Agoda, Nok Air partner. Malaysia Airlines signs MoUs. Spotnana Debuts TMC Cloud. Protect Group eyes $7B.
Protect Group Targets $7B in Booking Protections by 2025
Protect Group is on track to provide protection for $7 billion in travel and event bookings by the end of 2025, fueled by rising demand for flexible, tech-driven ancillary services. Its Travel, Tours & OTAs vertical has seen a 54% year-on [...]
Story of RAK: Marketing for the Social Generation
“Tom Hardy, please come to RAK”
In a travel world defined by five-second attention spans, DMOs can no longer afford to simply “broadcast and hope.”
Speaking at Phocuswright WiT Middle East, Alka Winter, Vice President of Destination Marketing & Communications at Ras Al Khaimah Touris [...]
Bryan Batista appointed CEO at Skyscanner
Skyscanner, a global leader in travel, announces that Bryan Batista has been appointed CEO, taking over the role from John Mangelaars. Batista is currently the Chief Operating Officer and will become CEO on the 1st June 2025.
Skyscanner connects over 160m users in 180 countries and 37 languages [...]
Meet the 19 finalists of the 2025 Global Startup Pitch
Nineteen travel tech startups have been selected for the Finals of the 2025 Global Startup Pitch. The competition, in its fourth year, is jointly produced by WiT and Phocuswright and seeks to unearth the brightest stars in early-stage travel tech.
The Global Startup Pitch Competition is support [...]
Christine Tan on the shifting sweet spot of hospitality tech | 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 [...]
Hospitality’s future playbook: AI, emotional loyalty and the rise of new booking channels
At a time when technology is moving faster than the industry can keep up, the future of direct distribution and loyalty in hospitality is set for sweeping transformation.
In a discussion moderated by Li Hawkins, Partner & Managing Director, Hospitality & Travel at Insight Out, senior lea [...]
Building an emotionally relevant marketing engine by balancing brand, budget and… aura?
Vice President of Global Marketing Marcus Yong explains how Klook’s latest funding fuels AI-driven product innovation, integrated campaign metrics, and a global emotional branding push anchored by 'The Best You'.
Is this Klook’s most ambitious project yet? Fresh off the back of a US$100 million [...]
Survival of the fittest: How OTAs are competing in the Middle East
In an increasingly competitive Middle East online travel landscape, staying ahead demands more than just speed – it requires sharp differentiation, relentless innovation, and smart use of AI. That was the dominant mood as top OTA leaders from Booking.com, Wego, Almosafer, and Travelwings gath [...]
Hostelworld charts new course as world’s first social travel platform
Hostelworld recently outlined its medium-term strategic growth plan at its Capital Markets Day in London, underscoring its ambitions to scale its differentiated, social travel-focused OTA platform and deliver sustained shareholder value. Following strong financial performance and the full repayment [...]
Filip Filipov on why AI needs a higher purpose | 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 [...]
