At the 2025 TravelDaily Conference - Hotel Marketing Conference sessions, Monica Xiao, Vice President of Trip.com Group and CEO of the Accommodation Business Unit, emphasized that the hospitality industry is at a critical turning point, and collaboration between hotels and OTAs will shape the next phase of growth. She outlined three key directions:
1. Tackling unhealthy competition by rebuilding trust in reviews
For years, the hotel review system has been plagued by “involution,” making it difficult for travelers to find credible references. Trip.com is working to restructure review mechanisms through technology and incentives, helping hotels return to service quality as the core and driving healthier market competition.
2. AI empowerment for cost savings and efficiency
Ms. Xiao highlighted AI’s breakthrough role in inbound tourism. Small and mid-sized hotels often struggle with poor English translations of room types, facilities, and service descriptions. Previous reliance on generic machine translation proved inadequate. Now, AI delivers precise, scenario-based translations and supports “native-language instant messaging” between hotels and international guests.
This innovation could save each hotel around RMB 100,000 (USD 14,000) annually in labor and technology costs while significantly improving communication and guest satisfaction.
3. Seizing growth opportunities through global initiatives
Beyond technology, Trip.com has invested heavily in inbound tourism promotion: hosting “Hello China” roadshows in Singapore and Malaysia, launching half-day tours in major Chinese cities, and even introducing an “OTA restaurant” to showcase Chinese food culture as an immersive gateway for foreign visitors.
These efforts have already translated into results — inbound bookings have maintained triple-digit growth, and following the China–Russia visa-free policy, related inbound growth surged from 90% to 400%. In recent overseas sales campaigns, 20% of participants booked hotels in China, bringing tangible incremental revenue to the sector.
Ms. Xiao concluded that the future of the industry lies not in short-term price wars, but in long-term collaboration and innovation. Whether through revamped review systems, AI-powered tools, or inbound ecosystem building, the synergy between OTAs and hotels will unlock new momentum for China’s tourism market.
