APAC hotel distribution sees slower growth, rising regional OTAs, and direct channels under pressure
D-EDGE's 2022–Q1 2026 analysis shows booking growth cooling to 2.7%, Agoda pulling ahead of Booking.com, and wholesalers more than tripling their market share in three years.
According to a new report from hospitality technology provider D-EDGE, Asia-Pacific's hotel distribution landscape is shif [...]
Japan’s secondary cities in the search bar: Why alternative corridors are winning next-gen discovery
The travel search interface has officially fragmented. Discovery is no longer about generating links; it is about answer generation. Driven by AI-curated "Zero-Click" context and vertical video validation across TikTok, Reels, and Shorts, travelers are trading traditional keywords for contextual, wi [...]
Travel professionals in APAC expect growth but risk slowing momentum
Expedia Group has released new research, Mapping the Future of APAC Travel, showing that 65% of travel professionals expect demand for their Asia-Pacific (APAC) travel business to increase over the next two to three years, rising to 78% among loyalty professionals.
Based on a survey of 1,250 trav [...]
Air passenger demand falls 2.2% due to war in the Middle East
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for May 2026 global passenger demand.
Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down 2.2% compared to May 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 0.7%. Total capacity, measured in available seat [...]
53% of business travellers book outside approved channels due to lack of content
Nearly one-third of companies using a corporate online booking tool (OBT) report that 20% or more of travel spend is booked outside the approved platform, with 53% citing missing content as the main driver, reveals new research from Trip.Biz, the business travel brand of Trip.com Group.
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Asia Pacific travellers seek familiarity and practicality amid shifting global dynamics
Visa’s 2026 Global Travel Intentions study shows how Asia Pacific travellers seek trusted destinations, plan with greater intent, and seek flexibility to navigate global uncertainties
Visa has unveiled key findings from the 2026 Global Travel Intentions (GTI) study, the latest edition of its f [...]
Jesper Koll: Scarcity leads to innovation, lessons from Hello Kitty and Astro Boy
Jesper Koll, Senior Advisor, Wisdom Tree Investments, opened his presentation on “Destiny” at WiT Japan with the objection he hears most often: Japan's population is shrinking by nearly 3,000 people every day. How can anyone be bullish?
His counter argument – scarcity is the mother of inven [...]
Tripadvisor to sell TheFork to American Express for $700 million
Transaction highlights the value of Tripadvisor's portfolio and enables greater focus on experiences.
Tripadvisor, Inc. announced it has entered into a put option agreement to sell TheFork, its online restaurant reservation and management platform in Europe, to American Express for $700 million in [...]
Mastercard and CrescentRating: 245 million Muslim travellers by 2030, with women driving nearly half of arrivals today
Two new reports highlight how responsible, immersive, digital and assured travel experiences are shaping the next phase of Muslim-friendly tourism
Mastercard, in collaboration with CrescentRating, has released two new reports: Halal Travel Trends 2026 and Muslim Women in Travel 2026, examining how [...]
Middle East war leads to 3.4% fall in air passenger demand
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for April 2026 global passenger demand:
Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down -3.4% compared to April 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand increased by 1.2%. Total capacity, measured in availab [...]
