Flipkart ties up with MakeMyTrip to enter online travel services

Ecommerce market leader Flipkart has entered into a partnership with online travel and ticketing platform MakeMyTrip to launch its entry into the online travel sector. Here on, users can leverage MakeMyTrip’s travel services on Flipkart’s platform. Online ticket booking services offered by Goibibo and Redbus, other travel platforms owned by MakeMyTrip, will also be available on Flipkart.

According to a press release, the new partnership will start with a roll-out of domestic flight bookings in the next few weeks, followed by hotels, bus and holidays bookings. The online shopping platform claims to have 100 million registered users and app downloads, which can now be leveraged by MakeMyTrip.

Though a substantial portion of MakeMyTrip’s revenues comes from its Indian unit MakeMyTrip (India) Private Limited, its other subsidiaries in Singapore and the UAE also contribute a small volume of revenue towards the parent firm’s revenues. Apart from air tickets, hotel packages, rail tickets, bus tickets, car hire and ancillary travel requirements, it also facilitates access to travel insurance.

Commenting on the partnership, Deep Kalra, Founder & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said,

“Flipkart is one of the most exciting companies of our times and we are delighted to partner with them to catalyse the massive online travel opportunity in India. This partnership will help us reach out to an even wider consumer base and further open up the online travel market in a significant way.”

The development comes when reports are floating around that US-based retail giant Walmart will acquire a majority stake in Flipkart, and that the domestic player will enter offline retail segment too. With the latest announcement, it surely looks like Flipkart is looking beyond ecommerce. Earlier, Snapdeal had also partnered with redBus and MakeMyTrip’s rival ClearMyTrip, but it failed to make an impact for the ecommerce site, which went down in no time. But Flipkart’s fortune could be different if implementation works better.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart, said in the press statement, “Flipkart and MakeMyTrip have played a defining role in shaping the consumer internet ecosystem in India and bringing millions of people online. This strategic partnership helps us make travel booking a seamless experience for customers, even those in the farthest regions, while also furthering our goal of being a one-stop destination for all digital transactions online."