Mohit Rathod – Mumbai
Hotelbeds, a global distributor of accommodation and ancillary products, which recently completed 10 years of business presence in India, has identified the country as its second most important market in Asia Pacific. The Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing in terms of business for Hotelbeds. The company has marked an average growth of over 35 per cent annually, for the last 10 years in India.
Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Sam Turner, sales director, Hotelbeds, said, “India is a powerhouse in terms of travel industry and economic growth. The India market is growing more quickly than other markets. We have hundreds of clients in the India market; we are covering majority of the large players in the country. Alongside the 35 per cent growth we have witnessed, we also see plenty of opportunities to continue the growth.”
Nikhil Jain, sales director – South Asia, Hotelbeds revealed that leisure forms the largest part of Hotelbeds’ business, accounting for around 95 per cent share. In terms of future expansion, the company has identified technology as the biggest growth area; it plans to leverage upon data and speed. Turner elaborated, “We are investing a lot in technology. The demography of the India market include young people, hence it is essential to invest in technology. We are leveraging upon the data that we have; we witness 20 billion searches every year. Speed and data, specifically, are very important factors in technological advancement. We are making sure that we invest in infrastructure that develops these two.” Hotelbeds started operating in India with around 40,000 accommodation products, and has now witnessed its growth to around 100,000. However, the company has oberved growth in demand for ancillary products, alongside accommodations. Turner indicated that Hotelbeds is also focusing on ancillary product offerings.
Turner added, “A major trend in the India market is that costumers are buying more ancillary products. So now we understand the key destinations such as Dubai and Thailand, which are very popular among Indians, and we sell actvities in those destinations.”
