China travel giant Ctrip partners with Amadeus in bid for international growth

China travel giant Ctrip partners with Amadeus in bid for international growth

Amadeus is to power the international expansion of China travel giant Ctrip.

Amadeus is to power the international expansion of China travel giant Ctrip.

The deal includes providing air content for points of sale outside of mainland China.

This initially includes Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and the US, with future plans to move into Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Thailand, as well as additional markets.

Ctrip will implement Amadeus Master Pricer TravelBoard as its low fare search engine, as well as Amadeus Mini Rules and Amadeus Ticket Changer, with the aim to adopt more of Amadeus’ online search solutions in the near future.

Ctrip chief executive of air ticketing business unit Xiong Xing said: “Working hand in hand with our industry partners has helped Ctrip grow to become one of China’s largest travel companies.

“Now, as the world becomes even more connected, being a truly international travel player is paramount to our success in the future.

“Collaboration is the key to growth and Amadeus, as a global leader, is well positioned to power Ctrip in these new international markets.

“This is a major milestone in our relationship and we truly feel that it will provide Ctrip with cutting edge solutions coupled with unique benefits, enabling us to become a one-stop international travel service platform.”

Sebastien Gibergues, head of leisure online and travel media at Amadeus, said: “Amadeus has built a solid and successful relationship with Ctrip over the last few years, so it is a natural next step to grow our partnership through Amadeus Flight Search and our merchandising portfolio in the global online travel market.

“Amadeus’ powerful global travel technology is a natural fit for Ctrip’s commitment to providing consistent excellent customer service as it steps outside of China.”

Angel Gallego, Amadeus’ Asia Pacific president said: “This is a story of partnership, matching Ctrip’s online expertise in one of the world’s largest and most dynamic markets with Amadeus’ global distribution reach. We are excited to work with Ctrip to support their expansion onto the global stage.”