Amsterdam-based Booking.com, which is one of the world’s leading digital travel platforms announced a new strategic partnership with HERE Mobility, the world’s first neutral and open global mobility marketplace of HERE Technologies. This partnership will provide travellers using the Booking.com platform and app access to 1.3 million vehicles in 70 cities all over the US and Europe.
Why this partnership?
The partnership between Booking.com and HERE Mobility will increase the choice in the former’s current airport taxi offering, which has been growing steadily over recent years. Currently, customers of Booking.com can book a ride to and/or from the airport via the app across 800 cities all over the world.
The neutral and open smart mobility marketplace of HERE Mobility aggregates all transportation options such as private hires and taxis. It connects real-time supply of transportation with rider demand, democratisation within the industry ecosystem and driver efficiency.
The latest innovations let HERE Mobility marketplace support mobility suppliers and help them compete in the fast-moving era of ride-hailing. The company enables supply partners to provide more sustainable transportation options in times of changing customer preferences.
David Adamczyk, Managing Director of Rides within Booking.com’s Transport Division, said, “Our ultimate aim is to make using transport as easy and frictionless as possible, whether you’re planning ahead or getting around in-trip, no matter where you are in the world. As travellers start dreaming about taking trips again, and given the current environment, we know that many will opt for a taxi or car service over taking public transport. By continuing to build out our offering, our aim is to provide a useful and timely service to travellers that will continue to be relevant over the long-term.”
“As our range of transportation services continues to grow, it’s really exciting to be working with HERE Mobility. They have the ability and capacity to connect our platform to fleets across the world – quickly and efficiently, allowing us to significantly scale our rides offering and serve even more Booking.com customers around the world.”
“We are thrilled to partner with such a well-known player in the travel space to provide a smooth end-to-end solution for users worldwide through our Marketplace,” said Liad Itzhak, Head of HERE Mobility. “Mobility as a Service is now more important than ever before, both in daily life and when travelling abroad, as people seek to get from door to door safely and efficiently. Together, we are ensuring travellers receive a seamless and secure experience.”
Booking.com offers a single platform for travellers
Booking.com partners with global transport suppliers both directly and via its platform providers so that it can provide travellers intuitive access to the relevant and personalised transport options that suit them. Already, travellers can pick up a rental car in over 160 countries, hail a ride in eight Southeast Asian markets and buy and use public-transport tickets in 26 cities across Europe, Asia, Oceania, and North and South America via an ongoing pilot via the Booking.com app.
Its ambition is to connect the trip by providing travellers with a single platform that can be used to book, pay for and manage every element of every trip ranging from accommodation and transport to experiences and attractions.
Stock photo from Jaromir Chalabala/Sutterstock
