/Note: A few parts of this assignment will be similar to last submission of acquisition. The reason for the same is that in case the evaluator is different, it’s important for him/her to understand the business model/

Introduction:

I am Sahil and part of GX-21. Here is my detailed submission for acquisition project that I have made for the product ‘Agoda’, an online travel aggregator (We will refer this category as OTA in this assignment)

Why did I choose Agoda?

I chose the Agoda for the following reason:

1. Travel ecosystem is one of the booming ecosystems in the country especially after Covid.
2. With growing GDP and disposable incomes supported by ‘post-event acceleration‘, the penetration of travel is not only increasing but even the frequency of travel is increasing
3. As per ET, 74% of Indians prefer online booking for domestic travel. So most of the increasing travel attribution should support OTAs. https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/research/74-indians-prefer-online-booking-for-domestic-travel-report/93614265
4. With going focus on the travel, the fight for channels to acquire at the best cost is getting higher. So, that is a significant problem I can help myself and my company with.
5. I am a heavy user of travel OTAs so I can understand customer problems to a detailed extent (Will intentionally try not be baised with my opinions/experiences)
6. Growing scale of operations - Agoda has become no. 3 in terms of growth of OTAs (as per the report of Global hotel technology giant, STAAH. Gobibo and MakeMyTrip owner, GoMMT took the top spot followed by Booking.com and Agoda) https://www.traveldailymedia.com/gommt-booking-com-and-agoda-retain-their-top-spots-in-the-fast-growing-indian-travel-economy/

Let’s understand travel business a little better!

What do OTAs do?

1. OTA is a platform that let people do most of the travel related bookings at the click of a button.
2. The offerings include (but are not limited to) hotel bookings, flights, activities, visa services, travel insurance etc. Note: For the scope of this project I will be taking accommodation as the use case because every offering has it’s own unique ICP, offering, proposition.
3. Before OTA, most of this work was done in two ways-
4. 1. Either through a physical travel agent: Many of us might remember that one uncle who is one stop solution for booking travel tickets mostly train tickets (Flights were too expensive but they could help with that).
   2. Direct hotel websites or tele-calling to them.

Business flywheel of travel

Now let’s try understanding the business flywheel of Agoda (P.S. Before this I was working with Agoda so many jargons are still stuck with me)

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In simpler words, all of the blue cogs (Hotel selection, customer experience, traffic) are lead inputs, while black ones (better price from hotel, better commissions and lower price) are the desired outputs what will fuel this flywheel leading to ultimate north star ‘Business Growth’

Now let’s jumpstart into the problem statement, Finally 😆!!

Before entering into details let me explain what we are going to do in this project:

1. Detail out the ICPs → Marketing + Product
2. Then we see the JTBP for these ICPs
3. We teardown the product
4. Finally we define activation metrics - Hypothesis and metrics we will be tracking

Understanding Consumer (read : consumers NOT ICPs)

For understanding the onboarding journey for travel customers, it’s important to understand how travel/OTA is different from a normal business let’s say Cult.fit and why it’s important to understand consumer at much deeper level.

Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean

Going back 20 years from now, group fitness activities, or aggregated fitness platforms didn’t exist and people couldn’t even think about it. Why?

a) Evolution of technology: When the speed of internet used to be 5mbps max, how can one think of an online booking of class? No smartphones/ No big screen devices.

b) Evolution of payment systems: Digital payment revolution in India goes not more than 7/10 years back and for any such business to thrive online payment is necessary evil

This made all these ideas as Blue Ocean! First in it’s type or in other words they created a category → made people realize it’s demand → Captured those audience → Made it a habit ! Simple 🙂 (to some extent let’s say)

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Now let’s understand travel. Since centuries people are travelling and since 1800s there are hotels/lodges/guest houses. People are aware that if they have to travel, they have to book a hotel to stay. JTBD has changed over decades though basis consumers and time frames but core proposition is the same. Hence OTAs had to take the share away from the wallet of other channels or in other words Red Ocean

1. JTBD of booking a hotel→ Having a safe/comfortable place to stay away from your home.

With time this led to evolution of travel agents. People wanted a single point of contact to book a hotel, whom they can give preferences, requirements and the point of contact should have multiple options to suit their needs. JTBD changes again:

2. JTBD of booking a hotel with travel agent → Selecting and booking a safe/comfortable place away from your home conveniently

Then with internet penetration, hotels started having their own websites and people got access to internet. But convenience started becoming a key pivot point to making optimizations (incremental innovation) So, Travel agent → Internet (More convenience); Booking at click of a button (More convenience).

3. JTBD of booking a hotel on website using internet websites of hotels → Booking safe/comfortable place away from your home conveniently at your control

Now when OTA’s came into picture they optimized the business at both customer and supply side. So rather than customer looking at millions of hotels and websites, they can now select from billions of hotels at just one click, filter the choices, pay online and hence made it super convenience.

4. JTBD of booking a hotel on website using OTA → Selecting from millions of choices and booking safe/comfortable place away from your home conveniently at your control [Best of both worlds - travel agent and internet]

Understanding User goals

Who is trying to sign up?

In order to create ICPs, we will take a reference of a few people but in a persona format:

Persona 1 →Ananya Sharma - The Budget Traveler

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• Age: 28
• Occupation: Content Writer
• Location: Pune, Maharashtra

Lifestyle: Ananya starts her day early with a yoga session, followed by a light breakfast. She works as a freelance content writer, often from cozy cafes or co-working spaces. Ananya is always on the lookout for new destinations, preferring places that are off the beaten path. Her work allows her to travel frequently, and she loves exploring local cultures and cuisines on a budget.

By late afternoon, Ananya wraps up her work and heads out to explore the city she’s in, usually on foot or using public transport. She prefers staying in budget-friendly accommodations like hostels, guesthouses, or Airbnb rentals. Evenings are often spent mingling with fellow travelers, sharing stories, and planning the next day’s adventure. Ananya is a savvy traveler who values experiences over material comforts, making her a loyal Agoda user for finding affordable stays.

Persona 2→ Rahul Verma - The Luxury Seeker

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• Age: 40
• Occupation: CEO of a Tech Startup
• Location: Gurgaon, Haryana

Lifestyle: Rahul’s day begins with a workout session at a high-end gym, followed by a healthy breakfast. As the CEO of a tech startup, his mornings are packed with meetings, strategy sessions, and calls with clients. Despite his busy schedule, Rahul ensures he takes time out for himself, indulging in luxury experiences whenever he travels.

When he’s not working, Rahul enjoys fine dining, wellness retreats, and exclusive experiences. His travel plans often include stays at premium hotels and resorts that offer top-notch services and amenities. In the evenings, he might unwind with a glass of wine at a rooftop bar or a quiet dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Rahul values privacy, comfort, and convenience, and he’s willing to spend more to get the best experiences, making Agoda his go-to for luxurious accommodations.

Persona 3 - Priya and Amit Patel - The Family Vacationers

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• Age: 35 & 38
• Occupation: IT Professional & School Teacher
• Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Lifestyle: Priya and Amit’s day starts early with getting their two kids ready for school. Priya, an IT professional, works from home, while Amit, a school teacher, heads to work after dropping off the kids. Their weekdays are busy but well-organized, with Priya balancing work calls and household chores, and Amit focusing on his students and lesson plans.

When it’s time for a vacation, they prefer family-friendly destinations where their kids can have fun while they relax. Their ideal accommodations are those with family suites, kid-friendly amenities like pools and play areas, and proximity to popular attractions. Afternoons on vacation are often spent at amusement parks or beaches, followed by family dinners at local restaurants. Evenings are for unwinding at the hotel, where the kids might enjoy a movie night while Priya and Amit enjoy some quiet time. They appreciate safety, convenience, and comfort, and often book their stays through Agoda for its reliable family-oriented options.

Persona 4 → Vikram Singh - The Business Traveler

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• Age: 32
• Occupation: Sales Manager
• Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Lifestyle: Vikram starts his day early with a quick workout and a hearty breakfast. As a sales manager, his mornings are spent preparing for client meetings, reviewing sales reports, and strategizing for the day. Vikram’s job requires him to travel frequently, often with little notice, so he values efficiency and convenience in all aspects of his life.

When traveling for work, Vikram prefers staying in hotels that cater to business needs, such as having a strong Wi-Fi connection, a comfortable work desk, and quick access to transportation hubs. His afternoons are usually packed with meetings and networking events. In the evenings, after wrapping up work, he might catch up with colleagues over dinner or unwind by watching a game of football. Vikram appreciates hotels that offer fast check-in and check-out services, allowing him to maximize his productivity during trips. Agoda is his preferred platform for booking accommodations due to its seamless experience and business-friendly options.

Persona 5 → Rohan Kapoor - The Adventure Enthusiast

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• Age: 26
• Occupation: Digital Nomad (Freelancer)
• Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka

Lifestyle: Rohan’s day typically starts with an early morning run or a quick session of rock climbing at a nearby gym. As a digital nomad, he enjoys the flexibility of working from anywhere, often choosing remote and adventurous locations as his temporary office. His mornings are dedicated to client work, usually from a café or a co-working space with a view of nature.

By afternoon, Rohan is out exploring—whether it’s trekking through forests, surfing on secluded beaches, or discovering hidden waterfalls. He prefers unique and eco-friendly accommodations that are close to nature, such as treehouses, camping sites, or eco-resorts. Evenings are spent around a campfire, sharing stories with fellow travelers, or simply enjoying the tranquility of his surroundings. Rohan is passionate about sustainability and often chooses accommodations that align with his values. Agoda’s wide range of unique stays and adventure-centric locations make it his top choice for booking travel accommodations.

Persona 6 → Arjun Nair- The digital Nomad

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• Age: 38
• Occupation: IT Consultant
• Location: Kochi, Kerala

Lifestyle: Arjun’s day starts with a quick run along the beach, followed by breakfast with his family. As a digital nomad, he has the flexibility to work from anywhere, and he has chosen to make travel a family affair. Arjun, his wife, and their two young children move from city to city, living in various parts of India and sometimes abroad, as they explore new cultures while he works remotely.

Arjun’s ideal accommodations are long-stay rentals that offer family-friendly amenities, reliable Wi-Fi, and proximity to both work and play opportunities. His mornings are usually dedicated to work, while afternoons and evenings are reserved for family time—exploring local attractions, trying new cuisines, and engaging in cultural activities. Arjun and his family prefer accommodations that offer a home-like environment, with kitchen facilities, play areas for the kids, and easy access to schools or daycares if needed. Agoda’s wide selection of apartments and long-stay options makes it an essential tool for Arjun’s travel planning.

Persona 7→ Meera Desai - The Wellness Retreat Seeker

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• Age: 45
• Occupation: Corporate Lawyer
• Location: Delhi, NCR

Lifestyle: Meera starts her day with a meditation session followed by a green smoothie. Her job as a corporate lawyer is high-pressure, which means she often seeks solace in wellness retreats to balance her intense work life. She’s a firm believer in holistic well-being and regularly practices yoga, mindfulness, and clean eating.

When Meera travels, she looks for accommodations that offer wellness programs, such as detox retreats, yoga workshops, and spa therapies. Her mornings on vacation begin with a sunrise yoga session, followed by a nutritious breakfast. The rest of the day might include spa treatments, nature walks, and health workshops. Evenings are peaceful, often spent reading or meditating before an early bedtime. Meera values tranquility, natural surroundings, and wellness-focused amenities in her stays, making Agoda her go-to for finding serene and rejuvenating retreats.

Persona 8 → The Weekend Getaway Enthusiast

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• Age: 34
• Occupation: Marketing Manager
• Location: Bangalore, Karnataka

Lifestyle: Neha’s weekdays are packed with meetings, presentations, and deadlines, so she eagerly looks forward to her weekend getaways. On Friday evenings, she packs her bags and heads out of the city, seeking quick escapes to nearby hill stations, beaches, or luxury resorts.

For her weekend getaways, Neha prefers boutique hotels or resorts that offer a mix of relaxation and a touch of adventure. Her Saturday mornings are spent lounging by the pool, indulging in a spa session, or enjoying a leisurely breakfast. Afternoons might involve light trekking, a visit to a vineyard, or exploring a quaint village. Evenings are for unwinding with a glass of wine and good company. Neha values quick access to nature, luxurious comfort, and activities that help her recharge over the weekend. Agoda is her trusted platform for finding last-minute deals and unique weekend stays that fit her needs.

These profiles capture a diverse range of customers, each with distinct preferences and lifestyles, helping Agoda India to tailor its offerings and marketing efforts effectively.

ICP Framework:

Let’s put them in ICP framework now (We will consider Domestic travel as a category for this exercise)

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What they are trying to do?

What these people are trying to do is what we can achieve via mapping their customer journey. But mapping a customer journey of all the 8 personas will be difficult. Infact we see otherwise the customer journey of their might not vary much as per the profile as much as it will vary as per the phase in which they are - Exploration, consideration, preference, purchase or habit!

Note: Let’s evaluate what we said above. Let's take 3 ICPs - ICP 1 (Budget traveller), ICP 3 (Family Vacationers), ICP (Weekend getaway). Now let’s try understanding their customer journey as per the phase they are in.

What is worth noting here is that as per the phases, the journey doesn’t change much for a travel consumer to a great extent. So for this exercise we can take 1 ICP and for that check all the three phases as the customer journey

So we take one user and try making it's Consumer Journey map. Here we see the customer journey map of a customer who goes through multiple entry points and lands on Agoda and finally tries finishing his/her journey

https://whimsical.com/onboarding-customer-journey-DDxiZSagMvKS9GUWUSJymX

In summary, you will note that in OTA the trust and value (considering these are important JTBDs that we see next) start the exploratory stage and it’s important to maintain till the last.

Note: This journey is very much direction and extends beyond the booking too let’s say user wants to change the booking or place a special request etc but that till make the journey complex looking. So for the purpose of this exercise we will stick to the journey till purchase (Which will be our activation metrics - ref. last section)

Why are they trying to do? Let’s build our favourite JTBD framework?

We have defined 8 ICPs and only reason for that is that their JTBDs are different. Every ICPs motivation to come to Agoda will vary a bit - Ex. User A wants just a low price for a certain hotel vs. User B who wants luxury hotel with breakfast (can also be asking for low price comparitive to MMT). So to understand JTBS of majority of use cases it’s important to dissect the ICP wise JTBDs

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Product Breakdown

Now let’s do the product break down. Product breakdown is keeping one major functional JTBD that ‘People want hotels at a good price’. In other words they want value out of their booking. But before we jump into the breakdown of the product product breakdown let’s understand the customer joruney at 30000 ft level

A user wants to book a hotel let’s say for Mumbai. The user will typically follow one of the three steps below:

1. Goes to Google→Searches for ‘Budget hotel in Mumbai’ → Chooses one of the listings→ Starts the journey [This is using non-branded keywords also called organic search ‘non-branded’]
2. Goes to Google→ Searches for Agoda→ Lands on Agoda and starts searching for the hotel [This is using branded keywords also called organic search ‘branded’]
3. Goes to playstore→ Searches for hotel booking → Lands on Agoda listing → Downloads the app - Starts his journey
4. Goes to Playstore → Searches for Agoda→ Downloads Agoda app→ starts his journey
5. Goes to a Meta search engine platform let’s say skyscanner→ Searches for hotel - > Sees Agoda listing the most favourable → Lands on Agoda
6. Goes to www.agoda.com or Agoda.com downloaded app and starts journey

From the above steps, in Step 1 to 5 the journey starts off the platform wither with keywords or Google Search ad or skyscanner listing. For Step 6, the journey starts on the platform. So hence, we will start breaking down the product journey on and of the platform. Note: 70% + of our users visit via App and that’s our prime experience so for this assignment I will focus on app journey and NOT web journey.

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Here is the detailed product breakdown: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T1iActdu1FhjAxMhSd6_P2OQ0HruC2Kw/view?usp=sharing;

Sharing a few snippets below:

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TL;DR: Here is the summary of the product breakdown:

Positives:

1. Clear Visual Hierarchy:
2. • Hotel Detail Screen: The layout effectively highlights key information such as location, distance from city centers, and hotel policies, making it easier for users to find what they need.
3. Good Coverage of Offerings:
4. • Home Screen: Displays a wide range of options (e.g., hotels, flights) with clear icons and distinct colors, which helps users quickly identify different categories.
5. Effective Use of Urgency and Scarcity:
6. • Booking and Room Selection Screens: Features like countdown timers and “only a few rooms left” create a sense of urgency that encourages quicker decision-making.
7. Simplified Login/Signup Process:
8. • Login/Signup Screens: Provides various login options (Google, Facebook, Apple ID), making it easy for users to create an account or log in.
9. Highlighting Discounts and Offers:
10. • Hotel Listing Screen: Clearly communicates discounts and offers, helping users quickly see potential savings, which can enhance user satisfaction and drive bookings.

Negatives:

1. Inconsistent and Confusing Information:
2. • Hotel Listing Screen: Overly cluttered with too much text and confusing information about pricing and discounts. Terms like “cashback” and different prices are not well explained, which can overwhelm users.
   • Room Selection Screen: Confusing messages like "1 adult room capacity exceeded" when selecting only one room for two adults. This could frustrate users and disrupt their booking flow.
3. Poorly Timed Pop-ups and Interruptions:
4. • App Interface: The pop-up for coupons appears immediately upon entering the app, which can be intrusive and lead to confusion. It's better to introduce such offers once users are further into their search journey.
   • Coupon Tab in Location Selection: Showing limited-time offers before users have even chosen a location can distract from the core task and lead to a break in the user journey.
5. Lack of Personalization and Dynamic Content:
6. • Hotel Listing Post Login: The app does not recognize first-time users or personalize content based on previous interactions, which could create a generic experience instead of one tailored to individual needs.
7. Visual Inconsistencies and Misleading Elements:
8. • Booking Screen: Displays generic or irrelevant information, like free Wi-Fi, as a highlighted feature instead of focusing on more appealing aspects like the hotel's rating or unique amenities.
   • Room Selection Screen: Uses confusing phrases like “coupon applied” without clarifying what discounts or benefits have been applied, leading to potential misunderstandings.
9. Inefficient Use of Screen Real Estate:
10. • Booking and Payment Screens: Screens have redundant information, such as repeating details from the previous steps or showing unnecessary copy about cashback in non-relevant currencies, which can be streamlined for a cleaner user interface.
11. Limited Payment Options:
12. • Payment Screen: Lacks popular local payment methods like net banking, EMI, or UPI, which could lead to a poor checkout experience for users expecting these options.

Recommendations for Improvement:

1. Streamline Information and Simplify Messaging:
2. • Reduce the amount of text on screens like the hotel listing and booking screens. Use concise language and clearer calls to action to guide users without overwhelming them.
3. Improve Timing and Relevance of Pop-ups:
4. • Introduce promotional offers or coupons at more strategic points in the user journey, such as after the user has browsed a few options, rather than immediately upon opening the app.
5. Enhance Personalization:
6. • Use data from previous user interactions to customize content, suggestions, and deals to make the experience more relevant and engaging.
7. Optimize Visual Design:
8. • Ensure visual elements match the context + relevance of the screen and the user’s actions. Avoid generic images or features that don’t add value to the specific task at hand
9. Expand Payment Options:
10. • Include a wider range of payment methods to accommodate different user preferences and enhance the overall booking experience.

Activation metric

Defining activation metric is little tricky for a travel OTA because it’s not a daily need. It’s may be once in quarter want or 2 in a year (Average frequency of travel for majority of Indian consumer with internet is 1.7 😊). So to make hypothesis I would dig into these early actions before actual booking too and really understand how they’re gonna turn into retained customers.

1. H1: Completing First Search in 1 Day (In conjuction with session time)Reason: If someone does their first search for a hotel or flight within the first day of getting the app or checking out the site, that’s a big deal. They’re not just window shopping; they’re actually curious and looking for options right away. It’s a sign they’re engaging with Agoda from the get-go, and that’s the first step to converting them, you know? An important metric here could be session time. Another reason for this would be that most of the traffic that lands on the website is organic (Source: Internal data of Agoda), so for organic share (both branded and non-branded content) I would take the ratio of users who did first search to who landed on the platform to see Quality of my traffic
2. H2: Viewing Property Details in 3 DaysReason: Now, when users start looking at property details within three days of their first search, that’s another level of engagement (Also called consideration and in some cases can be funnel down to preference). It’s like they’re saying, "Hey, I’m really interested in this." They’re not just scrolling; they wanna know more about what Agoda offers. This is a big JTBD – moving from just looking to actually considering a booking. It tells us they’re starting to get more serious about finding what they need.
3. H3: Booking a Property or Flight in 14 DaysReason: And then there’s the ultimate – making a booking within 14 days. This is the big one. It’s the clearest JTBD for Agoda – getting people from browsing to actually booking. If they make a booking, they’re showing they’ve found real value in Agoda, and that’s what we’re after, right? It’s not just about that one booking; it’s about making them happy so they keep coming back, maybe even tell their friends about it.

Thank you for your time!

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