ALITRIP, Alibaba Group’s online travel booking platform, has tied up with Marriott International Inc. to let Chinese travelers book hotel rooms online and on their mobile phones through a directly operated online flagship store.

    The agreement comes two months after a partnership deal between Marriott and Ant Financial Services Group, a related-party of Alibaba, to roll out Alipay to Marriott hotels and resorts, Marriott said in a statement.

    Overseas spending by Chinese tourists is expected to rise 23 percent this year to US$229 billion, and will nearly double to US$422 billion by 2020, according to a report by consultancies China Luxury Advisors and the Fung Business Intelligence Center.

    (SD-Agencies)