India, March 27, 2019: Airports are beyond travel now; they have turned into retail destinations with more and more luxury brands coming up with their stores. Travellers usually use their lag time to explore and shop at these stores, as they get different advantages like tax-free shopping for cosmetics, top-shelf liquor, premium quality chocolates etc. Lounges are actually the best option for people having connecting flights or experiencing flight delays.
Bhavya Kukreja, GM – PR & Marcom, Plaza Premium Lounge (PPL), the world’s largest independent airport lounge network highlights why there has been a growing demand for these airport lounges, he also shares his views on the evolution and growth of PPL and its marketing plans.
Growing demand of airport lounges
According to Kukreja, “The number of air travellers are increasing year on year basis which is a good sign for lounge business. With various corporate partners, lounging now has become the most preferable service at the airport. We have seen tremendous growth in the average footfalls of travelers in our lounges. Considering the current scenario, we are planning to expand in various cities in the coming time. Government’s decision of privatizing airports will bring further opportunities for private players in the aviation industry. The aviation industry is at its peak and this considerably is the golden era.”
Inception of Plaza Premium Lounges and its growth
Plaza Premium Lounge in India is being run by the Joint Venture company Premium Port Lounge Management Company Private Limited (India) incorporated by Dinesh Jhunjhunwala and Song Hoi-see, Founder and CEO, Plaza Premium Group.
“Plaza Premium Lounge was the first independent pay-in lounge introduced in India in 2008 in Hyderabad. With the rewarding response and after identifying the need of the travelers, the lounges then were opened in Delhi and Bengaluru as well. Last year PPL launched two new lounges at Ahmedabad and are now targeting to open at various tier II cities,” says Kukreja.
Strategies and marketing campaigns behind PPL
Kukreja has played a significant role in designing and strategizing Plaza Premium Lounge’s latest campaign which celebrates unique airport experiences with global travelers, it is named “My Airport Moment”. Based on the concept of “Everyone is a Traveller,” portraying the precious airport moments for solo travellers, business travellers, and families and friends – it was promoted on brand’s key strategic locations: Australia, Hong Kong, India, mainland China, Malaysia, the Middle East and U.K.
“The comfort of lounges has been an integral part of the traveller’s lifestyle. We are already in the process of bringing our experiences to new locations and with the launch of this global campaign, we would like to invite the travelers to experience our premium service and share their unforgettable moments,” says Kukreja.
Service and offerings of Plaza Premium Lounge
“The lounges provide a space with exquisite services and facilities for both domestic and international passengers. Few of the services include resting suites (napping area), Spa, Beauty Services, Power Shower, Wi-Fi, Business Centre etc. It also offers meet and greet service in India branded as ‘Allways’. We will soon be launching our first ever playroom and also be rolling our family friendly initiatives,” shares Kukreja.
PPL also introduces special menus and they have recently come up with their Spring Special Menu. “Good food has no boundary so we have included the flavours from Thailand, Egypt, Spain, and Mexico along with famous Indian delicacies. Our objective has been to raise the expectation of a traveller from the airport and making it a destination in itself. Also, we will be launching a culinary journey global project for June globally for PPL,” sums up Kukreja.
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