MakeMyTrip acquires majority stake in regional tour operator Flamingo Transworld

MakeMyTrip co-founder and CEO Rajesh Magow.

MakeMytrip has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Flamingo Transworld, a regional tour operator, the online travel company said on March 5, without sharing the details.

Over the last 30 years of its operations, Flamingo has created a strong affinity in the regional markets of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh with its group tour services.

“Flamingo aligns closely with the growth strategy of our holiday packages business. It is a strong, growing business that has developed a unique moat in the group travel domain. We plan to leverage the complementary customer base, products and distribution focus between the two brands to widen holiday package options for our customers,” MakeMyTrip co-founder and Group CEO Rajesh Magow, said.

Flamingo's curated tours are popular for offering a selection of Indian meals prepared by on-tour chefs or verified Indian vegetarian/Jain kitchens, in-house tour managers fluent in regional languages and extensive coverage of popular attractions and experiences for domestic and international tourists.

Its international and domestic group travel packages, sold largely through 51 offices across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, will complement MakeMyTrip's established Holiday Packages business and help the platform penetrate deeper into markets across India, the company said.

“We believe that our proposed acquisition of Flamingo creates a profitable growth opportunity to help MakeMyTrip drive a deeper presence in regional markets across India,” MakeMyTrip group chief operating officer Mohit Kabra said.

Flamingo Transworld director and co-founder Sanjay Shah Flamingo has built something unique in Indian travel — genuine trust. "By combining Flamingo’s brand equity and operational depth with MakeMyTrip’s digital platform and national customer reach, we aim to build a truly pan-India tour company that brings Flamingo’s signature experience to millions of new customers,” he said.

MakeMyTrip's recent acquisitions, include QuestToTravel in corporate travel bookings, Simplotel in hotel technology, BookMyForex in travel forex, Savaari in intercity mobility and Happay in corporate spend management.

The company said these moves have enhanced supply integration, cross-sell potential, and end-to-end control across the connected trip journey.