Letter from Tokyo: Subtle changes speak of a deeper shift
For the last eight years, I’ve been visiting Tokyo pretty regularly – more so after visa restrictions for Malaysians (and the rest of South-east Asia) were lifted a couple of years ago. But it’s only this year that I am noticing discernible changes in the visitor experience for foreigners.
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Letter from Macau: Will they still come? Taking a bet on the future
My first impression on entering Macau after two years away is it’s still being built – it was exactly the same impression I had from the last visit as well. The airport is being built, Cotai Strip is still being built, there are cranes everywhere and you wonder how in a small place like this for [...]
The Millennial Traveller: Not all dogs need new tricks, says Walk Japan’s Paul Christie
A conversation with Paul Christie, the CEO of Walk Japan, takes a fair bit of contemplation.
While much of our chat revolved around Walk Japan and its success as a tour operator in Japan, very little technical corporate travel jargon was used. There was no talk of social media strategy, direct bo [...]
Dreamers may still win the day in online travel as brands go “upper funnel”
Ten years ago, we struggled to get the word “inspiration” mentioned at online travel conferences. Everyone was more interested in clicks, conversions and transactions.
I remember a debate we had at the WIT Conference over “Inspiration vs Transaction” and the dreamers among us voted with o [...]
Art in hotels, and the role it can play in the grey space
This was my third stay at The Gibson in Dublin. I like this hotel. It has the right touch of creativity without being too contrived. Its staff are friendly without trying to be too cool. Its rooms are contemporary in design but functional and comfortable.
Themed around music – it’s located ri [...]
Google’s quest to become our personal travel assistant – to be loved or feared?
You could almost feel the air being sucked out of the room as Oliver Heckmann of Google closed off Day 1 of Phocuswright Dublin with a talk on everything the world’s largest search engine was doing in travel. I sensed everyone was grappling with the massive implications everyone of its products wo [...]
This was the news today – consolidation continues, money flows in, Huston exits
Proving that there’s never a dull moment in travel, while WIT Indonesia was happening inside the ballroom of Grand Nikko Bali yesterday, these things happened in the world outside.One, China’s HNA Group, which is on its path to building a global travel empire, buys Carlson Hotels Inc., owner of [...]
Letter from Bali: It’s Indonesia’s time in the digital sun
It’s a full flight. The beginning of a long weekend for Singaporeans and Bali’s always a quick and good two-hour-flight escape for stressed out city folks.There are lots of Australians too on the flight, connecting via Changi which, to no one’s surprise, has just been named “best airport to [...]
Letter from Penang: The artists who call it home and the making of a festival
It was a wonderful coincidence that on the Sunday I was in Penang to mark the Ching Ming (All Soul’s Day) festival, it happened to be the night for “Whispers of George Town Festival”.It was a sneak preview for media as well as the local artist community to get an idea of what’s in store for [...]
I stayed in four hotels in 10 days. Here’s my report card.
Recently, I did one of those crazy city hops – going from Hong Kong to Seoul to Bangkok and Saigon in 10 days. In the process, I stayed in four hotels that, to me, capture the diversity of hospitality in Asia and how the industry's changed, and is evolving.Hotel ICON, Hong Kong This is a city know [...]
