CTRIP.COM International Ltd., Asia’s biggest online travel firm, would welcome the chance to list at home in China should regulators introduce depositary receipts as planned, chief executive Jane Sun said Friday.

The firm first floated shares on the NASDAQ market in the United States 15 years ago as part of a wave of Chinese tech companies lured by high valuations overseas, at a time when domestic markets were a fraction of their current size.

To that end, China’s securities regulator is likely to finalize guidelines later this year for China depositary receipts (CDRs). CDRs would be similar to American depositary receipts (ADRs) which, while not technically shares, are certificates that allow investors to hold shares listed elsewhere.

“[On] CDRs, we are very open to that because our customers, if they have an opportunity to become our shareholder, it’s going to be a win-win for both our customers as well as Ctrip,” Sun said.

“We are open and welcome the opportunity if there is [one].”

She declined to say when such an offering might take place as CDR guidelines had yet to be finalized.

Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is planning CDR listing for as early as mid-year, Thomson Reuters publication IFR reported last month, citing a person with knowledge of the matter.

Riding a wave of Chinese tourism, Shanghai-based Ctrip has been investing overseas, though Sun said the focus for now would be organic growth, especially targeting Chinese travellers whose numbers are soaring along with rising incomes.

On Friday, Ctrip announced a tie-up with French hotel group Accor SA to boost offerings to their joint clientele. (SD-Agencies)