Letter from Abu Dhabi: First time on Etihad and a city in the making
After a month of not travelling, I feel distinctly out of practice. It takes me longer to pack than usual. And I had to turn back twice to pick up stuff I had forgotten – like my passport. Pretty essential for any trip out of Singapore.This time, I am headed for Abu Dhabi and it’s my first time [...]
Content power moving back to the professionals, at least I’d like to think so
Since the media world got flattened like roti prata, and everyone can make one – you can buy them frozen at the supermarket and just lightly toss them in a hot pan and voila, you've got a crispy one – us journalists have been wondering where to run for cover since now everyone can write as well. [...]
Standards for mobile app deeplinking would be game changer for meta, says Veitch
A game changer for meta-searches in Asia would be having standards for app-to-app deeplinking which would increase conversions and the industry needs to collaborate and agree on these standards, said Ross Veitch, CEO & co-founder of Wego.“The mobile web booking experience and conversion rates [...]
New era for MISA as founder Kenny Chew retires following acquisition by Zana
Last Friday marked the passing of an era for MISA Travel Singapore as its founder and CEO Kenny Chew left the company following the completion of its acquisition by Zana Capital, a private equity firm.The acquisition was announced last September but completed last Friday. As we write this, we believ [...]
Expect CUTE, new ideas at WIT Bootcamp: Eight start-ups selected to pitch
Just returned from a meeting with the National University of Singapore Department of Communications and New Media and their CUTE centre (which stands for Connective Ubiquitous Technology for Embodiments) – I think I prefer CUTE.Seems both units are getting pretty interested in travel and the CUTE [...]
Social media as whinge outlets and the pool with Brag Plus Factor …
I was having lunch with a hotelier this week when our conversation turned to social media and tools such as Local Measure which allows businesses like hotels to pick up location-based chatter among guests. The idea is then to surprise customers with something unexpected or to pre-empt complaints. (W [...]
Welcome to ‘Planet Marriott’ – sets up own travel lifestyle content studio
Interesting trend as hospitality company morphs into media owners – Marriott International is forming a new global content studio to publish, distribute and share filmed content across film, television, online, digital and print distribution platforms. This is so it can focus on next-generation [...]
Rupert and me: We got stoned together
More years ago than I care to remember, I was working as a journalist on The Sun newspaper in London when our new owner appeared, sleeves rolled up, and happy to get his hands dirty.This was the time when newspapers were still being put together with hot metal type, and the place where the printers [...]
Troubles, Technology & Tries – Hong Kong Sevens, here I am
It’s rather interesting, eavesdropping on conversations in airport lounges.At the Skyview Lounge this morning at Changi, about to catch my Cathay Pacific flight (which I nearly missed but for NotiFLY which is a great service by the way, if only they included which terminal in the information), I o [...]
Whether powered by Weibo or NVG, we are all on a treadmill
Today is 11-1-11. I am sure there is something very significant about this date. And I wish I could say I wrote this at 11.11am but at that time, I should be, all forces permitting, be on a flight winging back to Singapore.This morning, too, a family is scattering the ashes of their mother into the [...]
