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SOTC Travel

Overview

SOTC Travel is an Indian travel and tourism company that offers outbound, inbound and domestic holiday packages, along with corporate travel, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), foreign exchange and visa-related services. Headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, the company is among the long-established holiday brands in the Indian travel industry and operates as part of the Thomas Cook (India) group.

Key facts

Name SOTC Travel Limited
Industry Travel and tourism
Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Country of operation India
Parent Thomas Cook (India) Limited
Services Leisure holidays, corporate travel, MICE, foreign exchange, visa services

Background

SOTC's roots lie in the outbound holiday business that operated in India for several decades under the "SOTC" brand, originally associated with the Kuoni group's Indian operations. The brand became well known among Indian travellers for group escorted tours to international destinations, including Europe, the United States, Australia and parts of Asia, as well as for domestic itineraries within India.

History

The SOTC business in India was historically operated by Kuoni Travel (India), the Indian arm of the Switzerland-based Kuoni Group. Following a global restructuring of Kuoni's tour operating activities, the Indian outbound and related travel businesses were acquired by Thomas Cook (India) Limited, bringing the SOTC brand under the Thomas Cook (India) umbrella. After the acquisition, SOTC was retained as a distinct consumer brand alongside Thomas Cook in India, with each addressing different segments of the leisure and corporate travel market.

Operations and services

  • Holidays: Group tours, customised holidays, honeymoon packages, and special-interest itineraries covering international and domestic destinations.
  • Corporate travel: Business travel management for Indian and multinational corporations.
  • MICE: Planning and execution of corporate events, conferences and incentive travel programmes.
  • Foreign exchange: Travel-related currency, forex cards and remittance services.
  • Visa services: Documentation and assistance for tourist and business visas.

The company distributes its products through a network of company-owned branches, franchised outlets known as Preferred Sales Agents, online channels, and travel trade partners across Indian cities.

Significance

SOTC is regarded as one of the pioneering organised outbound tour operators in India, and its escorted group tour formats have played a notable role in shaping the way Indian middle-class travellers explore international destinations. Its integration with Thomas Cook (India) made the combined entity one of the larger leisure travel groups operating in the Indian market.

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