Aviasales sees growth in travel between Central Asia and GCC
Metasearch platform Aviasales has reported a significant increase in travel activity between Central Asian states and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Speaking at the recent Phocuswright WiT Middle East 2024, Anton Baitsur, CEO, said the increase highlights growing economic and cul [...]
Lotte Card launches travel loyalty portal, powered by Hopper
Lotte Card Co., Ltd., a prominent Korean credit card issuer, has partnered with Hopper Technology Solutions (HTS) to develop a travel loyalty portal for Lotte Card cardholders. This new feature, integrated into the 'Digi-LOCA' app, will offer services such as flights, accommodations, and car rentals [...]
Let’s talk proudly about women and LGBTQ+ travellers in Japan
IHG's Motoe Katsushima on gender quota in hospitality, Expedia’s focus on women travellers and Booking launches Travel Proud in Japan
It is astounding that in an industry where it’s the women who are the decision-makers in travel, and who are the ones actually travelling, despite the outbound s [...]
European tourism under fire – new ETC chief steps up to face the challenges
Beyond numbers, destinations need to rethink what they really want from tourism, says Miguel Sanz Castedo
With European tourism at a critical juncture, coming under pressure on several fronts, including environmental and social, the new president of the European Tourism Commission (ETC) says it is [...]
Emotional marketing, speedy AI-powered searches and creator content top highlights at EXPLORE 24
“AI does not create magic; you need human intelligence to know where to use it and how to use it,” says new CEO
EXPLORE, Expedia’s annual partner conference, reached a milestone this year with its 25th installment. It was also Expedia’s first flagship event in two years, albeit having held [...]
Starlink in Bali. Flying with Meta. Skyscanner gets Savvy. Virtual pink soup. More.
A star is born in Bali.
Starlink is coming to Bali – a move that will no doubt delight the island’s global nomads and tech entrepreneurs – although whether they will fork out the extra dollars for the Starlink service rather than stick with local Internet providers remains to be seen.
Elon [...]
Hoteliers to increase tech investments by 16% in 2024, focus on personalisation and AI
Amadeus has released its latest report, "Travel Technology Investment Trends 2024," highlighting significant trends in technology investment within the hospitality sector. The report reveals that hoteliers are planning to increase their technology investments by an average of 16% over the next 12 mo [...]
BTN Group to launch Business Travel Show Asia Pacific
BTN Group announced today it will launch Business Travel Show Asia Pacific next April, co-locating the inaugural event with the new Meetings Show Asia Pacific Apr. 16-17, 2025, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
The Meetings Show held its first event last mo [...]
How did we allow this to happen? Viator’s founder Rod Cuthbert on the rise of Google
As Google continues to roll out AI-powered search features, which will undoubtedly increase its dominance in travel, Rod Cuthbert, the founder of Viator and generally acknowledged as the “Godfather of tours and activities”, got quite indignant during his session at WiT Japan & North Asia in [...]
People are the metric in new Perfect Somewheres awards, spotlighting top hotels worldwide
Expedia's Mel Fish on tackling 'choice paralysis' and balancing quality with affordability
Expedia Group's Hotels.com introduced the 'Perfect Somewheres' 2024 at EXPLORE 24, a program that awards the top 1% of hotels available on the Hotels.com app, with hotels like Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo and Hotel [...]
