However, unlike the past distribution agency model, many overseas airlines are now tend to modern distribution mode – cooperate with Online Travel Agent (OTA),  they have opened flagship stores with Chinese OTA to promote online sales in China.

China OTAs turn over 700 billion CNY in the half of 2019. In June 2019, the number of OTA users topped 250 million.

Fliggy (www.fliggy.com) is an online travel agent platform owned by Alibaba, providing plane tickets, hotel booking services, tour guide services, visa application services, and hotel booking services, and vacation packages to 50 million registered Fliggy’s users and 200 million Alibaba users. In six month of 2019, Fliggy cornered 18.4% of the whole online market, stand the third place after Ctrip and Qunar.

Vietnam Airlines and “Fliggy” signed a cooperation agreement in Hangzhou. (Photo: VNCN).

Vietnam Airlines and “Fliggy” signed a cooperation agreement in Hangzhou, announcing the official opening of the official flagship store of Vietnam Airlines in the Fliggy, and have a dialogue on various aspects of cooperation.

At the signing ceremony, Vietnam Airlines expressed its pleasure to cooperate with the “Fliggy”- one of China’s most important tourism platforms, and rely on the huge user base of the “Fliggy” platform, Vietnam Airlines can further observe and research passenger travel habits, characteristics, forecasting future consumption trends, more precise and seamless to meet passenger demand. Fliggy has Alibaba’s eco-flow, marketing, finance, big data and other Internet capabilities that attracted Vietnam Airlines. Cooperation with “Fliggy” is an important measure for Vietnam Airlines to explore the Chinese market. Vietnam Airlines will work closely with “Fliggy” to provide consumers with a better service experience.

EVP Le Hong Ha with VNCN at Alibaba’s headquater. (Photo: VNCN). 

At the same time, the “Fliggy” will rely on the Ali system’s big data analysis to help Vietnam Airlines flagship store to make more effective product decisions, price management, precision marketing, and membership services. Such data feedback support is what is most needed in the process of foreign airlines when contacting with Chinese consumers. Both of Vietnam Airlines and Fliggy also hope Flagship store will become the second Vietnam Airlines website in China with low operating cost compare.

As early as June 2017, the “Fliggy” related staff went to Hanoi to visit the Vietnam Aviation Headquarters and officially began to communicate with the flagship store business. After two years communication and running-in, consensus was reached and officially signed today. The opening of Vietnam Airlines’ “Fliggy” flagship store is the beginning of the full cooperation between Vietnam Airlines and the “Fliggy” online platform. It also marks the new stage of Vietnam Airlines’ business in China.

Vietnam Airlines – Fliggy Flagship Store signing ceremony. (Photo: VNCN).

2nd September 2019 marks the date Vietnam Airlines Flagship Store opening on fliggy.com. (Photo: VNCN).

On 2nd September 2019, remarked the most important event for Vietnam Airlines and Fliggy – Vietnam Airlines Flagship Store Opening Ceremony.

On this occasion, Vietnam Airlines will launch promotion fare from China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Hangzhou) to Vietnam, South East Asia, Europe, and Australia with the discount rate up to 30% from 02 – 06Sep 2019 on Vietnam Airlines Flagship store.

VNCN at Alibaba’s headquater. (Photo: VNCN).

For more detail please visit Vietnam Airlines Flagship Store:

https://vietnamairlines.fliggy.com/

Nguyen Ky Nam – CN