VOL-04 ISSUE-03 2022 Know the Qualities Comprehending the Fundamentals of the Trusted Travel Management Company Tours Pvt Ltd Explore the World Without Boundaries Zelam Chaubal Director TheMost Promising Travel Management Companies Explore Beyond Boundaries Emerging Trends in the Travel Planning Post-pandemic
nce in a while, after working hard for days andOmonths and probably years, we need a break, a vacation, a period of holidays, where we can just pack our bags, and leaving all our worries behind can go on a short, medium, or extended travel.
abhishek.joshi@insightssuccess
Although the probability of it happening is waning gradually, our minds again protest with the so-called reason of unplanned travels with some unknown, unreliable, unpleasant, and un-everything travel mismanagement agents, agencies and plain opportunists. Even planned trips with such untrustworthy people become a journey of nightmares, unexpected-expected, and promised-unpromised bundles of horrors.
Editor'sNote FOR YOUR BEST EVER ENCHANTING TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
Travelling enthusiasts and even those who are not that into frequent travelling hoped in the last two years to go somewhere else, away from all the tensions, anxieties, mind-depressing news, thoughts, and viruses, so that they could at least and at last get some sanity amidst the chaos, some relief amidst the crisis, and peace of mind amidst the increasing uncertainty However, just as the wish erupts in our hearts, our mind comes up with all the reasons not to get out of the safe confines of our homes, offices, and known localities into some unknown, risky, unsafe, probably unhygienic, uncertain and dangerous terrains, where we could catch a virus instead of that peace of mind.
You might be thinking; I am scaring you. However, I myself want to go on travelling, and just telling you my heart’s desires and my mind’s precautionary tales. Just when all hope seemed lost, our beloved CIOLOOK INDIA team came up with this much-needed edition, ‘The Most Promising Travel Management Companies’, to our – mine and yours – rescue.
And now, after reading about the hard work, agility, adaptability, smartness, thoughts, compassion, caring, technology, and replanning, these best of the best travelling management companions and guides have put in for us, for our safety, security, comfort, that they have left no stone unturned to give us our most ever enchanting travel experience in this new normal situation. Again, you do not have to take my word for it. You can read it yourself by diving into their mesmerizing tales. Also added for your all-around preparedness are the two trendy articles crafted by our in-house editorial team. So, what are you travelling birds waiting for? Hop in and enjoy the joy-read to make a wise choice. Au revoir!
Abhishek Joshi Deputy Editor com
ZelamDirChaubal,ector BhavikSubhashShah, Founder-Director PrasannaPurpleMobilityhascompletedthreedecadesin passengerMassTransitOperationsandhaspioneeredmobility solutionsinthecountry Kesari-aWorldClassTravelCompanyknownforits innovationsandUniqueSpecialityTours,withapenchantfor makingeverygueststravelexperiencealifetimememory HolidayBookieisaTravelmanagementcompanySince 2009andaone-stop-shopforallyourtravelneeds. Chirag GautamGupta,Yadav andHimanshuFoundersAgarwal, Deyor,atechnology-friendlyplatform,providesagreatagent andtouroperatorexperiencebymakingbookingsofcamping tripsassimpleasbookingahotelroom. PrasannaPatwardhan,KeshavCMD BriefCompanyName HolidaybookiePvtLtd PrasannaPurple MobilityKesariPvtSolutionsLtdToursPvtLtdDeyor Featuring TheMost Promising Travel Management Companies
Tours Pvt Ltd Explore the World Without Boundaries C O V E R S T O R Y
Deyor Digital Companions of the Travelling Spirits, Exploring Hearts, and Discovering Minds HOLIDAYBOOKIE PVT LTD Flagbearer of Traveller’s Trust and Credibility Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions Pvt Ltd Setting New Milestone in Public Transportation Services 32 Know the Qualities Comprehending the Fundamentals of the Trusted Travel Management Company Explore Beyond Boundaries Emerging Trends in the Travel Planning Post-pandemic C O N T E N T C O N T E N T
CONTENTDESIGN Visualizer Sandeep tikode Art & Design Director Rashmi Singh Associate Designer Revati Badkas SALES Operations Head Megha Mishra Assistant Manager Tejaswini Whaval Sr. BDE Suraj Gadekar Business Development Executive Meera Patel TECHNICAL Technical Head Amar Sawant Technical Consultant Tanaji APRIL, 2022 Copyright © 2022 CIOLOOK India, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying,mechanical,recording or otherwise, without prior permission from CIOLOOK India. Reprint rights remain solely with CIOLOOK India. FOLLOW US ON www.twitter.com/ciolookindia www.facebook.com/ciolookindia/ WE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON Email sales@ciolookindia com For Subscription www ciolookindia com CONTACT US ON Pooja M. Bansal Editor in Chief sales@ciolookindia.com I N D I A SME-SMO Research Analyst Amol Wadekar SEO Executive Sujay Bhavsar Abhishek Joshi Gaurav PR Wankhade Deputy Editor
Tours Pvt Ltd Explore the World Without Boundaries Kesari Tours is the first Indian company to give all-inclusive holidays to travellers where they do not have to spend anything from their pocket while on tour “ “ C O V E R S T O R Y
Zelam Chaubal Director
Whatevertheircolour,creed,raceistheylaughatjoyand crywhensad.Theymightbeprayingtothedifferentgods invariouskindsofholyplaces,singinganddancingin severaltypesofmusic;bytheirheartsandminds,theyare just Thus,humans.
KesariPatilfoundedKesariToursPvtLtdin theyear1984,“WiththevisiontoshowtheIndiansthe amazingworldanddisplaythewondersofIndiaby spreadingsmilesandhappinessthroughtraveland tourism,”said ZelamChaubal,DirectorofKesariMs LifeisJustaHoliday Kesari Tours isthefirstIndiancompanytogiveallinclusiveholidaystotravellerswhodonothavetospend anythingfromtheirpocketwhileontour.KTPLisa pioneerinbringingafewconceptslikeHoneymoontours, myfairladywomen-onlytours,secondinningSenior citizenstours,Studentspecialtours,religioustours,Mari Gold,andChotaBreaktours.
tourism and travelling areatruesenseofhuman beingsvisitingunexploredterrains,makingthemapartof ourlives,andcherishingtheminourmemoriesfora
WhilestudyingforherInterCA,shegotmarriedandwent toAmerica,whereshehasstartedherowncompanyA2Z ToursandTravelandranitsuccessfullyforafewyears. In2000,shereturnedtoIndiaforgoodandre-joinedKesari ToursasDirectortodevelopthePunemarketandtwo-tier cities.Afewyearsaftersuccessfullydoingthis,shestarted
Hence,lifetime.Mr
Ifwelookatitfromanotherperspective,Tourismis theworld’ssocio-culturalcohesionindustrybecause itprovidespeoplewithvariedandmeta-perceptual pointsofview Itopensbordersandheartstothefaiths,ethnicities, festivals,andoveralllivingandbreathingfolkswhoonly lookdifferentfromthemontheexterior.
KesariForexprovidesforeigncurrencyforstudentsand individualstravelingabroad.Theirin-houseprofessional visateamassiststravellerswiththeirvisas.Theimpactis thateverytraveller’sneedisbeingsatisfied,beita honeymooner,asinglelady,astudent,aseniorcitizen,ora Peoplecorporate.feelsafetotravelwithKesaritourshavingalegacy ofthirty-sevenyears.Fromaseven-year-oldsinglechild alonetoaneighty-three-year-oldpersonaloneistheage rangefortravellers.
KesariToursisonesolutionforanyreadytraveller.For travellerswhoenjoygrouptours,Kesarihastoursavailable onallcontinents,andforthosewhowantindividual holidays,strawberryholidaysaretolook.
Forcorporatetours,KesariMiceandZelamwereproudto mentionthattheyhavedoneAsia’slargestgroupof2400 peopleonSingaporeDreamCruise.
Zelam,theEver-FlowingRiver MsZelamChaubalstartedherjourneywhenshewas fourteenyearsoldasatourassistanttoherfather,Mr KesariPatil.Everyvacation,sheusedtogoontourwith him,learningthetradetricks.
From a seven-year-old single child alone to an eighty three-year-old single person alone, is our age range of travellers “
ThefutureoftourshaschangedduetoAI.AIhasenabled everyonetodomoreastheskyisthelimit.Landandarea boundarieshaveevaporated,andtheworldisavailableto everyone.Thefuturewillbeexperientialandadventurous Peopletravel.willtravelforanexperience,Learningandpeace. MillennialsarethenewclassoffutureTravellersforthe
developingKesariMice(MeetingIncentivesConferences andExhibition)businesstoursforcorporatetravellers. Today,KesariMiceisanothersuccessfuldivisionwithin SheKesari.hasalsodevelopedthestudents’tourstoNasa, Switzerland,andotherplaces.AndKesariAgrotourstake farmersandinterestedpeopletoseetheexhibitionsaround theglobe.
TravelManagementviaAI
“
The Most Promising Travel Management Companies
Kesari Agro tours takes farmers and interested people to see the exhibitions around the globe
Worktravelhasincreased,leadingtoleisuretravel.The availabilityofmanyopportunitiestoearnhasmadeglobal travelanextensivebucketlist. TheTimestheTourismStoodStill Pandemicforthetravelindustryissomethingunthinkable butreality Theworldneverstops,butitdidbecauseofthe pandemic,andsodidwe.
“Noneofuscouldpaytheemployeesfully,butallare holdingontorecoverandrecouped.Forthesafetyofour employees,wehadtakencareoftheirinsurances,”Zelam tellscompassionately
Itwashardontheemployers,employeesandthepeople whohadbookedtheholidaysduringthattime.Allthe stakeholdershavegonethroughlosses,unpredictability,and Thevolatility.industryhasbeenhitextremelyhard,buteverycloud hasapositiveaspect.Nowtheindustryisslowlyrecovering withnewchallenges.Itwilltakeafewmonthsnowtoget ontrack,andsupportfromthegovernment,Tourismboards, andconsulateswillhelpitbebackontrack.
cause.Thefutureoftravellerswillbebrightasincreased emphasiswillbeontravelthanaccumulatingwealthfor nextgenerations.
TheRiverofBelief’sadvicetothebudding entrepreneursandaspirants
“TravelIndustryisgoingthrougharedocean.Futuretravel willbedifferent.Pleasefindanicheofyourownforthose whowanttoentertheindustry.Lookforexperientialtravel andbedifferent,”isthesimpleyetexcellentadviceof Zelam.
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Testimonials
ColouringtheFutureofTourism Zelamenvisionsthefutureoftourismandthat ofKesariandconcludes,“Asmentioned above,toscaleanycompanytodayis impossiblewithyesterday’sideas.The scaleofbusinessandmoneyhas Tchanged.odaywithoutAI,scaling isalmostimpossible. Technologyhas becomethenormfor growth,whichwe cannotignore.The digitalworldneeds digitalthinking,and thatiswhatweare workingon.” Future is going to be experiential, and more and more people will travel for an experience, learning, and peace “ “
Emerging rends nThe Travel Travel P anning PostPandemic PostPandemic 18 | April 2022 | www.ciolook.com
LocalTourism Internationaltravelhasbeenstagnant,withtravelbans acrosstheworld,asseveralcountrieshaveyettoopen bordersfortourists.Thishasalsoresultedinrisingticket costsandhotelrates.So,domestic,short-haultripsarenow moreattractivefortravelenthusiasts.Travellersarelikely tochooselocaldestinationstoensureoptimumsafetyand hygienewhileavoidingdifferingquarantinerulesbetween countries.
Theuseofcontactlesstechnologies Asthereisariskofspreadingthevirusthroughphysical touch,travellersexpecthigherstandardstoensuretheir well-being.Therefore,travelcompaniesareemploying digitaltoolsthatwillenable'no-touch'options.
njoythetravelwiththenewnormal!
Withthecoronavirusoutbreak,ithasbeenatoughtimefor thetravelindustry.Borderclosures,flightcancellations,and lockdownshavecontributedtolowtourismrates.
Eventhoughthingsarebecomingnormalwithpassingtime likeeveryindustrytravelindustryisalsowitnessing changes.Therearenewtrendsintheindustrythatshouldbe consideredwhileplanningfortravelinthepost-pandemic era.
Forinstance,mobile-firsttechnologiessuchascontactless paymentshavebeeninthemarketforafewyears,with
E
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TravellingOn Theglobalappetitefortravelisasstrongasever,andmany arealreadyplanningtheirnextholidays.Asvaccine distributionisalreadyinplace,theworldisanticipating goingbacktotravellingsoonerthanlater.Buttravelling willnotbethesameasitwasearlier Therefore,itisa slightlytoughtimeforentrepreneursandcompaniesinthe travelindustrytoattracttheearlyresurgenceofbooking
Foralmosttwoyears,peoplehavefollowedstay-at-home ordersandquarantinedthemselves,somanyhave developed"quarantinefatigue"orexhaustionassociated withtherestrictivelifestyle.Thewarningsignsvaryfrom persontoperson;themostcommonareirritability,stress andanxiety,eatingmoreorlessthanusual,andtroubles withsleepandmotivation.So,tofightthisquarantine fatigue,moreandmorepeoplearegoingfortravel.
AsperTripAdvisor,77%oftravellerssurveyedworldwide saytheywillbemorelikelytotravelinternationallyonce theyreceivethevaccine.Fordomestictravel,thestatistic goesashighas86%.Optimistically,ifimplemented, vaccinepassportswouldallowpeopletotravelfreely withouttheneedforquarantine,encouragingmore internationaltravel.
Asthereisadangerofcoronavirus,thenumberoftripswill godown,butthedurationofeachtripwillgoup.Itwill happenasitensuressafetytostayintheoneplacefreeof thevirus,thenhopsaroundseveraldestinationsand increasestherisk.So,travellersarelookingforrelaxation withprolongedvacations.
Prolongedvacations
Travellersareemphasizingonmobileusagethroughoutthe traveljourney,frompassportsandboardingpassesto keylesshotelentryanddigitalcheck-outathotels.Travel companiesarealsoadoptingbiometrics,gesturecontrols, andautomationtopersonalizedigitalinteractionswhile enablingsocialdistancing.
TheapplicationofAI Inthepost-pandemicera,travelcompanieswillbeusingAI toimprovetheserviceandcustomerexperienceintourism. Itmakestravelarrangementsmoreaccessibleandoffers automated,customized,andinsightfulservices. WiththehelpofAI,travellerscanlearnabouttheir behaviours,interests,andinclinationsandgeta personalizedexperience.So,thereisnoneedtophysically meetatravelagentandindulgeinanendlesschainof troublingphonecallstoinquireabouttravelarrangements. Companiesarealsousingnewemergingtechnologieslike chatbots,virtualreality,languagetranslators,alongwithAI.
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Companiesdemand.arealsoacceptingemergingtrendsoftravel planninginthepost-pandemicera.Bycloselymonitoring thecurrentsituation,theygetnewtechnologiesand revivingconnectionswithcustomers.Theyare understandingthechangedneedsandrequirementsof today'stravellersanddoingtheirbesttosatisfy-them.Pooja
TheuseofVaccinepassports Althoughnotanofficialtravelrequirement,travellerswill makemoreuseofvaccinepassportsshortly.Itactsasa digitalproofofvaccinationagainstCovid-19andother coronavirustestresultsorhealthwaivers,thereforeknown asdigitalhealthpassports. Asmoreandmorepeopleare gettingavaccination,vaccinepassportsarepotentiallyon thehorizonandcouldhaveasignificantimpactontravel.
limitedadoption.Butthereisaspikeinadoptionas customersbecomemorecomfortablewiththebehaviour andreconsiderwhoandwhattheycomeintophysical contactwith.
MoreRoadTrips Asmentionedearlier,peoplearepreferringdomestictrips, soroadtripswillpowerthroughinthepost-coronavirus world.Itmakesthejourneyenjoyablethroughthepersonal carorbikeandagreatwaytoconnectwithafellow travellerinamannernotpossibleduringtheair,rail,or cruisejourneys.Therefore,itgotpeople'sattentionduring thelockdownmonths. So,itisoneoftheemergingtrends fortravelplanninginthepost-pandemic.
Eventhoughsomepeopleconsideritcontroversial,itwould beagame-changerformanytravellers'confidence.
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AGoogleTravelstudyshowedthat74%oftravellersplan theirtripsontheinternet;TripAdvisor’sstudyshowedmore than45%ofusersusesmartphonestoplantheirvacations.
Beinganexperiencedleader,shareyouropiniononthe impactoftheadoptionofmoderntechnologiessuchas AIonthetravelmanagementnicheandwhatmore couldbeexpectedinthefuture?
Theenthusiasmofwanderingspiritshasbeen rekindledpost-pandemic.Theroadisagaincalling themtotaketheirnextvoyage.Forsuch millennials,inthenewnormal,old-fashionedholiday planningisathingofthepast. Today,peoplenotonlyfromurbanmetrohabitatsbutalso fromtier-IIandtier-IIIcitiesaremovingonlinefornewage travelling,holidaydiscovery,andbookingsolutions.They arenowturningfromtraditionalholidayandtravelplanners toacompanywithdirectaccesstootherproductsand serviceprovidersintheecosystem. ThismoderntechsavvyB2BandB2Cholidaybooking digitalplatformleveragetechonthesupply-sidetogetrealtimeaccesstoinventoryandpricesdirectlyfromthesource. Comprehendingthefundamentalsofbusinessandthen investingdeeplyintothetechnology,itbecamethebrand todayknownasDeyor,a unique digital travel booking platform formedandrunby an expert team of holidaymaking companions InanexclusiveinterviewwithCIOLOOKIndiaforits editionof‘TheMostPromisingTravelManagement Companies’,ChiragspokeabouthowhisteamatDeyoris completelytransformingtheIndianTourismIndustryfor travellingenthusiasts. PleasebriefouraudienceaboutDeyor,itsUSPs,andits positionasaleadingplayerintravelmanagement. WeatDeyorcurateexperiencesasperourcustomer’s demands,interests,andbudgets.Weareadirect-toconsumerexperientialtravelandtechnologycompany incorporatedin2016. Deyorstandsfor Decide Your Own Route, andweareona missiontobecomeIndia’sleadingholidaydiscoveryand bookingplatform.
Weareontracktoexpandingourfootprintsgloballyand aimtobeofferingexperiencesacross35+countriesaround theworldbytheendof2022.ThiswillincludeEurope, Japan,andSouthAmerica.
‘‘ ‘
AIcanrespondtoquestionsandproviderelevant informationtocustomersevenwhenacustomerservice agentisunavailable.Customersdemandfasterresponses, andartificialintelligenceallowsbusinessestodeliverthe same.Itcanhandletheessentialconversationsthathelp Deyor is India’s first and leading WhatsApp chatbot travel platform ‘
Whatotherproducts/solutionsdoesDeyoroffer,and howaretheseimpactingthetravelmanagementspace?
Oneofthemostexcitingusesofartificialintelligenceinthe tourismindustryisassistingcustomersonline.
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OurhighlyableteamatDeyorunderstandstheproblemsof discovery,trustandexperiencethatcloudtheexperiential travel Neighbourhoodindustrytravelagentsareathingofthepast.We havemovedontotechplatformstohirecabs,bookhotels, andflights,butwestillgototravelagentswhenbookingan entireholidaypackageasthereisnoclearalternative.
Deyorunderstandstheneedforintelligentconsumer engagementintimeslikethese,andourteamofwelltravelleddestinationexpertsgivesuggestionstotravellers basedonpersonalexperiences.Wepersonalisetravelplans byunderstandingthecustomer'sneedsandwantsand makingtheentirejourneyhassle-free. WeareIndia’sfirstandleadingWhatsAppchatbottravel platform.Botscontributepositivelytocustomer satisfaction.Theyreducecustomers’waitingtimeandgetasimple reply;later,ourdestinationexpertstakeoverandarethen abletoputtheirtimeandeffortsintomorecomplex conversations.Thishelpstoimprovethecustomer experience.
Westartedbyofferingadventuretravelsolutionssuchas biketripsacrossdestinationsincludingLehLadakh,Spiti Valley,Bhutanetc.Weventuredintoprovidingtrekking solutionsacrosstheentireHimalayanMountainrange. Soon,weexpandedintothedomesticholidaymarket, coveringdestinationssuchasAndamans,Kerala,Kashmir Nowetc.we’reafull-stackholidaydiscoveryandbooking platformofferingexperiencesincludingHoneymoon, Adventure,andLeisuretoursacrossIndiaand11countries inSouth-EastAsiaandtheMiddleEast.
So,whilehumancustomerserviceisstillpreferredoverAI, andtheuseofthesameisnotthatextensive,AIhasaplace inthefutureofthetravelindustrybecauseofitspotentialto improveefficiencyandbringautomation.Thetravel industryunderstandsthepotentialofAI,andgloballeaders likeSabreandMarriotthavestartedusingthesame. WeatDeyorhaveutilisedAIasachatbotthathelps travellersplantheirtripandthenconnectourdestination expertstothem,makingtheprocesssimplerandfruitfulfor boththetravellerandourexpert.Manysmallbusinesses emergedfromtierIIandtierIIIcitiesduringthelockdown; mostcompaniesdidnothaveanypreviousonlinepresence.
Fornow,AIservicessuchaschatbotsandrobotsare monitoredbyhumanstoensurethatitworkssmoothly,and asurveysuggestedthatonly11percentofmillennials prefertheassistanceofAI.
Europe,SoutheastAsia,andtheMiddleEastaresomeof themajorplacesthathaveemergedasdesirabledestinations formanytravellersworldwide.Europeisfullofhistorical andarchitecturalmarvels,whereasSoutheastAsian countrieshavebecometheperfectdestinationfora Thevacation.MiddleEasthasseenalotofdevelopmentinthepast twodecadesandisagreatplacetoexperiencemodern technologicalandarchitecturalmarvels.Keepinginmind thesepoints,wecanconcludethatthesedestinationshavea lotofopportunitiesthatwillprovefruitful.
Tosurviveinthegrowingtechmarket,smallbusinesses fromthesecitiesaremakingnecessarychangesinoperating anddealingwiththeircustomers.UPI(unifiedpayments interface)hasmadepaymentconvenient,especiallyduring thelockdown,andisemergingasanefficientpayment method.
Puttinginthebestpracticesofmanagingcashenabledusto emergeonastrongerfrontfromthiscrisis. Wetookthistimetoanalyseourinternalprocessesand improveuponthesame.Thishelpedusstrengthenour operationswhichprovedfruitfulwhenthetravelindustry gainedmomentum. Italsogaveustimetoresearchotherdestinationsto increaseourinventory.Wearegraduallyopening internationaldestinationsassoonastheirCOVID guidelinesbecometravelfriendly.Weprovidecurrent customerstoplantheirtripsonlaterdatesandensure customerretention.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothetravelmanagement space? Myadvicetothebuddingentrepreneurswhoaspireto ventureintothetravelmanagementspacewouldbethatthe customerexperienceisthekeytorunningasuccessful venturebecauseonehappycustomerwillbringyoua hundredmore;wordofmouthisyourmostpowerful advertisingtool,ourentirecompanyisforgedaroundthis belief,andweseethepositiveresultsoffollowingthesame aswell.
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Consideringthecurrentpandemic,whatinitial challengesdidyouface,andhowdidyoudriveDeyorto sustainoperationswhileensuringthesafetyofyour employeesatthesametime? Asweallknow,thepandemichasbeenchallenging, especiallyforthetravelindustry.Bytakingspecific measures,weensuredthattheeffectsofthesamewere Wreduced.orkfromhomehadbecomeanormduringthepandemic, andallCOVIDsafetyprotocolswerestrictlyfollowed whenworkfromtheofficehadresumedensuringthesafety ofouremployees. Onthefinancialfront,preservingcashwasthemain agenda;wefixedacashculturethatbalancedshort-term requirementswithlonger-termcompetitiveconsiderations.
Intoday’sfast-pacedenvironment,technologyhasbecome animportantpartofabusinessasithelpstomakethe variousprocessmoreefficient.Today’sentrepreneurknows theimportanceofintegratingtechintotheirbusiness,and therefore,wecanseemoreandmoreenterprisesdoingthe same.Itisessentialtohaveaclearpictureofthe fundamentalsofyourbusinessandaplanbeforeinvesting intechnology;thismakestheintegrationprocesseasierand smooth. HowdoyouenvisionscalingDeyor’soperationsand offeringsin2022andbeyond?
Pandemicgaveusthetimetoresearchmoreintoother destinationsandhelpedusexpandinternationally;withthe rightpartnership,wecanseethescalerising.Wesofar haveapresenceinaroundsixcountriesandplantoscaleup toabout14countries. Moreover,wearegettingdeeperintoadestinationand launchingmoreproducts.Asthetravelindustryiscatching uptoitspre-covidstate,wehavediversifiedourproduct portfolioandaddedinternationaldestinationssuchas Maldives,Turkey,Greece,Switzerland,Egypt,andBaliand willbeexpandingtootherinternationaldestinationssoonas theirtravelrestrictionsease.
The Most PromisingTravel Management Companies agentsdevotetheirenergytoensuringthatcustomersinvest theirtimeandmoneyintoatriptheywanttoexperience.
ShiftingthefocusofourcompanyfromB2BtoB2C benefitedbygivinghigherprofitmargins,morecontrolover ourproductsandallowedustoofferafullrangeof products.Leveragingtheinternetonthesupplysideenables real-timeinformationsharing,suchasroominventoryand rates;thisgivesusacompetitiveedge.
ChiragGupta FounderandCEO
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Over nine years of experience in the start-up space. Chirag started his professional career by handling investments into start-ups at Redcliffe Capital. Hemanagedover22 investments,includingbigbrandssuchasInFeedo, PeeSafe,Shipsy,Innov8,andQdesq,tonameafew.Being inthelimelightfordisruptingthetravelindustry, Chirag hasbeenfeaturedonvariousplatforms.
Chirag Gupta
ExhibitingExcellence
Chirag has embarked on this journey fromaddressing crowdsatDubai'sbiggestMiddleEasttravelconferenceto addressingaspiringentrepreneursincolleges,tomedia housessuchasBTViLive,EtNowEconomicTimesand CNBCTV18YoungTurkstoconquertheexperiential IndustryinIndia.Takinghome,theYoungEntrepreneurof theyearawardbyBusinessWorldin2018wasjustthefirst steptowardsthatgoal. ChiragwasnamedintheprestigiouslistofForbes30 Under30Asia,2019,forhisachievementsinthetravel sectorearlyinlife. Beingamongst50topCEOsinIndiapresentedby FacebookandtakingawayAsiaOne'sIndia'sGreatest Brandsawardforhisventure,Deyor,arefantastic recognitionofhispassionandability. He can inspire millennials while himself being one Inhisyoungcareer,hehasconvincedinvestorsfrom Japan,theUK,theUSAandIndianHNIstobelieveinhis ideaandinvestinthebusinesstohelphimandhisteam achievetheirgoals.Hisprofilespeaksinlengthabouthis successandpassionfordisruptingtheneweraoftravel andspearheadingthischangeintraveltrends.
Fromgettinginvestorstoagreetoinvestinhisideaina seven-minutepitchonCNBCYoungTurkstobeing selectedasoneofthetop21start-upsoutof63,000 applicantsin Lufthansa Runway to Success,2017,heison therightpathtobuildingthenextbrandintravel,thebrand forMillennials,Deyor. Heisalsoinvitedtobepartofasignificantinternational delegationinMay2022.Hewillparticipatewithleading dignitariesfromentrepreneurshiptopoliticalsectors representingIndiawhilemakingusallproud. Addingtothis,Chiragexpressed,“Our great success journey at Deyor includes angels such as Alok Mittal, Dheeraj Jain, Nitin Passi, Hemant Dua and VCs such as Stellaris VP, Let's Venture, SOSV, and JITO have invested in us.”
Himanshu Hetakescareofthefinancesandcomplianceofthe company,haspreviousexperienceinstartingupasports blogand is an extensive traveller.Hehasbeentravelling forthelasteightyearsandtakesaninternationaltripevery threemonths,whichcontributespositivelytothecompany's globalexpansion.
Gautamhasbeen travelling and exploring for the last five years doingreconnaissanceandbuildingproductsand experiencesforthecompany.Duringhisjourney,hemet andbuiltrelationswiththelocalsandunderstoodtheir culturalexperiencesthathavecontributedpositivelyto makingtheproducts.
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Gautam Yadav
Withapriorexperienceineventmanagement,Gautam joinedDeyorin2015andtookcareofon-ground operations,sales,andcustomerhandling.Asastart-up, everymembermustmultitask;Gautamsuccessfully executedthesameduringtheinitialdaysoftheventure, whichhelpedbuildastrongbaseforthecompany Heisconcernedwithreconnaissanceofadestinationand hasfirst-handexperienceofthesame,whichhelpshim createaperfectproduct.Havingafirst-handexperience enablesyoutoseethingsfromthecustomers’perspective; thiscontributestoproductdesigningandintroducingnew productsintheexistingportfolio.
However,werequireagoodcompanywithtrustand credibilityonourvacationswithanassuranceofaquality timewithourlovedonesandHolidaybookiePvtLtd,Mr BhavikShah,theFounder-Director,promisesusa replenishingexperienceofavacation.
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Arobustnetworkofvendorsindomesticandinternational horizonsgivesusthestabilitytodelivervalueineach vacationortourplanned.
InanexclusiveinterviewwithCIOLOOKINDIAforits editionof“TheMostPromisingTravelManagement Companies,”MrShahspokeabouthowheandhis professionalteamatHolidaybookiearemakingsurethat, whereveryoutravel,nationalorinternational,andfor whateverreason,personalorprofessional,yourexperience isgoingtobeworthyofdesiredagainandagain.
Asoneoftheleadingagenciesthatoffergrouptours, customisedholidays,andtoursandtravelplanningfor corporates-ourmainUSPsisthatweensuretravelplans arecompletelycustomisedasperthetraveller’sneeds, preferences,andbudgets.
Butjourneys.whatweallarewaryofistheescalatedpainpoints whiletravellingunplannedorhaphazardlyplannedtours. Theyturnyourjourneysintonightmares. Afterfacingourworstnightmareintheformofthe pandemic,wewanttostepoutforthedestinationsthatwe dreamedof.Wewanttospreadourwingsoutandexplore therelishingbeautyofnature.
WithastrongnetworkacrossIndiawithhotelsaspartners andconnectionsbuiltwithlocaltouristspots,wehavea strongholdonthebestdealsthatonlyalocalwouldknow!
Ourrootsstartedasaticketingagency,andwedidwell. Thiswasasteppingstonetoexpandourservicesandoffer travellersourimmenseknowledgeinthisspace.Our comprehensiveservicesincludedend-to-endtravelplanning fortravellersofalltypescateringtodomesticand internationallocations.
FlagbearerofTraveller’sTrustandCredibility
Belowarethebriefsofthatcrediblepromiseofsurety Sir,pleasebriefouraudienceaboutHolidaybookie,its USPs,andhowitiscurrentlypositionedasaleading playerinthetravelmanagementspace.
Astheepidemiciswaning,tourismisbackintoavid travellers’andtourists’minds.Peopletravelfor differentreasons—majorlyleisurelyorpersonalor professionalnecessities.Whateverthereason,weallloveto goonvacations,tours,holidays,travels,voyages,and
Istartedaticketingagencyoutofmypassionfortraveland exploration.Ialwayswantedtomaketravelaccessible, affordable,andseamlessforeveryonewhohasathirstfor adventure.Someofourclientshavebeenwithusfor aroundadecadenow,andthatspeaksalotaboutthequality andtransparentserviceswehaveofferedtoourtravellers.
Ourfocusisagreatcustomerexperiencethroughout;hence weassignadedicatedpointofcontacttoourtravellerswho arewiththemfromtheselectionofthehotelstoplanning itineraryandwhocanbecalledanytimeforanyhelpduring the Everythingtravel.
peoplemattHolidaybookieersalotasopenuptotheideaoftravellingagain “ “ “ “ 29 | April 2022 | www.ciolook.com
Withmyprofessionalnetworkandinteractingwithbusiness owners,Iunderstoodthepreferencesofbusinesstravellers, andIaddedthatasakeyservicetoHolidayBookie. Ourpremiumservicestothecorporatesandbeingavailable inreal-timefortravelassistancemadeusapreferredtravel partnertosomebignamesinPuneandMumbailikeHDFC, ErnstandYoung,GlenAppliances,Bramhacorp,Bankof Maharashtraandmanymoresuchnames.
Whatotherproducts/solutionsdoHolidaybookieoffer, andhowaretheseimpactingthetravelmanagement space?
The personalised touch of each tour at
isplanned,implemented,andcontrolledbyone person,hencebuildingcomfort,asenseofsecurityandtrust forthetraveller. Briefusaboutyourself,yourjourneyinthetravel managementspace,andhowyouhavecontributedto theHolidaybookie’ssuccess.
Wehaveadedicatedteamthathelpscorporateswiththeir MICEneeds(MeetingIncentiveConferenceand Exhibitions).Thismustalwaysbeeconomicalyet comfortablewithallchecksinplace. Beinganexperiencedleader,sharewithusyouropinion ontheimpactoftheadoptionofmoderntechnologies suchasAIonthetravelmanagementnicheandwhat morecouldbeexpectedinthefuture? TheadoptionofAIhassurpassedthehumanlevelof capturinginformation,notingpreferences,andgenerating
Ifirmlybelievethatethicalbusinessisimportantand mattersalottobuildtrustandcredibilitywithcustomers.
Havingsaidtheabove,whileAIcaterstothediverse demandsoftravellers,itraisesprivacyconcerns,andthat needstobetakencareofwell.
Consideringthecurrentpandemic,whatinitial challengesdidyouface,andhowdidyoudrive Holidaybookietosustainoperationswhileensuringthe safetyofyouremployeesatthesametime?
Allindicationssuggestthattravelisreturningwithrenewed vigouraspeopleseektoreconnect,discovernewplaces,or revisitoldfavouritesastheCOVID-19epidemicfades. Peoplejustwanttogetoutoftheirhomestoexplore.
Aboveall,itisimportanttokeeptransparencywithyour clientstobuildaloyalcustomerbase.Yourbusinesswill sufferifyoudonotfollowthroughwithyourpromises madetotheclientsregardingboth-experienceand payment. HowdoyouenvisionscalingHolidaybookie’soperations andofferingsin2022andbeyond?
It'sano-brainerthatoneoftheindustriesthattookahitdue tothepandemicwasthetravelindustry.Andthelockdowns closedtheentiresetofoperationsinthetravelandtourism business.Acoordinatedeffortwasneededtorestoreand rehabilitatetouristattractionsinthewakeofthedisaster, whichaffectedthewholetourismecosystem.
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Hotelsinmanycountriesarebeginningtouserobots (RAISA)invariousways,includingchatbots,delivery robots,robotconcierges,conveyorrestaurants,andselfserviceinformationandcheck-inkiosks.However,thereis agaporlimitedresearchintourismthatisbeingfilledby thehumanworkforce.IbelievethatAIcouldbethenext bestthinginthetourismindustry
Thepersonalisedtouchofeachtourmattersalotaspeople openuptotheideaoftravellingagain. Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothetravelmanagement space?
Clientsdon’treturntothesametravelorganisationsif they’vehadabadexperienceonce,soathinstring!
Inthenextfiveyears,myfocusistogetlistedasapublic limitedcompany Wewanttobecometheflagshipof personalisedvacations,travel,andtours.Weaimtoadaptto newnormsandbringintechnologiesthatwillhelpthe businessinthelongrunandachieveahigherROI.Thinking bigwithourpersonalisedtravelplansandcreatingamore genuinerelationshipwithourclientsisthewayforward.I believeitisessentialtokeeptheclientshappyinthe tourismindustrytokeepthemcomingbacktoyou.Iwant tobetheflagbeareroftrustandcredibilityintraveland tourism.Today,whatAppleistosmartphones, Holidaybookiewillbeintravelandtourism.
The Most Promising Travel Management Companies business.Thefieldweareinisoneoftheoldestindustries thoughAIhasmadeitaqualityone.
Inadditiontogeneraleconomicstimuluspackages,several governmentshaveimplementedtourism-specificpoliciesto helpfirmsandemployeesintheindustry.Itwasahuge relieftoreceivesupportfromthegovernment.
Inourindustry,atravelcompany'sreputationmaybe tarnishedifevenasinglefrictionpointintheclient experiencecannotbesuccessfullyaddressed.Itis imperativethattheindustryensuresthatthereopening processgoeswell,andthatenoughassistanceisgivento travellersforthemtoadjusttonewmodesoftransportation.
Knowing Qualities
very journey enriches our experience! And what isElife but a journey of experiences
Today,fromcherishingbeautifulnaturallandscapesor discoveringdiverseculturestovisitingaplacefora businesspurpose,everybodytravels.Bankingonthem,the travelindustryisemergingfromtheunprecedentedcrisisof thepandemic.
Travel Management Company
Humanbeingshavealwaysbeencurioustoexplorethe worldrightfromthedaysaftertheyevolvedintohomo sapiens.Thosewerespeciesdefiningmigrations.Thatis howtheyspreadthemselvesaroundtheworldandkept journeyingandevolvingintous,theircurrentoffspring.
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Comprehendingthe Fundamentals o Trusted
Whiletravellingforbusinesspurposes,theroleoftravel managementcompaniesisessential,asitmakestravel hassle-free.ATrustedTMCwillprovideitsmostexcellent servicestothecompaniesmoreinformedly.Encouraging employeecompliancetothecorporatetravelpolicyof companiesandensuringsafetyandsecuritymakessurethat theirjourneyispeaceful.
EventhoughaTMCcompanywillrequirepaymentfor theirservices,oftenonasubscriptionbasisorbycharginga feefortheservicesanorganizationuses,therealityisthatit stillhelpstosaveconsiderableamountsofmoney
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Theinsideoutknowledgeaboutthetravelindustrymakes theTMCanexperiencedone.Withtheiryearsof experience,theyhavelearnedvarioustricksalongthe way.Ithelpsthemprovideexpertadviceonhowtospend moneybestandthebesttravelroutes.Itispossiblethat businesseswillworkwithaTMCcompanythatspecialises indealingwithclientsinthesameindustryasthem.This canbeextremelybeneficial,assomeindustrieshave extremelyspecificornuancedtravelneeds.So,their Previousexperiencecanassistthebusinessestooptimise theirtravelstrategyandsteerawayfromcommonpitfalls.
Thesafetyandsecurityofbusinesstravellersareoneofthe commonproblemswhichcompaniesface.Atravelleroften maycomeacrosscausalitieslikeriotsandcivilunrest.But iftheyhaveatrustworthyTMC,thejourneycanbesafer forthem.AsTMCscomprisedutyofcarefeaturesthat providereal-timecommunicationandinformationforthe well-beingofemployeesinunknowndestinations.So,in thisway,TMCsprovidecareandsupporttotravellersand gainconfidenceinthelongrun.
Everyorganizationhasitsownsetofrequirementsand specificneedsregardingtravel.Atrustedtravel managementcompanywillspendtimetoknowthe companyandwhatkindofsolutionitneeds,ratherthan offeringa'onesize'fitsallmodelwhichmaynotworkfor travelprogrammesforalltheorganisations.
Byprovidingtheirbestservicesattherighttimeandat affordableprices,theywinthetrustoftheirclients.Forthat purpose,somefundamentalsofTrustedTravelManagement Companieshavetobeunderstood.
Withthehelpofmoderntechnology,TMCsprovide businesseswiththenecessarytoolsandsystemstobook traveleasily.Forexample,theycanprovidecomputer softwareoramobileapp,whichwillallowthemtosubmit travelplansorrequestsatanytimeoftheday
Theapplicationofadvancedtechnologyenablesfargreater efficiencyinthisarea.Ifabusinessmanagestravel arrangementsitself,theentireprocesscanrequirea significantamountoftime.Butusingamobileappor computersoftwarepackagetomakearequesttoTMC companycanusuallybedoneinafewshortminutes.So, businessescansavealotoftimeandenergyinthisway
PoojaJaipal
Inbusinesstravels,therearemanythings,fromboarding passestohotelreservations,whichcancreatehassleduring thejourney AtrustworthyTMCwillmanageallthese thingsanddeliverthemtotheirclientsinthemost manageablewaypossiblesothattheycanfocusonthe biggerpicture.
Theavailabilityofdifferenttypesoftravelmanagement companiesmakessuchtravellers'journeyscomfortableand enjoyableexperiences.Thesecompaniesperformacritical roleinmakingthejourneylessstressful,moreconvenient andmostrelaxingforthetravellingspirits.
An experiencedTMC,withitsbusinessconnectionsacrossthe entiretravelindustry,willallowgainingfavourablerates forhotels.Withtheexpertisetheyhaveforcheapflightsin therightplace,theywillsignificantlyreducetravelcostsby bookingflightsattherighttime.Thisisalsoanexcellent waytogainthefaithoftheclients.
Everycompanyhasaspecificcorporatetravelpolicyand certainrulesthatemployeesneedtofollowwhiletravelling. So,atrustedtravelmanagementcompanywilltakeallthe decisionsasperthecompanypolicy.Itwillalsoadvise employeesonhowtheycanmeetbusinesstravel requirementswhilststayingwithinthecompanytravel policy.So,thingswillbeclearforthem.
Everycompanyhastoperformasperthetrendsoccurring inthatindustry AreliableTMCwillunderstandthe prevailingtrendsandoverallclimateoftheindustryand ensuretheyhavesolutionstofitinwiththeexpectationsof today'stravellers.Theywillchangetheirservicestothe taste,likes,dislikes,andpreferencesoftheirclients.
Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions Pvt. Ltd PrasannaCMDPatwardhan, 36 | April 2022 | www.ciolook.com
ublictransportationimprovesthequalityoflifeinPcommunitiesaroundthecountrybyprovidingsafe, efficient,andaffordableservice.Itisalsooneofthe crucialfundamentaltowardsthethrivingeconomy
Publictransportationservesnotonlythepeoplewhouseit butalsosociety.Sincetransportationisacrucial requirementforday-to-dayactivities,itisutterlyessential toprovideconvenientservicesinthisindustry.Withanaim toensurereliability,PrasannaPurpleMobilitySolutions Pvt.Ltd.providesimpeccablesolutionsaltogetherby enablingconvenienceinthetransportationindustry
· RobotsforCustomerServices
Prasanna Purple is a tech-driven surface mobility solutions company operating daily 1200+ buses in 85 cities and catering to five lakh passengers daily ‘‘ ‘‘
PrasannaPurpleisatech-drivensurfacemobilitysolutions companyoperatingdaily1200+busesin85citiesand cateringtofivelakhpassengersdaily Thebusinessvertical includeselectricbuses,citybuses,intercity,employee mobility,schoolandmetrofeeders,andtourism. OurUSPsare: Technology-drivenoperations 24X7commandcenter 35%repeatcustomers 54hrstrainingprogramateachlevel Welldocumentedprocess Dataanalytics Whatservicesdoyourcompanyoffer,andhowarethese makinganimpactonthetravelmanagementspace?
Wehavealargeselectionofvehiclesandbuses.Our vehiclesareusedforavarietyofpurposes,including corporateevents,familygatherings,airporttransfers, weekendtrips,andsoon. Weprovidefrequenttrainingtoourdriversinareassuchas safety,security,andothercriticaltopicssuchasemergency evacuationprotocols.Manymajorsportingevents, includingtheCommonwealthYouthGames,havegivenus thehonourofbeingofficialtravelpartners.Wewerethe IndianCricketTeam'sofficialtravelpartner,handlingallof theirlogisticalneedsforinternationalmatches.
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· AIAssistantsforBooking
Thecompanyhasafleetofover1200vehiclesrangingfrom IndicasedanstoVolvobusesandsmalltempostomultiaxletrucks;thePrasannaGroupcannowbragaboutbeing oneofthemajortransportfirmsoperatingacrossthe country,employingover4000people. Underthevisionarybusinessacumenandthededication andpassionofPrasannaPatwardhan,CMD,the companyhaseventuallyexperiencedexponentialgrowthin theindustry
PrasannaPurpleoffersvariousservices,includingelectric buses,citybuses,intercity,employeemobility,school,and metrofeeders.Weundertakepublictransportprojectsunder the'Public-PrivatePartnership'initiativetakenbythe CentralGovernmentundertheschemeof 'Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM)' from Cityadministration.
Inanexclusiveinterviewwith CIO LOOK India,Prasanna shedslightonthecompany'sjourney,highlightingthe currentindustryscenario,andhisopinionsonthefutureof PrasannaPurpleMobilitySolutions. Prasanna,pleasebriefouraudienceaboutPrasanna PurpleMobilitySolutionsPvt.Ltd.,itsUSPs,andhowit iscurrentlypositionedasaleadingplayerinthetravel managementspace.
Wealsoofferinterstatetransportationusinghigh-end, super-luxury,air-conditionedcoaches.Weserviceall importantroutesinWesternIndia,includingMumbai,Pune, Ahmedabad,Indore,Goa,andothers.Ourorganisationalso providesbusestoschoolstomeettheirneeds.
Beinganexperiencedleader,sharewithusyour opinionsontheimpactofmoderntechnologiesinthe industry? FuturetechnologywillssuchasAIwillplayavitalroleif youwanttoscaleupyourbusinesswithaccuracywiththe helpofthefollowing:
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Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothetravelmanagement space? Positionyourservicestoenhancecustomerexperienceand leveragetechnologywhereverpossible.Trainingand developmentofmanpowerwillalwaysgiveyoua competitiveedge.Winningtoplineisashorttermwhereas winningbottomlineisalong-termstrategyforany business,youmustremainprofitable.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022andbeyond?
Takingintoconsiderationthecurrentpandemic,what initialchallengesdidyouface,andhowdidyoudrive yourcompanytosustainoperationswhileensuringthe safetyofyouremployeesatthesametime? Travelwasthefirstwhichwasbadlyimpactedbefore lockdown.Peopleturnoutwasverypoor
Improvingservicequalityinlinewithpandemicwillhelp uspositionourselvesself-betterinthemarket,forour demand-pullisthesumofbetter&profitablecustomer experience. www.ciolook.com
WeintroducedPURPLESAFETYmeasures,whichinclude zinccoatingofourbusesfrominside,deeplycleaningand sanitization,socialdistancing,anddriverandcrew vaccinationdrivetobringbackcustomerconfidenceand investmentinremoteworkingcapabilities.
· AIForecasting · SentimentAnalysis · AugmentedRealityApps–Metaworld · Personalizationisservicedelivery
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MrPrasannaPatwardhanhasbeeninstrumentalinintroducingnewactivitiessuchaspassenger,goods transportation,domestic/internationaltours,andtravelsandhighwayrestaurants/hotels.Hehasconsolidatedthe groupactivitiesanddrovethegroup'sannualturnoverfrommere3.0lacsto300+crores.
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President,Bus&CarOperatorsConfederationofIndia(BOCI) Chairman,TransportCommittee,TheMarathaChamberofCommerceIndustries&Agriculture(MCCIA)
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The Most PromisingTravel Management Companies Leadership
Member,IndiaSMEForum Member,FederationofIndianChambersofCommerce&Industry(FICCI) Member,Infhra(AssociationofFacilityManagementCompanies) Member,NationalLogisticsCommitteeCII
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Exemplary
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ExecutiveMember,LogisticsSkillCouncilCII
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ExecutiveCommitteeMember,AllIndiaConfederationofGoodsVehicleOwners'Associations ExecutiveCommitteeMember,AllIndiaMotorTransportCongress(AIMTC)
President,MaharashtraRajyaTruck,Tempo,Tanker,BusVahatukMahsangh
ThePrasannaGroupwasfoundedbyMrKeshavWamanPatwardhan,fatherofMrPrasannaPatwardhan,CMD, Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions.MrPatwardhanisanactivememberofmanyindustrialbodiesandtransport organizationssuchas: Director,GlobalPassengerNetwork(GPN) Member,InternationalRoadTransportUnion(IRU)
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· Member,UITP(Globaltransportersfederation)
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PrincipalMember,TransportServicesSectionalCommittee,BureauofIndianStandards(BIS)
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