Momondo launches multi-stop, round-trip search
The travel search aggregator Momondo, which this month was picked one of the “best travel websites and apps” by Travel and Leisure Magazine is launching a new search engine for multi-stop round-trip travel.The initiative makes it possible to search flights with multiple destinations in just [...]
Mandala Airlines suspends all flights
Mandala Airlines today announced that it is planning to request a suspension of payment obligation to the Commercial Court allowing its management to restructure the business and to restore the airline to profitability."This is the best course of action to ensure the continued survival of the airlin [...]
Luxury lifestyle resort brand, akyra, launches at ITB
akyra Chura Samui on Koh Samui’s trendy Chaweng Beach is the first property under the akyra brand. It will open in June with 62 stylish suites and rooms, a lavish spa â�¨with his and hers meditation rooms, free Wi-Fi throughout the resort, a well-stocked library and stylish Galleria boutiqu [...]
Low cost airlines in APAC see robust online bookings
With their highly web-centric models the region's low cost carriers are experiencing strong growth in visitation as consumers search for the best travel deals online.The trend was revealed in the report , Low-Cost Airlines: The Changing Demographics of Travel – Global Travel Trends with a Focus o [...]
Inside the world of ‘ichige’ and its possible travel applications
If there is one market where location-based services have had a huge impact on customer behaviour, it’s Japan. And mobile gaming is one of the biggest and fastest growing sectors.The mobile content and gaming market is estimated to be worth over US$6 billion and growing at 15%. Profit margin tends [...]
ImpulseFlyer launches with WSJ Asia partnership
Most travel start-ups struggle with distribution but it appears thatImpulseFlyer, the private sale site for boutique and luxury hotels, which officially launches this morning, October 18, has managed to crack that nut at the starting gate.It launches with a full-scale distribution partnership with [...]
Imagine, travel as therapy and travel agents as therapists
So it feels kind of surreal. I have just flown 13 hours from Singapore to Frankfurt, fought my way through transfer – which by the way is good training for a marathon except you don’t get friendly people handing you water and cheering you on; here, you get surly officials trying to make you feel [...]
It’s catching, this travel entrepreneurship thing
Is it just me or is there an outbreak of entrepreneurship fever spreading in the Asia Pacific travel space?At WIT*e last week, at least two young executives took me away from my beer and chicken wings to pitch their ideas to me. One had an idea that would use Facebook and social sharing and another [...]
Issenberg on change and game-changers
Michael Issenberg (pictured left), Chairman and COO of Accor Asia Pacific, sits down with Yeoh Siew Hoon, WIT Conference’s producer, at the WIT Ideas Lab at ITB Asia in Singapore to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the hotel and travel industry.With 400 hotels throughout Asia Pacific, th [...]
Is Social Media David or the Emperor (Part II)
The following is a continuation of a post that discussed whether social media is the Emperor without clothes or David in David v. Goliath. This post focuses on brand engagement in social channels.One of the questions I often get asked is, “How can I use social networks like Facebook and Twitter [...]
