Ctrip eyes offline travel
25/2/2004 17:25
US-listed Ctrip.com International Co Ltd, an online booking service
for hotels and air tickets, is accused by some travel agencies of intending to
steal offline business by buying into a Shanghai-based travel agency.
The
company, headquartered in Shanghai, reportedly plans to form a strategic
partnership today with Shanghai Charming International Travel Service Co Ltd to
get an access into the offline sector, the Beijing Morning Post said.
The
amount of the deal was not disclosed.
Charming, qualified for all travel
service home and abroad, has been renamed Shanghai Ctrip Charming International
Travel Service Co Ltd, the same report said.
A Ctrip spokesman firmly denied
yesterday the complaint that it's stealing business from the offline travel
agencies, but announced the website will start a tourism consulting
service.
Ctrip reported a net profit of 53.6 million yuan (US$6.48 million)
in 2003, nearly triple that of the previous year, according to its financial
data released yesterday on its website.
The company aggregates information on
hotels and flights and enables customers to make informed and cost-effective
hotel and flight bookings.
Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news
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