Manoj Tulsani, CEO and co-founder of Rayna Group, shares how he and his dynamic team grow their multi-million-dirham business from a small travel outlet. We are sure that this read will give you some valuable lessons on how to start your venture and further deal with the obstacles and failures on your way to the top. Is it time for you to get inspired? Let’s get started!
Before Starting the Business
Manoj grew up in the Indian state of Rajasthan, at Ajmer. In 1999 upon graduating in the stream of commerce from the University of Mumbai, he traveled to Dubai where he landed his first job at Safeer Group of Companies. It was during this period he met his future partner and friend, Kamlesh Ramchandani, at Safeer Group of Companies. Next, he worked with Time Machine Group of Companies until he was promoted to the position of Marketing Head in 2006.
Beginning of Rayna Tours and Travels
“The thought of starting a business in the service industry was something a far cry from my previous career as a marketing professional in the trading industry,” says Manoj Tulsani on his initial entrepreneurial journey. He, along with Kamlesh Ramchandani, launched Rayna Tours in 2006 as a travel boutique inside Flora Grand Hotel. The main objective behind this venture then was to offer tours or arrange activities for the hotel guests.
Initial Struggle, Challenges, and Subsequent Growth
Like most successful business people, Manoj too kicked off his entrepreneurialsail small. Being an industry dominated by giants then, it wasn’t easy for them to penetrate the market. The absence of a strong mentor, along with the shortage of funds, a proper team, and other vital resources, fueled the business’ early struggles. But, they refused to fail; instead of getting disappointed with every failure and obstacle, they tried to extract the best out of it while transforming every vicious competition and challenge into an incredible opening or an opportunity.
Between 2007 and 2009, they opened 14 more similar travel outlets in Dubai’s popular hotels and resorts and further cemented their position as a leader in Destination Management services. It was during this period they opened their main office at Abu Hail’s Old Labor Building which has now been shifted to a bigger and better facility at ACICO Business Park Building, along Port Saaed Road, in Deira, Dubai. Rayna Tours now remains one of the wonderful illustrations of business that have seen tremendous growth with the times.
What is Rayna Tours all about?
For more than 15 years now, Rayna Tours and Travels specializes in delivering high-quality destination management services. From all-encompassing holiday packages, global hotel reservations, and international visa services to managing MICE, logistic solutions, and arranging traditional and luxury cruises plus safaris, they take care of every element of a holiday with utmost accuracy and professionalism.
Besides its headquarters in Dubai, UAE, Rayna Tours’ connections and partnerships span the length and breadth of the world. It has branches across the globe in more than ten countries in India, Malaysia, Turkey, Thailand, and Singapore to name a few.
Success Stages of Rayna Tours
Without any business background or solid industry experience, Rayna Tours was nothing but a blip on the radar when it was launched. It, however, slowly picked up with every hindrance and bounced back well. According to Manoj, “Failure is just an inevitable part of every business journey and it is up to you whether you choose to take lessons from it or not. If they are treated in the right way, there is no doubt that all setbacks will help you come out better and stronger.”
This is probably one thing that has helped Rayna Tours stand out from other related businesses in the scenario. At a point when the competition became intense, the company made unmatched investments and acquisitions. This allowed them to eliminate the costly agents and suppliers involved in the execution of a travel service or package while directly dealing with the end users.
In recent years, Rayna Tours has also taken the internet by storm through its vast array of products and services made available on the web. Apart from their online portal on B2C (www.raynatours.com) and B2B (www.raynab2b.com), the company has launched a myriad of apps, deals pages, and loyalty programs, thanks to the company’s in-house technical department – Technoheaven Consultancy.
In 2019, Mr. Yasser Noman became the Executive Chairman of Rayna Group, following the merge of Arabian Explorers with Rayna Tours. A year later in 2020, Mr. Himanshu Laul joined as the Managing Director of Rayna Tours.
All these not only let users compare tours and book them on the go but also grab maximum savings on their dream holiday or significant business trip.
From a Modest Start to an Award-Winning Company
Customer satisfaction is integral to Rayna Tours’ products and services. This has created it one of the top award-winning companies in the industry. It has to its credit a few of the most demanding industry awards. TripAdvisor’s greatest honor as Traveler’s Choice Award (which it won in a row in 2020 and 2021) is one of them. In 2018, it was bestowed with the Arabian Travel Awards for Best Destination Management Company and Best B2B Portal. It further received the Best Partner for Dubai Parks and Resorts in 2017. Apart from these, Rayna Tours is also regular when it comes to bagging best customer experience awards from some of the country’s main attractions every year. Best Performer Award from Global Village, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, and Dubai Dolphinarium are just a few to mention.
Founder’s Inspiring Advice and Words
Manoj’s greatest piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is, “Be patient and have absolute conviction in your business ideas. Success doesn’t happen overnight and you can’t expect instant growth in any business (even if it is a monopoly market), so don’t quit even if things look gruesome or difficult. This can express cliché, but this is a resounding reality. Every competition paves a milestone for your business; simply make sure that you conduct an in-depth analysis of the situation whenever you go wrong and take lessons from it. Last but not the least; be attentive to what your targeted audience or clients have to say. Positive reviews are amazing but negative reviews are more amazing as listening to them and resolving their concerns will help to both bolster your sales and improve your image.”
