IHG bookings from own channels hit 80%
Hotel groups are continuing to invest in their technology and loyalty programs to drive direct business, with Holiday Inn-parent IHG sharing an update in its recent earnings report.
CEO Elie Maalouf said that alongside the investment in its guest reservation system (GRS), an initiative develo [...]
Singing to the Next Generation: How Wendi Koh composed this year’s WiT theme song
In 2015, an idea sparked: Why not have an original song, composed, performed, and produced by a local musician, to mark each year's WiT theme? Wendi Koh, a renowned Singaporean rock artist, answered the call enthusiastically, saying, “Yeah, let’s do it.”
Since then, Wendi has become an inte [...]
Sabre adds protection. MSC Cruises’ mission with emissions. Garuda offers SmartRyde.
Sabre bonds with Protect Group
Sabre says a long-term partnership with Protect Group, a provider of trip protection and guarantee services, will provide hotel guests with increased peace of mind when booking their stays.
Hotels using SynXis Booking Engine can offer Protect Group's trip protectio [...]
Singapore among leading Asian ‘workcation’ cities, ranks 7th worldwide
Budapest named World’s best ‘workcation’ city for 2024
As hybrid working rises, fueling longer ‘workcations’ that offer greater flexibility over how and where employees work, Budapest has been named the best ‘workcation’ city in the world by International Workplace Group’s (IWG) sec [...]
6 key takeaways from the Business Travel Trends & Forecasts Asia Pacific
Nearly 50 corporate travel buyers collectively responsible for buying/managing over $6.4 billion in travel annually registered to attend the BTN Group’s 2nd Annual Business Travel Trends & Forecasts Asia Pacific conference in Singapore last month. With attendees representing Australia, Chin [...]
The secret sauce of “char koay teow”, storytelling and indie travel businesses
AI, it seems, is creeping into everything. In a little eatery called Jiashi Cafe in a local neighbourhood in Penang, far from the madding tourist crowd, the young entrepreneurs running it offer “AI Fried Char Koay Teow”.
For anyone who’s been to Penang, you’ll know that “Char Koay Teow� [...]
HKIA gets smarter. Drone drama at Marina Bay. Sun and Moon rise with TA Network. More.
Smart travel, from home to gate at HKIA
The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has officially launched the world’s first Smartphone Express Bag Drop Service as part of its Flight Token smart technology.
The new service enables passengers to complete online check-in and scan their travel docume [...]
Sabah Convention Bureau is carving its niche with conservation, local values and state culture in mind
CEO, Noredah Othman, is focusing on quality over quantity by tapping into the local MICE industry
As the fairly new CEO of the Sabah Convention Bureau, Noredah Othman plans to use her knowledge of the East Malaysian state from a previous career to achieve the company’s goals. Speaking at the rece [...]
Swiipr vs Crowdstrike. Kanagawa calling digital nomads. Travel agents to the rescue. More.
Travel agents to the rescue
Searching and booking travel directly from travel providers has become more time-consuming and complicated than ever, according to Travelport’s 2024 State of Modern Retailing Report.
The report combines international independent research, cross-industry comparisons [...]
How many giants can Asia hold? Agoda’s Teja and Trip.com’s Xie on competition, expansion and making sense of new tech
Calling Trip.com Group and Agoda ‘industry giants’ would certainly be an understatement. Both companies have expanded rapidly over the last few years, dominating regional demographics and adding more verticals to their platforms while becoming one-stop booking shops for many travellers in the re [...]
