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 [...]
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 [...]
Registration is open for Business Travel Show Asia Pacific
Registration is now live for the inaugural Business Travel Show Asia Pacific, taking place on 16-17 April 2025 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, alongside The Meetings Show Asia Pacific. The event will unite 200+ corporate travel buyers from across the Asia Pacific region, the US, the UK, and Europe w [...]
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 [...]
Letter from Phoenix: Of bomb cyclones, flight disruptions and super agents
On the day I was to fly out from Phoenix to San Francisco came news of the “bomb cyclone” that battered the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, causing power outages, downing trees and power lines, and tragically killing two people in Washington State.
It resulted in flight cancell [...]
The New Face of Hospitality: Different models emerge to meet post-pandemic demand
From apartment-style hotels to longevity retreats and high-end private villas, travellers are seeking new experiences
The world of travel has changed dramatically since the pandemic, bringing with it a wave of innovation in hospitality. While traditional hotel stays are still in demand, the hospita [...]
Ixigo’s “Love Train” To Success: Cracking The Code in the Indian Travel Market
A 20-year “overnight success” story
In the song “Love Train”, The O’Jays called on “people all over the world, everybody, join hands, start a love train, love train”.
Well, if Aloke Bajpai, Chairman, Managing Director and Group CEO, ixigo, had his way, he’d want all of us to ge [...]
Travel industry urged: “Don’t just take us places, make us feel better”
“We travel to know we’re not alone”, says actor, entrepreneur, traveller, Power Ranger Jason Chan
Editor's note: If you want to be rich, make good memories and there’s no better place than travel to make good memories. Yet, are we in the industry doing enough to create those emotional [...]
Innovation City: Stephan Ekbergh’s Club for Creators, Dreamers and where The Bouncer Rules
In a city where Table Mountain meets the sea, travel industry icon Stephan Ekbergh has opened the doors to something wild: Innovation City. Think Studio 54, CBGB, and Berlin's underground scene wrapped in a South African soul. Here, creativity and chaos aren’t just welcome – they� [...]
