GDS jostling for the road ahead – Sabre boosts Asia, Amadeus scoops Navitaire, Travelport buys MTT
It is clear that the traditional giants of travel, once called Global Distribution Systems (GDS), are positioning themselves for the future battle ahead.Sabre Corporation is betting on Asia – in May, it acquired the remaining 65% stake in Abacus, the Asian GDS, from its shareholder airlines for a [...]
WIT Warrior Spotlight: Priceline’s APAC champion Adrian Currie salutes early and future entrepreneurs
At the WIT Conference last year in Singapore, we recognised 11 individuals whom we felt have had the most influence on the development of online travel in Asia Pacific. This is the sixth article in a series of interviews profiling the WIT Warriors.As one of the first APAC-based heads for Priceline G [...]
Kazakhstan’s Aviata.kz plans launch in Indonesia
Aviata.kz, a two-year-old Kazakhstan flight OTA, is getting set to enter Indonesia through a partnership and will be launching aviata.Indonesia soon. Said CBDO Alexey Li, “We believe we have the technology and we understand travel, and we have found a good local partner.”He also believes that t [...]
Letter from Melbourne: Can the city of independents fend off Uberisation?
In a world of bad news – terrorism in Tunisia, terrorism in Charleston, USA, economic disaster in Greece (déjà vu), the MERS scare – I am happy to bring you good news from Melbourne. The spirit of the independent is alive and well in this city which I was told repeatedly will become Australia� [...]
WIT Warrior Spotlight: Ram’s still waiting for breakout pan-Asian online travel brand
At the WIT Conference last year in Singapore, we recognised 11 individuals whom we felt have had the most influence on the development of online travel in Asia Pacific. This is the fifth article in a series of interviews profiling the WIT Warriors.As Phocuswright’s first analyst based in Asia, Ram [...]
A three-party collaboration to enhance the Singapore experience
In the news: Partnership to boost Singapore’s inbound tourism, Twitter on AirAsia planes, SWISS’ new deal with Travelport
A three-party collaboration to enhance the Singapore experience
Three leading players in the Singapore tourism industry - Singapore Airlines (SIA), Changi Airport Group [...]
Best of TW Asia Global Wrap: Disney takes out the big stick to selfies
Featured stories from TravelWeekly Asia: No selfie sticks at Disney theme parks, Singapore Changi Airport’s new premium lounge, cash for travel in GreeceDisney takes out the big stick to selfiesThe Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme parks will no longer permit selfie sticks effective June 30, [...]
Rakuten acquires tours & activities platform, Voyagin
It's official. Rumours had been circulating for a while and today, Rakuten, Inc., Japan’s leading ecommerce site, announced that it has acquired a majority share in Voyagin, Asia’s leading platform to discover and book tours and activities. Cofounded by Masashi Takahashi, Hiroyuki Haya [...]
Maggie White: She called Australia home and she is now at home
She was the soul of discretion. You can imagine that’d be annoying to a pesky, nosy journalist wanting to find out news about the organisation she worked for almost her entire career, but Maggie White had a way of keeping that bit at a distance and yet drawing you close to her way of being.As long [...]
The Wrap: Voluntourism on the rise among Singaporean travellers, inclined towards Asia: ZUJI
In the news: ZUJI’s “Giving Back is the New Black” study, British Airways’ survey on Hong Kong travellers’ habits, Wego’s Apple Watch appVoluntourism on the rise among Singaporean travellers, inclined towards Asia: ZUJI Volunteer travel or Voluntourism is on the rise among Singapore-base [...]
