Technekai Global Hospitality Tech Fund sets up in Asia
“Y Combinator of Hospitality” plans $100m fund
Technekai, a global hospitality tech fund based out of Silicon Valley, has set up office in Singapore and is looking to raise $100 million of funding to invest in and accelerate hospitality tech startups in Asia Pacific.
Heading the Technekai [...]
Almosafer and Klook unveil a digital marketplace for Tours and Experiences in Saudi Arabia
The new platform connects Saudi Arabia travellers to global platforms, starting with Klook
Almosafer, part of the Seera Group, has joined forces with Klook, a key travel and experiences platform in Asia, to launch Almosafer Activities. This joint venture introduces the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's fir [...]
Traveloka and South Pole partner to launch pilot climate action checkout for Singapore travellers
Revenue generated from this project will be invested in wastewater treatment in Thailand’s Khon Buri district to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Singapore-based users of Traveloka, a key travel platform in Southeast Asia, will now have the opportunity to contribute to global climate action and p [...]
Bye TikTok, Hello AI. Easier payments. Qatar’s try-before-fly.
AI, it’s the only way to plan travel.
A survey of US travellers has found more than one third — 36% —said they are likely to use AI to research or plan travel within the next 12 months.
The survey was conducted by travel publisher Matador Network, which recently launched the personal AI tr [...]
Lifestyle hotels show promising trends in post-COVID travel landscape
As global occupancy rebounds, lifestyle hotels offer unique experiences that challenge traditional accommodations.
The hospitality industry is witnessing a remarkable recovery as global occupancy rates in the first quarter of 2023 approach pre-pandemic levels. Fueling this resurgence are lifestyle [...]
Rakuten STAY: Japanese e-commerce giant unveils new, unmanned vacation rentals model
Alibaba has its future hotel, FlyZoo, launched in Hangzhou inn 2018. Tencent launched an AI Smart Room at the Atour S Hotel in Beijing. There was a time when Amazon sounded out the idea of Amazon-operated hotels.
Where these projects are right now is unclear but Rakuten the Japanese e-commerce gi [...]
Velocity Ventures launches “heartware” initiative targeting various sectors in travel
Corporate Partners Program aims to support the ecosystem by helping startups access industry and innovation professionals.
Velocity Ventures, a prominent investor in travel and hospitality tech in Southeast Asia, is spearheading an initiative to address the challenges faced by the various s [...]
Mapping cherry blossoms in Japan. Airbus helps elephants. Hopper’s risky business, more
Flickr’s role in cherry blossom research
Research by Monash University experts has tracked Japanese hanami (flower viewing) via social media images, producing a remarkable map of cherry blossoms across Japan to document their annual bloom and calculate its peak in major cities.
The study gathe [...]
AI will allow more meaningful human service, says Montara Hospitality chief
“Hospitality is about innovation, creating a product ahead of its time”
“My job is going to be replaced soon,” laughs second generation Thai hotelier Kittisak (Kitt) Pattamasaevi when we were discussing generative AI and its impact on both our jobs during a breakfast catch-up at Trisara, Ph [...]
From baseball hotel stay to Suica integration, SQUEEZE hits home run with hospitality innovation
Fancy staying in the middle of a baseball stadium? Try tower eleven hotel
Shinichi Tatebayashi, CEO and founder of SQUEEZE, is understandably very excited about his newest hotel, which he says is a world first. “tower eleven hotel” is a 12-room lifestyle accommodation, with a sauna and hotspr [...]
