OTA Giant Trip.com Kicks off Global Partner Summit, Shares its COVID-19 Recovery Story

China’s online travel agency (OTA) giant Trip.com Group on Oct. 29 kicked off the Global Partner Summit in Chengdu, where the group invited over 2,600 attendees from the tourism industry to witness how the company bolstered the recovery of global travel industry amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

James Liang, chairman and co-founder of Trip.com Group, gave a keynote speech themed “local focus, global vision”, where he highlighted that companies should and will invest more in marketing to more closely engage with customers, especially in this unique time. He delved into the increasingly popular trends of high-end, boutique and themed trips, the integration of scenic attractions into travel destinations as well as the rise of night-time economy.

“Trip.com Group platforms are no longer just for exchanges between partners and customers, but we now create ourselves, utilizing innovative marketing and content generation to offer greater opportunities and greater value to our users and partners,” James Liang commented.

Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, shared her insights on the importance of unity during the unprecedented hardship brought upon the industry by the pandemic. As one of 11 Chinese females listed by Fortune’s Most Powerful Women of 2020, Sun has been acknowledged for her leadership amid the pandemic by outlining her vision of digital transformation and innovative marketing. In her speech, Sun emphasized the success of innovations and enhancement of services developed by the group.

In terms of the evolution of travel marketing, Bo Sun, CMO of the company, shared with the audience the expansion of Trip’s Covid-tailored marketing approaches. He explained how the integration of data, the development of a content ecosystem and the creation of immersive experiences for users jointly pushed the industry towards revival. The group’s livestream campaign has also proven that the future of tourism market is leaning to content oriented innovation, according to Bo Sun.

SEE ALSO: Trip.com Group Helps Revive Global Travel Industry through “LIVE for Trip” Livestreaming Campaign

Hotels and accommodation as an indispensable sector of tourism were yet another spotlight of the summit. Ray Chen, CEO of Accommodation Business Trip.com Group, revealed how the company’s improved property service index supported hotel brands to improve their services as well as presented users a clearer metric to make decisions.

Leading global travel brands, including more than 300 hotels and 70 hotel groups, 35 airlines and more than 60 air ticket vendors joined Trip.com in Chengdu.