How do you make travel planning feel as intuitive as scrolling through your favorite app?

According to Boon Sian Chai, Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets, and Amy Wei, Senior Product Director, Trip.com Group, the answer lies in blending technology with an in-depth understanding of consumer behavior. The duo sat down with us in the WiT Studio to discuss how they’re reshaping the travel experience across Trip.com’s platforms – from user-generated content to personalised AI-powered tools.

Watch the full interview:

When asked about Trip.com’s approach to engagement and community building, Chai highlighted the growing success of their Trip Moments feature. “We launched Trip Moments a couple of years ago, and year-on-year, we’ve seen 100% growth in user engagement,” he explained. The platform, now 80% user-generated content, offers inspiration and practical advice, ranging from sharing food experiences to navigating major cities. “It’s a travel ecosystem within our app,” Chai said, underscoring its role in both engagement and informed decision-making.

The app’s content strategy goes hand-in-hand with enhancing conversions. Amy Wei pointed to personalisation as a critical factor. “We integrate users’ browsing history, past orders, and preferences into responses,” she noted. By combining internal data with advanced language models, Trip Genie provides more relevant, high-quality answers. “It’s not just about text input; users can speak, listen to responses, and seamlessly move from conversation to booking,” she added, emphasising the importance of making interactions natural and effective.

Localisation, Chai revealed, remains one of the biggest challenges—and priorities. 

“We follow a ‘local focus, global vision’ motto,” he said, citing examples like tailored photo content for Japanese users or payday campaigns for Thai consumers. He also highlighted the success of Trip.com’s live-streaming campaigns, which originated in China and have since gained traction globally. “We launched a live-streaming center in Bangkok to work with hotel partners and platforms like TikTok,” he shared, adding that this approach caters to markets increasingly driven by visual content.

Amy further elaborated on AI’s role in maintaining Trip.com’s edge. “High-quality itineraries come down to personalisation and data,” she said. Beyond generating ideas, the platform allows users to edit and share plans with friends, integrating all bookings in one place. “It’s not just about creating a list; it’s about making it practical and usable,” she explained, contrasting their approach with generic AI-generated suggestions.

Trip.com is also betting big on curation. Chai discussed the success of their Trip Best products, which combine AI-driven insights with local expertise to recommend everything from luxury hotels to must-try restaurants. “It’s a combination of data and human input,” he said. “For example, we check if the top-rated places match what locals would recommend, ensuring authenticity.”

Looking ahead, both Chai and Wei are optimistic about how AI and user-centric design will shape the industry. As Chai shared, even the company’s leadership is embracing these tools: “Our chairman recently presented our Q2 earnings as an AI avatar—a first for us and a sign of how we’re innovating at every level.”

For Trip.com, staying ahead means continuously adapting to consumer behaviors, experimenting with new technologies, and refining the user experience. As Wei aptly summed up, “AI is just one tool among many. It’s about responding to users’ needs with solutions that are practical and useful.