MUMBAI, 22 April 2026: SOTC Travel, a leading omnichannel travel company, has strengthened its presence in North India by launching 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 and 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, enabling the company to effectively cater to diverse, high-potential consumer segments across North India.
Both stores will offer a comprehensive portfolio of domestic and international holidays, group tours, personalised holidays and cruises, along with value-added services, including travel insurance.
Uttar Pradesh travel trends
Top domestic destinations: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Andaman & Sri Lanka.
International: Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Dubai and 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: Exclusive special tours designed specifically for our customers. These itineraries include local Indian language–speaking tour managers, Indian cuisine options, and culturally aligned experiences, ensuring greater comfort and familiarity for travellers.
Emerging Travel Preferences: Travellers from the state are increasingly seeking experiential and bucket-list holidays such as luxury multi-destination cruises, polar expeditions to Antarctica, Northern Lights experiences across Finland, Norway and Iceland, self-drive holidays and adventure-led itineraries.
Top customer segments: Multi-generational families, honeymooners and couples, working professionals, millennials and Gen Z. Average holiday duration: four to six days for domestic/short haul; 10 to 15 days for long haul.
SOTC Travel Limited Senior Vice President & Head – Holidays, Rakesh Bawa said: “North India continues to be a key growth engine for SOTC, with strong demand emerging from both metro and tier 2 markets. While Bareilly represents a fast-growing market with increasing travel aspirations, Noida offers access to a mature and well-travelled customer base within the National Capital Region (NCR).”
(Source: SOTC)
