Established in 2000, Indian online travel agency MakeMyTrip has since positioned itself as one of the leading companies, providing great offers, competitive airfares, exclusive discounts, and a seamless online booking experience to many of its customers. MakeMyTrip made a push to go global: It has extended its services to over 150 countries, including the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, and France.

Until now, it has operated primarily in India, the U.S., and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This expansion comes after MakeMyTrip’s compliance with key international standards and regulations, like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

The primary motivation behind this move is to ensure that travelers, regardless of their geographical location, can use the platform’s offerings. Travelers can now seamlessly book flights, hotels, and holiday packages for themselves and their families across the globe through MakeMyTrip, the company told Skift.

“Before this, our existing users could reach us while traveling abroad for their trip for any existing booking,” MakeMyTrip said in a statement to Skift. “However, travelers from Europe and the UK faced limitations when attempting to make fresh bookings on the platform. With the platform now achieving GDPR compliance, these constraints have been eliminated.”

Virendra Jain, co-founder and CEO of Videc, a travel research firm, said MakeMyTrip’s global strategy isn’t surprising.

“I think it’s coming in now because of all the compliances that were required,” Jain said.

In its India Travel Market Sizing report released last year, Videc noted that MakeMyTrip Group was the largest online travel agency in the country, with 54% of of total gross booking value in online travel.

Benefits for Travelers

• More Choice: Customers worldwide can access MakeMyTrip’s competitive deals on flights, hotels, and travel packages.
• Convenience: Travelers across many countries can now enjoy the ease of booking everything for their trip in one place.
• Potential for New Features: MakeMyTrip’s global focus could mean exciting new features and offerings for travelers.

The Indian Diaspora

“Our global accessibility will help us reach the vast Indian diaspora. Importantly, this expansion will enable us to cater to a broader audience, fostering increased inbound travel to India,” said Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip.

China’s leading online travel agency, Trip.com, has used a similar strategy.

Jain emphasized the significance of diaspora communities in driving travel and tourism markets, citing India, China, and to a lesser extent, the Philippines, as major opportunities.

He noted that MakeMyTrip’s extensive coverage of Indian destinations and its diverse range of accommodations position the company well to meet the inbound demand for India, including travelers seeking spiritual and wellness experiences.

Jain noted this latest move by MakeMyTrip aligns with the online travel agency’s track record of successfully replicating its India-focused strategy in other emerging markets, notably in the UAE.

“MakeMyTrip grew exponentially in the UAE banking upon the diaspora, but has now localized its offerings for the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) population. The company is now aiming for a similar success in the Saudi market, anticipating significant growth in both domestic inbound and outbound travel. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wants to replicate this model to other global emerging markets,” he added.

As MakeMyTrip expands, it will need to prioritize customer service. “While traveling to any international destination, one’s priority is security of reservation and customer service,” one analyst told Skift. “The trust factor will play an important role for MakeMyTrip in the competitive online travel space.”