Trip.com Group appoints former Expedia executive as Europe general manager
>> Trip.com Group has appointed former Expedia executive Andy Washington as its general manager for Europe, according to a Travolution report. Mr. Washington had worked for travel companies like Culture Trip, Dnata, Expedia, Thomas Cook and lastminute.com.
Lifestyle hotel company Atour sees rise in half-year revenue
>> Chinese lifestyle hotel company Atour has amended its Form F-1 filing for IPO adding latest performance data and regulation risk discussion. For the first half of 2021, the company's revenue increased by 83% year-on-year to RMB 990 million. Trip.com Group, which owns a 14.8% stake in Atour, generated RMB 255 million in half-year hotel reservation payments for the hotelier, a rise of 274% from the same period of 2020. Atour said it's at risks of Chinese regulations but has not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanctions or any regulatory objections to the IPO plan.
China boosts in-flight internet connectivity in commercial airplanes
>> China has been promoting in-flight network connectivity services in commercial airplanes, a key move in building a smart civil aviation industry, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). In a recently issued tech roadmap, the CAAC proposed for the first time the implementation path of a new generation of aviation broadband communication technologies represented by 5G technology.
China Travel mulls dividend amid easing pandemic situation
>> China Travel International Investment Hong Kong said that it may consider distributing dividends if there is stable cash flow and profit in the second half of the year, but this will depend on the actual situation.
Meituan faces new antitrust probe into 2018 acquisition of bike-sharing firm Mobike
>> Chinese regulators have launched an antitrust investigation into Meituan’s acquisition of bike-sharing company Mobike in April 2018. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said it is examining Meituan’s business because the company failed to report the deal for a state-mandated antitrust review. At the time, the deal cost Meituan RMB 17.45 billion (USD 2.7 billion), according to media reports.
Hong Kong in talks with Thailand over recognition of vaccination records
>> Hong Kong is in talks with Thailand over the recognition of vaccination records to allow Hong Kong citizens currently in Thailand to return to the Chinese city. Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the government is currently in talks with some of the countries classified as “high-risk” over measures to verify people’s vaccination records.
New border crossing checkpoint between Macau and Zhuhai to open September 8
>> Macau’s busiest entry point will soon be able to welcome more arrivals and process them faster with a new border crossing checkpoint scheduled to open to the public on September 8.
Ferry services between Macau, Shenzhen resume Sept 3
>> The first scheduled maritime ferry service between Macau and mainland China’s Guangdong province since such links were suspended in early August amid a Covid-19 alert across the region, starts September 3.
Taiwan raises reward for travel agencies to NT$1.1 billion
>> Taiwan's Tourism Bureau raised the total reward for travel agencies that organize the most domestic tour groups during the COVID-19 pandemic to NT$1.1 billion (USD 39.6 million) from NT$800 million announced previously. The government could subsidize 35,000 domestic tour groups if each tour group were to receive a subsidy of NT$30,000.
