Andy Washington, Managing Director for EMEA, Trip.com Group

In an era defined by transformation, innovation, and rising traveller expectations, Trip.com Group is boldly positioning itself as more than just a global OTA—it’s aiming to become the world’s most trusted digital travel agent. At the heart of this evolution is Andy Washington, Managing Director for EMEA, who sat down with Justin Cooke of Breaking Travel News to discuss the company’s fast-track growth, AI-powered personalisation, sustainability, and content-led engagement strategies. From building trust in new markets to driving triple-digit demand across continents, Washington offers a candid, forward-looking view of how Trip.com is reshaping the travel experience for the modern age.

It’s been publicly stated that Trip.com wants to be the world’s largest OTA. That’s an ambitious target—how is that progressing?

What I like about that ambition is that we’re reaching a tipping point. Becoming the biggest OTA in Europe will take years—it took the current leader over 12 to 15 years—but we’re on the right track. We’re growing in all our markets and taking market share. I’m really proud of our team for achieving that.

But we don’t just want to be the world’s biggest booking engine—we want to be the world’s best travel agent. AI is enabling us to do that. It’s allowing us to recreate what used to happen in physical travel agencies, but digitally.

That suggests you’re moving beyond the traditional OTA model. Can you expand on that?

Absolutely. If you look at our parent brand, Ctrip, it offers everything from restaurants to shopping. We’re not ready to go that far yet in Europe, but we want to be an all-inclusive platform for travel.

What’s key now is sustainable growth. It’s not just about traditional marketing or having a site that lists everything—it’s about personalisation. We can now anticipate what travellers want and tailor options accordingly, which increases engagement, loyalty, and repeat bookings.

You mentioned generational shifts. How is Trip.com addressing that?

Twelve years ago, Asia was behind Europe and the US in travel tech. That’s flipped. Now in markets like China, 100% of bookings are made via mobile apps. In Europe, we’re not quite there yet, but it’s coming. That’s why we’re heavily investing in our app, social media, and live streaming.

We’re also seeing how content—like hotel videos rather than static photos—boosts conversion rates significantly.

You’ve also mentioned Trustpilot ratings. Can you talk about how Trip.com is approaching customer service?

We’re proud of our 4.4 Trustpilot score, especially in a space where many OTAs fall short. Over 80% of customer enquiries—both B2C and B2B—are now solved using AI, and not through robotic chatbots. We provide real-time, personalised answers, and can proactively rebook flights or hotels when disruptions occur.

What’s on offer for travel trade and B2B partners?

We don’t work directly with all travel agencies, but our B2B partnerships benefit from our tech and customer service. What sets us apart is that we bring something new—especially access to the China and Asia markets, which is attractive to premium hotels. We’re not just another OTA—we ask our partners what they need and build from there.

We also take a consultative approach with our hotel partners, co-creating innovative products like live streaming, which no one else is doing at scale right now.

Exactly. One example is Trip.Best, our recommendation system. It offers personalised hotel suggestions that aren’t driven by commissions but by what’s best for each customer.

How do you spread tourism beyond well-known destinations in China?

It’s about storytelling. Our app suggests content and itineraries using TripGenie, helping users discover less-explored places. Live streaming and influencer content have also driven enormous booking spikes—for example, one hotel saw a 2,400% increase after a single live stream.

What travel patterns are you seeing between China and Spain?

We’re seeing strong double and triple-digit growth. Inbound to China is up 100%, and outbound into Spain—not just Barcelona and Madrid but regional areas—is growing rapidly. That’s being driven by storytelling and destination marketing partnerships.

Who’s engaging with Trip Moments and live streaming?

It’s surprisingly cross-generational. While we see strong engagement from younger users, even older demographics are participating. We’re also working more with local influencers and content creators to make content regionally relevant.

What’s your relationship with Skyscanner?

Trip.com Group owns Skyscanner, but we operate separately. We’re partners, not integrated. This avoids conflicts and allows both brands to remain neutral in the market.

What new travel habits are emerging globally?

Experiential travel is a huge trend—travellers are shifting from spending on luxury hotels to unique experiences, like concerts or sporting events. A great example was Taylor Swift’s shows in Singapore, which significantly boosted local tourism.

Trip.com is still relatively unknown in some markets. How do you build brand trust?

We focus on working with reputable partners—if you see Hilton or Marriott on our site, that helps build trust. We also ensure a strong user experience, fast payment processes, and consistent customer service. In countries like Italy, Spain, and the UK, our train booking product has brought users back to our app regularly, helping build familiarity and trust.

Can you speak about the role of AI across your platform?

AI touches nearly everything—customer service, translation, data analysis, site conversion, imagery, and content generation. It’s not replacing people; it’s evolving their roles. Our AI tools allow us to personalise experiences, from hotel recommendations to travel itineraries.

What about users with no browsing history? Can AI still help them?

Yes. With TripGenie, users can simply say “I like jogging” or “I want a hotel with a certain view,” and AI will respond like a human agent. It doesn’t just recommend top hotels near a subway station—it gives options based on your individual preferences. The more you engage, the smarter it gets.

Are you partnering with companies like OpenAI?

Yes, we work with OpenAI and other platforms, and also build a lot of proprietary tools ourselves. We have over 10,000 engineers globally, which gives us speed and flexibility.

What emerging travel behaviours are you most focused on?

Personalisation and content-driven bookings are huge. The future of OTAs isn’t just showing five hotels near a station—it’s giving you the right hotel for you, based on your habits, values, and preferences. And we’re just getting started.