Ctrip joins car-hailing cavalcade

Online travel agency giant granted license to launch lucrative service

Ctrip, China's largest online travel agency, has become the latest entrant to the nation's booming car-hailing market, notching up the already intense competition involving Didi Chuxing, Meituan-Dianping, amap.com and other major players.

Ctrip, which provides services for booking online flights, hotels and tailored trips, announced on Tuesday that it had been granted a license by the transport authority in Tianjin to operate ride-hailing services nationwide, after preparing to launch such services for three years.