Mistletoe grows; new αFund seeks to raise $300m-$400m for positive impact investments
Fund started by Taizo Son and Atsushi Tarai buys SoftBank Ventures, aims to build ecosystem of “like-minded investors and founders”
After eight years of running the global seed stage innovation driven impact vehicle, Mistletoe, as a family fund, co-founders Atsushi Taira and Taizo Son are rea [...]
Is this the moment for audio tours? Viator’s Dines not prepared to call it yet
Accelerate 2.0 to bring more tour operators onboard marketplace; Asia sees “enthusiastic bounceback”
Before she joined Tripadvisor in 2018, Sarah Dines, Chief Commercial Officer of Viator, spent most of her career in audio guide, including as CEO of Discovery Channel’s Antenna International [...]
Agoda expands partnership with WWF to support conservation initiatives across Southeast Asia
Travel booking platform, Agoda, announced its enhanced collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF). The expansion includes the Eco Deals Program, now supporting eight conservation projects in Southeast Asia. Agoda has also pledged USD $1 million to WWF-Si [...]
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 [...]
Pickleball courted by TravelAI. WAGS and HABS in the money. Robots on Tokyo Bay. More.
Help for Pickleball fans
If you’re a fan of Pickleball - a fast-growing paddle sport combining elements of ping pong, badminton and tennis - chances are you will find it difficult to source a pickleball court on your travels.
Step up, TravelAI which specialises in personalised travel experienc [...]
Millennials and Gen Zs up travel budgets for more shared experiences
Social media is a primary source of travel inspiration, with over 80% basing their travel bookings on recommendations from non-celebrity figures
Klook's latest Travel Pulse research reveals that 3 in 5 travelers are allocating up to half of their budget to create meaningful connections while explor [...]
Luxury liner anchors in Port Klang, Malaysia’s first international cruise homeport
New collaboration eyes Malaysia’s growing Muslim market and leverages the country’s strategic location in the region
Costa Cruises, known for its European luxury cruising, and Hwajing Travel & Tours, a Southeast Asian cruise tour operator, have joined forces to make history at Port Klang by [...]
Asia economy class fares up by 21%, but business travel demand continues to grow
According to FCM Travel Asia, business travel is set to maintain its significance in 2024, with corporate travel programs facing scrutiny amid budget considerations. This, coupled with economic shifts worldwide, is set to create a few intriguing travel trends this year, as outlined by FCM’s six pr [...]
MyRealTrip raises $56m in new fund raise to continue transformation to travel superapp
It’s good news for the tours and activities as well as APAC travel market as Korea-based MyRealTrip announced a raise of $56.7 million (75.6 billion KRW) in a Series F equity round of funding to accelerate its business and product innovation and ramp up its hiring.
This follows the $210m raise [...]
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 [...]
