First Primus Nigeria Appoints Vikas Parihar As Chief Digital Officer

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First Primus Nigeria Appoints Vikas Parihar As Chief Digital Officer

First Primus Group, the WPP Partner agency in Nigeria, has appointed Mr. Vikas Parihar as Chief Digital Officer at the group level. Mr. Parihar will drive digital transformation and business for the group, partnering individual agency MD’s and country managers, implementing global digital practices, providing strategic leadership for digital integration, and paving the digital roadway for the group.

With rich experience spanning over 16 years, Vikas has led digital business and marketing for FCB India as group President Digital Integration for India, OgilvyOne Africa as a Managing Director, Havas Worldwide India as Senior Vice President, Vice president for Magnon\TBWA group in India and Internet Moguls, Director of Marketing communications for Sofitel Luxury Hotels and Resorts India and have been a part of Hinduja group and Hotel Leela Venture as well.

His experience ranges across numerous sectors including FMCG, Technology, Healthcare, Travel and Hospitality, Social Development/ Tech for Good, eCommerce, Consumer Durables and Electronics. He has lent his expertise to various brands, such as, UNICEF, Plan India, Airtel Africa, Coca-Cola Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, Care India, HCL Healthcare, Huawei, Microsoft Lumia, Jindal Steel and Power, Mercedes Benz India, UTV, Toshiba, Daikin, Turkey Tourism, TATA group companies and many more.

Mr. Parihar comes with a unique combination of skills ranging from a passion for business and numbers to strategy, creative, data and technology. He is a certified customer experience management professional from Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode, a design thinking practitioner and certified storyteller using data visualisation from USA. In his career he worked very actively on large technology assignments in the field of Marketing Automation, Tech for Good platform, enterprise solutions, SAAS solutions and consumer technology products. He has been active from past 7 years in the field of blockchain, NFT, UX, Data science and analytics, facial recognition products and AI/ML.

Commenting on the appointment, Founder/ Group CEO, First Primus Mr. Seni Adetu said: “We have consistently emphasised our intent at partnering with other leading marketing agencies in transforming the marketing communications standards in Nigeria. Hopefully by bringing on board a seasoned Digital Marketing expert such as Vikas in service of that ambition, it is evident this is not business as usual”.

Speaking of his new role, Mr. Parihar said, “In today’s connected world, we need a creative agency which focuses on customer experience and brings together big ideas, technology, and data. These ingredients are key to create compelling and engaging personal experiences that help win more customers and make them more valuable. And this is what I look forward to building at First Primus Nigeria”

Ecobank’s Ellevate Leadership Training Programme Records Graduation Of 35 Women Entrepreneurs

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Ecobank’s Ellevate Leadership Training Programme Records Graduation Of 35 Women Entrepreneurs

A first cohort of 35 women entrepreneurs from 9 African countries successfully completed the Ecobank  Ellevate Leadership Training Programme.

This is an innovative impact-driven programme, designed to equip women entrepreneurs with valuable leadership skills to be better empowered, and to equip them to empower their businesses and communities.

The Ellevate Leadership Training Programme is designed by Ecobank’s Commercial Banking Business and delivered by the Ecobank Academy in partnership with the Global Business School Network (GBSN).

Josephine Anan-Ankomah, Group Executive, Commercial Banking, said: “At Ecobank we are determined to grow and actualize the enormous potential of the female economy and help Africa’s female entrepreneurs succeed. Access to finance alone is not enough.  Accordingly, though Ecobank is a provider of sustainable financing, we continue to invest in making available an array of non-financial interventions to sustain and grow women-led businesses faster and further across Africa. The Ecobank Ellevate Leadership Programme is part of Ellevate Equip, our Learning and Development Solution for women. It is exciting to see how Ecobank’s investment in upskilling women entrepreneurs is paying multifaceted dividends. We look forward to our graduates leveraging their new and enhanced skills to innovate, grow and positively impact clients, employees, other businesses and their communities.”

Dan LeClair, Chief Executive Officer, Global Business School Network, commented: “At the Global Business School Network we believe business leadership skills contribute to economic development. It is not just the participants who benefit, there is a multiplier effect as they invest in developing the leadership skills of their people and fostering the kind of business growth that leads to job creation. We are most proud of the class we had the privilege of teaching. They were simply wonderful – open, curious, serious, and engaged – and, for me, joining each session was a joy because of that.”

This pioneering graduating class was made up of 35 participants from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A formidable group from diverse sectors spanning Oil & Gas, Information and Communications Technology, Manufacturing, Education, Hospitality, Logistics, Commerce etc., who showed commitment and dedication throughout the programme.

The participants benefited from globally recognized faculty from Lagos Business School, MIT Sloan Global Programs, INSEAD Africa Initiative and INSEAD Gender Initiative, The American University of Cairo School of Business, Stanford SEED, University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business.  These members of the Global Business School Network delivered modules on:

  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Leading with Authenticity
  • Defining your Strategic & Leadership approach
  • The Three Lenses: Mastering Influencing and Decision-Making Skills
  • Negotiating for Results
  • Leaders as Coaches
  • Sustainability and Leadership and
  • Innovative Partnership and Collaboration

Each of the women entrepreneurs received a certificate of completion from the Ecobank Group and GBSN at their graduation ceremony held earlier this month.

Ellevate by Ecobank is a multi-award-winning solution designed for businesses owned by women, managed by women, with a high percentage of female board members or employees, or companies that manufacture products for women. Ellevate customers benefit from smarter cash management solutions, favourable lending rates and value-added services such as leadership training and networking opportunities designed to bridge the financing gap and scale their businesses.

Africa’s Business Heroes Prize Competition 2022 Unveils Top 20 Finalists

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Africa’s Business Heroes Prize Competition 2022 Unveils Top 20 Finalists

Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, the flagship philanthropic program established by the Jack Ma Foundation to spotlight and support African entrepreneurs, has announced the top 20 finalists  for its 2022 edition.

Now in its fourth edition, ABH is a Pan-African competition that recognizes and celebrates entrepreneurial talent across the continent. It offers entrants a chance to win a share of a US$1.5 million grant to fund their businesses as well as invaluable access to training, mentorship, networking opportunities and other benefits. The goal is to contribute to the growth of promising African start-ups, entrepreneurs and budding small businesses.

The 20 finalists have been selected from a pool of 21,000 applicants from a wide variety of industries including agriculture, education & training, healthcare, energy, information & communication technology (ICT), retail, consulting, manufacturing, financial services and environmental protection. They are evenly distributed geographically among west (30%), east (25%), south (25%) as well as north and central (20%), and businesses mainly operate in 11 African countries including Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa and Tanzania. Female entrants account for half of the top 20 finalists.

“The top 20 finalists of the ABH prize competition this year show what great potential and talent exist in Africa. We are looking forward to giving them the support they need to grow and generate a positive impact on both their businesses and the communities they serve,” said Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Head of Partnerships & Programs, Africa’s Business Heroes. “We wish all of them the very best of luck for this October.”

Over the coming month, the top heroes will undergo a rigorous due diligence process which combine with their round two scores and determine the top 15 heroes. The top 15 finalists will proceed to the semi-final round of the competition, which will be held in Kigali, Rwanda on September 30, 2022 for the first in-person semi-final since 2019!

This year’s official competition slogan, “It’s African Time”, is a bold call to action to all talented African entrepreneurs who are challenging stereotypes associated with “African time” – creating local impact and building a better, more inclusive future through their businesses.

For more information on the ABH prize competition 2022 top 20 finalists, please visit the ABH official website (https://bit.ly/3T533Xx). Follow ABH on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3TadUQ3), LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3pDblIs), Instagram (https://bit.ly/3Adul5o) or Facebook (https://bit.ly/3A64Xyo) to join these dynamic and inspiring entrepreneurs as they get ready for the next round of judging and the Grand Finale.

The ABH prize competition 2022 top 20 finalists are (by geographical order):

Latest US Dollar To Naira Black Market Rates Today, 22 August 2022

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Latest US Dollar To Naira Black Market Rates Today, 22 August 2022

Dollar to Naira Black Market Exchange rate 22nd August 2022 can be accessed on Brand Spur Nigeria.

Many dealers out there are eager to know how the dollar to Naira market looks like and how much they should buy or sell their dollars.

While still struggling to boost the value of Naira, dollar is still taking a higher advantage of it. In recent times, Naira has experienced a huge fall against the U.S dollars.

At the moment, the Dollar to Naira, or Naira to dollar exchange rate is still fluctuating due to the fall in value of Naira arising from high demand of dollar in the parallel marketers also know as black market.

Now, let’s find out how much Dollar is exchange to Naira at black market, parallel market, CBN and at commercial banks nationwide as of today, 22 August 2022.

How much is Dollar to Naira Black Market 22nd August 2022

Black market exchange rate breakdown for 22/08/2022

Dollar to Naira Rates Black Market Rate 22nd August 2022
Buying Rate N670
Selling Rate N690

How Much is Dollar to Naira Today CBN 22nd August 2022?

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official dollar to Naira exchange rate as of today 22nd August 2022 is N420.4. That means that Central Bank buys dollar at N420.4 and sells as N421.4.

At the early hours of today, the CBN website reported on it it’s portal that the dollar to Naira exchange rate for 22nd August ranges between Four Hundred and twenty Naira, four kobo (N420.4).

Meanwhile, the exchange rate portal also reported that CBN sells 1 dollar this same day for Four Hundred and twenty one Naira, four kobo (421.4).

Note: the CBN Exchange rate shown above fluctuates from time to time. For accurate and up-to-date data on the CBN dollar to Naira Exchange rate, we advise you to visit the CBN exchange rate portal via https://www.cbn.gov.ng/rates/exchratebycurrency.asp

CBN Exchange Rate breakdown for 22/08/2022

Dollar to Naira Rates CBN Rate 22nd August 2022
Buying Rate N420.4
Selling Rate N421.4

Dollar to Naira Parallel Market Exchange Rate 22/08/2022

Dollar to Naira parallel market exchange rate as reported by ngrates.com is between ₦660 to ₦665. It’s reported an average rate of ₦662.50

Meanwhile, throughout the month of August, Dollar to Naira black market rate ranges between ₦620 and ₦700 while some areas reportedly deal as high as N730 per dollar.

Interestingly, the dollar exchange rate as of today has dropping by about 1.2% when compared to how the black market dealers exchanged it in the past 7 days

Make A Healthier Choice, Eat Affordable Packaged Rice

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Make A Healthier Choice, Eat Affordable Packaged Rice

From the market to the kitchen, there is an all-too-common mantra, “It is too expensive to eat healthy”. Today, many of us are living on a budget and looking for ways to maximize value by making smart, affordable as well as convenient choices, while still enjoying tasty, nutritious meals to enhance our health.

It is in this light that rice brand, Big Bull Rice recently introduced rice in affordable N100 packs. The new pack size presents a key advantage to drive value and excitement by offering a product size in line with consumer needs, but more importantly, gives them the power of choice.

The N100 pack of Big Bull Rice will consolidate the growth and rising market appeal of the brand, as well as make the product available to a wider spectrum of consumers who desire a healthy, affordably packaged rice tailored precisely to meet their specific lifestyle needs.

So, when next you go shopping, it is essential to know that there is a Big Bull Rice pack that can fit into your budget. It is a smarter choice in terms of quality, health and value for money because of its high swelling index. You will not also be subjected to underhand tactics by any rice dealer who may want to profiteer by mixing loose substandard rice and unparboiled rice with parboiled rice.

Purchasing unpackaged or loose rice also sold in open basins in neighbourhood stores and open markets makes you vulnerable because they are exposed to elements like stones, rodents, insects and are easily cross contaminated with other food items when stored in unfavourable sanitary conditions.

According to a report by the International Food Policy Research Institute titled “The Nigerian rice economy: Policy options for transforming production, marketing, and trade” over the past few decades, rice has become one of the leading food staples in Nigeria. It stated that given the fact that a large amount of rice in Nigeria is now being consumed by low-income households, rice has become an important component for household food security.

Underscored by good quality, safety and the great taste of home-grown ingenuity, the new N100 pack size ensures not only affordability, convenience and healthy satisfaction, but also food security for millions of low income households across Nigeria.

Consumers can be assured that the N100 pack size contains the same high quality Big Bull parboiled rice, renowned for its high swelling index for satisfaction, low glycermic index of carbohydrate, Protein, high fibre content as well as essential vitamins B1, B2, B3.

For the best-packaged parboiled rice brand in the market, look no further than Big Bull Rice, which is produced in a state-of-the-art automated rice milling factory that ensures that handling is limited to the barest minimum so that consumers only get parboiled rice produced in the best hygienic conditions.

The Big Bull Rice N100 pack size now joins the varying SKUs of 750g, 2.25kg, 5kg, 10kg, 25kg and 50kg to suit consumer preference. Big Bull premium rice is readily available in open markets, neighbourhood stores, supermarkets and modern trade outlets.

VinAI AI day returns in 2022 themed ‘Empower The Future’

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HANOI, VIETNAM – – formerly the VinAI Research Institute of Artificial Intelligence under Vingroup – is the only representative from Vietnam in the top 20 leading global companies in AI research in 2022.

VinAI is headquartered in Hanoi, Vietnam, with many offices in the US and Australia. As part of the sprawling Vingroup ecosystem, which ranges in many fields from real estate and manufacturing, to healthcare and education, VinAI is a pioneer in digitising the user experience using Artificial Intelligence technology.

To learn more about VinAI, please visit .

Data Centres To Use Strategic Investment To Expand Operations

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Data Centres To Use Strategic Investment To Expand Operations

Africa Data Centres, a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, has drawn down the first tranche of USD 83 million out of the USD 300 million strategic investment from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) approved in 2021. This initial tranche is being applied towards expanding ADC’s data centres in South Africa. 

Subsequent disbursements from DFC will be used to realise the expansion of ADC’s footprint of data centres in other DFC-eligible African countries. ADC is executing an ambitious plan to build data centres in ten of Africa’s largest economic capitals, including Abidjan, Accra, Lagos, Cairo, and Casablanca. And to existing data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town, further cementing ADC’s position as Africa’s largest operator of a pan-African network of interconnected carrier-neutral data centres.

Commenting on the expansion of the data centre operations in South Africa, Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centre, said, “The increasing demand for cloud and other digital technologies on the continent has directly increased the demand for African data to reside within the continent. This means Africa needs more data centres. We are pleased that our data centre expansion programme in South Africa funded by DFC will cater to the growing demand in the country”.

“This investment by DFC follows our recent announcement of the USD 50 million investment by C5 Capital into Cassava Technologies and a partnership to build Cyber Security Operations Centres across six markets in Africa. Through these investments, Cassava Technologies is building Africa’s digital infrastructure to enable accelerated economic development and ensure a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President & CEO of Cassava Technologies.

“Africa has unrealised economic potential that will be unlocked by this investment from DFC. We look forward to working closely with DFC to overcome Africa’s digital infrastructure deficit and accelerate the adoption of cloud services and digital applications across all industries, further making the continent a competitive destination for international investment,” concluded Pemhiwa.

ARCON Bans Use Of Foreign Models, Voice Over Artistes On Nigerian Advertising Media

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ARCON Bans Use Of Foreign Models, Voice Over Artistes On Nigerian Advertising Media

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in line with its mandate of regulating the advertising industry in Nigeria has banned the use of foreign models, Voice Over Artistes on Nigerian advertising media.

Brand Spur Nigeria reports that the ban was contained in statement signed by the Director General Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo dated Monday, August 22, 2022.

Lekan stated that the ban will take effect from October 1, 2022.

He further noted that the new law simply means that from the aforementioned date, all campaigns with foreign models, Voice Over Artiste will be prohibited.

Dr. Fadolapo, however, clarified that running or ongoing campaigns would be allowed to run out of its course.

ARCON Bans Use Of Foreign Models, Voice Over Artistes On Nigerian Advertising Media
ARCON Bans Use Of Foreign Models, Voice Over Artistes On Nigerian Advertising Media

Meanwhile, this digital news platform reports the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) remains the apex regulatory body and authority of advertising in the country. Although advertising products and services are acceptable and open to all, just like other countries, having the right to engage in advertising practice does not guarantee unlimited freedom to advertise products and services.

In recent times, Nigeria’s advertising landscape has been experiencing perhaps the most dynamic revolution and technological disruptions, as most businesses that are not necessarily advertising practitioners have found a goldmine in the sub-sector. In fact, advertising has become so important that businesses actively create adverts almost on a daily basis hence the need for a proper overhaul of the APCON Act to help accommodate those who also advertise online, given that online marketers are not currently regulated by the Act.

Not long ago, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, formerly Registrar of APCON hinted that ARCON bill was before the National Assembly. He specifically mentioned that the name change was imperative to the realization of his vision to reposition the advertising industry in Nigeria for growth.

Not long ago, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the ARCON bill into law, which seeks to allow the advertising regulatory agency to operate as the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in line with its mandate of regulating the advertising industry in Nigeria.

The assented bill, which repeals the Advertising Practitioners’ Act, recognises ARCON as the apex authority for the Nigerian advertising industry. By this signing, it is the statutory responsibility of ARCON to make provision for the regulation and control of advertising in all its ramifications and create the Advertising Offences Tribunal among other powers.

The approved ARCON bill, therefore, becomes a final imperative call for advertisers and agency practitioners to be aware of the potential legal ramifications of their advertising practice and initiatives, especially with respect to regulated products, in order to obviate legal exposure and liability. Such need becomes even more compelling where the audience of the advertising is, courtesy of technology and online platforms, which are running riot at the moment.

Seminar for Strategies of Entering GBA Market – Qianhai, Witnessing 1st Anniversary of the Qianhai Plan

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 22 August 2022 – To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, Qianhai has recently introduced nine supportive measures for Hong Kong. Qianhai will also celebrate the first anniversary of the Plan for Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone (Qianhai Plan). To keep Hong Kong SMEs abreast of the latest policies and talent services in Qianhai Zone, Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association (HKSME) and the Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA) jointly organized a hybrid seminar entitled “Strategies for Entering GBA Market – Qianhai” with Qianhai International Liaison Services Limited. Co-organizers include Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD) and Qianhai International Talent Hub. The seminar began with welcoming remarks from Ms Titania Woo, Executive Director of HKMA, Professor Witman Hung, JP, Principal Liaison Officer for Hong Kong, The Shenzhen Qianhai Authority, and Mr Andrew Kwok Chi Wah, President of HKSME. Guest speakers included Mr Ip Yuk Kin, Head of BUD of Hong Kong Productivity Council, Ms Yvonne Wong, General Manager of Qianhai International Liaison Services Limited, Andy Chen, Business Development Division (FTZ Affairs Division) Principal Staff of the Authority of Qianhai, Liz Li, Talent Activities Development Manager of Shenzhen Qianhai International Talent Service Center Co., Ltd., and Sean You, General Manager of Kings (Shenzhen) International Limited.

Tongcheng Travel Announces 2022 Interim Results

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Maintains Resilience Against Headwinds

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 22 August 2022 – Tongcheng Travel Holdings Limited (“Tongcheng Travel” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries the “Group”, stock code: 0780.HK), an innovator and leader in China’s online travel industry, today announced its unaudited consolidated results for the three months (“2022 Q2”) and the six months ended 30 June 2022 (the “period under review” or “2022 1H”). In the face of unprecedented disruptions and escalating pressure on the travel industry brought about by the COVID-19 spike across the nation, the Group remained resilient, maintained profitability, and outperformed the industry.

Operational highlights for 2022 Q2:

  • Increased market penetration – accelerated the penetration in lower-tier cities, with approximately 87.1% of registered users from non-first-tier cities. New paying users on Weixin platform from tier-3 or below cities increased by 2.4 percentage points from 59.3% to 61.7% when compared to the same period in 2021.
  • Effective user acquisition initiatives – number of paying users (“APUs”) for the 12 months ended 30 June 2022 rose by 8.0% year-to-year to 197 million.
  • Broadened business coverage – achieved rapid year-to-year growth in the bus ticketing business and delivered solid performance in the hotel business.
  • Increased internal efficiency and optimized organizational structure – implemented cost control measures and flexibly adjusted marketing strategies in response to the market changes.

In 2022 Q2, the Group’s total revenue amounted to RMB1,319 million. With effective cost control measures and flexible operating strategies, the Group recorded an adjusted net profit of RMB112.0 million. Adjusted net margin stood at 8.5%. Number of average monthly active users (“MAUs”) and number of average monthly paying users (“MPUs”) amounted to 198 million and 26.1 million, respectively.

In 2022 1H, the Group recorded a total revenue of RMB3,037 million and an adjusted net profit of RMB357.0 million. The adjusted net margin was 11.8%. MAUs and MPUs amounted to 221.2 million and 28.9 million, respectively.

Mr. Ma Heping, Executive Director and CEO of Tongcheng Travel, said, “The travel industry was under intense pressure in 2022 Q2 due to the resurgence of COVID cases. We have swiftly adjusted our business strategies, further extended our reach to lower-tier cities and underpenetrated markets. We also strengthened our cost control and optimized organizational structure to achieve higher operating efficiencies, paving the way to capture future growth associated with travel demand rebound. Looking ahead, while we expect the market to remain volatile in the near term, we are seeing signs of gradual recovery and are positive about the industry outlook. It is expected that the market growth will be driven by local and short-haul leisure travels, as well as the increase in the number of business trips. Building on our solid market foothold, we are confident about the industry prospects and development outlook of the Company.”

Explored Diversified Service Applications to Enhance Brand Awareness and User Engagement

During the period under review, Tongcheng Travel continued to diversify its service scenarios. Through its Weixin mini program and deepened collaboration with Tencent, Tongcheng Travel maintained stable and effective traffic channels. To reach out to the younger generation, Tongcheng Travel launched a series of e-Sports events in several cities using popular IP rights entitled by Tencent. It also teamed up with Hengdian World Studios and KuGou to organize the Water Music Festival. These initiatives effectively increased the Company’s brand exposure among the younger generation.

In addition, Tongcheng Travel integrated online and offline channels to diversify traffic sources. The Company optimized its App interface and enriched tourism-related content to add value and provide better user experiences, and continued to cooperate with China’s major handset vendors and provided users with one-stop products and services through its quick Apps on mobile devices. It also worked with location-based Apps to expand user acquisition channels. It also embarked on new marketing campaigns. For the first time it marketed its membership program through a popular TV drama on Tencent Video platform. Furthermore, the Company cooperated with the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism to launch marketing activities that targeted university students.

Consolidated Online and Offline Resources to Tap into Underpenetrated Lower-tier Cities

The Company continued to pursue offline user acquisition to attract users from underpenetrated lower-tier city markets. During the period under review, it launched various effective user acquisition initiatives, such as adding QR code scanning functions at hotels and tourist attractions to direct users to book through its mini-program, and establishing strategic cooperation with urban and rural bus operators to increase nationwide transportation business coverage. In 2022 Q2, Tongcheng Travel’s bus ticketing business achieved rapid year-to-year growth. As of 30 June 2022, the number of registered users residing in non-first-tier cities in China accounted for approximately 87.1% of the total registered users.

Pursued Technology Advancement and Promoted Digitalization of the Industry

Tongcheng Travel continued to develop and apply innovative technology to transform from online travel agency (“OTA”) to intelligent travel assistant (“ITA”). The Company further optimized and utilized the Huixing system to provide intelligent travel solutions, and promoted the digitalization of the travel industry by leveraging its technological innovation and deepened cooperation with upstream suppliers. It also started to cooperate with more airport operators to improve their operational efficiencies. In 2022 Q2, the Company cooperated with Urumqi Airport in Xinjiang and helped the airport develop a mini-program to facilitate passenger flight transit. In addition, it also contributed to the digitalization of the bus ticketing industry through implementing the bus ticketing system and expanding the coverage of smart ticketing equipment nationwide. Tongcheng Travel’s property management system (“PMS”) brands, Zhuzhe, Jintiane, and Yunzhanggui continued to provide the PMS system and technical services to domestic individual hotels and small- and medium-sized hotel operators to help them reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Committed to Corporate Social Responsibility

Tongcheng Travel is committed to positively influencing society and proactively participating in social activities. It has implemented various measures to provide support to its partners. During the period under review, the Company initiated an empowerment program to provide wide-ranging free online professional courses for tourism professionals, in order to help them overcome the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertain market situation. In the summer of 2022, Tongcheng Travel, in conjunction with over 100 domestic hotels, launched a charitable campaign called “Tongcheng Service Point” (同程小站), converting hotel lobbies into the service points to provide resting spaces for outdoor workers in hot weather, thereby facilitating more hotels to integrate into the community.

Going forward, the Company will continue to innovate and enhance its products and services, and seek investment opportunities that align with its core strategies to drive business growth. Concurrently, it will put more effort into corporate governance, environmental protection, and social responsibility to generate long-term sustainable value for stakeholders and the communities it serves.

Hashtag: #TongchengTravel

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Tongcheng Travel Holdings Limited (HKSE Stock Code: 0780.HK)

Tongcheng Travel (formerly known as Tongcheng-Elong) is an innovator and market leader in China’s online travel industry. It was formed out of the merger of Tongcheng and eLong, the leading online travel agencies in China, in 2018. It is a one-stop shop for users’ travel needs. With the mission “make travel easier and more joyful”, Tongcheng Travel offers a comprehensive and innovative selection of products and services covering nearly all aspects of travel, including transportation ticketing, accommodation reservation, tourist attraction ticketing, and various ancillary value-added travel products and services designed to meet users’ evolving travel needs throughout their trips primarily through its online platforms, which comprise its Tencent-based platforms, its proprietary mobile apps, quick apps and other channels.

As a technology-driven company, Tongcheng Travel leverages big data and AI capabilities to better understand the preferences and behaviors of users, thereby offering users customized products and services. Tongcheng Travel has a strategic focus on lower-tier cities in China and seized opportunities there supported by its and diversified traffic sources, product innovation capability and flexible operation strategies. Through the in-depth understanding of user experience and advanced technological capabilities, Tongcheng Travel has been revolutionizing what consumers expect from the online travel industry, making the entire travel process more convenient, personalized and enjoyable than ever. Tongcheng Travel aims to develop and apply its advanced technology to transform from an online travel agency to intelligent travel assistant.

For more information, please visit the Group’s website at

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