India-based ‘travel inspiration’ video platform, Trell, raises $1.25M in seed funding
India-based Trell – a millennial-targeted ‘local experience discovery platform’ that engages travellers through short video-based content – has just raised $1.25 million in seed funding, led by Singapore-based BeeNext and Mumbai-based WEH Ventures.
The startup also saw participation fro [...]
Colombia’s Avianca integrates with Skyscanner through NDC
Bogotá-based Avianca has joined Skyscanner’s Direct Booking platform, enabling the Colombian airline to showcase its brand and upsell products to increase ancillary sales and mobile conversion.
The integration, powered by Amadeus Altéa NDC, makes Colombia’s flag carrier one of the first air [...]
Now you can find KLM flights with voice commands
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) is making easy for its customers to search for the right flights in a jiffy through its newly launched voice-driven service on Google Assistant.
KLM’s smart assistant, BB (short for Blue Bot), can search for flights in both English and Dutch. This makes the airlin [...]
Chinese travellers are seeking new destinations, adventure and authentic local experiences
The outbound China market is not only growing, but also maturing as Chinese travellers are increasingly going beyond the traditional norm of vacationing. They are travelling further to new far flung locations, going for local offerings and getting more adventurous instead of spending their time shop [...]
Meet MARVIE – Scoot’s new virtual intern and transactional chatbot
The low cost arm of Singapore Airlies, Scoot, on July 23 launched a transactional chatbot named MARVIE (Most Awesome and Resourceful Virtual Intern Ever) on its Singapore Facebook page via Facebook Messenger.
The 'recruitment' of MARVIE, described as “the first chatbot by an airline in Asia to [...]
Tujia improves homestay management for overseas hosts in collaboration with SiteMinder
China-based homestay booking provider, Tujia, has joined forces with global hotel industry’s cloud platform, SiteMinder, to give its overseas accommodation providers a convenient all-in-one lodging management platform.
The two parties will work to streamline Tujia’s back-end stock management [...]
Next-gen disruption in aviation will be constructive, blend of legacy and innovation
Growing up, there was a certain glamour to air travel. It didn’t quite match the glamour of the 1960s and 70s, but I can distinctly remember being too excited to sleep as a child, the day before any long-haul flight.
Fast forward to now, the idea of spending 13 straight hours in a hard-backed c [...]
The Wrap: STB, Alipay broaden partnership to draw more Chinese travellers to the city-state
In the news: New initiatives from Singapore Tourism Board and Alipay to boost visitor arrivals; Etihad Airways using messaging app to connect with guests
Destinations: STB, Alipay broaden partnership to draw more Chinese travellers to the city-state
Another partnership is yet strengthened [...]
Airlines flying high with rising ancillary revenue
“’Resolute’ is a word that perfectly describes the determined and unwavering force known as the ancillary revenue movement,” is the introduction of the 2017 Top 10 Airline Ancillary Revenue Rankings, a new report by IdeaWorksCompany, sponsored by CarTrawler.
According to IdeaWorks, this i [...]
Taiwanese tours & activities platform KKday enters China under Alibaba partnership
Taiwanese tours and activities platform, KKday, is going from strength to strength as it recently announced a new investment from the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund. The investment details have not been disclosed.
With this, the three-year old startup is collaborating with Alibaba to launch a flagshi [...]
