Want to invest in travel startups? A tip sheet from Fritz Demopoulos
Fritz Demopoulos (CEO of Queen’s Road Capital) laid his cards on the table at the WIT Japan & North Asia Bootcamp, with a crash course on what any successful investor needs to think about when stepping into the marketplace.
Take your time to do your research
Before making any decisions o [...]
Kathleen Tan returns to AirAsia: North Asia, here she comes
There’s a Chinese saying, ‘A good rest will enable you to take on a longer journey’. Today, Kathleen Tan returns to AirAsia as CEO North Asia, saying, “I feel fully rested, physically and mentally ready, for this next journey.” In this interview with Yeoh Siew Hoon, she talks about her new [...]
The Millennial Traveller at WIT Bootcamp: Lessons from the road less taken
Hundreds of attendees packed themselves into the venue of this year’s WIT Japan & North Asia Bootcamp. With ears pricked, all attention was tuned into uncovering the ‘secret sauce’ of what it takes to be successful as a travel startup.
The opening panel discussion was led by a group of [...]
Peach, China, minpaku, mobile – welcome to the changing world of North Asia
WIT Japan & North Asia closed on a high note last Friday in Tokyo with its biggest and most diverse gathering yet, with the 555 registered delegates coming from 250 companies and 11 countries, reflecting the evolution of the North Asian travel market.
North Asia has become its own centre [...]
Letter from Matsumoto: Post-WIT, the struggles of Japan’s family businesses amid boom in private accommodation and inbound
A three-hour ride on the Super Azusa Limited Express from Shinjuku Station takes you to the historic town of Matsumoto in Nagano Prefrecture. It’s a quiet little place where the air is fresh and the spring water so clear and cool that ice cubes look like crystals.
I am staying at Hotel Matsumot [...]
Letter from Tokyo: Subtle changes speak of a deeper shift
For the last eight years, I’ve been visiting Tokyo pretty regularly – more so after visa restrictions for Malaysians (and the rest of South-east Asia) were lifted a couple of years ago. But it’s only this year that I am noticing discernible changes in the visitor experience for foreigners.
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“Wildlife, not entertainers” campaign targets TripAdvisor and online travel companies
The World Animal Protection organisation is on a mission to get online travel companies behind its “Wildlife, not entertainers” campaign, specifically the battle to stop elephant rides for tourists around the world.
Its website currently carries a petition, saying “TripAdvisor Inc. profits [...]
WEGOGO connects tour operators, travel hosts with Chinese travellers on WeChat
A Singapore and Shanghai-based travel startup has created a business platform on WeChat to enable global tours operators and travel hosts to connect with mobile-savvy Chinese consumers.
Founded in January last year, WEGOGO has launched its services to businesses in Gili Islands and Singapore so f [...]
The Millennial Traveller: Not all dogs need new tricks, says Walk Japan’s Paul Christie
A conversation with Paul Christie, the CEO of Walk Japan, takes a fair bit of contemplation.
While much of our chat revolved around Walk Japan and its success as a tour operator in Japan, very little technical corporate travel jargon was used. There was no talk of social media strategy, direct bo [...]
Top brands back WIT’s first event in London
Momondo Group, CarTrawler, Travel Weekly Group lend support, AccorHotels, Priceline among speakers in first WIT to build digital travel bridge between Asia and Europe.
As the European travel market matures, there is no doubt that the new frontier for Europe’s leading travel brands resides in As [...]
