Distribution
Trailblazing travel tech in Korea: The Journeys of Donggun Lee and Jiha Jung
16/12/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
In the world of Korean travel tech, two entrepreneurs – Donggun Lee, the visionary founder of MyRealTrip, and Jiha Jung, the driving force behind Tripbtoz. Lee, who won the WiT Startup Pitch in Japan in 2014, started MyRealTrip in 2012, using tours and activities as an entry point. Jung, who wo [...]
Hopper’s HTS lands second card partnership in South Korea
10/12/2024 by WiT
Travel booking portal to be launched with Woori Card HTS, the B2B division of Hopper, has landed its second partnership in South Korea, signing on card company Woori Card, a subsidiary of Woori Financial Group. The agreement calls on HTS, which now accounts for over 75% of the Hopper business, t [...]
Rise in direct sales and low cost carriers are keeping intermediaries on their toes  
27/11/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
The airline industry is undergoing a significant shift as major airlines ramp up their efforts to sell directly to travellers, in an attempt to bypass intermediaries like online travel agencies (OTAs) and Global Distribution Systems (GDS). At the same time, low cost carriers (LCCs) are expanding [...]
OTAs have to stay agile amid breakneck pace of change
21/11/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Adrienne Enggist: “We’re constantly riding this edge of risk, protecting customers takes the number one priority” With things “moving at such an enormously breakneck pace”, OTAs, big and small, have to stay agile, leveraging advances in processing power and AI to keep up with customer exp [...]
Ixigo’s “Love Train” To Success: Cracking The Code in the Indian Travel Market
18/11/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
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 [...]
Greg Schulze on Global Growth and the Future of Travel Tech: “The Work is Never Done”
13/11/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Strong Q3 results bolsters his optimism for the opportunity ahead After 19 years with Expedia Group, Greg Schulze is still as starry-eyed as he was when he first joined the travel industry as a data analyst in American Airlines. Now, as the Chief Commercial Officer, he’s taken on a new role th [...]
How Ascott thinks about return on technology and innovation
12/11/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Striking a balance between finance and sustainability, and commerce     In the Eurythmics’ song “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”, Annie Lennox croons, “Standin' on their own two feet, And ringin' on their own bells, we say, Sisters are doin' it for themselves”. [...]
Dreamers, Gamblers, Promoters and Makers: Imagining the Future of Travel Tech
07/11/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
In Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, Stevie Nicks sings, “Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions, I keep my visions to myself, It's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams, And have you any dreams you'd like to sell? Dreams of loneliness …” You get the drift. Well, in travel, it’s [...]
How Goldjoy Travel found its sweet spot in the online cruise market
10/10/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Panel at Cruise World Asia tackles “how to bulletproof your travel agency business with technology” Cognizant of the trend of consumers going online to book their flights and hotels, second generation travel agency owner, Dr Frederick Yip, of Goldjoy Travel, Hong Kong, decided to do a little [...]
The only way to compete, get efficient and productive, says Atlas’ Mary Li
08/10/2024 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Low cost flight startup develops five digital employees; meet Florence, its newest customer care agent As a startup operating in the highly competitive and volatile world of third party low cost flight distribution, Atlas’ founder Mary Li believes the optimum way to compete is by using tech to be [...]