For twenty years, Guideline Travels LLP has been turning vacations into truly enchanting experiences that offer a lifetime worth of memories. The following excerpt showcases how they make it happen.
Kindly brief us about the company and its initial journey.
It has been humble beginnings for us at Guideline Travels. Our journey started on a personal computer at home in 1996 and then we gradually moved into a small 80 square feet space we called office in 1997.
Having taken the first baby steps, our journey progressed as we then applied for the IATA membership and subsequently also were appointed as the Preferred Selling Agents for Star Cruises in India in 2001. However the real impetus came in when we were instrumental in making travel arrangements for a lot of clients including some big corporate houses to the Cricket World Cup of 2003 in South Africa.
Our company has been doing small and big MICE movements for the last 17 years or so. We have successfully handled corporate groups and destination weddings ranging from 200 – 1200 and more guests onboard cruise ships and across various countries around the world.
Brief us about the Founder/CEO and his/her motivation behind choosing this industry?
Mr. Pradeep Saboo, is the entrepreneurial brain behind the success of Guideline Travels. The hunger to travel himself on one side and see happy satisfied faces on the other side induced him to make this humble beginning. With passing times, his motto of innovating with time and evolved with changing needs and at the same time become a trend setter in what he does has made us the brand we are today.
What are the key points that you consider while organising any event?
The key is to first understand the client requirements, the budgets and then to recommend a destination which would not only fit in the requirements but also be alluring and exciting enough for the guests who would eventually travel. We always try to offer new and innovative ideas to our valued clients so as to make the entire travel experience for the group more immersing and filled with a lot of activities. Our aim is always to offer activities which any avid traveller will have on their bucket list.
It is also imperative to understand the destination, the finer nuances and the logistical challenges if any which could be present while executing the travel plan. This forethought not only multiplies the fun but also makes the event relatively more successful.
Brief us about the services that the company offers.
Guideline Travels offers and operates its very own Vegetarian and Jain group tours to various countries of the world including USA, Europe, South Africa, Canada, Australia besides Middle East and Far East Asia. We are also the preferred selling agents for well-known cruise brands like Dream Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Jalesh Cruises, Regent Cruises etc. We also offer turn-key solutions to our corporate clients for their MICE Movements and our services include our involvement right from the beginning at the planning stage to the handling of back end operations and to then finally to the execution of on ground operations.
What are the unique propositions that the company offers giving it an edge over competitors?
Our unique selling point is the personal touch in our service. It is the sheer involvement of our management level in discussions, planning and execution of the finer details which proves to be a winning point and edges us ahead of our respected competition.
Also the zeal with which the entire on ground operations team performs proves to be instrumental in meeting the needs of the clients. So for us the mantra is professional and focussed operation with our own personal touch and attention to details.
What is the CEO/Founder’s contribution towards the upliftment of the company?
Mr. Pradeep Saboo, our company’s Founder and Managing Partner plays a very pivotal role in the day to day operations of the company. He is the strategic brain behind the company’s growth over the years. Our organisational model is an owner driven model and this is what helps in quick decision making and action.
What are the challenges in this industry in India?
The biggest threat or challenge in the MICE Segment is that the competitors are willing to work at much lower margins, because some of them just wish to deck in the numbers and make a profile.
Another challenge lies in the sudden shift of business to OTA’s which threatens the mere existence of the traditional Travel Companies. The traveller is now trying to book all their services online but seldom realise that they surely will need a Travel Expert’s advice to fully enjoy their trip and get value for their money.
Please share the latest technology that the company is utilizing to offer better solutions.
We believe in the idea of services with a personal touch. However we have now started combining technology with that with the use of social networking applications and we keep each client informed about their travel details on messaging applications. We also use the online forms and internet based cloud services for an enhanced communication experience between us and our value customers.
Which Country/State, according to you is most popular when it comes to corporate events and why?
The destination depends on the client budget and the schemes as announced by them. At Guideline Travels we have operated our corporate groups to Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Dubai, Russia, Europe, Australia, USA and to many such exciting countries. Cruise ships are also popular choice for these tours. The most popular being Dream Cruises Ex Singapore. Jalesh Cruises from Mumbai is also slowly gaining traction on the MICE Destination Circuit.
What would be your advice for the budding start-ups and entrepreneurs in the industry?
Travel Industry is growing fast and rapid every day. However with growth comes a lot of competition. For a new start-up, it is imperative to understand the challenges which comes while running a business. Any beginner should be wary of the fact that no business comes easy and without competition. Patience is key because there is no short cut to success.
Brief us about the company’s future perspectives.
We are happy at the pace with which we are growing on the MICE segment, successfully delivering results for our clients year after year. There is an undeniable scope of growth which can be achieved but this growth has to be financially viable and can be achieved by our persistent, determined, honest and focussed approach.
Guideline Travels: Nothing but the Best
