resources of the company, and acting as the main point of
communication between the board of directors and corporate operations.

Under the CEO there are marketing, selling and operation department.

Marketing Team: In the Marketing department there iare three marketing executive managers. Whose
responsibility are given bellow:

1) For Foreign tour who have the all responsibility of international tour
management
2) For Domestic tour who have the all responsibility of India tourism.
3) For customized tour who have the all responsibility of others tour like hospital
tourism, sports tourism, and costumed tour.

Sales person: Under these three managers there are 15 sales persons who have the responsibility of
customer service and customer relationship. They talk with customers face to face or by tele calling and
sales different types of tourism packages.

Selling: In this department there is an account executive. Who have the responsibility of account
department like bookkeeping and others.

Operation and service team: This team have the all responsibility of travel service. Hotel
accommodation service, passport, visa, tickets booking, transport, entertainment and guide service.

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Chapter -3
3. Profile of the company and competitors:

3.1 Background:
It is acquired by Kuoni Group in 1996 (Kuoni Group is a Swiss based travel company).
Thomas Cook and SOTC: The both travel agency plays an important role in Indian travel and tourism
industry and both are international and domestic and also have more than 50 years of experience.
Tour operator Thomas Cook Ltd(India) is consolidate the travel business of Kuoni Group in India six month
after acquiring it. Under the new structure Kuoni India Ltd renamed as SOTC Travel Ltd.
Kuoni Travel Group India managing director Vishal Suri said the company is in the process of de-risking the
business and transitioning into a new SOTC brand.
An independent board would be running SOTC and it will continue to run its business independently, the
pricing and products would be different from Thomas Cook.

3.2 Features of the product:

 Accommodations
The tourist destinations are equipped with different types of accommodations. They cater for tourists’ stay
at the destination.

 Serviced − This type of accommodation is supported by skilled staff such as housekeepers, drivers, guides,
and cooks.

 Self-catering − This accommodation offers staying facilities but dining is required to be self-catered. It
is equipped with cooking, fuel and facility, some basic supplies such as tea/coffee/sugar sachets, and a
drinking water source.

 Hotels − Budget rooms to 7* hotels with classy amenities. The hotels contribute a major share of imparting
the experience to the tourists by providing best services and amenities.

 Guest Houses − Owned by business or government organizations, which can be used by its staff and staff
relatives.

 Camping Sites − They are open sites often located in areas of lush greenery. They are equipped with
clean place to pitch the personal tent, a water supply, and electric supply. Camp sites have common rest rooms.

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 Reservations
The tour operator is responsible for making reservations for special events or activities the tourists are
interested in. At some places, the reservations are required to be done well in advance to avoid last minute
hassles. The events or activities such as a music concert or a theatre show, visiting a theme park or a zoo,
require people to secure seats or avail entry with prior reservations.

 Guided Tours
The tour operators can arrange guided tours. Some qualified staff who can get access to the place, explain the
importance of the place, support, and guide the participants through the entire visit. The guide is arranged to
accompany the tour participants as a part of tour.

 Transport Facilities
These facilities are for travelling from one place to another.

 Road Transport − It includes support of transport by road or water.

 Air Transport − This is the support of transport by air, generally given for long distance travel. Many
times the tours include a halt of a couple of hours at transit destinations. Today the airports are built and
maintained as engaging tourist terminals by providing amenities such as spas, lounges, food joints, bars, and
book shops, retail shops for selling authentic local food, clothes, and souvenirs.

Today the Airlines are no more backstage when it comes to caring for their customers. They offer loyalty
programs to their customers under Frequent Flyer Program to encourage the customers to travel more and
accumulate points and redeem them against travel or rewards.

 Cruise facility: SOTC provides luxurious cruise facility also with like Hurtigruten , Prince cruise,
Superstar Gemini Cruise etc.
 Dining Facilities
The tour operators can book accommodation that provides dining facilities or it can tie up with the local
restaurants which are ready to entertain groups. If the tour package is all inclusive, the tour operator pays for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If not, the tourists need to pay from their own pocket.

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3.3 Marketing Strategy:

Marketing Mix:

 Product:

Product is the combination of tangible and intangible elements. The tourism product, which is mainly the
destination, can only be experienced. The views of the location travel to the destination, the accommodation
and facility as well as the entertainment at the destination all form the tourism product.

Thus it is a composite product combination of attraction, facilities and transportation. Each of these
components has its own significance in the product mix and in the absence of even single components, the
product mix is incomplete.

Services Offered by SOTC

 Escorted tours
 Customized holidays
 Trade fairs
 SOTC sports
 Corporate tours

 Price:

Pricing in tourism is a complex process. Pricing includes the prices of other services like Air travel, Bus,
Railways, Hotels, etc. All are included in tourism package. Pricing also depends on the Geographic location
of the destination.

Pricing also depends on Seasonality. Seasonality is the most important factor in pricing. To match demand
and supply tourist managers try to get either discount. E.g. Taj is the tourist attraction in India. Pricing is also
based on competitors pricing. Pricing is also subject to government regulations. E.g. Air price changes
tourism package also changes, if Hotel charges change then also tourism package changes.

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Pricing of the tourist product is a complex matter because of its composite nature. Geographical location of
the destination affects the pricing decision. At the same time, seasonality factor and varying demand cannot
be overruled. The objective of pricing in any other firms is to fetch a target market share, to prevent
competition, and to take care of the price elasticity of demand.

A very important way, in which the travel and tourism business responded to their highly complex pricing
circumstances, is to operate at two levels. The first level is corresponds with the marketing strategy, which
concerns with the product positioning, value for the money, long run return on investments etc. The second
level corresponds to the marketing operations or tactics where the prices are manipulated to match the
current demand and competition.

 PLACE:

Different distribution strategies can be selected for Tourism marketing. Tourism as a product is distributed
as a travel. Internet is also used widely. There is an also small agent spread all over the town who plays a
role of place. Large travel companies like Thomas Cook, Cox & Kings, SOTC, etc they act as a wholesalers
and these wholesalers also act as a retailer.

The tourism marketer may not have adequate choice of the tourist center, because in most of the case the
tourist destinations many be natural, historical attraction. But, infrastructure facilities, transportation,
communication are important for the development of the tourist center. The major decision that the tourism
marketer takes regarding distribution is relating to the channel of choice and channel members. The
uniqueness of tourism industry is predominant position of intermediaries. The two major functions
performed by the distribution system in tourism marketing are:

 To extend the number of points of sales or access, away from the location at which services are
performed or delivered
 To facilitate the purchase of service in advance
Different distribution strategies may be selected to reflect the company’s overall objectives. The middleman
may be tour operators, who buy tourism products in bulk and make them available to travel agents who are
retailers. The range of tourist products, which are bought by the tour operators are airline seats, hotel
accommodation, bus for local sight-seeing, etc. they may also sell directly to customers. The latest mode of
reaching the tourist is through Internet. Ticket booking can also be done through the Internet and payment is
made with credit card.

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 PROMOTION

Advertising and sales promotion in Tourism can be very effective when supplemented by publicity and
personal selling. They use electronic, print all sorts of media they use; and it is highly promoted industry.
Public or PR (Public Relation) plays an important role in tourism. It is also through recommendation of
friends and relatives this is a biggest promotion.

Creation of awareness is an important factor in the formulation of marketing mix for the tourism industry.
The promotion task simplifies the activities of informing, persuading and influencing the decisions of
potential tourists. The promotion mix plays a vital role as the users of service feel high degree of
involvement and uncertainty about the product and their role in buying process. Some of the important
aspects of promotion are advertising, publicity, sales support and public relation.

Advertising and sales promotion activities in tourism can be very effective when supplemented by publicity
and personal selling. Advertising messages may range from subtly attractive visual messages and symbols
designed to appeal and stimulate travel desire and needs to simple sales announcements drawing attention to
specific product offers.

Word-of-mouth is a very important tool of promotion in tourism. Research shows that about 80% of the
tourist visited different places on the persuasion of their friends and relatives and also their own judgments.
Brochures are another form of communication provided by tour operators to stimulate customers and
motivate them to buy. They are used to demonstrate in pictures and words the images and positioning of the
product and the organizations.

 People

It plays a most important part in tourism. In people local people are very important, that how they treat
tourist. The travel agents, guides, staff of travel companies, sales staff, etc they are the people. Travel
Company also like Railways, Air, etc. is included in people. Normally a tourist assures a tourism quality like
hotels, Travel Company.

The personnel who attend to the needs of the tourists form an essential ingredient in tourism marketing. The
sales personnel are responsible for dealing with the customer behind the counter. The airline and
transportation crew interact with customers while traveling. The resort or hotel representatives enter to the
needs of the tourist when they reach the destination.

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The tourist guides, who interact with the customers at the tourist location, all form the people element in
tourism marketing. These contract persons must be trained on interpersonal skills as well as knowledge of
the product. In the tourism industry the travel agents and the travel guides are the two most important people
who speak a lot about the industry. Hence it is imperative that they have to be at their best at all times.
Travel guides especially, are expected to have a lot of patience, good sense of humor, tact to transform the
occasional tourists into habitual ones, thorough knowledge of the places, linguistic skills etc.

SOTC`S PEOPLE MIX-

• Includes travel agents, tour operators, tour guides et al

• Locals are employed

• Exhaustive training is provided

• 2900 employees through its 347 offices and caters to 3 million customers.

 Process:

The operation process of the tourism firm will depend on the size of the tourism firm. The sequential steps
involved in the delivery of the SOTC products are:

 Provision of travel information --- The information regarding the travel is provided at a
convenient location where the potential tourist seeks clarification about his proposed tour.

 Preparation of itinerates------ SOTC prepares its composition of series of operations that are
required to plan a tour.

 Liaison with providers of services--- Before any form of travel is sold over the counter to a
customer; SOTC enters into the contracts with the providers of various services including
transportation companies, hotel accommodation, coaches for local sightseeing etc.

 Planning and costing tours------ Once the contracts and arrangements are entered into, then the
task of planning and costing the tour, this will depend on the tour selected as well as individual
requirements.

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  Ticketing----- The computerized reservation system has in recent years revolutionized the
reservation system for both rail and air travel. SOTC also provides the online ticket booking facilities
to its customers, which further leads to time saving process for its customers.

 Provision of foreign currency and insurance--- SOTC in case of foreign travel also provide
foreign currency as well as insurance to its customers.

 Physical Evidence:

The Physical evidence of a tourism product refers to a range of more ‘tangible attributes of the operations.
‘Tangibalising’ the product is a good way of giving positive and attractive hints or cues to potential customers
with regard to the quality of the product. For SOTC, Elements Such as quality and attractiveness of décor,
effective layout of establishment, surroundings and quality of promotional materials are all important.

 Market Segmentation

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 Indian travel market can be classified into two broad categories

International Travelers- Those crossing International borders

Domestic Travelers - Those travelling within India.

International Travelers can be classified as Inbound Travelers (those who travel into India from Overseas)
and Outbound of India (who travel internationally)

Inbound market is further segmented into six broad categories

1. Holiday and sight-seeing.

2. Business travellers
3. Conference attendees
4. Students
5. Visiting friends
6. Relatives and others

 Document Required for Outbound Tour:

 Passport: A passport is a travel document issued by a national government that usually identifies the
bearer as a national of the issuing state and requests that the bearer be permitted to enter and pass through
other countries.
Passports are connected with the right of legal protection abroad and the right to enter one's country of
nationality. Passports usually contain the holder's photograph, signature, date of birth, nationality, and
sometimes other means of individual identification. Many countries are in the process of developing
biometric properties for their passports in order to further confirm that the person presenting the passport
is the legitimate holder.

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  Types of passport:

1) Ordinary Passports are the normal passports issued to most citizens and have no special connotations.

2) Diplomatic Passports are issued to diplomats and diplomatic representatives of a home country, and
other state employees according to the rules of a particular country. Having a Diplomatic passport does not
necessarily accord the bearer diplomatic immunity. Some countries' visa requirements may have different
requirements for Diplomatic and non-Diplomatic passports.

3) Official or Service Passports are issued to employees (or "Technical and Administrative Staff
Members") of a government traveling for work related reasons who either do not qualify as Diplomats or are
not entitled to Diplomatic Status under the Vienna Convention.

4) Special Passports are issued to high-ranking state officers and their dependents as a means of officially
guaranteeing their sustenance to have them exempted from visa requirements.

5) A collective passport may be issued, for example, for a school trip. All children on the trip would be
covered by the group passport for the duration of the trip.

6) Internal passports have been issued by some countries, as a means of controlling the movement of the
population. Examples include the iqama in Saudi Arabia, the Soviet internal passport system, and the hukou
residency registration system used in the People's Republic of China.

7) Emergency or Temporary Passports are issued to persons whose original passport has been lost or
stolen and who need to urgently travel.

8) Business Passports are passports with extra pages issued to frequent travelers.

9) Family Passports are passports that are not issued to individuals but to family units.

 Visa: is an authorized given by a state to a foreigner to enter its territory for a designated period and for
a special purpose. It is not equivalent to a passport and it differs in as much as it is issued by the country to
which or through which the visitor will travel out not by the state of which he is a national.

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 Types of Visa:

1) Tourist Visa

Is given for 6 months normally; rest specifically depends on the country of residence. The applicant is required
to produce / submit documents in proof of his financial standing.

2) Business

Visa is valid for one or more years up to 5 years with multiple entries. A letter from a sponsoring organization
indicating nature of business, probable duration of stay, places and organization to be visited, incorporating
therein a guarantee to meet maintenance expenses, etc. should accompany the application.

3) Student Visa

Are issued for the duration of the academic course of study or for a period of five years whichever is less, on
the basis of firm letters of admission from universities / recognized colleges or educational institution in India.
Change of purpose and institutions are not permissible.

3) Transit Visa

Are issued for a maximum period of 15 days with single / double entry facilities to bona fide transit passengers
only.

4) Visa To Missionaries

Are valid for single entry and duration as permitted by government of India. A letter in triplicate from
sponsoring organization indicating intended destination in India, probable length of stay and nature of duties
to be discharged should be submitted along with guarantee for applicant’s maintenance while in India.

5) Journalist Visa

Are issued to professional journalists and photographers for visiting India. The applicant are required to
contact on arrival in New Delhi, the external publicity division of the ministry of external affairs and in other
places, the office of the government of India’s Press Information bureaus.

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 6) Conference Visa

Are issued for attending conferences / seminars / meeting in India. A letter of invitation from the organizer of
the conference is to be submitted along with the visa application. Delegates coming to attend conference may
combine tourism with attending conferences.

7) Employment Visa

Are issued to skilled and qualified professionals or person who are engaged or appointed by the companies,
organizations, economic undertakings a technicians technical export, senior executives, etc. Applicants are
required to submit proof of contract / employment / engagement of foreigner nationals by the company or
organization. Initially granted for a period of one year, it can be extended in India up to the period of contract.

8) Collective Visa

The facility also exists for the issues of collective visas to group tours consisting of not less than four members
and sponsored by a travel agency recognized by the government of India. Such groups may split into smaller
groups for visiting different places in India after obtaining a collective “license to travel” from the immigration
authorities in India. However, they must reassemble and depart as the original group

 Currency Regulation:

There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or travelers’ cheque a tourist may bring into India
provided he makes a declaration in the Currency Declaration Form given to him on arrival. This will enable him
not only to exchange the currency bought in, but also to take the unspent currency out of India on departure.
Cash, bank notes and travelers’ cheque up to US$ 1,000 or equivalent, need not be declared at the time of entry.

Any money in the form of travelers’ cheque, drafts, bills, cheques, etc. in convertible currencies, which tourists
wish to convert into Indian currency, should be exchanged only through authorized money changers and banks
that will issues an encashment certificates that is required at the time of recon version of any unspent money
into foreign currency. Exchanging of foreign currency other than banks or authorized money changers is an
offense under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1973.

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  Foreign Travel Tax:

Passengers embarking on journeys to any place outside India from a customs airport/seaport will have to pay
a foreign travel tax (FTT) of Rs. 500 and Rs. 150 o journey to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar,
Nepal, Pakistan, Srilanka and Maldives. No tax is payable on journeys performed by ship from Raeshwari to
Talaimanar and in case of transit passengers, provided they do not leave the customs barrier. Transit sea
passengers leaving the ship for sightseeing, shopping etc. during the ships’ call at any of the Indian ports will
not be required to pay FTT

 EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION

Foreigners coming to India on tourist visa on 180 days or shorter period are not required to register themselves
with any authority in India. They can move about freely in India, expect to restricted/protected areas and
prohibited places. Nationals of Bangladesh are exempted from registration up to six months. If their stay
exceeds six months, they have to register themselves. Individuals without nationality (stateless persons; IRO
refuges, persons receiving legal or political protection, holders of Nansen passport etc.) should have valid
passport, identify documents or sworn affidavits along with the visa for which they should apply two months
in advance. Pakistan nationals are required to register themselves within 24 hours of their arrival with the
nearest police station. Those holding a long-term multiple entry visas do not require ‘Intended Departure
Clearance’ from the city office when leaving the country. Accredited journalists are given the ‘Intended
Departure Clearance’ at the airport family passport issued by other governments are recognized without
discrimination.

 LANDING PERMIT FACILITY

Tourists may note the no Landing Permit Facility is available to any foreign tourist landing without a visa. A
limited facility exists only for groups tours consisting of four or more members and sponsored by a travel
agency recognized by the Government of India. Children of foreigners of Indian origin below the age of 12
may be granted a landing permit by the immigration authorities up to a period of 90 days to see their relatives,
in case they happen to come without a visa.

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 TOURIST GROUPS

A tourists group arriving by air, ship or by a chartered or scheduled flight may be granted a collective landing
permit for a period of up to 30 days by the immigration authorities on landing, provided the group is sponsored
by a recognized travel agency and a pre- drawn itinerary is presented along with details of passport etc. of the
members, and travel agency gives an undertaking to conduct the group together.

 FORMALITIES

 Arrival Formalities

If the visa, for stay in India, is for more than 180 days, a Registration Certificate and Residential Permit should
be obtained from the nearest Foreigners’ Registration office within 15 days of arrival. All persons including
Indian nationals are required to fill in a Disembarkation Card, at the time of arrival. Four photographs are also
required for registration. The foreigners registered at Foreigners’ Registration Office are required to report
change of their addresses.

 Departure from India

All persons, expect nationals of Bhutan & Nepal, leaving by air, road or rail have to fill in an Embarkation
Card at the time of departure.

 Exit Formalities

Every foreigner who is about to depart finally from India shall surrender his Certificate of registration either
to the Registration Officer of the place where he is registered or of the place from where he intends to depart
or to the Immigration Officer at the Port/ Check post of exit from India.

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  Targeting:

Such segmentation is useful when deciding the offerings to target a particular segment. For example,

 The mass market consists of vacationists that travel in large groups and prefer all-inclusive tours. They
are generally conservative.

 The popular market consists of smaller groups going on inclusive or semi-inclusive tours. This group
includes pensioners and retired people.

 The individual market consists of chairmen, senior executives, etc.

 As the lifestyle changes, consumption of services might change. For example, a newly married couple
might prefer romantic holidays, but once they have children they would prefer family vacations where
there are plenty of activities to entertain kids. Teens and youth might prefer adventure holidays whereas
senior citizens would probably prefer more relaxing vacations.

3.4 Competitors:

 MakeMyTrip

MakeMyTrip Limited is an Indian online travel company founded in 2000.Headquartered

in Gurugram, Haryana, the company provides online travel services including flight tickets, domestic and
international holiday packages, hotel reservations, and rail and bus tickets. As of 31 March 2018, they have
14 company-owned travel stores in 14 cities, over 30 franchisee-owned travel stores in 28 cities, and counters
in four major airports in India. MakeMyTrip has offices in New York, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket,
Bangkok, and Dubai.
biggest competitor of SOTC. Compared to SOTC it is generating $670.8M more revenue

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 Cox & King
Cox & Kings is the longest established travel company in the world. At present, the COX & KINGS group
has offices in UK (2 offices), USA, Japan, Germany Italy, Turkey, Pakistan and Nepal. In India, Cox &
Kings has offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Cochin, Hyderabad,
Pune, Goa and Jaipur and one satellite office in Andheri in Mumbai and Gurgaon.

 Yatra:

Yatra.com is a online travel agency and a travel search engine based in Gurugram, Haryana, founded by
Dhruv Shringi, Manish Amin and Sabina Chopra in August 2006.In April 2012, it was the second largest
online travel website in India, with a 30 percent share of the ₹370 billion (US$5.1 billion) market for all
online travel-related transactions.[1] It also launched a "holiday-cum-shopping card" with State Bank of
India (SBI), India's largest bank. Yatra.com publicly listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol YTRA
in December 2016.

3rd competitor of SOTC. It is generating $183.6M more revenue than SOTC

 Clear trip:

Cleartrip was founded in 2006 as a hotels and air aggregator by Hrush Bhatt and Stuart. In May 2010,
Cleartrip launched its first overseas venture in the UAE. In May 2012, it started services to the Persian Gulf
nations of Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Cleartrip also operates Cleartrip
for Business, an online corporate travel management tool; Agent Box, a travel tool for travel agents; and
Cleartrip Mobile, a travel booking app for mobile devices. Later it added new services such as Quickeys, for
last-minute deals on hotel booking and other journey planning services. In 2012, the company launched
mobile application for iPhone and Android users. In 2017, Google announced partnership with ClearTrip for
its flight search application, Google Flights. On June 21, 2018, Cleartrip announced the acquisition of Saudi
Arabia-based online travel aggregator (OTA) Flyin. The deal is expected to offer Cleartrip a wider outreach
and a larger client base in an adjacent market.

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 Thomas Cook:
Thomas Cook is one of the world's leading international travel and financial services groups and serves over
20 million customers a year. They provide services to customers at 4,500 locations in more than 100 countries
and employee over 20,000 people.The Thomas Cook Holiday comes with a 150-year-old guarantee of
eternally sunlit memories. They couldn't expect any less from the people who invented travel for leisure. They
offer the world's most enjoyable holidays, to exotic destinations in India and abroad where everything is taken
care of from beginning to end.

3.5 Major problem:

 More choice than ever:

Potential travellers are certainly not short of options when it comes to researching and arranging their trips.
With more deals, agencies and service offerings than you could ever fully consider, shopping for travel
services has become about cutting through the noise rather than discovering something authentic.

 Increasing price transparency:

Travellers aren’t naïve when it comes to pricing their trip. They’re sensible enough to shop around and find
the best deal, and they certainly won’t be fooled into paying over the odds when they know how many
potential options there are. This has made an already competitive market even more competitive, meaning
that current agencies need to stand out in less obvious ways than just undercutting their rivals.

 Decreasing customer loyalty:

With more holiday bargains on the internet than you can imagine, along with a host of small agencies and
big hitters vying the attention of potential travellers, loyalty is a rare thing in today’s market. If you’re not
offering something original, authentic and worth returning to, customers will have no problem taking their
business elsewhere.

 A few travel company dominate the market:

A handful of companies which don’t need to be named here (they get enough publicity as it is!) have a
stranglehold on the industry. They pull in more online traffic than anyone else, sucking the life out of
smaller competitors and agencies only just getting started.

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 Technical challenges:

The way that tourists discover, book and organise trips is changing. In an increasingly digital world, travel
agencies have to adapt to offer a seamless online experience. Fail to do that and you’ll be quickly overlooked
and left behind.

This means having the ability to modify product availability in real-time, to adjust your inventory with the
touch of a button, and to edit pricing information to cater to market fluctuations, offers and promotions.

It also means having a database and platform that can give curious tourists what they want: comprehensive
and curated search results. This is a vital step in retaining customers and keeping people on your platform.

Then there’s the booking stage. If that isn’t seamless, or if at any stage your platform is unconvincing,
clumsy or confusing, alternatives are just a click away. You will lose business. Central to success is having
an optimized booking management system.

All of these technical challenges are far removed from the traditional tourism industry. Efficiency, skill and
software expertise are suddenly priorities for travel startups.

 The role of travel agencies is changing:

Traditionally, an agent would be a one-stop shop for tourist information and bookings. Everything would be
sorted between the two parties. Now, agents still provide the information, but travellers are free to take that
knowledge elsewhere. That relationship has shifted, but it doesn’t mean that travel agents are obsolete.

 Travel isn’t as mysterious as it used to be:

Gone are the days when you would head down to your local travel agent to ask questions about an exotic
land far away. We get our information from elsewhere now. Travel services companies need to adapt and
offer something more insightful than the generic information which can be found all over the internet.

 Greater traveller independence:

In certain parts of the world travellers are keen to get out and explore with a little independence. They are
savvy enough to know what they want and how to get it, and no longer need to have everything arranged for
them. Whilst this attitude can be leveraged to say, offer self-drive tours, the general reliance on travel
services providers has lessened.

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3.6 Achievement:

 Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Awards 2016 for Consumer Travel Brochure
2011

 CNBC Awaaz Travel awards 2011 for ‘Most Preferred Tour Operator for Outbound Travel’ to Kuoni &
SOTC India
2017[edit]

 Today’s Traveller Awards 2017 for "Best Outbound Tour Operator”

3.7 Keys to Success for SOTC:

The keys to success will undoubtedly be effective market segmentation through identification of several niche
markets and implementation strategies. Along these lines the company intends to implement advertising,
personal selling and direct marketing strategies to the target markets. Their personal selling marketing
strategies will rotate around keeping in touch with hotels and travel agencies for major customers, and
advertising for more individual customers. Hence their key success factors will include the following:

1. Excellence in fulfilling the promise: Intend to offer completely enjoyable, comfortable and
informative travel excursions that will ensure that travellers are thoroughly satisfied and appreciative at the
end of their trip.
2. Timely response to customers' requests: SOTC Cannot afford to delay their clients for whatever
reason, as this will have a negative bearing on our image and reputation, including future business. Hence
they need to be continually communicating with the client, including hotels and lodges so as to ensure that
they are constantly available to the client meeting their expectations.
3. Solid and fruitful strategic alliances: Considering the nature of their services and our relative
infancy on the market, SOTC should realize the importance of establishing and maintaining fruitful
strategic alliances with various stakeholders, including hotels, lodges, and travel agencies, amongst others,
so as be assured of a constant flow of customers, fulfilling their needs at every opportunity.
4. Marketing know-how: There will be a need to aggressively market SOTC business and the services
they provide so as to be continuously at the top of our prospective clients minds. This will also act as a
temporary deterrent for companies contemplating entering our market. Advertising shall be undertaken on
a regular basis.

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 3.8 Future Prospect:

1.Maximize the return on public and private investments in tourism.

2. Drive year-round travel from visitors in our domestic target audience and lengthen their average stay by
encouraging them to be destination-oriented in this state.

3. Drive year-round travel and lengthen the average stay from visitors from our primary international
markets.

4. Provide leadership and support through collaboration with local, regional, national, tribal and private-
industry tourism entities.

Chapter -4

4. Literature review:
4.1 Targeting:

Such segmentation is useful when deciding the offerings to target a particular segment. For example,

 The mass market consists of vacationists that travel in large groups and prefer all-inclusive tours. They are
generally conservative.

 The popular market consists of smaller groups going on inclusive or semi-inclusive tours. This group
includes pensioners and retired people.

 The individual market consists of chairmen, senior executives, etc.

 As the lifestyle changes, consumption of services might change. For example, a newly married couple might
prefer romantic holidays, but once they have children they would prefer family vacations where there are

32 | P a g e
plenty of activities to entertain kids. Teens and youth might prefer adventure holidays whereas senior
citizens would probably prefer more relaxing vacations.

4.2 4 I’s of Services-

 Inflexibility

The tourism industry is highly inflexible in terms of capacity. The number of beds in a hotel or seats on a
flight is fixed so it is not possible to meet sudden upsurges in demand similarly restaurants tables, hotels
beds and flights seats remain empty and unused in periods of low demand.

 Inventory / Perishability

It is related to the fact that travel products are intended to be consumed as they are produced. For example,
an airline has seats to sell on each flight; a hotel has rooms to sell for each night. If the airline is not able to
sell all its seats on its flight, or a hotel is not able to sell its rooms for the night then the opportunity to sell
the product is lost forever. Service sector cannot keep inventory like products. To overcome this problem,
the travel industry has come up with various marketing strategies. One is to overbook. An airline overbooks
its seats to a certain extent in anticipation that even though certain customers do not turn up but the flight
will be fully seated. Another strategy is multiple distributions. For example a customer can buy an airline
ticket from an airline, tour operator or from a travel agent. The chances of perishability are reduced. If the
tourist cannot visit the place, the opportunity is lost. Hence, this becomes one of its important characteristics.

 Inconsistency

A general norm is that in Travel and Tourism industry the product or the package of the tourism can be
standardized i.e. for example of 2 days 3 night in so and so hotel, but the actual experience of consuming this
package is highly inconsistent. We hear a lot of travel stories which becomes a portrayal of a lot of bad
experiences for example the tourist guide may not be good, the hotels lodging and boarding was bad etc.
Therefore there is high level of inconsistency prevailing.

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 Intangibility

Travel products cannot be touched as they include flight experience on an airplane, cruise on an ocean liner,
a night’s rest in a hotel, view of the mountains, a visit to a museum, a good time in a night club and much
more. These products are experiences. Once they have taken place they can only be recalled and relished

4.3 PEST Analysis For SOTC

Environmental influences can be analysed by using the PEST analysis.

Political

The political factors are the main driving force of the industry. The Indian tourism industry is built on the
backbone of Government support and the industry cannot sustain itself without it. The various
archaeological sites and the places of historical importance, the roads and the railways are all in the hands of
the Government. All the support services like the hotel industry, the airlines industry and the tourist
operators to name some are heavily dependent on the support and the cooperation of the Government.
The major reason as to why tourists visit India is for the vast and rich heritage that our country has. That is
under the control of the Government, through the Archaeological Survey of India. Any policy change that
comes into force can have dramatic effect on the way the industry players perform. For example, the
Government charges high rates of taxes on the luxury and the star category hotels and this has always been a
cause of disagreement between the hotel associations and the Government. There are many areas where the
growth of tourism has not been rapid or has seen dramatic fall because the political environment has not
been conducive. Examples are the North East for the former and Kashmir for the latter. The neglect of the
Government in developing the North-East has led to a situation where there is practically no tourism in the
seven states.
Similarly, the political turmoil in the state of Kashmir and now in Gujarat has caused a virtual decimation of
the flourishing tourism industry. However, there has been a change in many of the policies of the
Government with regard to the tourism industry. The hotel industry has been getting many incentives and
many State Governments are encouraging the growth of major hotels in their states.

Euromonitor International's Travel And Tourism in India report states that the Government of India
increased spend on advertising campaigns (including for the campaigns ‘Incredible India’ and ‘Ahithi Devo
Bhava’ - Visitors are like God) to reinforce the rich variety of tourism in India. The ministry promoted India

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as a safe tourist destination and undertook various measures, such as stepping up vigilance in key cities and
at historically important tourist sites. It also deployed increased manpower and resources for improving
security checks at key airports and railway stations.

Economic:

The tourism industry not unlike the other industries grows with the increase in the spending of the people.
The more the people spend the more the industry grows. The spending power of the people has been
increasing in the country and all over the world. Since we are concentrating on the international tourists, the
large increase in the spending power in most developed countries has left a large amount of idle cash in their
hands. This has led to a tourism boom the world over and India has been no exception. There have been
more people coming into the country with more cash than ever before. This has lead to an increase in the
demand for better hotels. People who previously used to come to the country on a shoestring budget and
hunt around for the cheapest accommodation can now afford to go in for luxury hotels. This has led to an
increase in the number of hotels in the country. However, an increase in spending does not only limit itself to
accommodation. The increase in the spending is also evident in the increase in the number of people
traveling by air. Even the number domestic tourists traveling by air has dramatically gone up.

A study Conducted by Ministry of Tourism about the Foreign tourist arrivals in India. Tourism Industry is
growing over the years.

%
Month 2016 2017 2018 change(2017/2016) %change(2018/2017)
Jan. 459489 535631 591337 16.60% 10.4
Feb. 439090 501692 561393 14.30% 11.9
March 391009 472494 541478 20.8 14.6
April 309308 350550 384203 13.4 9.6
May 255008 277017 200840 8.6 8.6
June 278320 310364 340159 18.5 9.6
July 337332 399866 429856 17.8 7.4
August 304387 358446 391423 1.3 9.2
September 297891 301892 330874 13.6 9.6
October 391399 444564 452566 20.3 1.8
November 442413 532428 521247 10.2 -2.1
December 541571 596560 521990 14.3 -12.5
Source :- Ministry Of Tourism

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Social:

Tourism was always looked upon as something that led to the destruction of the social fabric of a place. The
more the amount of outside people coming into a place, the more the perceived risk of that place losing its
identity. A good example is Goa. From the late 60's to the early 80's when the Hippy culture was at its
height, Goa was a haven for such hippies. Here they came in thousands and changed the whole culture of the
state. This had a ripple effect on the country. People became cautious, especially of the international tourists.

However some places such as Kerala and Rajasthan have been able to strike a balance between their own
culture and the demands of the international tourists and have profited handsomely in the bargain. People are
now adopting themselves to the fact that tourism pays and it can be a major source of income for them.
In addition, tourism as a form of recreation has really caught on. People themselves have started traveling
and are willing to travel to a place that is out of the way and exotic. While traditionally traveling on a
holiday meant going to a hill station or a beach, now people are willing to go in for adventure tourism and
also visit places that might be exotic and cannot really be called hospitable. For example, now places like
Leh and Lakshadweep are mentioned in the same breath as Goa or Kashmir.

Technology:

Although technology does not seem to be a major influence at first glance, it plays a major part in the
promotion of a place. Better communication facilities are one of the first prerequisites for growth in the
inflow of tourists. This has been made possible with technology. Improved technology in the field of
communication at cheaper costs has resulted in many remote and inaccessible areas of the country getting
connected to the rest of the world. This connectivity has made these places visible to the world. Better
communication means access to media. And that is very important if any place wants to be on the world
tourist map.
Similarly online ticket booking and better transportation facilities have led to a dramatic increase in the
number of tourists visiting any parts.

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4.4 SWOT Analysis for SOTC

Strength-

1) India`s largest outbound tour operator.

2) Offices in all major cities of India.
3) Tie ups with other tour operators and travel agents across India.
4) Effective promotional campaigns like Experiencing the Magical moments of Yash Raj Films with
SOTC.
5) Internet booking of tickets and packages.
6) Cost Saver tours designed by SOTC, keeping in mind the budget of the traveler, without
compromising on sightseeing and basic holiday needs.
7) Created new markets through innovative packages namely `BhramanMandal` dedicated to Marathi
speaking population and `Gurjur Vishwadarshan` brand dedicated to Gujarati speaking population.

Weakness-

1) Not Focusing on Rural areas and Indian railway networks

2) Lack of corporate offices and small city offices across the nation
3) Feedback system exists for namesake.
4) Ineffective customer services.

Opportunities-

1) Increase in NRI Population

2) Increase in per capita income.
3) Increasing trend of exploring India
4) Increase in online booking
5) Increase of Government support for tourism.
6) Increase in outbound International Traveler Market
7) Increase in number of tourists for upcoming sports events in India like Commonwealth Games, 2010 and
Cricket World Cup, 2011.

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Threats-

1) Economic conditions

2) Security

3) New entrants

4) Local Travel Agents and travel companies.

5) Competitors

4.5 Segmentation

Though there are a number of bases for segmentation of tourists, one of the most important is Lifestyle.
Traveling decisions are fantastically influenced by changing lifestyles. They are also affected by other
factors such as level of income, availability of leisure time, etc

BASE OF SEGMENTATION CATEGORIES

Holiday Mass market
Popular market
Individual market
Demand Primary
Secondary
Opportunity
Geography International
On the basis of regions, cities, etc.
Psychographic Lifestyle
Personality motive
Knowledge

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 Demography Age
Sex
Religion
Socio-economic Rich, Poor
Rural, Urban
Literate, Illiterate
Purpose Business Travel
Cultural Tourism
Common Interest Convention
Age Teens
Youth
Seniors
Such segmentation is useful when deciding the offerings to target a particular segment. For example,

 The mass market consists of vacationists that travel in large groups and prefer all-inclusive tours. They
are generally conservative.

 The popular market consists of smaller groups going on inclusive or semi-inclusive tours. This group
includes pensioners and retired people.

 The individual market consists of chairmen, senior executives, etc.

 As the lifestyle changes, consumption of services might change. For example, a newly married couple
might prefer romantic holidays, but once they have children they would prefer family vacations where there
are plenty of activities to entertain kids. Teens and youth might prefer adventure holidays whereas senior
citizens would probably prefer more relaxing vacations.

39 | P a g e
Popular Segments

Two segments in domestic tourism which have been showing exceptional upward turn are Medical tourism
and adventure tourism. India is rapidly growing into a major health destination, targeting one million additional
medical tourists by 2010. These arrivals are expected to increase foreign exchange up to Rs. 5000-10000 crore.

India has also become known for adventure tourism with the excellent facilities that it offers for Water sports,
Trekking, rock Climbing, mountaineering, Aero sports, Safaris, Motor Sports etc.

Two million tourists are participating in adventure tourism annually. The market is growing at 35% but given
the right impetus, it can attract another half a million foreign adventure tourists and the domestic adventure
tourism market can see a 10-fold growth in the next five years.

CHAPTER 5

5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND LIMITATIONS

5.1 Research Plan

Preliminary Investigation

In which data on the situation surrounding the problems shall be gathered to arrive at. The correct definition
of the problem. An understanding of its environment.

Exploratory study

To determine the approximate area where the problem lies.

5.2 Research design

Research was initiated by examining the Primary data to gain insight into the problem. By analyzing the
primary data it will help us to know the main areas of the problem and how we can improve the given areas.

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5.3 Developing the research plan

The data for this research project has been collected through Survey’s by tele calling. Due to time limitation
and other constraints direct personal interview method is used. A structured questionnaire is framed as it is
less time consuming, generates specific and to the point information, easier to tabulate and interpret.
Moreover respondents prefer to give direct answers. In questionnaires open ended and closed ended, both the
types of questions has been used.

Collection of data

1 Primary data

All the people from different profession were personally interviewed. They were the main source of Primary
data. The method of collection of primary data was direct personal interview through a structured
questionnaire. (ANNEXURE-1)

2 Secondary data

It was collected from internal sources. The secondary data was collected on the basis of organizational file,
official records, preserved information in the company’s database and website of the company

Sampling plan

As the market area surveyed is very huge and hence it is not possible to give the entire data gathered. So a
sample from the Market survey is taken and examined to show the desired outcomes.

Sampling Units

Different types of tourist with different background and job profile mainly from kolkata, as per selected
questionnaires.

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Sample Technique
Random Sampling.

Research Instrument
Structured Questionnaire. (ANNEXURE-1)

Contact Method
Personal Interview by tele calling.

Sample Size

My sample size for this project was 10000 respondents. (ANNEXURE-2)

Data Collection Instrument Development

The mode of collection of data will be based on Survey Method by tele calling. Primary data are collected
from personal interview and respondents answers of the questionnaire asked.

5.4 Research Limitations:

Major limitations of the survey was customers were not willing to give time to interview them, because survey
had to be conducted during their pick working hours when they have to attend their own duity. The time
period was also a constrain, Internship was for just for 6 weeks ( including holidays ) so it was not possible
to attend bigger samples for conducting this survey work.

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5.5 ANNEXURE 1- QUESTIONNAIRE

1) are you interested in any international tour?

2) If yes where do you want to travel?
3) How many people want to go?
4) In which month want to go?
5) Are you HDFC card holder?
6) Could you tell your mail id that I can send you all the details for the tour?
7) Would you give a feedback for SOTC

5.6

ANNEXURE 2- PIE CHART OF SURVEY OF 10000

tourist (SAMPLE SIZE)

15%

25%
60%

interesdted to travell not interested to travell may be interested

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5.7 Findings:

 Most of the customers are either senior citizen neither honeymoon couple.
 Most of senior citizen wants to go with group tour
 SOTC focus on international tour mainly
 Mainly the higher level of the society wants to go for tour
 In organization there is competitive but friendly atmosphere and team work oriented and they motivate
each other so that employee service effective and also efficient.
 They maintain customer relationship. So that there are many old customers who want go for trip with
SOTC.

5.8 Project outcomes and recommendations-

Through this project we came to know about the current scenario of tourism industry in India with respect to
the world. We also came to know about SOTC, it`s brands, how SOTC uses the 7P`s of marketing and how it
segmented the market. This project also tells us about the 4 I`s of services in tourism industry, PEST analysis,
like how various sectors of environment affects the tourism industry, SWOT analysis of SOTC. In spite of
having so many strengths, SOTC also have so many weaknesses like shortage of branches and offices across
India, ineffective customer services, not focusing on rural areas and Indian railway network. In order to avoid
any inconvenience to its customers, it should more effective online ticket booking facilities and focus on small
cities and towns. Through porter`s five forces model we have learned about the external environment of SOTC,
like rivalry among competitors, threat of new entrants in tourism industry, it should focus on its online ticket
booking facilities to restrict online tourism provider like makemytrip.com, yatra.com. We have also made a
separate marketing plan for SOTC`s international tour who are wants to explore the world.

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 Bibliography:

www.sotc.in

www.tourism.gov.in

www.google.com

www.kuonitravels.com

www.wikipedia.org
www.sotctours.com
Personal observation.
Help of SOTC staff.

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