Dr. Sunil Kumar
Travel Agency And Tour Operations
Dharamsala
Summary
Dynamic tourism professional with over 15 years of diverse experience in tourism contracting, destination management, supplier negotiations, and tour operations, complemented by a strong academic background in higher education. Proven success in negotiating commercial agreements with hotels, transport providers, and destination management companies while crafting competitive travel products and fostering long-term supplier relationships. Proficient in destination sourcing, itinerary planning, pricing strategies, contract administration, quality assurance, and operational coordination for both domestic and international travel. This unique blend of industry expertise and educational leadership enhances the ability to navigate global tourism trends, drive destination development, and effectively meet evolving customer expectations
Overview
1
1
Language
2
2
Certifications
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Director
The Mountain Monk World Travels
06.2026 - Current
- Developed strategic travel itineraries that enhanced customer satisfaction and responded to market trends.
- Cultivated partnerships with international vendors to ensure competitive pricing and quality service delivery.
- Cultivated partnerships with international vendors to secure competitive pricing and improve service quality.
- Oversaw budget management to optimize resource allocation for diverse travel projects, supporting financial goals.
Associate Professor & Head of Department
Rayat Bahra University
08.2024 - 06.2026
- Led academic and administrative initiatives to enhance departmental effectiveness.
- Managed curriculum planning, coordinated faculty efforts, mentored students, and fostered industry collaborations to enrich educational offerings.
- Supported research efforts and student job placements to improve overall academic quality.
Assistant Professor & Training and Placement Coordinator
Lovely Professional University
07.2019 - 03.2024
- Coordinated student training, internships, and placement activities.
- Coordinated student training and placement activities, enhancing career readiness and industry connections.
- Organized conferences and workshops to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among academic and industry professionals.
General Manager
Tourism Scouts India
01.2015 - 01.2019
- Negotiated competitive rates, allotments, release periods, and commercial terms.
- Cultivated long-term relationships with tourism suppliers and local partners to enhance collaboration and service offerings.
- Managed supplier performance, service quality, and contract compliance.
- Developed and maintained long-term relationships with tourism suppliers and local partners.
- Conducted supplier evaluations and destination inspections to ensure quality standards.
- Developed and priced customized tour packages for domestic and international markets.
- Coordinated with operations teams to ensure seamless delivery of contracted services.
- Sourced and evaluated new tourism products and emerging destinations to strategically diversify the company's portfolio.
- Addressed supplier-related operational issues, ensuring adherence to service standards and enhancing overall service quality.
- Developed strategic partnerships with local businesses to boost tourism offerings and promotions.
- Directed daily operations to enhance customer experience and service efficiency.
Research Scholar & Teaching Associate
Institute of Vocational Studies, Himachal Pradesh University
01.2010 - 01.2015
- Conducted doctoral research on sustainable and alternate tourism, contributing to knowledge in the field.
- Assisted in teaching tourism management courses and facilitated academic research activities for students.
- Coordinated training and placement initiatives for students at Lovely Professional University, enhancing career readiness.
- Worked as a training and placement coordinator cum officer at Lovely Professional University for two years.
Assistant Manager
Thomas Cook India Ltd.
09.2007 - 11.2009
- Oversaw hotel and ground service contracting to enhance service offerings across multiple destinations.
- Secured competitive rates and value-added services to maximize product profitability.
- Managed hotel and ground service contracting across multiple destinations.
- Coordinated seasonal contracts and allocations with suppliers to optimize promotional strategies.
- Contributed to destination product development and pricing strategies to align with market demands.
- Conducted market research to identify new suppliers and tourism products.
- Maintained supplier databases and contract documentation.
- Worked closely with operations and sales teams to ensure smooth execution of travel products.
Senior Executive
Indo Asia Tours
07.2005 - 08.2007
- Contracted hotels, transport operators, restaurants, and destination suppliers to enhance service offerings.
- Monitored supplier performance and ensured contractual service standards.
- Collaborated with operations teams to deliver high-quality travel experiences.
- Coordinated supplier confirmations, room allotments, and operational requirements to ensure seamless travel operations.
- Supported the expansion of supplier networks and destination offerings.
- Coordinated supplier confirmations, room allotments, and operational requirements.
- Prepared tour costings and supported itinerary development.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Expanded supplier networks and destination offerings to diversify travel options and improve customer experiences.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Tourism Management - Thesis: Alternate Tourism in Tribal Destinations – A Study of Himachal Pradesh
Institute of Vocational Studies, Himachal Pradesh University
Shimla01-2015
Master of Tourism Administration (MTA) - Tourism Management
Institute of Vocational Studies, Himachal Pradesh University
Shimla01-2005
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Botany, Zoology & Chemistry
Himachal Pradesh University
Shimla01-2003
Higher Secondary Examination - Physics, Chemistry & Biology
HP Board of School Education
Palampur, India01-2000
Secondary Examination - Science, Mathematics & Humanities
HP Board of School Education
Palampur, India01-1997
Skills
Strategic planning
Partnership development
Decision-making
People management
Budget management
MS Office Suite
Microsoft Office
Written communication
Extracurricular & Leadership Activities
Organized national tourism quizzes and tourism workshops. Participated in industrial educational tours across South India. Conducted leadership and adventure development programs in Manali and Solang Valley. Experience in organizing trekking, mountaineering, and personality development camps. Organized national tourism quizzes and tourism workshops. Participated in industrial educational tours across South India. Conducted leadership and adventure development programs in Manali and Solang Valley. Experience in organizing trekking, mountaineering, and personality development camps.
Certification
UGC-NET (2015)
Timeline
Director
The Mountain Monk World Travels
06.2026 - Current
Associate Professor & Head of Department
Rayat Bahra University
08.2024 - 06.2026
Assistant Professor & Training and Placement Coordinator
Lovely Professional University
07.2019 - 03.2024
General Manager
Tourism Scouts India
01.2015 - 01.2019
Research Scholar & Teaching Associate
Institute of Vocational Studies, Himachal Pradesh University
01.2010 - 01.2015
Assistant Manager
Thomas Cook India Ltd.
09.2007 - 11.2009
Senior Executive
Indo Asia Tours
07.2005 - 08.2007
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Botany, Zoology & Chemistry
Himachal Pradesh University
Master of Tourism Administration (MTA) - Tourism Management
Institute of Vocational Studies, Himachal Pradesh University
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Tourism Management - Thesis: Alternate Tourism in Tribal Destinations – A Study of Himachal Pradesh
Institute of Vocational Studies, Himachal Pradesh University
Higher Secondary Examination - Physics, Chemistry & Biology
HP Board of School Education
Secondary Examination - Science, Mathematics & Humanities
HP Board of School Education
Ph.D. Supervision
- Arvind Govinda Manajan - Analysis of Smart Guide App Quality Dimensions and Its Impact on Tourists’ Intentions to Reuse
- Yogendra Yadav - Impact of Social Media Information on Destination Image Formation Among Tourists
- Runa Das - Socioeconomic Empowerment of Women Through Rural Tourism in the Himalayan Region of West Bengal
- Prada Mundlapudi - Comparative Study of Pilgrim Tourist Satisfaction Between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
- Amandeep - Impact of Cultural Heritage Tourism on Local Community in North India
Copyright
- Title: Research Model for Reuse Intention of Smart Tour Guide App (STGA)
- Registration Number: L-128543/2023
- Granted by Government of India.
Areas of Teaching Expertise
- Introduction to tourism
- Tourism Geography
- Tourism resources of India
- Tourism Marketing
- Aviation Economics
- Aviation Customer Relationship Management
- Sustainable Tourism
- Event Management
- Research Methodology
- International Tourism Geography
- Legal Aspects of Tourism & Hospitality
- Vacation Planning
- Dissertation Supervision
Research Publications
- Scopus Indexed Journals
- Mahajan, A. & Kumar, S. (2023). The Usability Growth of Smart Tourist Guide Application and Quality Dimensions. International Journal of Tourism Policy.
- Hisham, N. A. H., Kasim, A., Dzakiria, H., & Kumar, S. (2022). Do Satisfaction, Service Quality, Value and Number of Previous Trips Influence Ecotourists’ Destination Loyalty? Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation in Tourism and Hospitality.
- Mahajan, A. & Kumar, S. (2023). Sentiment Analysis of User Reviews for Smart Tour Guide Applications. Journal of Ingénierie des Systèmes d’Information.
- Mahajan, A. & Kumar, S. (2023). Sentiment Analysis of Augmented Reality Smart Tour Guide Apps in India. Journal of Intelligent Systems and Applications in Engineering.
- Kumar, A. & Kumar, S. (2020). The Socioeconomic Impact of Tourism in Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology.
- UGC CARE / Refereed Journals
- Kumar, S. (2015). Potential of Alternate Tourism in Himachal Pradesh. Global Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies.
- Kumar, S. (2019). Understanding Motivation Factors of Ecotourism Entrepreneurs in India. Our Heritage.
- Kumar, S. (2019). Relevance of Geographic Information System in Tourism Management. International Manager.
- Kumar, S. (2023). Religious Tourism and Tourist Satisfaction Among Pilgrims. Global Journal of Management and Business Studies.
- Book Chapters
- Kumar, S. & Das, R. (2023). Problem and Prospect of Darjeeling Tea Tourism: A SWOT Analysis. Bharti Publications.
- Kumar, S., Mahajan, A., & Kale, S. (2023). Digitalization and Sustainable Tourism – A Case Study of Indian Tourism Analysis. Bharti Publications.
- Conferences, Seminars & Academic Contributions
- Presented papers at international and national conferences on tourism, sustainability, multidisciplinary research, and hospitality management.
- Organized International Conferences on Sustainable Development Goals and Tourism Management at Lovely Professional University.
- Contributed as organizing member for multiple academic seminars and workshops.
- Major Conferences Organized
- SDGMP 2019 – International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals and Management Practices
- SDGMP 2023 – International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals and Management Practices
- SDGT 2024 – International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals and Tourism
Workshops & Professional Development
- Research Methodology & Electronic Data Processing Workshop
- 21-day workshop organized by Interdisciplinary Research Group, Pratibha Spandan in collaboration with Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.
Achievements & Awards
Best Training & Placement Coordinator Award, Lovely Professional University (2022–23)