Ctrip, China’s leading online travel agency has entered the US market.
With more than 19 million registered users, Ctrip processed more than 9 million hotel room nights and 10 million air tickets in 2007. However, more and more English-speaking leisure and business travelers are on the site making enhanced English-language services and amenities a necessity to facilitate China travel and booking.
Ctrip limits itself to its strong point, the China travel business from the US, worth more than $150 billion in 2007. At the same time, Expedia is entering the China market. That is going to be an interesting battle, since Expedia has a strong international brand name, but Ctrip seems almost unbeatable on the China business.
Source: China Herald
author Gareth Powell, source www.chinaeconomicreview.com
