Trip.com Group Limited stands as a leading global travel service provider, operating extensively both within China and across international markets. Through its ...
Trip.com Group Limited is a leading global travel technology and services company operating a large-scale online travel platform that connects travelers with travel inventory and service providers. The company was founded in 1999 and later listed on the Nasdaq (2003). Operating through subsidiaries and a multi-brand strategy, Trip.com Group serves ...Trip.com Group Limited is a leading global travel technology and services company operating a large-scale online travel platform that connects travelers with travel inventory and service providers. The company was founded in 1999 and later listed on the Nasdaq (2003). Operating through subsidiaries and a multi-brand strategy, Trip.com Group serves both leisure and business travelers, with service coverage spanning accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing, and end-to-end travel arrangements.
At the core of its business is an intermediary/marketplace model that enables customers to search, compare, and book travel products. For leisure travelers, Trip.com Group supports booking of hotel accommodations and airline tickets and extends coverage to train, long-distance bus, and ferry ticketing. The company differentiates its offering by layering value-added services on top of core bookings—such as travel insurance (e.g., flight delay/accident/baggage-related coverage) and convenience features including ticket delivery, online check-in, seat selection, expedited security, real-time flight tracking, and airport VIP lounge access. In addition, it provides curated packaged tour products, ranging from organized group excursions and semi-private trips to fully customized itineraries. These packages can include transportation (such as air or cruise) as well as bus and car rental, and they are complemented by in-destination services like local transportation, attraction/activity ticketing, additional insurance options, visa assistance, and tour guides.
For corporate customers, Trip.com Group offers tailored business travel solutions through a Corporate Travel Management System, an online platform designed to integrate information management with booking and authorization workflows, inquiry functions, and detailed travel reporting. This positions Trip.com Group not only as a booking channel but also as an operational system used by companies to manage travel policy and spending.
In terms of operating scale and platform breadth, the company’s brand portfolio includes Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar, enabling it to address different customer segments and geographies. While it is primarily known for travel bookings and packaged services, the company also reports diversification into online advertising and financial services, reflecting the potential to monetize travel-related traffic and data ecosystems.
From a service-cost and product-composition perspective, the business typically combines relatively asset-light online distribution and workflow tooling with transaction-based revenue streams across multiple travel categories (lodging, transportation, and bundled services). Financially, key platform economics depend on travel booking volumes, take-rates/commissions, and the mix between standalone reservations and higher value bundled packages and corporate travel management services. Internally, the company leverages travel data collection and analysis as well as industry benchmarking to improve conversion, customer experience, and supply-demand matching. Key leadership includes CEO Jie Sun (with co-founder James Liang listed as chairman), supporting continued development of the company’s one-stop travel platform and service expansion ambitions.
Operator: Good day, thank you for standing by. Welcome to Trip.com Group 2026 quarter one earnings conference call. I would now like to hand the call over to Michelle Qi, Senior IR Director.
Michelle Qi: Thank you. Good morning, welcome to Trip.com Group's first quarter of 2026 earnings conference call. Joining me today are Mr. James Liang, Executive Chairman of the Board, Ms. Jane Sun, Chief Executive Officer, and Ms. Cindy Wang, Chief Financial Officer. During this call, we will discuss our future outlook and performance, which are forward-looking statements made under the Safe Harbor Provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Trip.com Group does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law. James, Jane, and Cindy will share our strategy and business updates, operating highlights, and financial performance for the first quarter of 2026, as well as outlook for the second quarter of 2026. With that, I will turn the call over to James.
James Liang: Thank you, Michelle, and thanks everyone for joining us today. We started the year with strong momentum. Travel continues to drive consumption, create jobs, and support broader industry growth. In this context, we are focused on unlocking the full potential of inbound travel as a key engine for local economies. At the core of our approach is a simple idea: turning inbound travel into real, on-the-ground opportunities for local partners. We have set an ambitious goal to serve 200 million inbound travelers over the next five years. This reflects both the scale of the opportunity and the potential to connect local destinations with global demand. As policies become more favorable, the inbound travel market is opening like never before. Last year, Trip.com welcomed 20 million inbound travelers. In Q1 2026 alone, we have already served approximately 7 million travelers, laying a strong foundation for long-term growth. Our role is to connect the ecosystem. We help partners understand international traveler expectations, translate that knowledge into products and services that capture incremental demand, and raise awareness positioning China as an accessible and attractive destination through targeted marketing initiatives. These include offline promotions in key global transit hubs, joint campaigns with airline partners, and collaborations with international content creators. During the quarter, we engaged over 110,000 local partners in inbound-related services. For many, this was their first opportunity to connect with international travelers. We also collaborate with local partners across 29 high-potential destinations to design and deliver integrated travel experiences, connecting attractions, accommodations, and local services into seamless itineraries. Technology, and AI in particular, is becoming an increasingly important enabler across the travel ecosystem. We are building and deploying our own suite of …
