After a pulsating opening that was both visually and aurally stimulating, attendees at the award-winning WiT Singapore 2018 conference at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, were taken through the looking glass into a world of travel that at times looked like science fiction.
But discussions around the importance of having the right people work good ideas surfaced more than once. We are in a new age of travel that already includes drones, autonomous cars, super apps and conversational commerce. Yet, in reality, people still remain most important.
Skyscanner’s Kathleen Urquhart puts the focus back on people.
The ones who know best, such as Kathleen Urquhart (pictured), Senior Director, Talent, Global for Skyscanner, agree. She believes talent, not tech, is a company’s competitive edge and people underpin all technology.
But there is no doubt the technology is exciting. Hot topics on the use and desirability of super apps like Meituan and WeChat in China over single use apps, messaging platforms providing conversational commerce opportunities for travel suppliers, a coming age of air travel that involves commercially flown drones were discussed, debated and presented at a fast and furious pace. Much like the pace of change in the industry.
“Each edition of WiT has been exciting to put together because so much moves,
evolves and births just within a year. We see more melding of industries, and we are convinced the travel industry can no longer afford to think in silos.
“We have therefore deliberately brought in new industries and new voices, and we are challenging our audience to look beyond themselves and open their minds to new horizons,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder and Managing Director of Web In Travel.
Taking the stage at WiT this year are more than 100 speakers representing organisations such as Google, Airbnb, KAYAK, and Facebook. More traditional segments including the airlines, cruises, hotels and destination marketers also invited the community to peek through the looking glass into a very different space.
Singapore Tourism Board’s Lynette Pang shares the ABCs of destination marketing.
At the close of the first day, the Singapore Tourism Board shared its latest exploits in the battlefield of destination marketing, its marketing efforts no longer defined by static year-long campaigns but by the ABCs – Agility, Boldness and Creativity – three principles that will likely feature again in the second day of the WiT Main Stage.
A key agenda item – the annual WiT Startup Pitch saw a record number of entries from a wide number of countries take part this year. It will conclude in the last day of the conference at the Grand Finals. The top three entries will fight for the coveted prize of being the WiT Startup of the Year and receive a one-year membership into the Phocuswright Innovation Platform. This membership offers access to a diverse network of advisors and its network of innovation partner events. They will also win one conference ticket for The Phocuswright Conference taking place November 13-15 in Los Angeles.
Photo credits: Shoot My Travel
