The Travel Alliance, comprising Singtel, AIS, Globe, HKT, Optus, Taiwan Mobile and Telkomsel, has on Friday announced strategic partnerships with ride-hailing, delivery, and travel brands Grab and Trip.com for cross-border telco rewards program.

Singtel said in a statement that the program enables savings on accommodations, flights, rides, and food deliveries for Alliance customers when they travel.

Promotions will be progressively rolled out by the Alliance members from 1 January 2025.

The Travel Alliance was formed in February 2024 with the aim of launching the first-of-its-kind cross-border rewards program to enable its almost 300 million customers to enjoy a slew of incentives on transport, dining, merchandise, and lifestyle services when they travel to the markets where the operators are based.

Trip.com and Grab are the first to join the ecosystem of partners to provide perks that can be seamlessly accessed by Alliance customers.

“Digital tools and services have become an integral part of our lives and play a greater role when we travel as we rely so heavily on them to help us navigate new spaces and access experiences like tours, dining and more,

“We’re proud to have Grab and Trip.com join us as we build the programme to enhance our customers’ experiences and provide more value beyond connectivity,” said Anna Yip, Chief Executive Officer, International Digital Services (Designate), Singtel.

According to her, the Travel Alliance will continue to establish partnerships with key goods and service providers so they can continue to provide our customers with the best deals that support their evolving travel and lifestyle needs.

As part of the regional cross-border rewards program, Trip.com will provide Travel Alliance customers with best-in-market concessions of 10 percent and 6 percent off hotel and flight bookings respectively.

Eligible Alliance customers will also enjoy an instant upgrade to Trip.com’s top tier Diamond status and receive exclusive perks such as free access to airport VIP lounges and car model upgrades for airport transfers.

“As a customer-focused company, Trip.com is delighted to partner with the alliance of seven telcos to bring exceptional travel opportunities to their users across the Asia Pacific region,

“This collaboration reflects our commitment to making travel more accessible and rewarding by leveraging innovative partnerships,” said Han Feng, Head of Marketing, Trip.com.

“By combining the convenience of our platform with exclusive discounts for the telco customers, we aim to inspire more people to plan the perfect trip for a better world,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Travel Alliance and Grab will work together to create exclusive deals and discounts for Alliance customers, including a special Grab Tourist Pack, to be launched in early 2025.

“With our presence in over 700 cities across 8 countries in Southeast Asia, Grab believes we can be the one app travelers need for hailing rides, ordering food, dining out or getting emergency supplies delivered to their doorstep,

“We are pleased to partner the Travel Alliance to support the travel needs of their vast combined customer base,” said Chuck Kim, Managing Director, Group Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Grab.

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