Letter from Singapore: 8 key takeaways on creating “Better Travel”
From opportunity markets to product innovations to new tech, a lot was discussed at this week’s WIT Conference in Singapore. Here are the eight key takeaways.
The Next Billion Users and it will all be mobile
Most of the major travel brands, from Facebook to Google to Airbnb, are eyei [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: How Asian hotel groups keep their home advantage in a changing world
Home grown independent, owner-controlled hotel groups are mushrooming in Asia, and are competing not only among themselves but also in a world of scale, consolidation and distribution power. How do they fend off the global competition? By localisation, personalisation and doing things differently, s [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: YouTubers are prime customers of travel, shows Google survey
In Asia Pacific, the average traveller watches about two hours of videos a day, travels five times a year, and spends $3,657 on travel a year.
This was part of the findings from a new piece of research by Google presented by Ryan Ferguson, sector lead of travel, Asia Pacific, Google at day tw [...]
GuestReady receives additional US$3m funding, acquires Easy Rental Services
Activity in the alternative accommodation space is picking up pace with GuestReady, a short-term rental management service, receiving a new round of funding.
The relatively young industry is already beginning to see consolidation as GuestReady also announced its acquisition of Easy Rental Service [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Traditional hotels can stay relevant in era of alternative accommodation – get local
While mature markets are seeing a shift in hospitality from traditional hotels to alternative accommodations, in younger markets such as Indonesia, there are people whose first trips are already with alternative hotels.
Graham Hills, chief commercial officer, BeMyGuest, said: “It’s not ne [...]
Klook to expand global footprint with US$60 million injection
Klook has completed a near US$60 million Series C funding which represents the largest deal ever for an in-destination service booking platform.
The proceeds of the funding will be used to finance global expansion and accelerate product growth and innovation, it said [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Cruise panel highlights Asia growth, emerging markets, technology
As Asia looks set to become the largest cruise market in the world, sea and river cruises companies said they have their eyes set on secondary cities in the region’s emerging markets.
Sean Treacy (right), managing director, Asia Pacific, Royal Caribbean Cruises, said the market he finds “ [...]
WIT 2017 Conference: Rail is real (big) business
Rail travel is a huge business. The industry is estimated to be worth US$350 billion – about two-thirds the airline industry.
In India, for example, 90% of the population have never flown but everyone would have travelled by the railway — run and subsidised by the government.
Aloke Baj [...]
Biggest influencers in Asia’s online travel honoured in WIT’s inaugural Hall of Fame
The biggest influencers in Asia’s online travel industry were recognised in WIT’s inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony last night.
“As the APAC travel industry stands at the threshold of another inflexion point – one that will see the true blending of online and offline travel to become one [...]
WIT Bootcamp 2017: How 3 entrepreneurs are making rooms for their dreams
The hospitality sector is not an easy one to create startup in as it’s not only fragmented and diverse but also getting more competitive, Yet, there are many brave entrepreneurs out there who are willing to take a shot at it.
Three of these startups took to the stage at WIT Bootcamp in Singap [...]
