Chinese tourism website Ctrip.com announced that James Liang has been appointed chairman and chief executive officer of the company; and Fan Min has been appointed deputy chairman and president, effective from March 1, 2013.

Fan said the Chinese tourism industry has seen fast growth over the past ten years and it is expected to continue the growth for a period of time. They believed Liang will lead Ctrip.com to enhance their leading position in the market. Meanwhile, in the new position, Fan will continue to participate in the company's strategic direction and new business expansion, and contribute to the development of Ctrip.com.

Liang said under the leadership of Fan, Ctrip.com gained outstanding performance and the company has been leading the tourism market in China. On behalf of the board of directors, Liang expressed appreciation for Fan's contributions.

According to public files, Liang was born in Shanghai in 1969 and gained his Master's degree at Georgia Institute of Technology. After working for several years in Silicon Valley, Liang returned to China in 1999 and helped establish Ctrip.com.