|
 
IndiaMART
launches IndianTravelPortal.com - the largest single online
conglomerate of Indian travel businesses
15
January, 2002: IndiaMART.com, looking at the highly
encouraging performance of its online travel section and demand
from its clients in the travel industry in the times of recession,
has launched an independent travel portal showcasing Indian
Tourism - http://indiantravelportal.com.
The travel portal by Indiamart, already a winner of the 8th
Britannica (BIG) Award for Excellence on the Web and rated as the
topmost Indian travel site by bestindiansites.com, has thus become
the largest single online conglomerate of travel agents, tour
operators, hotels and other affiliated services operating in the
Indian travel industry, as well as the most comprehensive online
information base on Indian tourism.
"Unlike a single operator's website/portal,
IndianTravelPortal.com offers tourists a wider choice from a host
of member hotels and service providers at competitive prices while
bringing in more business opportunities for the tourism industry
at the same time, making it the only portal, in its true sense,
dedicated to the Indian travel industry", says Mr Dinesh
Agarwal, CEO - Indiamart.com, differentiating IndianTravelPortal
from existing Indian online travel services/websites.
Indiantravelportal.com Profile:
- Destination info: More
than 6000 web-pages of travel information on all
cities and states in India, as well as over 500 recommended
destinations on basis of tourist Interest. Offers
comprehensive information on how to get there, climate,
pictures, regional languages, places to visit, monuments,
historical importance, best time to visit and other details of
tourist interest.
- Hotels Directory:
Covering over 2500 hotels across India with property
information and free online reservation query facility.
- Travel Agents & Tour
Operators Directory: Over 3200 agents, 400
itineraries/ catalogs from multiple service providers
offering wider choice and competitive prices, with free online
query facility.
- Utilities: Online
Discussion Board, City Whether Chart, Railway/Air Timetable,
Road Maps, Currency Converters, Distance Calculator etc.
- Special Sections:
Eco-friendly tourism, health & emergency tips, customs
information, legal briefs and more…
- Dynamic Design: offers
novelty to the visitor on each visit, easy navigation, fast
downloading, compatible to most browsers/screen settings.
The portal has attracted more
than 1 million page-views generating over 30,000
reservation/tour enquiries every month during its pre-launch
phase. The online traffic comprises of 60% Indian and 40%
foreign visitors.
Revenue Streams:
IndiaMART's Indiantravelportal.com, which will operate as an
independent business unit, plans to break-even within its first
year of launch. With over Rs 25 lakhs of advertising commitments
already in place, the portal's revenue streams include catalog
development for members, online advertising &
sponsorships, and revenues from the forthcoming Online
Hotel Reservation System (OHRS). OHRS, an in-house developed
software, will allow member sites to offer real-time room rates
for a range of hotels with instant booking and confirmation
facility through online payment, driving in two pronged revenues
from software installation and commission on reservation.
"During last five years, IndiaMART.com has been
prominent in two core segments - B2B and online travel. As s
strategic decision we have segregated our travel related
operations that are mainly B2C in nature and cater to a large
potential online market, from the rest of IndiaMART operations
that cater primarily to the B2B segment. This will lead to a
more focused approach and streamlined operations leading into
better results for both visitors and clients", adds
Dinesh on the launch of the portal.
Recognitions & Reviews:
"Winner of the 8th Britannica's 'BIG' award for
Excellence on the Web in the travel segment"
- Britannica.co.in
"Looking at the current market scenario, and the way
Internet is being used for travel related information and
service globally, the Indian Travel industry can surely benefit
from a level online marketplace. IndianTravelportal.com has
brought together Indian travel service-providers at a single
online platform, that will not only offer more choice to the
customers but will also nurture a fair marketplace for the
otherwise skeptical inbound tourists."
- Mr. Vinay Maheshwari (Director - Services International);
Member, IATO
"IndianTravelPortal.com seems to have well understood
what the travel enthusiasts look for on the Internet. The
presentation of commercial information gels so well with the
theme of the portal that it actually helps both the travel
service providers as well as the customers at large."
- Mr Ravi Luthra (Director - Landmark Tours & Travels
Pvt. Ltd.); EC Member, ADTOI
"IndiaMART's travel section, as I remember, has been
there since 1998, when it was referred to me by a friend in
Florida. I was surprised to see the kind of travel information
and database it offered even at that time. A dedicated portal
that will operate independently will certainly benefit the
community of global tourists and Indian travel businesses it has
built over the years."
- Mr G.C. Verma, Editor- Tourism & Wildlife
For
further information, Click here
|
|
|
