AMSTERDAM, Sept. 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today the world’s biggest tourism service providers including Ctrip, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor, Visa and Booking.com announce a partnership with His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex to launch Travalyst - a unique sustainable travel initiative.
His Royal Highness, Ctrip, the largest travel agent in Asia, and Skyscanner will work with other players in the travel industry, to make Travalyst a positive force in global travel.
Travalyst will address the pressing issues in world travel: minimizing environmental impact, ensuring that local communities grow sustainably, supporting charitable initiatives, fostering cross-cultural exchange, and deepening mutual understanding between travelers and their hosts.
Ctrip is a founding member of the initiative and played a key role in its inception. “Travel is one of the biggest employers in the world,” Jane Sun, CEO of Ctrip.com said. “As this USD $8.8 trillion industry grows, it is our duty to ensure that travel has a positive impact, both on the environment and societies. This is why we are working with the other players in the travel industry, to ensure that generations to come can follow in our footsteps, and so that the world and its people can grow together.”
With the global sustainable tourism market forecast to grow by USD $340 billion over the next four years, Travalyst is a timely response to the concerns of industry leaders and travelers alike. Now more than ever, it is important for the industry to move beyond raw competition and work together to influence positive change.
Ctrip is well-positioned to spearhead this transformation. The company is now one of the world’s largest online travel agencies, serving a base of 300 million customers, which is growing daily. Since its establishment in 1999, Ctrip has firmly believed that travel should be both enjoyable, and a force for good.
Ctrip is passionate about the positive power of travel – to make all our journeys happy and meaningful, and to give back to the global community and environment. Ctrip has been the force behind numerous positive initiatives. These include partnering with WTTC and WWF to combat the illegal wildlife trade and boost ecotourism, launching a Global SOS Emergency Response Platform, and supporting numerous global charity efforts to provide relief to those that need it most.
Ctrip has a created network of like-minded partners worldwide and worked as a powerful advocate for sustainability in travel, having led 75% of its partners to adhere to its ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Regenerate’ initiatives.
Being an active advocate for the potential for travel to help break down barriers and create a peaceful, harmonious world, Jane Sun commented: “Travel is a powerful means of bringing us closer, to share the beauty of our countries and our myriad cultures, to find our common humanity. Travalyst marks an important step towards a brighter future for travel, and Ctrip is proud to be part of the solution.”
About Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. is a leading travel service provider: of accommodation reservations, transportation ticketing, packaged tours and corporate travel management in China. It is the largest online consolidator of accommodation and transportation tickets in China by transaction volume. Ctrip enables business and leisure travelers to make informed and cost-effective bookings by aggregating comprehensive travel related information and offering its services through an advanced transaction and service platform comprising mobile apps, websites and a centralized, toll-free, 24-hour customer service center. Ctrip also helps customers book vacation packages and guided tours. In addition, through its corporate travel management services, Ctrip helps corporate clients effectively manage their travel requirements. Since its inception in 1999, Ctrip has experienced substantial growth and become one of the best-known travel brands in China.
For further information, please contact:
International PR
Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
Tel: (+86) 21 3406 4880 ext 196455
Email: Pr@ctrip.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8c0c02e7-b250-4da1-9c6b-201457b4a52c