Synopsis

Cleartrip expects to sustain its growth momentum in 2027, with non-air services such as hotels, buses, trains and holiday packages gaining share. The Flipkart-owned platform reported 40% overall growth in January-June 2026, while its chief growth officer flagged subdued travel demand, higher airfares and a 30-40% rise in road-based travel activity.

Mumbai: Online travel technology platform Cleartrip expects to sustain its growth momentum in 2027, driven by steady expansion in air travel and a rising contribution from non-air businesses, according to a top executive of the company.

"The growth rate doubled year-on-year in 2026 and we expect to maintain similar momentum this year while aiming for a stronger business mix. The share of non-air business, including hotels, buses, trains and holiday packages, is expected to increase and there will be steady growth in air business as well," Cleartrip chief growth and business officer Manjari Singhal told PTI.

She said Cleartrip's performance is growing 8-10 times faster than the industry in air travel and the non-air share has risen to 27 per cent and the company is targeting around 40 per cent by the end of 2027, she added.

In the first half of this year (January-June), Flipkart-owned Cleartrip witnessed 40 per cent overall year-on-year growth, she said.

The company is working on adding services and providing solutions that will lead Cleartrip from being a booking platform to a holistic travel platform, according to Singhal.

"This year and next year will be very busy in terms of growth and providing additional services, including Forex, visa and alternate accommodation, moving from being a booking platform to being a travel platform. Traveller needs keep evolving and we need to keep evolving with their needs. So it will be an ongoing journey, which I am guessing will never end," Singhal added.

The company has already begun working on alternate accommodation that will go live very soon, she said.

Recently, Cleartrip entered the holiday packages segment focusing on customisation, in which customers can modify hotels, activities and flights within curated itineraries supported by destination experts.

"The launch is a long-term strategic investment rather than a response to current market conditions and we believe the holiday market offers substantial growth potential despite near-term industry weakness," she added.

Meanwhile, talking about the industry, Singhal said travel activity has remained subdued since March amid geopolitical tensions and the war that broke out in late February.

Although a brief recovery was seen in May, subsequent increases in aviation fuel prices, higher airfares and capacity cuts have continued to affect demand, she added.

"Domestic passenger traffic is currently down approximately 5-6 per cent and if current trends continue, annual passenger traffic could range from 0-5 per cent lower than the previous year," she stated.

Singhal said international travel is yet to recover to pre-March levels, with higher airfares squeezing consumers' holiday budgets.

As a result, travellers are either cancelling their trips or making compromises, such as opting for domestic destinations over international holidays or choosing more affordable accommodation.

The slowdown has affected both domestic and international holiday packages, while road trips, self-drive holidays and weekend getaways have gained traction, she said.

Cleartrip has seen a 30-40 per cent increase in road-based travel activity on its platform, Singhal said, adding that industry-wide data was not available.

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