Inspiration often strikes unexpectedly. For Rikant Pitti, it was the recurring extra charges his father incurred while booking air tickets that sparked an idea. Witnessing his father’s frequent air travels burdened with booking fees, Rikant Pitti conceived a solution: online ticket booking. With minimal initial investment, Pitti’s brainchild, now known as Ease My Trip, has soared to a staggering worth of Rs 8780 crore.
In his college days, Rikant Pitti juggled engineering studies while exploring entrepreneurial avenues. Witnessing his father’s frequent air travels and the accompanying booking fees, Pitti sensed an opportunity. Armed with determination and a vision, he ventured into online ticket booking, initially catering to his father’s needs.
As the venture gained traction, Pitti’s ambition swelled. He expanded operations, accommodating not only his father’s flights but also catering to other savvy travelers. Recognizing the potential, airlines beckoned Pitti to become a travel agent. Seizing the opportunity, he launched Duke Travels while still in college, laying the groundwork for what was to come.
Unsatisfied with the status quo, Pitti sought to disrupt the industry further. Understanding the limitations of working solely with airlines, he pivoted towards collaborations, forging partnerships with multiple airlines. From humble beginnings in a one-bedroom apartment in 2008, Pitti and his brother nurtured their brainchild, Ease My Trip, into existence.
Innovation remained at the forefront of Pitti’s strategy. Realizing the power of direct customer engagement, he transitioned towards a direct-to-consumer approach, despite losing a significant portion of their travel agent base. This bold move paid off, catapulting Ease My Trip into the limelight with daily ticket sales exceeding 20,000 within a year.
Despite facing stiff competition from industry giants like Make My Trip and Yatra.com, Ease My Trip flourished, boasting a consistent 50 percent annual growth rate since its inception in 2008. Pitti’s entrepreneurial acumen propelled him from a college dropout to a Lamborghini-driving tycoon, with recent acquisitions of commercial properties underscoring his meteoric rise.
Hailing from Delhi, Pitti’s journey from Vivekananda School to Kurukshetra University mirrors his relentless pursuit of success. His story serves as a testament to the power of innovation, determination, and seizing opportunities, transforming a simple idea into a multibillion-dollar empire.
