Dentsu Inc. (Tokyo: 4324; ISIN: JP3551520004; President and CEO: Toshihiro Yamamoto; Head Office: Tokyo; Capital: 74,609.81 million yen), has entered into a strategic cooperative business agreement with Trip.com Group Limited (Head Office: Shanghai, China; CEO: Jane Sun; hereinafter, Trip.com Group).

With 400 million members worldwide, including 300 million Chinese users of Ctrip, Trip.com Group's website for the Chinese market, Trip.com Group is one of the world's largest online travel agency, possessing logistics and sales know-how as well as insight into Chinese consumers. Combining this with regional branding and promotion activities utilizing the networks of Dentsu Group companies throughout Japan, we aim to develop Japanese travel resources focused on areas such as Japanese culture, history, cuisine and art that the Chinese are not yet familiar with to increase the number of Chinese tourists throughout all regions of Japan.

In the first phase of this strategic cooperative business agreement, in the spring of 2020 we will jointly launch a service within Ctrip that provides high-quality regional travel experiences for affluent Chinese visiting Japan. To establish a new definition of so-called "Japanese travel" for the Chinese consumer, we will provide services leveraging the know-how of both Dentsu and Trip.com Group centered on (1) rural rather than urban travel, (2) the discovery of Japan's uniqueness and individuality and (3) special experiences for the discriminating connoisseur.

Service Overview
Concept:    Luxury travel select shop offering carefully selected experiences and items only available in certain regions of Japan
Application: In collaboration with local governments, develop and sell travel products crafted based on insights pertaining to affluent Chinese visitors to Japan to disperse travelers to all regions of Japan. Conduct promotions in response to issues faced by companies targeting Chinese tourists visiting Japan (sampling, special sponsored tours, etc.).
Service launch date: Scheduled for spring 2020

Trip.com Group Overview
Official Company Name:    Trip.com Group Limited
Location (HQ office):    Shanghai, China
    (Sales offices in 95 locations throughout China, including Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu; 22 offices located outside China, including Singapore and Tokyo)
Date of Establishment:    November 1999
Sales:    CNY 31.1 billion (fiscal year ended December 2018)
Key Management Personnel:    Jane Sun, CEO
Number of Employees:    Over 40,000 (as of 2019)
    (of which approximately 17,000 work at call centers)
Line of Business:    Full-service online travel agency


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Contact

Media-related enquiries: Shusaku Kannan
             Executive Communications Director
             Corporate Communications Division
             Telephone: +81 (3) 6216-8042
             E-mail: s.kannan@dentsu.co.jp

Business-related enquiries: Atsushi Mukunoki
             Dentsu CXC
             E-mail: dentsucxc@dentsu.co.jp