Alibaba on Monday announced the opening of the “New Tourism Academy,” a business-training initiative aimed at helping players in China’s hypercompetitive travel and tourism market bolster their capabilities online.
The academy, co-organized by Alibaba’s professional development arm, Taobao University, and its online travel platform, Fliggy, offers about 60 courses on myriad e-commerce-related topics, ranging from managing an online flagship store and curating an online campaign message to engaging customers through Alibaba’s marketplaces. The courses, which are delivered both online and in the classroom, cover the three major pillars of the tourism industry: transportation, vacation packages, and hotels and hospitality.
All merchants with a storefront on Fliggy are welcome to join, Taobao University said. So far, three Chinese airlines—Shenzhen Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines and Sichuan Airlines—have signed up.
“As the age of the Chinese travelers decreases, their demands increase and the traditional online travel agency model can no longer keep up. New demands mean those in the tourism industry must adopt a new business model,” Fliggy and Alibaba Group Vice President Jerry Hu said.