New Delhi, September 11, 2024: Thomas Cook (India) Limited and SOTC Travel announced an exclusive 24-month strategic partnership with Malaysia Aviation Group (Malaysia Airlines). The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Kuala Lumpur by Abraham Alapatt, President and Group Head, Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services and Innovation at Thomas Cook (India) Limited & SOTC Travel and Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer at Malaysia Aviation Group.
This collaboration aims to tap into the growing interest among Indian consumers for multiple holidays each year by offering a seamless travel experience for the customers of Thomas Cook & SOTC Travel – leading travel brands in India, and also to leverage Malaysia Airlines’ position as the gateway to Asia and beyond. With the airline providing extensive connectivity across India’s metro and regional markets, this partnership aims to significantly boost and enhance the travel experiences for Indian tourists to and via Malaysia to other countries, like Australia, New Zealand and Japan, among others.
The strategic agreement will focus on a multipronged engagement strategy, including joint consumer promotions and marketing communications to enhance visibility and attract visitors from the Indian market. As leading travel service providers, Thomas Cook and SOTC Travel cater to diverse consumer segments across India’s major metros, mini-metros, and emerging Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. In line with the agreement, Thomas Cook and SOTC Travel will offer a range of travel options, including group and customized holidays to Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines airfare-inclusive group and customized packages, and combo holidays that feature Malaysia as a stopover. This allows customers to enjoy the benefits of two holidays in one, with Malaysia being a visa-friendly destination for Indian travellers.
Abraham Alapatt, President and Group Head, Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services and Innovation at Thomas Cook (India) Limited & SOTC Travel said, “Indians are travelling like never before, and Malaysia offers both a compelling destination and a strategic stopover. Its rich cultural tapestry and flavorful cuisine make it particularly appealing to Indian travellers. Additionally, Malaysia Airlines provides a convenient hub for exploring Malaysia, as well as seamless connections to Asia and long-haul destinations like Australia-New Zealand. Through our strategic partnership with the Malaysia Aviation Group, we are excited to create new opportunities for exploration and deliver unforgettable travel experiences for our customers across holidays, B-Leisure, and MICE segments.”
Speaking on the partnership, Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer at Malaysia Aviation Group, commented, “Partnering with Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel represents a significant step in our commitment to strengthening Malaysia Airlines’ presence in the Indian market. This collaboration allows us to leverage the strengths of both companies to offer tailored travel solutions and exceptional experiences for Indian travellers. We are confident that this partnership will not only boost tourism between our countries but also enrich the travel experiences of our customers, showcasing the best of Malaysia and beyond.”
