Posts by WiT
The Wrap: Emirates Skywards introduces new on-demand taxi app in partnership with CarTrawler
31/10/2018 by WiT
In the news: New taxi app for Emirates & flydubai loyalty programme members, strong China sales growth for Hotelbeds Group, Kansai Airports’ new digital campaign Transportation: Emirates Skywards introduces new on-demand taxi app in partnership with CarTrawler Members of Emirates S [...]
How Queenie Lee went from law graduate to travel entrepreneur in Kazakhstan
30/10/2018 by WiT
While other Singaporean girls of her age chose to stay home to pursue conventional careers after university – she herself studied law after all – 26-year Queenie Lee opted for a different path, and found herself running a travel business in Kazakhstan. It all started in England where she was [...]
South-east Asia’s Grab secures US$200 million investment from Booking Holdings
29/10/2018 by WiT
South-east Asia’s largest ride hailing firm Grab has scored another huge investment – US$200 million from US travel giant Booking Holdings as part of a strategic partnership between the two companies. Booking Holdings said its investment in Grab was in recognition of the company “as the lea [...]
Travelport says it’s first GDS to offer NDC flight booking
25/10/2018 by WiT
Travelport has taken a step ahead of its rival GDSs (global distribution system) by claiming to be the first to manage live flight bookings with IATA New Distribution Capability (NDC) content. The travel commerce company said the first  transaction was made by a British agency, Meon Valley Trave [...]
BeMyGuest unveils Xplore, a new booking system designed for Asia’s travel operators
24/10/2018 by WiT
BeMyGuest, Asia’s largest B2B aggregator of attractions, tours and activities, has launched Xplore described as “Asia’s first locally relevant digital solution for Asian travel experiences”. Introduced at last week’s ITB Asia in Singapore, the booking system and channel manager are “s [...]
Kinnevik and Temasek lead US$150m round for travel booking platform GoEuro
24/10/2018 by WiT
Berlin travel startup GoEuro has received fresh funding of US$150 million, described as “one of the largest-ever investment rounds in Germany”, doubling its total capital raised to date. Kinnevik AB, a Swedish investment firm, and Temasek, an investment company headquartered in Singapore, led [...]
WiT Singapore 2018: Cherry Huang talks Alipay and the emergence of the “lifestyle super app”
29/10/2018 by WiT
How can one really explain the phenomenon and colossus that is Alipay? Cherry Huang (General Manager, Cross-Border Business, South-east Asia, Alipay) did just that, documenting the goliath's growth over the last 14 years from a “Chinese brand for Chinese consumers” to having international presen [...]
WiT Singapore 2018: Expedia and Traveloka – a collaborative partnership of global might and local power
23/10/2018 by WiT
In mid-2017 one of the biggest news that hit the world of online travel was Expedia Group investing US$350 million in Indonesian OTA Traveloka, making it South-east Asia’s first travel unicorn. Greg Schulze, senior vice president, commercial strategy and services, Expedia Group, said then, “W [...]
WiT Singapore 2018: Innovation is about using technology to connect people offline, says Airbnb Experiences Director Parin Mehta
23/10/2018 by WiT
It had only been a year since WiT’s last catch up with Airbnb’s Regional Director of Experiences in APAC, Parin Mehta, before he sat on stage once more at WiT Singapore 2018 to give an update on how the travel giant is growing in the tours and activities space. But ‘growing’ doesn't quit [...]
WiT Singapore 2018: Content marketing takes new form by inspiring travellers through sound
23/10/2018 by WiT
Need a sure bet way to go hyper-local and stand out from the crowd? Tell a story that literally nobody else could tell – by creating a soundscape track of your hotel. Luke Clark listened in on Martin Reiher's presentation on “Sound Of Travel” at WiT Singapore 2018. Or maybe just talk to s [...]