In an exclusive interaction with Business of Travel Trade (BOTT), JB Singh, Director, InterGlobe Air Transport, outlines how non-metro demand across leisure, business, and VFR segments is reshaping global airline strategies in India. He details the evolving role of General Sales Agents (GSAs) from traditional sales representatives into strategic market-development partners, while highlighting how expanding regional air connectivity and purpose-built air freight solutions are strengthening India’s position in global trade and the wider economy.
As international travel demand expands beyond India’s metros, how significant are Tier-II and Tier-III cities becoming for global airlines, and which emerging markets do you believe hold the greatest potential?
The shift we are witnessing is both significant and structural. Tier-II and Tier-III cities are no longer merely feeder markets for the major metros but are fast becoming the primary growth drivers for outbound travel. These cities are generating direct demand across leisure, business, and VFR segments, powered by rising disposable incomes, improved airport infrastructure, expanding connectivity, and a growing appetite for international travel.
For global airlines, the trend represents an opportunity to tap into entirely new customer segments and diversify their growth beyond traditional gateway cities. While baseline volume remains heavily anchored in proven short-haul hubs, non-metro travellers are showing interest in exploring new geographical corridors, making direct regional access vital for long-term route sustainability.
Today’s regional travellers seek seamless, high-value experiences. While destinations across Southeast Asia and South Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, along with the UAE, continue to drive core demand, we are also seeing growing demand for destinations such as Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, with easier visa policies and distinct cultural experiences appealing strongly to audiences. At the same time, we are seeing growing interest in destinations that were once considered niche, driven by travellers seeking unique cultural, wellness, adventure and experiential offerings.
However, unlocking this regional demand requires more than just launching a flight; it depends heavily on the local travel ecosystem. In Tier-II and Tier-III cities, regional tour operators remain trusted advisors, helping travellers navigate visa requirements, customised itineraries, and payment dynamics for first-time international travellers. This is where a General Sales Agent (GSA) becomes vital for international airlines operating from India, offering the deep-rooted local network needed to convert latent demand into sustainable passenger loads.
With airline distribution becoming increasingly digital and data-driven, how is the role of a GSA evolving from a traditional sales representative to a strategic market-development partner for airlines?
The role of a GSA has evolved significantly in recent years. Historically, the primary focus was on sales execution, inventory distribution, and maintaining trade relations. While those fundamentals remain crucial, a GSA today must bring a much deeper market perspective to help airlines build long-term growth.
Digital platforms have made booking and distribution faster and transparent, but they cannot replace ground-level market intelligence. For an airline entering or expanding in a market as diverse as India, success requires anticipating changing traveller behaviour, navigating dynamic regulations, and optimising distribution channels. This is where a mature and professional GSA like InterGlobe Air Transport adds true strategic value, helping partners forecast future trends and pinpoint emerging growth opportunities well ahead of the curve.
As a modern GSA, we operate as a true extension of the airline’s brand in the market. Leveraging nearly four decades of domain expertise, we build demand responsibly, ensuring the right distribution strategy, and actively supporting travel trade partners to ensure that global objectives are aligned with local realities. InterGlobe Air Transport also works closely with tourism boards, the MICE segment, and leisure operators to build robust, multi-channel demand. Crucially, it is our global capabilities that ensure we consistently follow best practices and build strong networks across various partners worldwide.
Ultimately, while technology delivers speed and efficiency, a strategic GSA brings the local context, global reach, and the broader ecosystem needed to capture real opportunities sustainably.
From an air cargo perspective, what key trends are shaping demand from India today, and how can improved connectivity and airline partnerships unlock new opportunities for Indian businesses and global trade?
India’s air cargo market is being shaped by a combination of changing trade patterns, growing export sophistication, and the increasing need for supply-chain resilience. The opportunity is becoming increasingly significant, driven by the rapid evolution of the country’s manufacturing and export profile.
As high-value, time-sensitive sectors such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, electronics, automotive components, engineering goods, perishables, and cross-border e-commerce continue to expand, reliable air freight is becoming increasingly important. These sectors often require more than just transportation capacity. High-tech products require rapid speed-to-market because of their short life cycles, while pharmaceuticals depend on stringent temperature-controlled cold chains. As a result, the conversation is shifting beyond simple capacity availability to purpose-built logistics solutions that support specific industry requirements.
At the same time, global supply chains are evolving. As businesses diversify sourcing and manufacturing locations, India is emerging as a vital export hub. This presents significant opportunities for Indian businesses to access international markets, provided they are supported by efficient, dependable air freight networks. This is where strategic connectivity becomes critical, aligning capacity with the right trade lanes, infrastructure, and operational capabilities to enable smooth, predictable end-to-end transport.
Airline partnerships and GSAs play a pivotal role in unlocking this potential. By connecting India’s regional manufacturing hubs with global trade corridors, they help bridge the gap between local production and international demand. When supported by a strong ecosystem comprising ground handling, customs integration, digital capabilities, and specialised cargo solutions, improved connectivity enables Indian businesses to compete globally in both speed and reliability.
Looking ahead, competitive advantage in air cargo will increasingly be defined not simply by the amount of capacity available but by how intelligently that capacity is deployed, how well trade flows are understood, and how resilient the network remains in a rapidly changing environment. For India, this presents an opportunity to strengthen its position in global trade by combining growing export capability with world-class connectivity, operational excellence, and strong industry partnerships.
How can stronger international air connectivity contribute to India’s wider economic growth by supporting outbound tourism?
International air connectivity is often viewed through the lens of travel, but its impact extends far beyond tourism. Stronger connectivity creates deeper economic linkages between countries by facilitating the movement of people, ideas, businesses, and investment.
At a broader level, outbound travel strengthens India’s engagement with the global economy. It supports business mobility, enables educational and cultural exchange, and helps build stronger international relationships. As more direct routes become available and capacity increases, international destinations become accessible to a wider segment of the population, stimulating demand across the travel ecosystem.
The economic impact begins long before a passenger boards a flight. Every outbound journey supports a broad network of stakeholders, including travel agencies, tour operators, visa service providers, insurance companies, travel technology platforms, and hospitality partners. Increased connectivity, therefore, creates opportunities not only for travellers but also for the businesses that support and facilitate travel.
Stronger international connectivity also enables Indian businesses and professionals to engage more efficiently with global markets, creating greater opportunities for collaboration, investment, and knowledge exchange. As India becomes increasingly integrated with the global economy, international aviation infrastructure will remain an essential enabler of outbound tourism and a key contributor to sustainable economic growth.
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