The Global Resilience Network (GRN) has announced the launch of its flagship Future-Proofing Series executive mission to China, securing unprecedented direct access to Alibaba’s headquarters and core digital ecosystem, with an invitation-only executive AI immersion programme for senior travel leaders.
The programme marks the first time Alibaba has opened its headquarters and senior leadership to an international travel delegation in this format, offering direct insight into its integrated platforms across AI, payments, commerce and logistics; technologies increasingly shaping global digital, financial and consumer systems.
Taking place from 28-30 May 2026 across Shanghai and Hangzhou, the mission will bring together senior decision-makers from destinations, aviation, hospitality, travel technology and payments, for a programme focused on how AI-driven systems are reshaping global travel and wider digital economies, with implications for fintech, mobility and cross-border commerce.
The initiative builds on a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at supporting international leadership engagement and knowledge exchange, and brings together partners including Fliggy,
ATOUT France, the European Travel Commission (ETC), and the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai.
“This is not a standard industry visit – it is a strategic immersion into one of the world’s most advanced digital ecosystems at a moment when AI, digital payments, and platform economies are reshaping the future of travel. For senior leaders trying to understand where the industry is heading, this is a rare window into systems that are already operating at scale,” said Christian Delom, President, Global Resilience Network
The launch comes as governments and industries globally accelerate efforts to better understand China’s digital ecosystem, particularly in areas such as AI adoption, digital payments and platform-based commerce.
The technology gap is becoming harder to ignore. The European Commission reported that 13.5% of EU enterprises were using AI in 2024, while the World Economic Forum’s 2025 China jobs analysis found that more than 90% of organisations in China view AI and robotics as critical to business transformation.
Participation is limited to a select group of senior executives, providing a closed-door setting for high-level dialogue and direct engagement with speakers and partners.
Confirmed speakers include senior representatives from Fliggy and Alibaba, including Ada Xu, Director of International Affairs at Fliggy; Dr. Pei Shen, Vice President, International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group; Mr. Hongyu Fu, Director of the AI Governance Center at Alibaba Research Institute; and Dr. Alex Chen, Chief Technology Officer at Fliggy/Alibaba, alongside Stuart Dunn, Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai.
Registration closes on 15 April 2026. Participation is subject to a delegate fee, excluding international travel. For participation enquiries, please contact [email protected].