China marks new opportunities for Australia
China is accelerating its pace on the Chinese path to modernization, which "will bring new opportunities for development to neighbors, including Australia", Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday. He said Beijing is willing to work with Canberra to consolidate and expand cooperation in conventional areas while seeking new areas of growth in cooperation such as science and technology innovation, coping with climate change and green transformation, as well as strengthening cultural exchanges in education and tourism.
South Korea takes action as Chinese tourists forced to buy overpriced items
South Korean authorities pledged to crack down on cheap tour packages that press Chinese tourists to purchase overpriced products. The move came as South Korea seeks to lure visitors from China, who take the largest portion of incoming tourists, The Korea Times reported. In recent years, many Chinese tourists have been lured to buy extremely low tour packages, but they have been always pressed by their tour guides to buy overpriced products such as cosmetics, nutritional supplements and duty-free items.
Meituan revenue rises 25.8% in 2023, local businesses recover rapidly
Chinese service online booking platform Meituan said its revenue for the full-year 2023 increased by 25.8% to RMB276.7 billion from RMB220.0 billion in 2022. GTV of the company’s in-store, hotel and travel businesses increased by over 100% year over year in 2023. The year-over-year growths of Annual Transacting Users and Annual Active Merchants exceeded 30% and 60%, respectively.
Air China launches longest one-stop South America flight
In an unprecedented move, Air China is gearing up to reinstate its flight services to South America come April, marking a momentous occasion in the aviation sector. This venture is remarkable as it introduces the globe’s most extended one-stop flight service. Operating twice weekly, the route from Beijing Capital to São Paulo is designed to cater to the significant Chinese Brazilian community residing in Brazil’s bustling metropolis.
Lufthansa boosts tourism efforts in China
Lufthansa, in collaboration with Munich Airport and Jewels of Romantic Europe, has launched a joint promotion campaign in Shanghai to boost tourism and strengthen ties with the Chinese travel market. The initiative marks the first post-pandemic roadshow in China by the Munich Airport and Jewels of Romantic Europe, a tourism partnership involving attractions from Bavaria in Germany, and Tirol and Salzburg in Austria.
China Southern Airlines launches Xiangyang to Hong Kong direct flight
An inaugural flight ceremony for an international (regional) air route was held at the Xiangyang Liuji Airport in central China's Hubei Province on Wednesday, marking the official opening of the Xiangyang to Hong Kong air route. It is the first passenger flight directly entering and exiting from Xiangyang.
Cathay Pacific delays full recovery plan to early 2025
While Cathay Pacific has remained generally on track with its capacity recovery plans so far, it is pushing back its target for full recovery slightly to ensure the stability of its operations while it expands. Cathay Pacific also plans significant investments in fleet and product offerings, including additional aircraft orders and cabin upgrades over the next few years.
Xiaohongshu- and Trip.com-invested PMS startup Smart Order eyes global expansion
Smart Order (locally known as DingDanLaiLe), an alternative accommodation PMS solution provider in China, announced that it has secured a strategic investment from social media platform Xiaohongshu and existing shareholder Trip.com Group. The company is eyeing the global market, with its overseas development plan launched in May 2023. It has served more than 600 overseas merchants, covering 22+ countries worldwide.
Tongcheng Travel opens first overseas offline store in Los Angeles
Tongcheng Travel's first overseas physical store officially opened in Los Angeles. Representatives from airlines such as Air China, China Airlines, and Cathay Pacific, as well as invited the press, attended the opening ceremony. Tongcheng Travel was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Suzhou, China. The company's major shareholders include Trip.com Group and Tencent.
Trip.com expands partnership with Amadeus to include Amadeus Mobility
By incorporating Amadeus Mobility into its portfolio of solutions, online travel group Trip.com has further broadened the scope of Amadeus content offered beyond Air and Hotel Distribution to include Mobility on Trip.com and its Trip.Biz corporate travel platforms. Amadeus’ technology and functionality will better serve customers on each platform by providing them with a seamless end-to-end travel experience.
Local delicacy spices up tourism in northwest China city
Tianshui, a city in northwest China’s Gansu Province, is welcoming more visitors eager to taste the local specialty, malatang, meaning a numbingly spicy hotpot. According to a 2023 report on gastronomic tourism released by the China Tourism Academy, the role of gastronomy in shaping tourism destinations and development strategies is gaining prominence. As of March 13, discussions about “Tianshui malatang” have dominated the trending topics on major social media platforms, with over 1.05 billion views on short video platforms.
