Booking.com has appointed Santosh Kumar as country manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia. He succeeds Ritu Mehrotra, who earlier served in the same role.

With full responsibility for the leadership and development of Booking.com’s business in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia, Kumar plays a critical role in driving growth, strategy and operations across one of the most dynamic and diverse regions in the Asia Pacific. He is a seasoned leader, who brings over a decade of leadership experience from the travel and hospitality industry.

As the travel industry navigates its next phase of recovery and looks at new growth prospects, Kumar will spearhead efforts to shape the future of travel in the region with a strong focus on supporting our partners in rebuilding their businesses, while ensuring the company continues to deliver the best value to our customers.

“Santosh joins us as an entrepreneurial and strategic leader with an in-depth understanding of the travel and technology industry. With over 15 years of experience in managing multicultural teams, Santosh will spearhead the region with a strong focus on supporting our partners in rebuilding their businesses, while ensuring the company continues to deliver the best value to our customers.” said Nuno Guerreiro, Regional director, South APAC & Chains.

Previously, he was managing director of the Indian subcontinent at HRS Group, a global SaaS-based corporate travel accommodation technology provider. He has also worked at American Express Global Business Travel and has extensive consulting experience working with Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Deloitte, Collabera and Diamond Management and Technology Consultants in USA and India.

“I am honoured and excited to lead the Booking.com business in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia. Booking.com’s mission is to make it easy for everyone to experience the world and with us slowly embracing the new era of travel, I am looking forward to working closely with our accommodation partners to ensure that we offer travellers the most convenient, seamless and unforgettable experiences in travel,” Santosh Kumar said.