Goibibo

India’s online travel space went through major consolidation in the mid-2010s, and Goibibo’s story sits right at the center of it. Founded in Gurugram in 2007 by Ashish Kashyap under Ibibo Group, the platform, built its early name on speed, quicker searches, quicker bookings, quicker refunds than most rivals at the time. For close to a decade it ran independently, backed mainly by Naspers with a smaller Tencent stake, going head-to-head with MakeMyTrip rather than sitting under its roof.

In 2017, MakeMyTrip completed its acquisition of the entire Ibibo Group. Naspers and Tencent ended up as the largest shareholders in the newly combined company, and Ibibo’s founder joined the board as president. Goibibo kept its own name and identity, even after losing its independence.

Today, the platform still runs under MakeMyTrip’s ownership, but as its own recognizable brand, it covers flights, hotels, trains, buses, and cabs, with tools for handling cancellations and date changes built in. When the airline Go First collapsed in 2024, Goibibo was one of the platforms sorting out refunds for stranded travelers, proof that these platforms often get tested hardest during someone else’s crisis. Competition hasn’t slowed either; Rapido moved into flight and train booking in 2025, pushing straight into Goibibo’s territory.

Now after twenty years of being in the travel industry, Goibibo holds an unusual spot: built independently, folded into a bigger group, and still familiar enough that most people book without a second thought about who owns it.