Gerry Samuels, CEO, Mobile Travel Technologies Limited

1. Every cloud has a silver lining.

In 2012 more and more travellers (even business travellers) of the Apple persuasion will leave the laptop at home in favour of the iPad and/or iPhone. With Apple iCloud, travel app developers can seamlessly synch data across iPad, iPhone and desktop. Data can persist not only across apps and devices, but across stages of the travel experience. Images, plans, itineraries and maps dreamed up on the iPad version of an app could be transferred instantly to the iPhone version of the app. At the end of a day of site-seeing, photos taken with the iPhone could be instantly available to the iPad app for documenting the trip and social sharing. Key documents like boarding passes, schedules and directions could be with travellers when they need them – no matter where they are or which device they’re using.

2. They’re mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore.

A functional mobile website used to amaze. The mere existence of a mobile app was once enough to enchant a customer. No more. More than 70% of people expect a mobile app to be easier to use than a full featured website. And many of them are frustrated and disappointed. Consumers are increasingly demanding high quality mobile user experiences and design, and they are increasingly unwilling to tolerate anything less than the best. 2012 will see mobile user fatigue and brands losing loyal customers to competitors who simply offer a better mobile experience.

Dan Lynn, managing director, Expedia/AirAsia

1. Google will not turn the online travel industry on its head. It will innovate, do some very smart (and scary) things, but its product will have holes, and will not be capable of delivering every aspect of the online travel process (or even attempt to). Like OTAs 10 years ago and meta 5 years ago it will find a place, creating challenges but also new opportunities for smart companies.

2. Japan will undergo a travel revolution as low cost carriers shake up its massive travel market, and spur a new wave of travel and exploration, and finally reverse some of the stereotypes about the low numbers of Japanese youth traveling abroad. This will kick of a wave of innovation from existing airlines, agents and ecommerce companies in marketing, distribution and creative partnerships in one of the world’s most innovative ecommerce landscapes.

And as a third, but it needs stating:

3. The online travel market will continue to flourish in Asia! No matter how much European’s sling mud at each other as the recriminations over the debt crisis intensify, or US politicians indulge in their own mud-slinging, Asia’s economies will motor on, and in particular, the irresistible urge of finding great deals, and new travel options, while sat in your pajamas in the comfort of your own home (or increasingly while sat on the bus on your Android) will drive the online travel markets to new levels in every Asian market.

Kei Shibata, CEO, Venture Republic, Japan
1.  Mobile will account close to 40% of the total online hotel bookings at the end of year.
2.  LCCs will boost the domestic flight demand by 10％(vs.around 1% as average growth ratio for the last several years.)

Robert Rosenstein, CEO, Agoda
1.  Expect another year of force majeure with natural disasters, economic volatility and pockets of political upheaval in APAC.
2.  The shift to online will continue gather steam as customers who once booked offline discover and embrace an increasingly social online travel space.

Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Global
1.  It is going to be a difficult year for many airlines, especially in Europe, with some failures
2.  Employee militancy is increasing and is likely to be more disruptive than usual, in tough economic conditions

Asia Pacific
1.  Air India will probably continue unresolved – but hopefully not
2.  Chinese airlines will become much more active internationally
3.  British Airways will take a stake in Malaysia Airlines
4.  Cathay Pacific will stay in oneworld….
5.  Qantas will enter a new partnership

Ali Yilmaz, Head of Travel, Google South-east Asia
1.  Increased competition in the OTA space with global players trying to get a piece of the market.
2.  Something big will happen in the air travel space. It has been a very quiet year in terms of digital marketing although the competition gets fierce every other day.

Yeoh Siew Hoon, Editor & Co-founder, Web In Travel
1.  Year of the Dragon will be a fiery year for low cost carriers in Asia. Everyone’s now jumping into the fray with names ranging from Scoot to PEACH and Smile. Let’s just say it won’t be peachy for many and there won’t be a lot of smiles either. The AirAsia + Malaysia Airlines marriage will be turbulent at best; AirAsia X and Scoot will be at each other’s throats and Jetstar ups the game in Asia given its mothership’s problems at home.

2.  More local heroes will emerge across the region – watch Indonesia and South Korea – as entrepreneurs carve out deep, local, mobile niches.