Top online booking channels hold strong in India’s booming travel economy, ET TravelWorld

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.

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.”