IRCTC aims to double tourism earnings this year

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) plans to nearly double its revenue earnings from tourism services during this financial year.

“Last fiscal, we had earned Rs 29 crore from tourism packages; this year, we expect business to grow to around Rs 56 crore”, said Rakesh Tandon, managing director.

IRCTC’s revenue from tourism has increased over 200 per cent since 2007. “Depending on demand, we constantly modify and diversify our range of travel products to expand business. We have recently introduced packages for school trips,” Tandon explained.

IRCTC launched travel packages in 2007 and offers 104 rail tour packages and 158 holiday packages at present. While the rail tour packages are inclusive of confirmed rail travel, the holiday packages provide for alternative modes of transportation, apart from regular lodging and dining facilities.

Tandon feels visibility of IRCTC’s products is inadequate. The corporation is working on marketing its products more aggressively, he said.

IRCTC is also looking at measures to boost bookings on its tourist train, Mahaparinirvana Express. In 2008-09, 484 passengers had availed of the tour on the Buddhist circuit. This year, IRCTC hopes to make at least 1,000 bookings on the train.

It further plans to operate its first pan-India luxury tourist train, Maharajas’ Express, in collaboration with Cox and Kings in January next year.

IRCTC is a Mini Ratna Category-1 company and was established to hive off the railways’ catering and tourism activities and to professionalise and upgrade these through public-private partnerships. It undertakes rail-based tourism in coordination with state agencies, tour operators, travel agents and the hospitality industry.

It also takes care of catering on trains and at railway stations, manufacture of Rail Neer, the packaged drinking water, internet ticketing and the 139 rail enquiry centre.