Poonam Jain, Co-Founder Rising Star Tours and Travels Speaks about Travel Trends

Rising Star Tours & Travels is the brainchild of Mr. Amit Jain who bagged Golden Star award - leading travel agent 2018 and Best Outbound Tour Operator Award 2016. The company also got recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The company also got recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It is the only tour operator which organizes the travel kitty and offers many adventure trips, solo women trips and also has a strong belief in the CSR activities; as they organize the blind trips twice a year for visually impaired people.  Poonam Jain, co-founder rising star tours and travels speak about travel trends with BananiVista.    BV: What inspired you to open Rising Star Tours and Travels? Poonam: Being an entrepreneur was my childhood dream and traveling and exploring the world was my passion. When I started working and began embarking on tours worldwide, I noticed a few lacunae and gaps in the tour and travel industry. So, I decided to launch a tour and travel company of my own, that is, Rising Star Tours & Travels to tackle the hassles that customers usually face and the things that worsen their travel experience. I started the journey with my brother, and then people came along and together, we made Rising Star Tours and Travels what it is today. Ms.Poonam Jain Co- Founder Rising Star Tours And Travels    BV: What are the changes you have seen in the travel industry? Poonam: The travel sector comprises 10.4% of the global GDP. The trips taken by an individual was earlier once in 2.5 years, but now it has come down to 14 months, thanks to the increasing consumer spending power and globalization. The business class passenger sales have also increased drastically. Also, technology is all set to transform the ways tour and travel companies operate. With Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality, the travel companies can deliver a world-class experience to the customers and tap on the unreachable but potential customers. Intelligent chat bots that handle uncountable bulk customer queries in a human-like way, VR Hardware or 360-Degree video creation using VR to entertain travelers or guide them on cruise interior, and real-time tracking of the luggage are some of the examples how technology is being used in the sector. The future of the tour and travel industry looks promising enough from technology’s point of view where automation and agility will invade the traditional landscape.  BV: What are the type of travels do you provide? Poonam: We offer luxury tours, group tours, active travel trips, business and MICE travels, solo woman trips, family tours, adventure trips, and senior citizen tours. The aim is to make traveling inexpensive and convenient for all stratum of society in order to let them see the whole world and experience the magical beauty and phenomenon of nature.  BV: How do you keep yourself updated to gain the right business? Poonam: Our team frequently participates in various international travel conferences and conclaves to stay updated with the newest trends in the global tour and travel industry. Also, we keep a complete track of the hottest travel trends online as presented by research articles and surveys. Networking with the industry stakeholders also improves our knowledge of what’s new and where the scope is. The customer requests, queries, and experiences are invaluable to us for we then get a first-hand insight into what customers really expect from us and how we can delight them with new product and offering.    BV: What are the challenges faced and how have you overcome them? Poonam: As the founder of the company, one of the biggest challenges I faced was the money-centric mindset of customers. The primary focus of the customers was money, and then the travel experience. We, however, were clear from the start that we have to deliver the best of services and travel experience, even at the lowest budget that the customer asks for. Since inception, we neither compromised on services part nor on customer satisfaction. And, this reflects the rapid growth of our company over the years.    BV: What are your future plans? Poonam: For the next couple of years, Rising Star Tours & Travels will aim to go digital and start a franchise model. As a responsible corporate citizen, the plan is to strengthen the digital presence of the firm and introduce a franchise model in order to uplift the small travel agencies. Moreover, it’s the principal objective of Rising Star Tours & Travels to make the brand a common household name. To know more such incredible Indian people, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Download our magazine Spunky Indian for exclusive stories.