Marriott has signed a distribution deal with Ctrip.com – China’s largest online travel agency – allowing the group to sell the chain’s various brands to travellers in China.

Marriott hopes to leverage Ctrip’s cutting-edge hotel reservation platform to expand is product offering in the fast moving market.

Under the terms of the agreement, the reservation systems of both Marriott International and Ctrip will establish direct global connectivity. 

Ctrip executives visited Marriott’s Bethesda headquarters to continue to build the strong relationship between the two companies. 

Simon Cooper, president and managing director, Asia Pacific, and Arne Sorenson, president and chief operating officer, Marriott International; Ms Eva Huang, director, overseas relationships, Ctrip; JW Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive, Marriott International; and Mr Yang Tao, senior vice president, hotel business, Ctrip.

World Mobi

Also in China today, World Mobi is celebrating the success of its new city guide to Beijing. 

World Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the World Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, London.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Beijing.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

World.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.