Direct is the future – FlyZilla excludes OTAs in new flight metasearch product
Last month travel portal TripZilla sent out a press release to announce the launch of its new flight metasearch, FlyZilla, with a rather bold headline “FlyZilla, the Flight Metasearch that says No to OTAs”.Current flight metasearch engines are dominated by airfares from online travel agencies (O [...]
Ancillary revenue projected to reach US$59bil worldwide in 2015
The bottom lines of airlines worldwide will see an upward push this year from ancillary sales, as their revenue is forecast to increase 18.8% above 2014 to US$59.2 billion worldwide in 2015.The projection from the CarTrawler Worldwide Estimate of Ancillary Revenue states that US$36.7 billion is from [...]
Checking in with chat apps
Technology is often maligned as the chief cause of decline in human interaction, but it has also proven to be a force for good. We can now connect with each other (and with institutions) with more ease than in any other time in history. This level of connectedness can, however, be a double-edged swo [...]
A helping hand for start-ups in APAC and Japan from Akamai
Akamai Technologies has launched the Akamai One start-up programme designed to empower start-ups in Asia Pacific and Japan.The programme is designed to empower start-ups to focus on growing their businesses without worrying about the complexity of delivering fast, reliable and secure online experien [...]
Letter from inside a Tesla: Nerds love it, women will love it, what’s not to love?
I am not big into cars but even I know the future when I see it.
My first encounter with a Tesla was about three years ago when Joe Nguyen of comScore said he wanted to show me his latest gadget and took me for a drive in one of the first few models of the electric car invented by Elon Musk.
We co [...]
The Wrap: Smarter data care can improve travel companies’ revenue, finds Amadeus white paper
In the news: Amadeus white paper on safeguarding data, a ”Canvas” for independent hotels, Ascott’s expansion in ChinaSmarter data care can improve travel companies’ revenue, finds Amadeus white paperAmadeus has launched the white paper, Safeguarding information systems: A lever for revenue g [...]
It’s goodbye Abacus, hello Sabre
Abacus is now officially known as Sabre with the announcement by Sabre Corporation that is has rebranded all its acquired Abacus assets in Asia Pacific effective today (November 2).In a media release, the company said that with this rebrand over 100 wholly owned and affiliated offices across the reg [...]
OTAs in Asia, Think Borderless
This is a guest blog by Ming Foong, director of Online Travel Agencies – APAC, TravelportThe OTA segment is developing into an exciting and dynamic growth driver in the Asia Pacific region. It can get a lot more exciting if all players and aspirants in this space discard the old mindset that still [...]
Letter from County Wicklow: Like roses in Ireland, Asia is blooming
On the drive from Dublin airport – minus my baggage – I asked the driver if County Wicklow was where the water came from to make Guinness.He laughed and said, “The things tourists believe.”Thing is, it does take a certain suspension of disbelief to travel. That just the day before I had been [...]
Alitrip wants to innovate and disrupt travel – here’s how
What do a discounted hotel room, a tube of lipstick and a frying pan have in common? They’re all available for purchase on the Alibaba platform, the Chinese e-commerce site that’s bigger than Amazon and eBay combined.Alitrip, formerly Taobao Travel, was established as an independent, one-stop on [...]
