SOTC Travel, a leading omnichannel Travel and Tourism Company, has strengthened its presence in North India with the launch of two new franchise outlets in Bareilly and Noida, Uttar Pradesh. This strategic expansion underscores the Company’s focus on deepening its regional footprint across high-potential Tier 1 & 2 markets.

Bareilly, an emerging market with rising disposable incomes and evolving travel aspirations, presents a compelling opportunity for SOTC to engage new and first-time holiday consumers. In contrast, Noida, a key hub in the NCR region, has a large base of affluent professionals, a strong corporate presence, and high outbound travel demand. Together, these locations highlight a strategic expansion plan that enables the Company to effectively cater to diverse, high-potential consumer segments across North India.

The new outlets are in prominent, easily accessible areas, making them convenient for residential and commercial neighbourhoods. With these additions, SOTC improves customer proximity and service reach, offering seamless travel solutions through its integrated omnichannel platform.

Both stores will offer SOTC’s integrated omnichannel model – offering a comprehensive portfolio of domestic and international holidays, group tours, personalised holidays and cruises, along with value-added services such as travel insurance, ensuring seamless end-to-end travel experiences.

Uttar Pradesh Travel Trends

Top Destinations:

• Domestic & Indian Subcontinent: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Andaman & Sri Lanka
• International: Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Morocco, Europe

· Spiritual/Darshan Portfolio: Strong interest in pilgrimage experiences, including the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Do Dham/Char Dham Yatra and Vaishnodevi Yatra, reflecting the region’s continued affinity for spiritual travel

Regional Product Portfolio: We offer exclusive special tours designed for our customers. These itineraries include local Indian-language speaking tour managers, Indian cuisine options, and culturally aligned experiences. This ensures greater comfort and familiarity for travellers.

Emerging Travel Preferences: Travellers from the state now seek experiential and bucket-list holidays. These include luxury multi-destination cruises, polar expeditions to Antarctica, and Northern Lights experiences in Finland, Norway, and Iceland. Self-drive holidays and adventure itineraries are also gaining popularity.

· Top customer segments: Multi-generational families, honeymooners/couples, working professionals, millennials and GenZ

· Average holiday duration: 4–6 days for domestic/short haul; 10–15 days for long haul

Mr Rakesh Bawa, Senior Vice President & Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel Limited, said, “North India continues to be a key growth engine for SOTC, with strong demand emerging from both metro and Tier 2 markets. Our expansion into Bareilly and Noida reflects our strategic intent to deepen our presence in high-potential markets and bring our services closer to customers. While Bareilly represents a fast-growing market with rising travel aspirations, Noida offers access to a mature, well-travelled customer base in the NCR region. With these new outlets, we aim to cater to diverse customer needs through our omnichannel approach, offering convenience, expertise and a wide range of holidays. My team and I look forward to welcoming customers at our Bareilly and Noida outlets and assisting them in planning memorable travel experiences.”