Experiential travel is bound to rise further. | Maanav Saraf, Business Development Manager, Leisure & MICE, Gainwell Enterprises

Primary motivator to pursue your professional goals in the travel and tourism sector?
I have seen the dynamic nature of the industry, it’s highs – lows as I started working at a fairly young age. I have had the chance to learn a lot and I hope it will hold me in good stead for years to come.

An observation you have made about the industry, either a challenge or an opportunity?
Change and speed are words that have to be synonymous with the travel industry in it’s current scenario. The rapid changes in what customers want, how they book, what they experience is evident to everyone working as a travel professional and although adjusting to these changes is a great challenge, it’s probably the biggest opportunity we could have. Even more challenging than change however is the speed at which these changes are occurring. This too is an opportunity for those who can keep up with technology.

Vision for the business?
Our company aims to expand from an Eastern India brand to a national company with presence in other metro cities such as Mumbai and Delhi in the coming years. Also on the horizon are plans to monetize our product brands created over the years through the franchisee route.

Technology has been a substantial game changer. Comment.
Technology has transformed many industries including travel. We have always welcomed opportunities to adapt new technology and believe that this is the only way to sustain. Our digital journey started way back in 1991 with the launch of our first website. Over the years, Gainwell has also diverged most of it’s marketing budgets to digital media investing heavily in search engine and social media marketing. One of the other major areas for digital growth for us is search engine optimisation with the majority of inquiries today being originally traced back to Google searches. These successes have led us to further invest in technology such as CRM and cyber security software helping to build a strong digital base for the future. One of our most recent digital successes have been with regards to the ICC Cricket World Cup Travel packages which are being sold on our sports website. Instead of traditional paid digital promotions, we have been making use of influencers such as blogs, question and answer websites such as Quora and testimonials being published in various digital media. This has had a phenomenal response.

Gen Nxt thought?
The travel industry is a very exciting space to be in and with the prospects of the rate at which the industry is expected to grow, the opportunities to succeed are only going to increase further. There is no doubt that travelers needs are evolving and therefore the focus on bespoke products and experiential travel is bound to rise further.