With help and a willingness to change, travel agents can survive
In UK, nearly 700 agents closed shop in 2017 alone, according to a report which cited overwhelming competition faced by brick-and-mortar travel agents from online travel agents (OTA). In Singapore, about 280 travel agents closed down in the last two years for a variety of reasons but mostly due to [...]
Tink Labs and Honest Bee offer cautionary lessons to tech startups, even unicorns fall
I used to be a fan of the Handy smartphone service. Mainly I used it for its wifi hotspot, even though it meant carrying two phones around. I fiddled with the content but never found it compelling enough to get me to book anything through it.
In recent times, I have used it less and less as dat [...]
Travelport live tests GDS bookings of Qantas NDC content
Travelport has begun handling its first bookings with Qantas using IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard as its “continuing support” for the airline’s NDC, including the Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP).
The bookings are being made through Travelport Smartpoint in a live pr [...]
The Wrap: American Express GBT forms Middle East joint venture with Kanoo Travel
News Roundup: Partnership to get a slice of the Middle East business market in a new deal between Amex GBT and Kanoo Travel, while Sabre's recently released study details ‘retail revolution’ in the hospitality industry.
Corporate Travel: American Express GBT forms Middle East joint venture [...]
Asia leads in flight bookings to Mecca for this year’s Hajj
Every year millions of Muslims from around the world make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims, to perform Hajj. A report in Arab News said more than 1.8 million Hajj pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia amid final preparations for the most sacred week in th [...]
Mark Okerstrom on who’s got the best moves in travel and why Expedia is ultimately the future
Before he put on a suit and ran a multi-billion dollar company, Mark Okerstrom was a backpacker, travelling through Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia, with his wife. Both spent six weeks each time exploring South-east Asia in two trips.
Today, the
closest the president and chief executive [...]
The Wrap: Accor expands Singapore network in franchise deal with Global Premium Hotels
News Roundup: Of hotels and airlines - Accor increasing its hotel count in Singapore through a franchise deal; an “all new” mobile app from Singapore Airlines; Qantas distribution channel goes live; more fare options in Malaysia’s Malindo Air’s business class
Hotels: Accor expands Singa [...]
How Hank Marvin got Dylan out of the shadows to launch Split
As a kid growing up in Penang, Dylan Tan liked sitting next to his father as they listened to music. His father’s of course. Cliff Richard was a favourite and one day the tune “Apache” by the Shadows, Richard’s backing group, came on.
Now for
guitar aficiandos, “Apache” is the stuff [...]
Travellers flying out from Malaysia must pay departure tax when September comes
If you can afford to fly you can afford to pay. This seems to be the rationale behind the Malaysia's government move to impose the controversial departure levy for all travellers departing from the country’s airports from September 1 despite protests and calls to postpone its implementation.
T [...]
The Wrap: Caesars Entertainment unveils flagship store on Alibaba’s Fliggy
News Roundup: Easier access for Chinese tourists to Caesars Entertainment hotels and services through partnership with Alibaba’s Fliggy; more flight options for travellers with Travelport’s new ‘storefront’; an alternative accommodations solution for hoteliers from Travelclick; a travel gui [...]
