Marketing
As Thailand reopens, it looks to better days with new bio, circular, green tourism model
01/11/2021 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
“Covid has taught Thailand a huge lesson in balance,” says deputy governor Numfhon Boonyawat WITH Thailand reopening to vaccinated travellers from all countries on November 1, the country is certainly looking forward to better days. But one woman is determined it also builds back better. Dur [...]
Match fit, Scoot is ready to swap scenario planning for the real thing
01/11/2021 by Ian Jarrett
Robust and ready to go, Scoot has put pieces in place for a digital future THREE days after rejoining Scoot in 2020, CEO Campbell Wilson was told to go home. Covid had struck. But being locked down at home during “a difficult time, both from a business and a staff perspective” gave Wilso [...]
The Wrap: Klook and Dream Cruises integrate APIs globally, weak September for Asia Pacific airlines, and more …
28/10/2021 by WiT
THE Wrap is a round-up of news in the travel and technology industries, and  updates on how businesses in these sectors are resetting as they prepare for post-pandemic travel. Klook and Dream Cruises synchronise their multi-market APIs Customers of Klook get access to Dream Cruises worl [...]
Trip.com Group ready to hit the accelerate button on growth and investments
28/10/2021 by WiT
“Covid slowed us down but we will continue growth trajectory in Asia,” says James Liang THE pandemic has not derailed Trip.com Group’s mission to be the leading international travel brand in Asia by 2022 and the leading international travel brand in the world by 2025 – a goal it shared [...]
Hopper’s hop into the fintech space to innovate travel
27/10/2021 by Vera Ong
From the “worst business you could imagine” to a US$3.5b valuation A FEW things make Hopper an enviable company today – nearly US$600 million in funding (mostly achieved during the pandemic), a valuation of US$3.5 billion, and never a cent spent on Google ad words.  It ha [...]
From fighting to reopen to leading the way in tech innovation, Asia travel puts its best foot forward
26/10/2021 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Key takeaways from WiT Experience Singapore 2021 IT’S been a tradition of past WiTs that a group of us would escape to a remote location or island somewhere to mark the end of yet another event. Over the years, we’ve been to Siem Reap, Bali, Phuket, Samui, Penang, Kuching with Nikoi and Cemp [...]
Cheers to beers and Sentosa’s common goal
25/10/2021 by Ian Jarrett
Strength in numbers guides Sentosa down the path to sustainability ITS resorts are world class. Its attractions are hard to beat. Its overall appeal is undiminished. But when Covid hit, Sentosa’s international arrivals, which had previously accounted for 80% of all arrivals – slumped. It [...]
Know the endemic traveller: Longer stays, hyper focused, higher spending
25/10/2021 by WiT
WITH the rapid rollout of vaccination in Asia Pacific (APAC), many countries are preparing to live in an endemic phase, and opening their borders to their people to travel abroad. This development has given rise to the endemic traveller who is prioritising leisure travel because they have been [...]
The billionaire Airbnb host who walks the talk
21/10/2021 by Ian Jarrett
Community and connection are key as home sharing gains new advocates NATE Blecharczyk is someone who believes in walking the talk. In 10 years, he has hosted more than 750 Airbnb guests in the San Francisco home he shares with his wife, Elizabeth. He does it, he says, because he believes in [...]
MakeMyTrip partners with Hopper to offer travellers flexibility in booking trips
18/10/2021 by WiT
INDIA’S online travel company MakeMyTrip has tied up with flight and hotel app Hopper to help its customers make better travel decisions by leveraging the latter’s AI-enabled pricing tools. Through this partnership, MakeMyTrip uses Hopper’s Price Freeze technology to power its Price Lock f [...]