Klook’s surge in Korea: Localised operations driving global ambitions
Korea needs more localisation than most, says Klook's James Lee
In a travel market renowned for its digital nuances and unique consumer behaviors, Klook is making significant strides in South Korea by tailoring its operations to meet local needs while leveraging global resources.
The company, un [...]
Two Sisters, One Dream: Building Nowadays to transform event planning
Meet Anna Sun and Amy Yan, two sisters who started with a desire to work together on something impactful. Their event planning startup, Nowadays, won the People’s Choice – Seedup Category at the Global Startup Pitch 2024 at WiT Singapore in October. This is their story.
Post-graduating, Anna, [...]
Uncovering the real Korea: From Hanoks to Jang and Herbs, three entrepreneurs taking the Slow, deliberate path
While inbound numbers to Korea are not yet back to 2019’s level of 20 million, currently hovering at around 15-16 million, most of it is being fuelled by the huge interest in everything K – K-pop, K-drama and K-beauty – with travellers from Asia forming the majority of visitors.
But underne [...]
It’s a go! Korean Air-Asiana merger holds big promise for Korea travel
The merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, which has received the final go-ahead from the US regulatory authorities, will create huge opportunities for the Korean travel industry, said Bo Young Song, senior vice president, passenger business division, Korean Air.
Speaking at WiT Seoul, he said [...]
Rob Rosenstein on building Agoda, entrepreneurship and solving travel’s structural problems
In the fast-paced world of online travel, few names stand as tall as Rob Rosenstein, co-founder of Agoda. While today Agoda is one of the world’s leading online travel agencies (OTAs), specializing in the Asia-Pacific market, its beginnings were far humbler.
In a candid conversation at Phocuswr [...]
Letter from Seoul: A snowy backdrop to outbound trends, AI innovations and a search for community
Caught in the first snowfall in Seoul, Yeoh Siew Hoon has time to thaw out her brains while the plane is being de-iced on the tarmac to reflect on the key takeaways from WiT Seoul 2024.
The Koreans believe that first snowfall is auspicious. If this is true, then Seoul’s travel industry is in fo [...]
Southeast Asia’s tech sector at pivotal moment for value creation
Asia Partners’ Oliver Rippel Says Travel Will Serve as Foundational Sector
Southeast Asia’s travel tech sector is at a pivotal moment for tech-driven value creation. Speaking at WiT Singapore, Oliver Rippel, co-founder and partner at Asia Partners, says, “We believe that Southeast Asia’s ti [...]
How fintech is transforming Asia’s travel industry
In Asia’s fast-evolving travel industry, a revolution is quietly unfolding. Driven by rising consumer expectations for seamless experiences and the need for cost efficiencies, travel companies are embracing fintech solutions like never before.
Watch full session:
https://youtu.be [...]
Rise in direct sales and low cost carriers are keeping intermediaries on their toes
The airline industry is undergoing a significant shift as major airlines ramp up their efforts to sell directly to travellers, in an attempt to bypass intermediaries like online travel agencies (OTAs) and Global Distribution Systems (GDS).
At the same time, low cost carriers (LCCs) are expanding [...]
With APAC leading in air travel, Digital Identity is key to managing growth
Benefits are clear, but so are challenges of inter-operability and scalability
As passenger numbers soar globally, especially across Asia Pacific, the travel industry is looking to technology to make the airport experience faster, smoother, and less frustrating. Central to this vision is digital id [...]
