To bring in personalized user experience, MakeMyTrip has added features such as mobile virtual assistant (GIPS) to assist customers while on trip, notifications when fares for searched routes / hotels fall, etc made possible by data mining and use of Artificial Intelligence algorithms. MakeMyTrip has also been continuously upgrading its mobile platform, which has led to reduced latency rate, lower app size, 100% crash-free performance, etc. – enhancing customer experience and hence retention and repeat rates.
MakeMyTrip had 5.2mn monthly active users on its platform in F1Q17 vs. 4.2mn in F4Q16. Downloads of the MakeMyTrip app have exceeded 23mn as of the end of F1Q17. The company’s nationwide TV campaign has resulted in 63% growth in new users acquired and 59% growth in total users. Mobile has been the key driver of traffic for MakeMyTrip. In overall traffic mobile accounted for 73% share in domestic hotel transactions and 44% in domestic flights in 1Q17.
According to the latest Millward Brown survey in Mar-2016, MakeMyTrip’s market share was 600 basis points more than the nearest competitor’s share at ~28%. According to the company, MakeMyTrip has an air market share of 51% among OTAs. MakeMyTrip ended the quarter with more than 33,000 hotels in its domestic network, up 10% QoQ.
Management believes that recent fund raisings by other OTAs might increase competitive intensity again but this is unlikely to dent MakeMyTrip’s market share, since MakeMyTrip will continue with its aggressive stance given its balance sheet strength.