Look out for the “Uber of generative AI” in travel
“I hope to be around when the next big thing arrives,” says Chris Hemmeter
Who will be the first travel startup to create the “Uber of generative AI”? That’s the challenge Chris Hemmeter, managing director of Thayer Ventures, issued at the Innovation Roundtable at Phocuswright Europe taki [...]
Lifestyle hotels show promising trends in post-COVID travel landscape
As global occupancy rebounds, lifestyle hotels offer unique experiences that challenge traditional accommodations.
The hospitality industry is witnessing a remarkable recovery as global occupancy rates in the first quarter of 2023 approach pre-pandemic levels. Fueling this resurgence are lifestyle [...]
Rakuten STAY: Japanese e-commerce giant unveils new, unmanned vacation rentals model
Alibaba has its future hotel, FlyZoo, launched in Hangzhou inn 2018. Tencent launched an AI Smart Room at the Atour S Hotel in Beijing. There was a time when Amazon sounded out the idea of Amazon-operated hotels.
Where these projects are right now is unclear but Rakuten the Japanese e-commerce gi [...]
Velocity Ventures launches “heartware” initiative targeting various sectors in travel
Corporate Partners Program aims to support the ecosystem by helping startups access industry and innovation professionals.
Velocity Ventures, a prominent investor in travel and hospitality tech in Southeast Asia, is spearheading an initiative to address the challenges faced by the various s [...]
Letter from Girona: The stuff of legends and travellers’ dreams
I suppose it is fitting that I should be staying in the Hotel Museu Llegendes in Girona because this ancient Catalonian city is so full of legends that even the locals have trouble keeping up with the stories.
The family-owned 15-room boutique hotel, opened 12 years ago, is like a homage to saint [...]
Mapping cherry blossoms in Japan. Airbus helps elephants. Hopper’s risky business, more
Flickr’s role in cherry blossom research
Research by Monash University experts has tracked Japanese hanami (flower viewing) via social media images, producing a remarkable map of cherry blossoms across Japan to document their annual bloom and calculate its peak in major cities.
The study gathe [...]
Go City and QPSOFTWARE are developing a WeChat mini program in China
The partnership aims to enhance travel experiences in China's dynamic market
Go City, a global attraction pass company, has announced its collaboration with QPSOFTWARE as the lead technical agency for the development of a WeChat mini program in China. This initiative aims to cater to the needs of C [...]
AI will allow more meaningful human service, says Montara Hospitality chief
“Hospitality is about innovation, creating a product ahead of its time”
“My job is going to be replaced soon,” laughs second generation Thai hotelier Kittisak (Kitt) Pattamasaevi when we were discussing generative AI and its impact on both our jobs during a breakfast catch-up at Trisara, Ph [...]
From baseball hotel stay to Suica integration, SQUEEZE hits home run with hospitality innovation
Fancy staying in the middle of a baseball stadium? Try tower eleven hotel
Shinichi Tatebayashi, CEO and founder of SQUEEZE, is understandably very excited about his newest hotel, which he says is a world first. “tower eleven hotel” is a 12-room lifestyle accommodation, with a sauna and hotspr [...]
Exploring the LGBTQ+ travel dilemma in APAC
LGBTQ+ travellers would like know the status of a location, including local laws, religious sensibilities, and safety tips.
Booking.com has conducted its most extensive LGBTQ+ travel research to date, shedding light on the challenges LGBTQ+ travellers face and the progress made by the travel indust [...]
