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Alvaro shares how adaptability, local market understanding, and data-led decision-making help Trip.com bridge the gap between travel inspiration and booking, while building long-term brand value across diverse markets.
Travel is one of the most complex digital categories, shaped by macroeconomic shifts, changing consumer habits, and highly localised user expectations.
In this sector, success depends not just on visibility, but on how seamlessly brands convert inspiration into action across markets with very different behaviours.
From price-sensitive travellers to premium-first users, platforms must balance global vision with local execution, while ensuring speed, relevance, and trust at every touchpoint. Data, adaptability, and consistency become the foundations for building both conversion and brand equity over time.
“Consistency in terms of commercial goal is the key, but it’s a matter of being able to adapt to each of the markets. So, building a brand is about creating many, many small steps that ultimately lead to you being recognised in the market, be it for your product quality, ideally a combination of both,” says Alvaro Ungurean, Commercial Director, Trip.com Group.
His perspective reflects how modern travel brands must combine strategic clarity with local nuance, using data to anticipate demand, reduce friction, and create experiences that move users smoothly from discovery to booking.
Top Insights from Alvaro Ungurean:
1. Adaptability beats one-size-fits-all growth
Travel behaviours vary widely across markets, from price sensitivity to premium expectations. Brands must stay true to their core vision while tailoring execution locally, using small, market-specific wins to support long-term growth and relevance.
2. Frictionless journeys unlock conversion
The biggest challenge is closing the gap between inspiration and booking. Faster load times, strong localisation, flexible payments, and fewer clicks all play a critical role in shortening decision cycles and turning interest into confirmed travel plans.
3. Data enables anticipation, not just reaction
By analysing internal booking trends alongside external signals like seasonality and macroeconomic shifts, travel brands can anticipate demand, adjust marketing early, and even create new peaks by shaping user interest before it fully forms.
Watch the full interview here.
