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WiT Europe puts spotlight on two markets for the future, Asia and Middle East
In two weeks’ time, WiT will be back in Amsterdam, putting the spotlight on Asia and for the first time, Middle East. For companies looking for new growth, these two regions are critical for the...
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New investor in Travelstart gives it access to funds to own Africa
“We can now do the deals we want to do,” says CEO Stephan Ekbergh Travelstart, Africa’s leading online travel company, has taken on a new investor in the form of global private markets investment firm...
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A Bird’s Eye View: What will OTA 4.0 look like?
I guess if someone had been asked 20 years ago what an OTA 1.0 might look like, few people would have the answer – until Booking.com and Expedia did it in 1996 and Ctrip followed in 1999, and showed...
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Meet the man who wants to change how governments in Asia look at tourism
Ang Choo Pin left the world of politics and diplomacy to join travel because he saw an opportunity to make an impact in an industry that he believes is truly a force for good. Yeoh Siew Hoon catches...
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To win in corporate travel today, you need a tech edge
FCM’s chief for Asia Bertrand Saillet speaks to Yeoh Siew Hoon on how it is blending best of online and offline in Asia by investing in new tech to enhance the traveller experience and taking lessons...
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Travelstart to acquire Club Travel Group in bid to create full-service...
Following its change in investor from MTN to HarbourVest in late May, Amadeus Capital Partners-backed Travelstart has made the first of an expected series of acquisitions in its bid to own Africa –...
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Trip.com’s Lynn Qu on going global and building a super travel app
A year into her role as vice president, product and marketing for Trip.com, and Lynn Qu is taking her experience working for brands such as Microsoft, Expedia and HomeAway (now Vrbo) to take the Ctrip...
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Inside Inge De Lathauwer’s passion project: Changing lives in Sumba and...
Sumba Hospitality Foundation was one of the startups that qualified for a grant from Booking Booster, the Booking.com programme that supports social enterprises. With the 100,000 Euro funds, it hopes...
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Travel changed her life and now Ayumi wants to influence others
Travel changed her life and so now the former office worker absolutely wants to share it with her Japanese followers and soon, an international audience. Meet Ayumi Amemiya, who calls herself a luxury...
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Letter from Green Acres & The Habitat, Penang: Where the grass is indeed...
“I think something’s changed,” said Eric Chong, owner of Green Acres, an eco-resort built within a durian orchard in Penang. “Our occupancies have doubled since last year. I think travellers are...
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How one Japanese genius detective boy whipped up a frenzy in Singapore
Yeoh Siew Hoon caught “Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire” in action at the Singapore premiere and goes behind the scenes to find out why this first-to-be-set-outside-Japan-in-24-years manga...
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Boosted by General Atlantic deal, Kiwi.com wants to take virtual interlining...
If Oliver Dlouhy, co-founder of Kiwi.com, has his way, one day he will be able to fly on an unmanned civilian flight from Brno, the small town where he lives in Czech Republic, to any major European...
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Agoda sees Yanolja stake as opportunity to break “wall between booking and...
Booking Holdings’ investment into South Korean accommodation startup, Yanolja, its first foray into that market, was motivated by two key factors – the market opportunity as well as Yanolja’s unique...
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Pricing and distribution havoc hits in-destination with rise of OTAs: Klook’s...
Tours, as a category in travel, have been around since the beginning of well, travel. Laurent Kuenzle, CEO of destination management company Asian Trails, subtly reminded delegates attending Arival...
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New Core Experience chief at TripAdvisor wants to bring empathy and...
Coming from a non-travel background, Lindsay Nelson is keen to bring in fresh thinking and ideas to her role as president, Core Experience, TripAdvisor, a responsibility she describes as “bringing...
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The story of Samurai Workout and how it wants to share Samurai spirit with...
Samurai Workout opened the eighth WiT Japan & North Asia Main Stage in Tokyo today. Here’s the story of how a Samurai swordfighter got into travel and how they want to tell the story of Samurai to...
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The Samurai swords are out in travel – Hughes calls out Google as an OTA,...
A high-intensity Samurai “tate” swordfight opened the eighth WiT Japan & North Asia last week, leading some to draw a parallel with the growing competition in online travel. Certainly, the online...
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Letter from Kanazawa: Having a “kimono” moment in Japan’s New Golden Age
“Are we moving already?” We had not even put away our bags, let alone sat down and settled, when we realised the Shinkansen was already in motion. 11.35 to be exact. We are headed to Kanazawa after...
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Traveloka launches Xperience in bid to be travel and lifestyle platform
In its bid to become a travel and lifestyle platform – it does not like the term “superapp”, I was told by Traveloka executives – the Indonesian-based OTA has launched Traveloka Xperience for...
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In a world where funding knows no boundaries, think global from day one,...
The good news is, there is more money around and at the early stage, it’s a good time for all startups. The bad news is, at the late stage, money is chasing fewer startups. “Companies can come in...
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