In a recent revelation by global hotel technology giant STAAH, leading travel platforms GoMMT (MakeMyTrip), Booking.com, and Agoda have maintained their supremacy in India’s rapidly growing travel economy. The report highlights the dominance of these channels, emphasising their strategic positioning to capture a significant share of the expanding Indian travel and tourism market.
GoMMT, the owner of Goibibo and MakeMyTrip, has secured the top spot for the sixth consecutive year, showcasing its unwavering influence in the Indian subcontinent. Booking.com and Agoda retained their second and third positions, consistently holding their ground from the previous year.
TravelGuru exhibited notable growth by climbing two spots to secure the fourth position, while Expedia slightly receded to the fifth spot in the ranking.
Shoaib Ali, National Sales Head, STAAH, commented on the significance of these online booking channels, stating, “With their huge reach in the Indian subcontinent and beyond, these online booking channels are well placed to capture their share of the burgeoning Indian travel and tourism market.”
According to reports from Sabre and McKinsey, domestic travel in India has already surpassed pre-Covid levels, and international trips are expected to witness significant growth, projecting an increase from 13 million in 2022 to 80 million in 2040.
STAAH SwiftBook booking engine secured the sixth position, showcasing its continued relevance and year-on-year revenue growth. Shoaib emphasised that despite the resurgence of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), travellers have shown a sustained inclination to book directly with hotels.
“STAAH’s continued presence in the top 10 online booking channel list is representative of this trend,” added Shoaib.
Mathias Schmid, Senior Vice President, Trip Division, Booking.com provided deeper insights into the company’s vision and the role of the new COE in an exclusive interview with ETTravelWorld. For the Indian market, this translates into scaling the attractions business and adding more relevant products to cater to the unique preferences and travel patterns of Indian users.
Highlighting the resurgence of business travel post-Covid, Global Distribution System (GDS) has reentered the top 10 channels. STAAH GDS and WebBeds secured the eighth and tenth positions, respectively, reflecting the strong demand from the business travel segment. HRS, an online booking portal specialising in business travel, also maintained a position in the top 10 list.Airbnb, the popular online marketplace for short-term and long-term rentals, retained its seventh position, further underlining its influence in the Indian market.
STAAH’s data, representing over 19,000 properties across 90 countries with 350+ integrations, suggests that accommodation providers are adopting a holistic commerce strategy to attract the right guests at the right time. Shoaib concluded, “New and established online channels are making the distribution mix, allowing accommodation providers to be booked according to evolving seasons and updated traveler preferences that span multiple channels.”
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The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has recently solidified its partnership with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement was formalised during the 62nd ICCA Congress held in Bangkok, hosted by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). The collaboration, emphasising responsible and sustainable growth in the travel and tourism sector, aims to create meaningful connections between the two organisations on a global scale.
Under the terms of the MoU, PATA and ICCA plan to develop joint program content focused on nurturing the ‘Business Travel’ sector in the Asia Pacific region. Emphasis will be placed on sustainability in future activities and events, and both organisations will engage in cross-participation in flagship events.
“This partnership holds great promise for the expansion of business opportunities in the region as there is important synergy between the travel and tourism industry and business events, as both relate to travel and economic impact for destination and industry players. We eagerly look forward to sharing valuable insights and best practices with them,” said PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid.
“ICCA is proud to sign this important MoU agreement with PATA which reinforces how closely linked our organisations are. We both share values around sustainability, education, legacy, and advocating for the global significance of international collaboration and partnership. Asia Pacific is an amazing place, culturally diverse and endlessly fascinating. It offers so much to the world in terms of travel and business. Yet it is the people here that are key to developing new opportunities, and ICCA salutes the collective energy, efficiency, and boundless desire to create unique event experiences for all,” said ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath.
The newly elected Executive Committee and office bearers will work towards promoting sustainable and responsible tourism in the region, fostering cooperation, and supporting the growth of the travel and tourism industry in India. PATA India Chapter expresses gratitude for the unconditional support of its association and looks forward to contributing to the development of the industry in the coming years, said PATA India in its statement.
The MoU was signed by Gopinath on November 12, witnessed by officials from TCEB, PATA, and ICCA during the ICCA Congress in Bangkok. This is the second time Thailand played host to the ICCA Congress, with the first time in 2007 in Pattaya. In addition to this collaboration, PATA announced that the PATA Annual Summit 2024 will be hosted by the Macao Government Tourism Office. The event, supported by SJM Resorts, S.A., is scheduled to take place from May 15 to 17, 2024, at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau.
The summit will bring together international thought leaders, industry influencers, and decision-makers engaged in driving tourism within the Asia Pacific region. The program will include plenary sessions, breakout sessions, and meetings, providing a platform for discussions on challenges, opportunities, and the responsible and sustainable growth of tourism in the region.
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The Indian consumer, empowered by a world-leading Digital Public Infrastructure, actively engages with online services across various sectors and industries. However, there are various factors discouraging people from booking holidays online in India. To find out, Alike, the social travel marketplace, recently conducted a comprehensive survey through its official social media channels and online travel communities to find the primary reasons deterring individuals from making their holiday bookings online.
The Alike Survey results indicate that 40 per cent of respondents cited misleading information regarding destinations, accommodations, or prices as a major deterrent, eroding trust in online holiday brands. Another 26 per cent were dissuaded by past experiences of subpar customer service during travel planning, leaving them feeling unheard and unsupported.
Booking a trip online should be a seamless journey filled with delightful experiences, explained the survey. However, it also exposes a notable lack of trust in online holiday bookings by Indian travellers, stemming from hidden fees, misleading promotions, and inadequate customer support. The online travel industry faces a critical challenge: rebuilding faith in a platform designed to simplify and enhance the travel experience.
Additionally, the report spotlighted that 21 per cent of respondents expressed frustration with the time-consuming process of hunting for the best deals tailored to their preferences. This often leads to hours spent comparing options. Finally, 12 per cent of respondents noted the absence of personalised recommendations and travel options, resulting in a feeling of impersonal treatment with one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter options on online holiday booking platforms.
This collaboration comes as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two airlines last year. Starting September 15, travellers flying Emirates can book their travel itineraries with flights available immediately. The MoU allows these customers to explore 16 holiday destinations in the Maldives, besides offering the single-ticket solution.
While hotel reservations and transport bookings for flights, rail, buses, and taxis have seen significant digital adoption, holiday package bookings are still predominantly conducted over the phone or in person. Despite various online players offering these services, Indian tourists have not embraced online holiday bookings to the same extent as other industries, including transport services, the survey revealed.”The Indian consumer is used to benchmark digital experiences in their daily life, and it is high time they are served with similar quality of service in online holiday bookings as well. We at Alike are proud of the continued top-rated reviews from our global customers and are committed to offering the same trustworthy online experiences for holiday bookings for our Indian customers, that are based on global best practices,” commented Ashish Sidhra, Co-founder at Alike, acknowledging the pain points.
Evidently, regaining customer trust entails more than just technological improvements; it necessitates transparency, integrity, and genuine customer-centricity, the survey emphasised.
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