PUNE: Now shopping for a pair of jeans or shirt can be combined with buying an air ticket or a travel package. The Future Group, formerly Pantaloon Retail (India), has tied up with Travel Port, the Rs 20-crore travel house, for introducing travel in retail.

The travel company opened its first retail outlet at Central mall in Pune. It is planning to open 50 retail outlets across the country, which will include one outlet each at all central malls of Pantaloon.

“There was a lot of talk of travel coming into retail, but we have launched it first in India. Now, just as one buys a pair of sunglasses, or trousers, one can also buy air tickets or travel packages .

With four franchisees and a branch in Pune, the city is the third largest contributor to Travel Port revenues after Mumbai and Delhi.

“We are looking at a turnover of Rs 15 crore till next fiscal only from this store in Pune,” said TravelPort India’s chief executive officer OK Venkatesh.

Travel Port has roped in actor and travel enthusiast Milind Gunaji as the brand ambassador for the concept.

Pune Central’s general manager Sanjay Katara said, “With this tie up, we are looking at enhancing our bouquet of services.

This is an internationally successful concept which is being tried in India for the first time and we think it was essential to have a travel outlet as a part of the various services we offer in our mall.”