Backick, Expedia Traveler Preference – all about empowering customers, says Lynn
Backick.com is AirAsia Expedia’s attempt at cracking the social and travel puzzle. Touted as the world’s first hotel booking site where friends help pay for each other’s travel, the site is an initiative by the joint venture partnership between AirAsia and Expedia.“I believe the social and [...]
The world of Shangri-La at your fingertips
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts launches a mobile app for the iPhone, the first of two phases of the smartphone technology.The new app, an extension of the brand’s recently revamped website. encompasses all its functions in addition to providing easy access and booking for Shangri [...]
Travelmob wants to change the way people travel in Asia
In the world of new social stay start-up, Travelmob, everyone in Asia can be a host and tour guide and co-founder Turochas Fuad (left) believes this will unlock the kind of local experiences desired by a growing breed of travellers coming to the region.From a host in Hanoi who will offer cooking cl [...]
AirAsia-Batavia Air deal is on
Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd says its acquisiton of Batavia Air is on track despite reports that the Indonesian government may cancel the purchase due to ownership concerns."The deal is on and work is in progress,” AirAsia CEO Aireen Omar was quoted as saying.Speculation that the acquisiton might b [...]
AsiaRooms’ splashing out to find “The Right Room For You”
If you’ve noticed of late, AsiaRooms.com is suddenly very visible, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia.With new leadership in place, a team of 70 spread across the region and armed with a new tagline, “The right room for you”, the business, which is part of TUI Travel PLC, is making a se [...]
Nikoi’s Dixon ready for the next island adventure
When I first met Andrew Dixon, co-founder of Nikoi Island a couple of years ago, he didn't look too happy. He’d just opened the island resort off Bintan and as a former banker, had no clue about the business he was getting into.Building and operating a resort in a remote island – access was by [...]
AirAsia buys 76% stake in Batavia Air
Asia's largest low-cost carrier, AirAsia, acquires the Indonesian low cost carrier, Batavia Air, to accelerate its expansion in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.Together with its Indonesian partner, Fersindo Nusaperkasa, AirAsia Bhd has entered into a conditional share sale agreemen [...]
Ancillary revenues soar for airlines
Ahead of the Airline Cloud9 conference in Bangkok, which will have a strong focus on ancillaries, a new Amadeus report reveals ancillary revenue growth of 66% in two years from 2009, with United, Delta, American and Qantas as top earners. The Review by IdeaWorksCompany, a consultancy in the are [...]
Are you ready to unplug? WIT 2012 goes live
Rumours have it that it was a gorgeous sunny day in Singapore. We wouldn’t know anything about that because we were holed up in our web agency’s office getting our WIT 2012 conference site ready for launch.And so this evening at 6.18pm, we have lift-off. No, we didn’t consult any feng shui [...]
GDSs to bet on the future at Airline Cloud9 as online travel soars
Airlines and GDSs have always had a love-hate relationship, much like parents and their children, we suppose. They created them (the GDSs) and now that their “children” have grown up to be richer (definitely) and spoilt (well, maybe), tension has crept into the relationship.In some cases, tensi [...]
