Letter from Northumberland: Hello, New World
“WHAT’s life like in Singapore? Is it expensive?” asked my Albanian driver on the way from Manchester to Newcastle, roughly a three-hour car ride. He was complaining about the high costs of living, and rising fuel prices, in this land which he moved to almost 15 years ago.
I told him Singap [...]
Strong international traffic propels continuing air travel recovery
AIR travel, driven primarily by international demand, resumed its strong recovery trend in April, despite the war in Ukraine and travel restrictions in China, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) .
Total demand for air travel in April 2022 (measured in revenue passen [...]
As global wellness booms, real estate pivots to hospitality-meets-hospital
MK Real Estate makes wellness play with RAKxa, and more to come
AT a recent WiT event, when Chris Hemmeter, managing partner of Thayer Ventures, a travel and hospitality-focused fund was asked what he believed the biggest change Covid would bring to hospitality, he said, “I think the whole world [...]
Agoda launches Eco Deals, inks pact with WWF Singapore
Agoda is launching Eco Deals with accommodation partners in five countries – Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore – to offer travellers between 5% and 15% discounts on their bookings.
For each booking, Agoda will contribute to WWF-Singapore’s marine conservation and fl [...]
Traveller confidence is high, so is interest in sustainability
But industry must give right information, otherwise “it’s disingenuous or meaningless”
THE three markets that are most interested in travelling are also the ones most interested in travelling sustainably, according to Booking.com’s inaugural APAC Traveler Confidence Index, shared at the OTA [...]
Global travel search nears pre-pandemic levels; half of top city pairs fully recovered
Amadeus Travel Pulse shows India leading green shoots for travel in APAC
FOR the first four months of 2022, search volumes around the globe have been increasing, almost reaching 2019 levels, according to Amadeus Travel Pulse, which measures air travel search data.
Frédéric Barou, Senior Vice [...]
Travel in transition – a reshuffle of leadership taking place before our very eyes
Wilson to AirIndia, De Schepper to TrustPilot, Peller leaves AWS, Agoda's Morgenshtern on the rise – watch this space
I WAS never a big fan of Sheryl Sandberg so the news of her leaving Meta (formerly Facebook) leaves me somewhat cold. But her departure did put into stark relief the transition [...]
FCM steps up its game in Japan with blend of global-local tech solutions
GLOBAL travel management company FCM is marking its 10th year of operating in Japan by opening a new, dedicated Tokyo office as part of its decision to have more skin in the game in the world’s fourth largest business travel market
Last September, it took a majority stake in NSF Engagement, w [...]
18 startups advance to Round 2 of Global Startup Pitch
EIGHTEEN startups from six regions around the world have advanced to the second round of the first Phocuswright/WebinTravel Global Startup Pitch event.
The new event is the latest effort from the two companies, both part of Northstar Travel Group, to identify startups that are innovating and [...]
From “hilltribe lady” to “tea lady”: The making of Araksa
When inbound travel stopped, specialty tea making and community experiences flourished
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my career,” said Chananya Phataraprasit as she introduced me to the 17 (soon to be 18) types of speciality teas her Araksa Tea Garden in Chiang Mai is currently p [...]
