Ride-sharing provider, Grab, has announced a new collaboration with London-based Splyt, which will enable Grab users to access ride-hailing services anywhere in the world. This would provide greater convenience for frequent travellers as all you’ll need is a single app to book a ride.
According to Grab, the ride-hailing is moving towards consolidation in recent years but it is still highly fragmented for global travellers as visitors will need to download a separate app for the local provider. Grab which has invested US$8 million in Splyt aims to make it easy for anyone to get a ride when they need it, wherever they may be.
Splyt is the world’s first and largest B2B mobility marketplace that offers its partners access to ride-hailing networks worldwide without requiring their users to download or register with additional apps. According to Splyt’s website, their network covers 28 million cars in over 2,000 cities, 29 countries and 5 continents.
With this partnership, Grab and Splyt will enable international travellers to book Grab rides across 336 cities in 8 Southeast Asian countries with their preferred app. Ctrip and AliPay customers are already able to book Grab rides with their own apps via Splyt’s powered solution. Splyt is also working with Booking.com to enable ride-booking on their app by Q3 2019.
Grab and Splyt will continue to provide Grab users access to more ride-hailing options. By next year, the partnership will integrate Splyt and Grab’s network of mobility partners in a single Grab app. This would allow Grab users travelling outside of Southeast Asia to book rides via Grab and the requests will be fulfilled by Splyt’s partners.
The key benefit is that Grab users can use the app in their native language and pay using their own home currency. In addition, Grab also plans to add additional features such as in-app travel tips, restaurant reviews and attraction recommendations, to provide a richer experience to its users.