Africa, Arabia, and algorithms: Travel tech’s new frontiers
At Phocuswright Europe 2025, a standout session hosted by WiT brought together three travel leaders with bold visions for three fast-evolving regions – Africa, the Middle East, and China. Bayo Adedeji, CEO of Wakanow; Ross Veitch, CEO and co-founder of Wego; and Gareth Matthews, CMO of Dida; share [...]
Big ideas, big shifts: Hospitality tech’s generational moment
Phocuswright Europe 2025’s hospitality tech panel featuring leaders from Lighthouse, Mews, and Hostaway made one thing clear: innovation in hospitality is no longer optional – it’s inevitable, and AI is leading the charge.
If there was any doubt that hospitality tech was due for disruption, t [...]
How travel hurts itself: The blessings and the curse of multi-source content
Once upon a time, in the golden age of air travel distribution (let’s say 30 years ago), we the consumers and intermediaries had this magical thing called full content. Airlines — for better or worse — filed all their fares, schedules, and inventory into a GDS. If you were an agent, an OTA, or [...]
Morris Sim on social bubbles, people firewalls and loss of talent | Conversations On Turning 20
When you get to the ripe young age of 20, you’re bound to collect lots of stories – not only about the past but lessons for the future.
As WiT marks its 20th year in 2025, we turn the spotlight on our community, our tribe pioneers and leaders, to tell their stories and share their views on th [...]
“Still human at the core”: Klook’s Sarah Wan on conscious travel, AI content and future of experiences
In an age of algorithmic itineraries and AI influencers, Sarah Wan, General Manager, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, of Klook, reminds us that the future of travel is still deeply, messily human. “At the end of the day,” she said during WiT’s Travel Tech Thursday session in Kuala Lumpur, � [...]
The constant battle: How Booking.com’s security chief fights travel scams at scale
For cybercriminals, the travel industry has become a lucrative new target and it’s not hard to see why. Big money, emotional stakes, digital self-service, and a globally distributed ecosystem of users and suppliers make the perfect storm for fraudsters.
At the centre of the fight is Marnie Wilk [...]
B2B gets personal, local and powerful: The new rules of engagement in travel tech
At WiT Japan & North Asia 2025, a conversation around the B2B travel tech landscape revealed one thing: the back end is no longer background noise. It’s where real travel innovation is happening.
Moderated by WiT’s founder Siew Hoon Yeoh, the panel brought together industry leaders Eric Zhu [...]
Code, context, and culture: How Japanese OTAs are wielding AI for the next travel wave
Biggest obstacle is lack of “shared data standards and open infrastructure”, says KabuK’s Sunada
In the bustling intersection of tradition and technology that defines modern Japan, a quiet but profound transformation is underway in the travel space – driven not by hype, but by the pragmatic [...]
From points to personalisation: New trends shaping online travel in Japan
At WiT Japan & North Asia 2025, a panel discussion featuring leaders from Booking.com, Agoda, and travel fintech startup Heymax revealed how the online travel game in Japan is being reshaped by younger travellers, AI-powered personalisation, and a rising demand for authenticity and connection.
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Big bets, bold moves: Investors double down on Middle East’s travel startup future
In a region undergoing massive economic transformation, the Middle East’s travel sector is becoming fertile ground for venture bets – from Umrah companions and cargo startups to AI-led personalisation.
At the WiT Phocuswright Middle East panel moderated by Phocuswright Managing Director Pete Co [...]
