The onset of 1st April every year presents an opportunity for brands to ‘trick’ their consumers with generous doses of mischief and pranks through humorous and almost-believable campaigns. Brands capitalize on the event with many things – ranging from fake products and offers, to contests and basically anything that would help them with engagement.

This year was no different, as many brands jumped into the fray with some unique and clever deceptions. We bring to you a list of all the major April Fools Day campaigns from travel brands on social media this year.

Ixigo’s special ‘kavach’

Ixigo is one company that has never shied away from making a fool out of consumers on this special occasion. Over the years, they have mastered the art of deception and this year, they went a step ahead by announcing the launch of a new smart lock for travellers called Ixigo Kavach. Apparently, this smart lock automatically gave thieves electric shocks when pilfered bags were taken more than 5 meters away from their owners.

The brand didn’t wait for April 1 to announce the campaign, and instead tweeted the launch on March 29, making it all the more believable. While most people were smart to catch on to the fact that this might be a joke, the brand was lauded for its hilarious efforts.

Ola’s fake news

Ola has had some of the most elaborate pranks. In 2015, it claimed to launch a helicopter service called Ola Air, while in 2016 it had said it had launched Ola Rooms, a concept through which people could sleep in cabs. This year, Ola announced the launch of Ola News Network, or ONN, which it called India’s fastest news-on-the-go. It said ONN would utilize Ola’s driver partner network to report news, and that its drivers would double up as news reporters.

Ola was consistent with its posts on social media regarding the launch and people were quite happy to finally see some real on-ground reportage. Alas, it wasn’t to be.

Oyo’s cryptic moves

Hospitality giant Oyo went all out with the blockchain theme by announcing the launch of its very own cryptocurrency called Oyo Smart Coin, which would be used by its vendors, hotels and customers to seamlessly conduct transactions among themselves. Oyo even had a dedicated site and whitepaper for Oyo Smart Coin. They even had a registration forum with people lining up to get their hands on the latest currency. Kudos to the efforts at making the prank so elaborate and detailed.

Zoomcar’s home-like caravans

Zoomcar was yet another company that tricked people into believing that they had started rentals of caravan-like vehicles. With a promotional video and a hashtag #Zoomcaravan, the brand urged people to try out its latest offering and take the caravan around places, sleep in forests or the foothills of mountains, banks of lakes or unending tea gardens. One glance at the replies and it is evident that people fell for the ruse, with most consumers asking Zoomcar for details and showing excitement about the launch.

Emirates’ sky views

This prank from Emirates was as big and elaborate as anyone would rightly expect from the Middle-Eastern airline. They announced a new ‘SkyLounge’ – part of a plane where the entire cabin is windows. The airline posted renderings of the lounge to show how it would look like from inside and outside.

The announcement was no more than just a prank and even came with a punchline: the SkyLounge will be introduced on the “Boeing 777X fleet.” Emirates is known to share pranks on April 1st. Even last year, the airline pranked internet users with its life-changing plan to launch the world’s first triple-decker that will feature a swimming pool, game room, gym and a park.

Also read: These travel brands are raising the bar for April Fool’s Day pranks.

The post April Fool’s Day 2018: How top travel brands fooled the world appeared first on TravHQ.

Self-drive car rental company Zoomcar has partnered with Mahindra Electric to roll out electric vehicles on the rental platform. Zoomcar has been working towards shifting to an asset light model as a marketplace instead of owning the entire inventory it offers. This will allow it to expand quickly as costs associated with expanding the fleet will be minimised. The association with Mahindra Electric is a step in the same direction while giving electric vehicles a push.

As part of the program, people will be able to buy the Mahindra e2oPlus and list the vehicle on a dynamic basis on Zoomcar. They will be able to list their vehicle when they are not using it and make money off it, thus bringing down the ownership cost. It is certainly good news for Mahindra Electric and the ecosystem as a whole as it could attract more people to buy and use electric vehicles.

Commenting on the association, Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric, said “We at Mahindra Electric have pioneered the sustainable mobility cause in India and have been committed to it for almost a decade. Our focus goes beyond just developing electric vehicles. We strive towards investing in next generation technology and solutions to drive adoption of electric vehicles. In the past, we have worked with different strategic partners to bring electric mobility to the shared transportations space. With this first-of-its-kind association with Zoomcar, we believe we will be able to make green mobility available to a larger audience. I am sure our customers will appreciate and take advantage of this program which is aligned with our larger vision of transforming the face of mobility in urban India.”

According to Greg Moran, CEO and Co-Founder, Zoomcar “Electric cars on shared mobility platforms is the ultimate way forward in solving the urban transportation problem. It is part of the massive overhaul the transportation industry is witnessing globally towards greener and more efficient transportation solutions. Today, we are leading this change in India in partnership with Mahindra Electric. We have seen growing demand for Electric cars on Zoomcar in metros such as Bangalore, Delhi and Pune. Mahindra has always been a key OEM partner for us and with this new development we are taking the association a step further.”

While this is a positive step, there are some obvious speedbumps on the road. Mahindra Electric has been actively pushing the electric car ecosystem in India. However, the current products available in their portfolio appeal to limited audience. Another key player in the car rental space shared that 60 percent of the demand comes from outstation travellers. The numbers could be different for Zoomcar but not by much. With range of vehicles varying from 110-140 kms (68-87 miles) and limited charging network, that segment goes entirely out of equation. We are yet to see electric vehicles from other global manufacturers in India who could actually offer products with better range. So it comes down to the other 40 percent, of which, another fraction of users are people who rent at their destination to hop nearby cities. To top that up, the vehicles that are popular in the market are generally the preferable choice for most people looking to rent vehicles. Myles, another strong player in the self-drive car rental space has been offering electric cars on its platform for a long time now. Yet, there aren’t many Mahindra e2os to be seen out on the public roads with Myles sticker on them.

Another challenge is with user behaviour. A marketplace model would mean that people are owning the vehicle and renting it out when not in use. The likes of Tesla fall in a price segment where many of the owners have (or had) multiple vehicles and made the switch over time as the infrastructure allowed the same. It is not the same story here. The vehicle fall in a price bracket where most owners won’t have multiple vehicles and going by how car ownership works in India, people look at the safe and versatile option making the available electric vehicle options less attractive.

The move is certainly a step in the positive direction and should do something towards creating an ecosystem for electric vehicles. However, the initiative might not be able to create the impact we are hoping for right now.

The post Zoomcar plans to go electric but will that really do the job? appeared first on TravHQ.

Car rental company Avis India is looking to expand its footprint in India over the next few years. The company plans to expand its fleet up to 8,000 cars in the next three years with an investment of around INR 450 crore. Avis targets a revenue of around INR 700 crore with the investment.

Avis has a global footprint because of which the brand not only offers rental services in India but also to Indian travellers travelling abroad. They will be looking to increase the number of countries where this service is offered.

The company targets to clock INR 350 crore in March 2017 and with the plan to grow strongly over the next three years, the rental company aims to have a revenue of INR 700 crore according to a statement shared by Avis India CEO Sunil Gupta with PTI.

Avis currently has a fleet of around 5,000 vehicles in India. The company plans to add another 3,000 with the infusion of funds for expansion. This will take their fleet close to 8,000.

The car rental space is expected to grow at around 12 percent while Avis has been registering a growth rate close to twice of that. Zoomcar and Myles are other fast growing car rental companies operating in India. Zoomcar claims to have a fleet of around 2,000 vehicles with presence across major Indian cities. The company recently an investment of USD 24 million led by Ford Smart Mobility. Myles has also been actively expanding its footprint in India with investments from parent company Carzonrent.

With Avis looking at growing further, we could very well expect the self-drive rental companies to penetrate deeper into the market and even start reaching Tier 3 cities.

The post Avis to take a stronger position against Zoomcar and Myles in India appeared first on TravHQ.

Self-drive car rental company Voler announced its foray into south with launch in Bengaluru. The car rental startup also plans to launch in other cities like Hyderabad and Chennai by the end of the year. According to the company, this expansion plan follows the company’s success in Delhi where its user base has jumped north of 15,000. They claim that almost half of the traffic is coming from their mobile apps.

The Kolkata based company plans to offer its service throughout Bengaluru along with the doorstep delivery it offers in Delhi. Voler, unlike other self-drive car rental companies offers cars without fuel included in the price. This allows for them to offer single flat pricing for the rental of cars instead of multiple options offered by others depending on the distance covered. The line-up includes cars from Tata Nano to Mercedes GLA and vehicles from all the categories in between.

“We are excited to flag off our operations in Bengaluru market, as we have witnessed a growing inclination towards car sharing and self-drive. More and more Bengaluru consumers are finding renting a car more economical than taking their own cars for travelling,” CEO and Founder Vikas Parasrampuria said.

Zoomcar, which is one of the bigger players in this segment, already operates in Bengaluru and has strong user base in the region. Other players in this segment are also operational in the city and Voler will have to go against them. Zoomcar is also looking to move to smaller cities in near future and with the pivot towards a marketplace model, the pace could be much higher than what we have seen previously. As these rental service continue to gain traction and expand their foot print, expect more users to give up car ownership in future.

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The trend of renting a self-drive car has been fast gaining popularity for many reasons. You might be in a different city for business and need a car for a couple of days. You might want to go out for a weekend trip and need a car with better highway manners or you just feel like driving a different car for a change, a self drive car is a great option.

Most of these services work via an app model and you can book them on the go. All you need to do is pick your favourite car, select your pick-up and drop-time, pay for the rental and security deposit and you are all set to go.

The self drive car rental market is catching up big time in India. After trying out Zoomcar, a leading car rental service, here are some quick tips:

#1. Pick the right car

Renting a car or buying one, it is very important to pick the right one. A car is popular with the masses doesn’t mean that it is going to be the right choice for you. The dynamics and performance of cars from the same segment vary widely. Some are better suited for city driving with short gearing, light steering and soft ride while others are better tailored for relaxed high speed driving with tall gearing and stiffer suspension. Make sure you pick the car keeping these factors in mind.

#2. Check, Re-check before you take it out for a long-drive

Before picking the car, make sure you check it properly. Minor dents and scratches on the outside are acceptable but make sure you fill them in the checklist and click photos for the record. Give yourself some time to inspect tyre pressure, fuel level, oil level and standard accessories before you set off so that you don’t run into any issues later. While the support is generally good, you don’t want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere during your trip. The checks are also very important because otherwise you might be held responsible for damage you didn’t cause.

#3. Know your Permits

Since the cars they offer have been registered as a commercial vehicle, road taxes need to be paid when crossing state borders. All the providers put this information on their website in detail so that customers are well aware. So it is important to plan your route in advance, see what states you will be crossing and check the taxes you need to pay. Also look up the details of the toll booths at the state entry points so that you don’t accidentally miss them and run into issues.

#4. Phone-Contact in the days of an app

While you have made the booking through an app, it’s always good to save the call center number separately. You can’t always count on the app to communicate due to the unpredictable network conditions. Just to be on the safe side, also keep the contact number of the representative at the pickup spot if you happen to meet one.

#5. Don’t just count on the remote operations

While most of the processes are taken care of remotely with the help of mobile apps, there can be minor glitches at times. When you have rented the car, you are responsible for keeping it safe. At the drop off point, the car is automatically locked in a few minutes. Ensure that it is locked before you leave and notify the support center if that doesn’t happen.

Our experience of booking with the self drive car rental services has been good so far. Do share your experiences of rental services like MiCar, Zoomcar and Myles.

The post 5 Hacks for a perfect self drive car rental experience in India appeared first on TravHQ.

We have recently seen a rise in number of self-drive car rental services in India. Zoomcar, Myles, MiCar and recently introduced Voler offer wide range of cars across segments for rental trips. They are an excellent choice for people who don’t need a car everyday but need one for specific occasion such as when travelling with friends. Then there is a category of enthusiasts who rent premium cars for weekend fun and sheer experience.

Zoomcar’s recent emailer talks about their special plans for daily office commuters. To be honest we never saw this coming. We always thought Zoomcar was for those weekend outdoor trips and business executives who go to a different city. There are many countries where people are not buying cars and relying heavily on similar services but does it really make sense in India at this point? A debate broke out in our office immediately with opinions pouring in.

What is on table?

Zoomcar is offering cars starting at INR 2,400 for a week of 4 days (or INR 3,000 for 5 days). For that you get a Ford Figo for 4 days and 120 free kms. That gives you 30 kms for a day or 15 for one side travel to your work which is fair enough. For those who travel more for work, the same car is available with twice the free distance for INR 3,360. The car can be picked at 8 PM on Sunday and dropped off at the same time on Thursday.

The problem?

While the idea is attractive and prices justified, we couldn’t help but compare it to alternatives like taking a cab. The cab aggregators like Uber and Ola offer very low prices per kilometre and are readily available in metro cities where Zoomcar operates. While there are many who are not a fan of being driven around, it is probably the best idea on a weekday in rush hour traffic. Office hours in morning and evening are the only times when you wouldn’t want to be behind the steering wheel.

Of course the next thing we jumped at was the price. For an Uber ride of approx 14-15 kms, you will pay around INR 180 assuming the ride takes close to 40 minutes. The cars are comparable to Ford Figo and you can just sit back without having to struggle with the annoying traffic. Even after this, it turns out to be cheaper than Zoom Commute which is approximately INR 300 for the same one way ride.

Another factor is liability. While Zoomcar cuts down on many liabilities of owning a car, you are still responsible to some extent for safekeeping of the car. You will have to make sure you have a parking space both at work and your home, and we know about the parking mess in Tier1 cities of India.

There are many common routes which translate to longer distances than the upper limit of Zoom Commute. For instance, if you commute on the Delhi-Gurgaon/Delhi-Noida route, it is a given that you will exceed that daily limit and end up paying more per kilometre. It is appropriate for short distances, but there they are competing in a price war against on-demand taxi booking services.

TravHQ take

While Zoomcar is trying to promote their services among daily office goers, we do think they should adhere to the segment of travellers. Zoomcar is an excellent service and we will continue to look towards them whenever we need a big car for our weekend trips. However, the Zoom Commute just doesn’t justify itself very well. It would have made sense if there was a serious price advantage but as long as cab services are operating at such low costs to fight off the competition, it will be a tough battle for the likes of Zoomcar.

We appreciate that Zoomcar is putting in efforts to get more people to try such services and reduce the number of underutilised cars. You can find the cars and plans on their website here. Afterall it isn’t a bad idea to ditch your everyday drive for a week and go to work in a mighty SUV.

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Self drive car rental company ZoomCar has been attracting a lot of attention during recent times with expansion to new cities, radio ads, big fleet of cars and attractive consumer pricing. They have also been making rapids on digital platforms.

The latest in this series is a tip-off from their marketing team about a YouTube music video. The video conveys the whole idea of Zoomcar in a nice musical theme. The 3minute 25second video rides on the ‘freedom to drive on your own’ theme and conveys the story of a group of friends who use Zoomcar for their next trip. The background score certainly has a nice soothing appeal to it and goes well with the overall theme of the video.

The explosive growth of YouTube as a video consumption platform makes it an absolutely critical choice in any travel related brand’s marketing strategy. We feel that this video is a great attempt by Zoomcar to inspire people to go out and travel! Perhaps, the duration of the video could have been a little shorter as the pace of it doesn’t change in the second-half.

Will the music of the video and the soulful voice behind it create a viral pull? We will soon come to know about that in the coming days!

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