Articles tagged “online travel”

Ixigo has done much of the heavy lifting in the domestic market. Outbound travel, though, plays by different rules as it needs global supply and boots on the ground. An overseas acquisition makes for a far more realistic entry point.

OTAs are posting record revenues, and the top four still dominate. But they face a major shift if AI platforms bypass them altogether.

Expedia and Booking are trying to be both the storefront and the supply chain. AI is squeezing the middle, and “doing both” starts to look less like diversification and more like diluted power.

The global online travel agency (or OTA) market is experiencing sustained, moderate growth, fueled by resilient international travel demand and rapid digital transformation across all travel sectors. The OTA market, valued at $94 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $107 billion by 2026, growing at a steady rate of 7%.

Travel's role in India's global spending is changing, now accounting for a lion's share. What started as post-pandemic revenge travel has now stabilized into a trend.

The UAE is a huge potential market for India given the vast Indian diaspora, but it has not yet been realized. And even with easier entry, the pace of change remains, well, glacial.

DigiYatra has managed to take away one of the biggest pain points of flying in India: long queues. And as Indians grow used to this convenience, it is well on its way to expand globally. Its biggest challenge — gaining other countries' trust.

The demand for air travel in India is growing at an unprecedented rate, but the aviation industry is still not out of the woods. Unless airlines expand internationally to gain more forex, they might continue to face losses.

Hotels, airlines, and travel players stand to benefit as concerts in India are no longer localized, with Indians repeatedly traveling as far as they need to for the experience.

With the Indian travel sector providing enough heft to the industry, international expansion is the next natural step for Ixigo. And based on the experiences of other travel players, it might also be necessary for survival.