eSIM firm CELITECH provides update on Kayak partnership

Kayak revealed it's had "positive engagement" to its eSIM ancillary offering

B2B eSIM creator CELITECH has released an update on how its partnership with OTA Kayak is going.

The move between the two firms, saw the eSIM company provide the OTA with eSIMs as an ancillary offering since May this year. 

Kayak said the partnership is in its "early days" as it is offered to a limited number of international flight bookings for now but has seen "positive engagement" from travellers.

Richard Bratton, co-founder and COO of CELITECH, said: "Travel companies are facing many economic headwinds including rising fuel costs, wages, and other operational costs. 

"The way to offset this negative pressure is through retailing of existing and new ancillaries such as connectivity/eSIM.”

Lauren A. Koenig, co-founder and CMO of CELITECH, added: "Being connected is a non-negotiable for international travel and connectivity has become a lifeline for travelers. 

"CELITECH’s technology is an excellent way to capitalize on the 400+ mobile impressions per day, all while offering your traveler the best possible quality of data on the market.” 

Alex Hlivka, director of commercial partnerships at Kayak, said: "As international travel continues to rise, the significance of eSIM cards has become increasingly relevant."

“Recognising the necessity, particularly among budget-conscious travellers, we’ve partnered with CELITECH so staying connected and informed when on the road is as easy and seamless as possible.”

Paul Jacobs, GM & VP of NorAm and APAC of Kayak, said: "It’s currently being sold as an “add-on” when you book an international flight via Book on KAYAK (KAYAK’s facilitated booking path). 

"International travel has been trending upwards over the last year with searches this past summer up 42%. 

"As we head into 2024, we’re seeing a similar trend increase with international searches already up 13% versus this time last year."

He added: "Our partnership with CELITECH makes it incredibly easy and stress-free for users to quickly access data without the hassle of switching SIM cards, going through the Internet activation, and dealing with other related complexities."