Exclusive: Ctrip CEO on Global Ambitions, Skyscanner Buy and the Priceline Relationship
Photo Credit: Ctrip CEO Jane Sun says the company's priority is domestic China but her international experience, including in Silicon Valley, will be put to use as it expands in Asia, Europe and English-speaking countries. Ctrip
Skift Take
In its short history, Skift has talked about the balance of power in travel heading East, whether it is the influence of Chinese travelers, the rise of Ctrip and Alibaba, or the emergence of the Gulf carriers with their luxury long-haul flights. Ctrip's acquisition of Skyscanner is one of those moments that mattered in 2016 and Ctrip's global ambitions are a manifestation of what we have been talking about.
It's been a busy week for Ctrip CEO Jane Jie Sun.
Just a week after Ctrip appointed Sun as its new CEO, the first woman to head a publicly traded online travel agency, Ctrip announced an agreement to acquire UK-based flight-metasearch engine Skyscanner for $1.74 billion.
Skift spoke with Sun via phone a day after the Skyscanner announcement and she discussed how Ctrip got the opportunity to get involved in the talks and why it sees such synergies between the giant Chinese online travel agency and the evolving flight-search and booking site.
We published some of the highlights of the interview as it pertains to Skyscanner a few days ago, but there is more below about Ctrip's thinking about the acquisition.
In addition, Sun discusses how Ctrip plans on focusing on China and Asia for the time being but has plans to become a force in English-speaking countries, as well.
One of the more interesting perspectives Sun offers is about Ctrip's relationship with the Priceline Group
