Rikant Pitti’s journey began with a simple frustration: the hefty charges accompanying his father’s frequent air travels. Living in Delhi, Rikant witnessed his father constantly shelling out extra cash for booking fees. Determined to find a solution, Rikant envisioned a platform for online ticket booking, thus birthing what is now known as Ease My Trip, a company that skyrocketed from humble beginnings to a staggering worth of Rs 8780 crore.
Under the banner of My Trip, Rikant Pitti pioneered this venture without any initial financial backing. However, in 2021, the company successfully secured funding through an IPO, propelling it to become Easy Trip Planner Limited, the go-to platform for millions across the nation.
Today, Ease My Trip stands as India’s second-largest travel agency, boasting an extensive network of 61,000 travel agents, over 10 lakh hotel partners, and collaborations with 400 airlines, serving more than 11 million loyal customers.
Rikant’s epiphany struck during his college years while pursuing engineering. Witnessing his father’s recurrent flights and the exorbitant additional charges imposed by travel agents, Rikant embarked on a mission to streamline the process. By booking flights directly, he saved his father a considerable sum, sparking the inception of his entrepreneurial journey.
Not content with merely assisting his father, Rikant ventured into booking flights for acquaintances, eventually catching the attention of airlines, leading to his transition into the role of a travel agent. Undeterred by his college commitments, Rikant established Duke Travels, leveraging bulk SMS marketing to expand its reach.
By 2007, Rikant had amassed 400 travel agents under his wing. Yet, recognizing the limitations of his partnership with airlines, Rikant pivoted towards forming alliances with multiple carriers. In 2008, he and his brother laid the groundwork for Ease My Trip from a modest one BHK apartment in East Delhi, investing Rs 15 lakh.
Despite initial challenges, the company flourished. By 2011, with 11,000 travel agents onboard, Ease My Trip had generated a revenue of Rs 364 crore. However, Rikant realized that direct customer engagement held the key to sustained growth.
Embracing this paradigm shift, Rikant boldly reached out to customers directly, offering zero convenience fees and hidden charges. Though it led to the departure of many travel agents, this strategy proved instrumental in propelling Ease My Trip’s daily ticket sales to over 20,000 by 2015, with revenues soaring to Rs 1500 crore.
Amidst stiff competition from industry giants like Make My Trip and yatra.com, Rikant’s astute management ensured Ease My Trip’s steady profitability, with annual growth rates of 50% since 2008. Today, Rikant Pitti, a college dropout, epitomizes success, cruising in a Lamborghini worth Rs 4.02 crore and making substantial real estate investments.
Hailing from Delhi, Rikant’s educational journey traversed Vivekananda School and Kurukshetra University, where he completed his B.Tech in 2010, marking the genesis of a remarkable entrepreneurial odyssey.
