Mumbai: Thomas Cook (India) Limited, India’s leading omnichannel forex services company, has announced the opening of its first foreign exchange outlet in Varanasi, strengthening its presence in Uttar Pradesh with a total of five outlets across the state. This expansion is aimed at tapping into the growing forex demand in the region and enhancing consumer access to trusted currency and remittance services.
The new outlet, located in Nadesar, Varanasi, offers strong city-centric accessibility and is positioned to serve both local customers and the significant inflow of inbound and NRI travellers visiting the spiritual capital. Varanasi, which witnesses a high volume of foreign tourists especially during the winter season, will benefit from the outlet’s comprehensive forex services and an exclusive inaugural offer of zero transaction fees.
The outlet will also cater to nearby cities such as Bhadohi and Jaunpur, creating a strong catchment area for Thomas Cook India’s foreign exchange business. Key customer segments include:
- Varanasi’s large student population travelling overseas for higher education
- Holidaymakers travelling to international destinations
- Foreign nationals seeking currency exchange services
The Varanasi outlet will provide a wide range of forex solutions, including:
- Currency exchange: 26 global destination currencies
- Overseas remittances: Send Money Abroad service covering over 120 countries
- Prepaid travel cards (in partnership with Mastercard and Visa):
- Borderless Travel Card: Multi-currency card with 12 global currencies
- FX Enterprise Card: India’s first eco-friendly forex prepaid card for business travel
- Study Buddy Card: Tailored for overseas education needs
- One Currency Card: India’s first prepaid card with zero cross-currency conversion fees
- Digital services: TC Pay (Forex App), Online Forex, Forex on WhatsApp (24×7 services from live rate to transactions), and V-KYC
- Overseas education forex solutions: Transfer of tuition fees, living expenses, discounted air fares, excess baggage, insurance, and forex products like the Study Buddy Card
Deepesh Varma, Executive Vice President – Foreign Exchange, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said: “Varanasi is one of India’s most vibrant spiritual and cultural hubs, witnessing year-round demand from travellers, with a significant number of international tourists. The city also serves as a thriving education center, home to renowned institutions like Banaras Hindu University and several colleges, resulting in a large student population. With students travelling overseas, holidaymakers heading abroad, and steady tourist inflows, Varanasi represents a high-potential source market for our forex services. Our new outlet is designed as a one-stop forex hub, offering convenient access to trusted and seamless foreign exchange solutions right in the heart of the city.”
Thomas Cook India’s omnichannel forex model serves over 1 million customers annually through its website, FX Now app, call centre, and 125+ forex stores across 69 metros and tier 2–4 cities/towns in India. Its “Ghar pe Forex” doorstep delivery commitment in 2 hours ensures smooth last-mile service.
The company also serves 1000+ corporate clients, 1 million+ active forex prepaid card users, and over 1 lakh students studying overseas. Additionally, Thomas Cook operates 23 counters at leading airports in India, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius.
