Expanding ReadyPlanet acquires majority stake in e-Travel Marketing

ReadyPlanet expects revenue of Bt560 million this year, up by about 40 per cent from 2016.
Songyot Kanthamanon, chief executive of ReadyPlanet, said the firm hoped the acquisition would enable it to expand its digital marketing solutions and online channel management into the tourism and hotel industries. It expects to acquire 100 per cent of e-Travel Marketing within the next couple of years.
Chatchai Thaweedej, managing director of e-Travel Marketing, said there was high potential for continuing growth in the tourism industry. 
Based on a study of hotel-reservation behaviour, e-Travel Marketing has reported that 15 per cent of customers booked a room directly with the hotel while another 42 per cent reserved rooms through travel agents. The remaining 43 per cent reserved rooms from the Online Travel Agency (OTA). 
There are a large number of hotel operators facing challenges from online marketing factors, such as having a capable team that truly understands this channel, as well as a lack of tools and technological knowledge.
“From over 10 years of experience, e-Travel Marketing provides tools that have been carefully developed for the tourism and hotel industries,” Chatchai said. 
He said these tools were online marketing to engage customers effectively; online sales-channel management; a booking engine that manages reservations, payments and customer relations; and website development that supports all devices so clients can evaluate and measure efficiency effectively. 
Songyot said ReadyPlanet this year would focus on three areas: digital presence, digital advertising and digital training. 
“Digital presence” means being ready to use websites and mobile apps, while the second strategy will provide total solutions for online advertising services. The third focus is offering training services in digital marketing. 
The firm will provide its digital marketing solutions to exporters, retailers, and tourism and hotel businesses. 
Songyot said the firm expected to be serving around 20,000 clients by the end of this year, an increase from last year of around 10-20 per cent. 
ReadyPlanet now has a branch office in Myanmar. 
In Thailand, it plans to list |on the Market for Alternative Investment eventually.