A new B2B platform aimed at facilitating seamless connections between global businesses and the thriving Chinese travel market, SmoothTravel, has been launched by AVIAREPS and the Shanghai Municipal Government.
Unveiled on 7 February 2024, SmoothTravel the official online travel portal of the Shanghai Government connecting the international travel industry with Chinese agencies, tour operators, online travel agencies, and MICE agents in the East China market.
Key features include:
- China partner search: Empowers overseas members to find new inbound or outbound China travel trade partners through the member matching manager, facilitating introductions based on specific requirements.
- Risk mitigation: Provides a unique payment guarantee system to minimise payment practice differences with new China travel industry partners. Offers a comprehensive travel insurance programme for Chinese members, reducing risks for both outbound and inbound sectors. Includes a no-cost bilingual mediation system for dispute resolution.
- China outbound market and consumer insights: Leverages extensive China government and industry resources to deliver the latest research on China's outbound travel market, industry trends, and consumer preferences. This includes surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, workshops, and on-site visits.
- Training and support: Offers a comprehensive two-way training platform with specialised courses for overseas and Chinese members. Provides access to promotion and support during various events in China.
- Market research: Allows members to commission custom-tailored tourism market research through SmoothTravel to optimise their market strategies.
“SmoothTravel will allow the Chinese travel trade to offer higher quality and safer overseas travel products, and will strengthen ties between the travel industry around the world and China’s tourism industry,” said Zhu Yihong, director of the Shanghai Government's Tourism Market Quality Center.
“SmoothTravel will also play a key role in promoting Chinese consumers' awareness of cross-border travel insurance, will allow consumers to choose high-quality tourism players in both China and abroad, and will provide unique arbitration tools to the global travel industry.”