Pakistan’s Bookme.pk Raises $7.5 Million in Series A Round led by Hayaat Global

9 Dec 2021

Pakistan’s No. 1 online travel platform Bookme.pk has raised $7.5 million Series A funding to expand across Pakistan and overseas markets.

Lahore, Pakistan — Lahore-based ticketing and travel platform, Bookme.pk, announced today that it has raised $7.5 million through a Series A funding round. The round was co-led by Zayn Capital, seed investor Lakson VC, and UAE-based Hayaat Global.

MENA based BY Ventures and Jabbar Internet Group, New York based Millville Opportunities and Silicon-Valley based Mentor’s Fund also participated in the round.

Bookme is the first completely cashless platform in Pakistan with the highest number of day-to-day digital transactions for banks and payment gateways. Moreover, Bookme has partnered with Pakistan’s leading mobile wallet platform to offer its customers BNPL services, leveraging historical data and spending patterns for more than 6 million customers.

Faizan Aslam, CEO and Founder of Bookme, said at the occasion,

Our focus at Bookme has always been the customer experience. With this mind, we have created a fully integrated platform that allows customers to seamlessly make bookings with the click of a button. We digitized the paper-based transport and travel sector in Pakistan to create a plug-and-play distribution system that interconnects reservation systems of intercity buses, domestic and international airlines, hotels, and events. In our view, making the overall experience cashless through APIs to enable Super App payment applications was an integral part of completing the digital experience.

Mohammed Ikhlaq, Chairman and Director of Hayaat Global, added

“BookMe has one of the most robust e-ticketing platforms because of its focused approach and customer-centricity. Under Faizan’s inspired leadership, this stellar team has shown its market nous with unique, compelling offerings and partnerships that have supercharged its trajectory. We are delighted to play a role in their growth story and plans, and we fully expect them to continue scaling new peaks as the digital economy deepens in Pakistan.”

The intercity bus segment has grown significantly in Pakistan as road infrastructure and connectivity have improved throughout the country due to massive infrastructure investments over the last five years. In addition, major urban cities in Pakistan have a large number of rural migrants, increasing the demand for bus travel for their work-related commutes.

Babar Lakhani, the Managing Partner of Lakson Venture Capital, said, “Bookme is led by an exceptional team with a clear vision, which has enabled it to scale rapidly and dominate the travel and ticketing market in Pakistan. We are thrilled to continue to invest in Bookme and firmly believe that the Series A funding will allow Bookme to expand its operations, increase its market share and transform the travel and ticketing space in the country.”

Cost efficiency and shorter travel distances in densely populated provinces of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are also creating greater demand for buses. Moreover, the 82-million-strong middle class, composed mostly of Millennials and Generation Z, is also increasing demand for buses, airlines, hotels, and events.

“We have followed Bookme’s journey from the seed stage to see it scale into one of the leading platforms in Pakistan. We’re extremely proud to be a continued part of their journey as we believe that this team is capable of building a Unicorn,” said Faisal Aftab, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Zayn Capital Frontier Fund.

About Bookme.pk

Bookme is Pakistan’s #1 travel and e-ticketing platform. Being the largest online ticket booking platform in Pakistan, Bookme eliminated the need to stand in never-ending queues and chase travel agents that make travel seem like hard work. With Bookme, one can focus on enjoying the journey and make all the travel bookings in one place from bus tickets to flights booking, movies, cricket, and events. Its e-ticketing website and user-friendly mobile application help book tickets in advance, review bus and airline schedules, reserve a seat of choice, and browse upcoming movies or events. In addition to discounted prices, Bookme app also offers money-saving rewards on  bookings so one can save on future plans. As PCB’s official e-ticketing platform, Bookme makes cricket matches more fun!. Visit the website www.bookme.pk or download the Bookme.pk app (available on both iOS and Android devices) to discover more.

Coverage in media:
Funding of Pakistani Startups Crosses $300 Million This Year – Bloomberg
Pakistan’s No.1 online travel platform Bookme.pk raises $7.5 million in ‘Series A’ funding round – The Tribune
Pakistani online travel platform raises $7.5 million, plans Saudi Arabia expansion – Arab News
Pakistan’s Bookme.pk Raises $7.5 Million in Series A Round – ProPakistani
Pakistan’s Bookme.pk raises $7.5m in Series-A round amid plans to launch in Myanmar market – Profit, Pakistan Today
Pakistani ticketing startup books $7.5m in series A money – TechinAsia