At Fliggy's latest Overseas Local Play Partner Conference, the platform disclosed that since 2023, over 1,000 new merchants offering overseas local activities and scenic tickets have joined, and nearly 30,000 overseas activities and ticket products have been added. On average, Fliggy merchants' average transaction volume has achieved double-digit growth compared to 2019, with traffic conversion rates reaching record highs.
Singapore partners with Mafengwo for AI apps
On June 11, the Singapore Tourism Board and leading Chinese online travel agency Mafengwo held a strategic cooperation conference in Beijing. The partnership will deepen cooperation in marketing, data and intellectual property. Mafengwo's new AI travel assistant "AI Xiaoma" was unveiled at the conference, with the Singapore Tourism Board becoming Mafengwo's first international AI partner destination. Data from Mafengwo shows that since the visa-free policy came into effect on February 9, Singapore's appeal to Chinese tourists has increased, ranking among the top five popular overseas destinations on the platform in the first half of 2024.
Tongcheng Travel and Korea Tourism Organization launch "Korea Youth Tour Card"
On June 12, Tongcheng Travel announced a partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization to launch the "Korea Youth Tour Card," providing a series of exclusive summer travel discounts for college students. This initiative aims to offer students more convenient and economical travel options, to meet the demand for summer travel to Korea.
Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry delegation visits Qunar
Recently, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy led a delegation to visit Qunar's Beijing headquarters. Qunar Vice President Ren Fen, Qunar Destination Marketing Vice President Gao Zili, and related business heads attended the meeting. The parties had in-depth discussions on how to boost the number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia and expand the presence of Indonesian tourism in the industry.
Thailand "monopolises" Chinese top influencers
According to TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand), economic factors have suppressed the recovery of Asian short-haul markets with flights to Thailand for H1 2024, especially from China and Japan. However, TAT statistics show that visitor numbers from some regions have exceeded set targets, such as Singapore, Taiwan, India, and Indonesia. TAT's East Asia Regional Director revealed that to stimulate tourism, Thailand will engage a total of four leading Chinese celebrities as Thai tourism ambassadors. Negotiations are ongoing with Zhao Lusi, Wang Yibo, Xiao Zhan, and Bai Lu.
Germany to launch computer-generated Chinese brand ambassador, providing travel inspiration and customer service
In early June, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) together with delegates from 15 German localities, cities, and tourism service providers, visited China for digital technology exchanges. They visited Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and other places, marking the largest delegation visit from the German tourism industry to China in nearly ten years. GNTB Chairperson Petra Hedorfer highlighted China's investments in AI and big data, particularly in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen, driving entrepreneurship and global sector growth. "We will soon launch the first German tourism digital ambassador, aiming to create a modern, computer-generated brand ambassador that interacts 24/7 with its community in virtual and real networks, providing travel inspiration and personalized customer service."
China unilaterally grants visa-free entry to New Zealand
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on June 13, China has announced its willingness to deepen cultural exchanges with New Zealand, and will include New Zealand in the list of countries with unilateral visa-free entry, hoping New Zealand will provide more convenience for Chinese citizens visiting New Zealand. Half an hour after the announcement, Ctrip International's data showed that searches for keywords related to China by New Zealand tourists increased by 65%, compared to the previous day.
Yinchuan to Bangkok direct flight resumes on June 21
The Yinchuan to Bangkok direct charter flight will officially resume on June 21. This flight, operated by several travel agencies in Ningxia in collaboration with Thai Lion Mentari Airlines, will operate as flight numbers ESL958/ESL959, departing Yinchuan at 16:00 and arriving in Bangkok at 19:40; departing Bangkok at 09:25 and arriving in Yinchuan at 15:00 (Beijing time). The flights will run every Wednesday and Friday, with a flight time of about 4 hours.
Shortest flight route from China's northern city of Harbin to Russia opens
On June 12, at 01:13, the first flight of the Harbin - Blagoveshchensk regular route took off from Harbin Airport, successfully launching the route. This route, operated by Russian Ivolga Airlines with SU95 aircraft, will fly once a week on Wednesdays. The flight time is around an hour, making it the shortest route from Harbin to Russia.
Hefei Airport to resume or increase multiple international passenger routes
Anhui Civil Aviation Airport Group announced on June 13th that, to diversify outbound travel choices, China Eastern Airlines plans to resume the Hefei to Osaka route from July 28, operating every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Korean Air plans to operate the Hefei to Seoul route from August 19, with five flights per week on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. West Air plans to increase the frequency of the Hefei to Bangkok route, operating every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
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