A few days ago, an aviation photography enthusiast with the Weibo ID “Runway 28” posted a photo that looked ordinary but was actually quite special, along with a caption — “Hainan Airlines B-5439 B737-800 Tujia-branded aircraft.”
This was a photo of the Tujia plane’s test flight, and early on the morning of April 27, many people’s WeChat Moments began to be flooded with the “Tujia plane,” as Tujia staff, industry leaders, media personalities, and Tujia fans all praised the Tujia plane’s maiden flight.
Is Tujia, which focuses on vacation rentals, planning to get into the airline business? Actually, no.
On the morning of April 27, 2015, a uniquely designed press event was held in Haikou. The protagonists of the event were Tujia and HNA Infrastructure. During the signing ceremony for their strategic cooperation agreement, a special highlight was the maiden flight ceremony of the Hainan Airlines “Tujia-branded aircraft.” The specially painted plane was handled by Xinsheng Feixiang, China’s first aviation media and onboard sales integrated operator listed on the New Third Board. Luo Jun, co-founder and CEO of Tujia.com, also stated at the event that Tujia started in Hainan three years ago, and the Tujia plane’s maiden flight three years later signifies the takeoff of Tujia and the entire Chinese vacation rental industry. Notably, this was also the first time in China’s accommodation industry history that a company had named a civilian airliner.
Using popular internet slang, one might say Tujia went all out by painting an entire airplane. But were there other considerations? In response, Luo Jun said: “The ‘Tujia plane’s’ maiden flight indeed comes at a perfect time. On one hand, it marks our strategic cooperation with HNA Infrastructure. On the other hand, the May Day holiday is just around the corner, and the peak summer travel season is also approaching. Tujia’s platform has launched many exciting new offerings, such as RV campsites, private jets, sailing yachts, and treehouses. These products, together with the already rich selection of vacation apartments, serviced apartments, and holiday villas, form an even more diverse range of accommodations that are also more interesting. Before the peak travel season arrives, we have already prepared a wealth of listings for everyone, with more destinations and a wider variety of products. We believe this will fully meet the needs of family trips, couples’ vacations, or group gatherings.”
It is clear that the WeChat Moments flood wasn’t just about Tujia’s branded Hainan Airlines plane — it’s also because Tujia’s products are increasingly loved by users. It is understood that Tujia.com currently has over 150,000 listings online, covering more than 180 domestic destinations and nearly 100 overseas destinations, with an extremely large reserve of additional listings set to go live soon, which will multiply in number. Since its inception, Tujia has maintained an excellent reputation among users, and its fame has spread rapidly across the country through word of mouth. A Tujia.com spokesperson stated that every user who stays at a Tujia property receives a follow-up call, and 96.7% of users say they “would stay again or recommend it to friends and family.”
Logging into the Tujia app and randomly checking reviews for Tujia properties in Haikou, one can find comments like this in the review section for the “Haikou Tujia Dahua West Coast Luxury Seaview King Room”: “This was my first time in Hainan, and choosing Tujia was definitely the right move. It’s very close to the sea, and there’s a bus stop right outside the door. The room is beautifully decorated, and the facilities are no worse than those in a five-star hotel. It has a fridge and washing machine. The bedding and towels smell fresh and natural, and there’s even a kitchen, making it feel just like home — very comfortable. Both the sea view and garden view are beautiful. The decoration is also nice. Most importantly, the price is much better than a hotel. Absolutely recommended!” The user also added, “The breakfast tastes good, the ingredients are fresh, and I also had dinner here at the restaurant. The taste and portion sizes exceeded expectations.”
As Luo Jun often mentions in his speeches and media interviews, spaciousness, great value, a homelike atmosphere, and abundant listings are the deeper reasons why users choose and love Tujia.
With over a month to go before the peak summer travel season, the “Tujia plane’s” maiden flight may be just the first in a series of surprises from Tujia for its users. Consumers planning summer trips should keep a close eye on this company, which keeps adding new types of accommodations — there may be even more surprises that flood WeChat Moments.