The online travel industry is entering its “third wave” – a new era shaped by AI, cloud, social commerce, and a traveller who expects everything seamlessly connected. Unlike the early days, when companies specialised in flights, hotels, or tours, today’s focus is on the “connected trip” – one app for an entire journey. In South Korea, local players like Yanolja are challenging global OTAs, while in India, ixigo has carved its niche by focusing on trains and buses rather than flights, proving success lies in solving local problems with local solutions.
Through it all, the traveller remains at the centre. As the industry leaders featured in these next few chapters of ‘Online Travel In Asia: The Untold Story’ will emphasize, technology may change, but customer care remains the constant.
Through this documentary, we’re celebrating 20 years of WiT by chronicling the extraordinary events that have created a golden era in the Asian travel space and shining a light on the people and pioneers who’ve helped shape this robust, thriving, chaotic industry. We’re releasing a few episodes every week, each one tackling a different theme around online travel in Asia, as told from the frontlines.
Watch Chapters 9 – Epilogue:
Chapter 9: The Third Wave | Blurred Lines: AI and All That Jazz
Chapter 10: Imagine | The Next 20
In this chapter, industry leaders envision a world where AI-driven personal travel agents replace today’s online platforms, communities of shared passions drive new kinds of group travel, and high-speed rail connects regions once separated by distance. At the same time, inclusivity remains central, with companies like Booking.com advocating for travel without barriers, whether for solo female travellers or LGBTQ+ couples. Yet with these advances come challenges: balancing technological innovation with legal frameworks, data privacy, and authenticity in the age of AI and drones.
Epilogue | The Untold Story
The untold story of online travel in Asia is not just about platforms, exits, or business models – it’s about the people who built the industry through grit, risk, and resilience. From surviving crises like SARS and COVID, to navigating legal battles, investor pressures, and rookie mistakes, pioneers like Agoda’s Rob Rosenstein, Circos’ Morris Sim, Klook’s Ethan Lin, and travel.jp’s Kei Shibata reveal the deeply personal struggles behind their companies’ growth. Their stories echo a common theme: honesty, perseverance, and empathy built the relationships and trust that sustained them. Just as importantly, the friendships and collaborations across the ecosystem proved vital – no player could succeed alone in such a complex, interconnected industry.
