VMPL
Tamil Nadu (Chennai) [India], October 6: What began as an after-hours travel initiative while its founder was working in the Maldives has developed into a South India-based travel company with a 20-plus-member team, physical offices and a growing portfolio of domestic and international destinations.
Founded by Kalaiarasan Loganathan on September 20, 2021, TheTourist360 today operates across honeymoon travel, international holidays, group tours, customised travel, resort holidays, domestic tourism and celebrity and influencer-led travel experiences.
The company's origins are closely linked to Kalaiarasan's professional experience in the Maldives. Born and brought up in Vellakovil in Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur district, Kalaiarasan entered the tourism industry after completing his engineering education. He subsequently worked in the Maldives, including as an Airport Representative at Velana International Airport.
His work there exposed him to international travellers, airport operations, guest handling, resort transfers, tourism logistics, hospitality operations and the practical requirements involved in planning Maldives holidays.
During the COVID-19 period, disruption in the Maldives tourism industry also affected his professional journey. He later returned to the Maldives as tourism activity recovered and began noticing a recurring requirement among Indian travellers seeking assistance in understanding resorts, transfers and other aspects of travelling to the island destination.
This led to the establishment of TheTourist360 in September 2021. Initially, Kalaiarasan continued with his regular employment while helping people from his personal and professional network arrange Maldives holidays. The business began with a team of around three people, primarily handling customer enquiries, resort coordination, transfers and travel assistance.
As enquiries increased, Kalaiarasan eventually resigned from his Maldives airport position, returned to India and began developing TheTourist360 as a full-time venture.
By April 2023, the company had expanded to more than 10 employees and established physical offices. Its current presence includes offices in Trichy, Coimbatore and Vellakovil , while its team has subsequently expanded to more than 20 professionals.
Maldives Experience Remains at the Core
The Maldives continues to form a key part of TheTourist360's business, drawing on Kalaiarasan's first-hand experience of the destination.
The company works across Maldives honeymoon holidays, resort stays, island holidays, speedboat and seaplane transfers, resort selection, water sports, snorkelling, dolphin and sandbank experiences, couple holidays and group travel.
According to the company, its approach is centred on planning the broader travel experience, including destination and resort selection, transfers, activities and itineraries, rather than limiting its role to accommodation or ticket bookings.
From its initial Maldives focus, TheTourist360 has expanded into a wider international travel portfolio covering destinations including Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bali, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Azerbaijan, Russia and destinations across Europe .
Within India, its travel portfolio includes destinations such as Andaman, Lakshadweep, Kashmir, Manali, Shimla and Meghalaya .
Celebrity and Creator Collaborations Expand Regional Reach
Alongside conventional travel services, TheTourist360 has developed a network of celebrities, influencers, YouTubers and travel creators across South India.
Its Tamil Nadu collaborations have included actress Anitha Sampath , cricketer Anirudha Srikanth , actress Samyuktha Shan , actress Dharsha Gupta , actor and comedian Dheena , and actor Sarath KPY , among others.
Anitha Sampath has been associated with multiple Maldives trips with the company. TheTourist360 has also organised celebrity-led group travel, including a Maldives group trip involving 40 travellers alongside Sampath.
The company's Tamil creator network has included names and platforms such as Sathish Deepa, Transit Bites, Village Database, Oh My Thagaval, Dan Jr Vlogs, Tamil Trekker, Akshaay Mathivanan, Budget Food & Travel, Chennai Vlogger, Rajisri, VJ Praveen, Maddy & Candy .
The creator network has subsequently expanded beyond Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka, collaborations have included Backpack with M, Dhanraj Archer Vlogs, Aishwarya Karkera, Flying Passport and My View . Its Telugu-market collaborations include Raju Kannabonia, American Dollor, Madhuri Krishna and Uma Telugu Traveller , while its Kerala network includes Divin Prabhakaran and Yaseen Vlogs .
Through these associations, creator-led travel experiences involving destinations such as the Maldives, Bali, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Dubai and Phuket have become part of the company's digital travel strategy.
The model uses destination visits, resort experiences, group and couple trips, activities, travel videos, social media content and destination storytelling to introduce travel experiences to audiences across Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam-speaking markets.
Growth from Three-Person Operation to 20-Plus Team
The company's development has taken place in phases. It started with Kalaiarasan's experience in Maldives tourism, followed by an after-hours travel venture and a small team of around three people. After he shifted to full-time entrepreneurship, TheTourist360 expanded to more than 10 employees by April 2023.
From 2024 onwards, the company entered another phase of expansion, adding destinations, employees, group travel activities, creator partnerships and a wider South India presence. It currently describes itself as a team of more than 20 professionals. 
Commenting on the journey, Kalaiarasan Loganathan, Founder and Managing Director of TheTourist360 , said the company's growth has remained connected to the practical experience he gained while working directly with travellers in the Maldives.
In 2025, TheTourist360 received the Most Trusted Travel Company of the Year recognition at Indian Awards 2025, while Kalaiarasan Loganathan received the Tourism Business Icon of the Year recognition. According to the company, both recognitions were presented by actor Sarath Kumar .
The company and its founder have also received visibility through regional news and digital platforms, including News 24×7, Sathiyam TV and Hindu Tamil digital news.
Looking ahead, TheTourist360 plans to continue developing its international travel business, Maldives tourism operations, honeymoon and luxury holidays, group tours, customised travel, creator-led experiences, destination partnerships and its presence across South India.
The company's journey, from a travel initiative run alongside an airport job in the Maldives to a multi-destination travel business in India, reflects Kalaiarasan's transition from tourism professional to full-time entrepreneur.
With the Maldives continuing to serve as its core destination expertise, TheTourist360 is now working towards expanding its international travel network while strengthening its presence across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala.
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