News and Research on eLong.com, Inc. (LONG)
Business Description
eLong.com, Inc. provides online travel services in China. The company utilizes a centralized modern call center and Web-based distribution technologies to provide its services. The company also offers convenient air ticketing and other travel related services, such as rental cars, vacation packages and corporate travel services.
The company provides its customers with consolidated travel information and the ability to book rooms at approximately 3500 hotels in 294 cities across China and air tickets in approximately 50 cities across China. The company's air suppliers include all of the major airlines in China.
The company also sells air tickets for all major airlines in China and many international airlines that operate flights originating from China. The company issues and delivers air tickets using a network of local agents throughout major cities in China. In 2006, the company sold approximately 1.01 million air tickets.
Services
The company offers its customers a selection of travel services.
Hotel reservations: As of December 31, 2006, the company had room supplier relationships with approximately 3,500 hotels in 294 cities throughout China. The company offers a range of hotel options at various prices, with the majority of its hotel suppliers being three-, four- or five-star hotels.
Air ticketing: The company provides a 24-hour air ticketing service through its toll-free call center and websites. The company acts as agents for all major airlines in China and international airlines that operate flights that originate from selected cities in China. The company makes flight reservations through TravelSky, which is the operator of the only nationwide system for air ticket reservations in China, and issue and deliver air tickets using a network of local agents throughout major cities in China. In 2006, the company sold approximately 1.01 million air tickets.
Vacation packages: The company offers vacation package products that include air transportation, hotel accommodation and other travel related services to many destinations in China.
Non-travel services: The company offers non-travel services, including advertising on its Web sites and non-travel wireless messaging services.
Subsidiaries
The company's wholly-owned subsidiaries, eLongNet Information Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., or eLong Information, which is incorporated in the PRC, Bravado Investments Limited, or Bravado, which is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, and Shanghai Xinwang Computer Technology Co., Ltd., or Fortune Trip, which is incorporated in the PRC.
The company's affiliated Chinese entities include:
Beijing eLong Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Beijing Information, which holds a license for Internet content provision services (ICP license), a license for call center services, and a license for value added telecommunications services (SP license) which provides the company the right to conduct wireless services including but not limited to short messaging services and multimedia messaging services.
Beijing eLong Air Services Co., Ltd., or Beijing Air, which holds the domestic and international air ticketing licenses.
Beijing Asia Media Interactive Advertising Co., Ltd., or Beijing Media, which holds a license for advertising services.
Beijing eLong International Travel Co., Ltd., or Beijing Travel, which holds the domestic and international (inbound) travel agency license.
Hangzhou eLong Air Service Co., Ltd., or Hangzhou Air, holds the domestic and international air ticketing licenses.
Competition
The company's competitors include Ctrip.com International, Ltd., traditional travel agencies such as China Travel Services (CTS), China International Travel Services (CITS), and China Youth Travel Services (CYTS).
History
eLong, Inc. was founded in 1999.
