The Middle East is “golden goose” of travel: Opportunities revealed at WiT ME
Movers and shakers of the Middle East online travel industry gathered at WiT Middle East 2019 in Dubai on April 9 to share their plans to unlock the potential of a fast-changing market being driven by youths – 60% of consumers are Millennials and Gen Z, strong spending power and technology develo [...]
Letter from UAE: Excuse me, have you got my reservation yet? The art of dealing with the last minute
The last time I was in Abu Dhabi four years ago, there was a lot of talk about the development to come that would transform this emirati of 214 islands into a tourism destination – among them, the Saadiyat Cultural District that would comprise the Louvre, Guggenheim and Zayed National Museum.
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Tech disruption, commoditisation keeping airline CEOs awake, among other things
Anyone who ever thought aviation was a glamorous business would have had their illusions shattered at this week’s CAPA LCC Global Summit in Singapore as airline executives, one after another, spoke of the myriad challenges facing their industry.
Those of us
who’ve followed the industry know [...]
Travelstart enters corporate travel game with Travelstart for Business
Reaffirming predictions that corporate travel is the next big travel sector to face disruption, South African online travel site Travelstart has launched a new product – Travelstart for Business, a business travel booking and reporting tool for companies and individuals.
Travelstart’s
Head o [...]
How Expedia Group is building diversity through Leading 4 Change
As Expedia Group globalises, with a third of its business now coming from outside the US, the company recognises the need for a more diverse workforce. Melissa Maher, senior vice president and innovation at Expedia Group, is responsible for the “Leading 4 Change” programme which includes drivin [...]
Curious about diversity in 2019? Me too
My first encounter with the author, Ursula K Le Guin, was through “The Left Hand Of Darkness” which I read, growing up in Penang, Malaysia. In a society where one was defined by not only gender but also race, my imagination was fired by her portrayal of a world without gender where one accepted [...]
Reflections of 2018 and Predictions for 2019, Part 2
As we come to the close of 2018, we asked some of our industry peers to give us their take on the year that's passed and to stare into the crystal ball and make predictions about the one ahead. Read on to see what travel trends they find most exciting (and boring), what they predict the biggest gam [...]
Letter from Berlin: Brexit woes, hard truths about aviation and hail the good guys of globalisation
Flying across from Cardiff to Berlin via Amsterdam over the weekend of the Brexit negotiations made me mindful of how fragile and uncertain the social, political and economic landscape of Europe is.
As I read the headlines – how the Europeans have agreed to the Brexit deal and now Prime Ministe [...]
Letter from Los Angeles: Of last mile mobility, teenage dreams and Chinese ambitions
The day I landed in Los Angeles, there was a heavy smell of smoke in the air. The California wildfires were raging and the winds were blowing smoke towards the city.
It didn’t stop the city’s residents from getting out and about. The LA Live area was teeming with crowds. A Lakers game was on, [...]
Five key lessons from Tern Travel Careers 2018: Building successful careers in travel
At the third annual Tern Travel Careers event, a veritable mix of industry experts, young talents and passionate graduates filled the Novotel Singapore on Stevens ballroom to glean nuggets of advice from those who have trodden the path before them.
With voices from leading travel companies like E [...]
