Talon Corporation offers one-stop travel solutions

Dhaka : Talon Corporation has been among the top agents of all the major airlines operating in Bangladesh for 12 consecutive years. The corporation is already renowned in the market for its offline and online travel agencies as well as its holidays wing for visa processing and tour packages. Together with the coming launch of its hajj, umrah and labour travel services, the corporation aims to become a one-stop travel solution provider by 2024.

Mohammed Jalaluddin Tipu, Managing Director of Talon Corporation said this while talking to The Bangladesh Monitor at his office in the capital recently. 

He further mentioned Talon will be spreading its branches in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar too by 2024.

Affiliated with large global TMCs like FCM Travel Solutions as well as Reed and Mackay, Talon offers travel services to all segments of travellers to all the destinations in the world.

Currently, the most demanding destinations for travel from Bangladesh is Canada, the US and Europe, said Tipu, mentioning, they have the most number of sales on these routes currently.

On the other hand, the leisure segment often travels to nearby destinations in Asia and the Middle East, informed the MD.

However, the corporation's leisure segment business has declined by 20 per cent as the ever-increasing airfare is preventing many from flying international currently, further said the Managing Director.

Interestingly, due to the increasing airfare, the sales revenue has increased even though the volume remains the same this year as the last, informed Tipu. 

Talon's OTA is also witnessing year-on-year business growth as the sales this year till July has already surpassed the annual sales of last year.

Yet, Talon's offline agency still predominates as business travellers, corporate groups and long-haul travellers rely on offline travel agencies while short-haul or domestic individual travellers usually opt for OTA services.

Mentioning the current impediments in the travel trade sector, Tipu shared, the fees and charges of the International Air Transport Association is too high. Since Bangladesh is a third world country, Tipu, stressed that IATA should consider revising it.

Also, as the collector of funds on behalf of the airlines, IATA should play a more supporting role to the travel agencies, urged the Managing Director.

It may be mentioned here that huge amounts of payments are due by various airlines to the country's travel agencies. As the agencies pay the airlines thro-ugh IATA, making the association the collector, it is the association's responsibility to refund the agencies, cla-imed Tipu.

However, IATA always turns a blind eye to the agencies, further claimed the Managing Director.

Another challenge in the sector that Tipu informed about was the lack of policy support by the government.

He explained, customers pay the travel agencies after receiving the services.. 

However, the travel agencies have to pay all the stakeholders advance money while arranging tours for the travellers. For this purpose, they take loans from the banks.

Now, the interest rates of the loans are not tourism friendly, said Tipu, as the banks charge the agencies the same amount they charge big commercial manufactures. 

"It is difficult to make profit after paying such high interests to the banks."   

Another crucial support the industry needs in terms of inbound tourism is tax-free tourist vehicles, added Tipu.