Start-up trends to watch as ‘new Japan’ emerges
As an online travel start-up myself – I started travel.jp, a meta-search site in Japan, 12 years ago – it’s been interesting to watch the evolution of the Japanese online start-up scene.Unlike the US, where Silicon Valley has been around for almost 40 years – so remember, it didn’t happen [...]
The Wrap: MAS in expansion mode to widen network and boost revenue
In the news: MAS expands route network, Jetstar top LCC in Japan, mobile apps from CheckInTonght and transavia.comMAS in expansion mode to widen network and boost revenue Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is adding a new route to Kochi, India, reinstating flights to Dubai (UAE) and Darwin (Australia) and in [...]
Offline drives online – how Asiarooms creates brand experiences
Last weekend (July 5-7), Singaporeans gathering at popular youth hangout Orchard Cineleisure had the chance to experience Singapore’s first mobile pop-up hotel, created by Asiarooms.In the weeks prior, the mobile pop-up hotel had appeared in Raffles Place and Raffles City as part of Asiarooms’ [...]
Discovering ASEAN the thematic way
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is promoting six experiential and creative travel themes to encourage multi-country trips across Southeast Asia as part of the ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy 2012-2015.The themes, illustrating the region's diversity, are "The Tastes of Southeas [...]
Asians offered a chance to go to space
Space tourism has arrived in Asia with Netherlands-based Space Expedition Corporation setting up an office in Hong Kong - SXC Asia - to strengthen its customer network especially in Greater China.This latest move would take SXC one step closer to making space travel more accessible and affordabl [...]
Flocations beefs up to take meta-search battle into a new area
Along with its pivot to becoming a meta-search for travel packages,Flocations is hoping that its appointment of a heavyweight board of directors will help it get the traction it requires to scale.This week, the Singapore-based start-up which started life as a meta-search for air fares, using a cool [...]
WIT Start-Up Pitch 2013: Call For Entries
At WIT Indonesia in March, a hotel meta-search, lagisatu.com with a halal filter, won our start-up competition. In Tokyo in May, Relux, a “satisfaction-guaranteed” online marketplace for Japanese inns – ryokans – walked away with the first prize. Who will win this October?Well, the answer [...]
SOTA.travel expands in bid to build marketplace for packages
Malaysia-based SOTA.travel is scaling its content to cover more countries in the region – namely Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar – as it continues on its mission to become the marketplace for travel packages across Asia.The company acts as a trading platform where travel agents can l [...]
The changing nature of work and the critical role of mentors
I feel like I’ve won the jackpot. This week, I was told I was randomly picked out of 13,000 people in Singapore to be interviewed for a new survey the government is doing on job skills.So feeling lucky – actually I felt sorry for the student who showed up at my door, he had this air of being use [...]
The Wrap: Tiger Airways Australia becomes Tigerair
In the news: Tiger Airways Australia rebrands, China and Russia booking travel online, TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Attractions awards, travellers and airport featuresTiger Airways Australia becomes TigerairLow cost airline, Tiger Airways Australia, on July 3 announced a major rebranding as T [...]
