Online Travel Booking in Emerging Markets: Business Progression and User Satisfaction in India

The rapid growth of online travel booking has transformed the global tourism landscape, especially in emerging economies such as India. This study examines the financial growth of leading Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) namely MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip, and Trivago between 2019 and 2024, and evaluates user satisfaction with online travel platforms. Using secondary financial data and a primary survey of 200 respondents, the research applies descriptive statistics and a one-sample t-test to analyze growth trends and user satisfaction dimensions. Results reveal mixed financial growth among OTAs: MakeMyTrip showed a moderate CAGR of 3.8%, Trivago a 6.1% CAGR, while Cleartrip reported a decline (-27%). The one-sample t-test indicated that the average CAGR across firms was not significantly greater than zero (p > 0.05), reflecting market consolidation and post-pandemic disruptions. However, user satisfaction levels remained high, driven by reliability, service quality, and ease of use. The study concludes with implications for strategic innovation and digital competitiveness in India’s travel ecosystem.

Online Travel Booking, Business Models, User Satisfaction, Emerging Markets

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