JTB’s new chief sets end-to-end customer experience as key goal but for now, it’s survival and rapid digitalisation
EIJIRO Yamakita, who was appointed president of the 108-year-old company this year, is committed to continuing globalisation and digitalisation. In this wide-ranging conversation during WiT Japan & North Asia Virtual, the executive speaks about surviving Covid, reviving domestic tourism, gender [...]
From global to local hero: The Singapore fight to stay ahead of Covid and revive travel
SAFE bubbles; pilot events; partnerships with Klook,
Airbnb, Expedia, Trip.com; domestic vouchers – you name it, Singapore Tourism
Board is pulling out all the stops to buy time for local businesses until
borders open or a vaccine arrives
What happens when the world shuts down and your entire [...]
Covid has made online travel a game of millimetres, and he who solves testing wins big
Covid has turned online travel from a game of inches to one of millimetres, said Timothy Hughes, vice president corporate development of Agoda, paraphrasing an oft-quoted phrase of former Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
Speaking during WiT Seoul, Hughes said, “A lot of the breakout tech is jus [...]
“Hello, I am Zooming in while cruising” – and best news of all, a vaccine which sends travel stocks soaring
From cruises and conferences, to Tokyo Olympics and Expo2020 Dubai, slow and steady steps are being taken to revive economies.
I can’t believe I
am saying this in 2020 but I had a Zoom meeting this week in which someone was
calling in while she was on a cruise.
Okay, albeit that
it was to [...]
“What Travel Recovery Will Look Like For Asia”: McKinsey’s Saxon lays out a slow and cautious roadmap
Not surprising, as of September, the first three
markets in Asia that have recovered the fastest are those with domestic
markets.
Sharing “Reboot: What Travel Recovery Will Look Like for Asia” at WiT Seoul earlier this month, Steve Saxon, partner with McKinsey, who leads the travel practice [...]
Tourplus, armed with $1m fund raise, moves from transactions to content to survive Covid
Rickson Goh (centre) and his team: Sticking together through Covid. Goh said there has been no layoffs but the team agreed on pay cuts and unpaid leave to get through this period.
Malaysia-based Tourplus, which matches travellers with driver/guides and personalized itineraries, was on the road t [...]
Cargo demand and early planning lead to profitable quarters at Korean Air: Woo’s quest to not “lose money in operations”
With airlines bleeding heavily worldwide, and some having already exited the scene, it was a refreshing report card from Korean Air – two consecutive profitable quarters buoyed by a healthy cargo demand and early planning to accommodate that demand.
Speaking at
the WiT Seoul hybrid event last [...]
How much do you miss staying in hotels? I didn’t know the answer till this staycation
Hello, Mr Doorman. Here I am.
I never thought I’d ever say “I miss staying in a hotel” but when I got out of the car and was greeted by the doorman at Raffles Singapore, I felt almost weak at the knees. A wave of nostalgia overcame me as flashbacks of special hotel stays raced through my m [...]
Don’t fear, K-travel is alive and well – industry’s bursting with creativity and feistiness
WiT Seoul 2020 captured how online travel players are executing by millimetres to last the long game
If there’s one overwhelming feeling I got out of hosting WiT Seoul Virtual yesterday, it is that South Koreans are overwhelming in their creativity and fighting spirit. Yes, we see it in their [...]
Buying flights on AirAsia.com? Don’t forget to pick up zucchinis and potatoes too
While you are buying an air ticket on AirAsia.com for your next holiday, hop one tab over for some groceries, and then to the next one to pick out a gift for your partner.
When COVID 19 closed all borders, it was an obvious move for AirAsia.com to pivot away from just selling flights and hotels [...]
