At WTTC, Edison Chen of Trip.com highlighted the company’s data-driven approach to building partnerships, its focus on sustainability and managing over-tourism, and Europe—especially Italy—as a key market. Guided by the principle “customers first,” Trip.com invests in strong service, AI support, and a 24/7 SOS program, while also acting as a “super app” that supports travelers across life stages, assists SMEs, and uses rich content to influence decisions and drive sustainable growth.
BTN: What does Trip.com usually do at global events like WTTC?
EC: These events are an opportunity for us to update our global partners on what we’ve achieved in the past year and to share our strategy for the next one to two years. We want to make sure partners understand our direction so they can align easily with us. Every year we organize a summit, and while the focus is on partners, we also involve the media in separate sessions and interviews.
BTN: Trip.com recently released a joint report with WTTC. What was the purpose behind that?
EC: Our collaboration with WTTC allows us to highlight major travel trends and innovations. Sometimes the focus is travel behaviors, sometimes technology. We’re also discussing sustainability as a future research theme—identifying campaigns and studies we can jointly pursue next year.
BTN: Speaking of destinations, how do you see Europe performing as a leisure travel market right now?
EC: Europe remains very strong as a leisure destination thanks to its diversity—cultural heritage, nature, festivals, food and wine. Italy, in particular, is extremely popular with Asian travelers. But we’re also working with European tourism boards on over-tourism challenges. That means promoting lesser-known cities and spreading the economic benefits of tourism more widely. Sustainability is central: we want future generations to enjoy travel resources too.
BTN: How does Trip.com design destination programs so precisely?
EC: Data is key. Although we’re a relatively young company (founded in 1999), we have more than 25 years of consumer data. We understand booking behavior and traveler interests, so we can target the right audience with the right content—avoiding irrelevant “noise.” Any partnership begins with market insight and research; without that, strategy doesn’t work. This data-driven approach helps us design effective products and experiences with local partners.
BTN: You mentioned sustainability. How does Trip.com help destinations manage over-tourism?
EC: We take multiple approaches:
• Showcasing content about less-visited cities to travelers who’ve already visited the popular ones.
• Partnering with local tour operators so awareness translates into real product experiences.
• Targeting specific groups, such as seniors, who can travel off-peak and ease crowding.
This balancing act takes time, but we’re seeing results with destinations willing to collaborate closely.
BTN: Customer experience is clearly central to your strategy. How do you approach it?
EC: Our philosophy is simple: customers first, partners second, Trip.com third. We invest heavily in customer service, with 6–7,000 staff and a 30-second response standard. We also integrate AI to handle simple issues and improve efficiency—like automatically rebooking airport pickups if a flight is delayed. On top of that, our 24/7 SOS program ensures travelers get help anywhere in the world, whether it’s a missed flight, lost passport, or natural disaster. That reliability builds long-term trust.
BTN: Trip.com is often described as a “super app.” How does that play out for travelers?
EC: We support customers across different life stages: students booking train tickets, young adults celebrating graduations, families planning holidays, or older travelers exploring new destinations. Beyond flights and hotels, we offer visas, attraction tickets, concerts, even international driving license translations. The goal is to cover the full travel journey, not just single products.
BTN: During COVID, Trip.com also supported smaller businesses. Can you talk about that?
EC: Yes, many SMEs and tour operators faced cash flow difficulties. We quickly set up a fund to support them, because if they collapse, the whole travel ecosystem suffers. That program continues today. We believe growth should be shared across the industry so the ecosystem remains sustainable long-term.
BTN: Finally, content seems to be a big focus for you. Why is it so important?
EC: Content drives decisions, especially for independent travelers. Whether through social media, short videos, podcasts, or itineraries, content is how travelers discover and plan. It also helps destinations differentiate themselves. Even hotels and airlines are investing in content—highlighting spas, lounges, or entertainment—to add value beyond the core product. For us, content is not just marketing; it’s an essential part of the customer journey.