Africa’s ecommerce powerhouse today officially announced the launch of a new flight marketplace on Jumia which it described as a step further towards making travel in Africa simple and affordable. For the new venture, the company is partnering with Amadeus, a travel tech firm.
The announcement of the venture was meant to coincide with World Tourism Day 2018 and Jumia claims it represents an expansion of its flights services.
For the platform, Jumia is targeting travel agents, airlines and travel websites. It wants to enable them to bring all flight content online, and to offer customers the best available prices for their flights.
“Current statistics indicate that 90% of the flight market is still offline while only 10% exists online. This comes in the wake of increased flight bookings on Jumia’s flights portal, with explosive growth of 400% between July 2017 and July 2018,” Jumia stated.
Commenting on the latest venture, Sérgio Figueiredo, Jumia’s Head of Flights said: “Jumia is continuously investing significantly in developing innovative products for travellers and flight content providers that will enable them to revolutionize their operations and increase revenue.”
“We understand the market and address its needs. A competitive platform will harmonize all content providers to offer low rates and fees in a bid to meet an increasing traveler demand for unbeatable services at the lowest price.”
The marketplace will also provide analytical information that flight ticket providers can use to identify new opportunities, routes and help them tailor make packages for their flight target customers.
“We are delighted to be working with Jumia to deliver the online choice and marketplace experience that travelers love. Air travel is booming globally, with growth among passengers in Africa projected to outstrip that of every other region by 2035,” said Francesca Benati, Executive Vice President for Online Travel in Western Europe, Middle East and Africa, Travel Channels, Amadeus.
Benati added,“To meet this growing demand, Jumia has selected Amadeus ePower delivered via Web Services, which offers a mobile and tablet-friendly online booking experience. It is designed to help consumers find the best deals faster, thanks to our market leading shopping and booking technology. I am excited about this winning partnership which will benefit travelers throughout Africa.”
