On May 28 (local time), the online travel agency Trip.com Group held its global conference, “Envision 2026,” at the Shanghai West Bund International Convention and Exhibition Center in Xuhui District, Shanghai, China.
At the start of the main forum, which brought together more than 3,500 industry leaders and partners from 78 countries and regions around the world, international actor Jackie Chan—who serves as a global ambassador for Trip.com Group—appeared via video message, sending the audience into a frenzy.
First to take the stage was James Liang, Chairman and Co-founder of the Trip.com Group, who delivered a keynote speech titled “Innovation: The Driving Force Behind Global Travel Industry Growth.”
According to Chairman Liang, global international tourism continues to grow strongly, with the number of tourists expected to reach 1.52 billion and international tourism revenue to expand to approximately $1.9 trillion by 2025. Growth is expected to remain steady at 3–4% annually, and by 2030, we will enter an era where as many as 1.8 billion people will be crossing borders.
Chairman Liang emphasized, “The travel industry is all about seeking new experiences, and constant innovation is necessary to continue meeting travelers’ expectations.”
Next, the company announced the “2026 Trip.com Tourism Innovation Awards,” which recognize innovative initiatives in the global tourism industry. The awards cover seven categories: Resorts & Hotels, Theme Parks, Nature & Outdoor Experiences, Events & Shows, Museums, and Architecture & Engineering. Entries are comprehensively evaluated based on five criteria: originality, market impact, customer satisfaction, public attention, and contribution to the local economy.
Among the winners of the Best Museum award were the V&A East Storehouse, which opened in East London in May 2025, and the Almaty Art Museum, a private contemporary art museum located in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The winners in the Best New Theme Park category include “Universal Epic Universe,” a next-generation theme park that opened in Orlando, Florida, in May 2025, and “Six Flags Kidiya City,” the world’s newest thrill-ride theme park, which opened on the outskirts of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia “Six Flags Qiddiya City,” and the hyper-immersive walk-through attraction “Jurassic World: The Experience,” which can be experienced in Bangkok, Thailand, were named the winners.
Chairman Liang noted that it is not only the award-winning projects but all innovators worldwide who are paving the way for the future of the tourism industry who are driving the growth of the travel sector, and he expressed Trip.com Group’s determination to continue taking on creative challenges alongside its partners.
Next, Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, took the stage. She explained that the global travel market has reached an all-time high and is entering a new phase of growth, noting that the travel and tourism industry accounts for approximately 10% of global GDP and has grown into an industry that supports one in nine jobs worldwide.
CEO Jane Sung also stated that the key to future growth in the travel industry lies in innovation driven by AI and the strengthening of global partnerships.
The company is stepping up its efforts to generate travel demand by combining content with AI, and reports that it has generated over 1 billion content impressions. In particular, the number of travel bookings made through “TripGenie,” the travel-specific interactive AI assistant built into the Trip.com app, has surged by 400% year-over-year. This demonstrates that the travel tips and ideas suggested by AI are serving as a key catalyst for many users in deciding their next travel destination.
Finally, CEO Jane Sun introduced “3D” as three keywords that symbolize the future of the travel market. The first “D” stands for Discovery—the discovery of new travel destinations. She noted that emerging destinations such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Algeria, South Africa, Argentina, and Brazil are experiencing rapid growth.
The second “D” stands for Diversity—a wide range of experiences. In addition to demand for activities like diving and surfing, travel to destinations featuring natural landscapes, such as Cappadocia, Koh Phi Phi, and Mont Saint-Michel, has become increasingly popular.
The third “D” stands for “Depth”—a more in-depth journey. Of the top 20 routes by growth rate, 15 are long-distance trips or multi-city tours, with an average stay of about six days.
Going forward, Trip.com Group will place “Intelligence with Care”—which leverages cutting-edge AI while maintaining human warmth and consideration—at the core of its growth strategy. The company plans to continue investing resources in key areas such as enhancing the search and booking experience through AI, providing customer service that blends AI and human interaction, and building a trusted global platform.
© Source travel watch