ETC.L Regulatory News (ETC)

15 Sep 2008 11:00



For Immediate Release 15 September 2008

ET-CHINA.COM INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED

("Et-china", "the Group" or "the Company")

Et China signs exclusive partnership with NetEase.com, a leading Chinese internet portal

Et-china.com International Holdings Limited, the leading travel services group in the fast growing region of South China, has entered into an exclusive partnership with NetEase.com, one of China's leading internet portals, which will prominently display Et-china's brand to millions of internet users every day.  Through the partnership, Et-china's dedicated travel services e-booking platform will be available nationwide for the first time as of this week. 

NetEase.com is an established China-based internet company that develops internet applications, services and other technologies. It operates two of China's most popular internet portals, www.163.com and www.126.com. These portals offer; internet search, news, job, networking and gaming platforms.  NetEase also operates a leading free email service which has around 230 million registered accounts.

The agreement will enable customers signed up to NetEase's free email to book airline tickets and hotel rooms directly through Et-china.com and have specially tailored offers sent directly to their inbox. This partnership will significantly raise national awareness of the Et-china brand, giving the Company exposure to NetEase's substantial number of active email customers in China with approximately 16 million hits per day. Even before Et-china features on NetEase's portal the travel company was receiving approximately 13,000 daily hits through NetEase. 

The terms of the partnership require Et-china to sponsor the platform for a period of one year. In return NetEase will place advertisements for the e-booking platform on www.163.com and www.126.com worth several million RMB and alert all 64 million active customers to Et-China's offering, which are expected to drive transaction volume through to Et-china's booking platform.

Matthew Ng, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Partnering with NetEase demonstrates our leading position in the South China travel market and we are delighted to have secured this agreement against stiff competition.

"This exclusive agreement significantly raises Et-china's profile throughout China as our services will become available to NetEase's 230 million registered email users and creates the opportunity to substantially increase the Group's revenues."

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