South Korea’s Tidesquare receives $44m investment to fend off global OTAs in home market
In a strategic play that will give it access to new technologies and fresh funding to compete against global OTAs in its home market, leading South Korean online travel agency Tidesquare has taken in an investment of 50 billion won (US$44.3m) from Kakao, the operator of Korea's dominant messaging a [...]
Japan Airlines,Travelport team up to launch GDS for Japanese travel agencies
Japan Airlines (JAL) and Travelport will take ownership of Travelport Japan K.K. and JAL’s 100% owned subsidiary, Axess International Network, under a joint venture called Travelport Axess to operate a Global Distribution System (GDS) tailored to the needs of the Japanese travel industry.
Unde [...]
Snapshot of Chinese outbound trends: Ctrip
China Tourism Academy and Ctrip have launched the 2018 Chinese outbound travel report.
Here’s a snapshot of the key points:
● Chinese made 150 million outbound trips in 2018, representing a 14.7% growth over 2017
● Among these, Chinese only made 71.25 million overse [...]
David Kong on the transformation of Best Western through quality, talent and technology
Ever since he took over as CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts in 2004, David Kong has been a man on a mission to transform the company, and the process continues with the recent acquisition of WorldHotels, which added 300 hotels to its global portfolio. In Singapore for the first time, the so [...]
The Wrap: Introducing ZIPAIR Tokyo – Japan Airlines’ new low cost, long haul carrier
In the news: Japan’s new low cost carrier ZIPAIR Tokyo, Agoda and Adyen partnership, Aeroméxico’s use of chatbot to trace baggage, Rod Cuthbert's nomination to VELTRA board
Airlines: Introducing ZIPAIR Tokyo – Japan Airlines’ new low cost, long haul carrier
New carrier by Japan Airl [...]
Air Black Box acquired by 777 Partners, will bring its solution to more airlines and beyond
Air Black Box, the first global travel technology company founded by a team of industry veterans to solve the complexities of cross-selling products and services within the aviation sector, has been acquired by investment firm 777 Partners.
Air Black Box is built to efficiently connect inventory [...]
Amadeus and partners pick top tech trends that will impact travel consultants
As travel continues to grow, and travel expectations evolve, technology continues to impose itself in the travel booking process and also in the travel experience itself.
Amadeus and its travel partners have flagged these six tech trends as the ones travel consultants should watch.
1. Th [...]
Here are some of the ways the IATA NDC could transform air travel
At
the CAPA Global LCC Summit held in Singapore recently, a panel of experts
offered a primer on NDC (New Distribution Capability). Specifically, the panel
discussed how the NDC API has the potential to transform digital distribution
for air travel.
To offer a brief overview, the NDC Program re [...]
What do Chinese female travellers want? Fun facts from Ctrip to mark International Women’s Day
Today being International Women’s Day, we thought it timely to share some data given to us by Ctrip on independent Chinese female travellers.
Here’s a quick summary.
Six out of 10 Chinese independent outbound travellers are females
Among solo travellers, the ratio is 57% fem [...]
The Wrap: Accor adds new midscale brand and a luxury hotel collection to portfolio
In the news: Accor’s new brands - Tribe and The House
of Originals, TUI and Ctrip partnership, ADARA cloud suite launch
Hotels: Accor adds new midscale brand and a luxury hotel collection to portfolio
The Hyde Paradiso’s dining patio, first sbe-Accor joint brand property, opening in Austr [...]
