Chinese OTAs deploy AI for global push

Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs) are accelerating their global ambitions through artificial intelligence (AI), reshaping how travellers plan and book trips, according to new research from Phocuswright.

Chinese tech innovations have already expanded internationally in travel. Mobile payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay now support travellers worldwide, while platforms such as Douyin (known globally as TikTok) and Xiaohongshu have become key tourism marketing channels.

The latest shift is AI. Over the past three years, OTAs including Trip.com and Fliggy have launched AI-powered trip-planning tools that combine supplier content with user-generated media to create integrated booking ecosystems.

These tools are evolving into ‘agentic’ interfaces, allowing travellers to plan, refine, and book trips conversationally. “The rise of AI agents marks one of the most significant technological shifts in years, and we are actively shaping their role in travel,” said James Liang, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Trip.com.

According to Phocuswright, AI is also enabling smaller travel suppliers to participate through automated multilingual content, while strengthening OTAs’ control over distribution.

Chinese platforms are now positioning to export these mobile-first, AI-driven ecosystems across Asia Pacific and beyond, signalling a structural shift in global travel distribution.

The ITIJ team recently spoke to industry experts about how affinity partnerships between travel insurers and OTAs could drive growth and provide benefits for travellers.