News
The Wrap: Sabre partners with Indian university to incubate its next QA Centre of Excellence
10/05/2016 by WiT
In the news: A Sabre sponsored CoE in Delhi, FASTBOOKING in Japan, Etihad Airways’ new mobile app, top destinations for UAE and Saudi Arabia family travel, Sabre partners with Indian university incubate to its next QA Centre of Excellence Sabre has tied up with Indira Gandhi Delhi Tech [...]
Whether you’re a surfer or sumo wrestler, the big wave in online travel is coming
10/05/2016 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Perhaps it was the Bali setting which has a way of inspiring anyone to flights of fancy but in the opening session of WIT Indonesia, there was talk of surfing, aquariums and team sports, even sumo wrestlers. The conference opened with the premise that technology is like a surf – it starts slow, [...]
She escapes a revolution, starts a ‘LinkedIn=Kickstarter’ for women entrepreneurs
10/05/2016 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Tunisian-born Mouna Aouri Langendorf remembers the Arab Spring well. Her first child was born three days before the outbreak of the Tunisian Revolution in January 2011. “I was lucky to get to a hospital and within days of delivery, we were trapped in our house. There was a curfew and my husband [...]
Strong Q1 for Sabre, reports 21% increase in revenue
09/05/2016 by WiT
Sabre had a solid start to the year, recording a 21% rise in revenue to US$859.5 million in the first quarter 2016, compared to US$710.3 million for the same period last year. Consolidated income from continuing operations totalled US$92.9 million, compared to US$49.3 million in the first qua [...]
Booking.com’s new chat functionality empowers customers to personalise their stay
09/05/2016 by WiT
The new Booking Messages interface on Booking.com, described as “a chat-inspired communication platform”, enables guests and accommodation providers to communicate with each other when a booking is made. The interface features automatically pre-translated templates for certain predefined requ [...]
Tours and activities were once considered the ugly ducklings of travel, but things are changing
03/05/2016 by WiT
By Stephen Joyce I have been involved in travel technology since the late 1990’s. Prior to 2005, much of that time was spent developing custom web applications for online travel agencies, where I would integrate various online airfare or hotel booking tools, as well as develop custom interfaces o [...]
Six consumer mega-trends influencing travel and hospitality in the future
03/05/2016 by WiT
A new report from Sabre, Consumer Mega-Trends Impacting Hospitality, reveals six trends expected to impact the hospitality industry in 2016 and beyond.The global report also analyses changing consumer behaviour and emerging trends to identify what consumers will want next.The study is a collaboratio [...]
The Wrap: Airlines report lowest mishandling of baggage in 2015
28/04/2016 by WiT
In the news: SITA Baggage Report 2016, native mobile advertising solutions from Wego, HRS’ and Concur’s expanded partnershipAirlines report lowest mishandling of baggage in 2015 Airlines’ focus on improving baggage management seems to have paid off, as last year saw the lowest level of baggage [...]
This was the news today – consolidation continues, money flows in, Huston exits
29/04/2016 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Proving that there’s never a dull moment in travel, while WIT Indonesia was happening inside the ballroom of Grand Nikko Bali yesterday, these things happened in the world outside.One, China’s HNA Group, which is on its path to building a global travel empire, buys Carlson Hotels Inc., owner of [...]
Tripfez raises US$750k seed Investment, to use funds for expansion
28/04/2016 by WiT
Tripfez, a Malaysia-based online travel agency and hotel review platform to provide Muslim travellers with a better travel experience, has raised US$750,000 seed round of financing.The round was led by Gobi Partners and Intres Capital (AXIATA Group), and followed by several angel investors in the tr [...]