From securing flights and tours to reserving accommodation, this one-stop travel booking platform makes travel planning easy. 

After all, online travel agency (OTA) Trip.com has an extensive hotel and flight network comprising over 1.1 million hotels and flights from over 510 airlines, covering 3,400 airports in 220 countries and regions. 

Travellers can access its services on the desktop, the mobile web or via the dedicated app, which is among top 10 most downloaded OTA apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store globally in 2022. Recently, it became the only travel app to be included in the “Singapore’s favourites” list on the App Store. 

Despite a strong global presence, Trip.com intends to further strengthen its reach in Asia. To that end, it has embarked on recent “airport takeover” campaigns in Singapore and Thailand. 

While strolling through Changi Airport or Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, you would probably have noticed Trip.com’s striking presence, in the form of ads bearing its signature blue-and-white logo. 

The luggage trolley stickers in Changi as well as the jet bridges and advertising light boxes in Suvarnabhumi have left a deep impression among travellers, who are rediscovering the joys of exploration, post-pandemic.

In 2023, the travel industry witnessed a strong recovery. In Singapore alone, travellers made almost 9.4 million trips abroad, compared to just over five million in 2022, according to the Department of Statistics. 

On the flip side, the country welcomed 13.6 million visitors, which is about two-thirds of 2019 figures.   

That is why Trip.com is striving to reignite the passion for travel and inject vitality back into the global tourism ecosystem. 

Besides out-of-home campaigns such as the “airport takeover” of Changi and Suvarnabhumi, which increases awareness, Trip.com has also engaged in strategic partnerships to boost its presence across the region.

Last month, it leveraged the popularity of Thai reality competition programme Chuang Asia: Thailand to design themed rooms in three Bangkok hotels. 

The idol survivor series features Hong Kong artiste Jackson Wang as the lead mentor as well as other Thai celebrities. 

Guests, who booked a themed room in Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok; Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit; and The Salil Hotel Riverside – Bangkok, immersed themselves in a space filled with Chuang Asia souvenirs and memorabilia, including autographed posters of the show's mentors.  

They could also win giveaways such as participant-signed suitcases by taking part in Trip.com’s social media activities. 

Such initiatives build on earlier exercises – the sponsorship of TV shows such as Korean reality programme Unexpected Business and Hong Kong travelogue Lokyi in the Wild. 

For Trip.com, tying up with Asian lifestyle shows has been instrumental in amplifying the company’s reach in the region, given that Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan are among its top 10 markets.

Flash sales, loyalty programmes and curated travel experiences are other means that the group has introduced to inspire wanderlust. 

For example, the popular Double Day sale, which typically takes place on alternate months, across Trip.com’s global sites offered customers discounts and deals on airfares, accommodation and travel packages. 

Through this, consumers get to enjoy savings and unique travel experiences at the same time. 

To help boost the economy of lesser-known destinations and for travellers to uncover hidden gems in popular locales, the firm launched its SuperTrip campaign. This involved curating unique experiences and highlighting the charms of each location. 

Super Brand Day, another initiative, showcased Trip.com’s most valued partners to increase their brand awareness. 

Trip.com leading the app design pack

With travellers making their entire travel plans on their mobile phones, Trip.com was very mindful of designing an easy-to-navigate, user-centric app. 

It wanted the app to be a one-stop travel platform where users can plan every aspect of their trips, from flights and accommodation to tours and attractions and airport transfers, and also purchase related products and services.

The company has also invested heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) and other cutting-edge technologies to stay ahead of the curve. 

From personalised recommendations to intuitive search algorithms, AI has helped to deliver tailored experiences and streamline the travel planning process, ensuring maximum convenience and satisfaction for users.

In 2023, the company introduced its AI travel assistant, TripGenie, to help customers plan itineraries and recommend bookings. AI-enabled lists now provide real-time updates on travel trends, prices and top-ranked hotels, flights and attractions. 

Also, inspired by the possibilities of Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, Trip.com recently unveiled the Trip.Vision app. This innovative feature, which is currently only available in the US, allows users to virtually explore exotic destinations from Mount Everest, the Maldives to Antarctica and the Sahara Desert – even before they have packed their bags. 

Ms Jane Sun, chief executive officer of parent company Trip.com Group, said in a previous interview that it sees itself “not just as a travel company, but also as a technology company”. 

One aspect of this vision is the integration of technology such as AI in some of its workflows, including customer service, to increase efficiency. This has freed up Trip.com’s customer service staff to focus on more complex requests, reinforcing its commitment to customer satisfaction.

While Trip.com has succeeded in strengthening its position in Asia and will continue to do so looking forward, it plans to continue growing beyond the region as well. 

“We aim to strengthen our existing collaborations with our global partners. We are also looking to establish new relationships with partners from around the world whom we have not worked with yet as we grow and deepen our global footprint,” says Ms Sun. 

“As an organisation, we are forward-looking – we believe that vision runs throughout the entire company, so we are always looking ahead to see what’s next and to prepare for whatever the future holds.”

To plan for your next vacation, visit the Trip.com website or download the app here.