China’s leading international online travel services provider Trip.com Group (Trip.com), in collaboration with more than 70 partners in the aviation, hospitality, tourism and retail industries, has launched ‘Travel On’, a global initiative to revitalise travel.
The initiative, launched yesterday evening (22 June) at a Facebook ‘live’ virtual event, will see the implementation of safety and hygiene standards, development of new products and promotions to restore confidence among consumers to travel again.
James Liang, Trip.com co-founder and chairman, when opening the event, acknowledged the past few months have presented challenges for the group in keeping its promise to customers to make “to make every trip perfect.” During this period it has refocused its efforts to deliver protection to its consumers and helping its partners to weather the storm.
With the Covid-19 pandemic starting to come under relative control and restrictions of movement being eased in some regions, the group is working with its partners to give consumers the confidence, inspiration and freedom to travel on.
“That’s why today we’re joining industry partners around the world to let you know that we are ready to travel on with you as travel becomes practical and possible over the next coming months. We’ll be working with our partners in an industry-wide effort to deliver innovative safe flexible mode of travel, and give travellers assurance to travel on and make those dreams a reality. We are bringing together the best standards in safety from industry authority like WTTC, and implementing them across the board.”
Jane Sun, chief executive officer of Trip.com, who launched the event affirmed this: “At Trip.com, our commitment is to make every trip the perfect trip, and traveller safety is our number one priority. Today we are here to make sure that your trip is as safe and enjoyable as ever.”
Trip.com, in collaboration with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), is introducing the new safety standards, giving consumers the freedom and assurance to travel on safely. These include airports and airlines with enhanced cleaning, contactless procedures, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks; sanitation disinfection and deep cleaning practices for tour coaches and other vehicles especially on high frequency touchpoints; exploring staggered timing for access to venues, hotels and restaurants; provision of complimentary WiFi at retail outlets for contactless and paperless payment solutions; reduce venue capacity limits for participants attending meetings, events and conventions at the venue with limited physical interaction.
Trip.com Group also partnered with Google to launch a joint Travel Trends Report (read story here), with initial findings revealing that interest in short haul travel is quickly developing. This, plus safety and flexibility, are the foremost considerations in planning future travel.
Funding for partners and travel on sale
To help its partners around the world get back on track Trip.com launched a US$500 million Travel On Fund starting 22 June, revealed Bo Sun, Trip.com’s chief marketing officer.
The group said it has so far provided US$1.4 billion in micro loans and deployed over US$140 million in assistance to help partners weather the virus storm.
To incentivise travellers and stimulate consumption, the group also announced the launch of its international ‘Travel On Sale’ campaign, which gives customers access to exclusive discounts of up to 60% for a range of flexible advance bookings.
Also on offer are discounted and flexible rates on over 33,000 hotels in 180 countries as part of its “Staycation” promotion. For flight tickets, customers will have the freedom to make changes to their itinerary with the new ‘Flexibooking’ guarantee. In addition, customers will have access to early bird discounts on flights, as well as various exclusive promotions including a “free ticket lucky draw”.
“It has been a long time since our last trip, and we know both our partners and fellow travellers can’t wait to travel on,” said Bo Sun. “With these great deals on offer there’s never been a better time to discover the world, and we’re sure that users will love this new way to book and travel.”
Live broadcast, traveller’s guide, flexible booking
In tandem with ‘Travel on Sale’ promotion Trip.com introduced ‘Trip.com LIVE’, a series of 10 in-destination livestreams and accompanying promotions that kick off on 23 June.
“We’re excited about this new feature. We’ve seen some great results in the test cases that we have done, and we’re looking forward to make this service available around the world,” said Trip.com chief operating officer Schubert Lou.
According to the company, the livestreams in select pilot markets watched by millions have accounted for more than US$70 million in sales.
Lou noted that with the lifting of travel restrictions by many countries, airlines resuming operation for international flights, s well as parks and attractions re-opening, many people are ready to travel again.
However, as travel safety and travel flexibility are on top of travellers’ mind, the company has rolled out the new International Traveller’s Guide to allay such worries.
“This guide provides features and information for our users that they know what to expect as they travel around the world. There are travel information, help and advisories and, more importantly, there are cancelled guarantees that we can assure our customers can go to places without hesitation,” said Lou
There is also a Green Map that provides live information of countries with restrictions and quarantine procedures. Destinations in green means travellers they can freely go there without any restriction or quarantine. When the map shows yellow against destinations travellers will have to provide information provided on the page. There is an alert service for travellers to keep track of the latest change in advisories or other information so they can carry on with their plans.
Lou revealed that booking flexibility is now important, and Trip.com is providing this feature on a comprehensive level, waiving change fees with its ‘Flexibooking guarantee’.
“We have provided products that people can book and cancel at any time. And with that we have provided a lot of additional information in terms safety, and policy that will make that decision, very easy to make. And we also make that impression, up to 300 million in our global platform so our partners, get the exposure as they need as we go.”
In closing the event CEO Jane Sun reaffirmed that travel is an an important force for good. “It’s what brings us together, and breaks down barriers between us, and what the world needs most right now is the freedom to travel on safely. With the measures for safety and flexibility announced today, and these amazing deals and exciting new products on offer, that moment is now. There’s never been a better time to start planning that next trip, and to travel on.”