Social media and networking are becoming key conspirators in bringing people together, and making them engage in conversation with each other. And Goibibo.com is trying to imbibe the same into their travel platform with the launch of their own social network — ‘GoContacts‘.
The ‘GoContacts’ app enables you to connect with other travelers on the mobile app using their phonebook contacts, as usual. There is currently no built-in functionality which allows you to share your travel info or photos from a certain trip with your followers.
But, instead Goibibo has currently based the social network around a reward system. Once you join the social network and book tickets using Goibibo, all your connections will receive a GoCash+ bonus reward. And this works in reverse as well. If one of your connections books tickets using the app, you will receive GoCash+ bonus reward as well.
Ashish Kashyap, Founder and CEO of ibibo Group talks about the strengths of networking and adds that,
The 3.4Mn users who have got connected on Goibibo is a testimony of the fact that we are on our way to create India’s largest traveler’s community. We believe that the combination of an engaged travel community combined with a reliable & trustworthy booking experience will further strengthen Goibibo.
The focus here is on travel and community engagement. To make the platform more engaging, the social network will further expand support for ‘user generated content’ by next quarter. You will soon be able to see and share their travel photos, ratings and question and answers within the app.
GoContacts will also help you discover more beautiful destinations to explore. You will soon be able to scout for places and discover accommodations that your friend might have used during their visit.
And if you are worried about your privacy, then Goibibo is also building customized privacy settings into the platform soon. Just like Facebook, you will be able to control what you want to share and who can see your posts.
In the first quarter of 2016, goibibo received over 82 per cent of bookings from their mobile app. The humongous traffic from their mobile app seems to justify their move to launch an integrated social network.
But, Don’t users already have platforms to share their favorite moments — in the form of Facebook or Instagram. So, do they really require another niche social network in the form of ‘GoContacts’ ? And will the reward system drive more sales on the platform or not is still uncertain.
In addition to today’s social network launch, Goibibo has also integrated other neat features into the platform. These include Go Time Guarantee, photo reviews and rating, question and answers, among others. The travel aggregator is backed by Naspers, one of the leading media houses led by Tencent Group in China. Naspers has recently invested about $250 million into the ibibo group.
