Mumbai, August 27, 2026: Fall & Winter are emerging as a strong new travel window for Indian travellers, with growing interest in journeys that go beyond the traditional summer holiday period and an increasing shift towards a more year-round travel calendar. Following the impact of geopolitical uncertainty on summer travel plans to Europe, renewed interest is now emerging in experiential journeys to these destinations. Responding to this shift, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, India’s leading omnichannel travel services company, and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, have curated a portfolio of Fall & Winter holidays across key international destinations, bringing together seasonal highlights, distinctive experiences and varied travel styles for the Indian traveller.
The Northern Lights continue to remain one of the season’s most compelling draws, with Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland offering immersive ways to experience the Arctic. Beyond Aurora viewing, travellers can explore snow-covered landscapes through husky/reindeer sledding, snowmobile excursions and snowshoeing. Travellers are also choosing unique accommodations such as the famous glass-ceilinged igloo houses, snow-hotels, log cabins and Arctic tree houses.
Europe takes on a distinctive character in winter as its cities and towns transition into the festive season. France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and the Czech Republic offer Christmas markets, illuminated streets, seasonal gastronomy and cultural celebrations. For travellers looking beyond the festivities, the Alps bring together scenic rail journeys, mountain stays, winter sports and panoramic landscapes, while distinctive alpine accommodation and local culinary experiences add another layer to the journey. Across Scandinavia, winter cruises and whale-watching experiences offer another immersive way to experience the season, combining dramatic fjords, Arctic landscapes and wildlife encounters.
North America adds another dimension to Fall & Winter travel, combining dramatic landscapes, outdoor adventure and vibrant festive experiences. Canada’s Rockies offer snow-covered mountain scenery alongside skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, wildlife encounters, gondola rides and scenic winter trails, while the USA brings together New York’s iconic holiday season with experiences ranging from festive light-ups and seasonal markets to mountain escapes, winter sports, scenic road trips and nature-led adventures.
For travellers who would rather leave the cold behind, Australia and New Zealand offer a completely different seasonal proposition, with spectacular New Year celebrations adding to the appeal. Australia brings together vibrant city celebrations, spectacular coastlines, wildlife encounters and outdoor adventures, while New Zealand offers mountains, lakes, fjords and nature-led experiences. Together, the destinations provide a compelling option for travellers seeking sunshine, adventure, the outdoors and memorable New Year experiences during the months September to January.
Across these destinations, Fall & Winter travel is evolving beyond sightseeing towards more immersive, season-led experiences. From Arctic adventures and festive Europe to North American winter landscapes and sun-filled celebrations in the Southern Hemisphere, Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel are bringing together journeys that combine destination, season and experience.
Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited said, “Travel is increasingly being defined by the experience a destination can offer at a particular time of year. Fall and winter open up some of the world’s most compelling travel moments, from the Aurora across Arctic skies and snow-covered Alpine landscapes to Europe’s festive traditions and the outdoors of the Southern Hemisphere. At Thomas Cook India, we have been offering these diverse seasonal experiences to Indian travellers and bring deep expertise in curating journeys that go beyond conventional itineraries. We are seeing a clear shift towards holidays that are richer, more immersive and built around meaningful experiences, with travellers willing to explore beyond conventional winter destinations. This is reshaping the opportunity for the industry, as seasonal travel evolves from a destination choice into a more experience-led way of discovering the world.”
Mr. S.D. Nandakumar – President and Country Head – Holidays and Corporate Tours, SOTC Travel Limited said, “The winter holiday is evolving from a standard itinerary into a carefully curated experience. Travellers are increasingly combining the core destination with experiences that add depth to the journey — whether that is a Northern Lights escape, a scenic rail journey, a unique stay, local gastronomy, wellness or a snow-filled adventure. What is particularly encouraging is the diversity of this demand: couples are seeking immersive and romantic escapes, families are combining festive celebrations with adventure, while younger travellers and groups are actively seeking experiences and destinations beyond the conventional winter circuit. This gives us an opportunity to create more distinctive, experience-rich journeys that reflect how Indians want to travel today.”
About Thomas Cook (India) Limited:
Set up in 1881, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) is the leading omnichannel travel company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services including Foreign Exchange, Corporate Travel, MICE, Leisure Travel, Value Added Services, and Visa Services. It operates leading B2C and B2B brands including Thomas Cook, SOTC, TCI, SITA, Asian Trails, Allied TPro, Australian Tours Management, Desert Adventures, Travel Circle International Limited (TCI 勝景遊), Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, Distant Frontiers, TC Tours, Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI), Go Vacation, Private Safaris East & South Africa.
As one of the largest travel service provider networks headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, The Thomas Cook India Group spans 28 countries across 5 continents.
TCIL has been felicitated with ET Edge’s Best Organizations for Women (BOW) 2026, MICE Powerhouse at MaxiiiMICE Awards 2025, Outbound Travel Operator of the Year (2024) and MICE Travel Operator of the Year (2024 & 2023) at The Economic Times Travel & Tourism Annual Awards, MICE Travel Agency (Outbound) at the Economic Times MICE & Wedding Tourism Awards 2024, ‘Masters of Risk – Travel & Hospitality’ at India Risk Management Awards 2024, MICE Tour Operator of the Year – Outbound at SATTE 2024, Best Tour Operator at India Travel Awards North 2023, winner of the Corporate Citizen Award (Travel Tourism & Hospitality) at the Corporate Citizen Conclave & Award 2023, The Outbound Tour Operator of the Year 2022 at the SATTE Awards, IAMAI India Digital Awards 2022, CNBC-TV18 & ICICI Lombard India Risk Management Award – Travel & Leisure Category 2022 & 2021, CIO100 Award for digital innovation 2022.
CRISIL has reaffirmed the rating on debt programs and bank facilities of TCIL – ‘CRISIL AA/Stable’ on the long-term bank facilities of TCIL and ‘CRISIL A1+’ rating on the short-term bank facilities and short- term debt of the company. The highest rating for a travel & tourism company in India.
Fairbridge Capital (Mauritius) Limited, a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, is the promoter of TCIL with a shareholding of 64.77% of its paid-up capital.
About Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited:
Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is a holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management. Founded in 1985 by the present Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. V. Prem Watsa, the company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Its common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol FFH and in U.S. dollars under the symbol FFH.U.
About Subsidiaries of Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL):
Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited
Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of TCIL is a leading leisure hospitality company with over 78 resorts, hotels and retreats across 48 locations in India covering hills, beaches, jungles, waterfront, adventure, heritage, pilgrimage and drive-to locations. Sterling provides a variety of offerings: Leisure holidays through FIT packages, Meetings & Conferences, Weddings, Reunions, Picnics and Holidays.
SOTC Travel Limited
SOTC Travel Limited is a step-down subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings held through its Indian listed subsidiary, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL). SOTC Travel is a leading omnichannel travel and tourism company active across various travel segments including Leisure Travel, Incentive Travel and Business Travel.
Established in 1949, SOTC is an Indian-grown brand with a legacy of over 75 years. Since then, it has escorted millions of travellers across the globe to various destinations around the globe. The Company firmly believes that today, ‘No one understands the Indian Traveller better than SOTC’.
Travel Corporation (India) Limited
Travel Corporation (India) Limited (TCI) (operating brands Sita, TCI and Distant Frontiers), a wholly owned subsidiary of TCIL, is the leading Destination Management Company in India that offers tailor-made travel and related services to India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
DEI Holdings Limited
Thomas Cook India Group holds 51% stake in DEI Holdings Limited (DEI), one of the world’s leading imaging solutions and services providers.
