TRAVEL search site Skyscanner is now seeking to expand its footprint in Asia-Pacific, having established itself as a leading player in the region’s online travel landscape over the last few years.
Speaking during a press conference in Bangkok to mark the official launch of Skyscanner in Thailand – the Thai-language website first went live in 2011 – Skyscanner’s general manager for Asia-Pacific, Andy Sleigh, said Skyscanner now holds a 20 per cent share of global traffic, up from seven per cent last year, and aims for 30 per cent by 2014.
“Australia and New Zealand are the strongest among the Asia-Pacific markets, but South-east Asia is quickly coming up,” said Sleigh. “We’re growing 400 per cent year-on-year in Asia. And with online penetration at only 30 per cent, more people will travel.”
Skyscanner has outlined plans to double the head count at its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore in the coming months, while Thailand is set to play a significant role in its regional development.
Sleigh remarked: “Thailand is a very attractive market, with a relatively young population, large number of FITs and smartphone penetration…There are opportunities to tap outbound demand from Thailand. We have built partnerships in Thailand to tap inbound tourists too, especially from China.”
Skyscanner will consolidate its position in Thailand by ramping up its marketing efforts and establishing alliances with companies such as CheapTickets.sg and Bangkok Airways, said market development manager for Thailand, Grace Pobpabha Areerat.
The Edinburgh-based company launched its regional headquarters in Singapore in 2011, an office in Beijing last year, a new Miami operation earlier this month and has a Barcelona office in the pipeline (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 9, 2013).
When asked if Skyscanner is looking at breaking into new markets in the region, Sleigh replied: “There are no markets in South-east Asia we’re not looking at, especially Cambodia and Myanmar. However, there needs to be sufficient online penetration (in a market) in order to be competitive.”
