ASEGO is all set to launch Built & Beyond, a new conversation series that brings together entrepreneurs and business leaders from some of India’s most respected travel brands and companies. The inaugural episode was recorded at ASEGO Headquarters in Mumbai on June 10, 2026, in the presence of industry stakeholders, travel trade professionals, and members of the media, setting the stage for discussions on entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, and the future of the travel business.
The evening opened with an intimate roundtable interaction, where participants engaged in conversations around the evolving travel ecosystem, shifting consumer expectations, technology adoption, entrepreneurship, and the changing nature of legacy businesses. This set the stage for the recording of the first episode of Built & Beyond, hosted by Dev Karvat, Founder and CEO, ASEGO, who led a candid discussion with five emerging leaders from some of Mumbai’s most established travel brands.
The featured delegates for the inaugural episode of Built & Beyond included Neil Patil from Veena World, Adil Karim from FlyCreative Group, Suprabh Oza from My Travel Bazaar, Kulin Shah from Kulin Kumar Holidays, and Anosh Kanga from Ahura Travels & Ahura Explorience, each representing a cross-section of India’s travel trade ecosystem, bringing distinct perspectives shaped by experience, legacy, and evolving market realities.
A Platform to Capture 100 Stories
The Built & Beyond initiative carries a long-term vision to document and amplify the journeys of next-generation entrepreneurs shaping the travel industry. Together, these conversations reflected the broader intent of the platform, to move beyond storytelling as inspiration and toward storytelling as a catalyst for building.
Speaking about this initiative to the media, Dev Karvat shared, “My goal is to bring forward 100 stories of next-generation travel entrepreneurs from across the country. These are stories of resilience, innovation, and courage. If even one young person listening to these conversations gains the confidence to join their family business or pursue entrepreneurship in travel, then we have succeeded in creating meaningful impact.”
He also highlighted a growing gap in the industry’s approach to storytelling and entrepreneurship. There are many travel influencers today, but not enough travel influencers who are entrepreneurs. The future of the travel industry will be shaped by those who do not just tell travel stories but build the businesses behind them.
Industry Perspectives on Change, Legacy and Opportunity
The media interaction also brought together varied viewpoints from the young leaders who reflected on how the travel sector is evolving in the face of rapid technological and behavioural change.
Adding a perspective on the Built & Beyond theme and intent, Kulin Kumar remarked, “We learned a lot through this podcast and our interactions through the process. I think it is a fantastic initiative because the topic itself is unique, something that, to my knowledge, nobody in the industry has explored this way before. What is particularly special is that the participants have been thoughtfully handpicked based on their journeys, experiences, and contributions, making the conversations far more authentic and meaningful.”
Reflecting on the broader ecosystem and the importance of such initiatives for the travel trade, Suprabh Oza noted, “What Dev Karvat is trying to do is very meaningful for the industry, especially for the next generation. Many of us in the travel trade have been in this business for 30 to 40 years, and our families have been part of it for generations, so we understand this space deeply. Initiatives like this help bring those experiences forward in a structured manner and present as a learning curve for others. If the goal is to showcase 100 such stories, it will definitely create a strong ripple effect across the travel agent community in India.”
He further added that there are nearly 10 lakh travel agents in the country today, and demand for their services continues to grow. It is not just about OTAs driving the market; there is still a large and important ecosystem of travel agents that continues to play a vital role. Efforts like this help motivate the industry’s next generation and highlight the quantum of change happening across the travel landscape.
Reflecting on the unprecedented acceleration of change across industries, where technology has dramatically shortened the distance between ideas and execution and reshaped how businesses are built at scale, Neil Patil shared, “We live in a very dynamic world today, one that is moving faster than ever before. What took us twelve years to build, someone today could potentially build from their garage in a month because the tools and technology are now widely accessible. That is why I believe this is probably the best time to remain awakened and build something meaningful. While the pace at which we innovate and test ideas continues to accelerate, the core ethos of a company remains unchanged. At the end of the day, our vision is still about creating incredible holiday experiences for travellers; what changes is how we build, experiment, and bring those experiences to life.”
On the role of technology and enduring business fundamentals, Adil Karim said, “My journey with the company has been both fulfilling and enriching, an experience characterised and rewarded by continuous learning and growth. In this trade, every day brings something new to learn, especially as technology evolves almost daily. These are the kinds of positive discussions that I believe will benefit future generations and help them understand the industry better. Technology has definitely played a significant role in transforming the travel business, but certain core business values will always remain intact. We discussed how fundamentals such as discipline, trust, and relationships continue to be the foundation of everything we do.”
Luxury travel emerged as one of the most engaging themes of the discussion, with Anosh Kanga offering a wider perspective that resonated strongly with the group and was appreciated by the other participants. Exploring the evolving definition of luxury travel experiences, Anosh noted, “Luxury is completely subjective. When we talk about luxury travel, it does not necessarily mean a 7-star hotel or an expensive suite in a city. It can just as easily be a simple, minimalistic lodge in the middle of nowhere that offers peace, space, and a unique experience. For me, luxury is not a fixed definition or a price point; it is a feeling, and honestly, it is a term I am still unlearning from the traditional way it has been used in the industry.”
Build-to-Sell vs Build-to-Last
The evening also featured a guest speaker session with Bhavya Kapoor, MD, Xponentia Capital Partners, who led a discussion on Build-to-Sell vs Build-to-Last, exploring long-term value creation, leadership transitions, and evolving perspectives on entrepreneurship in the services sector.
Common Themes Across the Discussion
Across the conversations, several themes consistently surfaced, reflecting the shared priorities of the next generation of travel leaders, including strengthening collaboration across industry niches, peer-to-peer learning among emerging entrepreneurs, balancing legacy with innovation, technology and digital transformation, evolving traveller expectations, leadership, entrepreneurship and succession, and the need to build a more unified voice for the travel industry.
More than a panel discussion, Built & Beyond positioned itself as an ongoing platform to capture real stories, experiences, and challenges of next-generation leaders in travel. The initiative aims to go beyond conversations and create a repository of insight that reflects how the industry is evolving from within.
A short video featuring family members of the participants was also played during the session, where they shared heartfelt reflections on their children’s passion, dedication, and innovative spirit. The messages conveyed pride in their journeys and offered blessings for them to remain strong and continue growing in their respective paths.
Interestingly, despite ASEGO being a travel trade insurance brand, the discussion remained entirely focused on broader industry perspectives. Dev Karvat noted that engaging directly with the next generation not only fosters meaningful dialogue but also helps build a better understanding of evolving traveller needs and, ultimately, helps build more relevant product solutions across the ecosystem.
Episode Release
Through Built & Beyond, ASEGO plans to feature 100 handpicked next-generation leaders from across India’s travel trade, creating a long-term platform for dialogue, storytelling, and industry reflection.
The first episode of Built & Beyond will be released on June 20 across ASEGO’s digital platforms, and over the next few months, it will feature extended conversations, personal anecdotes, leadership journeys, and forward-looking insights from all participating delegates.
