Let’s talk proudly about women and LGBTQ+ travellers in Japan
IHG's Motoe Katsushima on gender quota in hospitality, Expedia’s focus on women travellers and Booking launches Travel Proud in Japan
It is astounding that in an industry where it’s the women who are the decision-makers in travel, and who are the ones actually travelling, despite the outbound s [...]
European tourism under fire – new ETC chief steps up to face the challenges
Beyond numbers, destinations need to rethink what they really want from tourism, says Miguel Sanz Castedo
With European tourism at a critical juncture, coming under pressure on several fronts, including environmental and social, the new president of the European Tourism Commission (ETC) says it is [...]
How did we allow this to happen? Viator’s founder Rod Cuthbert on the rise of Google
As Google continues to roll out AI-powered search features, which will undoubtedly increase its dominance in travel, Rod Cuthbert, the founder of Viator and generally acknowledged as the “Godfather of tours and activities”, got quite indignant during his session at WiT Japan & North Asia in [...]
Letter from Tokyo: The human-machine and tradition-innovation dance unfolding in Japan
Inbound rush, outbound slump, new tech and travellers shaping future of travel – how will it play out in Japan? WiT Japan & North Asia 2024 had it all covered.
There is no better place in the world to observe the twin revolutions of human and technology unfolding at this time than in Japan, a [...]
Saudi tourism chief Fahd Hamidaddin on lessons from his mother, Hafawah and keeping it authentic
Travel on verge of transformation, driven by AI – STA experiments with unconventional partners
Given how openly most Saudis speak about their family, especially their mothers, I thought it fitting that I should start my interview with Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of Saudi Tourism Authority, with a questi [...]
From the revolution in human-machine interface, to transformation of the Middle East, it’s all happening here
Key takeaways from Phocuswright WiT Middle East
There’s nothing like being on the ground, and getting around, to feel the energy and vitality of a region on the move and my trip, covering Saudi and Dubai, this time left me with no doubt that this is a market that will shape the future of global [...]
Letter from Saudi: Of cheeky encounters, cultural kaleidoscopes and social transformation
A funny thing happened to me while I was waiting at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, while I was waiting for the car to my hotel, Radisson Blu, in the Diplomatic Quarter. Firstly, it’s really busy, lots of people pushing carts willy-nilly.
Listen to this episode here
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Letter enroute to Riyadh: A journey into The Land of Incredulous Possibilities
I am off to Riyadh today via Singapore. It was meant to have been via Paris but a flu bug changed my plans. It has a nasty way of doing that, as we’ve all learnt in the last few years. Nothing’s going to stop us now – yeah! A bug will.
So, I am sitting at the Emirates Lounge, which is freez [...]
Why Caravelo’s betting it all on subscriptions
Launching rail product, eyeing corporate travel and expansion to Asia
Born and raised in Pamplona, Inaki Uriz knows better than to take part in the Running of the Bulls, the annual festival which was immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in his book “The Sun Also Rises”.
“I’d never risk my [...]
I met a Black Hat and it led to this revelation
I was standing in a long queue at the café at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre and wondering why it doesn’t have a robotic barista because the human ones were looking rather frazzled when I spotted the man next to me, wearing a delegate badge that says “Black Hat Asia”.
Intrigued bec [...]
