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 [...]
Gen-AI in travel: Game-changer or hype?
Industry leaders weigh in on the real-world potential of GenAI in travel and hospitality
Speculation surrounding the potential of generative AI to ‘revolutionise’ the travel industry was rampant in 2023, yet tangible applications weren’t popping up the way GenAI advocates had hoped they would [...]
How GPT Store fits in the travel, tours and activities market
“The learning curve is so low with many of these GPTs that it really benefits those who are willing to jump in, imagine, and experiment.”
Earlier this year, OpenAI's GPT Store opened its doors to its paying subscribers, marking a pretty significant milestone in the evolution of AI-driven conver [...]
Enter The Wood Dragon: What happened in 1964 and what will happen this year, even AI cannot tell us
Well, the dragons are out in full force as the Chinese community all over the world prepare for their Lunar New Year, the year that will welcome in the Wood Dragon on February 10.
In Singapore, in one week, I saw all shapes and colours of dragons – from the Crystal Dragon that swooped into the Ma [...]
Relaxed visas, AI, and B2B loyalty programs bolster promising start to 2024
As the tourism industry sets its course for the year, Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of digital travel platform Agoda, sees 2024 as a promising period for travel enthusiasts worldwide. Speaking at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 in Laos, Morgenshtern highlighted the industry's positive momentum, building upon [...]
Rabbit R1 and its impact on Tours and Activities
The debate continues on its implications in wider tech and travel space
Read Part 1 of Travel Pros React to the Rabbit R1 here.
Earlier this month, tech startup Rabbit made waves with the launch of its R1, a pocket-sized AI assistant designed to do daily ‘smartphone tasks’ without the use [...]
Travel pros react to Rabbit R1
Game-changer in user interface or a whole lot of “wasted bunnies”?
In the week since its unveiling at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Rabbit R1 has created a frenzy in the tech space, with many branding the Tamagochi-looking gadget as “the next big thing”, “the AI fu [...]
WiT Podcast: What does ‘customer love’ mean in 2024?
For the first time since 2019, travel companies are unanchoring themselves to the events of the last 3 years and embracing the freedom, opportunities, and challenges that come with this new travel landscape.
In the pilot episode of our new series, Customer Love, in partnership with Booking.com, Yeo [...]
Forget FOMO, have COMO and JOMO will follow
I love this time of the year. It’s full of rain and wind in Singapore, and birdsong. Birds love the rain. Why, the other day on a Zoom call with a colleague in Kuala Lumpur, there was a constant squeaking noise in the background, and I asked him if his door hinge needed oiling? And he said, “It� [...]
No more pre-pandemic, no more looking back, 2024 is the year we move forward
If, like me, you’re winding down for the year and taking time out to reflect, well, do it. Power down the laptop, switch off the mobile, take a deep breath and slow down. Know you have deserved it. You helped build back travel in APAC.
For us in the region, it was just Year 1 of building back a [...]
