I-Nova set for tourism foray

After a successful venture into insurance and IT solutions business, I-Nova group is planning to make a foray into tourism business with innovative products and packages.

The group today launched its first tourism package, titled “Tolly 2 Bolly via Goa” in association with Tourism ministry of Goa, IRCTC and South Eastern Railway which it expects to be a huge hit with the corporates and the travel lovers despite the market slump.

Speaking on sidelines of the launching ceremony, Jayanta Chakrabarty, chairman & managing director, i-nova group, said “ we have done a market survey and seen there is a huge potential for this kind of new innovative tourism packages. This is the first of the host of products and innovative offerings that the group has planned in the pipeline.”

 

Moving on the group plans to introduce more such innovative tourism packages destined to Southern India.

We plan to introduce at least 4-5 such packages in a year in the coming year, said Chakrabarty.

The Tolly 2 Bolly via Goa package priced at Rs 34990, would take travellers from Kolkata to Mumbai via Goa in a train specially designed and equipped with on board entertainment, medical facility, multi-cuisine, and all other facilities that one can enjoy in a cruise tour. While the 16 coaches would be provided by South Eastern Railway, the on-board facilities like catering, housekeeping, hospitality would be provided by IRCTC, for which I-Nova has spent almost 60 lakhs.

In order to grab more buyers, the group has even tied up with ICICI bank who would offer easy monthly installments (EMIs) at 0 percent interest spread over nine months to customers on a first come first basis, said Chakrabarty

While insurance arm of the group made a major contribution to the group's total turnover contributing almost 40-45 percent of the total turnover last year, Chakraborty feels that tourism would also contribute in a big way.

I-Nova expected a turnover of Rs 100 crore by the end of 2009 against Rs 10 crore achieved last year.

Insurance business would continue to be a major contributor, we expect 30 percent revenue income coming from it this year, said Rajib Mukherjee, managing director, i-nova group who head the I-nova Marketing Limited.

Last year insurance and health services contributed Rs two crore, we expect it to jump to Rs 20 crore this year with increased manpower, said Mukherjee.

We have also associated with Baja Allianz besides Tulip Telecom Limited, Birla Sun Life Insurance Limited and Star Allied Health Insurance, to sell their products and aimed to roll out Business Partnership Programme to connect eastern India through IT solutions and provide financial products and services to rural Bengal and eastern India, said Mukherjee.

In order to diversify product portfolio the group is also looking at animation business and real estate all of which would come in the later stage.