Airlines hawk tour packages

New Delhi: Domestic and international airlines are offering travel packages to flyers that cover not only tickets to the place of travel but also hotel bookings and local conveyance.
Facing a major cash crunch, Air India has realised that the best way to stay afloat is to rely on packages.
According to a senior Air India official, “We are trying to offer packages throughout the year. Summer still is one of the busiest travel seasons; so there are assured footfalls. Package services do add 20 per cent or more bookings for the entire season. But now we are trying to concentrate on business travellers who make for 77 per cent of our passengers.
“We will in the next few months try and launch eight packages targeting business travellers who look forward to the one-stop shop concept and web-based travel and stay plan,” the official said on the condition of anonymity.
IndiGo offers nearly 150 packages for 30 destinations, which include religious, business and leisure tours. Hotel chains have also shown an interest, with Accor Group, Fortune, Sarovar, The Pride and Lemon Tree joining the IndiGo service.
04/07/11 Karan Choudhury/The Telegraph

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jul 2011