Part 2: Google’s Yilmaz on search vs social, and what’s next
Continued from last week: What did Google’s new Head of Travel for South-east Asia, Ali Yilmaz, discover when he set out to answer the question; “If I am a small hotel and had money for only one thing – website or Facebook – what should I do?”He found two pieces of research. A Goldman Sac [...]
Postcards pushed off the edge, social networks take over
Social networks are not only influencing the way that people obtain information and make their bookings in advance of a journey, but also provide an important channel for communications during the trip. Facebook and other social media are used during their trips by 37 per cent of international trave [...]
Power shift in conferences & exhibitions as social media takes hold
It was an interesting experience speaking about social media to an audience of conference and mostly exhibition organisers in Bangkok last week. (UFI is the global association of the exhibitions industry.)This is one industry segment that, to me, is heaven-made for social media. After all, what are [...]
Revolution from WHAIWHAI – playing the storyline through the city
So much so-called innovation is, as I have mentioned before, an evolution of a product or service rather than revolution.This new product from WHAIWHAI caught my eye and, I think, provides a good example of where some small revolution has occurred rather than mere evolution. I’ve not been able [...]
Rugby World Cup gives New Zealand a visitor boost
International travel to New Zealand is expected to increase significantly during the Rugby World Cup, according to analysis by Forward Keys, the business intelligence tool launched by Forward Data in partnership with Amadeus.The forecast for the event, which runs from September 9 to October 23, is [...]
Shangri-La grows Facebook fans with birthday treat
It’s good to see a brand like Shangri-La engage with Facebook – for its 40th anniversary this year, it is inviting all its Facebook friends and fans to have a free meal on their birthday at any of the hotels’ operated restaurants in any city throughout the year.That gives customers a choice of [...]
Business events bring benefits beyond tourism
The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) commissioned the longitudinal study, “The Holistic Value of Business Events”, to the Centre for Tourism and Service Research at Victoria University in February 2009.Conducted by Professor Leo Jago and his team it identified and quantified the a [...]
Luxury in the bush where it’s just you and the view
Forget bathrooms with views or even hotel windows with great vistas. With Wild Bush Luxury, Australia, you can literally sleep in a room with a view where the entire room is transparent and the view is, well, everywhere you look.This is what you get when you stay at Bamurru Plains, on the edge of [...]
Marina Bay Sands – Singapore’s coming out party
I've been to Marina Bay Sands (MBS) in Singapore a lot over the past few days - much to the annoyance I would imagine to those who have to suffer my Foursquare checkins. Incidentally, when is Foursquare going to grow up? What's next with Foursquare? More on that another time perhaps.I feel I've [...]
Mentoring event heads to Bangkok, hear from top travel start-ups and global brands
Want to be a start-up in the online travel space? Or find a job with a global travel brand? Then join our WITNext event in Bangkok on September 28.Yes, our inspiration and mentoring event is heading to Bangkok, the second time we are holding in the Thai capital.The first one, held last year, was wel [...]
