Image for illustration. EaseMyTrip, India’s top online booking platform, has revealed its plan to expand into the medical tourism sector through the purchase of shares in two major healthcare firms. The travel technology powerhouse has taken over a 49% ownership interest in Pflege Home Healthcare, a company based in Dubai, and 30% in Rollins International, signifying its move into the swiftly expanding worldwide medical tourism market.
This purchase represents a major step for EaseMyTrip as it expands its range of services to cover wellness and healthcare, meeting the growing need for medical travel. Through this integration, the firm plans to provide comprehensive travel options for people looking for medical care and wellness activities in other countries.
Pflege Home Healthcare, recognized for delivering top-tier home healthcare services, is set to improve EaseMyTrip’s services in the field of medical tourism by offering services like physician consultations, licensed nursing services, physiotherapy sessions, and in-home medical devices such as ventilators and oxygen equipment. Through this purchase, EaseMyTrip is poised to provide a smooth healthcare experience for travelers needing medical care while traveling.
Apart from its offerings under Pflege, EaseMyTrip has also collaborated with Rollins International, a firm that concentrates on wellness by providing gluten-free, lactose-free, and allergy-free food items, dietary supplements, and wellness treatments. Rollins manages health facilities in major Indian metros, such as New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, and provides cutting-edge wellness equipment and advice on nutrition. This partnership enables EaseMyTrip to serve travelers in search of specialized wellness services and assistance in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
In an interview regarding the expansion, Nishant Pitti, the CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip, mentioned, “These purchases are crucial for our company’s foray into the medical tourism sector. As the demand for convenient and superior healthcare services increases, our collaboration with Pflege and Rollins allows us to cater to the changing demands of patients looking for medical and wellness services. Our goal is to provide hassle-free healthcare experiences for customers, both within and outside of the country, guaranteeing ease throughout the entire process.”
EaseMyTrip introduces ScanMyTrip.com, marking the debut of India’s first travel commerce platform on the ONDC network. In doing so, EaseMyTrip becomes the initial online travel booking agency (OTA) in India to engage in the sale and purchase of travel services, including air travel, accommodations, and house stays, over the ONDC platform. The platform is designed to support smaller travel agencies, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), travel agencies, and innkeepers by granting them access to a wider online marketplace. This strategic initiative guarantees that even smaller enterprises can reach a larger audience, thereby evening the competitive landscape in India’s travel market.
Parveen Jakhar, one of the co-founders of Pflege Home Healthcare, highlighted the importance of this partnership, saying, “Collaborating with EaseMyTrip will enable us to reach more people with our high-quality healthcare services, providing patients traveling for medical purposes a hassle-free and caring experience wherever they are staying.”
Likewise, Rohan Jain, a Co-Founder of Rollins International, shared enthusiasm for the collaboration, noting, “With EaseMyTrip’s extensive travel network, we’re able to develop special travel experiences with a health focus, simplifying the process for travelers who are mindful of their diet, to find products free from allergens and health-oriented solutions while they travel.”
EaseMyTrip’s expansion into the medical tourism sector is at a time when the industry is showing tremendous expansion. At present, the worldwide medical tourism market is worth around USD 7.69 billion and is set to climb to a valuation of USD 14.31 billion by the year 2029. This decision marks a significant step in line with EaseMyTrip’s overarching business strategy, which builds on its previous acquisitions in the travel and hospitality industries, further solidifying its dedication to expanding and diversifying its portfolio.