In an age of algorithmic itineraries and AI influencers, Sarah Wan, General Manager, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, of Klook, reminds us that the future of travel is still deeply, messily human. “At the end of the day,” she said during WiT’s Travel Tech Thursday session in Kuala Lumpur, “your end consumer is still human.”
It’s a belief that shapes not only how Wan travels, but how she leads this fast-growing region of hyperconnected consumers. Whether it’s testing AI-generated content, exploring purpose-driven tourism, or decoding Gen Z values, Wan navigates the space where commerce, community, and conscience intersect.
A traveller first
Before diving into tech trends, Wan revealed herself through a playful round of “Would You Rather?” Gorilla tracking in Rwanda over a Serengeti migration. Cooking classes in rural Italy over a luxury cruise. Ancient cities over futuristic skylines. Each choice spoke volumes: this is a marketer with an appetite for authenticity and connection.
Asked about the trip that impacted her most, she cited a recent journey to South Africa, not booked through Klook, but via G Adventures. The reason? A rare mix of conservation and community engagement.
“They had a tie-up with Planeterra, supporting displaced women who’d lost housing rights after the death of their husbands. These women were running laundry services, making fabric goods, not as charity, but as dignified economic participants,” she explained. “That felt truly meaningful.”
Business with a backbone
Klook, of course, is still a business and a fast-growing one. But Wan sees no contradiction between profitability and purpose. “About 70-80% of our business still targets the mass market, but Gen Z is shifting the centre,” she said. “They’re demanding sustainability, ethics, emotional relevance. And honestly, that aligns with who we are.”
Take Bali, for instance, a destination grappling with over-crowding in the southern half of the island. “We’re actively pushing travellers to lesser-known parts of the island, like the north and west. Only a quarter of Bali is saturated; the rest still holds untapped potential for tourism that benefits local communities.”
And it’s not just about redistribution. Klook has also taken a hard stance on animal welfare. “No dolphin or whale contact tours. No elephant rides. We even mystery-shop our partners to enforce our standards.”
AI, authenticity, and the power of real
One of the most nuanced parts of the conversation revolved around content. Klook has tested AI-generated visuals, and in some markets like Penang, they performed well. But in others, like Indonesia, consumers pushed back. “There was real backlash against AI influencers in live streams. We’re seeing a growing skepticism,” she said.
That skepticism only underscores Wan’s core principle: storytelling still matters. “Content doesn’t need to be polished. It needs to feel real. We’ve seen user-generated videos from moms or creators go viral not because they’re perfect, but because they’re personal.”
When asked where she’d spend her last marketing dollar – on ads, content, or communities, Wan didn’t hesitate. “Communities. Creator communities especially. They’re shaping how people discover travel, and that influence is organic, sticky, and trusted.”
“You can’t treat experiences like flights or hotels. They’re not commodities. They’re emotional. They’re memories,” said Klook’s Sarah Wan (left) at the most recent Travel Tech Thursday in Kuala Lumpur
Tours, tech, and a changing Asia
While the West may have embraced guided experiences long ago, Wan notes a shift in Asia’s attitude. “Asian travellers used to reject tours because they remembered the rigid itineraries their parents endured. But that’s changing. We’re seeing more demand for immersive, multi-day, and even bespoke group travel.”
Klook is adapting accordingly, piloting custom tours in complex markets like China and deepening its focus on long-tail, high-value experiences. It’s a strategy born from understanding nuance: “You can’t treat experiences like flights or hotels. They’re not commodities. They’re emotional. They’re memories.”
As for competition from global OTAs entering the space? Wan is unfazed. “We started with experiences. It’s in our DNA. Others are trying to retrofit this into a flights-first model. That’s a harder leap.”
Asia rising, globally aware
Even as Klook expands globally, Wan insists the brand remains rooted in Asia. “We’re focused on bringing US travellers into Asia, for example, not spreading ourselves thin. We know Asia, we know its nuances. That’s our edge.”
She also sees intra-Asia travel rising, especially as tech lowers language barriers. She agrees with the notion that AI real-time translation could be more transformative than low-cost carriers. “Imagine exploring deeper Asia without fear of not being understood. That’s a game-changer.”
Asked for one takeaway, Wan said simply: “Don’t forget who you’re creating for. It’s still a human on the other end of that screen.”
In a world tilting ever more toward automation and algorithms, that might be the most radical reminder of all.
