Indian Travelers Still Prefer Direct Booking: India Report

09.01.2024 - 04:37 / skift.com

Hotel technology platform STAAH unveiled insights into its network of 19,000+ properties, revealing that in 2023, Indian travelers continued to remain inclined to book directly with hotels, despite the resurgence of online travel agencies.

Earlier Skift research had noted that demand for direct booking technology is witnessing a boom as hotels increasingly invest in it.

In its report, STAAH also noted that GoMMT, the owner of Goibibo and MakeMyTrip, secured the top spot in booking channels for the sixth consecutive year. Booking.com and Agoda retained their second and third positions, maintaining their standings from the previous year. Meanwhile,TravelGuru moved up two spots to claim the fourth position, while Expedia slipped down one spot to fifth place.

Indian Travel and Tourism Market Dynamics: Shoaib Ali, national sales head at STAAH, notes: “With their extensive reach in the Indian subcontinent and beyond, these online booking channels are well-positioned to capture their share of the burgeoning Indian travel and tourism market.”

STAAH SwiftBook and Direct Bookings: STAAH SwiftBook booking engine secured the sixth position, a slight decline from the previous year. However, the year-on-year revenue from this channel continues to grow. Shoaib mentions, “Travelers showed a continued openness to book directly with hotels in 2023, despite OTAs regaining ground.”

GDS and Business Travel Impact: As business bookings post-Covid resume and grow, global distribution system (GDS) makes a comeback in the top 10 channels. STAAH GDS and WebBeds enter the list at the eighth and tenth positions, reflecting strong demand from the business travel segment. HRS, an online booking portal specializing in business travel, also secures a position in the top 10.

Airbnb Holds Steady: Airbnb, the online marketplace for short-term and long-term rentals, maintains its seventh position in the Indian market. 

In the aftermath of the recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 Max, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India issued a directive to domestic airlines. The directive requires immediate inspection of emergency exits on all Boeing 737-8 Max planes in their fleets.

The move is considered a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft operations. The DGCA directive mandates “one-time emergency exit checks” for all Boeing 737-8 Max planes fleet operators.

What Happened? Alaska Air Flight 1282 experienced a blowout on Friday, resulting in the blowing off of a cabin panel. While en route to Ontario, California, the aircraft made an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon. According to flight data, the plane ascended to 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) before the incident