About
Scheduled to launch in Q4 2009, ChinaTravelTrends.com will become a one-stop shop for travel organizations to learn about the complexity of the China travel market and its online landscape. Information will include interviews, articles from contributors and experts, syndicated reports, marketplace of services, a community to connect with fellow professionals, industry surveys, and an expert panel.
China Travel Trends is operated in association with Dragon Trail, the first and only true marketing strategy company, that increases brand awareness and revenues in the Chinese market by leveraging emerging technologies and new media channels, with an unmatched domain expertise in travel, tourism, and hospitality.
Technology Co., Ltd. (China)
The Opportunity:
China is one of the fastest growing travel markets in the world. Thanks to rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes and relaxations of restrictions on foreign travel, outbound trip volume has grown by an annual average of 22% since 2000 and just under 15.5% since 1995 – reaching 34.5 million in 2006.
The Internet penetration in China is 22.6%, higher than the world average of 21.9%. The growth rate of rural Internet users was 60.8%, much higher than that of urban users which was 35.6%. China is now way ahead of the United States in terms of the number of Internet users. The United States has an estimated 223.1 million internet users, with a penetration of 71%. However, the financial size of China’s online market is still smaller than that of the United States.
China has 243 million broadband consumers. More interestingly, 92% (224 million) aged 13 and above , contributed to social media. This compared to 105 million Americans, or 76% of that country’s broadband population. Forty-three percent of Chinese broadband users (105 million people) communicate via forums/discussion boards, and 41 million Chinese are “heavy” social media contributors, meaning they participate in six or more activities and connect with at least 84 people on a “one to many” basis in a typical week.
Merging these two trends, results in the power of the Internet leveling the playing field between brands and consumers in China. Brands can directly learn from and connect with targeted, relevant, communicative, and empowered consumers by going directly to online social communities. Brands can look to consumers directly for Insight, Inspiration, and Collaboration.
This is the biggest global opportuntity for international and domestic Chinese travel companies to increase brand awareness in the lucrative and growing Chinese consumer market, increase revenues by opening a new market by implementing innovative marketing strategies that leverage technology and new media.
Dragon Trail offers Services in the following areas of expertise:
- E-Marketing & Social Media Strategy
- Chinese Website Development, from main sites to campaign or landing pages
- Search Engine Optimized Translation & Copy-writing into Chinese
- Social Media Presence on Chinese and Global Social Networks, Photo- and Video Sharing Sites, Blogs and Micro blogs, Wikis and Online Communities – from major portal to long-tail niche sites.
- Social Voices (Online Brand Management & Research)
- Influencer Marketing (by engaging expert bloggers to experience your product and talk about it)
- Blogger insight and relations (includes Blogger Fam Trips and Online Message syndication)
- Social Media Engagement Tools (includes online community development and widgets)
- Proprietary Technologies (includes Meta Search Engine, Group Trip Planner, Individual Trip Planner, eLearning Platform, Booking Engine)
- Direct Marketing & CRM (includes data acquisition and management)
- Online Advertising & Affiliate Marketing, from media placement to measurement
Our Team:
Our team includes experts and specialists in hospitality, tourism, online travel commerce and distribution, e-marketing and revenue management – in Europe, North America, and Asia.
- Management roles in marketing, operations and information technology in the global hotel industry (Fairmont, Hyatt, Choice Hotels)
- Hands on working experience with National Tourism Organizations
- Consulting experience with Hotel Companies and Destination Marketing Organizations
- Developed distribution technologies and Revenue Management systems to leading hospitality companies including Choice Hotels, Omni Hotels, La Quinta Inns and Harrah’s Entertainment
- Company Start-up Experience
- Created and evangelized cutting edge internet technologies in Silicon Valley
- Works with many of the main Chinese portal, travel, and social media websites
- Has strong contacts with Chinese NGOs and Chinese Government
- Has strong relationships with Chinese travel agencies and tour operators- Global Client List includes organizations in Canada, USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, Pacific
- Solid relationships with industry associations, such as UNWTO, PATA, HSMAI, HEDNA, IFITT, ETC.
