On September 4, during the 2026 Yabuli Forum Summer Annual Meeting held in Chengdu from September 4 to 6 under the theme "Enterprise Innovation and Cycle Crossing," Sina Finance spoke with Sun Shuangqi, founder and general manager of Heilongjiang Daqi Travel Co., Ltd. In Sun's view, the core challenges facing travel agencies today have fundamentally shifted from the past "information gap" and "traffic gap" to a "product value and service gap." He believes this represents the cyclical adjustment the industry must now navigate.
Sun breaks down the profitability logic of travel agencies into three distinct phases. The first phase was about capitalizing on information asymmetry, the second on capturing traffic advantages, and now, he argues, the industry has entered a third phase where competition revolves around product value and service quality. This assessment directly challenges the "internet celebrity playbook" that the tourism industry once relied on heavily.
Sun admitted that his company previously signed a large number of online influencers, operating on the belief that "hiring more people and launching bigger promotions would bring in more customers." However, practical experience has proven otherwise. The travel agencies that truly perform well often rely on only one or two key influencers, with their core competitiveness stemming from strong word-of-mouth built through reliable service delivery.
"Traffic can only sustain a company through one cycle, but possessing the capability to deliver products and services allows it to endure countless cycles," Sun stated. Addressing the potential disconnect between "online content marketing" and "offline delivery" in the tourism industry, he advised that "agencies should not set expectations too high in their promotional efforts; they should market normally, but when providing services, they must elevate the tourist experience." In his view, this balance is essential for agencies to cross economic cycles and establish a virtuous circle between online and offline operations.
Notably, AI technology is emerging as a significant variable in this transformation. Sun is an avid user of AI tools, noting that his company currently leverages platforms such as ChatGPT and WorkBuddy to boost operational efficiency. "AI handles things quite thoroughly, whether it's optimizing itineraries, graphic design, or checking hotel room availability and vehicle information," he said. Additionally, the company uses AI to translate Chinese content into multiple languages, expanding its inbound tourism market through channels like TikTok.
Based on his observations, most international visitors to Harbin's winter inbound market come from Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, while summer arrivals are predominantly from Russia. Meanwhile, AI's reshaping of the tourism industry extends far beyond just tools. Sun summarized the traditional tourism model as a one-way chain of "we create the product, influencers promote it, and tourists join the tour." He believes AI is flipping this chain upside down, placing the core focus not on "selling products" but on "understanding people."
Looking ahead, Sun predicts that the role of tour guides in small-scale trips will be significantly diminished. However, he emphasized that AI currently cannot replace the "human warmth" that travel experiences require. Family trips still need attentive care, and solo travelers still seek companionship—in these scenarios, the value of human presence remains irreplaceable.