Expedia’s US$350m investment in Traveloka: ASEAN’s first travel unicorn set to fly higher
It’s finally happened – Traveloka, the Indonesian online travel agency, that’s been streaking ahead in the world’s fifth largest domestic market, has received a US$350 million minority investment from Expedia, with analysts saying this values it around US$2 billion, making it Southeast Asia� [...]
AccorHotels merges its private holiday rental companies under a single brand – onefinestay
AccorHotels will group its three holiday home and villa rental companies –Travel Keys, Squarebreak and onefinestay – under the onefinestay brand before the end of the year.
The integration will see onefinestay offering over 10,000 properties in six continents – from metropolitan centres suc [...]
The Wrap: U-Explore – new online booking platform from Klook and HK Express
This week partnerships throughout Asia make the news – Klook with HK Express, Minor Hotels and Cendyn, Red Planet Hotels and SiteMinder
TRAVEL: U-Explore – new online booking platform from Klook and HK Express
Klook Travel (Klook), Hong Kong-based tour and activities booking startup, has [...]
Guest Post: The evolving landscape of the world’s largest business travel market – Asia
Bertrand Saillet (below right), general manager at FCM Travel Solutions Southeast Asia, shares some insights into the rapidly expanding Asian business market, and what lies ahead for travel companies operating in the region.
Asia accounts for more than a third of US$1 trillion in annual spending [...]
Letter from Kuching: Lessons for small earthlings in second cities
Just returned from Kuching and on the AirAsia flight to Singapore, I was reflecting on how the combination of low cost airlines and the web, specifically social media, has changed the fortunes and aspirations of folks living in second cities in Asia.
I hail from a secondary city myself, Penang, a [...]
Crans-Montana to host 2nd European Mountain Travel Summit
The 2nd annual European Mountain Travel Summit (EMTS) will be held on 9-11 January, 2018 at Crans-Montana in the heart of the Swiss Alps, which has a state-of-the-art convention centre located within walking distance from lodging and lifts.
EMTS, a fully owned subsidiary of Northstar Travel Group [...]
Have yuan, will travel: Trends and behaviours of outbound Chinese travellers
The Chinese are travelling and spending, showing no sign of reducing their vacations abroad despite many key indicators showing signs of a slowdown in the Chinese economy.
In fact, Chinese travellers will continue to travel and spend more in the next 12 months, according Hotels.com’s Chinese [...]
Letter from Sydney: Chatbots are hot but they are no silver bullet
Travelport Live in Sydney kicked off with two female “robot” dancers wearing suits that were more lit up than a Christmas tree, their robot-like movements a hint of where the discussions at the one-and-a-half day conference would be heading.
Futurist Ross Dawson opened with a br [...]
The Wrap: Trip Assist helps APAC agencies engage with ‘always-on’ travellers
In the news: Trip Assist app for APAC agencies, CWT’s new hotel division, ‘Game of Thrones’ impact on destinations, Batik Air’s first GDS partnership with Sabre
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY: Trip Assist helps APAC agencies engage with ‘always-on’ travellers
Travel agents and TMCs in t [...]
BeMyGuest raises Series A funding, plans to accelerate growth across Asia
BeMyGuest, one of the fastest growing tour and activities booking platforms in Asia, closed its Series A round of funding on July 13, led by Raffles Venture Partners and renowned technology investor, Koh Boon Hwee and his group of investors.
Also participating in the round are SPRING SEEDS Capita [...]
