As we look forward to The Phocuswright Conference, PhocusWire is highlighting a number of conference speakers in a series of Q&As.
Raj Rishi Singh, chief marketing officer and chief business officer for corporate, flights and the Gulf Cooperation Council vertical at MakeMyTrip, will take part in an industry roundtable on growth markets such as Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.
Singh shared his thoughts on the travel sector in a recent interview, discussing his stance on digital ID and artificial intelligence (AI).
What are your priorities this year?
The e-commerce business is evolving rapidly, and OTAs are innovating at scale to stay ahead in this transformation. At MakeMyTrip, the integration of AI, both in our product and in our marketing ethos, remains the biggest priority, enabling us to deliver more personalized, seamless experiences. Equally, we are building newer products and forging partnerships, with our connected trips strategy at the core, to further redefine how travelers discover, plan and experience MakeMyTrip.
If you could change one thing about the OTA ecosystem in India overnight, what would it be?
If I could change one thing overnight, it would be to make the entire travel journey as seamless as the booking experience. From planning and discovery to on-trip support and destination exploration, travelers should feel it’s one connected journey. That, to me, is where the real opportunity lies.
How quickly do you see digital ID or e-wallets being adopted by Indian travelers?
India has built a powerful digital backbone through Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker under the India Stack, laying the foundation for trusted identity and payments. Digi Yatra is already enabling biometric boarding across airports, reducing paper and verification hassles. The government is also pushing DigiLocker for seamless identity use across bookings, while digital wallet consumption continues to rise. These advancements are steadily removing friction and making it easier for Indians to plan, book, and experience travel.
How are you personally using AI in your day-to-day work? How do you wish you could use AI in the future?
It is difficult to live without AI; it has become a part of our lives and everyday decision making.
Today, AI in travel is largely about curated itinerary suggestions. At MakeMyTrip, we are trying to evolve this into real-time, personalized recommendations by checking inventory and pricing on the go. From an industry perspective, the time is not far when an AI agent will be able to plan and book an end-to-end itinerary with minimal effort from the traveler.
Who are you most looking forward to hearing speak at the conference at why?
Phocuswright always brings together some of the sharpest minds from across the global travel and tourism ecosystem. I am most looking forward to hearing from leaders who are pushing boundaries, whether in technology, consumer experience or business models because that’s where inspiration lies.