Concerns over Google and what “cockroach” startup Rome2rio is doing to make buses, boats and trains bookable
Yeoh Siew Hoon catches up with Rome2rio executive chairman Rod Cuthbert over breakfast at a café in Amsterdam where he frets about the growing power of Google and talks about the evolution of multi-modal travel as well as how the Melbourne-based “cockroach” startup intends to compete in a world [...]
Letter from Amsterdam Part 2: Fear of ghosts and bikes, and trends that rock in Asia
In Amsterdam, I stayed at the Grand Amrath Hotel. It’s reputed to be haunted. I didn’t know it because unlike 80% of travellers who read reviews before they book a hotel, I didn’t do any research.
I stayed there because it was the hotel of choice for the Phocuswright team. It’s a very [...]
AirAsia strengthens ancillary portfolio with purchase of travel planning startup Touristly for US$2.6m
Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia has acquired a 50% stake in Malaysia-based online travel planner, Touristly, through an asset injection and loan deal valued at RM11.5 million (US$2.6 million).
Launched in June 2015, Touristly describes itself as a “travel platform that helps trav [...]
WIT Startup Pitch calls for new entries; celebrates past winners now successful ventures
The annual WIT Startup Pitch, an event that has been catalyst for a number of successful businesses, is now receiving submissions for its WIT Japan & North Asia 2017 tour in June.
The WIT Startup Pitch, supported by Amadeus Next, gives participants an opportunity to be coached by industry vet [...]
It’s a Spanish welcome to metasearch for alternative accommodation
Spanish tech company Hundredrooms has found a niche entering the metasearch space within the disparate alternative accommodation market in Europe. Establishing itself first within Spain in 2014, it has since branched out to Italy, Germany, France, Mexico and the U.K. It is soon to expand into the La [...]
Eight Essential Takeaways from WIT Hospitality 2017
The second WIT Hospitality conference took place on March 28 at Hotel ICON last week. The Silverbox Ballroom teemed with industry characters ranging from C-class executives to fresh-faced students only just embarking on their hospitality careers.
The conference dove deep into topics that continue [...]
Gibergues’ view of online travel: New trends being set in Asia, Skyscanner & Ctrip will bring marketplace model to the world
Having just spent three months based in its Asia offices, Sebastien Gibergues, Head of Leisure and Online Travel at Amadeus, is better able to appreciate the different way the Asia online travel market is developing compared to Europe and the US.
“I also spent a lot of time in the US previously [...]
WIT Special: Do startups really need to be an ecosystem to thrive? Hark the rise of the middle kingdom in Asia
The recently-released Global Startup Ecosystem Report and Ranking 2017 by Startup Genome stirs up debate over the necessity of startups to thrive and if the startup world at large is overlooking the less obvious opportunities in a rising Asia, that is, its secondary cities.
The report, based on [...]
The Millennial Traveller: The secrets behind cultivating real talent in hospitality
The second WIT Hospitality conference took place at Hotel ICON this week, one of Hong Kong’s more forward-thinking teaching hotels. The day saw close on 200 delegates attending, ranging from the usual CEO figureheads from major hotel groups to characters from ambitious startups.
Among them too [...]
BeMyGuest recognised as Ctrip’s most valued strategic partner
BeMyGuest has made the news again – this time being awarded ‘Best Strategic Partner 2016’ by China’s largest online travel agency Ctrip at its annual partners’ conference, the China Travelers’ Forum and the International Tourism Industry Summit 2017.
The Asian attractions, tours and a [...]
