Skift Take
It's all about the numbers and execution so we'll be able to view Qunar's quarterly reports over the next few years to see if CEO Chenchao “CC” Zhuang can make good on his boast that the company will out-execute Ctrip, Alibaba and everyone else. Let's see if all the confidence adds up.
If you take Qunar co-founder and CEO Chenchao “CC” Zhuang at his word, he's not losing any sleep about Alibaba's war chest, Ctrip's enhanced partnership with the Priceline Group or Expedia Inc. getting aggressive about investing in China's eLong.
In his assessment of the ultra-competitive Chinese travel landscape, CC Zhang says he doesn't pay attention to Alibaba and isn't impressed with Expedia Inc. pouring money into eLong.
It's all about efficiencies and the growth-rate numbers, and the Qunar CEO argues that the company, which is controlled by Chinese search engine Baidu, has a distinct advantage over its peers.
"We can out-execute everybody in the market," CC Zhuang says. "I don't even pay any attention to that [Alibaba]. We have proved it."
Skift caught up with Qunar's "CC" Zhuang, and chief strategy officer Yilu Zhao, at the PhoCusWright conference in Los Angeles and discussed the competitive environment, shifting partnerships and the company's strategy. An edited version of the interview follows:
Skift: The stock price of Qunar and some of your competitors fell in the weeks after the Alibaba IPO. Alibaba invested $457 million in hotel tech company Beijing Shiji Information as one of its first moves after the IPO. They have a lot of money to throw around. Alibaba just rebranded its travel offering as Alipay. What does it all mean for you guys?
Chenchao “CC” Zhuang: It doesn't mean anything because Alibaba launched its travel service about nine years ago, which was one year after us. When we started our business we only have $20,000 in our pockets. At that time, Alibaba already was a $4 to $5 billion company. I think the gap has widened and over 10 years we have proven that nobody can out-execute us. We can out-execute everybody in the market. I don't even pay any attention to that [Alibaba]. We have proved it.
Skift: Where is the proof? I'm sure if I talk to Ctrip or maybe Long they would say, well, they're out executing you.
“CC” Zhuang: Mathe
