Thomas Cook India & SOTC Travel Expand Spiritual Tourism Focus

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Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, have announced the expansion of their spiritual portfolio across key pilgrimage destinations in India and the subcontinent, catering to both group and customized tours. Thomas Cook India & SOTC Travel have designed tours by introducing aerial darshans, guided tours and VIP access for darshans.

The tours have been designed to cater to the spiritual aspirations of a broad spectrum of travellers - from GenS (seniors) who value time-honoured traditions, multi-generational families to millennials and GenZ travellers seeking spirituality as a path to mindfulness, wellness and cultural discovery-seamlessly blending sacred journeys with unique local experiences.

Key Highlights:

• A curated portfolio of 11 iconic pilgrimage sites across India's vast geography, covering temples, shrines and sacred rivers across India and the Indian subcontinent
• Certified local tour experts who offer deep insights into the history and cultural significance of each site, while facilitating seamless access and VIP/escorted darshans at key pilgrimage locations
• Special aartis, pujas and spiritual rituals conducted with accompanying pandits for a personalized spiritual experience
• Pure Vegetarian/Jain meal options to align with travellers' religious and dietary preferences
• Premium aerial darshans (via helicopters) at select pilgrimage sites for faster, more comfortable access to remote & high-altitude spiritual circuits

Top group tour pilgrimage circuits

• Char Dham Yatra (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath) — The Himalayan spiritual circuit of great reverence via aerial darshans
• Kailash Mansarovar Yatra A sacred journey to the abode of Lord Shiva via aerial darshans
• Kashi Prayagraj Ayodhya Bodh Gaya Yatra Sacred sites along the river Ganga, steeped in mythology and history, rites and rituals.
• Dwarka Somnath Yatra Gujarat's twin pilgrimages celebrating Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva
• Tirupati to Trivandrum South India's iconic temple circuits for spiritual fulfilment
• Haridwar Rishikesh Yatra Spiritual wellness on the banks of the Ganges
• Ujjain Omkareshwar to Bhimashankar Grishneshwar Yatra sacred Shiva circuits in Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh to Maharashtra
• Kashi to Kathmandu To Muktinath To Janakpur - Bharat Nepāl Mahayātrā covering spiritual landmarks across both nations
• Puri Jagannath Yatra – a cornerstone of India's Char Dham circuit and key spiritual landmark in Odisha
• Ramayan Yatras Covering India, Sri Lanka and Nepal
• Short Getaways to Vaishno Devi, Amritsar, Shirdi, Rishikesh, Mathura, Velankanni, etc.

In addition, Thomas Cook (India) Limited and SOTC Travel also offer a wide range of customised pilgrimage tours tailored to individual preferences and requirements.

Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa – Thomas Cook (India) Limited said, “Spiritual tourism is no longer limited to a season or festival – it has become a year-round experience. India's vast spiritual landscape offers travellers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with its deep-rooted spiritual ethos, while also immersing themselves in the country's rich heritage and culture. With an intent is to inspire not just seniors and families but also young India's millennials, working professionals and groups of friends, we have expanded our spiritual tours at key spiritual sites coupled with unique local experiences like river-rafting and kayaking in Rishikesh, paragliding in Vaishno Devi, cuisine trails in Varanasi and Haridwar. This initiative strengthens our domestic and spiritual travel segment, offering travellers a meaningful way to connect with the soul of India.”

Mr. S.D. Nandakumar, President & Country Head - Holidays and Corporate Tours, SOTC Travel Limited said, "We are witnessing strong demand for our Darshans portfolio, with destinations like Char Dham and Kailash Mansarovar ranking among the most sought-after pilgrimage sites. There is also significant interest in Ayodhya, Dwarka, Vaishno Devi, Tirupati, Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Ujjain. This is gaining momentum not just from India's metro cities, but also from regional mini-metros and tier 2–3 cities.

To enhance comfort and convenience, we have introduced premium aerial darshans to select sacred locations via helicopters. Furthermore, address the challenges of spiritual travel in India, we've curated end-to-end tours that offer our customers assurance and ease—covering transport, accommodation, VIP/escorted darshans, guides and more. Our meaningful TravSure assurance programme covers select pilgrimage sites ensuring a safe, smooth and hassle-free experience with comprehensive travel insurance and on-ground support.”

For further details, click here:

Thomas Cook | SOTC

Set up in 1881, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) is the leading omnichannel travel company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services including Foreign Exchange, Corporate Travel, MICE, Leisure Travel, Value Added Services, and Visa Services. It operates leading B2C and B2B brands including Thomas Cook, SOTC, TCI, SITA, Asian Trails, Allied TPro, Australian Tours Management, Desert Adventures, Travel Circle International Limited (TCI 勝景遊), Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, Distant Frontiers, TC Tours, Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI), Go Vacation, Private Safaris East & South Africa.

As one of the largest travel service provider networks headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, The Thomas Cook India Group spans 28 countries across 5 continents.

TCIL has been felicitated with MICE Powerhouse at MaxiiiMICE Awards 2025, Outbound Travel Operator of the Year (2024) and MICE Travel Operator of the Year (2024 & 2023) at The Economic Times Travel & Tourism Annual Awards, MICE Travel Agency (Outbound) at the Economic Times MICE & Wedding Tourism Awards 2024, 'Masters of Risk - Travel & Hospitality' at India Risk Management Awards 2024, MICE Tour Operator of the Year - Outbound at SATTE 2024, Best Tour Operator at India Travel Awards North 2023, winner of the Corporate Citizen Award (Travel Tourism & Hospitality) at the Corporate Citizen Conclave & Award 2023, The Outbound Tour Operator of the Year 2022 at the SATTE Awards, IAMAI India Digital Awards 2022, CNBC-TV18 & ICICI Lombard India Risk Management Award - Travel & Leisure Category 2022 & 2021, CIO100 Award for digital innovation 2022.

CRISIL has upgraded the rating on debt programs and bank facilities of TCIL - 'CRISIL AA/Stable' on the long-term bank facilities of TCIL and 'CRISIL A1+' rating on the short-term bank facilities and short-term debt of the company. The highest rating for a travel & tourism company in India.

For more information, please visit www.thomascook.in

Fairbridge Capital (Mauritius) Limited, a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, is the promoter of TCIL with a shareholding of 63.83% of its paid-up capital.

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is a holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management. Founded in 1985 by the present Chairman

Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of TCIL is a leading leisure hospitality company with over 55 resorts, hotels and retreats across 48 locations in India covering hills, beaches, jungles,

jungles, waterfront, adventure, heritage, pilgrimage and drive-to locations. Sterling provides a variety of offerings: Leisure holidays through FIT packages, Meetings & Conferences, Weddings, Reunions, Picnics and Holidays.

SOTC Travel Limited is a step-down subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings held through its Indian listed subsidiary, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL). SOTC Travel is a leading omnichannel travel and tourism company active across various travel segments including Leisure Travel, Incentive Travel and Business Travel.

Established in 1949, SOTC is an Indian-grown brand with a legacy of over 75 years. Since then, it has escorted millions of travellers across the globe to various destinations around the globe. The Company firmly believes that today, 'No one understands the Indian Traveller better than SOTC'.

Travel Corporation (India) Limited (TCI) (operating brands Sita, TCI and Distant Frontiers), a wholly owned subsidiary of TCIL, is the leading Destination Management Company in India that offers tailor-made travel and related services to India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.

Thomas Cook India Group holds 51% stake in DEI Holdings Limited (DEI), one of the world's leading imaging solutions and services providers.

For more information, visit:

Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited

SOTC Travel Limited

Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited

SOTC Travel Limited

Media Enquiries:

Suzanne Pereira | +91 9820297665 | suzanne.pereira@thomascook.in

Shourya Rawool | +91 9619745154 | shourya.rawool@thomascook.in

Ancy Johnas | +91 7678042720 | ancy.johnas@sotc.in