The Ultimate Travelling Camp (TUTC), a reputation synonymous with top-end luxurious glamping experiences in India’s distant places, is now gearing as much as increase with one other model within the coming yr, buoyed by a 13 per cent improve in glamping enterprise final yr.
“Taking a look at the same enterprise working mannequin, TUTC goals to introduce a brand new model in 2024-25. This may provide accountable and reasonably priced luxurious experiences in smaller and new locations,” Rajnish Rai, TUTC’s Chief Working Officer instructed ETTravelWorld.
“The corporate’s goal is to make luxurious journey accessible to a extra intensive vary of travellers, guaranteeing that glamping is just not restricted to a choose few, whereas additionally sustaining its core ideas of providing eco-friendly lodging,” he reiterated.
Rai shared that the locations to be launched underneath the brand new model, poised to debut by 2024 second half, have already been recognized. “Whereas TUTC will proceed to epitomise top-tier luxurious, the brand new model will characterize a further phase targeted on accountable and accessible luxurious with reasonable pricing. The chosen locations might be newer and comparatively smaller,” he added.
Underneath the supervision of a brand new administration staff led by Rai, together with Lt. Gen. Deepak Raj as Managing Director and Col. LP Singh as Director, TUTC underwent a transformative journey in 2021. Their imaginative and prescient throughout the difficult occasions of the Covid noticed them embark on an growth plan.
Over a 18-month lockdown interval, Rai and Singh travelled throughout the nation, overlaying practically 100,000 kilometers on street journeys to uncover untapped locations. Their explorations led them to find wildlife-rich places and offbeat locations which helped them determine the brand new locations for his or her portfolio.
Pushed by their ardour and never as typical enterprise folks, as Rai mentions, the brand new administration’s purpose is to create a model that provides distinctive experiences, positively impacts native communities, and fosters progress alternatives for all concerned.
To revitalise the state’s tourism and obtain the purpose of internet hosting round 5 crore vacationers yearly, the Chief Minister revealed plans for the development of 16 heliports throughout all district headquarters, together with distant tribal areas. This improvement, he mentioned, will present vacationers with swift entry to unexplored locations. The state has suffered losses amounting INR 8663 crore resulting from floods this monsoon.
13% soar in glamping enterprise
By way of bookings and the affect of latest administration adjustments throughout Covid, Rai reported a extremely encouraging response, notably within the first quarter of 2023. “The post-COVID panorama witnessed a notable shift towards home travellers who prioritise sustainability and distinctive experiences. This shift was a major think about TUTC’s optimistic efficiency in 2023.”Accrediting this to earlier yr numbers, Rai shared that the glamping sector witnessed a outstanding 13 per cent improve in TUTC’s enterprise in 2022 in comparison with the earlier yr, reflecting the rising recognition of the corporate’s choices.
The visitor base displayed a wholesome mix of home and inbound travellers, with 2021 witnessing 100 per cent home enterprise and 2022 comprising 80 per cent home and 20 per cent inbound travellers. TUTC focused a various clientele, together with households, {couples}, IPO teams, and small company gatherings and can also be turning focus to catering to the millennials, going ahead.
Notably, TUTC welcomed guests from varied areas throughout India, extending past the key metro cities.
“In distinction to the previous, the place main metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore dominated our visitor demographics, we have witnessed a major improve in bookings from Tier II and Tier III markets.”
TUTC has additionally noticed an attention-grabbing pattern the place travellers, notably wildlife fanatics accustomed to African safaris, have proven curiosity in TUTC’s choices, in response to Rai.
Exploring new territories
TUTC’s growth journey is already underway, with plans to enterprise into new locations throughout India. This growth entails the introduction of their signature glamping experiences to locations similar to Naldehra in Shimla, the outskirts of Chandigarh, Ranthambore, Kanha, Mandu, Goa, and Kabini.
Out of those, the most-anticipated FHR Wilderness Lodge by TUTC in Mohali is slated to open this month.
“By the tip of 2024, TUTC will set up its presence in 9 various locations throughout India, marking vital progress from our present portfolio of 4 places,” revealed Rai.
Diving deeper into the wildlife phase, TUTC welcomed Bandhavgarh into its portfolio in December 2022. “Whereas sport drives are a staple at wildlife places, The Untamed Bandhavgarh by TUTC goes past, providing a number of eating choices, designated images spots to seize wildlife motion, nature walks, birding excursions, and visits to close by villages to showcase native life,” Rai elaborated.
Established in 2013, initially with Prayagraj, TUTC is a pioneer in glamorous tenting, or glamping, inside India. Their present choices embrace the Chamba Camp Thiksey and Chamba Camp Diskit in Ladakh, the Kohima Camp in Nagaland (operational solely throughout the Hornbill Festival), and the Sangam Nivas Camp in Prayagraj, specifically designed for the Kumbh Melas occurring each six years.
When requested about TUTC’s location choice philosophy, Rai emphasised their dedication to sustaining authenticity and exclusivity. “Once we increase to new locations, we rigorously choose places with character, a mixture of vacationer and offbeat points of interest, and good connectivity, guaranteeing these locations thrive commercially whereas providing a novel expertise.”
Operating enterprise sustainably
TUTC’s dedication to sustainability is just not mere lip service; it is an integral a part of the each day operations, shared Rai.
“Plastic discount stands as a major initiative, with TUTC actively minimising its plastic footprint, contributing to a cleaner atmosphere. Though attaining carbon neutrality in India poses challenges, TUTC continues its unwavering dedication to cut back the carbon footprint via varied initiatives,” he added.
One distinctive side of TUTC’s sustainable method is their dedication to leaving the land untouched throughout camp setup. “In contrast to different glamping lodging which will encroach on pure landscapes, TUTC in Ladakh ensures that after we wrap up a camp, the land stays pristine. No concrete partitions are constructed, and nothing is disturbed, permitting the wildlife to thrive undisturbed. This philosophy displays our unwavering dedication to sustainable and accountable lodging,” Rai asserted.
Nevertheless, their sustainability endeavours transcend these measures.
Rai highlighted TUTC’s proactive involvement with the local people. “For example, we have collaborated with an NGO specialising in medical companies to arrange free medical camps in distant areas, providing check-ups to close by villagers. This is only one manner we give again to society. Moreover, TUTC additionally actively sponsors youngsters’s training in Bandhavgarh, underlining its dedication to empowering native communities via training.”
Additionally, as a part of their sustainability technique, TUTC has onboarded Main Normal Sanjeev Sharma, a military veteran, to supervise CSR actions and supply coaching to the local people, fostering private progress alongside job alternatives.
To construct enterprise relationships, catalysing tourism progress and facilitating collaborative ventures inside tourism, Go to Finland held its annual workshop throughout key Indian cities together with Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and New Delhi just lately. Over 17 suppliers from Finland participated within the workshop, making for the largest-ever delegation from the Finnish tourism sector to India.
