A mysterious "cheap" travel business

Haitao tourism in the industry is a different kind of existence: because of a substantial reduction in outbound prices, it is popular with ordinary tourists, but it has become a public enemy of the industry, as the traditional travel agents and online travel as a competitor; and because of the deferred return Outbound travel deposit, which led to tourists suspected of being rumored to be suspected of financial money laundering. As a private travel agency, although Haitao Tourism has always been the industry's concern, but no one seems to be able to understand what it is, what kind of business it is, what kind of operating mode, why can we achieve such a low price ...... Beijing Commercial Daily reporter after a long period of investigation and interview, from many aspects, decryption concern "Haitao mode."

How to make low-cost

■ a mysterious "cheap" travel business

"Reported Jeju Island, South Korea on the 5th tour, only 3180 yuan, with two additional ski tickets or dam on the 2nd tour." When the Beijing Commercial Daily reporter as a tourist call Haitao tourism, the staff reported The price and bonus offers really exciting. In fact, Haitao tourism in the circle is known as "cheap", the same paragraph travel products prices, which are generally 10% -30% lower than other travel agencies.

To this end Beijing Commercial Daily reporter specifically to "South Korea Seoul Jeju Island 5-Day Tour" as an example, query the other four travel agents offer: CYTS travel network "South Korea's Jeju Leisure Depth 5-Day Tour," quoted at 4780 yuan; Caesar Tourism Of the "Drunken Love of Korean Wind - Jeju, South Korea on the 5th Tour Tour" Price is 4688 yuan; Beijing Youth Travel Company "Jeju, South Korea on the 5th economic team tour" quoted at 3790 yuan; China International Travel Service, "South Korea + Jeju essence 5-day tour "quoted at 3780 yuan. Comparison found that Haitao tourism products in other travel agents in the lowest price of similar products.

Not only that, Beijing Commercial Daily reporter also learned that, for some specific tourists, Haitao tourism can even give almost free prices. For example, some Southeast Asian routes have visitors who have been able to play at a few hundred dollars for a lap, and the price is so low as surprise. Why Haitao tourism prices will be so cheap? Haitao tourism in the end is what kind of business?

Haitao tourism on the course of the development of little information can be found, this Beijing Daily reporter called Haitao tourism, hoping to interview, but as of press time, Haitao Tourism did not give a reply. Beijing Commercial Daily inquiries public information shows that the current president of Haitao Tourism Xu Tao started in 2001, in 2003 in Beijing Huaqing Jiayuan District Building 1 Room 2003, a less than 20 square meters of cottage to settle. However, in 2003-2009, Xu Tao and his company rarely seen newspapers or the Internet. Until early 2009, Xu Tao established Beijing Bo Yuan Hao Cheng International Travel Service Co., Ltd., the creation of the tourism brand "Haitao Holidays", set foot in Japan to take the travel market, which began to emerge. In early 2011, Xu Tao successfully injected capital into Beijing Beichen International Travel Service Co., Ltd. and injected capital into the largest shareholder in the second year. During the period, the brand of Beichen CITS Haitao Holiday began to gradually mature. Today, the original Beichen CITS Haitao holiday quietly transformed into Beijing Bo Yuan Haocheng International Travel Haitao tourism.

■ Break the traditional way of taking-off

Haitao tourism has been able to successfully play Fun "low price" strategy, first of all lies in its breaking the industry habitual thinking, the opposite. Outbound travel agencies generally according to their own scale and operational capacity, first and airlines, hotels, car companies talk about their need for air tickets, rooms, cars, and then to grasp the resources to attract tourists, Haitao tourism is not so.

Head of many travel agencies to the Beijing Commercial Daily revealed that Haitao tourism first with very low prices in the short term gather a large number of tourists resources, and then as a bargaining chip, and hotels, airlines, the team negotiate for a cheaper price. When the latter saw such a large and stable passenger flow, it was natural to cooperate with Haitao Tourism. Haitao Tourism captured all the links in the industry chain and obtained lower prices than its peers. "Eight-day line, for example, the price given by Haitao Tourism in 2009 was only around 4,000 yuan, the industry called" loss of doing business. " In the same year, Haitao Travel Japan Line received more than 1,000 passengers a month, becoming one of the three major cooperation customers of Air China.

Xu Tao summed up this strategy as "resource integration", low price is not just crazy price cuts, in his eyes, the price drop is based on the cost reduction. In fact, long before the Japanese line price cuts, Xu Tao has already begun layout, the reason why the selected Japanese tour as the main route is because Japan is close to China, are short-term, and short-term means sufficient source; and Xu Tao analysis that led to The reason for the high prices is that there are too many uncontrollable factors due to too many intermediate links in the reception of tourists from domestic tourists to Japan travel agencies. Therefore, after repeated consideration, a bold decision was made - to buy Japan Peace International Travel Service Co., Ltd., Japan Concord Car companies and a local hotel, which achieved from the domestic delegation to Japan to receive full control by their own, the natural cost down.

■ deepen the industrial chain to achieve mode replication

With Haitao's firm foothold in the Japanese market, Xu Tao started to aim at other neighboring countries and South Korea became his next goal. South Korea and Japan are both neighbors of China, and the operation modes of tourist routes are similar. With the successful experience in Japan, Xu Tao easily copied the Japanese model in South Korea and purchased the local hotels, fleets and local communities in Korea to maximize Reduce costs.

However, Xu Tao is not satisfied, he began to have a more bold idea: charter. Xu Tao believes that the relationship between travel agencies and airlines is not stable, the off-season when the two sides brother; peak season Airlines "flip face do not recognize people", Block seat prices, travel costs all the way up. The charter is let travel agents become passive, as long as enough to attract tourists, they are not afraid to sell seats out. Not to mention a chartered seat of 150 seats, 100 seats have been sold out to achieve a balance of payments, then the remaining 50 seats cost equal to zero, cheap sale Ye Hao, or even used to make free market activities or differences Industry cooperation, can be based on market needs and policies may be.

In 2012, Haitao Tourism won the first charter flight. At the end of the year, Haitao also conducted strategic cooperation with Tianjin Airlines and successively opened Tianjin, Seoul, Muan and other scheduled flights with Tianjin as the home port to South Korea. One Haitao travel to South Korea in the next year the number of tourists up to 10 million people, accounting for Beijing to South Korea tour Qicheng market share. In 2013, Haitao Tourism signed a cooperation agreement with the Korea Tourism Board and won three franchises to fly passenger aircraft between China and South Korea, further reducing the cost of traveling to South Korea. For example, Seoul, South Korea on the 5th 5-day tour product prices all the way down to 2299 yuan. Prior to the cost of travel in South Korea in 2000-3000 yuan.

Another big benefit that charter flights bring to Haitao tourism is the high level of government subsidies. The reason why Haitao chose Tianjin Airport as its departure airport is that on the one hand Tianjin is near to Beijing and on the other hand Tianjin Airport promises high subsidies for Haitao Travel which can bring a large number of tourists to it and charter flights from Tianjin After flying to South Korea's Muan, Muan local government will give Haitao a subsidy for tourism to reward it for a stable tourist consumption in South Korea. Rely on the double subsidies of the two governments, Haitao tourism can unscrupulously pull down the price, compete for market share. That Haitao many lines of travel selling price lower than the market price of 1/3 or even 1/2 have some profit margins.

How marketing fun

If the low price of Haitao tourism so that all people have the opportunity to travel abroad, then its ubiquitous marketing war, let everyone know the "Haitao tourism" brand. Beijing Business Daily reporter learned that bundled banks, advertising, identify the target group to become its main marketing fun.

■ Make the bank a guarantee of its own credibility

Careful review of the development of Haitao tourism, the bank plays an important role in its development, public information shows Haitao tourism has and Everbright Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Industrial Bank and other business cooperation has been carried out, although this is a mutual benefit and reciprocity , But Haitao tourism makes the bank quietly become their own credit protection.

Aunt Wang is an ordinary retiree worker in Beijing. From 2010, she has traveled many tours with Haitao tours. Talk about how he knows Haitao tourism, Aunt Wang said with a smile: "The bank recommended that I know." The original aunt ago aunt handled a bank credit card, for some time the bank always send text messages to her recommended South Korea's tourism information, at first Aunt Wang think abroad is too expensive do not care, but occasionally read the message found that brush a line of credit card to South Korea 5-day tour as long as 1,700 yuan, this is too cost-effective it. So Aunt Wang began to find Haitao through the bank tourism, holding a semi-diligent attitude to report to the trip, then out of control.

When the Beijing Commercial Daily reporter asked such a cheap price and travel agents have never heard of it would worry about being cheated, Aunt Wang admitted that at first she did have such concerns. "However, the credibility of the bank is high, and will not lie, it was cheated, the travel agency ran, the bank is still there, I can find them credited." Auntie Wang and people have the same idea of ​​a small number, Beijing Commercial Daily reporter immediately learned that many people who are unfamiliar with Haitao tourism will have a sense of trust when they understand that some of Haitao's tourism products have cooperation with banks.

■ Targeting the elderly market

Haitao travel tours have a characteristic, that is, a lot of older people. "Low prices," "no compulsory shopping," "eat, live, play well" is the main reason elderly tourists love Haitao tourism. Fan aunt over Pentecost, recently introduced a friend is also ready to experience the value of 3180 yuan on the 5th of Seoul, Jeju, South Korea tour, she unmistakably told the Beijing Daily News reporter, the primary reason to attract their own naturally low prices. Many friends who reported to the regiment said that this travel agency is fairly regular, does not allow tourists to impose their expenses and can take a lot of tourist attractions. As for the feeling of being experienced, our seniors do not have much demand and we should look more at it. "

Not long ago, Aunt Wang had just returned from Bali with a tour package by Haitao. "We have ten elderly friends who are almost half a tour group." Over time, Auntie Wang and her elder friends who love to travel became Haitao travel loyal fans.

■ overwhelming advertising hit the influence

Haitao tourism Another big marketing tool is to make good use of advertising and activities play brand. Since last year, Haitao tourism advertisements are often seen in radio, television, newspapers and other media. In addition, Haitao Tourism also leverages various activities to promote the brand.

Starting from the 2013 AFC Champions League, Haitao Travel organized 100 free fans to cheer for Guo'an in Seoul, Korea, and created a precedent for Guoan fans to visit AFC away. During the 2014 AFC Champions League, Haitao Tourism once again organized a thousand fans cheerleaders to visit South Korea. In the Seoul World Cup match, more than 1,300 Beijing fans appeared on the stands of the visiting team, which is the history of Guo'an's away away games against AFC Champions League Never had, but also Haitao tourism brand rooted in fanatic fans in mind.

Haitao tourism and Beijing Jinyu men's basketball coach Min Lulei jointly launched the "Sea Basketball Season" products. August 1 Haitao Travel Royal Caribbean Cruise Offshore Basketball Season 1 Sea Basketball Camp will recruit 40 students. By then, Beijing Jinyu men's basketball championship team will board the cruise with tourists to participate in Min Lulei sea basketball training camp activities. Leveraging the reputation of CBA champion Beijing Jinyu Haitao tourism look forward to another fire.

Profit or financial speculation

Haitao tourism "financial dilemma"

Haitao travel label in addition to "cheap", the other is "financial speculation." Since the rise of Haitao tourism, the use of tourist deposits speculation in the financial markets, making high profits, or even suspected of money laundering, real estate investment ... ... all kinds of rumors endless.

Beijing Business Daily reporter learned that, as a travel agency to operate a travel agency, Haitao tourism will be charged to tourists from varying amounts of the deposit (that is, anti-retention overseas margin). Although this is the industry practice, but the reason why Haitao tourism is suspected of using the deposit speculative finance, mainly because of its non-standard operation of the deposit. A number of tourists who have reported Haitao tourism said that depending on the destination, Haitao travel deposit is also different, Japan and South Korea line each person needs 10,000 -5,500 yuan, Europe, the Americas and others need 10 Million or so. In accordance with the agreement, travel agencies generally returned within a certain period of time after the return of tourists, the period from a few weeks to several months. However, Haitao tourism often appears tourists deposit was dragged to several months did not return the phenomenon, triggering tourists dissatisfaction. In addition, Haitao Tourism has launched a series of activities, such as pre-stored amount of fees, visitors can choose at any time within the agreed number of lines to play, until the pre-stored amount ended. However, this model also suffered criticism in the industry, Haitao tourism was once accused of hiding travel speculation financial speculation finance.

Some users forget an account to pay a deposit of 100,000 yuan a month, returned after the calculation, the travel agency to use the funds for investment in financial products, according to the average annual rate of return of 4.6%, each tourist will be able to Travel to bring 378 yuan income. And an outbound tour group of at least 30 people, so travel agencies to organize an outbound tour will be able to profit by tens of thousands of yuan.

Use tourist deposits speculative finance is not new in the industry, and some travel agencies are tourists in the name of tourism, not by group to make money, but with the deposit lending. Rather than agreeing on the content of the project in standard contracts, visitors are usually required to pay cash. Some remittances or bank card transfers are possible. However, third-party recipients, not travel agencies, only provide receipts for visitors. Fan Xu-ritai, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, once pointed out that the above-mentioned non-standard travel agencies have the suspicion of illegally operating financial institutions, and the practice is almost illegal fund-raising. In the event of financial risk, the tourist's deposit may not be recovered.

■ United Bank seeks to get rid of "notoriety"

Faced with all the suspicions of the outside world, Haitao tourism rarely clarified in the media, but it did make the appropriate move. July 1 last year, Haitao Tourism and Standard Chartered Bank, through the signing of a tripartite agreement signed by third-party agencies, the deposit on behalf of the deposit by the bank. In March this year, Haitao Tourism and Industrial Bank Beijing Branch launched the "third party travel guarantee deposit regulatory model." Visitors only need to hold a joint card will be able to complete the deposit payment, the money on behalf of the supervision by the bank, after the end of the travel itinerary, according to the time stipulated by the tripartite agreement, the bank initiative to transfer the money back to the tourist account. Visitors no longer worry about leaving the travel of the deposit was embezzled by travel agents or delayed return.

In addition, Haitao Tourism and Industrial Bank jointly launched the "Buy Industrial Bank to send financial products to travel" activities. As long as tourists buy 50,000 yuan at the bank, 100,000 yuan, 150,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan four tranches of one-year wealth management products, we can use low-cost financial management access to quality tourist routes. For example, in accordance with the 5% return on financial products, to buy 50,000 yuan wealth management products get 2,500 yuan a year, visitors can use this gain in exchange for 3180 yuan worth of Jeju, Seoul, South Korea on the 5th tour, equivalent to 680 yuan cheaper. The higher the amount you spend on one-year wealth management products, the more you get the discount on travel routes, and some travel routes can even reach 10% of your money management amount.

Haitao travel self-innocence practice, the outside world is not the same assessment. A banking industry to the Beijing Commercial Daily reporter said that the "third-party travel guarantee regulatory model" from the financial point of view is reasonable and effective, for travel agencies, the business will be entrusted to a professional third-party, eliminating the need for a lot of financial work Links, but also make money safer; for tourists, their own capital security is more secure; for the bank can still get some margin deposit business.

Some tourism industry also pointed out sharply that Haitao's move was to cleanse itself because it had already gained sufficient original capital through its previous margin operation and now the brand is also famous, taking advantage of the new Travel Law Let yourself be back on track. Another possibility is that Haitao tourism will use its financial profit-making hidden more deeply, the outside world is difficult to detect. However, comments on the outside world, Haitao tourism still did not respond.

Haitao mode can go far

Haitao travel controversy in the end can go far? In this regard, there are different views within the industry.

Insiders said that Haitao tourism business model is only suitable for short outbound routes, South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia are its strengths. But Haitao travel outbound travel experience is not good. Visitors who participated in the Haitao Travel Australia route complained to the Beijing Commercial Daily reporter that Haitao tourism services are not in place. In order to reduce the cost of aviation, tourists are buying low-cost transit flight tickets, causing the tourists to transit in Singapore More than seven hours, and to Australia is cursory, there is no special experience.

Haitao tourism this model is also considered difficult to widely replicated. Analysis of the industry, there are travel agents in the imitation of Haitao tourism, but the latter has taken the initiative, deep-rooted, hard to shake. Many travel agencies are also concerned about this model. "Haitao tourism this model has a great risk, if other travel agencies can not guarantee the steady flow of passenger and capital chain, as Haitao tourism, it is likely to cause the chain of funds broken, corporate reputation sweep, sluggish, which is borne by many small and medium travel agencies In addition, many big travel agencies insist on not cutting prices because the prices are higher than those of Haitao's traveling more than 20% on the routes of Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia because large travel agencies all hope to make quality products, Unwilling to lower prices easily affect the brand image.Therefore, Haitao tourism led to a dominance of the phenomenon, as far as it can go far, in addition to rely on the market test, the relevant financial laws and regulations will also become a yardstick.

Beijing Commercial Daily reporter Chen / text