Microsoft, OYO in strategic alliance to digitally transform travel industry

New Delhi [India], Sep 9 : Microsoft and global travel technology company OYO have entered a multi-year strategic alliance to co-develop next-gen travel and hospitality products and technologies.
OYO will adopt Microsoft Azure as a key enabler to drive cloud-based innovations and reimagine the hospitality and travel tech industry.
The solutions will be geared to benefit patrons who operate small and medium hotel and home storefronts. Microsoft has also made a strategic equity investment in OYO.
Small and independent hotels and homeowners across the world will have access to OYO's latest technology to manage their guests' experience, increase revenue, and run operations seamlessly with the security and scalability of Microsoft Azure.
The pandemic has brought about massive shifts in consumer behaviors while booking travel, including preferences for platforms that enable social distancing, local travel, flexibility, faster booking and improved customer experiences.
Such changes have accelerated the way small and medium hotel businesses operate, leading to a slew of pioneering technologies and higher tech adoption which will further shape the future of hospitality.
Abhinav Sinha, Global COO and Chief Product Officer at OYO Hotels & Homes, said the company's technology and products have helped patrons drive operational efficiencies and continuously improve the experience for our guests.
"The alliance with Microsoft will accelerate the deployment of our products in the hands of small businesses we work with, allowing us to create even more impact through an integrated technology ecosystem available on the cloud for businesses in the remotest corners of the world," he said in a statement on Thursday.
Anant Maheshwari, President of Microsoft India, said by combining the power of Azure with the tech and product stack developed by OYO, the software major is looking forward to accelerating innovation in travel and hospitality.
"It is inspiring to see how the Microsoft cloud is empowering digital natives like OYO to accelerate industry transformation and innovations, turning the challenges of a post-pandemic era into opportunities for the future."