Core Viewpoint - Trip.com, the international online travel platform under Ctrip, has made significant strides in expanding its overseas business, achieving a revenue share of 14% in 2024, with expectations to contribute about 20% of the group's revenue in the next three to five years [1][2]. Group 1: Business Expansion Strategies - Ctrip's overseas business expansion began in 2016 with the acquisition of Skyscanner for approximately 136 billion RMB, which enhanced user acquisition through its high traffic and user engagement [4]. - The company further expanded its international presence by acquiring Trip.com in the U.S. and investing in Travix and MakeMyTrip, thereby increasing its market share in Europe and South Asia [4]. - Ctrip established a global content agreement with TripAdvisor in 2019, allowing Trip.com to leverage TripAdvisor's content as a significant traffic source [4]. Group 2: User Engagement and Marketing - Ctrip effectively utilizes Skyscanner's flight search capabilities, showcasing competitive flight and hotel prices to guide users towards higher-margin products [6]. - In 2024, Ctrip's international flight bookings increased by over 70%, with 15%-20% of flight users also booking hotels or other travel products [6]. - The implementation of visa-free entry policies has significantly boosted inbound tourism, with a 240% increase in hotel bookings from major visa-free countries in the first quarter of 2025 [6]. Group 3: Innovative Marketing Approaches - Ctrip has adopted live streaming as a marketing strategy since 2020, launching a new Asian live streaming center in Bangkok, which has attracted over 10 million viewers in 2024 [7]. - Traditional marketing efforts include airport promotions and tailored advertising campaigns that resonate with local cultures, such as the campaign in Hong Kong targeting young workers [9]. Group 4: Challenges and Market Dynamics - Despite its achievements, Ctrip faces intense competition from established platforms like Expedia, Booking, and Airbnb, necessitating unique value propositions to retain customers [10]. - The company's low commission rate strategy, averaging 3.9%, raises concerns about its long-term sustainability compared to competitors with rates three times higher [10]. - Ctrip's marketing expenses reached 11.9 billion RMB in 2024, a nearly 30% increase year-on-year, which may impact profitability in the short term [10]. Group 5: User Demographics and Market Penetration - Currently, Ctrip's overseas user base is predominantly composed of overseas Chinese, with foreign users representing a smaller proportion [11]. - The company has validated its strategies in the Asia-Pacific region but faces challenges in retaining local users in more mature markets like Europe and North America [11].

Summary of Ctrip Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Ctrip (Trip.com) - **Industry**: Online Travel Agency (OTA) Key Points and Arguments Domestic Hotel Booking Trends - In Q2, domestic hotel bookings maintained double-digit growth despite a year-over-year price decline, with the decline rate narrowing [2][3] - Hotel supply increased by 5%-10% year-over-year, indicating a clear trend of normalized demand growth [2][3] - Traffic maintained a steady double-digit growth, with expectations for continued normalized growth in domestic tourism [2][4] International Travel Recovery - Outbound travel capacity has recovered to approximately 80%-85%, with free travel, hotel, and flight recovery rates at 120%-125% [2][5] - Ctrip's international version saw a growth rate of about 60% in Q1, with a target of over 50% growth for the year [2][5] - Overall revenue growth is expected to maintain around 15% for the year [2][5] Revenue Composition and Future Goals - Domestic business accounts for 60%-65% of total revenue, outbound business approximately 15%, and pure overseas business 20% [2][6] - Trip.com contributed about 13% to total revenue, exceeding pre-pandemic levels [2][6] - The goal is for international business to contribute over 50% of total revenue in the next 3-5 years, with Trip.com aiming for around 20% [2][7] Hotel Revenue Structure - Trip.com has shifted from primarily ticket sales to hotel revenue, which now exceeds 40% and is expected to increase further [2][8] - A higher hotel revenue proportion is anticipated to positively impact Ctrip's profit structure [2][8] Seasonal Trends in Travel - The peak travel season for overseas and domestic tourism differs significantly, with Q4 being the peak for Trip.com due to major holidays [2][9][10] - Q3 is also busy due to summer vacations, while Q1 and Q2 are more fragmented with various regional holidays [2][9][10] International Route Recovery - Some routes in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Thailand, have not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with recovery rates around 60%-70% [2][11] - Europe has largely recovered or surpassed 2019 levels, while some regions like Spain and Italy are still lagging [2][11] Foreign Tourist Preferences - Foreign tourists from the Asia-Pacific region prefer using Trip.com, while European and American tourists tend to use Booking.com [2][13] - Trip.com is the only platform allowing foreign tourists to book high-speed train tickets in China, providing a competitive advantage [2][15] Future Growth Expectations - Ctrip anticipates an increase in inbound tourism's contribution but aims to avoid over-reliance on the Chinese market [2][17] - The company plans to enhance brand awareness in the Asia-Pacific region to attract more foreign tourists [2][17] Financial Performance and Projections - Ctrip's international segment is expected to incur higher losses than last year, but this is within anticipated limits [2][21] - The budget and revenue expectations for 2025 align with initial forecasts, with a stable tax rate around 15% [2][22][23] Market Position and Competition - Trip.com has maintained profitability with an operating margin of 20-25% [2][26] - The company faces competition from traditional channels and aims to leverage its unique positioning and local language services to capture market share [2][27] Commission Rates and Monetization - Trip.com’s commission rates in overseas markets are lower than competitors, around 8%, to enhance competitiveness [2][28] - The company plans to gradually increase commission rates as the market expands while maintaining lower rates than competitors [2][28] Strategic Differences with Competitors - Trip.com has replicated its domestic competitive advantages in overseas markets, focusing on direct channels and strong supplier relationships [2][29][30] Additional Important Insights - The company emphasizes service quality and customer loyalty over price competition, which aligns with its long-term strategy [2][20] - The overall competitive landscape in the domestic OTA market remains stable, with a focus on enhancing customer experience rather than aggressive pricing strategies [2][20]

Core Viewpoint - Trip.com Group Limited is notifying holders of its 1.50% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2027 about their right to require the company to repurchase these notes for cash on July 1, 2025, under specific terms outlined in the Indentures [1][2][3] Group 1: Repurchase Right Details - Holders can require the company to repurchase all or a portion of their Exchangeable Notes, with a minimum amount of US$200,000 or integral multiples of US$1,000 [2][3] - The repurchase price will be 100% of the principal amount plus any accrued and unpaid interest up to July 1, 2025 [2] - The total outstanding amount of Exchangeable Notes as of May 27, 2025, is US$500,000,000, which means the total cash purchase price could reach US$500,000,000 if all notes are surrendered [2] Group 2: Timeline and Procedures - The opportunity to exercise the 2025 Repurchase Right starts on May 28, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. and ends on June 27, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. [3] - Holders must follow specific transmittal procedures outlined in the 2025 Repurchase Right Notice to exercise their rights [3] - Holders can withdraw previously tendered Exchangeable Notes until June 27, 2025 [3] Group 3: Company Overview - Trip.com Group Limited is a leading global one-stop travel platform, offering a comprehensive suite of travel products and services [7] - The company operates under various brands, including Ctrip, Qunar, Trip.com, and Skyscanner, and aims to provide cost-effective travel solutions [7] - Founded in 1999 and listed on Nasdaq in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, the company continues to expand its reach among travelers worldwide [7]

Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating for the company, marking its first coverage [3][5]. Core Insights - Ctrip has established significant competitive advantages through supply lock-in and a comprehensive service system, positioning it favorably against both domestic and international competitors [4][5]. - The company is expected to achieve revenue growth rates of 14.8%, 13.8%, and 12.9% for the years 2025 to 2027, with projected revenues of 612.6 billion, 697.3 billion, and 787.0 billion yuan respectively [5]. - Ctrip's long-term growth potential is enhanced by changes in domestic consumer demand and accelerated international expansion, making its growth trajectory more favorable compared to many trading platforms [4][5]. Summary by Sections Company Overview - Ctrip has a total share capital of 684 million shares, with a market price of 518 HKD, resulting in a market capitalization of 354,067 million HKD [2]. Financial Projections - Revenue projections for Ctrip are as follows: 44,562 million yuan in 2023, 53,377 million yuan in 2024, and expected growth to 61,260 million yuan in 2025, with a year-on-year growth rate of 122% in 2023 and 20% in 2024 [3]. - The net profit attributable to shareholders is projected to be 9,918 million yuan in 2023, increasing to 17,067 million yuan in 2024, but expected to decline slightly to 16,145 million yuan in 2025 [3]. Competitive Positioning - Ctrip's competitive edge is attributed to three main factors: supply lock-in, a differentiated user profile, and high infrastructure barriers due to the nature of travel services [4][5]. - The report highlights that the impact of hotel concentration on OTA market share and take rate is limited, suggesting that Ctrip's market position remains strong despite these changes [4][5]. Market Dynamics - The report notes that Ctrip's ecosystem is better positioned than that of international leaders like Booking and Expedia, primarily due to the differences in internet user behavior and the absence of a dominant traffic distributor like Google in China [4][5]. - Ctrip's international business is expected to contribute significantly to its revenue, with outbound tourism and international OTA operations projected to account for one-third of the group's income [12]. Conclusion - Overall, Ctrip's robust competitive advantages, favorable market positioning, and strong financial projections support the "Buy" rating, indicating a positive outlook for investors [5].