Wego strengthens Indonesia footing with Valadoo stake

30 May 2012 2037 | Business & Trade Fairs

IN A bid to enhance its Indonesian hotel and flight offerings and provide more locally relevant deals, Wego has made a strategic investment in Valadoo, a homegrown social commerce travel business that offers discounted packages to domestic and selected international destinations.

The packages, which will be added to Wego Indonesia’s deals page, include diving trips to Raja Ampat Papua and Derawan Kalimantan, island-hopping experiences at Pantai Belitung and Karimun Jawa, and shopping getaways to Hong Kong and Singapore, among others.

Valadoo will be integrated into the Wego setup in a new Jakarta office, but will function independently of its parent company. Valadoo.com co-founder, Jaka Wiradisuria, continues as CEO, while Wego CEO, Ross Veitch, and CCO, Craig Hewett, join the Valadoo board of commissioners. Graham Hills, managing director of Wego Indonesia, joins the Valadoo board of directors.

Hills said: “Valadoo recognised early the demand among urban Indonesians to explore and enjoy domestic travel. The country is in a discovery phase and the tourism network is rapidly expanding to cater to it, but the options need to be affordable. Valadoo therefore has a great proposition and a talented team.”

Sourced: TTG Asia

Wiradisuria added: “The strategic partnership with Wego will help strengthen Valadoo as an Indonesian social commerce travel business, through the combination of international e-commerce best practices with local market knowledge and social media expertise.”

“Moreover, we also see the partnership as a significant development for the Indonesia tourism industry, as it will help open up more options for both domestic and international travellers to explore Indonesia.”

Earlier this year, Wego launched Wego Indonesia, one of 35 international sites to be introduced as part of its global expansion strategy (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 5, 2012).

The company has just introduced Wego India, its Bangalore-based India site, which offers services in 11 national languages.