In the vast and ever-evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, some stories stand out not just for their success, but for the sheer tenacity, adaptability, and unwavering vision that underpin them.
Abhishek Sengupta’s journey is one such narrative – a compelling tale of a man who transitioned from the structured world of hospitality to the unpredictable yet exhilarating realm of business ownership, continually redefining his path and building a robust enterprise against all odds. His story is a testament to the power of self-belief, strategic thinking, and the relentless pursuit of one’s true calling.
The Formative Years: From Humble Beginnings and Academic Foundation
Abhishek Sengupta was born into a family deeply rooted in public service, a background that subtly instilled in him values of discipline, responsibility, and a dedication to societal contribution. This made him learn the values of commitment, integrity, and perseverance early on.While the family background of government service provided a stable and respectable environment, his inherent curiosity and a burgeoning interest in dynamic industries soon steered him towards a different path. Hospitality !!! A domain vibrant with interaction, service, and diversity.
He pursued his graduation in Hotel Management from the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Kolkata,known for producing some of the best talent in India’s hospitality sector. This institution shaped Abhishek’s professional outlook. The rigorous academic structure, combined with real-time industry exposure, prepared him for the multifaceted life that the hospitality industry offers.
A Dynamic Hotel Tenure: Learning the Art of Guest Experience
His professional journey began in the heart of the hospitality world, where he initially joined the front office operations, often considered the face of any hotel. This introduced him to the nuances of customer service, problem-solving, and operations management. Each day came with new guests, new expectations, and new challenges—lessons that would later become crucial in his entrepreneurial life.
However, his ambitions and interests didn’t stop there. He saw greater potential in understanding the commercial side of hospitality—particularly in sales. This realization marked a turning point in his career, as he transitioned from front office operations to hotel sales. What began as a lateral shift soon became the forte of his life.
Sales: The Foundation of His Future
In hotel sales, his found his true calling. Handling room sales and catering simultaneously gave him a profound understanding of the market. He began to grasp the mechanics of client relations, corporate bookings, banquet sales, and long-term strategic tie-ups. His responsibilities spanned across departments—from planning and execution to dealing with client feedback and handling exigencies during high-stake events.
The deeper he delved into sales, the stronger his market insights grew. Over time, his experience became rich with interactions involving high-profile guests, including celebrities, top corporate honchos, and influential personalities. Managing expectations and executing flawless service during these interactions sharpened his problem-solving and negotiation skills.
Every booking, every deal, every feedback taught him something new—something he would later leverage in his own entrepreneurial venture.
The Entrepreneurial Spark
Despite a thriving career in the hotel industry, something within him was restless. The structured environment and corporate frameworks had given him a wealth of experience, but it was time to take control of his own destiny. The “sting of entrepreneurship” struck a deep chord. While many brushed it off as a mid-life crisis, Abhishek knew this was a calculated leap—not a whimsical escape.
He decided to quit his regular job and pursue entrepreneurship. But like every major decision, this too required careful planning and strategy. He wasn’t jumping off the cliff blindly; he was building his wings on the way down.
The transition was not impulsive; it required “a lot of back-up planning and a well-designed plan of action.” This foresight underscored his methodical approach, understanding that entrepreneurship, while exciting, demands rigorous preparation. He meticulously mapped out his strategies, assessing risks, and envisioning the potential pathways to success. This foundational planning was crucial, especially as he ventured into uncharted territory.
Taste of Business: Lessons from a Failed Start
Abhishek’s initial entrepreneurial idea took the form of a travel company, conceived along the lines of the burgeoning online travel agencies (OTAs). The travel portal www.hoteltravelia.com was launched. The digital revolution was well underway, and an online model seemed like the logical progression.However, this first foray into business proved to be a challenging one. The online travel agency model, despite its appeal, “failed miserably.” This was his “first taste of business” – a harsh but invaluable lesson in the realities of market competition, consumer behaviour, and the complexities of launching a digital enterprise from scratch.
For him, this was a humbling yet enlightening experience. It was his first real taste of business, where market dynamics, customer behaviour, and product positioning clashed with theoretical expectations.
Instead of giving up, he chose to pivot !
Pivoting to Brick-and-Mortar: A Grounded Revival
He swiftly recognized the need to pivot, shifting from a purely online approach to “offline bookings” – a “brick and mortar model” of business. From OTA,www.hoteltravelia.com was transformed to a formal tour operating company. This strategic shift was brilliant in its simplicity and effectiveness. It leveraged his greatest asset: the extensive networks and relationships he had meticulously built during his years in hotel sales.
This transition, although traditional in the digital era, played to his strengths—especially his deep industry network built over years of hotel sales.
His previous clients—many of whom respected and trusted his professionalism—became his first customers. Word-of-mouth began to work in his favour. Inquiries began flowing in, and slowly, the business found its feet.
Finding the Niche: The Power of Specialization
Abhishek knew that sustaining growth in the travel business required specialization. Every successful business needs a niche—a focused segment where it can dominate. He started analysing all booking data he had acquired over months and found a promising trend: the leisure segment.
Leisure travel became his business’s niche. This focus gave him a unique identity in a highly competitive market. But identifying a niche was only the beginning; the next big challenge was procurement.
Finding reliable vendors, negotiating competitive deals, ensuring availability, and managing partnerships became his core responsibilities. Over time, these vendor networks expanded, making the company’s service base stronger and more flexible.
Going Digital: The Next Big Leap
Once the foundation was robust, he took the next natural step—digitizing the business. The company’s website and digital assets were revamped. A well-thought-out digital strategy was deployed. Social media platforms became active with product promotions and travel stories.
To stand out, Abhishek added knowledge-based content to the digital vertical—travel guides, visa tips, destination overviews—which attracted international clients and built credibility.
This digital transformation brought a new era of growth. Bookings increased, brand presence amplified, and international inquiries started trickling in steadily. His company has even come up with e-books on various destinations.
Becoming a Private Limited Company: Growth with Structure
In 2018, Abhishek’s travel business hit another milestone. It was formally registered as a Private Limited company under the name OnzeVoyagez HotelTravelia Pvt Ltd. This structural upgrade not only opened up new business opportunities but also increased credibility in the corporate ecosystem. Around the same time, the company filed for a trademark for its brand name – HotelTravelia —securing its identity in a fiercely competitive market. So www.hoteltravelia.com started operating under aegis of OnzeVoyagez HotelTravelia Pvt Ltd with a registered trademark of its name.
With a clearer legal and operational structure, the company diversified further.
Expansion of Services and Niches
Simultaneously, he broadened his”niches,” moving beyond just leisure travel. His company began working with a variety of specialized travel segments, including corporate travel, catering to the specific needs of business clients; fixed departure tours, offering curated group experiences; customized group tours; incentive tours, designed to reward employees or partners; and general business travel. This multi-niche strategy significantly de-risked the business and maximized their market penetration.
Navigating the COVID-19 Storm
Then came 2020—a year that shook the global travel industry to its core. Bookings were cancelled. Flights were grounded. Countries closed their borders. Businesses crumbled.
But as history shows, the travel industry has survived some of the worsts situations – two global wars, economic crashes, and geopolitical turbulence. He and his company, too, approached the pandemic with a problem-solver’s mindset.
Instead of halting operations, he innovated. The business adapted by adding a media and advisory vertical. The aim was to support clients not just with bookings but also with up-to-date travel advisories, border rules, health protocols, and virtual travel consultations.
This move kept the company relevant during the lockdown and allowed them to engage with clients meaningfully, even when actual travel was not happening.
As Author & Content Creator
In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Abhishek Sengupta has also made his mark as an author and content creator. He has penned three books, each reflecting different facets of his personality and experiences. His first two books, Entrepreneurship Through My Lenses and Fighting the Fear of Entrepreneurship, delve deep into the realities of starting and sustaining a business, offering practical insights, motivational anecdotes, and strategic thinking drawn from his own journey. His third book, Dew of Bengal Winter, reveals a more reflective and artistic side, presenting a captivating series of poetry that explores emotions, seasons, and the cultural essence of Bengal.
Beyond books, Abhishek is also a content creator who actively shares business concepts, ideas, and strategies through various digital platforms, making complex entrepreneurial topics accessible and engaging to a wider audience. His personal website www.abhisheksengupta.co.in has numerous blogs on startup, business, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and self development. He LinkedIn newsletter has thousands of subscribers.
Lessons from Entrepreneurship and the Travel World
For Abhishek, the dual journey of entrepreneurship and being part of the travel industry has been nothing short of transformative. Both realms are dynamic, unpredictable, and demand resilience and innovation.
His story is not just about building a business; it’s about evolving as a human being. From managing luxury hotel guests to handling business exigencies, from suffering failures to achieving milestones—every phase added a new layer to his professional persona.
Today, Abhishek continues to steer his company forward with a deeper understanding of both human behaviour and market dynamics. He has become a living example of how failure can be a stepping stone, how adaptability is the true strength, and how a niche-driven, client-focused approach can make a travel business stand out even in the toughest of times.
His journey is a reminder that dreams backed by strategy, experience, and resilience can create impactful stories. Born in a family where government job and stability were the norms, he dared to tread an uncertain path. From the glitz of hotel lobbies to the rollercoaster world of travel entrepreneurship, his transformation speaks volumes about the courage it takes to rewrite one’s story, rather than leading a“comfort-zone” driven life.
As his journey continues, one thing is clear: the fire of ambition, once ignited, needs only the fuel of determination—and Abhishek has plenty of both.
