Pakistani startup Bookme eyes $20 million annual revenue from Saudi Arabia expansion

Arab News

2 days ago

ISLAMABAD: The founder of a Pakistani leading e-ticketing platform, Bookme, said this week he expects the startup to generate $20 million annually from its expansion into Saudi Arabia, following its recent deal with the Kingdom's leading delivery platform, Mrsool.
Founded in 2013, Bookme is Pakistan's leading cashless e-ticketing platform, offering users online bookings for train and bus travel, flights, hotels, cinemas and other events. The startup has quickly gained a foothold across Pakistan, forging partnerships with major transport and fintech companies. Today, Bookme says it has over 14 million users.
Bookme entered the Saudi market in 2024 via a strategic partnership with Mrsool, a leading food and package delivery app in the Kingdom, and the Saudi Tourism Ministry (STA). In early 2025, it also signed a deal with flyadeal, a low-cost Saudi airline, to facilitate direct flight bookings between Pakistan and the Kingdom's cities.
'Bookme expects to generate around $20 million in additional annual revenue from its expansion in Saudi Arabia,' the company's founder and Chief Executive Officer Faizan Aslam told Arab News via telephone.
'The Mrsool contract alone is worth around $5 million annually and the flyadeal partnership is valued at approximately $4 million,' he added.
He said Bookme's integration with Mrsool was completed, adding that it was expected to go live by the end of July.
'Mrsool is one of the most popular mobile applications in Saudi Arabia and very soon, its users will also be able to book airline tickets and make hotel reservations across the globe directly within the Saudi Mrsool app,' Aslam said.
Aslam said Mrsool was the first 'drop of the rain,' adding that Bookme had several other partnerships in the pipeline, including ones with the Kingdom's leading banks and fintech companies.
Without disclosing any names, Aslam said Bookme had already signed three contracts, including ones with two banks that were pending approval from Saudi Arabia's central bank.
Aslam said the users of these banks would soon be able to access similar services from their respective applications.
On its flyadeal collaboration, the Bookme founder said the platform had aimed to support the airline's growth by tapping into its large user base built through strong traction within the Pakistani market.
He noted that flyadeal recently began flight operations from Karachi, adding that it is also set to launch services from Lahore and Islamabad soon.
'Through this partnership, Bookme can help drive a significant number of new passengers to flyadeal,' Aslam said.
Aslam shared that Bookme's ticket fares were around 6–7 percent lower than the market average, with discounts rising to as much as 15 percent during seasonal promotions.
Aslam highlighted the e-ticketing platform's partnership with the STA to promote the Kingdom as a top destination for Pakistani travelers.
'We are not a Hajj or Umrah operator or a traditional group travel agency,' he said. 'We focus on business travelers, families and leisure passengers moving between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,' Aslam added.
He explained that Bookme runs campaigns, events and influencer marketing initiatives with the STA to position the Kingdom as a preferred destination for Pakistani travelers.
The startup is currently growing at approximately 130 percent year-on-year basis, Aslam said. He said the platform was expected to reach greater heights through its expansion into Saudi Arabia.
'With the full-scale launch of operations in Saudi Arabia, our growth is expected to accelerate significantly, potentially reaching three to four times the current levels annually,' the Bookme founder said.
Bookme has raised around $10 million in funding to date and plans to raise another funding round to support its broader regional expansion. Aslam, however did not disclose further details.
While Saudi Arabia remains its primary focus, Bookme is also targeting expansion across the Middle East and Africa, using Saudi Arabia as its regional base.
'We are trying to sign deals in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar through our Saudi office, with plans to expand into Africa— starting with South Africa and Tanzania— while our primary focus remains on the GCC and broader Middle East region,' he said.