Qunar.com
Qunar.com
Qunar.com is one of China's largest online travel platforms and search engines. Here are the key details about Qunar:
Background and History:
- Founded in May 2005 and headquartered in Beijing, China1[1] - The name "Qunar" means "Where to go" in Mandarin Chinese[4] - Started as a travel search engine and meta-search site, similar to Kayak[8] - Went public on NASDAQ in 2013[4] - Merged with Ctrip (now Trip.com Group) in 2015[4] - Privatized and delisted from NASDAQ in 2017[4]
Key Services and Features:
- Provides search and booking for flights, hotels, vacation packages, and other travel services1[2] - Offers both a website and mobile app for travel bookings[2] - Covers over 700 online travel agencies, 100,000 hotels, and 12,000 flight routes[1] - Provides travel deals in over 100 Chinese cities[1] - Offers various advertising options for travel companies to reach Chinese consumers[2]
Business Model and Revenue:
- Operates as both a meta-search engine and online travel agency[3] - Earns revenue through advertising and commissions on bookings[2] - Uses a cost-per-click (CPC) bidding system for advertising[2] - Reported total revenue of $81.6 million in Q3 2014, growing 107.8% year-over-year[5]
Market Position:
- One of the largest online travel platforms in China1[3] - Had over 51 million monthly visits as of 2014[1] - Competes with other major Chinese OTAs like Ctrip/Trip.com and eLong[5]
Technology and Innovation:
- Heavily focused on mobile - mobile revenue accounted for 40.4% of total revenue in Q3 2014[5] - Employs over 2,500 employees, many in engineering and product development roles[9] - Joined the Hongmeng (Harmony OS) ecosystem in 2021[4]
Ownership and Investors:
- Majority owned by Trip.com Group (formerly Ctrip) since 2015 merger[4] - Previously backed by Baidu, which acquired a majority stake in 2011[4] - Received $1.1 billion in total funding before going private[7]
While Qunar has faced some customer service challenges, particularly during COVID-19[4], it remains one of the dominant players in China's online travel market, known for its technology focus and rapid growth in mobile bookings. The company continues to evolve its services to cater to Chinese travelers' changing needs and preferences.