Posts by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Wayra and HBX Group unveil winning startups to join TravelTech Lab
07/03/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
B2B platform HBX Group and Wayra, Telefónica's Corporate Venture Capital arm, have announced the winners of the second TravelTech Lab challenge. The announcement comes after a rigorous evaluation of 120 companies hailing from 25 countries, including Spain, France, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Sing [...]
Mews secures $110 million investment, focused on propelling cloud tech in hospitality
06/03/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Hospitality cloud solutions provider, Mews, has announced a fresh funding injection of $110 million. Led by Kinnevik, an existing investor, alongside Revaia, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Notion Capital and newcomer LGVP, this latest round brings Mews' valuation to $1.2 billion. This funding arrive [...]
Growing regulations, shift towards online and AI driving change in experiences sector
05/03/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
The response by authorities to over-tourism and environmental concerns by either the introduction of fees and limiting tourist numbers are posing a challenge to the experiences industry, said Arival CEO and co-founder Douglas Quinby at the opening of Arival in Berlin this week. “In some popul [...]
Looking at Q3 2023 travel behaviour to outline upcoming trends in 2024
04/03/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Richard Kocher, Senior Director, Media Insights & Planning, Expedia Group recently wrote a blog post highlighting a few new budding trends for 2024. Kocher says that by delving into the travel behaviors of Q4 2023, we can glean valuable insights into the upcoming travel landscape. From heightene [...]
How Taylor swiftly earned Singapore half-a-billion dollars
29/02/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Economy booster: One travel platform saw tour bookings shoot up by 2,373% during concert period.   Phenomenon Definition: a: a rare or significant fact or event, b: an exceptional, unusual, or abnormal person, thing, or occurrence People usually make ‘Best Of’ lists at the end of the y [...]
Flight Centre Travel Group reports strong mid-year performance for FY 2024; FCM Asia leads with 44% revenue surge
29/02/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Flight Centre Travel Group has announced robust mid-year results for the fiscal year 2024, with FCM Asia emerging as a standout performer, registering a 44% increase in revenue. The company reported an underlying profit before tax (PBT) of AUD$106 million for the half-year period ending December [...]
AirAsia MOVE and HTS form partnership, offering flexibility via  fintech ancillaries
29/02/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Collaboration enables refundability to non-refundable fares booked through the AirAsia MOVE channels. AirAsia MOVE, in collaboration with HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions), has announced a strategic partnership aimed at integrating fintech ancillaries into AirAsia MOVE’s digital channels. This in [...]
France anticipates influx of travellers during Summer Olympics, 5.4% from Japan
27/02/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
As the world gears up for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, travel data shared by digital marketing platform Sojern sheds light on the burgeoning travel interest surrounding the massive event. Scheduled from July 26th to August 11th, 2024, the Olympics is said to be the largest event ever o [...]
Electric vehicle rentals surge 16x during Spring Festival in China
27/02/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Online travel platform Fliggy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group, has released an infographic highlighting the latest car rental trends and other travel insights in the Chinese tourism sector during the Spring Festival. Here are some key highlights: Stimulated by the increase in indep [...]
Japan’s proposed Digital Nomad Visa and what we know so far
16/02/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Want to work in Tokyo but can’t find a suitable visa? For remote workers, this might just be the ticket Japan recently unveiled its initial plans (keyword: initial) for a digital nomad visa, joining the ranks of 46 other nations offering similar arrangements for remote employees. This visa type a [...]