My earlier article Booking Travel Through Consolidators generated quite a buzz amongst agents and consolidators alike, and I had the opportunity to converse with many of you one-on-one.  In the weeks that ensued, it became apparent to me that the article had opened up a dialogue with many questions that should be addressed. 

My intent in this follow-up article is to present some of the questions that were most often asked of me, in the hopes that it inspires interest, learning, discussion, collaboration, and profitability in the travel agent and consolidator communities.  As with many things in the travel industry, I must stress at the outset that there are no hard-and-fast answers to any question; it all depends on each individual situation.  Read the rest of this entry »

From a modest beginning in Toronto, Canada, in 1968, Hariworld has become one of North America’s most influential and respected consolidators. In 1982, Prem Cohly opened Hariworld Travel’s first office in the heart of New York City’s Rockefeller Center. Kamini Cohly, his wife and Hariworld’s current President, joined the company in 1987. The two now operate Hariworld from their New York City offices.

TRO: Tell us a bit about the history of Hariworld.

Kamini: Prem joined the family business in 1976 with his father. Using the business acumen that he gained through his post graduate studies from Delhi University, Prem greatly expanded the company’s client base and increased revenue for the company. He enabled us to open our first United States office in Rockefeller Center.

Hariworld’s initial mission was to address the needs of a growing population looking for a more affordable way to travel. We were eager to accept the challenge when Hariworld became one of the agencies selected by the airlines to be a prototype of a relatively new concept called consolidation. Today we have five offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and New Delhi and we generate over $120 million in annual ticket sales. The company’s ongoing commitment in developing the latest technology is a big part of our mission to assure future growth.

TRO: With a history that long in the industry, Hariworld has worked with many, many travel agents over the years.  Tell us about your relationship with the travel agent community. Read the rest of this entry »