Forty years is a long time in the travel business. When the company started out in Soho, London, in 1986, booking a trip looked very different from how it does today. Recently, Brightsun Travel marked that anniversary with a Ruby Royale Night in Gurugram. The guest list said a good deal about the business. Airline representatives, hoteliers and travel partners filled the room, and many of them have worked alongside the company for years.
Part of the evening was set aside for a short commemorative film. It traced the journey from that first London office to an international travel group that now serves leisure, corporate and trade customers from six offices around the world. The film was followed by thanks to the airline, hotel and travel partners who have supported the company over four decades. Looking around, I noticed how many of those partners were in the room to hear it.
The rest of the evening looked ahead. The company shared plans for a global AI-powered website that will bring its travel inventory and supplier network together on a single platform. The aim is to let customers search, plan and book in one place while still relying on the expertise and service the company is known for. The platform is part of a wider digital effort as the business grows beyond flights, which remain its core. The company is also building up its hotel and cruise portfolio, and travellers can already choose from more than 1.6 million properties worldwide.
Deepak Nangla, Managing Director for India, spoke about the milestone. “Reaching 40 years is a significant achievement and a testament to the trust placed in us by our customers, suppliers and employees,” he said. “While the travel industry has changed enormously since 1986, our commitment to service, innovation and long-term relationships remains unchanged.” He described the company as a family business with global ambitions. He added that the coming years will bring new markets and new technology, along with more choice, convenience and personalisation for customers.
The plans he outlined are steady rather than sweeping. The company will focus on sustainable growth and continued investment in technology, and it will work more closely with industry partners, all to make travel simpler for the people who book it. As the evening came to a close, the conversations I heard were less about the past forty years and more about the work still to be done, which seemed a fitting way to mark the occasion.
