East India Hotels inducts Ashwini Kakkar as partner in Mercury Travels
By Our Corporate Bureau | 29 Jul 2006
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Mumbai: East India Hotels Ltd (EIH) will take Ashwini Kakkar as a partner in its travel business, Mercury Travels, to boost its business. Mercury, one of the premier travel companies in the country, serves mainly the middle and higher segments of travel and travel related business.
Kakkar will be the new executive vice chairman, while PRS Oberoi will continue to be the chairman of Mercury Travels.
Kakkar is currently the president of the Travel Association of India (TAAI), chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and a global director of United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA). He was the erstwhile managing director of Thomas Cook India Ltd and a director of Worldwide Board of Thomas Cook.
"Mercury's legacy in delivering high-end service to its customers places it in a unique position to excel in the dynamic Indian travel environment - to take the company to the next level. We are delighted to partner Mr Ashwini Kakkar", Oberoi said, commenting on the partnership.
Kakkar also echoed similar sentiments, saying, "The high standards of ethics and integrity, as well as a strong focus on quality offerings to customers, has prompted me to choose EIH as my partner. I am confident we can make Mercury Travels an industry leader in a few years."
The company, which currently has 10 branch offices across India, said it will continue to operate all travel related services, i.e., business travel, inbound, outbound and domestic holidays, foreign exchange, travel insurance, etc.
Mercury Travel intends to fully leverage its software strengths in the country to build strong technology platforms for its web, call centre and m-commerce interfaces as also to ensure CRM and superior service delivery for its customers.
While continuing to focus on organic and innovation-led growth, the company fully intends to use its international offices to exponentially grow the inbound business into India. Commercial investments in the Mercury brand will also be increased, a company release said.
Mercury said the enhanced capital base as also reserves would be utilised for possible acquisitions that would aid growth. The company would also focus on customer service quality through a tie-up with a Global Centre of Learning, which, for the first time, will make training in service and process skills available in this sector in India.
With over 60 years standing in the travel and related businesses, Mercury Travels has an experienced team of travel professionals as well.
Kakkar will be the new executive vice chairman, while PRS Oberoi will continue to be the chairman of Mercury Travels.
Kakkar is currently the president of the Travel Association of India (TAAI), chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and a global director of United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA). He was the erstwhile managing director of Thomas Cook India Ltd and a director of Worldwide Board of Thomas Cook.
"Mercury's legacy in delivering high-end service to its customers places it in a unique position to excel in the dynamic Indian travel environment - to take the company to the next level. We are delighted to partner Mr Ashwini Kakkar", Oberoi said, commenting on the partnership.
Kakkar also echoed similar sentiments, saying, "The high standards of ethics and integrity, as well as a strong focus on quality offerings to customers, has prompted me to choose EIH as my partner. I am confident we can make Mercury Travels an industry leader in a few years."
The company, which currently has 10 branch offices across India, said it will continue to operate all travel related services, i.e., business travel, inbound, outbound and domestic holidays, foreign exchange, travel insurance, etc.
Mercury Travel intends to fully leverage its software strengths in the country to build strong technology platforms for its web, call centre and m-commerce interfaces as also to ensure CRM and superior service delivery for its customers.
While continuing to focus on organic and innovation-led growth, the company fully intends to use its international offices to exponentially grow the inbound business into India. Commercial investments in the Mercury brand will also be increased, a company release said.
Mercury said the enhanced capital base as also reserves would be utilised for possible acquisitions that would aid growth. The company would also focus on customer service quality through a tie-up with a Global Centre of Learning, which, for the first time, will make training in service and process skills available in this sector in India.
With over 60 years standing in the travel and related businesses, Mercury Travels has an experienced team of travel professionals as well.
