Paul Scurrah on timing and building the world’s happiest airline
When it comes to timing, Paul Scurrah, CEO of Fiji Airways, hasn’t quite got it right. In fact, he started his coffee chat in WiT Queenstown with an apology.
“I feel like I should apologise,” Paul Scurrah said. “I was appointed CEO in Australia in March 2019, and less than a year later CO [...]
Thankless travel planners. GlobalTix x Myrealtrip. Fliggy’s next-gen agent. Saudi’s investment appeal. More.
GlobalTix partners with Myrealtrip
GlobalTix, an Asia-based reservation and distribution platform, announced a partnership with South Korean travel platform Myrealtrip to make GlobalTix's network of over 180,000 experiences available to Myrealtrip's 10 million users, giving GlobalTix's global opera [...]
Global business travel spending to hit record $1.71 trillion in 2026
GBTA’s latest Business Travel Index report shows spending gains driven by higher prices as geopolitical uncertainty and transportation pressures weigh on the outlook
Global business travel spending is forecast to reach a record $1.71 trillion USD in 2026, with the number of business trips world [...]
Travel just won’t quit: What Booking, Expedia and Airbnb’s Q2 results tell us
We asked Claude to summarise second quarter results of Booking, Expedia and Airbnb
Three earnings calls, three beat-and-raise quarters, one unmistakable signal: whatever headwinds are supposedly buffeting global travel this year, the industry’s three largest platforms just posted some of their st [...]
Trip.com & Booking on managing the ground shifts in the Middle East
Booking.com’s Alberto Yates and Trip.com’s Boon Sian Chai on navigating conflict, building trust, and why the Middle East bet still makes sense
When the conflict broke out in the Middle East, both Booking.com’s Alberto Yates and Trip.com’s Boon Sian Chai, speaking at WiT Phocuswright Middle [...]
Asia Pacific had the world’s busiest airport pairs in 2025, says IATA
IATA releases 2025 World Air Transport Statistics
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the latest edition of the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS), providing comprehensive statistical data through to 2025.
Updated annually, WATS provides data related to demand, s [...]
Emirates adds rail. Amadeus’ solid growth. Ask Maps adds hotels. Trivago ups AI spend.
Emirates Skywards adds European rail booking
Emirates Skywards has launched Skywards Rail, a new service letting members redeem miles for train tickets covering over 12,000 destinations across Europe. The program connects to more than 40 major rail operators in 12 countries — including Eurostar, [...]
Tale of three startups: Discover, trust, experience and an investor’s take
It couldn’t have been better planned – the Founders & Futures: Global Startup Showcase at WiT Phocuswright Barcelona. On stage were three startups covering three stages of the traveller journey and facing them, Roger Sharp, chair of Technology Queenstown and investor via North Ridge Partners [...]
APAC air passenger demand up, amidst overall decline due to fuel prices
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for June 2026 global passenger demand:
Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down 1.7% compared to June 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand declined by 0.6%. Total capacity, measured in available [...]
Expedia Group acquires Layla to bolster its AI-powered trip planning and booking strategy
Acquisition accelerates Expedia Group’s AI-native trip planning offerings spanning the full journey – from inspiration, to planning, booking, and support for travelers worldwide
Expedia Group announced that it has acquired Layla, an AI-native trip planning and booking platform that helps tr [...]
