With Indian outbound travel to Sri Lanka gaining renewed momentum, destination-led partnerships are becoming critical to driving differentiated demand. Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel’s strategic alliance with Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams reflects a focused effort to tap India’s leisure, MICE, and bleisure segments through integrated product development and promotion.
Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its group company SOTC Travel have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka to accelerate visitation from India to the integrated resort. The partnership was announced in Mumbai on 5 February 2026.
The MoU brings together Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel’s market leadership and distribution strength with Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka’s integrated hospitality, lifestyle, dining, retail, entertainment, and events ecosystem. The agreement was signed by Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, SD Nandakumar, President & Country Head, Holidays & Corporate Tours, SOTC Travel, and Hishan Singhawansa, CEO, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.
Focus on India’s leisure, MICE, and bleisure segments
The partnership aims to unlock India market potential through a multi-pronged strategy centred on product development, training and knowledge initiatives, integrated marketing communications, and consumer activations. The collaboration will focus on building top-of-mind awareness and driving sustained visitation from India to Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams.
By leveraging Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel’s strong presence across leisure, MICE, and business-bleisure segments, the alliance intends to create enriched, seamless travel experiences tailored to Indian travellers.
Commenting on the partnership, Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said, “Through our strategic partnership with Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka, we are excited to co-create a compelling portfolio around one of South Asia’s most distinctive new hospitality destinations. Cinnamon Life brings together contemporary accommodation, a diverse culinary landscape, premium retail, entertainment, event and wellness facilities, offering Indian travellers a truly all-in-one experience within an integrated setting.”
He added that supported by Thomas Cook India’s omnichannel model, consumer base, and market expertise, the partnership will enable the creation of differentiated offerings across segments to deliver elevated customer experiences.
Driving awareness across metros and emerging markets
SD Nandakumar, President & Country Head, Holidays & Corporate Tours, SOTC Travel, said, “We are delighted to partner with Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka, a landmark property that aligns strongly with the evolving expectations of today’s Indian traveller. With luxury stays, curated dining and nightlife, premium lifestyle zones and state-of-the-art venues, Cinnamon Life offers a comprehensive proposition for India’s leisure, business and MICE travellers alike.”
He noted that the partnership will focus on innovative product creation and a comprehensive go-to-market strategy to build awareness and drive visitation across India’s metro, Tier 2, and Tier 3 markets.
Positioning Sri Lanka’s integrated resort offering
Hishan Singhawansa, CEO, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, said, “Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka marks a transformative moment for the country’s tourism landscape, bringing together world-class hospitality, lifestyle, entertainment, and MICE within a single integrated destination. India is a key growth market for us, and this partnership enables us to tap into strong distribution, deep consumer insight, and market leadership.”
The collaboration is expected to strengthen Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka’s visibility and appeal among Indian travellers, positioning it as a compelling choice for leisure, business, and MICE travel from India.
Rahul Bhadana is a digital editor at TravTalk with experience spanning multiple content niches, with a strong focus on travel trade journalism and digital publishing. A graduate of Delhi University, his work covers editorial writing, content strategy and platform-led storytelling, supporting TravTalk’s digital growth and industry engagement. A technology enthusiast, he enjoys films, poetry and exploring new ideas across media and culture.
