Yatra.com acquires 100 percent stake in Travelguru

The acquisition will extend its position as the premiere aggregator and seller of domestic hotels and holidays in India.

Online travel portal Yatra.com has acquired 100 per cent stake in Travelguru from Travelocity Global for an undisclosed amount. Travelguru will continue to operate as a separate entity under its existing brand name. The acquisition of Travelguru will strengthen Yatra.com's position as the leading company in the Indian online travel space and substantially extend its position as the premiere aggregator and seller of domestic hotels and holidays in India.

This acquisition is Yatra.com's fourth major acquisition in the last 18 months, following the purchase of TSI in October 2010, MagicRooms in June 2011 and Buzzintown in January, 2012.

Commenting on the development, Dhruv Shringi, co-founder and CEO, Yatra.com, says, "This acquisition will significantly strengthen our domestic hotels and holidays business and reinforce our growth strategy and long term commitment and belief in the Indian online travel industry. Not only will this consolidation increase our customer base, but also widen our product portfolio and leverage our ability to bundle solutions, offering better deals and value propositions to our customers. The acquisition will also provide Travelguru's hotel partners with a much wider distribution network through Yatra.com and its B2B network of 10,000+ agents."

Roshan Mendis, president, Travelocity North America, says, "The two brands have obvious synergy and are an excellent fit. Moving forward, we will work closely with the Yatra.com team on a transition plan and an arrangement to source India hotel content for Travelocity Global so that our customers continue to have the best access to accommodation options in India."

For the record, Travelguru is touted as India's largest hotel distribution network offering access to more than 6,500 hotels in India and 72,000 hotels worldwide. It offers travelers the opportunity to plan and purchase their travel in a transparent, easy and customizable manner with instant bookings and confirmations. Focused on growing Indian hotel demand, Indian hotel supply and a wide distribution network, Travelguru facilitates a broad range of travel options and recommendations for domestic as well as international travelers.

Earlier, Yatra.com acquired ticket consolidator Travel Services International (TSI) to strengthen its foray into the B2B consolidation space. In July 2011, Yatra.com acquired hotel aggregation company, MagicRooms, offering access to a live inventory of over 3,000 hotels across India. In January 2012, premier event and entertainment promotion portal Buzzintown was acquired by Yatra.com, expanding Yatra's portfolio and giving consumers access to service beyond travel.