The world of Shangri-La at your fingertips
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts launches a mobile app for the iPhone, the first of two phases of the smartphone technology.The new app, an extension of the brand’s recently revamped website. encompasses all its functions in addition to providing easy access and booking for Shangri [...]
Travelmob wants to change the way people travel in Asia
In the world of new social stay start-up, Travelmob, everyone in Asia can be a host and tour guide and co-founder Turochas Fuad (left) believes this will unlock the kind of local experiences desired by a growing breed of travellers coming to the region.From a host in Hanoi who will offer cooking cl [...]
AirAsia-Batavia Air deal is on
Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd says its acquisiton of Batavia Air is on track despite reports that the Indonesian government may cancel the purchase due to ownership concerns."The deal is on and work is in progress,” AirAsia CEO Aireen Omar was quoted as saying.Speculation that the acquisiton might b [...]
Indonesians turning to the Internet to book travel
Indonesians are slowly but surely turning to the Internet to do their shopping, especially for travel, as they find it convenient and saves them time and money.According to the latest data trails of users of metasearch site, Wego Indonesia, Indonesians are making very different choices for their L [...]
Malaysia vs Indonesia: A tourism view
Malaysia has the edge in social media and tourism arrivals, according to the infographics compiled by Indonesia-based social travel site burufly.
AsiaRooms’ splashing out to find “The Right Room For You”
If you’ve noticed of late, AsiaRooms.com is suddenly very visible, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia.With new leadership in place, a team of 70 spread across the region and armed with a new tagline, “The right room for you”, the business, which is part of TUI Travel PLC, is making a se [...]
Nikoi’s Dixon ready for the next island adventure
When I first met Andrew Dixon, co-founder of Nikoi Island a couple of years ago, he didn't look too happy. He’d just opened the island resort off Bintan and as a former banker, had no clue about the business he was getting into.Building and operating a resort in a remote island – access was by [...]
AirAsia buys 76% stake in Batavia Air
Asia's largest low-cost carrier, AirAsia, acquires the Indonesian low cost carrier, Batavia Air, to accelerate its expansion in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.Together with its Indonesian partner, Fersindo Nusaperkasa, AirAsia Bhd has entered into a conditional share sale agreemen [...]
Backed by AirAsia Expedia, backick.com takes hotel booking social
A new website, backed by AirAsia Expedia, is being touted as the world's first hotel booking site where friends help pay for each other's travel. Conceptualised in Singapore and launched across 11 Asia Pacific countries, backick.com is, as its developers put it, the ‘first-of-its-kind online v [...]
From flash sales to flesh sales? Survey exposes hottest bodies
Have flash sales become flesh sales?A new Hotels.com survey of Singaporeans exposes the fact that they think Jessica Alba and David Beckham (left) have the hottest beach bodies in the world, a sentiment echoed by 17% and 22% of Singaporeans respectively.Among local celebrities, actors Fiona Xie [...]
