As AI changes how we book travel, iWander bets on how we actually explore
iWander co-founder and CEO Marius Nigond on building AI-guided walking tours for a generation of travelers who want spontaneity, not a fixed itinerary
Travel planning is being influenced by AI faster than almost any other part of the industry. Google just moved agentic hotel booking out of pilot mo [...]
The experience surge: When singular obsessions become the product
What’s your unique obsession? That was the question Jacinta Lim, co-founder and CEO of Seek Sophie, asked the audience at WiT Indie when she moderated the session on “The Experience Surge”.
It was a perfect set-up for a panel whose three guests have each done exactly that – built business [...]
How VoiceMap is fighting against the AI tour flood
Sir Stephen Fry and History Hit’s Dan Snow among the “curiously human” tours launched
In a bid to defend itself against the AI commoditisation of audio tours, VoiceMap, founded by South African blogger-turned-entrepreneur Iain Manley 12 years ago, is taking the “curiously human” route and [...]
Winning hearts, minds and wallets: How AI can serve ASEAN’s underserved travellers
In a world where AI is taking care of what and how, possibly the most important question humans can ask is why – why do we do what we do?
That was the first question moderator and WiT founder Yeoh Siew Hoon posed to the three panellists at the Travel Tech Thursdays event in Kuala Lumpur – Ash [...]
The battle against AI commoditization in experiences: Be specific and weirdly human
In a world of scale, accelerated by AI, how do you keep the soul of experiences? Four voices from The Experience Economy – from audio tours to safari bookings, AI recommendations and intrepid travel – share their lessons.
The global experiences market is booming. According to “The Outloo [...]
After Phare, Dara Huot follows his own star with story, instinct and AI
What happens when the former face of a cultural institution steps away, gets stripped back by life, and starts again with only himself, his story, and AI?
There is something not quite straightforward about former CEO of Phare, The Cambodian Circus, Dara Huot’s next chapter.
It is a reinvention [...]
Klook now offers sports and live events, including World Cup, Wimbledon and Formula 1
Klook has announced the expansion of its offerings to include sports and live events, bringing together four of the world's most iconic sporting properties: World Cup 2026, Roland-Garros 2026, Wimbledon 2026 and Formula 1. The launch adds Sports and Live Events to Klook's wealth of experiences, conn [...]
Investing in community: How Airbnb brings soul to a stay in Jeju
“What if the smarter tourism investment is not in adding more stays, but in strengthening the soul of a place first?”
That was the thought that stayed with me after Airbnb’s Jeju forum, even if nobody on stage said it in exactly those words.
What they did say, across two linked panels, p [...]
A deep dive in Jeju: What makes travellers stay longer in rural destinations
There is something about Jeju, South Korea that makes you think about depth. Perhaps it is the sea that stretches endlessly beyond the island’s volcanic coastline. Or perhaps it is the haenyeo, the island’s legendary women divers who slip quietly beneath the water without oxygen tanks, holding t [...]
Travel experiences surging toward $342bn by 2029
New data reveals experiences are outpacing the rest of travel, reshaping traveler behavior and attracting heightened investor interest
Arival and Phocuswright have released The Outlook for Travel Experiences 2019–2029, the most comprehensive global market-sizing report for tours, activities and a [...]
