U&I to explore new markets

Shyam Upadhyay, Director, U&I Holidays, says they are expecting to double their growth in 2024 by expanding to newer markets – the United Kingdom, Australia and the Middle East.

Hazel Jain

Shyam Upadhyay, Director, U&I Holidays, is right now focussing on processes at the company. He says, “The only way to survive is to keep improving our processes so that we can stop leakages. Micro planning is also extremely important. We are also focusing on having a simple formula – back to the basics.”

They are also incorporating new technology. “We have created an extranet; so, we are now going live with room inventory. Considering the booking pattern we have observed, which is 9pm to 11pm, we are also launching our B2B mobile application so that our agent partners can make bookings while in bed. We are creating an ecosystem where we can empower our retail travel agents to face the competition and get the maximum business,” Upadhyay adds.

Speaking about competition, he says that they have always loved to compete with themselves and others to help them stay on their toes. “We worked hard for 11 years to create a brand name for Bali in the India market. Today, wherever we are standing is only because of the Island of Gods – Bali, and we would like to maintain the same for next 10 years. So, no diversions for us. But we will expand in different markets with one product. We are getting into newer markets as our product and system is now ready to serve a bigger clientele. We have identified three markets – UK, Australia and Middle East – and we are going to appoint a sales team in these market by mid-2024. We are making structural changes right now. We will move our head office to Bali from 2024. We are expecting to double our growth,” Upadhyay adds.

U&I Holidays recently concluded the eighth edition of its Bali Roadshow covering six major cities of India. “Without adaptability, extinction is a real possibility. Modern tourists are likely to make reservations instantly during 9pm-11pm window. Thus, we need to quickly adjust ourselves for this change,” he adds.