Why do I need an itinerary software during COVID?

If you are a travel agent or are in a travel business who had considered buying ‘itinerary software for travel agents’ but didn’t due to COVID_19 situation, then you must read the whole article.

Now you must be wondering, what would you do with itinerary software in the time of a pandemic, since there are no enquires and the tourism has been halted. Before we answer you, let’s see the importance of travel itinerary software first.

Travel business heavily depends on manpower, enquires, connection, and more. It becomes difficult to handle the business and give best services to tourists as the business starts growing. Even a business in smaller sectors becomes difficult to handle manually. Hence good software for itinerary is a great help in any kind of travel business. Now with no income, it becomes difficult to maintain costs and letting labour go renders such businesses incapacitated. Having itinerary software can fill this gap and actually even increase efficiency, that too at a fraction of the labour cost, if chosen wisely.

It reduces time consumption and increases efficiency. Many travel agents have shut shop, gone back to alternate modes of survival, and some have even contemplated changing their professions. But the true death of a business lies in unpreparedness. With the right tools, your software will not only create an itinerary that you can easily share but also give you the opportunity to market yourself and stay connected with potential travelers as soon as the market seems ready. With recovery rates going bullish, it is predicted that future travel enquiries should pour in when recovery rates surpass the new cases.

So, as an agent, having good, economical itinerary software with the added features discussed above is a sure-shot way to stay afloat. This is how agents should prepare themselves for the future wave of pent up demand from travelers who have been held up at homes for way too long. Till then stay home, stay safe, prepare yourself for the future.

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Fascinating things to do in Darjeeling

Darjeeling- the ‘Queen of Hills’, is located in the northern part of West Bengal and was one of the preferred destinations of Britishers during their invasion, due to its amazing scenic beauty and cool climate. Today also, Darjeeling is one of the places in eastern side of India that welcomes tourists from all around the world; plus there are many fascinating things to do in Darjeeling that no tourist would want to miss.

Sightseeing, monastic visit, toy train ride, and rock climbing are some of the most popular things to do in Darjeeling. Tiger Hill visit and sunrise view between gigantic Himalayas can amaze anyone. You may visit monasteries of Darjeeling to see Buddhist culture, architect, and beliefs. If you would like to spend some peaceful time in Darjeeling, you can visit the Japanese Peace Pagoda and rejuvenate your soul and witness panoramic views of Darjeeling landscape including Khangchendzonga Range.

Also, if you have an interest in mountaineering, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling is a must-visit place for you. Tenzing Rock nearby can also be in your to-do list of Darjeeling. Go on to ride cable cars (Rangeet Valley Passenger Cable Car of Darjeeling), and see the spread of lush green tea gardens on the hill slopes, flowing rivers, waterfalls, forests, and to top it all the magnificent view of the Great Himalayas. River rafting in Teesta River is also a thing in Darjeeling and if you are an adventure freak, do not miss this. Besides these, you can take a stroll on the beautiful tea gardens of Darjeeling and capture amazing pictures. Try delicious local cuisine and shop your heart out at Darjeeling.

Darjeeling is mesmerizing throughout the year and can be visited anytime. However, monsoons are not considered to be good to come to Darjeeling when October-April is preferred months to visit Darjeeling.

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Best Tourist Spots of Darjeeling that can’t be missed at any cost

Darjeeling is a beautiful hill station located at an elevation of 6700 ft on the foothills of Himalayas. It is enriched with cultural diversity, endowed with natural resources, and because of its pleasant and cool climate all year round, is a popular tourist destination. Some of the best tourist spots in Darjeeling are Tiger Hill, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Batasia Loop, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Darjeeling Zoo etc.

Tiger Hill is the best-known trekking destination in Darjeeling and offers spectacular views of Mt. Khangchendzonga and Mt. Everest. It is also a popular viewpoint to watch mesmerizing sunrise between mountains. When in Darjeeling you cannot miss the joy ride on the famous toy train that pass through the town and offers beautiful views of landscapes. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is also listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site List and is a must visit tourist spot in Darjeeling. Another place to visit in Darjeeling is the Batasia Loop – a spiral narrow-gauge where the toy train takes a sudden descent from a place called Ghoom.

Recognized as one of the best mountaineering institutes in the world, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is also a must visit spot. Besides being one of the best for many aspiring mountaineers, it has also become a popular tourist destination given its captivating location in the hill station of Darjeeling.

Ten kilometers away from Darjeeling lies Barbotey Rock Garden and is known for its captivating picnic spots with waterfalls and boating. It is one of the most preferred locations for nature lovers traveling to Darjeeling; Rock Garden is surrounded by tea gardens and flower gardens. Some other popular tourist spots to visit are Japanese Peace Pagoda, Tea Gardens, St. Andrew’s Church, and Darjeeling Ropeway -located at a distance of 4 km from Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Darjeeling is a beautiful holiday destination for all and offers some of the extraordinary places to visit.

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A surreal journey from Darjeeling to Mirik

Darjeeling is one of the destinations that is, on top of the wish list of many travelers. Darjeeling in itself is a bundle of happiness and has numerous places to visit. However, there is another place that is about 50 km from the town which has also been attracting tourists for a long time now.

Mirik is a small quite town near Indo-Nepal border and is famous for its lake and tea gardens. People who visit Darjeeling often visit Mirik and the journey from Darjeeling to Mirik by road is also an experience in itself. A road from Ghoom station goes to Sukhiapokhri, a busy hill township located 20 kms from Darjeeling which then continues to Mirik through scenic tea gardens and lovely mountain landscapes.

There are several viewpoints where you can stop for some time and admire the beauty of nature while on road. One such viewpoint is the Simana View Point and on the way to Mirik you can see Maneybhanjan below the beautiful mountains on a clear day. On the other side of valley, road to Sandakhphu is visible and on right Khangchendzonga Range can be seen.

From Simana the road towards Mirik, acts as the divider between India and Nepal. And it is quite astounding that just a road separates two countries. You can halt here to shop, get freshened or have some tea and snacks. While on the way from Darjeeling to Mirik, you can also visit Pashupati Market in Nepal, 1 km away from India Border. Mirik is 12 km from Pashupati Market and at an average altitude of 5,000ft. And when you reach Mirik, one of the places you can visit is the Mirik Monastery on top of the Mirik Lake. You can indulge in boating at Mirik Lake and stroll through the forest nearby. There are also several restaurants where you can relax and enjoy some good food.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/a-surreal-journey-from-darjeeling-to-mirik

Itinerary software for Travel Agents

For any travel business, great itinerary software for travel agents is a necessity. In a travel business, the experience of going to a new place is sold to the customers and it becomes extremely important that it is done in the right and proper way. Customers are totally dependent on the travel agency for their perfect holiday itinerary, and therefore the agents must be prepared well.

Usually, the travel agents spend quite a lot of time in the preparation of an itinerary as they want to give the maximum amount of information about the place and services offered without making it too long and uninteresting. One of the great ways to make the package interesting and welcoming is to include pictures of the places to be visited and put them in such a format that it please the eyes of the customer.

However, as the days become more advanced and with the increase of travelers, today a travel agent has to deal with a large number of enquires with customization. And it becomes really hectic for the agents to plan, explain, and provide the right itineraries to the customers. Sometimes due to the large volume of enquires, travel agents tend to skip some potential enquires that could have converted into business. All these problem statements from the travel agents have given reason for the need for an itinerary generating software.

So it is said that basic itinerary software would ease out some of the major issues for any travel agent in terms of time to generate an itinerary, thereby reducing time. Itinerary generation software will also provide features for editing the existing itinerary; thereby, the customization is just an edit of the original itinerary.

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How to start a Travel Agency?

Have you been thinking of starting your own Travel Company but are wondering how to start a travel agency? Well there are certain things you can start with. Here are some of the steps that may help you and give you a kick start in starting your travel agency.

The first step is to ‘Prepare a plan for the travel agency’. Planning is an essential and crucial step for any huge and small projects. Plan about how you want to start your company, and think about registration, licensing process. Start targeting market, search for office location, bank loan, and learn about marketing techniques and more. The next thing to do is to ‘Brand your Travel Agency Business’. Check how to name the company, create online presence and start the process of opening Bank account for the agency. ’Start managing your funding strategy’ by managing investment plans, start advertising and checking how to invest, plan for employees and about their salaries.

Now, ‘Pick a great location and hire employees’. Location is really important so decide and choose a good location for your company and consider the level of competition in the market. Pick such a location that suits your space demands and matches your desired travel brand reputation. You would also need good software to manage your cash flow and contacts. Travel Management System helps a great deal in that. ‘Market and start your travel agency business’. Your business needs to have a personality. It requires standing out and demands to scream security in, and commitment to your picked niche. In reality, you necessitate establishing a brand.

You need to understand the market, update the company as demanded, create suitable itineraries and keep in contact with the customers.

If you follow through with the above points, you’re on your way to creating a successful travel agency. Just keep in mind the competition, market behavior, online presence, traveler’s needs, destination knowledge, travel software, and study legal nodes from start to end.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/how-to-start-a-travel-agency

Things to do in Darjeeling – A rambler’s diary

Darjeeling is a beautiful town in the eastern part of India also called as the queen of hills. It surely has all the factors to make anyone fall in love with it. It is also a popular tourist destination in this region of the country and offers numerous things to do.

Whether you are traveling with a group of friends or family or are a solo traveler, Darjeeling surely can take your breath away with what it has to offer. For nature addicts some of the places you can visit at Darjeeling are Tiger Hill – roughly 13 km from the main town and you can also visit several tea gardens. One popular tea garden is the Happy Valley Tea Garden which offers an experience in a platter: from indulging in a magnificent view of the tea garden to watching tea being made. Lebong Tea Garden is another beautiful tea garden situated at Lebong Cart Road you can visit.

Other iconic spots to visit are Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and riding on this old toy train must be one of the things to do here. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) is also a popular place to visit and is one of the most famous mountaineering institutes which hosts students from within the country and abroad, HMI is a treasure in Darjeeling. Similarly, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological park, popularly known as Darjeeling Zoo is a must visit place in Darjeeling.

There are many places where you can shop for local and non-local products in Darjeeling. Also while strolling through the town, do visit Chowrasta or the mall. Known as the heart of Darjeeling, the mall is a flat area, free of vehicles, primarily a place of relaxation for locals and tourists. Also try the cable ride that lets you look at the lush green tea gardens over the valleys of Darjeeling as well.

Some other places you can visit are the Rock Garden, Japanese Temple and Peace Pagoda, Ghoom Monastery and Mahakal Temple. Make an addition to the list of things to do in Darjeeling by adding a day’s tour to one of the offbeat locations near Darjeeling to experience untainted natural beauty possessed by the mountain ranges.

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What is the capital of Nepal?

Nepal is one of the most visited South Asian countries in the world. Nepal is rich in culture, tradition and its natural heritage which is also desired by many travelers throughout the world. Nepal is always welcoming to all its visitors and one of the best times to visit Nepal is during the spring when the hills live, flowers like rhododendron bloom and many trekking trails open. Now what is the capital of Nepal you ask?

The beautiful Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal. The capital Kathmandu in Nepal offers many places of attractions and is called as the city of temples for having many religious sites and temples. There are also several adventurous activities that can be done in the capital city of Nepal – Kathmandu. The major languages spoken in Nepal are Nepali, English, and Hindi. You will be surprised to know that Nepal has about 101 ethnic groups speaking over 92 languages.

Kathmandu is an interesting city in Nepal and houses many festivals throughout the year. More than 50 festivals are celebrated every year in Nepal. Did you know that gambling is legal in Nepal? People also gamble during these festivals in Nepal.

Even after the 2015 earthquake, Nepal remains the cultural powerhouse of the Himalaya, with an unrivaled collection of world-class palaces, hidden backstreet shrines, and sublime temple art. An enthralling experience to be with nature! Undoubtedly, Kathmandu in Nepal is one of the world’s most alluring places to try some adventure activities. This capital city of Nepal attracts tourists from all over the world every year and offers them some of the most beautiful experiences in the country.

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Preservation of the past must visit places in Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh – one of the northeastern states of India is rich in socio cultural heritage with many tribal groups; with unique ethics that have been followed from time immemorial and are continued till now. The old traditions are respected immensely by the locals and the visitors as well. However, some very old traditions that people do not find necessary today are not followed. They are not forgotten but preserved; like wearing large nose plugs and tattoos on face by Apatani women are not followed by the women of new generation. But these tribal customs are still given importance and are preserved. Arunachal Pradesh has many museums where ancient materials, customs and traditions are kept safe for visitors and new generations to visit, see and understand them.

The museums in Arunachal Pradesh are ethnographic and the first one was established in 1956. They have altogether a little over seven thousand specimens that include pottery, woodcarving, textiles, basketry, headgears etc. Currently the state has twelve ethnographic museums; out of these one is yet to be functional. Apart from these places, is one more museum named as Arunachal Pavilion located in Guwahati Assam, which was set up by the Directorate of Research, Government of Arunachal Pradesh in January 2009.

Some of the museums to visit in Arunachal Pradesh are: Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum in Papum Pare District, The District Museum in Ziro, The Tezu Distrcit Museum in Lohit Distrcit, Bomdila District Museum in West Kameng, Tawang District Museum in Tawang, The Daporijo District Museum at Upper Subansiri, Seppa District Museum in East Kameng, The Changlang District Museum in Changlang District, Aalo District Museum at East Siang, Pasighat District Museum at West Siang, The Khonsa District Museum at Tirap District and the Roing District Museum at Lower Dibang in Arunachal Pradesh.

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Incredible places to visit in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is the north easternmost state of the country, also known as the ‘land of dawn-lit mountains’. One of the interesting places to visit in Arunachal Pradesh is the stunning Pasighat.

Pasighat, also known as the ‘gateway of Arunachal Pradesh’ is the home to the mighty Siang and indigenous hanging bridges. Pasighat offers adventurous activities like river rafting, angling and boating. It is an interesting blend of natural peace and adventures; which is why this combination also makes it a photographer’s heaven.

Some of the popular places in Pasighat are the Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary, Pangin, Bodak Scenic Area, Kekar Monying, Komsing etc. Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 190 sq kilometers with alluvial grasslands, wooded places and water. It takes a cruise to visit the sanctuary through Siang River and offers a unique ecosystem with varieties of plant and animals and birds species. Pangin is a small town, 60 kilometers from Pasighat and is connected by road. The tourists love to visit Pangin to witness the meeting of two beautiful rivers in the state – River Siyom and River Siang.

Bodak Scenic Area is also a popular place in Pasighta famous for picnic spots and attracts not only the locals but also the people from neighboring states. This place also consists of agricultural lands and offer ideal sightseeing and activities like angling which is similar to fishing. Another place to visit in Pasighat is Kekar Monying – a mountain cliff near Rottung in East Siang which is also an important historical place in Arunachal Pradesh. Komsing is also a significant historical site and is famous for trekking. Some of the other famous places to visit in Arunachal Pradesh at Pasighat are Komlighat -a great picnic spot, Pasighat Buddhist Temple, East Siang District and Gomsi – an important historic place.

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