Alitrip seeks to tap rising leisure travel

Alibaba yesterday launched an independent online travel business called Alitrip to tap the booming demand for leisure travel among domestic consumers.

"We hope to work more closely with hotels and online travel agents to better connect their services with consumers," said Li Shaohua, general manager of Alitrip.

Alitrip, formerly called Taobao Travel, expects booking vacations to more than double to 43 billion yuan (US$7 billion) this year, Li said at a press conference in Beijing yesterday.

There are now about 10,000 merchants on Alibaba's platform selling hotels, flights and vacation packages.

China's online travel market size may grow 27 percent from a year earlier to 280 billion yuan this year, said Internet consultant iResearch Inc.

Alitrip yesterday also announced a 100 million yuan consumer guarantee fund to provide quick and more convenient refunds to consumers who have booked hotels or flights through Alitrip.

Based on the transaction records on Alibaba's retail shopping websites Tmall and Taobao, Alitrip will also offer consumers tailor-made travel packages and vacation products.

Alitrip also announced collaboration with dozens of online travel agencies, hotel groups and online hotel booking websites.