Fliggy, owned by Alibaba Group, is one of the top online travel agencies in China, with similarities to Ctrip and millions of users. Leveraging the Alibaba ecosystem, Fliggy is also one of the most downloaded mobile apps in China, and it’s certainly an important platform for Western travel brands to know. Keen to make use of Fliggy advertising to attract Chinese tourists? Read on for some tips to get you started.

What is Fliggy?

Fliggy is not only an online travel agency, it’s an entire marketplace that provides e-commerce solutions and travel for brands. It’s linked to the vast Alibaba ecosystem, which means that Western travel brands can access a wide range of value-add services. For example, hotels brands can pinpoint ready travellers with strong credit and offer extra privileges such as express checkout and zero deposit business hotel bookings for targeted advertising campaigns.

Things to know about Fliggy

– It’s the world’s leading travel platform and it integrates an incredibly rich array of immersive travel resources, with plenty of accompanying advertising opportunities for brands.
– It’s part of the Alibaba ecosystem; with its global-reach e-commerce, payment systems, and more. This means that the Alibaba yearly active user base of 400 million customers is constantly exposed to Fliggy.
– The typical Fliggy user is Generation Z, high-consumption, and preferring high-quality products, services, and experiences – with an interest in Western brands that fulfil these criteria, and Western travel destinations.
– 45% of users live in Tier 1 cities.
– 44% are highly-educated, with at least a BA degree or equivalent.
– 64% are the family decision-maker.

Why Fliggy is so powerful for Western brands

Flexibility

The scope and sophistication of Fliggy can be mind-boggling at first! Whatever kind of online advertising model or mechanism you have in mind, the chances are it can be delivered on this system – and to a degree of scope, quality, and precision targeting that you may never have experienced before. Fliggy is cutting-edge, and it’s the perfect time for Western brands to strike quickly and get on board.

Big data? Huge data!

Fliggy isn’t just a huge travel platform in its own right, but as part of the Alibaba ecosystem, it uses its parent company’s vast data capabilities for precise targeting and advertising optimization, with options to advertise on the basis of purchase intention, social preference, working habits, consumption capability and more – way beyond basic demographics. So, a travel brand could target advertising content to a young family in a certain income bracket, with an intention to travel to Europe in summer, for example.

Advertising integration

The second big advantage is that Fliggy offers integration of multi-platform assets for a powerful digital marketing experience, that links naturally with your online advertising. For example, alongside precise daily advertising, brands can use an Ali seasonal promotion, along with KOL resources and Ali coupon collections. Online and offline interaction is also facilitated with anything from live streaming for online, to detailed coverage of tourism content, targeted precisely to user groups, for offline. Further relationship building with target user groups is also enabled with the Fliggy IP and customized collaboration options for partners. (For example, Fliggy already has membership cooperation models with over 30 Western travel, hotel, and airline brands, where they enjoy brand membership privileges.)

Connectivity

Alibaba is a hugely interwoven system with a deep connection to its customers through content, loyalty, e-commerce, and more. This means that target customers can interact with Western travel brands across the ecosystem, depending on the desired type of campaign. For example, the Global Shopping Festival of 11.11 sees many brands using Tmall and Taobao for e-commerce – and then seeing hotel booking options through Fliggy. Then, other linked platforms in the Alibaba ecosystem can send traffic to products and services hosted on Fliggy, adding value to branded stores on Fliggy itself.

Tips for success with Fliggy

Fliggy is part of such a vast ecosystem that it takes time for Western travel brands to understand everything that it’s capable of, and how to optimise the Alibaba ecosystem as a whole for the best marketing gains. For example, Fliggy plugs into Taobao, Alipay, Koubei, DingTalk (the proprietary communication tool), and more. The power of the system is incredible.

When the true scope of Fliggy and its place in the Alibaba ecosystem is understood, Western brands can far more easily plan in the best possible advertising campaign. This could range from daily targeted advertising to drive traffic to a hosted flagship store through to a full Figgy brand membership campaign for bigger budgets and objectives – benefiting from additional advertising partner privileges.

In conclusion

Western travel brands can enjoy real success when they advertise their products and services on Fliggy. The route to success lies in gaining a deep understanding of Fliggy’s power and scope before building your flagship store and planning an advertising campaign, using methods such as daily adverts, KOL sponsorship, partnership campaigns, live-streaming or even enhanced member status for advertising privileges.

By working with a Chinese digital marketing agency such as Market Me China, your business can rapidly get to grips with this vast and powerful system and gain a position on it at this pivotal point. Market Me China offers you the service of experienced digital marketing professionals with native Chinese language skills. We work on a flexible basis according to your needs and evidence results to show our value-add. Please contact us in the first instance to find out how we can help your Western travel brand to market successfully in China.

(Image source: Fliggy)