South Korea's leading air carrier, Korean Air, said Thursday that it signed a strategic partnership with Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency under Trip.com Group, to strengthen its presence in the Chinese market.
The agreement was signed Wednesday at Trip.com’s Shanghai headquarters, with key executives from both companies in attendance.
Through the partnership, Korean Air will operate an official flagship store on Ctrip’s platform, co-develop exclusive travel packages and offer tailored promotions for corporate travelers.
This collaboration aims to meet the rising travel demand from China and promote cultural exchange between Korea and China.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, 4.6 million Chinese tourists visited Korea last year, the highest figure among all nationalities. In the first half of this year alone, over 2.5 million Chinese tourists visited Korea, representing a 13.8 percent year-over-year increase.
Korean Air currently operates 26 routes to 20 Chinese destinations, with over 200 weekly flights.
“We aim to strengthen Korean Air’s position in the Chinese market in response to the recovering travel demand,” said Park Yo-han, Korean Air’s regional director for China. “By analyzing customer needs, we will provide more diverse and efficient services.”
spark@heraldcorp.com
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