Korean Air announced on August 7 that it has formed a strategic partnership with the Chinese online travel agency Ctrip to target the Greater China market. Ctrip is a subsidiary of the global travel service company Trip.com Group. It provides booking services for flights, accommodations, trains, and more in mainland China. With over 300 million registered members, it is the largest online travel agency in China. Outside of China, including in Korea, its services are offered through a separate affiliate, Trip.com.
Korean Air and Ctrip have agreed to jointly explore the Chinese travel market and drive business innovation. Their all-encompassing collaboration includes operating an official Korean Air flagship store on the Ctrip website, developing differentiated travel products that include Korean Air tickets, and launching customized promotions for corporate business travel demand.
Through this partnership, Korean Air is expected to capture travel demand from the Greater China region and contribute to cultural exchanges between Korea and China. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Korea last year was about 4.6 million, ranking first among all countries. In the first half of this year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Korea exceeded 2.52 million, up 13.8% compared to the same period last year.
Korean Air currently operates 26 routes to 20 major cities (21 airports) in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The airline connects Korea and China with over 200 flights per week. Following its integration with Asiana Airlines, Korean Air is expected to secure an even stronger network of routes to China.
Park Yohan, head of Korean Air’s China Regional Headquarters, stated, "In response to signs of recovery in demand for routes to China, we will further strengthen Korean Air’s presence in the Chinese market and provide more diverse and efficient services through customer demand analysis."
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