WIT 2017 Conference: Traditional hotels can stay relevant in era of alternative accommodation – get local
While mature markets are seeing a shift in hospitality from traditional hotels to alternative accommodations, in younger markets such as Indonesia, there are people whose first trips are already with alternative hotels.
Graham Hills, chief commercial officer, BeMyGuest, said: “It’s not ne [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Troovo lauded as WIT 2017 Startup Pitch Champion
Troovo is the champion of the WIT 2017 Start-up Pitch, powered by Travelport Accelerator Labs. Troovo, a virtual payment processing system for the corporate travel industry, beat out two other finalists at the Grand Finals hosted on the final day of the WIT 2017 Conference on October 25: Travelsif [...]
Klook to expand global footprint with US$60 million injection
Klook has completed a near US$60 million Series C funding which represents the largest deal ever for an in-destination service booking platform.
The proceeds of the funding will be used to finance global expansion and accelerate product growth and innovation, it said [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Cruise panel highlights Asia growth, emerging markets, technology
As Asia looks set to become the largest cruise market in the world, sea and river cruises companies said they have their eyes set on secondary cities in the region’s emerging markets.
Sean Treacy (right), managing director, Asia Pacific, Royal Caribbean Cruises, said the market he finds “ [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Ctrip’s CEO Jane Jie Sun talks female empowerment and baby tigers
The first day of WIT 2017 ended on a high during an intimate chat with Jane Jie Sun – CEO of Ctrip; arguably one of the most intriguing businesses in the travel landscape.
Sun gave a very open and honest account of her poor family background and how an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study ab [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Rail is real (big) business
Rail travel is a huge business. The industry is estimated to be worth US$350 billion – about two-thirds the airline industry.
In India, for example, 90% of the population have never flown but everyone would have travelled by the railway — run and subsidised by the government.
Aloke Baj [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: A battle of investor minds on China, money and innovation
The morning of the WIT 2017 Conference in Singapore began with a comical yet insightful tête-à-tête between two ambitious investors: Fritz Demopoulos (CEO, Queen’s Road Capital) and William Bao Bean (General Partner, SOSV; Managing Director, Chinaccelerator), on all things to do with China, [...]
Biggest influencers in Asia’s online travel honoured in WIT’s inaugural Hall of Fame
The biggest influencers in Asia’s online travel industry were recognised in WIT’s inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony last night.
“As the APAC travel industry stands at the threshold of another inflexion point – one that will see the true blending of online and offline travel to become one [...]
WIT Bootcamp 2017: How 3 entrepreneurs are making rooms for their dreams
The hospitality sector is not an easy one to create startup in as it’s not only fragmented and diverse but also getting more competitive, Yet, there are many brave entrepreneurs out there who are willing to take a shot at it.
Three of these startups took to the stage at WIT Bootcamp in Singap [...]
WIT Bootcamp 2017: WIT Startup Pitch grand finalists announced
Three startups have qualified for the WIT 2017 Startup Pitch Grand Finals, happening on October 25 on Day Two of the WIT 2017 Conference:
Ooomra – a booking platform for Muslim-friendly and Islamic travel experiences
Travelsify – a ‘hotel DNA’ content platform to power personalisati [...]
