Tapping Alibaba's ecosystem to link Korean accommodations with inbound Chinese tourists
ONDA Partners with Alibaba's Fliggy to Connect Korean Hotels with Chinese Travelers
- ONDA kicks off partnership talks with Alibaba Group's travel platform Fliggy
- Deal will funnel Korean hotel inventory to Chinese tourists via Alibaba's ecosystem
(Press release — September 21, 2022) ONDA, a hospitality tech company, has taken the first step toward an official partnership with Fliggy, Alibaba Group's comprehensive travel service platform.
On September 21, ONDA announced that it discussed a broad-based collaboration with Fliggy at the 2022 Korea Tourism Organization's "Tourism Business Networking Week." The companies have begun talks to supply up to 50,000 Korean hotels and accommodation products on Fliggy's platform.
ONDA is a leading Korean travel B2B tech startup that distributes hotel and accommodation inventory to over 40 online sales channels. The company has also built strong ties with global tech giants — becoming the first Korean company to be named an Airbnb Premier Partner two years running and the first to partner with Google Hotels.
Launched in 2016, Fliggy is one of China's leading online travel platforms, offering bookings for flights, trains, accommodations, car rentals, resort packages, and attraction tickets, along with travel services. Built on an online travel platform (OTP) model, Fliggy helps tourism businesses pursue digital transformation and grow alongside the platform. It currently offers a wide range of travel products and services and is especially popular among China's Gen Z and Millennials.
As the global tourism industry prepares for the post-COVID era, the partnership between the two companies is expected to create significant synergy. Fliggy gains access to premium Korean accommodation inventory through ONDA, while Korean hotels, lodging operators, and suppliers partnered with ONDA stand to benefit from the anticipated surge in Chinese tourist demand in the endemic era.
"ONDA has been working since 2016 to become the hospitality industry's 'best friend,'" said CEO Oh Hyun-seok. "We look forward to building a strong relationship with Fliggy and successfully connecting platforms, hotels, and the accommodation sector across Korea and China."
A KTO official said, "We're thrilled to help facilitate a partnership between leading travel tech companies from Korea and China. We'll continue to support the travel industry with various initiatives as we prepare for the post-COVID era." <end>
