The news: Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel have partnered with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi to offer complimentary UAE visas for eligible Indian travellers. The visa subsidy programme aims to boost inbound incentive travel from India to Abu Dhabi, making group bookings more cost-competitive for corporate clients.
Why it matters for MICE operators: This subsidy directly reduces acquisition costs for incentive travel operators pitching Abu Dhabi destinations to Indian corporates. With visa expenses eliminated, your margins improve and client ROI calculations become more attractive. DMCs and PCOs can now structure more competitive packages for high-value incentive groups, particularly from IT, pharma, and financial services sectors that dominate outbound travel budgets.
The takeaway: Update your Abu Dhabi incentive packages immediately to highlight the complimentary visa benefit—it's a legitimate differentiator against competing Middle East destinations right now.
Source: Business Upturn
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