Singapore-based travel site Wego has launched what it says is a revolutionary ‘popular search’ and Singapore customers are the first in the world to enjoy the new criterion in the search for travel online.
The ‘popular search’ on the wego.com.sg site enables Singaporeans to view destinations and accommodation ranked according to what is considered interesting, well-placed and well-priced by their peers.
The new popularity ranking presents options based on a complex algorithm that tracks in real-time the aggregate hotel and flight searches conducted by Singapore’s travellers. The technology is possible because Wego is a neutral travel metasearch site that collates and compares rates and fares from hundreds of other sites, like Agoda, Chan Brothers, Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia, Air Asia andExpedia.com.sg to name a few.
Singapore’s choices in all categories show that the population is well-travelled, experimental and price conscious, making it the perfect group to follow. The company says first time travellers should therefore find the ‘Popular With Singaporeans’ rankings useful and reassuring.
Singaporean users of Wego.com.sg are most frequently searching for options to Bangkok at present, followed by Hong Kong and Taipei.Bangkok hotels most popular with Singaporeans are currently:
- Amari Watergate
- Baiyoke Sky Hotel
- President Palace
- Arnoma Hotel
- Centara Grand @ Central World Hotel
- Grand Diamond Suites Pratunam Hotel
- Pathumwan Princess Hotel
- Centre Point Petchburi Hotel
- Citin Pratunam Hotel
- Novotel Bangkok On Siam Square
Popular search is not, however, the only innovation in the new look Wego.com.sg. Singapore is also the launch platform for a dramatically different form of calendar search for flights. Users clicking to indicate they have flexible dates can view a graphic illustrating which are the cheapest days to fly. Aptly named DateWise™ identifies the lowest fares on any given day across any given month on single or return flights – for all carriers, including the budget airlines. It can save travellers hundreds of dollars on a fare.
To illustrate, the 14th, 18th and 26th of January are the cheapest days of the month to fly from Singapore to Bangkok and the 13th and 18th are the cheapest to return. Scheduling a day-trip for Wednesday 18th would therefore be well advised.
As Dean Wicks, Head of Marketing at Wego commented: “In combination, these new features give Wego users a near perfect view of the global market for travel, but from the local perspective. The aim is to ensure Singaporeans save time, pay less and so can enjoy travel a lot more. We are very excited to be launching here first.”
