Trip.com, H World Share the Limits of Their China Playbook Abroad

What works well in China may not translate internationally.

That’s the lesson Boon Sian Chai, Trip.com’s managing director and vice president of international markets, said the one-stop travel platform took away after its first foray into other countries.

The initial strategy was to partner with wholesalers to scale quickly and plant successful Chinese leaders in the new markets.

The attempt failed, according to Chai. The Chinese leaders didn’t have a good enough understanding of local languages and culture, and partnering with wholesalers led to confusion around bookings.

The company has since switched out the roles to local leaders, and now does “very direct”