Technology
Sabre buys Techsembly. AI helps rhinos. Booking.com’s new Trip Planner is here.
06/07/2023 by Ian Jarrett
Sabre swoops on gift card leader Sabre Hospitality has moved closer to its long-term strategy to be the leading global hotel commerce and distribution platform by acquiring UK-based hospitality e-commerce provider Techsembly. Techsembly provides an automated e-commerce solution enabling hotels t [...]
Why the medium-term is critical to AI disruption
05/07/2023 by Omri Morgenshtern
What is more natural than a conversation? This may be the biggest promise of generative or autonomous AI. Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of Agoda, gets to grips with the possibilities of Generative AI in travel in the short to medium term. It seems there are two distinct camps when it comes to the futur [...]
Wanderlust vs economic uncertainty: Over half of APAC travellers stay confident in their travel plans
05/07/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Singaporean travelers demonstrate a strong commitment to spending their money on experiences rather than fleeting pleasures. Booking.com recently unveiled its much-anticipated APAC Travel Confidence Index (TCI) for 2023, offering an analysis of travel mindsets in the region. Despite financial conc [...]
Blogxiety is real. NFTs keep Bali’s culture. Traxo tracks NDC, more.
30/06/2023 by Ian Jarrett
NFTs help to preserve Bali’s culture and artisans Craftsmen in Bali are among  11 artisans from Indonesia who are helping to protect the country's heritage and culture by placing their work on Web3, a web feature that includes blockchain technology. A BBC report reveals the artisans have joi [...]
Spotnana and United Airlines look to create seamless traveller journeys with NDC integration
29/06/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Direct NDC integration supports bookings, post-ticketing changes, real-time analytics, and servicing through a modern retailing experience Spotnana, a travel infrastructure company, has unveiled its strategic collaboration with United Airlines to introduce direct NDC integration, providing seamless [...]
Rapid surge in chargebacks poses challenges for travel companies, reveals Outpayce study
28/06/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Perceived difficulties in obtaining refunds and increasing traveler awareness of ‘chargebacks’ driving 30% year-over-year growth A recent study conducted by Outpayce has shed light on the significant rise in chargebacks faced by travel companies, signaling a growing concern within t [...]
Northstar Travel Group launches The Meetings Show Asia Pacific in 2024, hosted in Singapore
27/06/2023 by WiT
"There was an opportunity to bring our world class experiences to the Asia Pacific meetings market under the established and successful brand of The Meetings Show.” Northstar Travel Group, the leading B-to-B information, events and marketing solutions company in the travel industry, announces the [...]
utu tackles tax-free shopping with US$33 million deal, acquires fintech startup CardsPal
26/06/2023 by WiT
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the travel industry is projected to reach US$9.5 trillion in 2023, representing 95% of the pre-pandemic peak in 2019. Despite this rebound, McKinsey reports that only about 1% of venture funding over the past 15 years has been allocated to the trave [...]
Building Meili and Manna: How Bobby Healy wants to end “fiasco of car hire brokering” and change the world of delivery
26/06/2023 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
The one thing you can count on when you speak to Bobby Healy is, he’s a straight shooter. When you ask him why he founded Meili Travel Technology, his new car rental business in direct competition with CarTrawler, the company he helped build over 15 years, his answer, “It was the right thing to [...]
As tours & activities heat up, Go City keeps focus on profitability
26/06/2023 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
Singapore from zero to hero, “people will always travel to cities,” says Jon Owen Let’s face it. The tours and activities sector is blazing hot again. GetYourGuide’s latest fund raise of $194 million of equity and debt financing, valuing it at nearly $2 billion, was the talk of the town at [...]