Daddy, keep looking! From mascots to markets, travel moves from brochures to social
Travel has always been about escape — sometimes from your four walls before a renovation, sometimes from a nagging boss, sometimes from yourself. But today, more than ever, travel is also about inspiration. And inspiration is social.
Nowhere was that clearer than at Klook Kreatorverse 2025 — [...]
Hidden gems have expiry dates: Why social must keep uncovering
I asked Wilfred Fan, Chief Commercial Officer of Klook, a question: When a hidden gem is listed on Klook, is it still hidden?
His reply came quick, straight, almost matter-of-fact: “At the moment our team explores them, they are hidden. After review and release, they’re no longer hidden. Th [...]
Viral is cheap. Value takes time. Why indie influencers matter now more than ever
“We're not the big fish,” said Klook Kreator Amer Ridzuan, in a video promoting his speaking slot at WiT Indie. “We're the anchovies.”
Cue laughter, but the message was serious.
This wasn’t your typical influencer panel built on vanity metrics and polished promo reels. At WiT Indie, th [...]
Renaissance, luxury, freedom: The three faces of hospitality at WiT Indie
You couldn't find three more different hoteliers if you tried but Chris Ong, Doris Goh Nixon Chin, sharing their stories at WiT Indie in Penang, share one thing in common – they are each driven by a common mission to create spaces that matter to today’s travellers.
One wants to bring about a [...]
The Soundtrack of Serendipity: From Cardiff choirs to Stockholm street beats
Your desk is, I believe, a good reflection of who you are. On mine, I have a giant mug that says, “Organised people are just too lazy to look for things.” Beside it is a framed photo of David Bowie, quote, “I don't know where I’m going from here but I promise it won’t be boring.”
So, [...]
Malaysia retains the top spot among OIC destinations, new trends shaping Halal travel
10th annual Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index spotlights leading Muslim-friendly destinations worldwide
As awareness of Muslim travellers’ needs grows, Halal travel is increasingly shaping how destinations design and deliver experiences. According to the newly released 2025 Mas [...]
How AlUla is tackling seasonality and storytelling
“If you had told me a year ago that Banyan Tree and Habitas would be running 70-80% occupancy in April, I’d have laughed.”
That was Melanie de Souza, Executive Director of Destination Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), reflecting on what she now sees as a turni [...]
What it takes to win in social: Be a pinball wizard, storyteller, experimenter
“If you think you know your customers, think again.”
That mic-drop moment came from Eason Zhang, TikTok’s Head of Strategic Apps, South-east Asia, during a spirited panel on how social media is redefining travel discovery, influence and commerce at the Preferred Global Conference 2025 in Sing [...]
Women travellers in Asia driving new hospitality trends in 2025
Agoda recently unveiled the top women’s travel trends in Asia revealing that women across Asia are charting a different course than their male counterparts when it comes to holiday plans.
From a stronger appetite for new destinations to a preference for traveling with family and friends, wome [...]
Chinese travellers go all out on social: “Adapt or miss out”, says Dida’s Rikin Wu
Dida’s CEO Rikin Wu has called attention to changing Chinese traveller demand as well as the significant shift in the distribution landscape, cautioning that hoteliers must “adapt to the new Chinese market needs or miss out on the world’s biggest outbound market”.
Speaking with internati [...]
