Looking to collaborate

After bagging the WTM World Travel Leaders Award in 2019, Minar Group is working on some interesting projects for 2020 and looks forward to a better season and happy customers.

Manas Dwivedi

According to HS Duggal, Managing Director, Minar Group, the best marketing tactic is happy customers. “To that end, we strive for exceptional quality and service, so the customer associates us with happy memories. We are working out a marketing plan that involves digital and social media to leverage the number of customers online,” he says.

India is thought of as a backpacker’s destination only, when there are so many gems waiting to be explored

For Minar Group, the travel agent community is not just an integral part for them, but also for all the players in the tourism industry. “I hope to collaborate more with other agents, bringing in their strengths in our offerings and standing tall with them. After all, if we want to go far, we must go together,” he believes.

Sharing his opinion on the Indian tourism industry, he says that there’s no denial in the kind of impact tourism has on the economy of the country. “In fact, in 2018 itself, the tourism industry contributed over nine per cent to India’s GDP. Besides monetary contributions and job creation, we, as an industry, also have a responsibility on ourselves to change the narrative of India in the minds of travellers. This is also one of the challenges our industry faces; India is often thought of as a backpacker’s destination only, when there are so many gems waiting to be explored,” he says.

For Duggal, the mantra for success is taking bold risks, which means venturing into new markets and unchartered territories for tourism.

“It’s also plain, old hard work. Our consistency has allowed us to remain a strong player for 27 years now, with long-term partnerships. What drives us is passion,” he believes.