BERLIN, 9 March 2026: Fliggy, an online travel platform and wholly-owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group and the European Travel Commission (ETC), are partnering to promote ETC’s global campaign “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade”.
The campaign is co-funded by the European Union and supported by a coalition of leading destinations and travel brands, and encourages a shift towards more responsible travel.
Fliggy, the first Chinese partner for “Unlock and Unexpected Upgrade”, officially joined the initiative by signing the partnership agreement with ETC during ITB Berlin last week.
The campaign reimagines responsible travel as an unexpected upgrade — encouraging travellers to explore off-peak seasons, venture beyond popular hotspots, choose low-carbon transport, and support local businesses for fewer crowds, deeper connections, and more meaningful experiences across Europe.
Travellers are invited to kayak the serene Baltic Sea, walk Dubrovnik’s ancient walls in quiet moments, celebrate carnivals like a local in Germany, or discover hidden coastal towns and seasonal flower festivals.
Fliggy CTO Dr Alex Chen said: “We are pleased to partner with ETC on this initiative as Europe offers endless opportunities for discovery. Through this partnership, we’re leveraging our technology to help travellers unlock richer experiences — from hidden gems to local festivals — making every journey to the continent more immersive.”
European Travel Commission CEO Eduardo Santander said: “We’re excited to join forces with Fliggy to bring the ‘Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade’ campaign to Chinese travellers. This is more than a campaign. It’s a collective movement to make travel more meaningful and rewarding for everyone.”
As part of the partnership, Fliggy will deploy the “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade” campaign assets, recommend popular tourist attractions and product routes, and jointly develop niche European destination routes for users on its platform. Fliggy and ETC will further cooperate on special event promotions, including the flower season, Christmas, and snow and ice travel, during the Global Travel Festival and mid-year sales.
Learn more about the campaign at https://unexpectedupgrade.eu.
About Fliggy
Fliggy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group, is one of the leading online travel platforms in China.
About the European Travel Commission
The European Travel Commission (ETC) represents the national tourism organisations of Europe. Established in 1948, ETC’s mission is to strengthen Europe’s sustainable development as a tourist destination and to promote Europe in third markets.
(Source: Fliggy)
