Events
How community creators are shaping sustainable tourism
23/08/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
In an industry where sustainability and authentic experiences are increasingly sought after, some entrepreneurs, operating in niche spaces, have dedicated themselves to creating unique, meaningful experiences rooted in their love for their communities.  These creators— Eric Chong, Li-Chin Kuo, [...]
Meet the 10 winners of the 2024 Global Startup Pitch 
15/08/2024 by WiT
Ten winners have emerged in the Finals of the 2024 Global Startup Pitch, by WiT and Phocuswright, which was held today. In the four-hour virtual Finals, which started with the Asia Pacific, went onto Emerging Markets, Europe and North America, and ended with two Wildcards, a team of more than 20 ju [...]
Taylor Swift’s economic impact competes with Coldplay and Adele
14/08/2024 by WiT
"By examining how different music styles and events influence traveller behavior and demographics, destinations can better understand spending patterns and overall impact." Earlier this year, we ran a few stories covering Taylor Swift's significant impact on Singapore's economy thanks to the surge [...]
Startup stories and lessons from regional entrepreneurs
13/08/2024 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Up and coming startups, particularly in Malaysia and Singapore, paint a picture of a robust region with ample tech-driven opportunities “Opportunities” was one of the first words that kick-started a panel at WiT Indie a few weeks ago that focused on rising startups in the region - two from Mala [...]
6 key takeaways from the Business Travel Trends & Forecasts Asia Pacific
07/08/2024 by WiT
Nearly 50 corporate travel buyers collectively responsible for buying/managing over $6.4 billion in travel annually registered to attend the BTN Group’s 2nd Annual Business Travel Trends & Forecasts Asia Pacific conference in Singapore last month. With attendees representing Australia, Chin [...]
Never been more exciting to be a storyteller in heritage and conservation, says Blue Mansion’s pioneer
25/07/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
New mission to make Fort Cornwallis, Penang, a must-visit, and not-boring, experience For the psychologist-lecturer-turned-conservator-researcher, who pioneered story telling in Penang and brought the story of 19th century Chinese merchant Cheong Fatt Tze to life, through the Blue Mansion, ther [...]
Off to Africa to learn from cheetahs: Klook’s Sarah Wan on self-care, high growth and travel trends
24/07/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Event tourism and slow travel factoring high in Travel Pulse survey     When you’re working for a high growth company like Klook, it is important to practise self-care regimes, said Sarah Wan, general manager, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, such as keeping to a good fitnes [...]
Travel as a “memory industry” driven by tech advancements
08/07/2024 by D.J. Catron
The experts came together at Phocuswright Europe to talk about travel tech trends around the world, things like generative artificial intelligence, machine learning and the metaverse. So, it might have seemed jarring when one of the panelists on Center Stage defined travel in terms that evoke pho [...]
Viator’s origin story – A tale of a prince and a girl from Tasmania
18/06/2024 by Linda Fox
Rod Cuthbert, the founder of Viator, doesn't claim to have had the idea for the tours and activities business. It originally came from a contract with Sabre back in the late '90s when the idea of selling tours and activities, via the travel agency community, appealed to the distribution company. [...]
Key trends to heed in “Next Generation” of travel in APAC
12/06/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
As we enter the next generation of travel in Asia Pacific, here are the key trends to watch – from the revolution in B2B, to transformation of the human-machine interface and changing demographics with all the inherent changes in customer behaviour to come. It’s a summary of the thoughts and ide [...]