“We view technology not merely as a tool, but as a facilitator—one that connects aspirations with destinations,” remarked Rajnish Kumar, Director and Group Co-CEO of ixigo, in an interview with CNBC-TV18.
One of the standout offerings is PLAN, a generative AI-powered itinerary builder that formulates customized travel plans based on budget, location, and personal interests.
Kumar mentioned that it has already assembled over 600,000 itineraries since its debut in 2023.
ixigo’s multilingual chatbot, TARA, efficiently resolves more than 91% of customer support inquiries autonomously.
“Approximately 45% of our flight support is now managed end-to-end by voice-enabled AI agents,” Kumar added.
The platform has also rolled out ‘Price Lock,’ allowing users to secure airfare for a limited time by paying a nominal fee. “This enables travellers to dodge fare increases while finalizing their plans,” Kumar explained.
For train passengers, the ‘Travel Guarantee’ feature offers refunds up to three times the amount on unconfirmed waitlisted tickets. “AI assists us in assessing eligibility and pricing, making this initiative sustainable,” he stated.
In terms of bus bookings, ‘Bus Insights’ provides information about the probable bus assigned to a journey, including details like its age and model, empowering travellers to make more informed decisions.
ixigo has also introduced financial flexibility options such as No Cost EMI and Buy Now Pay Later for flight and hotel reservations, facilitated through collaborations with third-party providers like Simpl and Bajaj Finance.
“This is particularly beneficial for users making last-minute bookings or planning significant trips,” noted Kumar.
Additionally, the company has launched ‘ixigo Credit,’ which allows users to reserve tickets and pay later, either in full or in installments.
“Travellers can distribute payments over two or three months, often at low or no interest,” Kumar mentioned.
“These features are designed under the principle that budget limitations should not hinder people from traveling,” he added.
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