Guest Blog: Asia Pacific falling in line with lackluster rate growth
In a simple world, one could assume that if demand for a product or service is high, prices would likely be on an upward trajectory as well. In a hotel scenario, if occupancies were high and climbing, ADRs, you might assume, would also be on the same trajectory.
But industry insiders know this is [...]
The Wrap: Narita is world’s first AI airport with launch of chatbot guide Bebot
In The News: Narita Airport to have an AI chat guide; Best Western launches SureStay Down Under; Hong Kong Airlines uses big data for expansion
AIRPORTS: Narita is world's first AI airport with launch of chatbot guide Bebot
Travellers arriving in Japan’s Narita International Airport fr [...]
Cebu Pacific’s Szucs on how social and mobile rule in the Philippines’ fast growing travel market
Airline veteran Michael Szucs confesses a love for working in emerging markets.
“Emerging markets open more opportunities,” he said at the WIT 2017 Conference in October, and clearly they feed his “pioneering spirit” which, after an early career at British Airways, has led him to stints a [...]
Phocuswright launches news platform, PhocusWire
Phocuswright, the travel industry research firm, has launched PhocusWire, an integrated news platform.
PhocusWire delivers daily news, interviews, analysis and opinion covering digital travel commerce, technology, distribution and startups globally.
The free PhocusWire newsletter offers subs [...]
Ctrip buys travel planning startup Trip.com
Chinese travel giant Ctrip, the parent company of Skyscanner, has acquired Trip.com, the Silicon Valley-based travel planning and local discovery app and site.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 2010 in Menlo Park, California, Trip.com was formerly called Gogobot [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Expedia’s Melissa Maher on beyond distribution, diversity and Asia
At WIT 2017, Melissa Maher (Senior Vice President, Global Partner Group, Expedia, Inc.) discussed how Expedia perpetuates a strong culture of diversity – from its suite of brands down to the people they hire.
As someone who has been with Expedia since 2001 and risen through the ranks, she remar [...]
Letter from Cempedak: Seven secrets to landing among the stars
It was exactly a year ago that I visited the private island of Cempedak in the Riau Archipelago of Indonesia and saw it in the making of stage. Piles of bamboo were strewn all over the white sand but there was a definite shape of a resort that resembled a sail unfurling out of the waters.
The isl [...]
The Wrap: WorldKoins lets AirAsia guests convert leftover currency into credits for shopping or good cause
In The News: WorldKoins partners with AirAsia in conversion of leftover currency; movable kiosks for fast check-in at Hong Kong airport; Maxim’s Travel's new branded mobile app
STARTUPS: WorldKoins lets AirAsia guests convert leftover currency into credits for shopping or good cause
Co [...]
Duetto introduces new level of personalisation to booking process
Duetto has launched a new personalisation tool PlayMaker, claiming it now brings “true personalisation” to the booking process for hospitality companies.
“The lack of real personalisation in hospitality, despite all the data hotels and casinos have at hand, is a challenge as old as revenue [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: How Asian hotel groups keep their home advantage in a changing world
Home grown independent, owner-controlled hotel groups are mushrooming in Asia, and are competing not only among themselves but also in a world of scale, consolidation and distribution power. How do they fend off the global competition? By localisation, personalisation and doing things differently, s [...]
