He said in an interview that his firm now has more than 15,000 visitors on their website and nearly 30,000 visitors on their Facebook page every month, and expects the figure to be doubled by the end of this year.

“We have now acquired around 400 bookings so far, and hope to receive more after the low season ends. Our customer base will grow together with the rising number of people visiting us through the website and social network channels,” he said.

“We mainly target to achieve 5,000 customers by April 2017. We hope to enjoy 50 per cent growth on a monthly basis.”

Ten months of impressive traction has brought 55 tour companies and over 150 local experts generating opportunities across the nation. The firm now has a team of five permanent staff and aims to expand both its network and workforce over time, he said.

Nyunt Win Aung plans to improve content marketing via Facebook as a primary channel for promotion. A mobile application will be introduced in the fist week of November. In the long run, he hopes to focus on automation, in addition to expansion of the workforce to 30 staff.

“We aim to make travelling easy for everyone. That is why we decided to create a time-saving and cost-effective platform for local travellers. We are confident that our business will be stronger despite stiff competition in the market,” he said.

“Normally, when people think of visiting somewhere, they have to buy tickets for transportation, find the best hotel that would suit their needs and book it in advance, and hire either taxis or motorbikes to go to their favourite destinations. All the processes usually take time. So we created a one-stop platform gathering tour operators, local guides and travellers for their own convenience. They no longer need to bother or worry about their trips.”

According to Nyunt Win Aung, the firm’s services are now available in all the states and regions in Myanmar, except Kachin State where he hopes to launch next year.

He said the top favourite destination by far is the ancient city of Bagan, followed by Mandalay and destinations in Shan State such as Taunggyi, Kalaw, and Inlay Lake. He hopes to receive more bookings for trips to the nation’s popular beaches such as Ngapali, Ngwe Saung, Chaung Tha and Gawyingyikyun.

Regional winner

The firm is an alumnus of Telenor’s accelerator programme and Phandeeyar: Myanmar Innovation Lab, from which they received pre-seed funding. Earlier this year, the firm won US$10,000 to venture further, as it took the top prize among more than 250 applicants at the 2017 Mekong Business Initiative Innovation Grants supported by Asia Development Bank.

At the event, promising tourism start-ups across Southeast Asia vied for securing four grants up to $10,000 (Bt333,000). The firm won two steps of the competition in Cambodia and Laos, respectively.

He said all their customers were satisfied with the firm’s service. He was proud to say that around 40 per cent of people travelling with the firm became return customers.

“We always try to ensure smooth transportation and nice accommodation for our customers at the best price. Perhaps this is our strength that sets us apart from others,” he said.

He said the firm took its customers’ feedback into serious consideration. It usually collects customer satisfaction data either by phone or through a survey form after the trip. In this regard, the firm can determine the rating of its partners to ensure better services.

He said cost effectiveness fuelled people’s interest in travelling with the firm. He added it costs a minimum Ks35,000 (Bt857) to the maximum Ks180,000 per trip, which he said is affordable for even low-income people.