Magazine Issue: December, 2011
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Illusions Online, the Dubai-based provider of technology solutions for tour operators and DMCs, has announced plans to expand its business in Southeast Asia. Headed by founder and CEO, Faisal Memon, the company has already secured three key Asian contracts, and is now looking to establish a permanent base in the region to further its expansion.
Speaking to Travel Daily, Memon said that plans to launch in Asia were well underway.
"We signed a big deal with the Go Vacations group of companies in summer and we now have three clients in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, as well as one DMC in Singapore. We're in the process of setting up an office in Kuala Lumpur and expanding our Asian team," Memon revealed. "We had planned to launch in Asia in 2012, so our schedule has been brought forward considerably," he added.
Heading up the new Malaysian office will be Jessica Wong; an experienced tour operator who will be able to offer practical expertise to Illusions' new clients. Speaking about the new Malaysian office, Ms Wong told Travel Daily:
"We plan to offer a full range of sales and support services specific to the Asia region. The eventual aim is to have sales support teams and trainers based in Asia to help with the sale and implementation of the Illusions Online system across the region."
Ms Wong also shared Memon's confidence of adding to the company's Asian client base in a significant way. "We're constantly on the road, meeting companies and showing our products, so we expect to add more clients in the not-too-distant future," she said.
Memon also provided insight into the current state of DMC businesses in Southeast Asia.
"What we've found, in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, is businesses that really want to invest in technology. From our meetings we realised that there is a huge void in this area. Travel companies are really struggling with the technology side of their business, either trying to do something in-house, or doing nothing at all. There are a few other system alternatives available in the market which are considerably cheaper but o not come close to the level of automation that we offer with our product. The question that companies should be asking is if they should be investing in cheaper systems that don't have anywhere close to the level of automation and support that Illusions provides or partner with a technology company like Illusions which has clients all over the globe and more than a decade experience of providing the ultimate automation for their businesses." Memon revealed.
"Implementing new technology is obviously a huge decision for a company. We back up our sales with a strong implementation plan. Companies can fail due to a lack of support from their IT supplier, so we're very focused on both product development and implementation. We like to see ourselves as not just another software company but a key strategic technology partner for our clients – so they can focus on what they are good at, which is running their travel business while we take care of all their technology needs," he added.
As an experienced tour operator, Ms Wong agreed that Illusions offers a product that is unique in the market.
"Really we're the only company offering this type of product. The majority of systems on the market today don't have the ability to calculate complicated hotel contracts or provide sophisticated online booking platforms for both the B2B trade partners and B2C. The Illusions Online product manages the automation of every aspect of the travel business, from hotel contracting to daily reservations and operations, accounting as well as powering their online websites."
"A lot of companies already have systems in place, but we want to show them that Illusions Online can provide better range of functionality, capability and support," she said.
As Southeast Asia's tourism industry becomes increasingly automated, it is clear that the company has a potentially huge market to tap. One can expect Illusions Online to become a very dominant player in the region in the months and years ahead.
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Travel Daily Asia - Illusions Online sees real potential for Southeast Asia
