Letter from Cape Town: Of luxury living, butts and dogs
“You stopping off in Johannesburg?” asked the Singapore Airlines stewardess. “No, I am getting off in Cape Town,” I replied. “Good,” she responded. “Better. Safer.”
Clearly a woman of few words, she captured the essence of what makes Africa travel so different from everywhere else [...]
Africa will chart its own course: AI, tech and local know-how will unlock potential
When Zachariah George, of Launch Africa Ventures, moved to Africa after 15 years ago, there were more mobile phones in Manhattan than the whole of Africa. Today there are more mobile phone lines in Africa than the whole of North America, including Mexico and Central America.
That phenomenal shift [...]
The future of Northeast Asia travel is online
WiT Japan & North Asia returns to Tokyo, May 26-27
The future of Northeast Asia travel is online, with Phocuswright predicting that the region will smash through another barrier in online travel bookings by 2026, reaching $30 billion.
The latest Phocuswright Northeast Asia Travel Market Repo [...]
Navigating APAC’s rich, fragmented short-term rental market
Hybrid hospitality, shifting regulations and the 'White Lotus effect' are changing the way owners deal with their rental properties
Unlike more uniform markets, APAC’s short-term rental (STR) industry is highly localised, requiring a flexible approach to regulation, distribution, and guest experi [...]
WiT & Phocuswright return to Middle East to unlock promise of a growth region
There is no doubt that the Middle East is a region on the rise, buoyed by the investments being made in Saudi Arabia as it strives to meet its target of 150 million tourists by 2030.
Phocuswright’s annual Middle East Travel Market Report, issued in 2024, forecasts a 40% growth in the region’s t [...]
UAE air market projected to reach $5.4 billion by 2028
Nasdaq-listed MakeMyTrip emerges as the market leader in UAE’s OTA air landscape, currently valued at $3.9 billion
India-based travel research and M&A advisory company VIDEC Consultants, for the first time, has sized the GCC & Egypt travel market opportunity from a highly complex demand-s [...]
Chinese travel and spending surge during Lunar New Year holiday
Alipay reports rise in spending in cosmetic surgery, Fliggy sees growth in international cruises and car rentals
Both Alipay and Fliggy, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group, have recorded significant surges in Chinese travel spending, in both outbound and inbound, during the Lunar New Year [...]
Record-breaking 2024 for air travel with Asia-Pacific leading the charge
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released 2024 full-year and December 2024 passenger market performance showing record high demand.
Total full-year traffic in 2024 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 10.4% compared to 2023. This was 3.8% above pre-pandemic [...]
Who’s spending more and where they’re going in 2025
From multi-tripping to sustainability - 10 travel trends travel providers need to know this year
Travel technology solutions provider, Sabre, surveyed its team members and analysed its industry data to uncover the key trends shaping travel this year. The findings highlight how leisure travellers ar [...]
Sustainability, Gen AI, and the forces moving ASEAN tourism in 2025
Malaysia is setting ambitious tourism goals with Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM 2026), aiming to attract 35.6 million visitors and generate RM147.1 billion in tourism revenue. The ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2025, held in Johor Bahru, spotlighted key strategies to achieve these targets, including sustainabil [...]
