Nagpur News: Jagsons Travels P.Ltd, one of the top travel company in Nagpur is working in Nagpur from last 35 years. They are coming up with GPS – GLOBAL PANORAMA SHOWCASE – B-2-B Travel Trade Event on International level inviting all the travel agents all over country on 24,25, & 26th Jan, 2014, at Hotel Centre Point, Nagpur.
The vision of Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) was conceived with the intention of educating the buyers from central India who do not get the much information. With this project, the Global players will be given chance to participate in the heart of India and explore the potential by showcasing and educating the agents and consultants in the market and also updating the consumer at large with the varied choice of products and services.
In an exclusive interview to Nagpur Today Harmandeep Singh Anand told that he and his brother Rishi Raj have been globetrotting and travelled a lot and educated and they felt a huge gap in terms of knowledge. Main motivation was to equip and educate the players locally so that they are with their counterparts from Metros and other major cities.
HARMANDEEP SINGH ANAND
Harmandeep Singh Anand is the Honorary General Sectary of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and MD of Jagsons Travels P.Ltd.
Highlighting on the main focus areas he told that particularly the designations who are keen to capture the potential of central India. All travel related services and products which are essential for a traveler while travelling domestic or overseas, whether it insurance, visa support, global phone cards or any other related services.
Around 340 agents from all over India are invited for this event. On 24th, 25th the event will be on B-B basis and on 26th it will be on B-2-C inviting the customers. Apart from this event will include educational fair, product knowledge, table talk concept, tourism boards, hoteliers, domestic package suppliers, rail Europe, details about overseas related insurance, banks and foreign exchange details, visas.
The event will be inaugurated by Manoharan, Malaysian Tourism, and partner country.
Education details will be given by the top cruise lines about the ship updation of the products,. Tourism Malaysian will organize questionnaire program me also.
Below is the exert from the Interview :
Nagpur Today : What was your vision behind the GPS and what was your motivation behind setting up this event?
Harmandeep : Last year we launched the event on a smaller scale and were expecting only about 10 of the suppliers that our company was working with to participate, but to our surprise we had almost 28 suppliers with 60 products at the event which was christened “Showcase Jagsons”. We had a participation of almost 180 buyers at the event over 2days. Following the success in 2013 we decided that there is a need in the market as being a Tier 2 city we were getting neglected though tier2 and tier3 cities had a much higher potential due to exposure to a higher nett disposable income.
The vision of Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) was conceived with the intention of educating the buyers from central India who normally are left behind and do not get the much needed information. With the project we are trying to bring the Global players to participate in the heart of India and explore the potential by showcasing and educating the agents and consultants in this market as also updating the consumer at large with the varied choices of products and services.
Both of us brothers have been globetrotting and are well travelled and educated and felt a huge gap in terms of the knowledge available in this market. Our main motivation was to equip and educate the players locally so that they are at par with their counterparts from Metros and other major cities.
Nagpur Today: What according to you are the main focus areas of the GPS?
Harmandeep : Main focus areas are particularly the Destinations who are keen to capture the potential of central India. All travel related services and products which are essential for a traveller while travelling domestic or overseas. Be it insurance, visa support, global phone cards and other related services.
Nagpur Today : What is the way forward that you envision for the same?
Harmandeep: Educating the fraternity in central India and equipping them with as much possible tools to cater to the needs of the clientele is definitely the way forward. Our future vision is to grow this event to a much larger event which the industry on the whole would look forward to be a part of year after year. We would try to be different by engaging not only the owners and managers but also the frontline and the student perusing courses in the field of tourism in central India. In future we are looking at participation not only from domestic suppliers but also from overseas suppliers and products who do not have representation in India but central I dia is a possible source market for them.
Nagpur Today: What according to you are the challenges that you faced while implementing the same.
Harmandeep : The project was conceptualized by both of us in early 2007. It actually took us almost 6years to bring it to life.
One of the major challenges was to convince suppliers to be a part of this event and giving them a good enough reason as to why they should be a part of GPS. The amount of exposure and central India market they would be able to cover by being a participant at GPS. With both of our public relations within the travel fraternity and references we were able to overcome these challenges and convince people to participate with the help of few of our close associates and industry friends.
Nagpur Today : Who are the people who have been your support to make this concept a reality?
Anand family with Harmandeep Singh Anand ( right )
Harmandeep : Our Founder chairman, Late Jagat Singh Anand after whom the company is named “Jagsons Travels” which stands for Jagat and Sons was a visionary and one of the main forces behind our company which has been in existence since 1978 which started of as a car rental company to support our hotel business which came into existence the same year.
Our chairman Mr.Gulshanpal Singh Anand has been the major guiding force always encouraging both of us to try and achieve new goals and reach higher. Our Executive Director Mrs.Anuradha Lohakare who recently migrated to Canada, our General Manager Mr.Sunil Kashikar who completed 25years of service with us during the 1st edition of the event, Mrs.Geeta Naidu our Sales Manager who has been with us for 20years and also our other Directors (our wives) Mrs.Jatinder Kaur Gulshanpal Singh Anand, Mrs.Gurleen Kaur Harmandeep Singh Anand and Mrs.Gunjan Kaur Rishiraj Singh Anand are a few people who have definitely been our support to make this project a reality in addition to the team at Jagsons Travels.
Nagpur Today : What according to you are the challenges the travel industry is facing?
Harmandeep : Most importantly well trained and qualified professionals is something we feel the industry is missing. This is definitely one of the major challenges and the retention level in the industry is very poor. We envisage to train and equip as many people as possible and try and make them thorough professionals so as to enable them to cater to the needs of the clientele at large particularly in central India. Diminishing margins in terms of air ticketing is one of the other major concerns as most of our colleagues and counterparts in the industry have always considered it to be their bread and butter.
Nagpur Today: Where do you feel the industry needs to improve for its own benefit?
Harmandeep : Cross selling and up selling of products and services is definitely need of the hour. Nurturing Professionals and making the newer generation more receptive so that the end consumer feels the need to utilize the services of these consultants / professionals and equally remunerate them for their time and efforts like other professionals get remunerated from different industries. End consumer definitely needs to acknowledge the services of well trained and qualified professionals from the industry. Need of the hour is for professionals to keep themselves updated with the happenings in the industry, get first hand experience of the products, services and destinations. Nowadays there are so many online destination and other related certification courses available that the individuals can take advantage of without having any financial obligation and at the same time gain knowledge at their own pace and time. This on the whole will definitely improve the industry for its own benefit.
Nagpur Today : What are your primary areas of concern that you wish to address through this endeavour?
Harmandeep: With this endeavour of GPS we would like to educate the agents and their frontline in central India and make them confident enough so as to enable them to compete with their counterparts from metros. We are trying to bring the global suppliers to those who currently do not have such exposure as also the finances. Training and education of the frontline with varied services and products as also creating awareness has been are primary areas of concern which we will try and address at GPS now and also in the future.
Nagpur Today : Is there a particular thought you wish to share with the industry of India’s potential as a tourism market both outbound and domestic?
Rishiraj : India and China are amongst the two largest tourism markets both outbound and inbound not only because of the population but also because of the exponential growth in terms of the disposable income at hand and also the urge to travel and explore newer destinations.
India and Central India in particular seems to have one of the largest potentials for both outbound and inbound as most of it is industrial belt and families, individuals, VFR and also the wedding and MICE business has seen growth in the last 10years. Heart of India is where the Gold is so would call on my colleagues from the industry to come and explore its potential before others do and have the first mover advantage. Consultants in the central India have the power and vision to convert and convince their clients to utilize a particular service and opt for a particular destination. So would request the industry participants to update the Buyers through our project GPS with what they have to offer and gain their trust and enhance their knowledge about your products and destinations.
Nagpur Today: What according to you is the potential of Nagpur as a tourism hub?
Harmandeep : Tourism potential of Nagpur has not yet been explored to its core. Being in the centre of India, the Zero mile of India starts from Nagpur. Rudyard Kipling had conceived the story of Jungle Book in the backyard of Nagpur, The Pench Tiger reserve which is just about 90kms or say about 90minutes drive from Nagpur.
There are several other national parks like Kanha, Tadoba, Bandhavgarh which are within a 300km radius of Nagpur. Nagpur is the Tiger capital of the world with extensive Flora and Fauna within easy reach and driving distance from Nagpur’s Dr.Baba Saheb Ambedkar International airport which currently has Air Arabia as the only international airline connecting several countries to nagpur via Sharjah.
Nagpur is well connected to most major metros not only by flights but almost several trains cross Nagpur . All major highways are getting upgraded to 4 and 8 lanes and only a matter of time that we will have some of the best infrastructure in the country. Chain hotels are coming up in Nagpur, Pride, Radisson, Sun & Sand, Taj in national parks to name a few in addition to several family manged local hotel chains like Center Point and Tuli group which have presence in the national parks as well. As Nagpur has several Medical and Engineering colleges it is also a good educational hub. There are several specialized hospitals and medical tourism also seems to be gradually picking up as it is comparatively cheaper but the medical services and facilities offered by these hospitals in the industry are world class.
