OYO launches online portal for travel agents

Hospitality firm OYO on Thursday said it has launched an online portal, 'SuperAgent' for travel agents to enhance booking experience.

"The portal provides pre-registered and verified offline travel agents access to OYO inventory at the best price to deliver great value to their customers," OYO said in a statement.

It is in addition to multiple other channels of booking available to consumers, including website (desktop and mobile), app, online travel agency (OTA) and walk-ins, it added.

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"With the hospitality, travel and tourism market seeing exponential growth in India, the role of travel agents in the industry has become increasingly important in ensuring a seamless experience for our customers. Over the course of the last four years, OYO has partnered with close to 12,000 travel agents across India, thereby reaching out to millions of customers," OYO Hotels & Homes, India & South Asia COO Gaurav Ajmera said.

With a focus on further strengthening the relationship, OYO has created SuperAgent to simplify the booking experience for travel agents and to help them engage better with consumers, he added.

Opening its doors in 2013, OYO claims to be the world’s second-largest chain of hotels, homes, managed living, and workspaces. The portfolio combines fully operated real estate comprising more than 35,000 hotels and 125,000 vacation homes, and over 1.2 million rooms.

Additionally, OYO along with Vacation Homes categories managed by the company under OYO Homes, Belvilla, Danland, Dancenter along with Germany-based Traum-Ferienwohnungen brands can be found in more than 800 cities in 80 countries, including the US, Europe, the UK, India, Malaysia, the Middle East, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan. The company also has a play in the housing rental business and co-working business in select countries.

Earlier this month, the company also announced that it will be raising $1.5 billion as part of its Series F funding round. Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO, OYO, through RA Hospitality Holdings, will be infusing $700 million as primary capital, and the remaining $800 million will be pumped in by the existing investors.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)

(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)

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