Dida, China's leading B2B travel platform, wrapped up its 2026 China Roadshow with a record-breaking turnout, doubling participation from the previous year. The events in Shanghai on 31 March and Beijing on 2 April drew over 80 international hotel partners and more than 700 travel agents, signaling the platform's growing influence in the country's travel distribution landscape.
AI Takes Center Stage in Hotel Distribution
Artificial intelligence was the dominant theme, with knowledge partners Tencent, Whale, and Kiwi demonstrating how AI is reshaping hotel distribution in China. These sessions highlighted practical applications such as AI-powered booking engines and dynamic pricing models that help hotels optimize their inventory and reach the right buyers.
Daryl Lee, Group CEO of Dida Holdings, set the tone with a clear message: “The winners will not be those with the most channels, but those who understand demand best.” His remarks underscored a shift from volume-based distribution to intelligence-driven demand matching, a trend that resonates with hoteliers facing margin pressure in a competitive market.
Dida also unveiled its China AI marketing playbook, which outlines emerging trends including AI-powered booking and the rise of Rednote as a dominant platform for travel discovery. Kevin Khor, Dida’s Marketing Director for MEAPAC, noted, “The hotels that win in China will be those that show up where Chinese travellers already spend their time.”
Global and Regional Hotel Brands Engage
The roadshow featured a diverse lineup of hotel brands, from global icons like Marina Bay Sands, Disneyland Paris, and Banyan Tree to regional players such as Onyx Hospitality Group and Dusit Hotels & Resorts. These partners used the platform to align on market needs and enhance distribution effectiveness, a critical priority as Chinese outbound travel continues to recover and evolve.
For hoteliers, the event offered direct access to China's leading travel buyers, enabling them to fine-tune their strategies for the world's largest outbound travel market. The emphasis on AI-driven insights provided a roadmap for navigating the fragmented Chinese distribution ecosystem, where platforms like Rednote and WeChat are increasingly influential.
The roadshow concluded with a Gala Dinner at the historic Hanlin Academy in Beijing, reinforcing the long-term partnerships Dida aims to build within the industry. The setting, a former imperial college, underscored the company's commitment to blending tradition with innovation.
Dida's expanded roadshow comes at a time when Chinese travel demand is reshaping global tourism flows. For airlines, hotel groups, and cruise lines, understanding the nuances of Chinese consumer behavior—especially the shift toward AI-powered discovery and booking—is no longer optional. As Dida's Lee emphasized, the winners will be those who master demand intelligence, not just distribution breadth.
For more on Dida's regional expansion, see Dida Engage Hong Kong & Macau Strengthens APAC Hotel Supply Network and Dida's Frank Wöller: China, Europe, and Russia Remain Thailand's Top Source Markets.
