TravTalk India Online Magazine
The travel industry is undergoing a transformation — shaped by rising demand for personalisation, sustainability and tech-driven experiences. To stay ahead, operators must embrace innovation and stay aligned with the needs of today’s travellers.
Hazel Jain
The future of travel lies in smart, seamless and scalable tech solutions. Those who adapt will not only remain relevant but thrive in this dynamic, experience-led landscape. A modern travel management company wants to enable travel agents, DMCs, tour operators and hospitality providers with digital tools that simplify workflow and unlock new revenue channels. From B2B tours marketplace connecting customisable packages with travel resellers, to digital eSIM platforms — travel management companies are reshaping how travel business functions.
Sandeep Khetarpal, Founder, ZoTrav, says, “The evolving consumer is driven by a desire for personalised, sustainable and immersive experiences, and it is redefining the role of travel companies, presenting both new challenges and opportunities. In this digital-first world, the way we plan and experience travel has completely changed. If we, as tour operators and travel professionals, do not evolve with these expectations, we risk becoming outdated.”
At the heart of it, travellers want more than service — they want understanding. And that is where the real opportunity lies. The slant toward personalisation is at the heart of today’s traveller demands. No two travellers are the same — so why should their travel packages be?
Changing demands
Hyper-automation has been at the core of rising demand for B2B technology, says Sanjay Ghare, CEO, Vervotech. “The ability to automate complex processes has increasingly been in demand, not only for the sake of efficiency but also for cost-effectiveness. Companies now expect automation at every level — from complex backend processes to customer-facing workflows.”
Ghare, however, adds that there is also a broader behavioral shift. “They (the companies) do not just want a service provider, they want a partner who understands their business deeply, can grow with them, and help them future-proof their operations. The industry has matured, and with it, the expectations have too.”
Complicated tasks need fluidity
As a Software with A Service (SWAS) company, Vernost brings together the best of both worlds; enterprise-grade platforms and localised content with execution capabilities. Karthik Venkataraman, CPRO, Vernost, believes that the combination enables them to solve complex challenges for their clients that include a leading Indian airline, a global TMC headquartered in Bahrain, a prominent Indian leisure travel company, and one of the largest B2B travel players in Africa. “The blending of corporate and leisure travel is transforming how companies plan and deliver travel. Today’s traveller may book a corporate trip that merges into a personal holiday. This fluidity requires platforms that can handle hybrid itineraries, traveller profiles and flexible fulfillment models,” he says.
Equally important is access to scalable, global content. It’s not enough to just have the tech — companies need real-time inventory from flights, hotels, activities and ancillary providers — wrapped in content that resonates with diverse customer segments. This is because the expectations of travel and hospitality businesses — especially travel agents — have changed dramatically in recent years, says Chirag Agarwal, Co-founder, TravClan.
“What was once a price-driven, email and call-dependent, paperwork-heavy industry has now evolved into a tech-enabled, brand-conscious, service-led ecosystem. One of the biggest shifts is the demand for speed and reliability. Agents and their travellers no longer want to wait hours for quotations or supplier confirmations. They expect real-time pricing, faster responses and tech that allows them to close bookings fast,” he says.
