ITQ Technologies Pvt. Ltd., the exclusive distributor of Travelport in India, hosted presentations on NDC and its pivotal role in shaping modern airline retailing and empowering travel agencies to better serve evolving market demands. The event, held in Gurugram, brought together key travel agencies and industry stakeholders. Notably, it has been 30 years since ITQ and Travelport first joined hands in 1994 to embark on what would become a remarkable partnership. Fast forward to today, ITQ and Travelport are poised to manage a 32 million trips.
India’s outbound travel market is poised for extraordinary growth, with passenger numbers projected to reach 39 million by 2028, reflecting a robust 8% annual compound growth rate (CAGR) from 2023, according to insights shared by global travel technology company Travelport. This rapid surge marks India’s increasing influence in the global travel industry, driven by expanding airline capacity, evolving consumer preferences, and technological advancements.
“In 2023, India saw 2.6 billion domestic trips, generating around $105 billion in travel spend. Outbound travel exceeded pre-COVID levels, reaching 27 million passengers with a total travel value of $40 billion. But here’s the most exciting part: projections indicate that by 2028, India’s outbound international travel will soar to 39 million passengers, representing an impressive 8% compound annual growth rate from 2023. This is an extraordinary trajectory for India and its travel industry,” shared Mark Meehan, Travelport’s GVP & Global Managing Director. According to Travelport insights, he further highlighted the remarkable growth of India’s travel sector, with 2.7 billion domestic trips and 27 million outbound trips, and a contribution of a total tourism spend of USD 145 billion so far.
He also noted that Indian carriers now account for 46% of international traffic, a significant jump from 35% before the pandemic. The phenomenal growth in India’s outbound travel is underpinned by fleet expansions from key players like Air India and Indigo. While Indigo explores long-haul markets, Air India’s ambitious plans include new aircraft orders and upgraded routes, further strengthening India’s aviation sector, said Meehan. Sharing more, he said that between April and June 2023, 12.7 million international passengers flew from India, of which 8 million were carried by Indian airlines—a clear indicator of their rising prominence.
“Supporting this growth are substantial investments in airport infrastructure across major metros and secondary cities, enabling smoother connectivity and boosting travel demand,” added Meehan emphasising the pivotal role of partnerships. “India, in particular, has been an incredibly fulfilling market for us at Travelport. Going forward, it is our responsibility, working in close collaboration, to seize the tremendous opportunities before us and ensure that we continue this growth journey together.”
The growing ambition among Indian customers to expand beyond domestic borders is also noteworthy. Meehan mentioned that the markets like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its booming economic activity, and the Gulf region remain key focus areas for Indian businesses, while opportunities in Asia Pacific and Europe are also gaining traction.
Adapting to evolving consumer demands
During the event, Damian Hickey, GVP & Global Head of Air at Travelport said that the global travel landscape is undergoing a transformative shift too driven by New Distribution Capability (NDC) and digital retailing. “We’ve seen an extraordinary 1,900% increase in travel products, largely fuelled by NDC. Alongside this, the shift to dynamic pricing and bleisure travel is reshaping traveller expectations,” Hickey said.
Today’s travellers, he said, are navigating a paradox: an abundance of choice that can be overwhelming. Similarly, agencies are grappling with the challenges of integrating traditional and NDC content to create seamless customer experiences. Airlines, too, are increasingly pushing for direct connections, highlighting the need for efficiency. “With 85% of travel managers predicting that dynamic pricing will dominate within five years, the agencies must adapt to integrate traditional and NDC content to offer personalized options efficiently,” shared Hickey.
Besides, he also highlighted other key trends that the travel agencies must capitalise on to thrive including:
1. Expanding Content Offerings: Travelers now demand seamless, end-to-end solutions that combine flights, hotels, car rentals, guided tours, and ancillary services. The global hotel market alone is growing at 6.8% annually, presenting opportunities for comprehensive travel packages.
2. Blended Travel: The bleisure trend, where travellers combine business with leisure, is on the rise. Nearly 89% of business travellers are extending work trips for leisure purposes, creating demand for flexible travel programs, as also shared by Hickey during the presentation.
3. Leveraging AI, technology: With 95% of customer interactions expected to be AI-driven by 2025, technology adoption will play a crucial role in delivering personalized recommendations, streamlining content, and enhancing customer experiences.
Looking ahead, Travelport has also outlined several transformative trends for the next three years which includes deepening AI Integration which will drive dynamic pricing, personalization, and operational efficiency; rising demand for personalization, and industry partnerships where the smaller agencies may merge with larger players or form alliances to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving landscape, Hickey suggested.
A partnership for the ages: ITQ and Travelport’s 30-Year journey
ITQ Technologies Pvt. Ltd., the exclusive distributor of Travelport in India, hosted an engaging presentation on NDC and its pivotal role in shaping modern airline retailing and empowering travel agencies to better serve evolving market demands. The event, held in Gurugram, Delhi, brought together key travel agencies and industry stakeholders.
Notably, it has been impressive 30 years since ITQ and Travelport first joined hands in 1994 to embark on what would become a remarkable partnership. In that very first year, the collaboration facilitated 16,000 trips—a number that seemed significant at the time. Fast forward to today, and this year alone, ITQ and Travelport are poised to manage a staggering 32 million trips. This phenomenal growth is a testament to the strength of this partnership and the immense potential of the Indian travel marketplace.
“Globally, Travelport operates in 180 countries and markets, but two regions have emerged as strategic powerhouses: the United States and India. These markets stand at the forefront of Travelport’s global priorities, driving significant investments, focused strategies, and robust partnerships to ensure continued leadership in the travel technology space,” shared John Elieson, Chief Operating Officer, Travelport.
“India’s legacy of being first—be it reaching the South Pole of the Moon or leading with groundbreaking innovations—resonates deeply with Travelport’s pioneering spirit in the country. Together with ITQ, Travelport has achieved several firsts: the first GDS to integrate IndiGo content, the first to introduce NDC content, and most recently, the first and only GDS to offer NDC content for Emirates. Yet, this is just the beginning. Travelport is committed to continuing its trailblazing journey in India,” he said, adding that there is another significant announcement in the pipeline, marking yet another ‘first’ for ITQ and Travelport in the market.
Anil Parashar, Executive Director, ITQ, who was also present during the ITQ-Travelport #GetModern event in Delhi acknowledged how Travelport has been actively implementing innovations. “From an India perspective, in the last few years, we’ve seen around 20 airlines adopt NDC, with many more in the pipeline. The JSON platform provides Travelport with a significant edge. ITQ has been a trusted partner for the past four decades, and we remain committed to working together to build a more tech-savvy, modern, and connected world.”
