Rayna Tours, the Dubai-headquartered DMC, has emerged as a prominent force in the UAE’s tourism and hospitality industries. With a steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional service, Rayna Tours has consistently pioneered inventive travel solutions for its global partners. Senthil Velan, CEO, Rayna Destination Management, unveils the latest developments within the organisation, offering insights into the innovative strides and strategic advancements that define Rayna Tours.
– Prashant Nayak
Since its launch in 2006, Rayna Tours has maintained an impressive track record by establishing its presence in different parts of the world. The company’s expansion plans include establishing new destinations in the main European, Asian, and Middle Eastern countries to create comprehensive, full-fledged products for the travel and tourism industry and communities.
Navigating Challenges
Geo-political tensions emerged as significant impediments to the travel business in the UAE. The heightened competition posed another obstacle, with numerous small niche entities resuming operations post-COVID, intensifying market competition and consequently reducing profit margins. Additionally, the influx of new players led to rising attrition rates among staff as these entities sought to attract experienced professionals, further impacting Rayna Tours’ workforce stability.
Speaking of mitigation measures, Senthil says, “We branched into source markets where we were not present. For example, we invested in sales resources to handle GCC and Far East markets, and this strategy helped us mitigate the reduction in business in the war-affected regions. Further, we launched our own niche products, such as hot air balloons and paramotoring, helping us create new revenue streams. Our investments in systems and processes reduce the dependence on individual resources, helping us to bring new resources up to speed within a short time frame.”
Scaling Business Segments
Rayna Tours remains committed to innovation and continues to launch new leisure experiences, adding value to the destination. They are looking at launching their helicopter experiences and luxury yachts, to name a few. “We launched new business segments such as cruises, concerts, and digital concierges in 2023. We will be focusing on scaling these segments and establishing Rayna as a major player in these segments. In 2023, Rayna Tours expanded its horizons, establishing new destination offerings in Singapore and Saudi Arabia. We will be focusing on replicating the success we achieved in the UAE in the new destinations. Committed to technological advancement, we’ll showcase our AI-based digital concierge in Q1 2024,” shares Senthil.
Upholding Core Values
Senthil emphasises that, regardless of emerging travel trends, Rayna’s unwavering commitment lies in prioritising product expertise, customer focus, and excellent service delivery. He states, “Irrespective of new emerging trends, product expertise, customer focus, and excellent service delivery will continue to be the cornerstones of our company philosophy. We believe this will help us sustain the success we have achieved so far in the market. Over and above this, we will continue to innovate, merging new trends in technology and our destination expertise to come up with new product offerings and services for customers.”
Multifaceted Strategy to Engage Markets
In 2024, Rayna Tours is strategically poised for growth and audience engagement. They are actively expanding operations in Singapore and Saudi Arabia, offering diverse destination choices to tour operators. Along with their new product launches, including helicopter and luxury yacht rides, they will be adding new products to the cruise segment and concerts. In addition, they will continue to curate niche experiences even with their existing products. Their tailor-made desert experience was a major hit among the customers. Their new drive-the-thrill camp provides an opportunity to host exclusive events. Also, active social media engagement and sustained interaction with trade partners through roadshows, exhibitions, and webinars will further solidify their presence and market reach.
Fostering the Rayna Team Spirit
In the trajectory of Rayna’s expansion and introduction of new products and destinations in 2024, a key challenge lies in cultivating the Rayna team spirit among new members. Senthil mentions, “As we continue to expand, adding new products and destinations, inculcating the Rayna team spirit amongst the new members, and making them feel like part of the Rayna family would be a challenge that we actively need to manage. Scaling our systems, processes, and teams to manage the growth expected in 2024 will be one of the primary focuses.
Adding on, Senthil acknowledges the instrumental contribution of their travel trade partners and suppliers to Rayna’s growth as a leading travel entity in the region. Expressing gratitude, he says, “We are thankful for their support, and we will continue to nurture these partnerships.”
