MakeMyTrip soft launches experiences as it reports gains across air and hotel units

MakeMyTrip Group has reported an increase of 27% to gross bookings of more than $1.2 billion for the second quarter of 2019 fiscal year.

Adjusted revenue for the India-based online travel agency was up 25% for the period at $160 million.

The company says it recorded its “highest ever” quarterly room nights in the past quarter with more than 6.5 million room nights stayed within its standalone hotels business.

Overall, the hotels and packages business contributed more than 53% to total adjusted revenue.

Within its hotels division, the company highlights developments such as a revamped progressive web application and proprietary videos for premium properties in the quarter.

Personalization developments are also progressing, it says.

In its air ticketing business, MakeMyTrip reported a 29% increase year-on-year with more than 10 million flight segments flown in the quarter.

During an earnings call, Rajesh Magow, co-founder and chief executive, India, also flagged its “new offering in line with our focus on travelers end-to-end experience.”

It seems that like OTA rivals Booking Holdings, Ctrip and TripAdvisor, MakeMyTrip is seeking to offer a more rounded experience.

Magow says the company has soft launched a series of “standalone and curated experiences” on its Android app.

He adds that initial experiences are available in key cities and include amusement parks, guided and walking tours and in-hotel dining deals. 

“We believe, this new product will help driving increased engagement and stickiness of the MakeMyTrip's app, and we will be adding even more experiences over time.”