Thomas Cook

Madhavan Menon, Chairman & Managing Director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. thoughts on #Budget2019 The #UnionBudget has focused attention on overall transportation infrastructure- seeing mention of far reaching initiatives including Bharatmala for #roads and Sagarmala for #waterways; massive #rail #modernisation and safety. Enhancement of the #Government’s UDAN scheme by inclusion of additional smaller #airports will give impetus to regional #air connectivity and affordability- and hence impetus to both inbound and #domestic #tourism. Setting up of 17 iconic tourism sites as world-class tourist centres and a #Digital Repository as a bank of documentation on India’s tribal and heritage are noteworthy initiatives that will see long term impact to both inbound and domestic tourism. The aviation industry needed strong support and the Finance Minister’s announcements on #FDI, aircraft financing and leasing, policy interventions for #development of maintenance, repair and overhaul in India (MRO) are collectively aimed at catalysing the #aviation sector and a multiplier effect of #job creation. #ThomasCookIndia #UnionBudget2019 #Budget2019 #BudgetForNewIndia #Budget2019 #UnionBudget #roads #waterways #rail #modernisation #Government #airports #air #domestic #tourism #Digital #FDI #development #aviation #job #ThomasCookIndia #UnionBudget2019 #BudgetForNewIndia

Mahesh Iyer, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd shares his thoughts on Tourism Sites and Digital Repository: The Bharatmala, Sagarmala and #UDAN #programmes will be of significant value in bridging the rural- urban divide and laudable moves that augur well to boost the #Travel & #Tourism sector as a whole. The #UnionBudget paid special attention to the unique UDAN #scheme with its #announcement to increase air connectivity to smaller cities- thereby enhancing affordability of air travel and enhanced access for the common man. The Government’s key focus on transport infrastructure saw the Finance Minister highlight Bharatmala for road #infrastructure, Jalmarg and Sagarmala aimed at #waterways. The Budget also reiterated expansion of the national highway grid and state road network. In a clear focus to give fillip to #Inbound and #Domestic #Tourism, the government plans to develop 17 iconic tourism sites as world-class tourist centres- aimed at improving the flow of domestic and inbound tourists to #heritage destinations. A significant announcement was that of a #Digital Repository (containing folk songs/dances, videos on their evolution, traditional arts, anthropological documentaries of tribes) is to be created - with the aim of #preserving rich tribal and further enriched and strengthened. Much needed emphasis on the Railways sector is expected to see a new dawn of the Indian railways: a new PPP model towards rapid #development, massive modernisation programme of railway stations; deeper investment in suburban rail network via SPVs. A #visionary #Budget inclusion from a #transportation perspective was the announcement of the Inter-operable One #Nation One transport card with its objective of universal travel across various #modes of transport (road, railways etc); additional used as a #ATM card for #withdrawing #money.