The “shopping cart” no longer evades travel as Agoda becomes one of the first to launch feature
IT’S interesting to note that, despite leading e-commerce transactions globally, travel and hospitality booking platforms have largely existed without this standard mechanism of online sales - the shopping cart.
This week, Agoda became one of the first online travel agencies to offer this fun [...]
What do metaverse, ChatGPT mean for a destination like Singapore?
Blended answers, by man and machine
Keith Tan, chief executive officer of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), opened his agency’s media briefing this week by jesting, “I’d like to confirm that ChatGPT didn’t write the press release.” (See related article)
Curious, I decided to start a [...]
Tech In Travel: A new way of selling cruises; VR gains new friends; the sector that ‘knows too much’ but not enough; cruise ships get TikTok
Cruisebound, a new online travel agency for cruise travel, has launched with US$10 million in Series A funding, led by former Booking Holdings chairman and Priceline CEO Jeff Boyd and PAR Capital Ventures.
Other participants are TripAdvisor founder and former CEO Steve Kaufer, Concur founder and [...]
Bus, ferry, or train? Bookaway prepares for a surge as travellers return and China reopens
“We’re focusing on getting the business back post-Covid and scaling really, really fast with our existing operators.”
When we last spoke about Bookaway, it was Noam Toister, CEO and co-founder of Bookaway Group, who said that business in Asia was more affected than elsewhere because it was re [...]
Looking to double numbers in 2023, Singapore plots path to full recovery
Amid changing customer trends, STB to invest $110m in events, plans Rewards scheme
ON the Grab ride I took to attend the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) media briefing this morning – to unveil its 2022 tourism results – the driver told me he used to run one of Singapore’s top limousine transfer [...]
Guide: Consider humans first when building a sustainable AI system in Travel Product Distribution
Building a sustainable AI system for Travel Product Distribution is going to be on a lot of people’s minds in this coming year and beyond. So, what do we need to get right if we are to be players?
This post intends to outline what is required and, from a management point of view, what needs to be [...]
Top of the WiT 14: China reopens, Singapore’s soft power, and a poem from the “human ChatGPT”
Top Of The WiT is a grab of the trendiest news that happened this week in travel, tech and Asia - all condensed into a quick-and-easy nugget-sized podcast.
On this week's episode, we hear from two industry experts on China's reopening and what's in store for the country's tourism scene, as well [...]
Tech in Travel: A key to unlocking exclusive experiences, international airport seeks startups, LYFE enriching offers, capital market experts eyeing travel
NFTs are continuing to make news. Online membership and loyalty programme DayAway has created the Founder's Key, a collection of 500 limited-edition NFTs that will unlock a range of experiences and VIP benefits from hospitality, travel, retail, wellness and F&B brands worldwide
DayAway's Foun [...]
The art of conversations: The difference between an AI GPT and Human GPT
Tip: Make sure the way you speak cannot be replicated by a machine
After having had lots of morning conversations with my new-found friend, GPT, you can imagine my delight when I got to mingle with real humans at an arts event the other evening in Singapore.
First, I had to adjust myself to a hu [...]
The silver linings playbook for travel in 2023
AMID the dark clouds gathering that could dampen travel – recession, inflation, an ongoing war, pandemic still in play – it’s good to focus on the silver linings. So, we asked a selection of travel industry leaders for the silver lining they’re keeping their eye on.
Ross Veitch, C [...]
