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Online Travel

Alibaba IPO and OpenTable Acquisition Highlight Relationship of Travel and Local

Dennis Schaal photo
Dennis Schaal

Photo Credit: Alibaba's Taobao Local Service offers flights and hotel bookings as well as restaurant pre-order and takeaway dining service Taobao Diandian

Skift Take

Just as we've seen the blending of business and leisure travel over the years, we are now entering a period where "travel" and local, from hotels digging into community culture and travel providers offering restaurant services and tours, will get mashed together in new ways.

Chinese commerce platform Alibaba, which is in the process of executing one of the largest IPOs in history, has a local services business that combines travel, restaurants and movie tickets. Alibaba's Taobao Local Service platform includes Tabao Travel, which offers flights, hotels, and visa services, and enables travel agents and airlines to list their deals. In addition, Taobao Diandian, which also is part of the Alibaba's local platform, is a mobile app that enables diners to pre-order meals for takeout. And, Taobao

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