Online travel company Expedia has started operations in India with the launch of a local site where Indians can pay using Indian rupees.
India's economic boom, reflected in over 8 percent annual gross domestic product growth, has created a large interest in both business and leisure travel.
India had 32 million active Internet users as of September 2007, from a total population of 1.1 billion, according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India.
Expedia.co.in will offer its services directly to travelers in India via the Web site or by phone, for travelers who prefer to speak with an representative, a company spokeswoman said Thursday. Along with pricing in Indian rupees, Expedia provides localized service and a customer care center within the country, that is staffed with agents who speak both Hindi and English, it added.
Expedia said its international revenue accounted for 32 percent of worldwide revenue in 2007, up from 28 percent in 2006. Expedia.co.in is the company's 17th branded site, it said.
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