The news:
- Busbud, an international ground travel booking platform, has acquired Ratality, a South African company that offers revenue management optimisation software to ground travel operators.
- The acquisition is expected to allow Busbud to broaden its value proposition to include revenue management capabilities and become a comprehensive solution provider for operators worldwide.
- Busbud has yet to disclose the amount it acquired the South African company for.
The new development follows Busbud’s 2022 acquisition of Toronto-based Betterez, another B2B reservation & ticketing management platform.
The booking platform will expand on Busbud’s existing partnership with Ratality, extending its reach across Africa.
Busbud’s CEO and Co-founder, LP Maurice, says, “This is a very special partnership that will add a key missing piece to our growing B2B offering.”
Following this acquisition, Busbud will integrate Ratality’s unique expertise and Revenue Management System (RMS) into Busbud’s Business Suite, complete with essential features like advanced demand forecasting, dynamic pricing, fleet and driver management, and charter and rental industry solutions.
Per a release seen by Techpoint Africa, Ratality’s software can increase operator revenues by more than 30% year-over-year (YoY).
Busbud is a mobility startup that operates marketplaces focused on ground travel, allowing travellers to book intercity bus and train tickets on over 3 million routes in more than 80 countries worldwide.
The company also offers B2B software — Busbud Business Suite — which features an inventory management system (IMS), a white-label eCommerce platform (E-comm) that enables ground transportation operators to sell tickets online, and a revenue management system (RMS) that lets bus companies maximise cash inflow, thanks to the latest acquisition.
Busbud claims that the suite has powered hundreds of millions of tickets and is currently used by over 350 partners globally, assisting ground travel operators in efficiently managing their businesses and expanding their sales into the online marketplace.
“The platform supports a multitude of payment and language options and has been configured in 16 countries, acting as a trusted partner for many operators, including 4 of the top 5 in South Africa. The platform is flexible enough to support larger and smaller operators alike,” part of the statement read.
What’s more, Arend de Waal, CEO & Co-founder of Ratality, noted that partnering with Busbud expands Ratality’s platform to bus operators globally, while “unlocking untapped potential for bus operators, maximising revenue and operational efficiency.”
