Fresh funding for online hotel booking start-up, SavvyMob
Bengaluru-based SavvyMob, an on-demand mobile marketplace for last minute hotel rooms in India, has closed a seed investment to further expand its product and to strengthen its technology team.The investment is led by Mohandas Pai’s Aarin Capital and includes members of prominent business houses i [...]
Deals for agents on BeMyGuest’s B2B marketplace
Travel agencies can now tap into Asia’s largest database of tours and activities and secure industry rates. BeMyGuest, Asia’s leading aggregator of local tours and activities, has launched a new B2B platform for travel agencies – ‘Agents Marketplace’ – in its bid to meet the needs of the [...]
Reboot of HK Express proves residents are hungry for low cost air travel and booking online
If there is one thing HK Express has proven, it’s that Hong Kong folks have an appetite for low cost air travel – that plus the fact that with the right incentive and marketing, residents of this densely populated city will also book online and direct.I caught up with CEO Andrew Cowen (below) on [...]
Happy 2016: What was over-hyped and what’s coming, Part 1
As 2015 draws to a close, we ask a few of our industry leaders for what they felt was most over-hyped in the year that was, their prediction for 2016 and for good measure, we asked them their one wish for WIT. John Kim, Chief Product Officer, Expedia Inc1. Most over-hyped trend in 2015Self driving c [...]
The Wrap: Malaysia’s first shariah-compliant airline takes flight
In the news: Focus this week is on new developments in Malaysia - the country’s first shariah-compliant airline commences service, BookDoc partners with MyTeksi, Firefly codeshares with Malaysia Airlines Bhd.Malaysia’s first shariah-compliant airline takes flight The already crowded skies over M [...]
Travelstart makes inroads in Middle East
Depending on which part of the world you’re in, Travelstart is either a household name or an unknown entity. This is not unusual: most businesses begin by building a platform to cater to local markets and remain most recognisable within their native region.But things might be changing for one OTA. [...]
Myanmar, the new, golden land of opportunity for online travel
Pulling back the curtains on the Myanmar’s startup scene, Heang Chhor, founder and managing partner of Qualgro ASEAN Fund (pictured right) highlighted tourism, online travel, healthcare, financial services and education as prime opportunities in the emerging market during the Echelon Thailand 2015 [...]
US$500m new wings to fly for Tuniu, Chinese outbound still powering on
The US$500 million investment to be made by HNA Tourism into Tuniu, the Chinese online leisure travel company, will give Tuniu wings to fly and, more importantly, “greatly help us when we are organising our own package tours”.Conor Yang, CFO of Tuniu, told WIT that HNA’s ownership of 12 differ [...]
Amadeus Next wants to build ecosystem to nurture travel tech startups
Amadeus Next believes that “connectivity in the community” is the missing link towards fostering more startup opportunities in travel and wants to build up an ecosystem to nurture travel tech startups.Simon Akeroyd, vice president of corporate strategy and business development of Amadeus for Asi [...]
GeoTourist wants to walk with you
Shaon Talukder, a young technorepreneur from London, knows how to pitch. When I first met him at the WIT 2015 conference, he raised an interesting question: what if your business idea puts others out of work? Not that GeoTourist, a location-based social media platform has any dark ambitions. In fact [...]
