India’s Travel Titans Reflect on Rivalry, AI, and the Road Ahead

At WiT Singapore 2025, India’s travel pioneers Deep Kalra of MakeMyTrip and Aloke Bajpai of Ixigo shared insights on their journeys, competition, and what’s next for India’s booming travel market. Their discussion, dubbed “Two IPOs and a Billion Travelers,” highlighted how India’s digital-first economy is shaping the next era of global tourism.

Kalra predicted that “if China drove the last 20 years, India will drive the next 20,” citing the country’s digital payment infrastructure, youth population, and rapid connectivity as key enablers. Bajpai emphasized India’s diversity, noting that “it’s a thousand micro-markets,” each requiring localized innovation.

Domestic travel remains India’s backbone, with 3 billion annual trips—most still booked offline—while outbound travel continues to surge. Both leaders agreed that AI is the next major disruptor. Kalra called it “an opportunity and a threat,” while Bajpai warned that innovation cycles are accelerating faster than ever.

Both companies are investing in AI-driven assistants—MakeMyTrip’s Myra and Ixigo’s Tara—to make travel more intuitive for Indian users. They also view acquisitions as vital to scaling efficiently, not just for growth but for retaining entrepreneurial talent.

For the future, both founders see travel as a pursuit of meaning rather than material gain, pointing to the rise of spiritual and wellness tourism. As Kalra said, “People travel not to escape life but to reconnect—with themselves and the world.”

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India’s Travel Titans Reflect on Rivalry, AI, and the Road Ahead

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