Thomas Cook India eyes domestic MICE market with Marriott

Together with Marriott International, Thomas Cook India held 'The Art of Travel' event last week — India's first physical business event since lockdown — with the aim of inspiring corporate decision makers and rebuilding confidence in business travel.

“The in-person format created a vibrant platform for discussion and innovation and has been valuable in addressing queries for MICE travel in the new normal. Given its success, we hope to spearhead many more initiatives in the near future," said Rajeev Kale, president & country head — Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd.

Themed ‘Discover the World in Incredible India’, the event welcomed more than 80 local corporates and MICE decision makers to network, learn, and discuss the new normal for MICE.

Madhavan Menon, chairman and managing director, Thomas Cook India, and Marriott's market vice president, west India, Ranju Alex, delivered the keynote address, before joining attendees in the live music entertainment and alfresco dining at JW Marriott Mussorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa.

This was followed by a MICE Travel Mart, where more than 20 participating Marriott hotel brands representing top MICE locales across India, Dubai and Thailand explored ways to support future MICE business. The New Zealand Tourism Board also had a special segment presenting its MICE programmes, and to welcome the local market back once borders reopen.

To spur bookings, Thomas Cook India showcased its #NextinMICE portfolio, which consisted of an exclusive selection of travel incentive vouchers for top performers; offerings for digital events; experiential venues within driving distance from all major metros for staycations and meetings; and its 'Gourmet Genie', which delivers personalised dining experiences to your doorstep.

With this event, Marriott's Neeraj Govil, senior vice president of operations, APEC, called the partnership "extremely beneficial in restoring guest’s confidence for business travel".

“With the MICE industry gradually opening up across markets [and] given the impact and the transient phase of travel, the reinvention of MICE will be a definitive focus in the new normal. Domestic tourism is currently at its peak and customers are constantly looking for services that work best with socially-distanced norms. The MICE Travel Mart addressed accurate measures keeping in mind the recalibrated approach for travellers who now feel confident about stepping out for business," Govil said.

Attendees also walked away feeling positive about future events and safety surrounding in-person meetings.

“As an organisation, we value face-to-face interaction that helps us create stronger bonds with our team members... And this event has certainly helped us with great insights into the new normal for MICE, making us more confident of our future bookings and reassured that we have the best travel partner in Thomas Cook India," said Navin Tewari, CEO, Capital Foods.

During the event, Thomas Cook India also shared details of its Assured-Insured-Secured policy. This includes a Doctor on Call 24x7 service in partnership with Apollo Clinics; Covid-negative certification services via a tie up with ICMR accredited labs; and India’s first Safe Holiday Helpline, a free service offering expert guidance and assistance for safe trip planning, visa assistance, country-specific updates, and on-ground health and safety measures.