Through strategic partnerships, ongoing research and development, and a deep understanding of travellers’ evolving needs, India Assist strives to remain at the forefront of the industry in emergency assistance services. Harish Khatri, Founder and Managing Director, India Assist, is committed to empowering travellers and ensuring their well-being, which drives them to continuously innovate and adapt to the changing landscape of the travel industry.
– Prashant Nayak
Whether it is a medical emergency, loss of baggage or wallet, altercations, or unforeseen circumstances, India Assist is there to bridge the gap and provide 24×7 assured assistance. Their goal is to ensure that travellers feel safe, supported, and empowered throughout their travels, both within India and abroad.
Remarkable 2023
The year 2023 has been more exciting than challenging for India Assist. Launched in 2019 but forced down owing to COVID-19, like many other businesses, they had to tweak their products. Re-launched in September 2022, the company grew network-wise, team-wise, and revenue-wise in 2023. However, the constant challenge is to cater to every segment of the tourism industry and keep customising the product as per their requirements, be it hotels, tour operators, aggregators, tourism boards, airports, or airlines. As India Assist is into B2B2C, their primary customer is the B2B partners, who have their own unique requirements while catering to their own set of customers. Thus, India Assist needs to constantly keep working on their tech and product delivery so that for every B2B partner, India Assist comes out as a viable value-add for their customers.
Growth and Expansion
As India Assist continues to grow and evolve, the vision for the company extends beyond just emergency assistance services. They aim to revolutionise the way travellers perceive and experience their journeys, offering a holistic suite of services that encompass safety, convenience, and personalised support. Harish says, “Our focus is on leveraging technology to create innovative solutions that enhance the overall travel experience for individuals and contribute to the growth of the travel industry as a whole. We are already providing travel assistance services in more than 128 cities in India. With our future expansion plan, we aim to cover 200-plus cities in India by 2024 and plan to launch our services in around five countries in 2024.”
Being Relevant by Evolving
Being in such a unique space, India Assist is one of the vanguards for change and adaptation in the travel industry. “We are also driving ourselves to keep evolving and upgrading our services. Our dedicated team of professionals ensures round-the-clock support, leveraging our advanced GPS tracking technology to reach travellers in distress without any hassle. Additionally, at India Assist, we work closely with travel partners and other service providers to deliver connected travel experiences as a whole,” explains Harish.
Strategic Alliances
In a short time, India Assist has established strong ties with hotel partners, travel operators, airlines, travel aggregators, and state tourism departments. By offering their assistance packages at a landed cost, they ensure that travellers can access their services seamlessly and conveniently. Furthermore, the B2B approach allows them to appoint franchisees in multiple cities, fostering a network of support and expanding our reach.
Harish reflects on a pivotal achievement for India Assist, stating, “We have successfully implemented a pilot project in partnership with a prominent state tourism board. The project aimed to enhance the overall travel experience of visitors to the state by providing them with real-time assistance, personalised recommendations, and access to emergency services. The positive feedback and impact generated by this project have opened doors for further collaborations with other tourism boards and government agencies. We have been participating in various travel events organised by recognised travel bodies and will continue to participate in the future as well.”
Strengthening Relationships to Serve Better
The travel industry thrives on the desire of people to explore new destinations. Travellers invest significant amounts of money, time, and resources in their journeys. Not having an emergency assistance system available to them that can provide guidance and support at every step is unfair to the traveller. India Assist, through its patented app, is looking forward to support from the entire industry in better serving their customers and strengthening their relationships. Because of industry support, they already have established partnerships with tourism boards, hoteliers, government PSUs, and travel agents who recognise the importance of filling the real-time assistance gap. India Assist complements and supports the industry partners rather than competing with them, and this has been widely accepted.
