The 5th Convention of the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) is set to unfold in Nairobi, Kenya, from November 24th to 27th. Sarova Hotels & Resorts has been chosen as the hospitality partner for the convention, with Air India and Kenya Airways serving as the official airline partners. OneAbove, a leading Destination Management Company (DMC) in Kenya, will be responsible for ground handling during the event.
During a recent media event held in New Delhi, Riaz Munshi, President of OTOAI, shared insights into the upcoming convention. He remarked, “At OTOAI, we continuously seek out destinations with potential in the Indian market, aiming to bring value to our members. We are confident that our members will play a vital role in promoting Kenya to the Indian market. Historically, our conventions have significantly contributed to boosting tourist arrivals in the host destinations.”
Shravan Bhalla, Convention Chairman and Vice President of OTOAI, added, “This time, we’ve chosen a unique destination in Kenya, renowned for its wildlife. We extend our gratitude to our partners, Sarova Hotels and OneAbove, for helping us turn this convention into reality. They have crafted an excellent convention package for our members, hosted in the historic Sarova Stanley Nairobi property. Additionally, our members will have the opportunity to embark on pre and post familiarization tours, experiencing Kenya’s wildlife and natural beauty.”
OTOAI members interested in participating in the convention can benefit from discounted travel rates. For those departing from Mumbai, where Kenya Airways is the airline partner, the price stands at Rs. 79,999 plus GST per person on a twin-sharing basis, with the tariff for the second delegate from the same company at Rs. 82,999 plus GST. Delegates travelling from New Delhi, where Air India is the airline partner, can avail themselves of the tariff of Rs. 82,999 plus GST per person on a twin-sharing basis, with the tariff for the other delegate from the same company at Rs. 85,999 plus GST. Delhi-based members will enjoy a 3-night convention along with a 4-night hosted familiarization tour, which includes an extra night in Nairobi. On the other hand, members from Mumbai will have a 3-night convention and a 3-night familiarization tour. Additionally, delegates attending the convention must pay a mandatory Rs. 5,000 plus GST registration fee. Approximately 200 delegates are expected to participate in the convention.
Mita Vora, Sales and Marketing Director at Sarova Hotels & Resorts, expressed excitement about being the hospitality partner for the convention, saying, “We are incredibly thrilled to be the hospitality partners for this convention. As a hospitality player, we are regarded as the pioneers in expanding Indian outbound tourism to Kenya. We are looking forward to welcoming all delegates participating in the convention. India holds immense importance for us, given its robust outbound tourism segment, and we are proud to mention that our numbers from the Indian market doubled last year.“