The role of data and tech in transforming a destination experience: How STB is executing on its vision
WITH a background in data and gov tech, the new chief technology officer of the Singapore Tourism Board, Wong Ming Fai, is driving possibly the most ambitious of digital transformation of not only a tourism organisation but the entire travel industry ecosystem of a nation. He outlines the comprehen [...]
Explorer Richard Bangs embarks on new storytelling adventure with Steller
“I fold
this into the spirit of exploration”, says Mungo Park founder
REMEMBER Mungo Park, the online adventure site set up by Microsoft circa 1996 in the early days of Expedia, and which was meant to stir up the spirit of exploration in travellers? Well, the man who created it is back with [...]
Discard quest for perfection, be fast and agile: How STB is marketing Singapore in a pandemic
COVID has dealt a heavy blow to Singapore’s tourism industry, which saw
international visitor arrivals plummet by 85% in the past 18 months – from more
than 19 million to 2.7 million.
“It's been really difficult and hard,” was how Lynette Pang, assistant chief executive, marketing group [...]
Covid spawns 70m new digital consumers in South-east Asia
SINCE the start of the pandemic, 70 million people – equivalent to the entire population of the United Kingdom – have become digital consumers in South-east Asia.
Almost 8 in 10 people (78%) among South-east Asia’s population of 15-year-olds and above will be digital consumers [...]
FCM takes stake in Japan’s NSF Engagement as it prepares for corporate travel rebound
VTL to Germany sparks “let's go gold rush” from German customers in Singapore, says Saillet
WHILE corporate travel in Asia remains grounded for the most part, there are clearly opportunities to be seized and this week, FCM put deeper roots into the Japanese market by taking a majority stake [...]
When all you can do is talk about it, inspiration is the new transaction
WHAT is it they say about those who do, do and those who can’t, talk about it?
It seems these days, my friends in Asia, who have been as travel-deprived as I have been the past 18 months, and I talk more about travel than we do about food and if you know Asia, you know how extreme this [...]
Vietnam’s fintech unicorn to use new funds to beef up online travel business
VNTRAVEL launching three new solutions targeting corporate, premium and events
VNLIFE, which recently raised US$250 million in Series B, will allocate “a significant chunk” of the new funds to build up its online travel division, VNTRAVEL, managing director Niraan De Silva said in an intervi [...]
Cryptocurrency in travel: Who will be the winners?
This article first appeared in PhocusWire
THE shock the travel industry has experienced is driving many to look at different ways of doing things post-pandemic.
There is a greater need than ever to remove costs from processes and gain efficiencies, so that the industry can recover fr [...]
Online travel in Indonesia: On the cusp of revival
THIS report by Redseer takes a look at the online travel sector in Indonesia. The likely easing of travel restrictions in Indonesia (and the rest of South-east Asia) offers a possible case for a sharp improvement in the travel sector in the coming months. Here are some findings from its rece [...]
The exhaustion of optimism but hey, be a rebel and ‘Skroo’ the rules – it pays off
IT was Winston Churchill who famously said, “I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” And through this pandemic, most of us who are still in travel have chosen to be optimistic. What’s the alternative?
But there are days when even the strongest, most resilient
[...]
