He mentioned that the company is concentrating on AI-native travel services, hotel expansion, and diverse travel offerings to enhance growth momentum in FY27. Bajpai emphasized that demand trends remain robust, even with disruptions linked to the West Asia crisis, high oil prices, and alterations in the railway ecosystem.
Bajpai noted that ixigo recently introduced ‘Ixigo NEXT,’ an AI-native interface aimed at automating travel-related tasks for users. According to him, the platform can compare fares, facilitate check-ins, generate boarding passes, and reconfirm hotel bookings using AI-driven tools.
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The company is also embedding AI more deeply into its internal operations and product development. Bajpai stated that this move could enhance execution speed, customer experience, and operating leverage over time. “We are placing AI at the core of our organizational processes,” he noted.
Despite the challenges facing the travel sector due to elevated crude oil prices and international disruptions, ixigo reported that domestic travel trends remain favorable. Bajpai observed that some travelers are shifting from flights to buses and trains as a response to higher airfares, while international travelers are increasingly opting for domestic locations. “This is a net positive for us, as we are highly focused on the domestic market,” he remarked.
The company also pointed out a significant shift in its business mix. Flights have now surpassed railways as ixigo’s largest business category by gross transaction value (GTV), with buses becoming the main margin contributor. Bajpai added that hotels are emerging as the next growth segment for the company, potentially leading to more substantial contributions in the future.
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Bajpai mentioned that ixigo aims to be a collaborator with artificial intelligence platforms and large language model companies, rather than perceiving them as competitors. The company has collaborated with OpenAI to facilitate travel searches and bookings via ChatGPT. “We’re viewing this as an opportunity,” Bajpai explained, adding that incorporating AI functionalities directly into ixigo’s app could help retain users within its ecosystem.
The company currently boasts a market capitalisation of ₹7,418.45 crore, with its shares remaining relatively stable over the past year.
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