TravTalk India Online Magazine
Big Bus Tours and MakeMyTrip have launched a strategic global collaboration in London, marking a major step in Big Bus’s India growth story. The alliance was unveiled with three London buses wrapped in MakeMyTrip’s signature livery. The activation celebrates MakeMyTrip’s 25th anniversary while reinforcing the importance of the Indian traveller in Big Bus’s global strategy.
In a move that blends brand visibility with strategic market alignment, Big Bus Tours, the world’s leading open-top sightseeing company, has teamed up with India’s largest online travel brand, MakeMyTrip. The partnership aims to boost awareness, create India-specific campaigns, and build long-term volume from one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound markets.
“India has become a genuine growth engine for us, with demand rising fast and Indian travellers prioritising London, Paris, Dubai and other Big Bus cities,” says Alexi Tabrizi, Executive Vice President – Global Sales, Big Bus Tours. “Partnering with MakeMyTrip lets us meet customers where they already plan and book, add scale to our brand investments in India, and co-create India-specific products and campaigns.”
The collaboration was launched in style, with three iconic Big Buses in London fully wrapped in MakeMyTrip’s bright red-and-blue branding, celebrating the OTA’s milestone 25th year. The buses will operate across central London, creating a strong visual impact for both tourists and locals while signalling Big Bus’s growing commitment to India.
India has quickly climbed into Big Bus’s top four global source markets and continues to grow at triple-digit rates. To deepen its engagement, Big Bus is working closely with its India representative, Auxilia Networks, to strengthen B2B relationships and create commercial value for Indian travel trade partners.
“Alongside MakeMyTrip, we’re expanding trade engagement so Indian operators can package Big Bus more easily into UK itineraries; FIT, families, groups and MICE,” says Tabrizi. “We have a dedicated commission framework for the Indian market that’s designed to be highly beneficial commercially for distributors and agents who book through them.”
The partnership also opens doors for future collaboration on offers, QR-based ticketing and joint campaigns targeting Indian travellers. While the current branded buses are part of a limited launch campaign, both companies have expressed interest in extending the collaboration to other cities and themed promotions.
For Big Bus, the campaign is already being hailed as a success—launching its partnership on MakeMyTrip’s platform and unlocking new trade potential. “We’re focused on growth and will be tracking how our sales scale with MakeMyTrip and in the Indian source market overall,” said Tabrizi.
As these bright red buses weave through London’s streets, they not only celebrate a milestone for two major brands but also symbolise the growing global footprint of Indian travellers—now firmly on the radar of the world’s leading travel operators.
