Pettitts India

What Pettitts India does

Pettitts India Tours Pvt. Ltd. is a privately-held destination management company (DMC) incorporated in India in 1989 as a joint venture between A.S. (Sam) Madhavan and UK-based founders Steven Pettitts and Nigel Berry. The company delivers inbound travel services to international visitors to India (primarily from the UK and China), organizes MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) for corporate and government clients, and operates an outbound travel line arranging trips from India to Europe, South Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Service delivery rests on a curated portfolio of suggestive and bestseller itineraries covering destinations such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, and Kashmir, delivered through offices in Delhi (HQ), Cochin, London, and three Chinese cities (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai).

The underlying technology stack is minimal: source data explicitly characterizes the business as a travel services company without a significant technology platform, and there are no proprietary software products, APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or patents disclosed. Operations are human-capital-intensive, dependent on long-tenured tour planners, regional managers, and language-specific guides, with vendor relationships at hotels (Oberoi, Marriott partnership awards) and airlines forming the core supply backbone. Government relations are a notable capability, evidenced by delivery of multilateral events including the BRICS Youth Summit 2016 and the Northeast Student Summit 2017 with 6,000 delegates.

The business model is professional-services, quote-based, and tailor-made: pricing is not publicly disclosed and each itinerary is custom-priced per client request. Revenue is generated from B2B relationships with travel agencies and tour operators, B2C direct inquiries through the bilingual (English/Chinese) website and sales offices, and direct government/corporate MICE contracts. The company is family-controlled under Managing Director A.S. Madhavan (45+ years in the industry) and Director Sandeep Madhavan (operational lead since 2004), with no external funding, parent company, or M&A activity disclosed.

Name

Pettitts India

Legal name

Pettitts India Tours Pvt. Ltd.

Website

https://pettittsindia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pettitts India is a destination management company offering inbound India tours, MICE, and outbound travel services through offices in India, UK, and China, serving Chinese and UK leisure travelers, government delegations, and corporate groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Destination Management Services: Full-service destination management including itinerary planning, ground arrangements, guide services, transportation, and accommodations for inbound travelers to India
2. MICE Services: Meeting, incentive, conference, and exhibition organization including event planning and execution for corporate and government clients
3. Outbound Travel Services: Travel planning and arrangement services for Indian travelers visiting Europe, Asia, America, Australia, and Africa including ticketing, hotel bookings, visas, and transfers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pettitts India is a destination management company providing inbound travel services to India (customized itineraries, ground arrangements, accommodation, transportation, and multilingual guides), MICE services (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions for corporate and government groups), and outbound travel services for Indian travelers to Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Operations are supported by owned offices in India, the UK, and China and by an established network of hotel, airline, and tourism vendor partners.

Product overview

Pettitts India is a destination management company offering three core service lines: Destination Management Services (DMC), MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions), and Outbound Travel Services. These are delivered through a portfolio of suggestive and bestseller itineraries covering Indian destinations (Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Kashmir, Kerala) and journey categories (Experience, Classic India, Leisure, Culture, Boutique Hotel Stays, Beyond the Expected). The company specializes in customized, tailor-made travel experiences for leisure, corporate, and government clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Destination Management Services (DMC) Curated and crafted destination management services for the Indian subcontinent, providing infrastructure, in-house planning teams, and vendor relationships to deliver comprehensive inbound travel experiences including customized itineraries, ground arrangements, accommodations, and transportation.
• MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) Specialized organization of meetings, incentive travel, conferences, and exhibitions for large and small groups, following briefing, scoping, planning, and execution steps to deliver hassle-free corporate and government events.
• Outbound Travel Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Manage over 10,000 Chinese guests annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Ministry of Tourism, Government of IndiacoreOthersOfficial recognition by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India as an approved tour operator. This affiliation provides official credibility and often preferential access to tourism promotions and government projects.
• IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators)coreOthersActive member of IATO, the premier association for tour operators in India. Provides industry networking, advocacy, and standards certification.
• PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association)majorOthersActive member of PATA, an international travel association covering Asia-Pacific region. Provides access to regional travel industry events, research, and marketing opportunities.
• TAAI (Travel Agents Association of India)majorOthersActive member of TAAI, representing travel agents across India. Facilitates B2B connections and industry representation.
• ATOA (Adventure Tour Operators Association)minorOthersMember of ATOA for adventure and niche tourism operators.
• ICPB (India Convention Promotion Bureau)minorOthersMember of ICPB for convention and MICE tourism promotion.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SOTC Travel Services: Indian travel services company offering inbound, outbound, and MICE packages across price tiers; directly comparable to Pettitts' DMC, MICE, and outbound service lines.
• Travel Corporation India (TCI): Indian DMC and corporate travel management company serving inbound leisure, MICE, and outbound — overlapping offering to Pettitts across all three core service lines.
• Le Passage to India: Inbound India tour operator specializing in tailor-made itineraries for international travelers, particularly from European markets — closest like-for-like competitor to Pettitts' inbound leisure business.
• Kesari Tours: Indian travel company with strong outbound group tours and inbound India offerings; overlaps with Pettitts' outbound business and mid-market inbound leisure.
• Sita Travels (Sita World): India-based DMC offering inbound tours, MICE, and outbound travel with global office network; directly comparable in service mix and international positioning.
• Trail Blazer Tours India: Boutique inbound India DMC focused on customized international leisure itineraries and MICE — directly comparable niche DMC peer.

Broad incumbents

• Thomas Cook (India): Large, publicly-listed Indian travel company with inbound, outbound, MICE, and forex operations; competes in the same segments as Pettitts but at significantly greater scale.
• Cox & Kings: Historic Indian-origin travel brand with inbound India tours, outbound packages, and MICE capabilities; broad incumbent with overlapping product set to Pettitts.
• Akbar Travels (India): Large pan-India travel agency network offering outbound and inbound packages, visas, and ticketing; competes with Pettitts particularly in the outbound leg.

Emerging players

• Travel Bureau: Indian DMC specializing in inbound luxury and experiential India itineraries for international tour operators; comparable in product positioning though smaller in scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pettitts India