Trip.com Group on 25 January offered cancellation waivers to about 30,000 global hotels outside of China for voluntary cancellations of reservations booked through Trip.com Group's trip platform before January 24th with a check-in date through February 8.

 

This will cover most Chinese outbound customers who had made bookings via various channels and platforms. Global hotel partners such as Hilton, Shangri-La, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott, Hyatt, Accor, Melia Hotels International, and many others are participating this initiative in a joint measure to better serve customers for their travel change requests given the outbreak of coronavirus in China.

 

The partners have now joined over 250,000 hotels in China who had responded to Trip.com Group's earlier initiative announced on 23 January, which is aimed at allowing customers to cancel their hotel bookings free of charge with a check-in date from now to 24:00 February 8. Trip.com Group continues to coordinate with other hotels to offer refundable cancellations or rescheduled reservations for the customers.

 

Mr. Ray Chen, CEO of Accommodation Business at Trip.com Group said: "We would like to express our deepest gratitude to these hotels for their staunch support and commitment. Given the recent developments, including the spread of the virus within China and other countries, it is necessary to expand the initiative and include hotels in other markets. The safety and well-being of our travelers and the community is our top priority. We will continue to monitor the developments closely, and will thereafter take further action, whenever necessary."

 

Trip.com Group also launched a self-cancellation service on January 24, through which Chinese travelers can cancel their bookings made with the hotels that are participating in the "Cancellation Guarantee" policy.