October 26, 2016 was an important date in the growth of the Chinese tourism market to the U.S. On this day in New York City, the “Quartet” was born. This ‘marriage’ was created when four tour operators
- Ctrip, China’s largest OTA ( online travel agency)
- Universal Vision – NYC’s largest tour operator for the Chinese market
- Tours for Fun – a West coast tour operator for the Chinese Market
- CTour- another west coast tour company
came together to create a strategic partnership that will have major effects in the U. S. Tourism market going forward. I was one of the honored invited guests so I got to hear each company speak about their history and vision. The Ctrip senior VP Yang Tao told us that the goal of Ctrip is to make travel merrier. Jack Lok of Universal Vision talked about how working together creates communication and will help to create world peace. Each of the leaders made it clear that while it is a business, creating travel packages between countries is also a passion.
How will this affect your attraction?
While some of the details are still unclear, the potential for growth is great. If you are already receiving business from one of these companies, you will continue to receive business- hopefully in greater numbers. I am looking forward to the standardization and processes that will now be in place to help suppliers, as well as guests. It sounds like Ctrip will make its big data and other information available to the U.S. partners, so they can target potential customers more efficiently. As I was saying to another guest, it’s like Hilton has swooped in and bought up 3 Mom and Pop hotels. There doesn’t seem to be a downside. CTrip has over 250 million members and their app is so popular that over 70% of current transactions are done on mobile devices!
Having the Quartet as America’s largest travel provider for the Chinese market will make it easier for you to start capturing this market. All trends point to a growth in the FIT market, as well as growth for smaller, lesser known destinations. The Chinese group tour market will remain strong for years to come, and this announcement tells me that Ctrip is serious about promoting the U.S. as a prime destination. Let’s take advantage of this great opportunity!
Additional resources:
