Sustainability
Traveloka and South Pole partner to launch pilot climate action checkout for Singapore travellers
20/06/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Revenue generated from this project will be invested in wastewater treatment in Thailand’s Khon Buri district to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Singapore-based users of Traveloka, a key travel platform in Southeast Asia, will now have the opportunity to contribute to global climate action and p [...]
Look out for the “Uber of generative AI” in travel
13/06/2023 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
“I hope to be around when the next big thing arrives,” says Chris Hemmeter Who will be the first travel startup to create the “Uber of generative AI”? That’s the challenge Chris Hemmeter, managing director of Thayer Ventures, issued at the Innovation Roundtable at Phocuswright Europe taki [...]
Lifestyle hotels show promising trends in post-COVID travel landscape
13/06/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
As global occupancy rebounds, lifestyle hotels offer unique experiences that challenge traditional accommodations. The hospitality industry is witnessing a remarkable recovery as global occupancy rates in the first quarter of 2023 approach pre-pandemic levels. Fueling this resurgence are lifestyle [...]
Velocity Ventures launches “heartware” initiative targeting various sectors in travel
12/06/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Corporate Partners Program aims to support the ecosystem by helping startups access industry and innovation professionals. Velocity Ventures, a prominent investor in travel and hospitality tech in Southeast Asia, is spearheading an initiative to address the challenges faced by the various s [...]
AI will allow more meaningful human service, says Montara Hospitality chief
07/06/2023 by Yeoh Siew Hoon
“Hospitality is about innovation, creating a product ahead of its time” “My job is going to be replaced soon,” laughs second generation Thai hotelier Kittisak (Kitt) Pattamasaevi when we were discussing generative AI and its impact on both our jobs during a breakfast catch-up at Trisara, Ph [...]
Exploring the LGBTQ+ travel dilemma in APAC
07/06/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
LGBTQ+ travellers would like know the status of a location, including local laws, religious sensibilities, and safety tips. Booking.com has conducted its most extensive LGBTQ+ travel research to date, shedding light on the challenges LGBTQ+ travellers face and the progress made by the travel indust [...]
Calling Travel Changemakers who built back better with tech
31/05/2023 by WiT
WiT collaborates with ATTIA to launch new awards WiT (Web in Travel), Asia Pacific’s leading travel tech news and events platform, will launch an awards series, the Travel Changemakers Awards, at its signature conference in Singapore this year. The Awards aim to recognise travel innovators that h [...]
THAIFEX – HORECA Asia opens in March 2024 and reveals next-gen trends in the region
29/05/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Organisers hope to replicate the scale of its flagship F&B event for hotels, restaurants, and catering Technology and sustainability were the key themes that surfaced at the soft launch of THAIFEX-HOREC Asia, an event focused on the food & beverage industry, held in Bangkok last week. Fr [...]
Tasmania hopes to hook Asian travellers with ecotourism and its latest attraction – winter
16/05/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
Australia’s island state isn’t interested in being a mass tourism spot During the STO Showcase at the Australian Tourism Exchange 2023 (ATE23), Sherene Somerville (PR Manager, Tourism Tasmania) was quick to point out that contrary to popular belief, Tasmania isn’t a singular island - it’s a [...]
9 things we learned at ATE23: Australia recaptures Indian market, Ruby is a hit, visa applications, more 
08/05/2023 by Arvindh Yuvaraj
2300 delegates, 623 buyers from 32 countries, and a whopping 45,000 meetings. Those were the numbers that painted the 43rd edition of Tourism Australia’s largest annual trade event, Australian Tourism Exchange 2023 (ATE23) last week. Hosted on the Gold Coast, Queensland across 5 days, this yea [...]