10:00 uur 04-08-2021

Europees kampioen online reizen obilet.com klaar voor recordgroei

Na de overname vorige maand van zijn belangrijkste concurrent, voorziet obilet.com een enorme stijging van de online verkoop van vlucht-/bustickets naarmate de dreiging van Covid-19 de komende maanden en jaren afneemt

ISTANBUL–(BUSINESS WIRE)– obilet.com, het belangrijkste online platform voor reistickets van Turkije, zal in de nasleep van de Covid-19-pandemie snel groeien. Obilet, die net zijn aartsrivaal Biletall heeft verworven, zal naar verwachting meer dan 20 miljoen tickets verkopen in 2021 – een stijging van 8 miljoen in 2020 – en het jaar afsluiten met $ 300 miljoen GMV.

Dankzij het unieke aanbod en het innovatieve bedrijfsmodel is het in Istanbul gevestigde reistechnologiebedrijf nu klaar om zijn geografische bereik uit te breiden te midden van een verwacht wereldwijd herstel na Covid.

SaaS-aangedreven bedrijfsmodel

Obilet staat in de hele regio al bekend om zijn enorm populaire app voor het boeken van tickets, maar het belangrijkste onderscheid van Obilet ligt in het door SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) aangedreven bedrijfsmodel. Obilet, waarin EarlyBird en EBRD hebben geïnvesteerd, biedt busmaatschappijen een best-in-class Ticket Management System (TMS) met 24/7 technische ondersteuning. Het bedrijf creëert daarmee een ‘lock-in effect’ voor haar bedrijfsvoering aan de aanbodzijde.

Door zijn portfolio van busexploitanten die zijn SaaS gebruiken te distribueren naar andere online ticketplatforms op basis van inkomstendeling, voegt Obilet extra inkomstenstromen toe bovenop zijn lucratieve B2C-verkopen.

European Online Travel Champion obilet.com Ready for Record Growth

Following the acquisition last month of its chief competitor, obilet.com foresees a massive surge in its online flight/bus ticket sales as the threat of Covid-19 recedes in the months and years ahead

ISTANBUL–(BUSINESS WIRE)– obilet.com, Turkey’s premier online travel ticketing platform, is set to enjoy rapid growth in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Having just acquired its arch-rival Biletall, Obilet is forecast to sell more than 20 million tickets in 2021 – up from 8 million in 2020 – and close out the year with $300 million GMV.

Having just acquired its arch-rival Biletall, Obilet is forecast to sell more than 20 million tickets in 2021, and close out the year with $300 million GMV. (Photo: Business Wire)

Having just acquired its arch-rival Biletall, Obilet is forecast to sell more than 20 million tickets in 2021, and close out the year with $300 million GMV. (Photo: Business Wire)

Thanks to its unique offerings and innovative business model, the Istanbul-based travel-tech firm is now poised to expand its geographic reach amid an expected post-Covid global recovery.

SaaS-Powered Business Model

Already known throughout the region for its enormously popular ticket-booking app, Obilet’s primary distinction lies in its SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) powered business model. Obilet, invested in by EarlyBird and EBRD, provides bus operators with a best-in-class Ticket Management System (TMS) featuring 24/7 technical support. The company thereby creates a “lock-in effect” for its business operations on the supply side.

By distributing its portfolio of bus operators using its SaaS to other online ticketing platforms on a revenue-sharing basis, Obilet adds additional revenue streams on top of its lucrative B2C sales.

One of the world’s top-10 platforms for online bus and flight tickets, obilet.com saw remarkable growth in the pre-Covid-19 2016-2019 period, boasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 77%.

Biletall Buyout Cements Leading Position

Earlier last month (July 12), Obilet cemented its regional position by acquiring Biletall, its chief B2C and B2B competitor, which since the 2000s had played a pioneering role in the digitalization of Turkey’s travel industry. Although Obilet stole the top spot from Biletall in 2016 on the B2C side, Biletall nevertheless retained its leading position at B2B coverage.

The acquisition will give Obilet 100% destination coverage in one of the world’s largest bus markets, and the biggest in Europe. Turkey’s intra-state bus market currently generates some 200 million ticket sales per year, corresponding to roughly $3 billion annually.

Currently, more than 300 bus operators compete in this highly fragmented market, which remains largely unconsolidated despite the 2019 acquisition of the country’s largest domestic bus operator by Flix.

Plans for Expansion in Post-Covid Era

Obilet now is equipped with plug-and-play B2B and SaaS solutions to be offered to both operators and online/offline ticket resellers in neighboring countries, where there is huge revenue potential for the Turkish start-up.

Obilet’s vastly enhanced market share, coupled with rising travel demand in the post-Covid era, is expected to yield 40 million ticket sales in 2022 and a GMV of over $500 million. Company officials even suggest that, as Obilet gradually expands into fresh markets, annual GMV could reach as much as $1 billion within the next few years.

Contacts

Ali Yılmaz

external.relations@obilet.com
+90 212 963 03 53

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