ITB China is proud to announce that Trip.com Group will be the Official Travel Service Partner of ITB China 2025. Through this partnership, Trip.com Group will further solidify its leadership position in the Chinese and global travel markets while expanding its brand influence. As the Official Travel Service Partner, Trip.com Group will provide exhibitors and visitors with a high-quality, efficient, and seamless one-stop travel service experience.
As a key driver of the global travel industry, Trip.com Group’s deep involvement in ITB China 2025 underscores its continued leadership role and reflects the strong recovery momentum across the industry globally. This year, the worldwide travel market is experiencing robust growth, with impressive performance indicators and rising confidence, creating unprecedented opportunities for development.
Industry data from UNWTO and Trip.com Group indicates that global air passenger volume in 2024 grew by more than 10% compared to 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The number of overnight visitors reached 1.4 billion, up 11% year-on-year, with the travel industry consistently outperforming global economic growth. In particular, China’s tourism sector is experiencing a remarkable surge.
Domestically, the number of trips within China increased by 14.8% year-on-year in 2024. Although overall transaction growth has slowed due to intensified competition and lower tourism product prices, the surge in travel volume continues to drive optimism for the sector’s performance in 2025.
China’s inbound tourism has also delivered impressive results, with the number of international visitors rising 60% year-on-year in 2024. Visa-free policies introduced last year now cover major source markets. Trip.com Group has strengthened its promotional activities and service offerings to support this growth, a trend expected to continue in the coming year.
James Liang, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Trip.com Group, emphasized that in the era of AI, the travel industry —being one of the few experience-driven sectors anchored by heavy assets—holds a unique advantage. Unlike lighter-asset industries such as film and gaming, the travel sector is less vulnerable to technological disruption and is poised for sustained, stable growth. AI can be leveraged to enhance service quality and operational efficiency while the industry’s tangible asset base supports price stability. As societies advance and disposable incomes rise, consumers increasingly seek meaningful, experience-based consumption, positioning the travel sector as a long-term beneficiary of technological innovation.
From the perspective of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, once basic survival needs are met, individuals aspire to higher levels of fulfillment such as self-actualization and exploration. Travel, by offering immersive experiences that involve discovery, beauty, novelty, and adventure, satisfies these deeper needs. It also aligns closely with the spirit of innovation—exploring the unknown. As such, the travel industry not only enriches people’s lives but also inspires ongoing innovation through real-world experiences.
The rapid advancement of AI presents both challenges and opportunities for the travel industry. While physical assets such as hotels and scenic destinations are resistant to disruption, online travel agencies (OTAs) like Trip.com Group are ideally positioned to leverage AI, driving a comprehensive upgrade in service delivery and operational performance.
For instance, Trip.com Group’s customer service team has maintained high efficiency despite growing business volumes, thanks to AI technologies. The company’s support and marketing teams are also integrating AI-driven automation to further enhance operational effectiveness. In the pre-sales stage, Trip.com Group is using AI to inspire customers and help them plan trips, reinforcing its one-stop service advantage and providing a seamless customer journey from inspiration to booking.
In summary, AI will further amplify demand for travel and elevate the pursuit of higher spiritual fulfillment. Trip.com Group remains steadfast in its mission to help customers experience perfect journeys and discover deeper meaning in life. By harnessing the power of AI, Trip.com Group continues to lead the way in upgrading China’s travel market, enhancing consumer experiences, and steadily advancing amidst the industry’s ongoing wave of growth.
ITB China 2025 will take place from May 27–29 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. With its unrivaled networking opportunities, exclusive events, and inspiring forums, ITB China remains the key platform for tourism professionals to stay ahead of trends and unlock valuable business opportunities.
For more details about ITB China 2025, please visit www.itb-china.com.
Press and visitor registration is now open. Click here to register and be part of the most dynamic event in the Chinese travel industry.
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