“Dark horse” European destinations see influx of Chinese tourists
Although the total number of trips that Chinese tourists made to Europe increased nominally year-on-year, “dark horse” destinations like Croatia, Latvia in the east, and Denmark in the north saw increases of up to 540%.
A recent Europe Travel Report for the first six months of 2019 by China [...]
Armed with $2.5m, OpenSparkz goes from startup to scale to help consumers in Asia earn and burn in one step
The Australian fintech startup’s mission is to “make
every loyalty programme in the world a good experience for customers and
merchants, and to be the go-to global platform for loyalty and offers”. Here’s
how.
Terry McMullen has spent his entire career in loyalty and marketing, first wit [...]
On the road to 2020 and beyond, let’s take a look back at WiT Japan & North Asia
We're on the road to 2020 but before we get there, we'd like to take a look back at our last event. It has been a little over six weeks since the eighth WiT Japan & North Asia conference in Tokyo. Taking place over two days and two stages – the Innovation and Main Stage covered virtually ever [...]
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 [...]
From the mouths of youths: We just Google everything and what, travel as a career? Never thought of it
In preparation for the fourth edition of Tern, Travel Careers this Saturday, August 17, I’ve been spending time with Singaporean schoolkids in their mid-teens to find out what they think of travel, firstly as travellers and secondly, as future talent for our industry.
It’s been interesting l [...]
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 [...]
