The world of travel tourism took a humongous hit when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Staying afloat in the tourism industry while the pandemic raged on was no easy task. Many left the industry when they saw that the recovery process would be difficult while some industry gems were lost to the scourge of the virus. In the midst of it all, some decided to brave the tides of the pandemic’s multiple waves and utilize their skills to build a better resume. One among them was Sunu Mathew.
With more than 30 years of industry experience, Sunu Mathew is one of the people who saw hope at the end of the tunnel.
When she started her business venture, Cworld Holidays, two decades ago, there weren’t many women-led companies specializing in travel and tourism. That did not deter her from taking the leap of faith. Years down the line, she still maintains her optimism about the industry and her talents. Her multiple talents have come in handy during the pandemic. When the second Covid wave came crashing down on India, she decided to use her interest in designing to become a wedding planner. “We had already arranged destination weddings abroad many times before. The only difference now was that I could be held accountable for the smallest details since I was on-site,” says Sunu.
Quite a few weddings later, she has decided to keep doing wedding planning part-time. Her main focus is still designing unique travel experiences for her clients with her team at Cworld Holidays, but she would be happy to help design weddings too. With the reopening of many countries to Indian travellers, her two passions collide.
With destination weddings becoming extremely popular in recent times, many young Indian couples desire to conduct their weddings in exotic locations. The pandemic-born trend of inviting only 100-150 close family members and friends has fed this further. Greece and Turkey are at the forefront of this movement with their enthusiasm to collaborate with Indian couples who are ready to make their dream weddings happen.
Cworld Holidays also takes pride in designing exclusive honeymoon packages. Maldives and Greece have recently seen a spike in popularity as a top spot for honeymoon travel. The euphoric atmosphere and the scenic beauty of these countries are sure to amp up the romance quotient. Maldives and Mauritius have the visa on arrival option which makes them the perfect destination for a pretty last-minute plan.
Other countries that have opened for travel include Italy, Switzerland, France and Azerbaijan. Requiring only an e-visa for Indian travellers, Azerbaijan is a wonderful country to visit without much hassles. Being a relatively under-visited country in terms of Indian travellers, Azerbaijan is sure to offer a unique experience to anyone who wishes to visit. This search for unique experiences also has people opting for different modes of touring countries in opposition to the traditional, “tread the iconic” route. The new concept of travelling to a place involves getting to know the place more intimately by visiting more lesser-known destinations and diving into rare experiences. For instance, a visit to the United Kingdom could be specially designed to involve activities such as Castle or Vineyard stays. Cworld's 3-tier system of travel planning will ensure that your holidays are tailor-made to your interest. You could book exclusive private tours, do self-drives around the country or get to know the country through the eyes of its citizen by using the public transport system.
Outside of travelling, Sunu also has an interest in sports and adventure activities. Having been a cricketer in her younger years, she also serves as the KCA Women’s Cricket Committee Chairperson. With her zest for adventure and sense of fun, she loves to encourage her clients to try out new things when they set off for their trips. Leading by example, she has pushed clients to try out paragliding, bungee jumping, canoeing, skiing and and other adventure activities.
