GeoStar adapts for China’s specialist travel market

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Sino Jet subsidiary and specialist travel service provider GeoStar has adapted to slackening economic conditions in China by personalising its services to meet clients' evolving expectations. GeoStar president Zhao Lingyun says: “As a group, Sino Jet is entrepreneurial. GeoStar follows this model and we seek opportunities to be first-to-market by adapting our services to growing trends.” She explains that since 2015, specialist travel services and flying clubs have been growing in popularity in China. These clubs provide bespoke, once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as driving across the Sahara Desert, exploring the islands of the Pacific and a trip to Antarctica.

She continues: “As the China market matures, bespoke service models are emerging. Clients are now more discerning, and they expect personalised and exclusive services. We quickly adapted because our niche business model is more sustainable than a one-size-fits-all approach. Our clients use business jets to gain access to previously inaccessible parts of the world. They work with GeoStar to obtain specialist travel guidance for unusual destinations, while leveraging that platform to network with China’s elite. The combination of niche travel, business jet transfers and elite networking provides a special circle that would otherwise be very difficult to access. This is attractive to Chinese customers.”

The company makes use of three Sino Jet aircraft and has established a number of luxury partnerships that give clients access to golf clubs, medical and wellness services, financial services as well as high-end hotels and properties.

Founded in 2011, Sino Jet is a business aviation operator, management and charter company. It manages and operates approximately 40 business jets in Greater China and around the world and has dual headquarters in Beijing and Hong Kong. The company is also expanding in Mainland China with bases in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Zhuhai and Chengdu. In 2018, Sino Jet operated 2,380 flights, with more than 6,687 flying hours.