Cleartrip Explained

Cleartrip (previously known as Cleartrip Travel Services Private Limited) is a global online travel agency, headquartered in Mumbai.[1] The company operates an online travel aggregator website for booking flights,[2] train tickets, hotel reservations, and activities in India and the Middle East countries. It holds offices across India, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

History

Cleartrip was founded in 2006 as a hotels and air aggregator by Stuart Crighton, Hrush Bhatt, and Matthew Spacie. Seeing the fragmentation that existed in the Indian travel and hospitality sector, the founders decided to enter the online travel space.[3]

Cleartrip also operates Cleartrip for Business,[4] an online corporate travel management tool; Agent Box,[5] a travel tool for travel agents; and Cleartrip Mobile,[6] a travel booking app for mobile devices. In 2012, it launched new services such as Quickeys, a hotel booking application[7] and other journey planning services.[8] [9]

In April 2012, Cleartrip launched iOS app with a split-screen search feature to enable round-trip search results. Its app also came with geo-location feature to choose the airport for departure from the current location. The search platform of the app also allows users to swap the from and to cities with a tap. The app also runs on both IOS and Android.[10]

In January 2013, Cleartrip brought air, rail and bus tickets to Apple's Passbook.[11] [12] The same year the company undertook a massive UI redesign project, Tuxedo where every field in the website was thought through in terms of placement, display, action.[13]

In 2014, Cleartrip Mobile was recognized as part of Apple's Best of 2014 Trends of the year and also featured as the ‘Editor's Pick.[14] [15]

In 2015, Cleartrip became the first Indian online travel agency to feature on Apple Watch and by the end of 2015, its app traffic had overtaken web traffic and accounted for 59 per cent of its total traffic.[16] By May 2016 nearly 75% of Cleartrip's traffic was coming via mobile.[17]

In April 2018, Cleartrip launched an Arabic version of its website to target the growing Arabic community in the GCC region.[18]

In May 2018, Cleartrip launched an app for Amazon's Alexa voice assistant that enables Alexa users to voice search air travel options.[19] [20]

With gross booking value of $1.4 billion and revenues worth of $110 million,[21] Cleartrip has annual growth of over 40% in MENA, driven by the increasing shift from offline to online.[22]

In 2018, Cleartrip was named as one among the only two companies that followed the GDPR and allowed users to delete personal information associated with their accounts.[23]

In June 2020, Cleartrip announced the launch of TravelSafe – an initiative that allowed customers to get information of the latest travel restrictions on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.[24] [25]

Since the acquisition of Cleartrip by Flipkart, the company has participated in the Flipkart Big Billion Day event in October 2021.[26] [27] It has signed up Anil Kapoor as its brand ambassador.

The company has announced its plan to expand its workforce by 50% by March 2022.[28]

In October 2021, Cleartrip appointed former Myntra executive Ayyappan R as its new CEO.[29] [30]

in October 2023 : Flipkart-owned Cleartrip's loss nearly doubles in FY23; income falls 17%[31]

Partnership

In 2017, Google announced partnership with Cleartrip for its flight search application, Google Flights.[32]

In May 2018, Cleartrip had extended its partnership with Klook and Musement, global activity platforms to amplify its integrated travel services in 48 European and 18 Southeast Asian countries.[33]

In June 2018, Cleartrip announced its partnership with Kerala Tourism Development Corporation to become an online seller of KTDC's exclusive set of activities.[34]

In 2019, e-commerce company Amazon forayed into the flight booking space by partnering with Cleartrip.[35]

In November 2019, Cleartrip entered into a partnership with PAYBACK India for a loyalty program.[36]

In 2021, Cleartrip expanded its partnership with Sabre as a strategy to streamline its GDS relationships and to make Sabre its GDS partner.[37]

Shareholding

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Ram Shriram and DAG Ventures were some of the early investors in Cleartrip.[38]

In April 2021, Cleartrip was acquired in an undisclosed deal by Walmart owned Flipkart.[39]

In October 2021, the Adani group picked up a minority stake in Cleartrip for an undisclosed amount.[40]

Geographic Expansion

In May 2010, Cleartrip launched its first overseas venture in the UAE.[41] In May 2012, it expanded its operations to the Persian Gulf nations of Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.[42] On June 21, 2018, Cleartrip announced the acquisition of Saudi Arabia-based online travel aggregator Flyin.[43]

Notes and References

  1. News: 21 June 2018. Cleartrip acquires Saudi Arabia’s online travel firm Flyin. en. Arab News.
  2. Web site: 3 September 2012. Cleartrip offers cab booking services. The Hindu.
  3. Web site: March 10, 2014. Crystal clear: Using design as a differentiator in a crowded market. NDTV.
  4. Web site: "Cleartrip targets 2000 corporates" . 29 September 2015 . 30 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930160634/http://archivetravel.financialexpress.com/20090731/market09.shtml . dead .
  5. Web site: "Cleartrip registered more than 3000 agents in India" . 29 September 2015 . 30 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930153743/http://www.indiatourismreview.com/technology/just-two-years-we-have-registered-more-3000-agents-india . dead .
  6. Web site: "Cleartrip launches mobile travel solution" . 29 September 2015 . 30 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930153743/http://www.indiatourismreview.com/technology/just-two-years-we-have-registered-more-3000-agents-india . dead .
  7. Web site: Rai. Aman. Cleartrip Launches Last Minute Hotel Booking Service, Quickeys. medianama.com.
  8. Web site: Rai. Anand. Cleartrip expands its hotels product with the launch of Weekend Getaways service, what's on offer?. techcircle.vccircle.com.
  9. Web site: Cleartrip launches visually-appealing travel guides, Collections. NDTV.
  10. Web site: Cleartrip launches iOS app with split-screen search feature. Digit.
  11. Web site: 2013-01-11. Cleartrip allows paperless boarding pass on iOS and third-party Android apps via Passbook. 2020-02-14. Techcircle. en-US.
  12. Web site: Cleartrip becomes first Indian online travel agency to feature on Apple Watch. 2020-02-14. Business Line. en.
  13. Web site: Cleartrip revamps Flight and Hotel search. 2020-02-14. NDTV Gadgets 360. en.
  14. Web site: 2017-07-07. Cleartrip hires Indroneel Dutt and Ankit Rastogi as CFO and VP. 2020-02-14. Daily News and Analysis. en.
  15. Web site: Still confused about the weekend? Try these 5 apps to enjoy local experiences. 2020-02-14. www.aninews.in. en.
  16. News: Mohapatra. Sadananda. 2015-12-26. Cleartrip says mobile app traffic overtakes website. Business Standard India. 2020-02-14.
  17. Web site: 2016-05-10. Nearly 75% of Cleartrip’s traffic in Q4FY15 came via mobile. 2020-02-14. MediaNama. en-US.
  18. Web site: Kar. Sanghamitra. Jun 23, 2017. Cleartrip now speaks Arabic. The Economic Times.
  19. Web site: Sathe. Gopal. April 17, 2018. Cleartrip on Alexa Integration, Building Apps for Voice, and the Smart Speakers Scene in India. NDTV.
  20. Web site: 2018-04-17. Cleartrip enables Alexa users to voice search air travel options. 2020-02-14. Hindustan Times. en.
  21. Web site: Mathew. James. January 27, 2019. India-based Cleartrip to ramp up Mideast operations. Arabian Business.
  22. Web site: Mathew. James. June 22, 2018. Cleartrip Acquires Saudi Arabia-Based Flyin To Venture Into MENA Region. INC42.
  23. News: 13 June 2018. Most Indian Companies Don't Let You Delete Your Account. And They Won't Say Why.. en. HuffPost India.
  24. News: Chaturvedi. Anumeha. Cleartrip introduces TravelSafe across markets in Middle East, India. The Economic Times. 2021-11-24.
  25. Web site: Cleartrip launches Travel Safe initiative. 2021-11-24. Business Traveller. en-GB.
  26. News: Chaturvedi. Anumeha. OTAs, hotels, airlines launch 'festive' offers to boost bookings further. The Economic Times. 2021-11-24.
  27. Web site: 2021-10-04. Cleartrip collaborates with Flipkart Big Billion Days to offer refund on flight cancellation at Re 1 and other discounts. 2021-11-24. The Financial Express. en-US.
  28. Web site: 2021-10-14. We would add close to 50% more to our workforce by March 2022: Ajay Sreedhara, Head HR, Cleartrip. live. 2021-11-24. People Matters. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20211130122738/https://www.peoplematters.in/article/talent-acquisition/we-would-add-close-to-50-more-to-our-workforce-by-march-2022-ajay-sreedhara-head-hr-cleartrip-31272 . 30 November 2021 .
  29. News: Mishra. Digbijay. Flipkart appoints Myntra executive Ayyappan R as Cleartrip CEO in a big restructuring move. The Economic Times. 2021-11-24.
  30. Web site: Gandhi. Forum. Flipkart plans to make Cleartrip an end-to-end travel app: Prahlad Krishnamurthi. 2021-11-24. @businessline. en.
  31. News: 2023-10-19 . Flipkart-owned Cleartrip's loss nearly doubles in FY23; income falls 17% . The Economic Times . 2023-11-30 . 0013-0389.
  32. Web site: 18 September 2017. Google Flights ties up with ClearTrip in India expansion bid. The Economic Times.
  33. Web site: Chaturvedi. Anumeha. May 8, 2018. Cleartrip launches end-to-end experiential travel in Europe, South East Asia. The Economic Times.
  34. Web site: Kar. Sanghamitra. June 7, 2018. Cleartrip Tied Up With KTDC. BusinessWorld.
  35. News: 16 May 2019. Amazon Launches Flight Bookings in India in a Superapp Strategy. Skift.
  36. News: Himatsingka. Anuradha. 2019-11-27. Cleartrip enters into a partnership with PAYBACK India to offer special loyalty program. The Economic Times. 2020-02-14.
  37. Web site: Network. T3 News. Cleartrip expands partnership with Sabre. 2022-01-06. www.traveltrendstoday.in. en-gb.
  38. Web site: 2006-12-12. Indian travel site Cleartrip raises $8M from DAG Ventures — because DAG can react within 48 hours. 2021-11-24. VentureBeat. en-US.
  39. Web site: Flipkart Acquires Cleartrip to Further Expand Online Business. 2021-11-24. NDTV Gadgets 360. en.
  40. Web site: 2021-10-30. Gautam Adani's Adani Group Buys Minority Stake in Cleartrip. 2021-11-24. News18. en.
  41. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-05-06/news/28483156_1_online-travel-cleartrip-uae "Cleartrip launches UAE operations"
  42. Web site: Fernz. Charmaine. Cleartrip to invest and expand localized operations in the GCC. Travel Daily Media.
  43. Web site: Cleartrip & Flyin join forces. 2018-06-21. Flyin. en-US.

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