Thomas Cook India inks deal to charter Deccan Odyssey

Beginning November 18, Thomas Cook India will launch "The Indian Maharaja" for foreign tourists covering the cities of Mumbai, Aurangabad, Udaipaur, Jaipur, Agra, Ranthambore and Delhi.The seven-night itinerary will attempt to show India in a snapshot with the core intention of promoting Brand India as an ideal tourist destination.

"The Luxury Trains are charterers of the Deccan Odeyssey while we are the exclusive sales and distribution partners. For us it is a fairly pioneering move. It's the first time we have taken a risk on the inventory and to be operating rather than working as just pure agents," Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, Executive Director--Travel Businesses, Rakshit Desai, told PTI here.

Thomas Cook India has a strategic alliance with The Luxury Trains, which in turn is party to contract with MTDC. "The train is about 75 per cent sold and has done better than we had planned. There is nothing left to sell for the months of January, February and the Easter (April) departures. We have got some capacity to sell in November-end and December," Desai said.