Wandian Travel raises ¥100M+ pre-A round for AI travel agents
What's the deal? Wandian Travel (玩点旅行), a Chinese AI-powered travel platform, has closed a pre-A funding round exceeding ¥100M (roughly $14M). The round was led by Dunhong Asset ManagementDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with participation from Caitong CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Toutoudaodao, and Yuanshuo Capital. Notably, some shareholders of DeepSeek also increased their stakes in the company.
Wandian builds AI agent technology for the travel industry, offering plug-and-play AI tools for travel businesses while delivering smart trip-planning services directly to consumers.
Why now? The travel industry is shifting toward decentralised traffic — away from dominant online travel agencies and toward social media, short video, and AI-driven discovery. Wandian is betting that AI agents can reshape how travel companies operate and how consumers book trips, positioning itself at the intersection of two hot trends: generative AI and China's travel recovery.
The DeepSeek connection adds credibility. Having backers linked to one of China's most talked-about AI companies signals confidence in Wandian's technical direction.
What could go wrong? China's travel tech market is fiercely competitive, with giants like Trip.comDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Meituan, and DouyinDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → all investing heavily in AI features. A pre-A stage startup must prove its AI tools deliver measurable value to business clients before incumbents replicate the same capabilities.
Monetising AI agents in travel also remains unproven at scale — the gap between impressive demos and reliable, revenue-generating products is wide.
The signal: Wandian's investor mix — spanning an investment fund (Caitong Capital), corporate backers (Toutoudaodao, Yuanshuo Capital), and asset management — points to broad conviction that AI-native vertical platforms can carve out space alongside China's travel incumbents. The company's focus on young, destination-oriented travellers and decentralised discovery aligns it with a demographic already shifting away from legacy OTAs, giving its dual B2B/B2C model a clearer wedge than a purely enterprise play.
Read more: ITjuzi
