Banks see travel as a path to high-value loyalty, but trust is tricky.
Agoda's Damien Pfirsch on why travel is no longer a side perk for financial and loyalty brands, but one of the most valuable, and hardest to get right, customer relationships in their portfolio.
Travel used to be the reward you cashed in your points for. Now it's shaping up to be one of the most po [...]
Asia Pacific travellers seek familiarity and practicality amid shifting global dynamics
Visa’s 2026 Global Travel Intentions study shows how Asia Pacific travellers seek trusted destinations, plan with greater intent, and seek flexibility to navigate global uncertainties
Visa has unveiled key findings from the 2026 Global Travel Intentions (GTI) study, the latest edition of its f [...]
Where the Japan inbound opportunity found HeyMax
HeyMax’s first exposure to the Japanese market was at WiT Japan 2025 where he met Lu Dong, founder of TakeMe, a booking portal for Japan’s top restaurants. The two startups sealed a partnership agreement which allowed HeyMax customers to earn miles when dining at TakeMe’s restaurants.
The r [...]
Innovation out of necessity: Why banks are winning traveller engagement in Africa
When Stephan Ekbergh, the Swedish-born founder of Travelstart, compares South African banks to those in his homeland, the verdict is blunt: “When I go back to Sweden, I feel like I'm moving back to the Middle Ages.”
And Michelle Munemo, Standard Bank's Executive Lead for Travel and Head of CV [...]
Fly first, earn later: How HeyMax wants to turn loyalty upside down
Joe Lu has a simple problem with loyalty programmes. You earn for months, sometimes years, working towards a reward that may be devalued, unavailable, or simply not worth the wait by the time you get there. The goalpost, as he puts it, can move at any time.
So he decided to move it first.
HeyM [...]
“Total Trip Value” as the new benchmark for Southeast Asia business travel
As companies scale across borders, a new study from SAP Concur across Southeast Asia reveals a shift in corporate travel management: the move from simple cost management to total trip value.
The 2026 Southeast Asia Business Travel Pulse Survey, which surveyed over 150 travel decision-makers acros [...]
74% of Asia Pacific consumers use AI to shop, but trust decides the checkout
Findings from Visa’s State of Digital Commerce in Asia Pacific study, commissioned by Visa and conducted by YouGov, surveying 14,764 consumers across 14 markets.
Visa has released new survey findings on the state of digital commerce in Asia Pacific, revealing that while consumers are increasing [...]
Inside the hidden mechanics of rate leakage with Expedia Group’s Steve Quan
Steve Quan, SVP of Hotel Enterprise Partnerships at Expedia Group, lifts the lid on one of hospitality’s most persistent revenue problems - rate leakage. Expedia’s latest survey found that 98% of hoteliers are affected, but what’s really behind the problem? Steve challenges the obvious assumpt [...]
Unpacking the future of money in motion, B2B travel payments with Visa’s Jay Patel | WiT Studio
What does a frictionless travel experience look like, and how do we get there?
In an interview inside the WiT Studio with Jay Patel, Global Account Director - B2B Travel at Visa, we get into the pivotal technologies shaping the movement of money for businesses in the travel sector. Patel sheds lig [...]
flyadeal and HTS launch Cancel for Any Reason and Premium Disruption Assistance in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing low-cost carrier brings more flexibility to passengers with HTS’ Cancel for Any Reason and Premium Disruption Assistance
flyadeal, Saudi Arabia's fast-growing low-cost airline and travel technology platform HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions) have announced the laun [...]
