WhatsApp has now evolved into what may be hailed as a smart marketing service, although privacy issues continue to haunt the Meta-owned app.
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A 2016 Survey showed that WhatsApp was the most preferred messaging service for travel agencies in India and the Middle East.
WhatApp is now setting itself apart from the competition by being able to serve various markets with various online engagement histories.
While it offers a less expensive alternative to SMS and traditional voice conversations to those with financial hardships and inadequate broadband infrastructure, it is also relevant to metropolitan middle-class people with disposable income and quick internet access.
The technology is especially useful for travel companies that need to notify clients at every stage due to immediate consumer engagement.
“WhatsApp allows us to instantly communicate flight status changes, alerts or boarding gate information to our customers,” said Ashish Pratap Singh, chief marketing officer of Rehlat.com, Middle East’s leading online travel agency.
According to statistics provided by the messaging platform, there were 2.44 billion active users worldwide in April 2022. This demonstrated an increase of 6.4 percent over the same period in 2021. The country with the most monthly active users is India, at 390 million.
Businesses who want to attract a large number of repeat customers can use the app to generate leads, speed up sales, and improve customer service.
United Arab Emirates-based Musafir.com will be launching its WhatsApp chatbot later this year. “WhatsApp will become an important channel for holiday bookings and will allow customers to engage with us 24×7,” said Sachin Gadoya, co-founder and CEO of Musafir.com.
Seera, the largest online travel firm in Saudi Arabia, has made WhatsApp one of its primary priority areas. The messaging app is an important communication channel in Saudi Arabia, where penetration is likely greater than one-to-one and several WhatsApp accounts are common.
Additionally, Rehlat sends consumers fare alerts via WhatsApp, assisting them in making quick judgments and snagging the greatest deals while boosting bookings for the travel website.
“We are looking to launch self-check-in through WhatsApp for our customers and are keen to proactively communicate changes to customers, rather than reactively,” said Seera’s Ahussain.
Apart from customer support, airlines are trying to enhance customer experience through WhatsApp. Now that clients are eager to participate in two-way discussions, Travel agency Musfair intends to increase efficiency by promoting tailored travel offers based on travel history and feedback.
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“WhatsApp will play an important role as Musafir looks to fundamentally transform the customer experience,” said Gadoya. The messaging platform will be used by the online travel firm to identify new trends from continuous client interactions and take fast action to improve the customer experience.