Trip.com Group Announces Major Expansion in The Middle East, Eyes Growth at Arabian Travel Market

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Trip.com Group, a global leader in online travel services, has announced its strategic expansion in the Middle East, with a highlight being its participation in this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai. This move underscores the company’s global commitment to innovative travel solutions and strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing travel experiences for families and travelers of all ages in the region.

During a panel discussion on multigenerational travel in the Middle East, Boon Sian Chai, Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets at Trip.com Group, shared insights into the company’s strategic approach to improving travel experiences across all age groups. He emphasized the significant trend towards family-centric travel, citing Trip.com Group data that showed a rise in family-oriented journeys, accounting for 47% of all travel—nearly half of all trips taken during the extended Spring Festival holiday. This shift highlights the growing importance of addressing the diverse travel needs of families, especially during peak travel seasons.

Mr Chai also highlighted the success of Trip.com Group’s “Old Friends Club”, as part of initiatives to enhance multigenerational travel. The program, first launched in China, is designed to meet the specific needs of silver generation travellers aged 50 and above, spurred by a substantial 90% increase in bookings from this demographic compared to 2019. He elaborated, “We are committed to enhancing travel experiences internationally. By integrating our international expertise with deep local insights, particularly in the Middle East, we aim to enrich the travel landscape. This approach helps us set new standards in travel experiences and strengthen our international partnerships, ensuring we meet the nuanced demands of multigenerational travellers across different cultures and regions.”

Moreover, Trip.com Group is leveraging cutting-edge technology and building strong alliances to tailor its extensive travel booking platform, ensuring it meets the specific needs of Middle Eastern travelers. This effort includes offering services in local languages and respecting cultural intricacies. The company has noted a significant rise in travel interest to key Middle Eastern destinations like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, with a threefold increase in bookingsIn the initial quarter of this year as opposed to the corresponding period in 2023. This surge highlights the region’s growing allure as a hub for varied travel experiences, encompassing historical, cultural, and religious tourism.

With recent agreements such as a global partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority and a Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar Tourism, Trip.com Group aims to channel substantial international tourism into the region. Additionally, Trip.com has inaugurated its new regional office in Dubai, which will play a crucial role in bolstering the company’s presence and improving service offerings throughout the Middle East.

Siddharth Sudhakar, Product & Marketing Director, General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Trip.com Group, emphasised the importance of the new office, “Establishing our office in Dubai is a critical step in our regional strategy. It enhances our ability to forge local partnerships and tailor our offerings to better meet the needs of Middle Eastern travellers, further aligning with our global mission to transform travel through technology and innovation.”

The company’s involvement in ATM Dubai is a key component of its overarching plan to enhance service offerings and market reach through innovation. This includes leveraging AI-powered tools like TripGenie for personalized travel planning and immersive technologies such as Trip.Vision for mixed-reality experiences. As Trip.com Group extends its global presence, the Middle East emerges as a pivotal region for strategic expansion, poised to make a substantial impact on the company’s continued prosperity.

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