In a challenging year that saw a dip in travel plans across India, Lama Group saw its fair share of tribulations, which has led the company to hope for better business in 2013. “The year 2012 was a year of challenge from the Indian market primarily for a couple of reasons – the Indian currency did not see any improvements against dollar, hence buying was still on the heavier side for the customers; due to the overall cash crunch the payments from the agents slowed down, which again impacted the bookings as many suppliers like us became more cautious. Smaller budget travellers washed out as the fares increased. Plans, however, have been very aggressive for 2013, and we are hoping to do anything between 20-25 per cent, provided the Indian economy improves,” said Kulwant Singh, Managing Director, Lama Group L.L.C.
The company has already begun their activities in the Indian market with their five-city roadshow earlier this month, covering Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. According to Singh, their focus this year is to offer more cities than Dubai and push the idea of combining two cities on one visa. “There have been new attractions in Anu Dhabi and Dubai such as ifly, Show Ski, and Burj Khalifa that have been in demand through 2012. With newer attractions opening, especially in Abu Dhabi, I am sure there will be a lot more for the Indian travellers to see in the UAE,” concluded Singh