India is among the top five growing markets for Booking.com which has moved from being an 'accommodation only' travel metasearch engine to new areas of last mile connectivity taking the friction out of travel and enabling its customers to experience the world seamlessly
As one walks into Booking.com's headquarters in The Bank building in Amsterdam, one is struck by the seamless open concept, quirky office decor, numerous break out spaces, gaming areas, green meeting rooms and amazing views of the city (including a windmill!) from the terrace that even has an old clock tower. Every booking.com office - they have 14 of them in Amsterdam and 198 worldwide - has incorporated into its design one element of the city they are based in. Not surprisingly, the HQ has a cycle track inside the office because Amsterdam is known for its cycling culture.
Booking.com also has a multi-cultural workforce - there are around 100 nationalities working in this office alone. And this is where CEO Gillian Tans is spearheading Booking.com's new revenue streams. She says, “Our aim is taking the friction out of travel. We keep the customer at the centre of everything we do. We are always creating and testing new products that enable people to experience the world seamlessly.”
From an accommodation only company, Booking.com is now moving into new areas in last mile connectivity like ground transportation, airport transfers/shuttles, experiences, ticketing for events, services of the property (like say a guest wants a goldfish in a bowl in his room). “We don't believe in copying others. So we will first build the supply and then see how the experiences can be innovative. The key is how to create customer value and execute smarter than the others,” reiterates Tans.
Presently the company has introduced activities/experiences in 44 cities including Barcelona, London, Paris. Its car rental service has also been integrated into the Booking.com platform as Booking.go.
This story is from the Express Travelworld (Vol.13, No.6) July, 2018 edition of Express Travelworld.
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This story is from the Express Travelworld (Vol.13, No.6) July, 2018 edition of Express Travelworld.
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