Tailor-made travel

As of now, more than 2,000 business trip suppliers and 4,000 professional customizers are available on Ctrip's platform, and offer business trips to destinations worldwide, based on corporate customers' specific needs.

The tour operators are placed in groups based on their strengths and experience. And, once an order is placed, it's up for grabs among qualified suppliers.

Now, a return call from suppliers to customers is ensured within minutes, according to Xu.

As of now, more than 100,000 companies have booked such trips through suppliers on Ctrip.

Speaking about Ctrip's plans for the platform, Xu says: "We are trying to formulate relevant industry standards, so operational efficiency can be raised and costs brought down."

As for the prospects for Ctrip's platform, Xu says business trips are taking the form of team-building exercises, exhibitions, year-end meetings and business studies, and the market could grow to 250 billion yuan annually.

As far as catering to individual requirements goes, Ctrip began its trip customization service in 2016, and the number of tailored trips for individual travelers is now 120,000 a month, the agency says.

These trips are not necessarily expensive, and sometimes end up being cheaper than mass-planned trips, considering the time spent on research and making your own itinerary, says Xu.

A key difference when it comes company customers－as compared to individual travelers－is that while they are not too price sensitive, they have more complex requirements.

"To them, time is very valuable, and they don't have time to make trip arrangements or sort out glitches," says Xu.