GetYourGuide will launch a dedicated website for travelers in China this week, indicating how important the country is becoming in the attractions sector.
The site will be joined by others for Japanese, Russian and Mexican Spanish speakers, the company says.
The move comes just a month after it raised a record round for the sector to the tune of $75 million from Battery Ventures – a new investor – and previous backers, including Sunstone Capital, KKR, Spark Capital, Highland Europe and Nokia Growth Partners.
The funding also resulted in GetYourGuide opening local offices in Hong Kong and Bangkok.
“In recent years, we’ve expanded beyond our stronghold in Europe to become the global market leader in the tours and attractions space,” says Tao Tao, Chief Operating Officer at GetYourGuide.
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“Seamless communication is a crucial aspect of turning our customers’ trips into amazing experiences, and with the addition of these new languages, we can now speak with even more of our customers in their native tongues.”
Meanwhile, claiming to be the first and only partner in China with such a deal, home-grown Ctrip is teaming up with Big Bus Tours for a so-called "strategic partnership agreement."
The online travel agency will provide more than 300 million users with the ability to directly secure tickets for Big Bus Tours, running in 19 cities spanning four continents.
The level of exclusivity is fairly undetermined, with existing web platforms Klook and Veltra still selling Big Bus Tours online via their Chinese sites.
As part of their effort to provide their customers with a one-stop booking experience, Ctrip and Big Bus's new partnership is getting positive feedback from Chinese executives.
"As an exclusive partner of Big Bus Tours, Ctrip allow users to be in better control of transportation services that are reliable and economical," says Zhang Xiaori, director of Ctrip's overseas things to do (TTD) department.