InvestIdeas

I don't trade US stocks anymore. If I start again, this would be a stock that I would buy. I use their service all the time and I'm always impressed with their Customer Service. All my friends in China also uses them to book air-tickets and hotels. And there are 250m netizens in China now and growing..

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NEW YORK, May 28 (Reuters) - Ctrip.com (CTRP.O: Quote, Profile, Research), China's top online travel agent, said on Wednesday the Sichuan earthquake could hurt its second-quarter revenue as the national desire to travel weakens in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The company is predicting second-quarter revenue growth of 30 percent, although it stands by its 2008 forecast of 35 percent revenue growth, Chief Financial Officer Jane Jie Sun told Reuters in an interview.

Consumer sentiment should rebound in the second half of the year, Sun said, putting third and fourth quarter revenue growth at a minimum of 35 pct

W,

Quite an excellent choice... CTRIP was featured in IBD 100 last year just before it broke out. Currently the strongest stock in the Leisure-Services group.

I got a couple of Chinese friends who used their service and think it is excellent.

Regards,
mm

the chart is looking pretty good now.

W : thanks for bringing this up

Ctrip falls on negative outlook (From IBD June 2)

The online travel agency fell 2% to 57.20 after Susquehanna Financial said a lack of available hotel rooms in Beijing during the Olympic Games in Aug. could hurt the company. The brokerage said most of the rooms at more than 30 of the leading hotels in Beijing are reserved by the officials, and room rates could be 4-10 times higher than normal time. The brokerage also projected Ctrip.com will see a significant slowdown in Q3.

Not vested. I think this is a good buying opportunity. Ctrip is basically a domestic consumption play.

People use Ctrip for domestic airtickets & hotels. Once they have your record, all you need to do is to call them up to book a flight. They will confirm by sms and then send the ticket to you. Very convenient.

Not sure about the valuation though. Wished that they are listed in HK

Just heard that rooms in Beijing are only half-sold during the Olympics.

Not sure whether it is because of the high prices.

The earthquake and the situation in Tibet also did not help things..

China’s Ctrip Eyes A Winning Olympics

Nation’s Top Web Travel Firm
It launches its first service in English to ring up more business from the games


BY DOUG TSURUOKA INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY

China is coping with a passel of problems lately, from tragic earthquakes to Tibetan protests. But for Chinese Web travel firm Ctrip.com International, 2008 is about the promise of the Olympics. The Shanghai-based company unveiled an English version of its Ctrip.com Web site last month that is aimed at booking airline reservations and hotel rooms for Americans visiting China for the Aug. 8-24 Summer Games.

It’s the first time Ctrip CTRP has hosted an English-language service. “According to a WTO (World Trade Organization) study, China’s going to become the largest inbound and outbound tourism country by 2020, and the Olympics are one way we can kick-start our inbound business,” Jane Sun, Ctrip’s chief financial officer, said in a recent interview.

Ctrip could use a boost. The recent earthquake in China’s Sichuan province could hurt the travel business. Sun has forecast second-quarter revenue growth of about 30%, but analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect 50% growth. Sun is standing by the company’s full-year 2008 forecast of 35% revenue growth, while analysts again expect 50%. “It’s hard to predict what will happen with the Olympics, because this is the first time China is hosting this event,” Sun said. “We’re monitoring everything very carefully.”

Company shares fell early last week after a Susquehanna Financial Group analyst issued a report saying Ctrip could be hurt by a lack of available hotel rooms during the Olympics, but other analysts are more upbeat. China’s government estimates that the country’s tourism revenue hit more than $150 billion in 2008, a hefty 22.6% jump from 2007.

“Ctrip will definitely benefit longterm from increased tourism and U.S. travel to China,” said Piper Jaffray analyst Aaron Kessler. “But it will take them time to build up a brand name outside of China.” Sun says Ctrip has English-speaking customer service operators standing by to assist site users. The operators have been trained intensively in English, she says, and can answer questions via online chats or on the phone.

Ctrip chose to target Englishspeaking markets for its first foray outside China because such markets show the most potential, Sun says. The vast majority attending the Beijing Olympics will be Chinese, but sizable numbers of English speakers are expected as well. Sun hinted that Ctrip might look to team up with a U.S. partner, but she declined to say if any talks were under way. At least one other China Web travel firm, Qunar.com, plans this summer to launch an English version of its site, as well as Japanese and Korean versions.

Sun says Ctrip also is eyeing a move into the Japanese and South Korean online travel markets through local partners. This would involve offering travel deals on Japanese- and Korean-language Web pages. The CFO says Ctrip has “multiple alternatives” for tie-ups in various parts of the world. She says the partners could include search engines, other Web travel firms or travel service providers.

“We can do partnerships with specific players in specific regions,” Sun said. She says one attraction of teaming with Ctrip is its access to reservations and other travel services inside China. “If their customers are interested in going to China, we can take care of the back end,” Sun said. Piper Jaffray’s Kessler says Ctrip has work to do to attract U.S. consumers. He says the firm still doesn’t pop up often enough in online travel searches. “They need more search engine optimization to get their site found online,” Kessler said.

Ctrip is the No. 1 online travel site in China by bookings. It offers data on more than 28,000 hotels in 134 countries and regions. The company believes its reach makes it attractive to all travelers, not just Chinese. Sun says that Ctrip faces few rivals in China. “This is unlike the U.S., where you have four very strong competitors in Expedia EXPE , Travelocity, Orbitz OWW and Priceline PCLN ,” she said.

Sun says Ctrip is three times larger than its nearest rival, eLong, based on bookings. ELong is part-owned by Expedia. Sun says Ctrip also leads in selling plane seats and packaged trips. She says Ctrip is poised to overtake American Express AXP next year as China’s No. 1 provider of corporate travel services.

Ctrip is still basically a Chinese Consumption play, catering to the Domestic market.

Do not expect a lot of westerners to be using their English website unless they are living in China.

BTW, there are still plenty of rooms in BJ during the Olympics. There's just no tickets. So why would people be going to BJ ?

winston wrote:So why would people be going to BJ ?

and the the answer......

(courtesy of san san)


one night in Beijing
北京一夜、陈升、刘佳惠 词\陈升 刘佳慧曲\陈升京剧(老生 花旦)\刘佳慧编曲:李正帆

女:不想再问你你到底在何方
不想再思量你能否归来么
想着你的心想着你的脸
想捧在胸口能不放就不放

男:one night in beijing 我留下许多情
不管你爱与不爱都是历史的尘埃
one night in beijing 我留下许多情
不敢在午夜问路怕走到了百花深处

女:人说百花的深处住着老情人缝着绣花鞋
面容安详的老人依旧等着那出征的归人

男:one night in beijing 你可别喝太多酒
不管你爱与不爱都是历史的尘埃
one night in beijing 我留下许多情
把酒高歌的男儿是北方的狼族

女:人说北方的狼族会在寒风起站在城门外
穿着腐锈的铁衣呼唤城门开眼中含着泪

男:呜………………我已等待千年为何城门还不开

女:呜………………我已等待了千年为何良人不回来

合:one night in beijing 我留下许多情

男:不敢在午夜问路怕触动了伤心的魂
合:one night in beijing 我留下许多情
男:不敢在午夜问路怕走到了地安门

女:人说地安门里面有位老妇人犹在痴痴等
面容安详的老人依旧等着那出征的归人

男:one night in beijing 你可别喝太多酒
走在地安门外没有人不动真情

合:one night in beijing 你会留下许多情
不要在午夜问路怕触动了伤心的魂(人)

ç”·: one night in beijing one night in beijing
女:不想再问你你到底在何方
不想再思量你能否归来么
想着你的心想着你的脸
想捧在胸口能不放就不放

男:one night in beijing 你会留下许多情
不敢在午夜问路怕触动了伤心的魂

BROKER CALL - China Ctrip 'overweight'; valuation favorable - Morgan Stanley

BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - Morgan Stanley has maintained its "overweight" rating for the US-listed Ctrip, saying that the online travel service provider is cheap at its current share price and could also benefit from a rebound in air traffic. Total air tickets sold in China grew by 7 pct year on year in October and 5 pct in November following a 5 pct decline in the third quarter, pointing to a recovery in the sector.

Ctrip is currently trading close to its all-time low, even though its air ticketing business has been growing four times faster than the industry average. "On our estimates, Ctrip may expand its air ticket market share from 6-7 pct in 2008 to 20-25 pct in five years," Morgan Stanley predicted. Furthermore, the 75 pct cut in fuel surcharges could leave room for an increase in basic ticket prices and boost Ctrip's commissions, it said.