The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee has shortlisted domestic travel agency Le Passage to set up the Games Travel Office, a one-stop shop for managing travel-based requirements of all delegates and athletes participating in the Games next year.

The Delhi-based agency, which beat six other agencies, including the government-owned Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), had bagged the National Tourism Award for two consecutive years as the top inbound tour operator.

“It (the Travel Office) will manage all hotel bookings as well internal tours for the athletes and delegates,” a senior Organising Committee official said. “We are still negotiating details of the deal,” he added.

Work on the Games Travel Office will begin on October 4, when the delegates from participating countries arrive for the Commonwealth General Assembly. The Travel Office will have a desk at all the host hotels to help guests travel around the city and to other tourist destinations in the country.

The Games Organising Committee had shortlisted seven firms: MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Thomas Cook, Kuoni, Le Passage, FCM Travel and Tours and ITDC in June this year.

German tourism firm TUI AG holds 50 per cent stake in Le Passage. The company operates in the tourism and shipping sectors and has a key presence in Europe, employing nearly 70,000 people.

As per the latest review, 13 five-star hotels in the city have confirmed the provision of 2,270 rooms. Six four-star hotels have confirmed another 485 rooms. The government has also managed to rope in three-star hotels, which will provide another 2,000 rooms. Moreover, negotiations are on for 560 additional rooms in other five-star hotels and 210 rooms in four-star rooms. The tariff has been fixed at US$ 250 to US$ 300 for five-star rooms and from US$ 200 to US$ 225 for four-star rooms.