Thomas Cook India & SOTC Travel Expand Their Spiritual Tours Portfolio

EE News Desk Mar 06, 2024

Thomas Cook (India) and its Group Company, SOTC Travel’s data reflects a surge in demand of 100 per cent YoY for spiritual locales with a high preference for cultural experiences and adventure. The recent inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, along with improved connectivity and infrastructure, has accelerated online searches by 10 times. In a focused endeavour to tap into this high potential yet unorganised segment, the companies have expanded their spiritual tours portfolio with a diverse range of ready-to-book and personalised tours to spiritual locales across India and the subcontinent.

While historically India’s senior generation comprised a key segment for spiritual travel, Thomas Cook and SOTC are witnessing an uptick in demand from segments like multigenerational families, honeymooners/couples, millennials and Gen Z.

The companies’ consumer data reveals that demand is not restricted to traditional pilgrimages, but also to unique local experiences. Thomas Cook and SOTC have hence curated a product range, ‘Pilgrimage Plus’, featuring a combination of spiritual breaks with local experiences. The product range includes outdoor adventures like mountain biking and paragliding in Vaishno Devi, Rameswaram or diving with PADI professionals, river rafting and kayaking in Rishikesh, camping in Uttarakhand, jungle trekking in Gujarat and more. Experiences like sunset boat rides in Varanasi, the Chhau dance, the nesting of the Olive Ridley turtles at Gahirmatha and Rushikulya in Odish, the stepwell in Rani ki Vav in Gujarat or learning the martial art of Kalayaripayattu in Kerala.

Thomas Cook and SOTC’s range of spiritual tours also includes customised spiritual/wellness options like meditation, yoga and wellness programs like the Panchakarma ayurvedic program at Kumarakom, Yoga Centre in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand and more.

Thomas Cook and SOTC’s Spiritual Tourism portfolio features a range of themes including handpicked tours to India’s most popular religious sites including Char Dham, Do Dham, Kashi-Vishwanath corridor, Vaishno Devi, Varanasi, Rath Yatra, Amarnath Yatra, Kailash Mansarovar, Bodhgaya, Dwarkadish; the Tamil Nadu temple circuit of Chennai, Tirupati, Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram; Muktinath in Nepal and more.

Private guided tours featuring locales associated with the life and times of Lord Ram, within India and in Sri Lanka, including Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Hampi, Madurai and Rameshwaram are also offered.

Jyotirlinga Darshan Trails - dedicated tours to the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines across India, Anant Kashi Ayodhya Yatra, Navagraha Temple Tour - Tamil Nadu.

The companies also offer guided darshans at temples, guide cum storyteller to explain the nuances and historical-cum-spiritual perspective of the locales, satvik meals, escorted group tours with expert regional language speaking Thomas Cook/SOTC tour manager and accommodation ranging from hotels to tents.

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) said “Indians are increasingly drawn to spiritual journeys, more so with the pandemic increasing appreciation for life, in gratitude and to invoke blessings. Spiritual locales are attracting interest from not only seniors and families but also from the younger segment - millennials and groups of friends. With the government’s strong focus on connectivity and infrastructural development, we have seen an uptick of 100 per cent YoY. To tap into this high-growth segment, we have expanded our spiritual plus tours to feature a range of popular sites coupled with unique local experiences – across culture, cuisine and outdoor adventure. Customers can book a hassle-free darshan with us as we seamlessly handle their end-to-end comfort while they focus on their spiritual experience. To offer customers ease and convenience, we also offer them the choice of travel now pay later and zero interest EMIs.”

Daniel D’souza President & Country Head - Holidays, SOTC Travel Limited said “Spiritual tourism has witnessed significant growth in India: our data reflects an uptick of 20-30 per cent month-on-month. Over our 75 years as a company, we have witnessed the evolution of Pilgrimages with Indians now combining darshans with leisure and this was the genesis of our extended range of Pilgrimage Plus tours. Pilgrimage Plus tours provide a spiritual core together with a getaway amidst tranquil nature or in combination with outdoor adventure and authentic local experiences. Our ready-to-book and personalised spiritual tours have been designed with care and offer a range of price points to suit every consumer segment.”