Ctrip announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with Japan’s Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau. Both parties will work together on product development and promotion, big data, marketing innovation and others.

According to the tie-up, Osaka Tourism Bureau will issue travel coupons on Ctrip platform to give away entrance tickets of popular attractions in Osaka to Chinese travelers. Local hotel brands will also work more closely with Ctrip to bring a better travel experience for Chinese tourists in Osaka. 

Public data showed that in the first half of 2017, visitors from China accounted for the majority of a total of 5.31 million foreign tourists to Osaka.

Zhang Rong, Ctrip’s Vice President and General Manager of Ctrip Hotel Business, said that one fifth of Chinses tourists to Japan booked their trips through Ctrip, and the company had contributed significant benefits for major destinations such as Osaka. 

Ctrip users will also get a much broader access to Osaka’s hotels with deeper discounts. It is reported that Miyako Group, Hankyu Hanshin Hotel Group, Keihan Group and other local well-known hotel groups have initiated to seek cooperation with Ctrip and launch exclusive products for Ctrip users.

With the cooperation, Ctrip will design more “hotel+x” packages for Osaka market in order to offer more personalized experience for Chinese tourists. These efforts will give a boost to Ctrip’s expansion in the Japanese hotel market.

As an effort of Ctrip’s globalization, Zhang Rong said, "the company has made progress in Japanese tourism market. In addition to establishing branch offices, the hotel business unit is also growing its overseas operations. The cooperation with Osaka Tourism Bureau further strengthened Ctrip’s global presence.”