India has always been an important market for Booking.com. But in the recent years, it has come in the top five growing markets for the company. To support this and further enhance the bookings done through the company, Booking.com is making a conscious effort to make investments into this market and make more strategised plans for future growth.
With 47,500 Indian properties listed on its website, Booking.com sees India among its top five growing markets. Speaking exclusively to Indian media at its headquarters here in Amsterdam, Gillian Tans, CEO, Booking.com said, “We see India in our top five growing markets. With more than 47,000 listings, it clearly shows the amount of investment our company is making in the India market. It is a market that is fast growing and it is one that we have prioritised.”
She went on to add that the biggest change she saw in the India market is that more and more consumers are finding their way online. “Companies like MakeMyTrip have really helped open up the market. Even in the non hotel segment, a lot of models like Oyo Rooms have emerged which have professionalised the category. They have standardised the segment and bring a quality layer online,” she said.
The company is also all set to unveil the Booking Booster winners at a grand ceremony at The Tobacco Theatre.
Building upon its successful launch in 2017, Booking Booster is Booking.com’s three week accelerator programme consisting of a series of lectures, hands-on workshops and coaching that culminates in a final pitch for early stage sustainable tourism startups to win a grant of upto 500,000 euros to scale up their businesses. Two Indian startups, Global Himalayan Expedition and Sakha Consulting Wings (Women on Wheels), are among the ten shortlisted for the final pitch in this year’s Booster programme.
Last year, an Indian startup called Authenticook by Ameya Deshpande won a grant of 200,000 euros. The Mumbai-based startup helps travellers get a taste of authentic homemade cuisine, by connecting residents with tourists online.