The secret to direct hotel bookings
By Jack Tan, Independent Hotel ConsultantRetailing hotel rooms has never been as complicated as it is today, with a myriad of channels, tools and services now available. Direct is every hotelier’s pipe dream and for some, it remains a pipe dream as the market becomes more complex and the consumer [...]
Online travel giants on building loyalty and differentiation
By Alisha SomanasWith massive shifts in the terrain of the online travel industry, how are the big players responding? When quizzed on their response to newcomers and changes in the online travel industry such as meta and mobiles, and how they will differentiate themselves from others who seek to di [...]
Travelport reboots for success
Travelport went through a reboot last September when it listed on the New York Stock Exchange last year, expanding its role from being just a GDS to become a global commerce platform.Martin Herbert, Travelport’s general manager for Asia, said it brought in airlines to sell products, started offeri [...]
Embracing the Airbnb experience
By Carl GriffithIt was interesting for me listening to Julian Persaud of Airbnb simply for the number of times he used the word ‘experience’. He had a lot to say, of course, about the company and his last role with Google. But that word kept cropping up – he even used the phrase ‘touching th [...]
Make Singapore an ideas hub, invites Minister
Security is priority for a smart nationUse Singapore as test bed for new technology. That was the invitation Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, gave to the packed room of 550 travel professionals and technology en [...]
Uncovering untapped spaces in corporate travel
By Alisha SomanasAs the leisure industry focuses on making unique experiences for travellers, business travellers are following suit and seeking more personalization when they book for business. At the same time, travel management companies are looking for ways to start making additional revenue and [...]
A tale of funding and branding from four start-ups
One of the critical issues facing a new start-up and vital for its growth is funding. And it is no easy task getting investors. Four start-ups which provide P2P services took to the stage at the WIT Bootcamp to share their experiences in getting funding.Karl Loo, CEO & founder Malaysia-based Ser [...]
42 Race, rimoto, Wellobox are finalists for WIT Start-Up Pitch
Six start-ups took to the stage at the WIT Start-Up Pitch at the WIT Bootcamp and three emerged victorious to fight it out at Grand Finals of the annual start-up competition during the WIT Conference on October 21.The three shortlisted candidates are 42 Race, rimoto, and Wellobox. 42 Race is a web/m [...]
Words from the wise and the wide-eyed
Guest blog by Maggie Rauch, senior research analyst, PhocuswrightWIT Bootcamp, the one-day, startup and innovation-focused precursor event to Web in Travel is a rare opportunity to get a peek into the future of Asia-Pacific’s online travel world. In a room filled with 200-odd people (not all neces [...]
Be first, think big say startup entrepreneurs at WIT Bootcamp
Travel industry leaders Fritz Demopoulos, CEO, Queen’s Road Capital; Rod Cuthbert, CEO, Rome2rio; Stephan Ekbergh, CEO & Founder, Travelstart; Patrick Bosworth, CEO & co-founder, Duetto and Turochas Fuad, Co-founder, Travelmob kicked off the first panel of the WIT Bootcamp on October 19 in [...]
