Trip.com shared insights into current industry trends, changing traveller behaviour, and future plans during its Attractions & Tours Global Partners Forum, held on May 26, 2025, at the Shanghai Museum East.
The event formed part of Trip.com Group’s annual global partner conference, Envision.2025, and took place at a cultural hub known for its distinctive architecture and immersive technology.
Opening the forum, Jim Ji, vice president of Trip.com Group and CEO of attractions & tours, stated that the travel industry is on a path of steady recovery. He noted that international tourist arrivals are forecast to surpass pre-pandemic levels this year, driven by relaxed visa regulations and growing flight capacity worldwide.
In his keynote address, titled Empowering Global Partners, Ji outlined Trip.com’s strategy to meet this demand by developing a global tourism ecosystem, comprising a wide-reaching distribution network. This includes 22 international offices, over 2,900 affiliates and resellers in more than 150 countries and regions, more than 300,000 products, and support in 24 languages with round-the-clock customer service. The platform also offers 33 currency options and 170 marketing resources.
Ji discussed tools designed to improve operational efficiency for partners, including Trip.com’s ticket machines, on-site ticket operations, and customisable online booking solutions. These, he said, help partners reduce manpower needs while preventing fraud and automated ticket bot activity. He also emphasised the importance of joint marketing initiatives. As an example, he cited the partnership with a local operator to open a Trip.com VIP lounge at Sanur Harbour in Bali, which significantly improved the waiting experience for travellers and led to a notable increase in ferry ticket sales.
One of the major trends identified at the forum was the growing importance of experiences in travel planning. Speakers pointed out that the growth rate for experience-related searches on Trip.com is six times higher than that of destination or attraction-specific searches. Terms such as ‘food’ and ‘spa’ were among the most searched experience-related keywords by international users.
Ji shared: “Travellers today are overwhelmed with options and increasingly seek experiences that resonate on a deeper level. Through collaboration with our global partners and the smart use of AI and consumer insights, we are curating personalised journeys that go beyond the expected and meet the evolving needs of international travellers.”
Trip.com is addressing this shift through initiatives such as Trip.Best, an in-app feature that provides curated travel rankings based on user reviews, bookings, and AI-driven insights. The feature aims to inspire travel decisions through destination guides and global rankings of attractions, including theme parks, museums, and other activities.
The forum also included recognition of outstanding industry contributions. Awards were presented to top-ranked attractions featured on Trip.Best, as well as recipients of the Excellent Partner Awards and Most Promising Partner Awards.
