As F1 roars into town, hotel occupancies and rates in Singapore soar
As Singapore revs up for yet another Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Grand Prix this weekend, hotels, especially those close to the race circuit, are enjoying an influx of visitors paying record rates and splurging on dining and entertainment at the world’s only F1 night race.
Hilton Singapore, fo [...]
Agoda’s co-founder Rosenstein: AI will widen the gap between haves and have-nots in travel
“Can a small company with five engineers get it done or do they get wiped out in the face of AI?”
One of Robert Rosenstein’s biggest concerns is that AI, like all new tech, will increase the gap between the haves and have-nots.
“We experienced this with search and marketing – the b [...]
How Accor’s Kerry Healy addressed rate integrity in Middle East
Removal of offline and static rates core to global strategy to limit distribution partners and offering best price on ALL.com
Fresh from an intense few days at her division’s huddle in Bangkok last week, Kerry Healy, chief commercial officer, Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia Pacific for Pr [...]
Accor on hunt for global media agency, limits distribution partners to four
Karelle Lamouche: “The consumer has changed, distribution has changed”
There’s no denying the massive job ahead for Karelle Lamouche as she aligns commercial strategies for Accor’s Premium, Midscale & Economy division, which encompasses 21 different brands and 90 percent of Accor’s po [...]
I entered Singapore without a passport. Now that’s personal
Last week, I entered Singapore sans passport. I had arrived on a flight from Bangkok and at the immigration gates, when I wanted to put my passport on the scanner, I was told, “No need already. Just look at camera.”
Two camera clicks later and I was through. True to what had been announced a [...]
Traveloka’s top-level hires, TikTok’s rise, live commerce – shaking up travel in South-east Asia
Traveloka’s recent hiring spree of top executives has not gone un-noticed by industry watchers in the region – in quick succession, corporate travel veteran Carl Jones has joined as VP of Global Corporate Travel, former TikTok’s Tejveer Singh Bedi as Vice President, Commercial, Accommodation a [...]
Apple Intelligence: Much to be excited about but mind the realities and complexities of integration with travel
The impending rollout of Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver useful and relevant intelligence, across Apple devices is being watched closely by travel industry product veterans.
Apple has announced that [...]
InterparkTriple teams up with Sabre to boost inbound tourism to Korea
Travel and entertainment platform to lure “set-jetters” inspired by K-drama
In a move that both companies hope to boost inbound tourism to Korea, Sabre Corporation and InterparkTriple, Korea’s leading travel and entertainment platform, have signed a new long-term, strategic partner agreem [...]
Accor’s new dynamic duo driving innovation across 21 brands: “The answer is always in the consumer”
Former Estee Lauder and W veterans take reins to hone brand promise and differentiation
A day after their announcements as the new global brand presidents for Accor’s Premium Brands, Midscale & Economy Brands (PM&E), I caught up with Benoit Racle and Jean-Yves Minet in Bangkok where they [...]
Reiwa Travel raises US$33m to deepen tech at NEWT and expand beyond Japan
New fund raise hailed as “major turning point” for travel packaging startup
In March this year, Reiwa’s founder Takaya Shinozuka had spoken to WiT about his plans to take his new travel packaging startup global and that he was in the midst of raising a new round of funds to power the expansio [...]
