Mumbai, Dec 18: SOTC Travel, a leading omnichannel Travel and Tourism Company inaugurated its new outlet in Howrah, expanding its network to 8 strategically located outlets in the State. Kolkata ranks among West Bengal’s key source markets, driven by a rising appetite for world-class travel experiences. Recognizing this strong potential, SOTC has expanded its footprint in the city to cater to evolving consumer preferences and reinforce its role as a trusted travel partner.
Located within the Kolkata metropolitan region, Howrah’s exceptional connectivity, expanding workforce, and rising urban affluence position it as a high-potential hub for retail growth, making it an ideal choice for SOTC’s continued expansion. The outlet is designed to meet the needs of both leisure and business travellers, offering a wide array of services, including domestic and international holidays such as Group Tours, Personalised Holidays and Cruises, along with value-added services like travel insurance, ensuring convenient, end-to-end experiences for today’s diverse travellers.
Kolkata/West Bengal Travel Trends:
● destinations
o Domestic & Indian Subcontinent: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andaman, Bhutan, Nepal & Sri Lanka
o International: Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt & South America; Island locales: Maldives & Mauratius
o Darshan portfolio (Spiritual tours) : Manasarovar & Chardham Yatra
o Regional Products: Biswa Sera Darshan (বিশ্ব সেরা দর্শন), Sorbo Sera Europe, Anandayaka Europe & Apurbo France O Swiss
● Unique preferences: strong interest for experiential travel such as luxury multi-destinations cruises, ice-breaker/polar cruises in Antarctica, Northern Lights in Scandinavia & Iceland, self-drive holidays and adventure experiences Ladakh and the North-East
● customer segments: multi-generational families, honeymooners/couples, working professionals, millennials and GenZ
● Average holiday duration: 4–6 days for domestic/short haul; 10–12 days for long haul
Rakesh Bawa, Senior Vice President & Head Holidays, SOTC Travel Limited, said,
“Opening our new outlet in Howrah marks an important milestone as we expand our eighth store in the West Bengal—one of our most influential markets in East India. The city continues to show strong and growing appetite for diverse travel experiences, and our increased presence allows us to serve customers with even greater convenience and personalization. Howrah’s connectivity, expanding residential hubs, and rising consumer aspirations make it a strategic addition to our network. We remain deeply committed to this region, and my team and I look forward to welcoming customers to our new store and helping them plan memorable, world-class holidays.”