Sectors
The Wrap: Here’s where Chinese travellers are going to welcome the Year of the Dog
13/02/2018 by WiT
In the news: With the Year of the Dog just around the corner we take a look at where the Chinese people are spending the week-long Spring Festival holidays, and how another Singapore company is wooing Chinese visitors to the city-state. DESTINATIONS: Here’s where Chinese travellers are going to [...]
Startup Inside A Non-Startup, Part 2: 8 Lessons Learned In Starting Kafnu Inside Next Story Group
12/02/2018 by Morris Sim
In my previous post I discussed the cultural differences between being entrepreneurial vs. being corporate. In the last 12 months, I was asked to do a startup, Kafnu, inside Next Story Group. I thought I’d share my experience about what we have done to make it work so far. Entrepreneurial effor [...]
The Wrap: Meet KATE, the intelligent check-in kiosk
08/02/2018 by WiT
In the news: Robots, interactive guestroom assistants and smart gates grab the headlines this week as airports (Kansai and Dubai) and the hospitality industry leverage new technologies to boost efficiency while enhancing user experience at the same time. ROBOTICS: Meet KATE, the intelligent check [...]
SIA launches loyalty digital wallet: Travel retailers are clearly hoping blockchain is their Internet 3.0 moment
08/02/2018 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
The hottest word on the block these days is blockchain. Even though it’s been on the periphery for a few years, it’s been in the shadow of the other hotter word, cryptocurrency. But as the technology underpinning cryptocurrency, it’s been getting more attention of late. Like everyone els [...]
Startup Inside A Non-Startup, Part 1: 12 Differences Between Entrepreneurial v. Corporate Thinking
07/02/2018 by Morris Sim
A year ago, Next Story Group acquired the company I co-founded, Brand Karma, and I joined the team to start a new venture, Kafnu. Since Kafnu’s second opening in Taipei, I’ve had time to think about why it’s difficult to merge the best of startup and corporate worlds to foster innovation. [...]
Now you can use your face to check-in with AirAsia in Malaysia
07/02/2018 by WiT
Everyone can now literally use their face to board an AirAsia flight at Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru, the low cost airline’s southern hub in Malaysia, with the launch of the Fast Airport Clearance Experience System (FACES). The airline, which owns and operates FACES, proudly touts [...]
How Aaron Sarma ventured into Touristly and a 50% deal with AirAsia
06/02/2018 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Other than a little exposure to travel during his stint as country manager at Street Deal, a group buying company in Malaysia, Aaron Sarma knew very little about the vertical. But when he was looking to do his own thing after leaving the daily deals company, the first industry he looked to was tr [...]
More hotel choices for travel buyers with Sabre’s new lodging aggregator content
01/02/2018 by WiT
Sabre Corporation, which announced last September it was developing a new solution that integrates multiple sources of content, will launch the Sabre Content Services for Lodging later this year. The travel technology company has inked agreements with Bedsonline, TravelBound and the Expedia Affi [...]
The Wrap: Alipay rolls out tax refund service in Singapore, a first for Southeast Asia
31/01/2018 by WiT
In the news: Alipay tax refund scheme  launches in Singapore; Asian airlines uses technology in international expansion; BCD Travel in new deal with Amadeus FINANCIAL SERVICES: Alipay rolls out tax refund service in Singapore, a first for Southeast Asia Singapore is the first country in [...]
Demand for holidays at sea makes 2018 the ‘year of the cruise’, Traveltek says
30/01/2018 by WiT
Expectation of an increase in demand for holidays on the ocean and on rivers in the coming 12 months has led to travel technology specialist Traveltek Group calling 2018 the ‘year of the cruise’. According to statistics from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), eight out of 10 agent [...]