Utour's Milestones in 2021: Making Solid Progress and Eying the Future

In 2021, dramatic changes took place on a daily basis, and they were truly inspiring. In the past year, Utour has made solid progress in promoting various businesses, eying the future and rising to challenges. Focusing on major national strategies, Utour continuously accelerates transformation and explores more possibilities of development. Each sector seizes all market opportunities to explore and develop new businesses, and witnesses positive results at multiple levels, further demonstrating the development resilience of the tourism industry.

Introducing Alibaba Network as the second largest shareholder of the group and jointly promoting digital operation and transformation

In 2021, Utour once again joined hands with Alibaba (China) Network Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Alibaba Network"), and Alibaba Network became the second largest shareholder of Utour, injecting a "shot in the arm" for the critical period of transformation and development of Utour. The partnership with Alibaba Network will enhance the digital operation and transformation of Utour. The two sides will continue to fully leverage the synergy of industry leaders and resource advantages, create more revolutionary tourism product distribution platforms and solutions, and accelerate the transformation and upgrade of the tourism industry.

Participating in the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port and promoting all-round development of tourism in Hainan

2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the first year of implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the start of a new journey to fully build a modern socialist country. It is also a key year for Hainan to comprehensively deepen reform and opening-up and accelerate the construction of a free trade port. In 2020, Utour vigorously participated in a number of projects of building Hainan Free Trade Port. In 2021, it worked further and signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with COSCO SHIPPING Boao Co., Ltd. The two sides will fully leverage their respective advantages, to promote comprehensive, multilevel and step-by-step development of Dongyu Island Tourism Resort, one of the scenic areas in Haikou that boast the best preserved natural landscapes. The two parties will fully cooperate in the planning and construction, product design and market development of Dongyu Island Tourism Resort to promote the in-depth integrated development of tourism and other industries. Utour has made steady progress in boosting tourism development in Hainan.

Deeply tapping potential of the "tourism + sports" industry chain and expanding subdivisions of the sports industry chain

In 2021, "travel + sports" of Utour continuously highlighted the growth of golf tourism. Uni Core Communication under Utour once again successfully held "China Classic for Great Junior Golfers", providing for more than 600 players across China and their relatives the highest level communication platform of large-scale junior golf competitions in the country. Furthermore, Utour perfectly integrated sports competition and performance with tourism, leisure and vacation, so that more young golf fans will learn about and experience Hainan's featured golf tourism. It also enhanced image promotion for Hainan as a featured sports tourism destination, and developed new consumption patterns of sports tourism in Hainan. In the new normal under regular COVID-19 prevention and control, Hainan has set a good example for supporting domestic tourism market recovery and tourism restart.

Undertaking national sports events for the first time and initiating cross-field development of "tourism + sports"

In July, Utour's Tianjin Branch undertook for the first time a number of national sports events including "Bank of China Cup" National Mass Judo Carnival, the Joint Meeting of the Chinese Middle School Judo Championship in 2021 and Jinjiang 2020 World Judo Event Selection Competition. As the host of this event, Utour's Tianjin Branch has provided a full range of reception services for participants. This was the first time a national youth judo competition was held in Tianjin, and also the first time a tourism enterprise provided reception services for sports games with more than 1,000 athletes and referees. Hence, the event has become the first "touchstone" for the integrated development of "tourism + sports - Judo" in the tourism sector. The "tourism + sports" industry chain of Utour will, following the "tourism + golf" industry chain, expand new development patterns in the sports market segment of "tourism + sports - Judo".