Thriving on e-ticketing growth

Pune: The online travel sector may comprise a mere 2.2 per cent of the domestic travel market, but it is set to grow from $796 million in 2006 to around $2 billion by 2008, according to a recent report by PhoCusWright.
The online travel industry grew at 126 per cent from a base of $295 million in 2005 to $796 in 2006. In 2007, it is expected to record a 66 per cent growth to be a $1,325 million industry and by 2008, it will grow at 51 per cent to be a $2,004 million (around $2 billion) industry, reasons the report.
Rediff.com recently launched faresearch.rediff.com, a tool that searches for the lowest airfare across all travel, airline and auction web sites, thus marking its entry in this fast-growing space.
Earlier this year, Sify acquired US-based Globe Travels which issues e-tickets in the India-US travel space.
And this July, cleartrip.com was launched by veterans from the travel industry, one of them being Sandeep Murthy – a partner at Sherpalo Ventures.
Even carriers like Jet Airways are moving into the space. following the success of low-cost airlines Air Deccan, GoAir and Spice Jet in e-ticketing.
26/09/06 Sapna Agarwal/Business Standard

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