AI and what it means for business travel management
In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into various industries has spurred transformations in operational efficiency and user experiences. The impact of AI on business travel was a central focus during the Big Idea sessions at both the GBTA APAC and GBTA Europe conferences, [...]
Exploring the travel payments landscape in Asia
Calling the travel payments landscape complex is an understatement. From a B2C perspective, travel companies are dealing with the increasing number of ways to pay and trying to get to grips with what mechanism to offer to which customer. Then there's B2B travel payments, which bring their own set of [...]
Letter from Cape Town: Of diamonds, dassies and naked surprises
As the Singapore Airlines flight came in for a landing in Cape Town Monday morning and I watched the beautiful vistas of the Western Cape unfold before my eyes, the first question that popped into my head was, “Why has it taken me so long?”
I first came to South Africa when I was still living [...]
Swiftonomics leaves Singapore with post-concert gains
More than any other entertainment event, The Eras Tour brought with it invaluable lessons for the APAC hospitality scene
After six spectacular nights of the highly anticipated Eras Tour in Singapore, pop icon Taylor Swift has left the Lion City for Los Angeles, where she’ll rest for a couple of m [...]
I have a dream: Travelling with dignity and humility
How tech can play a role from armchair travel to the physical journey
I’ve now come to an age when my mother needs a wheelchair for travelling. Day to day, she lives a fairly normal active life but travelling, that’s another proposition.
Travelling is a highly physical activity – those lon [...]
WiT Podcast: Cooking up AI and product love with Booking.com’s Adrienne Enggist
“You've got to make your mistakes differently”, says Enggist
As a student, Adrienne Enggist, Senior Director of Product, Customer Experience and Platforms for Booking.com, had an epiphany, not a hallucination, when she listened to Timothy O’Leary, the late American psychologist and author kno [...]
Growing regulations, shift towards online and AI driving change in experiences sector
The response by authorities to over-tourism and environmental concerns by either the introduction of fees and limiting tourist numbers are posing a challenge to the experiences industry, said Arival CEO and co-founder Douglas Quinby at the opening of Arival in Berlin this week.
“In some popul [...]
Looking at Q3 2023 travel behaviour to outline upcoming trends in 2024
Richard Kocher, Senior Director, Media Insights & Planning, Expedia Group recently wrote a blog post highlighting a few new budding trends for 2024. Kocher says that by delving into the travel behaviors of Q4 2023, we can glean valuable insights into the upcoming travel landscape. From heightene [...]
Reviving intangible heritage: Chris Ong’s mission to restore soul to Penang through rituals and artefacts at Seven Terraces
“Material heritage can be acquired, what was missing was the living culture”
In Penang, the eighth day of Lunar New Year known locally as “Pai Ti Kong” – prayers to the Jade Emperor – is celebrated with much gusto and fervour by the Hokkien clan, which is the dominant Chinese community. [...]
Excuse me, did you hear my clone speak Mandarin? A new cry in the age of AI
I was sitting at dinner to usher in the eighth day of Lunar New Year, an auspicious time in Penang, when immediately after the first course of tossing “yusheng” and shouting for prosperity, the conversation turned to AI.
I mean, we had just witnessed the most elaborate and magnificent ceremon [...]
