Latest news with #RajeshMagow
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Hotels rake in moolah as Indians hit the road for impulsive trips
NEW DELHI: A room at Pilibhit House-IHCL SeleQtions hotel in Uttarakhand's Haridwar this month or the next costs more than Rs 30,000 per night, according to an online travel platform. Despite the high price tag, the boutique hotel is experiencing a "significant" rise in last-minute, and impromptu bookings, said hotel manager Vikas Nagar. He said improved highway infrastructure is encouraging more travellers to choose Haridwar, situated on the banks of the Ganges, for a short, and drivable getaway. A rising number of Indians are taking to self-driving trips and road trips not just domestically but overseas as well. Rajesh Magow , co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip said the interesting shift being observed in leisure travel by road in recent times is the emergence of newer demand centres near metro hubs across the country. Road connectivity is improving every year, effectively bringing destinations closer with reduced driving hours, he said, adding while Jaipur and Agra continue to attract travellers from Delhi, the driving time to destinations like Dehradun, Rishikesh and Ajmer has 'significantly' reduced. "Similarly, while Mysuru remains a popular choice from Bengaluru, destinations such as Coorg, Wayanad, and Kabini have become more accessible due to improved connectivity, and the reduced driving time to Nagpur from Mumbai has also made it easier to plan road trips to Nashik and the Vidarbha region." Radisson Hotel Group is witnessing a steady uptick in bookings at its properties located within a comfortable driving distance from major cities, particularly in destinations like Karjat, Shimla, Lonavala, Mussoorie, and Saputara, said Nikhil Sharma, MD and COO of South Asia. The trend is not limited to India alone. Romil Pant, VP and head of holidays at Thomas Cook (India) said Australia, New Zealand, and the UK are emerging as key preferences not just for dramatic landscapes but also for the ease they offer Indian travellers with right-hand driving and English road signages. He said customers are increasingly combining stretches like Australia's Great Ocean Road or New Zealand's South Island circuits with stays in boutique vineyard estates, countryside lodges and national park accommodations. "These itineraries often include multiple stops, such as wine regions like Hunter and Barossa, scenic detours into rainforest zones or geothermal sites." S.D. Nandakumar, president and country head of holidays and corporate tours at SOTC Travel said wider availability of intuitive navigation apps, digital mapping, and road-trip platforms has also increased comfort in self-navigated travel. Despite some core areas of Ranthambore being closed to travellers currently, the Bookmark Resorts Jogi Mahal Ranthambore was fully occupied last weekend, said Ashish Vohra, cofounder and CEO of Justa Hotels & Resorts.
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Business Standard
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
MakeMyTrip adds 'seat availability forecast' feature to ease train bookings
Travel booking major MakeMyTrip on Monday launched Seat Availability Forecast, providing a predictive view of when seats on a selected train are likely to sell out. The Gurugram-headquartered firm said its data shows that nearly 40 per cent of users book train tickets across multiple sessions, often over several days. Among these users, close to 70 per cent end up booking waitlisted tickets, simply because confirmed seats are no longer available by the time their plans firm up. Reserved train tickets in India open for booking 60 days ahead of departure. However, most travellers only finalise their plans much closer to the date, MakeMyTrip stated. "With demand patterns varying significantly from week to week, the window for confirmed bookings keeps shifting. In April, most high-speed trains were sold out around 13 days before the departure date. By May, due to rising demand, they were typically booked out more than 20 days before departure," the NASDAQ-listed company said. For travellers, this means that even when they know which train they want, they often don't have a reliable sense of how long seats will remain available, making timely planning harder, it stated. The new feature is now live on both the MakeMyTrip app and website, embedded within the train booking flow. "We are focused on our mission to anticipate and address the nuanced needs of Indian rail passengers. Seat Availability Forecast is a result of that effort, rooted in data science, built to be seamless, and designed to solve a real planning challenge for millions of users. It is a strong addition to our rail stack, which helps make train travel more predictable and less stressful across the board," Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, said.
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Business Standard
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
MakeMyTrip launches train seat prediction tool to reduce waitlisted fares
In India, train tickets can be booked up to 60 days before departure. But most travellers delay until their travel plans are confirmed, often much closer to the travel date. This unpredictability in booking timing, combined with seat availability issues, leads to waitlisted tickets for nearly 70 per cent of travellers. According to data from MakeMyTrip, 40 per cent of users take several days to complete their bookings, and as confirmed seats often sell out quickly, this results in frustration. Seat availability is also unpredictable. In April 2025, high-speed trains were sold out around 13 days before the journey. By May, rising demand pushed that window to over 20 days. This shifting pattern makes it tough for travellers to know when they should book to get confirmed seats — even if they know which train they want to take. To solve this uncertainty, MakeMyTrip has introduced a 'seat availability forecast' feature on its platform. This tool uses advanced algorithms to predict when seats on a specific train are likely to sell out, helping travellers make more informed decisions and avoid waitlists. The tool is built on years of booking data and real-time demand patterns, and aims to help users plan their travel with confidence. The feature is now available on both the MakeMyTrip app and website, integrated directly into the train booking flow. 'We are focussed on our mission to anticipate and address the nuanced needs of Indian rail passengers. Seat availability forecast is a result of that effort, rooted in data science, built to be seamless, and designed to solve a real planning challenge for millions of users. It is a strong addition to our rail stack which helps make train travel more predictable and less stressful across the board,' said Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO, MakeMyTrip. Additionally, the platform has also rolled out a 'sold-out alerts' feature. If a traveller isn't ready to book right away, this alert system notifies them when seat availability on their selected train drops below a certain level. This early warning gives users a last chance to grab confirmed tickets before they're gone.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
MakeMyTrip rolls out ‘Seat Availability Forecast' feature to help train travellers
Online travel aggregator , MakeMyTrip has introduced a new 'seat availability forecast' feature for train new Seat Availability Forecast feature, now live on MakeMyTrip's app and website, predicts when seats on a chosen train are likely to sell out, allowing travellers to make informed booking decisions. The feature is built using advanced data models that analyse historical booking patterns alongside real-time demand signals . According to MakeMyTrip, nearly 40% of users book train tickets over multiple sessions, with 70% eventually securing only waitlisted tickets due to availability issues. With fluctuating demand, the timeline for confirmed bookings varies—from 13 days before departure in April to over 20 days in May. The new prediction tool aims to eliminate this uncertainty. 'We are focussed on our mission to anticipate and address the nuanced needs of Indian rail passengers . Seat Availability Forecast is a result of that effort, rooted in data science, built to be seamless, and designed to solve a real planning challenge for millions of users. It is a strong addition to our rail stack which helps make train travel more predictable and less stressful across the board.' said Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip. Along with this, the online travel booking platform has also introduced Sold-out Alerts feature , designed for travellers who are not ready to book the tickers immediately. The Sold-out Alert feature prompts timely action as seat availability begins to drop. Once activated, it notifies users when tickets on their selected train fall below a defined threshold, allowing them to book before confirmed seats run out. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
MakeMyTrip launches train seat availability feature and sold-out alerts
Travel company MakeMyTrip announced the launch of a new Seat Availability Forecast feature and Sold-out Alerts feature to help travellers track the status of their train seats and make their booking before they lose confirmed seats. For those looking to get a better idea of the available train seats while finalising their travel plans, MakeMyTrip's Seat Availability Forecast feature uses advanced models to offer a predictive view of when seats are likely to sell out. The models use a combination of years of historical booking data along with real-time demand signals, per the company. 'MakeMyTrip's data shows that nearly 40% of users book train tickets across multiple sessions, often over several days. Among these users, close to 70% end up booking waitlisted tickets, simply because confirmed seats are no longer available by the time their plans firm up,' said the company. Meanwhile, the Sold-out Alerts notify users when the number of available seats on the train of their choice begins to drop, so that travellers can make their booking while confirmed seats are still available. MakeMyTrip noted that the new feature was live on both the MakeMyTrip app and website. 'We are focussed on our mission to anticipate and address the nuanced needs of Indian rail passengers. Seat Availability Forecast is a result of that effort, rooted in data science, built to be seamless, and designed to solve a real planning challenge for millions of users. It is a strong addition to our rail stack which helps make train travel more predictable and less stressful across the board.' said Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip.
