Reiwa Travel raises US$33m to deepen tech at NEWT and expand beyond Japan
New fund raise hailed as “major turning point” for travel packaging startup
In March this year, Reiwa’s founder Takaya Shinozuka had spoken to WiT about his plans to take his new travel packaging startup global and that he was in the midst of raising a new round of funds to power the expansio [...]
Korean alternative payments giant, GLN International out to power intra-regional travel in Asia
GLN International, the South-Korea based global alternative payments network, is setting its sights on the intra-regional travel market to drive the next phase of growth by leveraging on the national, proprietary QR payments and ATM networks established in Asia.
Spun off from Hana Bank in July 20 [...]
Rail vs Air. The failing debate
In recent years, there's been an increasingly popular belief that rail could replace air travel, particularly for short journeys under 500 kilometers (or roughly 300 miles). With growing concerns over environmental sustainability and the push for greener alternatives, rail appears to be the perfect [...]
Muslim travel market set for 230 million international arrivals by 2028, with an expenditure of USD 225 billion
Mastercard and CrescentRating have jointly launched the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2024, a comprehensive guide designed to study and deliver insights around Muslim-friendly tourism. This year’s report highlights major advancements and insights into a fast-growing market, shedding light on e [...]
Balancing the final frontier: Space tourism should have purpose and meaning, says Space Faculty’s Anna Garcia
“Lessons should be learnt from tourism on Earth”
As curious as she is about space and having built her career in the sector, space scientist Anna Sabate Garcia of Singapore-based Space Faculty is in two minds about the prospect of space travel being accessible to the masses.
“It is a t [...]
This Land Is Calling. Well, it called to me.
In my book, destination marketing should challenge perceptions, should reveal what is unexpected and Saudi Arabia’s new global campaign, "This Land is Calling", featuring a solo female traveller on an epic adventure through the kingdom, did it.
Albeit she looked a bit like a female Timothy Chal [...]
Expedia’s WTM fireside chat. Tracking turbulence in Sydney. Tour reviews analysed. More.
WTM tracks traveller frustrations
Technology Track sessions at World Travel Market London 2024 will address solutions to common travel frustrations, in particular how the industry can streamline the search, booking and payment processes for travellers.
Organised by WTM’s new technology advisor [...]
It’s the golden age for product leaders in travel, says Trip.com’s Amy Wei
Founder of TripGenie on what makes her AI travel assistant different from others
While it’s never been more exciting to be in product tech, with new tech such as Generative AI to spice things up even more, it’s also getting more challenging to fit a growing “multiverse” of pro [...]
Change in search. Is Dumb, Dumber and Dumber in our future?
Will the joys of discovery and even serendipity be further lost with AI-powered search?
The advent of different forms of Generative AI across all our lives is causing changes in our basic online behaviour. Search is a key part of what we do. Most accept it is a basic utility – a necessity. So her [...]
How community creators are shaping sustainable tourism
In an industry where sustainability and authentic experiences are increasingly sought after, some entrepreneurs, operating in niche spaces, have dedicated themselves to creating unique, meaningful experiences rooted in their love for their communities.
These creators— Eric Chong, Li-Chin Kuo, [...]
