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| (Image Source: Adobo Magazine/AirAsia) |
The airasia Super App, ASEAN’s fastest-growing integrated digital travel and lifestyle platform, has officially arrived in the Philippines. The newest Super App entrant in the Philippines is aiming to further stimulate the country’s strong e-commerce market. The airasia Super App, a digital venture of Capital A (formerly known as AirAsia Group), is expected to change the local e-commerce game as it is the first and only one-stop-shop travel and lifestyle app in the country.
The launch of the airasia Super App complements the findings of AirAsia Philippines in a study commissioned end-2021 where respondents have highlighted their interest in an integrated end-to-end travel experience. 6 out of 10 respondents are keen on booking packages composed of Flights + Hotel + Tours and Activities, followed by discounted Flight + Hotel bundles (61%), and discounted Food + Activities bundles (59%). Such packages are available on the airasia Super App, supported by other lines of businesses present in the Philippines like SNAP, and those soon to arrive such as ride-hailing service airasia ride, digital food delivery airasia food, and digital tax-free shopping platform TravelMall. Coming from the successful launch of its Super App in Malaysia and Thailand, Capital A is confident that airasia Super App will perform well in the Philippines as the country gears for its post-pandemic recovery. Differentiating the airasia Super App from others in the market is its capability to allow users to compare and book flights to more than 3,000 destinations with over 700 airlines to choose from.
Aside from flights, customers can also conveniently book hotels, travel packages, activities, car rides, parcel deliveries and even shop for food, clothes, and other products at lower prices in just a few taps, all in one app. Since its global launch, airasia Super App has partnered with over 200,000 hotels to secure the best deals. The chat option also allows app users to interact real-time and get feedback about the products and services in the airasia Super App. Capital A Berhad CEO Tony Fernandes said, “The airasia Super App has arrived in the Philippines, and we are looking forward to serving all Filipinos with three key things – convenience, reliability and affordability. We are an everyday app, for everyone and we aim to create value for all airasia Super App users. We have grown from just an airline into a full-fledged super app today with strong products across key business verticals such as travel and delivery. With the reopening of borders across the region, we are sure that Filipinos will find the best travel deals on our super app, and enjoy other lifestyle offerings such as airasia food, airasia ride, airasia xpress and more when they travel to other countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and when they’re introduced in the Philippines soon.” In the coming months, airasia Super App will be opening its ride-hailing and parcel delivery services in the Philippines.
airasia Super App CEO Amanda Woo said, “This launch will be the beginning of something great and there will come a day where the airasia Super App will be a household name for every Filipino, as we strive to be part of your everyday lives – as we introduce more and more offerings here. We are now a complete super app, and the only super app who is able to offer products and services across both travel and delivery verticals in one place. As an OTA, we now offer flights from over 700 airlines to more than 3,000 destinations across the globe, apart from over 200,000 hotels. The SUPER+ subscription plan, which was launched last week is also something that brings value to any subscribers and we hope that more Filipinos will subscribe once more services are introduced here in the Philippines.” Capital A said the Philippines is a very important market. It hopes to expand the airasia Super App consumer base in the Philippines by the fourth quarter of 2022.
At the helm of airasia Super App Philippines is Managing Director Ray Berja. “We at airasia firmly believe that ‘diversified offerings’ in an ‘integrated platform’ presents the future of brands – a future wherein experience is seamless from one end to the other. This is what airasia Super App is set to offer Filipinos. We have grown beyond being a travel company as we know the customer journey going to and from their travel destination is much more complex. Our answer to these complexities is a simple one-stop hub for all essentials, making life more convenient one tap at a time," shared Berja. Berja also remarked on the economic activity that the airasia Super App Philippines aims to spur in the coming months. “As part of our efforts to help boost the country’s economic recovery, airasia Super App is offering a more diverse platform for businesses at any level. We want services to be available at their best value to stimulate commerce for businesses of all sizes as we all gear for recovery,” Berja shares.
The Philippine government also sees promising growth and optimism with the entry of the airasia Super App in the e-commerce market. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Mon Lopez said, “With innovation, it’s all about introducing new ways of doing things, processes, products and services. Obviously, that kind of mindset is what we need with or without pandemic. What Super App is doing is definitely one step and probably many steps towards innovation.” According to Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Acting Secretary Emmanuel Caintic, “The department would like to congratulate airasia on the launching of the airasia Super App. airasia has once again proven itself to be a digital company that evolves with time and is committed in developing relevant business solutions for the people. The official launch of the airasia Super App is a remarkable milestone as it makes technology in travel, lifestyle and financial services more understandable, affordable and flexible. With this innovation like the Super App, that’s precisely what we want to encourage is that people transact online and they can be secured in transacting online, be comfortable online. That’s why we are welcoming this app right now because it is a testament to pivot to digital economy because it’s the best driver for growth.”
