GET Lionel launches Hyderabad operations

Bangalore-headquartered GET Lionel India, a corporate travel management company, has launched its Hyderabad operations. The company has a presence in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and will be foraying into Pune by March 2006.

Besides, the Rs 75-crore company that is wholly-owned by the K K Birla Group also plans to set up a call-centre application based out of Hyderabad wherein their clients can call in for travel-related assistance. Called Lionel Intelli centre, it is likely to come up within the second quarter of 2006.

GET Lionel also plans to launch a travel portal solution during the same period wherein each corporate client can log in and access data regarding the itinerary details, cost structure, etc with regard to its tours.

Besides, by the end of this year, the company also plans to expand its Lionel Cars brand (for car rental service) across the country. It is also looking at starting a foreign exchange service called Lionel FX during the same period.

Addressing the mediapersons, Gaurav Sundaram, chief executive officer, GET Lionel India, said, "The corporate travel market in India is worth $2 billion and is growing at a rate of around 15 per cent in the last three years. In this segment, Hyderabad contributes seven per cent and is growing at a rate of around 25 per cent."

The maximum contribution comes from Mumbai (24 per cent) followed by Delhi (20 per cent) and Bangalore (14 per cent).

GET Lionel has a market share of 1.25 per cent in the corporate travel segment and is looking at crossing a turnover of Rs 110 crore by 2005-06 from Rs 75 crore in the last financial year. Within the next three years, it is looking at touching the Rs 350-crore mark.