Trip.com first-half profit up 12 percent on resilient travel demand

Trip.com (9961), China’s largest online travel agency, reported on Wednesday a 12 percent rise year-on-year in first-half net profit to 9.12 billion yuan (HK$9.93 billion), driven by resilient travel demand.

Revenue for the six months ended June 30 climbed 16 percent year-on-year to 28.71 billion yuan.

In the June quarter alone, net profit attributable to shareholders jumped 26 percent to 4.85 billion yuan, while revenue grew 16 percent to 14.86 billion yuan.

Trip.com said its international business maintained robust momentum in the second quarter, with overall bookings on its overseas platforms climbing more than 60 percent from a year earlier.

Inbound travel reservations more than doubled, while outbound hotel and flight bookings exceeded 120 percent of the levels seen in the same period of 2019 before the pandemic.

“Travel is a key driver in national growth and global engagement. It serves not only as an engine for economic development but also as a catalyst for cultural exchange, global understanding and social vitality,” said James Liang Jianzhang, executive chairman.

The compay's strategy focuses on capturing growing demand from every demographic, with special attention to inbound travel, chief executive Jane Sun Jie said.

STAFF REPORTER