DAVOS, Switzerland – At the 50th World Economic Annual Forum in Davos, Jane Sun, chief executive officer, industry-leading international online travel agency (OTA) Trip.com Group, shared insights into trajectories for the travel industry and sustainable development.
In response to this year’s overarching topic, ‘Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World’, the chief executive officer of the OTA with 400 million users worldwide shared her thoughts on key interventions for a sustainable and resilient industry with regard to the future of mobility, and measures to improve holistic consumer well-being with view to the future of consumption. “We’re observing a shift in consumer demands, for more personalized, more spontaneous, more local, and more sustainable travel options,” she said. “In response, along with our partners, we’re investing in the technologies and initiatives to make this possible, but also to make the travel experience seamless and safe.”
A long-standing advocate for people-to-people diplomacy through travel, Sun says her company’s mission from day one has been making travel accessible, seamless and safe for as many people as possible. “Travel has the unique ability to bring people from different countries and backgrounds together, to educate one another, breakdown barriers, and avoid misunderstandings,” said Sun. “We strive to make this possible, pleasant and safe, but at the same time, as more and more people see the world, it’s our responsibility to ensure that our business continues to have a positive impact on their experience, to communities, and to the world.”
Last year, the company became a founding member of the Travalyst initiative led by the Duke of Sussex, and led 75 percent of its partners to adhere to its 4R (‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Regenerate’) initiative. Under Sun’s leadership, in 2017, Trip.com Group also launched a Global SOS system, providing 24/7 emergency response services to users worldwide. Since the launch, the company has partnered with local and international organizations to expand coverage. “Our mission is to make travel more pleasant, and the safety of our users is our number one priority,” said Sun. “We want our users to know that no matter where in the world they may be, or what their concerns they may have during their journey, help is just one message away.”
In addition to delivering the best-in-class experience for users, Sun noted that it is equally important to ensure that tourism has a positive impact on local communities. Accounting for USD $8.8 trillion, or 10.4 percent of global GDP, and sustaining 319 million jobs internationally in 2018, tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, with the potential to drive local economic growth.
“There’s so much potential for the less-traveled, ‘undiscovered gems’ of the world to see their slice of the massive international tourism economy,” said Sun. “Although traditionally popular destinations like Bangkok and Tokyo continue to attract the highest number of tourists, and group tours remain strong, we’re seeing an exponential increase in interest in in-depth, FIT travel in less-traveled destinations like Myanmar, Montenegro, and Croatia.”
Over the past year, Trip.com Group has partnered with destinations in Croatia, Italy, and Japan, among others, to increase consumer awareness of attractions ‘off-the-beaten’ path. As part of this process, Sun says the company has favored mutually beneficial partnerships with local businesses, at once contributing to the local economy while also giving its users access to well-established in-destination resources. The company has also helped destinations to break down logistical barriers to travel by working with governments to simplify and standardize complex visa issuance processes.
“Openness, whether for a company or a country, enables us to serve customers better. For international companies like ours, we believe locals know the market best, and mutually beneficial partnerships provide invaluable in-country resources to our customers,” said Sun.
“Some of the biggest barriers to travel are complex visa application processes, and that’s why we believe it is important for platforms like ours not just to provide booking services, but to help governments around the world to realize the benefits of simplifying the visa application process, and delivering this to our customers.”
Over the coming year, Trip.com Group will continue to strengthen and expand partnerships across the globe to deliver on its promise of best-in-class travel experience for international travelers, as well as taking measures to ensure the sustainability and positive impact of its business on the world.
