Agoda: steering a travel booking platform through the Covid-19 collapse and recovery

You lead product strategy at Agoda, an online travel booking platform, when the Covid-19 pandemic arrives and travel demand collapses. Set out the strategy you would follow through the pandemic: what the business and the product should do, how you would set priorities, and how the plan would change as conditions evolve. ```hint Split the timeline Travel did not just shrink; what people booked, and why, changed from one stage of the pandemic to the next. Separate what keeps the business and its partners going through the shock from the bets that position it for the recovery. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Which stage of the pandemic are we planning for: the first weeks of mass cancellations, the long stretch of border closures, the reopening, or all of them? - What is the company's financial position: how long can it operate with bookings near zero, and is cost cutting on the table? - Which markets and products matter most: international or domestic travel, accommodation or flights, and in which countries? - Is the priority protecting profit, protecting market share, or keeping travelers and accommodation partners loyal for the rebound? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A phased plan (initial shock, prolonged restrictions, reopening) with a distinct goal for each phase. - Both sides of the marketplace: travelers who need refunds, flexibility and confidence, and accommodation partners facing cancellations and cash shortfalls. - Specific product moves that follow how demand shifted, prioritized by impact and urgency. - Financial resilience (cash, costs, marketing spend) and the metrics or leading indicators that decide when to move between phases. - The main trade-offs and risks, such as refund generosity versus cash and partner relations, and new waves of restrictions. ### Follow-up Questions - Hotels refuse to refund non-refundable bookings while travelers demand their money back. Who absorbs the cost, and how do you decide? - With marketing spend cut to almost nothing, how do you make sure travelers book with you rather than a competitor when borders reopen? - Which pandemic-era changes would you keep once travel fully recovers, and which would you remove?