WIT Speakers Corner: Symes since inception, Wego where next?
When I asked Martin when his first WIT experience was, he quickly answered, '“I’m a WIT old-timer.” Indeed, he's been there since inception and this year, naturally, he will be there again.Martin Symes is the CEO of Singapore-based Wego, a travel search engine that simplifies your life when yo [...]
Letter from the road: The differences between Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi and Dubai
At Hong Kong airport, a PA announcement warns us about two viruses – one that sounds like a beer and one that rhymes with beer (Corona-something and MERS) – and advises us to refrain from touching “poultry, birds and camels” on our travels.Having just zipped through Abu Dhabi and Dubai, wher [...]
Letter from Abu Dhabi: First time on Etihad and a city in the making
After a month of not travelling, I feel distinctly out of practice. It takes me longer to pack than usual. And I had to turn back twice to pick up stuff I had forgotten – like my passport. Pretty essential for any trip out of Singapore.This time, I am headed for Abu Dhabi and it’s my first time [...]
Content power moving back to the professionals, at least I’d like to think so
Since the media world got flattened like roti prata, and everyone can make one – you can buy them frozen at the supermarket and just lightly toss them in a hot pan and voila, you've got a crispy one – us journalists have been wondering where to run for cover since now everyone can write as well. [...]
Social media as whinge outlets and the pool with Brag Plus Factor …
I was having lunch with a hotelier this week when our conversation turned to social media and tools such as Local Measure which allows businesses like hotels to pick up location-based chatter among guests. The idea is then to surprise customers with something unexpected or to pre-empt complaints. (W [...]
WIT Day Two – New Zealand’s House of Travel is WIT’s Groovy Marketer
House of Travel, New Zealand was hailed as Web In Travel’s first Groovy Marketer at its annual conference this week as part of its inaugural WITovation Awards 2011, presented by Amadeus Asia.The Christchurch-based tour operator was chosen by WIT for an innovative mix-and-match game on Facebook [...]
WIT Ideas Lab – The new image of luxury
It seems that after a hiatus, luxury is back, especially in Asia. Hotel and airline revenues are up, occupancies are up, average room rates are recovering and there is in general more activity in the market, something we haven't seen since the heydays of 2007/08. Today's panel, consisting of Paul K [...]
A call to WITNext: Don’t make the mistakes I made
Like many students graduating from high school I was unsure what I wanted to do. I thought that working in the travel industry would be great and that the languages I had studied in high school would come in handy.Mistake #1 – believing what I heard that if I studied tourism I would end up cleanin [...]
Melbourne’s rocking, ProjectWander’s Robertson joins WIT*e
I couldn't have asked for finer, sunnier weather to be in Melbourne. Plus, things are looking good for the capital of Victoria. From my first day here, I have learnt that tourism’s up, hotel occupancies are healthy, RevPAR is on the rise and there is no more low or high season for city hotels.Th [...]
Book your seat for WIT Ideas Lab & WIT Clinics
The WIT Ideas Lab at ITB Asia will once again serve up a world of opportunities from 9-11am on October 21 and 22, 2010.Travel leaders will share insights on the latest trends in corporate travel, cruising and hotel sales and marketing. Experts in the digital space will summarise what’s new in sear [...]
