Technology

Travel Agents

Amadeus partners with Agoda to give access to pre-paid hotel content

Tian Tolentino Apr 8, 2019

Amadeus and Agoda, one of the world’s fastest growing online travel agents (OTAs), have partnered to give travel agents access to pre-paid hotel content from 150,000 properties globally.

Startups

Oyo says konnichiwa

Kristin Mariano Apr 5, 2019

Fresh from receiving a significant investment from Airbnb, Indian unicorn Oyo has struck a joint venture with Softbank Corp. to launch a hotel business in Japan.

Technology

Brits: What a bunch of blaggers

Alastair Newport Apr 4, 2019

The rise of influencers, bloggers, vloggers, along with the assortment of sculpted, honed and prettified men and women scoring free stays, in some of the world’s hottest destination in…

Technology

Travel tech this week: Settling in Singapore

Kristin Mariano Apr 4, 2019

This week, we saw a lot of activity in Southeast Asia, which has been a fertile ground for start-ups. Two companies have set up offices in Singapore, which is still the best place to manage…

Airlines and Aviation

United Airlines’ unsheathed NDC is “fundamental to preparing for a successful future”

Alastair Newport Apr 3, 2019

Travel tech firm Sabre Corporation has released its very first collection of New Distribution Capability (NDC) APIs with carrier United Airlines.

Technology

Google teases on new “engagement rewards” program

Kristin Mariano Apr 3, 2019

There is no stopping Google from exploring the possibilities outside metasearch. After it quietly rolls out its Hotel Search site that has kept every metasearch and OTA on their toes, the…

Global

EyeforTravel: Why the travel industry is struggling to create strong digital brands

Alastair Newport Apr 2, 2019

Travel companies are struggling to transform themselves for the digital age, with digital transformation, technological and data siloes and internal data quality their top three internal…

Hotels

Hotels.com: Passion for travel is on the rise, highest since 2004

Tian Tolentino Apr 2, 2019

According to the latest data from Hotels.com, there has been a 3% increase in global accommodation prices, reaching levels not seen since 2004.

Technology

Digital Travel APAC 2019 focuses on disruption in industries

Kristin Mariano Apr 1, 2019

The tech possibilities in the travel industry are virtually limitless and travel companies must live with the expectations of customers in order to provide the most effective experience.

Hotels

A solar story: Four Seasons absorbs heat in the Maldives

Tian Tolentino Apr 1, 2019

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru has connected its first RoofSolar inverter, one of the Maldives' largest resort-based solar installations.

Startups

This cabin in the woods is the most popular on Airbnb

Kristin Mariano Apr 1, 2019

The most visited property listed on Airbnb is not a castle or a luxury place, but a small cabin in the woods of California.

Technology

Travel tech this week: New cruise app and hotels’ online check-in

Kristin Mariano Mar 28, 2019

This week, we saw digitisation in the hospitality sector takes a step forward with Roiback introducing online check-in for hotels, similar to what we usually do on our flights. Moreover,…

Startups

Grab Philippines launches water delivery service amid water crisis

Kristin Mariano Mar 28, 2019

Ride-railing firm Grab Philippines offers a water delivery service in water-deprived city of Marikina.

Technology

Booking.com: “Diversifying talent needs to be front of mind”

Tian Tolentino Mar 27, 2019

Research from Booking.com has revealed that only 54% of women working in tech feel the industry today is prioritising gender diversity as part of its agenda.

Hospitality

US consumers spend more in Airbnb than Hilton

Kristin Mariano Mar 26, 2019

Airbnb has long been a threat to hotel companies as it offers cheaper accommodation. The start-up also enables hosts to earn money by opening their homes to travellers.

Travel Agents

KAYAK research breaks down the travel agent decline

Tian Tolentino Mar 25, 2019

New research has revealed that nearly half of British respondents (47%) have not visited a travel agent in the past ten years.

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways to use AI, cloud tech for airport check-in

Kristin Mariano Mar 21, 2019

Voice activated self-service kiosk, bag drop and boarding gate facility are some of the new improvements that Etihad Airways will implement to augment airport experience.

Technology

Travel tech this week: New partnerships for friendlier travel

Kristin Mariano Mar 21, 2019

This week, we saw several companies inked agreements to make it easier for travellers to avail a service.

Startups

Shop now, pay later: Grab pushes for post-paid payment feature

Kristin Mariano Mar 20, 2019

Grab is the first ride-hailing platform that is giving banks a run for their money. The Singapore-based start-up has announced new fintech features focusing on SME micro-loans and insurtech…

Startups

PH board says no to Go-Jek for the second time

Kristin Mariano Mar 19, 2019

Philippine’s Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has denied the application of ride-hailing Go-Jek to enter the Philippine market.

Technology

Travel tech this week: Amadeus partnerships and payments made easy

Kristin Mariano Mar 15, 2019

This week, we saw Amadeus has renewed some of its partnerships as well as alternative payments in the UK.

Global

Expedia moves to digitise Thailand’s offline second-city hoteliers

Alastair Newport Mar 14, 2019

Expedia has announced two new products now available for its partner facing portal, Partner Central.

Technology

Ctrip, Millennium Hotels sign China-focused distribution deal

Tian Tolentino Mar 14, 2019

Ctrip.com, one of China’s largest integrated travel services companies, has signed an agreement with upscale hoteliers Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR).

Hotels

Roiback: “A regular and loyal customer is much more profitable”

Tian Tolentino Mar 14, 2019

Loyalty programs have become indispensable for a good direct sales strategy — as confirmed by the latest findings of Roiback.

OTAs & Tour Operators

Google stealthily rolls out hotel booking site and annoys OTAs

Kristin Mariano Mar 13, 2019

Tech juggernaut Google just dropped its hotel booking site that enables us to book a hotel room.

Global

Net lag is real: The struggle of booking holidays

Tian Tolentino Mar 13, 2019

New research from Hotels.com has revealed that North American millennial travellers are experiencing net lag, a.k.a. scroll fatigue when booking a vacation.

Startups

RedDoorz to raise USD 50 million in Series B round

Kristin Mariano Mar 13, 2019

Singapore-based budget hotel operator RedDoorz is raising up to USD 50 million for its Series B financing round.

Technology

Big Game: The hunt for an ‘end-to-end’ booking platform

Kristin Mariano Mar 12, 2019

There has been a long quest for that one name in travel that caters to the need of a traveller from beginning to end. That is the dream!

Air

Autonomous aircraft market worth USD 23.7bn by 2030

Tian Tolentino Mar 11, 2019

According to new market research, the autonomous aircraft market is projected to grow from an estimated USD 3.6 billion in 2018 to 23.7 billion by 2030.

Startups

Unstoppable: Grab receives USD 1.5 billion fund

Kristin Mariano Mar 8, 2019

Yes, Grab is unstoppable as it just added another USD 1.5 billion in its stash by raising USD 1.46 billion from SoftBank’s USD 100 billion Vision Fund.

Technology

Sabre hails new partnerships as a “spectrum of voices”

Alastair Newport Mar 7, 2019

Sabre has formed new partnerships are with corporate travel specialists Travel and Transport, and Reed & Mackay as well as independent airline ticket website AERTiCKET.

Startups

Drive safe: Go-Jek partners with Doctor Anywhere

Kristin Mariano Mar 7, 2019

Go-Jek cares for the welfare of its drivers in Singapore as it partners with local start-up Doctor Anywhere.

Technology

Travel tech this week: New apps, partnerships, and acquisitions

Kristin Mariano Mar 7, 2019

This week, we saw some companies launched new features of their apps or websites, while others forged new partnerships and acquisitions.

India

SpiceJet signs its first GDS agreement with…

Alastair Newport Mar 7, 2019

SpiceJet, India’s second biggest LCC has today announced a new distribution agreement with Spanish firm Amadeus.

Startups

The race is on: Why Uber, Lyft IPO is pure gamble

Kristin Mariano Mar 6, 2019

Lyft has pulled ahead of Uber after it went public before its rival. While Uber’s paperwork has yet to become public, it would eventually go public. Despite being valued for more than a…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia permanently breaks up with Traveloka

Kristin Mariano Mar 5, 2019

AirAsia has permanently withdrawn all of its flights from online travel agent Traveloka after AirAsia’s Indonesia flights disappeared on the platform for the second time in two weeks,…

Startups

Go-Jek to try again in PH

Kristin Mariano Mar 5, 2019

Indonesian unicorn Go-Jek will try to penetrate the Philippine market again after reports claimed that one of the country’s oldest conglomerates Ayala Corporation will partner with the…

Air

Special Olympics Summer Games 2019: Travelport “takes action” to promote SSR codes

Alastair Newport Mar 5, 2019

Travelport has announced its brand new campaign aimed at smoothing the travelling woes of passengers with intellectual disabilities, by putting a spotlight on the DPNA Special Service…

Startups

Grab allows users to cancel rides for free, but there’s a catch

Kristin Mariano Mar 4, 2019

Starting 11 March, Grab users can cancel rides for free within five minutes after booking.

Technology

Travel tech this week: Start-ups funding and new partnerships

Kristin Mariano Feb 28, 2019

This week, we saw travel start-ups getting funding to further their growth. Some companies also facilitated new partnerships to expand their services.

Technology

Travel comparison sites get clean report card on data compliance

Tian Tolentino Feb 27, 2019

New analysis from Mailjet has examined the direct marketing practices of travel comparison sites and found flawless adherence to data privacy regulations.

Startups

Like Chuxing raises ‘tens of millions’ of funding

Kristin Mariano Feb 27, 2019

Chinese car-sharing start-up Like Chuxing reportedly has secured “tens of millions” of dollars for its series B+ round of financing from a group of investors including Ant Financial, the…

Technology

Amadeus X Barclaycard for better B2B payments

Kristin Mariano Feb 26, 2019

Amadeus partners with Barclaycard to integrate Barclaycard’s virtual cards offering, Precisionpay, into Amadeus’ B2B Wallet payment solution.

Hospitality

Breathing (OYO) Life into Japan’s home rental market

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Feb 25, 2019

After China, Indonesia and Malaysia; OYO is now spreading its wings further east into Japan.

Global

Finding the balance with Sabre APAC head of talent acquisition and culture

Kim Kalanon Feb 25, 2019

In a single minute, Sabre supports 5,235 online hotel room shoppers, brings in $454,000 from hotel and air bookings and 132,103 flight searches. The international travel technology company…

Startups

Klook appoints former Agoda co-founder as chief commercial officer

Kristin Mariano Feb 22, 2019

Klook has announced its appointment of Wilfred Fan as chief commercial officer. Fan was previously Agoda’s VP global partnership.

Hospitality

RoomIt by CWT: Less time worrying, more time for building

Tian Tolentino Feb 22, 2019

RoomIt by CWT, the hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), has appointed Brian Zacker as vice president of global sales.

Startups

Grab teases on big partnerships this year

Kristin Mariano Feb 21, 2019

Grab is not yet done as the ride-hailing app Grab has plans to expand into business ranging from health care to insurance to video streaming through big partnerships and raised funding.

Technology

Travel tech this week: New start-ups and groundbreaking updates

Kristin Mariano Feb 21, 2019

This week, we saw new start-ups launch worldwide KIWIride, SensorFlow, and Bounce. Zudu cooked up digital strategies while Egencia updated its platform to enhance customer experiences,…

Hospitality

Cvent: European travel budget to rise in 2019

Tian Tolentino Feb 21, 2019

Cvent has revealed that European corporate travel decision makers (CTDMs) anticipate travel budget to increase in 2019.

OTAs & Tour Operators

These OTAs put element of surprise in travel

Kristin Mariano Feb 19, 2019

Anywhr and ATO Tours are two companies that are continents apart, but are sending travellers on surprise trips.

OTAs & Tour Operators

Film-inspired holidays: ‘Reel’ travel locations from Agoda

Tian Tolentino Feb 19, 2019

To celebrate the film awards season this year, Agoda has shared its list of holiday ideas inspired by the past year's blockbuster hits and award winners.

Startups

Roads less travelled: Didi Chuxing expands in South America

Kristin Mariano Feb 18, 2019

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing is reportedly expanding in Latin America based on the job postings and a company official.

Startups

Vietnam to reinvestigate Grab-Uber deal

Kristin Mariano Feb 15, 2019

It has been almost a year since the merger between Grab and Uber shook the ride-hailing market in Southeast Asia. After the deal, Grab became the top dog in Asia.

United States

Hero Traveler offers “travel advice you can trust”

Kristin Mariano Feb 15, 2019

Hero Traveler founder and CEO Joseph Anthony saw an opportunity to develop the first travel-focused social media application and website.

Startups

Didi Chuxing invests USD 100 million in OYO

Kristin Mariano Feb 14, 2019

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing has invested USD 100 million in Indian unicorn Oyo Hotels & Homes. This brings Oyo’s total financing close to USD 1 billion.

Hotels

Far East tourism surge boosts UK hotels performance

Tian Tolentino Feb 14, 2019

According to Expedia Group’s latest data, UK hotels enjoyed positive growth in 2018 as a result of a surge in visitors, particularly from the Far East.

Technology

Travel tech this week: Robots and next-gen firewall

Kristin Mariano Feb 14, 2019

This week, we saw new technologies that improved cybersecurity with next-gen firewall as well as future trends in the sector.

Global

Destination Asia: The top 12 platforms generating Asian booking revenue

Alastair Newport Feb 13, 2019

Acquisition platform Siteminder, has revealed its annual list of OTA’s and websites which have brought the highest total booking revenue to Asia in 2018.

Startups

How destination content ramps up sales

Kristin Mariano Feb 13, 2019

Storytelling is a must for destination marketing. Knowing the story of a place is one thing, but communicating it to an audience is another – a major thing for travel companies.

Technology

How to slide into DM’s and elevate the hotel guest experience

Tian Tolentino Feb 12, 2019

TrustYou has announced the release of its latest eBook ‘The Complete Guest Engagement Guide - How Messaging Elevates the Hotel Experience’.

Hotels

Hotel hashtags: Top 26 hotels dominating Instagram

Tian Tolentino Feb 12, 2019

In a comprehensive, travel company Destination2 has analysed data to reveal the top 26 hotel-related hashtags across the social sphere.

Tourism

360º VR tech brings Abu Dhabi’s tourism destinations to life

Tian Tolentino Feb 11, 2019

RYOT Studio, Verizon Media’s in-house creative technology unit, has created a 360-degree video experience to highlight Abu Dhabi’s tourist attractions.

Startups

Airbnb to build an “end-to-end platform” with latest hire

Kristin Mariano Feb 8, 2019

Airbnb is breaking into the travel market as the company just hired the founding head of Virgin America Fred Reid as global head of transportation.

Startups

Go-Jek’s fresh funds fuel expansion

Kristin Mariano Feb 8, 2019

Go-Jek has announced that it had received series F funding from Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com Inc. and China-based conglomerate Tencent Holdings, with Mitsubishi…

Technology

Year of the big data: China installs facial recognition system in Beijing

Kristin Mariano Feb 7, 2019

In what seemed to be an episode from Black Mirror, passengers at the Beijing's high-speed railway station needed to pass through a machine before they board the train.

Technology

The State of Voice: Angie Hospitality on how “voice makes sense” in 2019

Tian Tolentino Feb 7, 2019

Hotel tech company Angie Hospitality has published 'The State of Voice 2019' featuring the latest statistics from industry experts.

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas hooks up with 425,000 global TA’s

Alastair Newport Feb 7, 2019

Following the drama surrounding Qantas’ takeover of Alliance Airlines earlier this week, the carrier has made another, significantly less controversial, announcement by joining the Sabre…

Global

Travel tech this week: From new airport shuttle, codeshare UPAs to booking platforms

Kristin Mariano Feb 7, 2019

This week, we saw a lot of new technologies and partnerships in the travel tech space. Uber added new services to make going on a holiday much easier. Meanwhile, UK airports employ an…

Travel Agents

How TA’s can help save the world

Alastair Newport Feb 4, 2019

Destination management company (DMC) EXO Travel has unveiled its shiny new way for travel agents booking responsible travel and hospitality -- giving them the power to help save the planet,…

Podcasts

“If you are another nondescript branded hotel they will not even remember your name”: The Hotels Network CEO

Brett Henry Jan 31, 2019

For this week's podcast, I spoke to Juanjo Rodriguez, the CEO of The Hotels Network, a company delivering a hotel tech ecosystem that increases direct channel conversions.

Technology

Travelport NDC comes to UK Travel Agents

Alastair Newport Jan 31, 2019

Good news for TA’s as Travelport revealed new partnerships with a number of big name agencies, to roll out the New Distribution Capability (NDC), giving participants access to the enhanced…

Global

Travel tech this week: AirAsia’s AVA, CashlessSentosa, and more

Kristin Mariano Jan 31, 2019

This week, we saw how companies made use of technology to improve their services, making it convenient for their customers. AirAsia introduced its AI chatbot and Triptease announced…

Startups

Netflix and ride? Grab adds a streaming service to its app

Kristin Mariano Jan 31, 2019

Grab added Netflix-like video-on-demand service HOOQ into its core ride-hailing app. The company, which is valued at USD 11 billion and raising a USD 5 billion round, already offers a range…

Global

Klook couples Old World train travel with new-school tech

Alastair Newport Jan 30, 2019

Klook, the Hong Kong tour and experiences booking app which has been making waves throughout Asia for the last 18 months, has entered into a new relationship with Rail Europe, bound to cause…

Technology

Augmented Reality: TUI trials next-gen tech with Mixed Reality I/O

Tian Tolentino Jan 28, 2019

TUI Destination Experiences, under TUI Group, has announced the testing of augmented reality (AR) tech in its next generation of experiences.

Hotels

Top 5 hotel industry challenges to conquer in 2019

Tian Tolentino Jan 28, 2019

Roiback, a company that specialises in powering direct sales for hotels, has underlined the challenges that the hotel industry faces in 2019.

Startups

CoRover shows how to travel solo but not alone

Kristin Mariano Jan 25, 2019

Solo travellers face risks for they are alone during the trip, especially at the time of emergencies.

Technology

Unexplored: 10 overlooked cities reimagined as video game locations

Tian Tolentino Jan 25, 2019

Currys PC World has created an interactive map to reimagine 10 overlooked cities around the world as video game locations.

Technology

Traveltek founder and CEO Kenny Picken to retire

Alastair Newport Jan 25, 2019

Coming just a week after the resignation of senior vice president of sales Francis Riley, Traveltek’s founder and CEO Kenny Picken has now announced his plans to retire after sixteen years…

Technology

iQIYI and chill: Ctrip hooks up with Chinese Netflix

Alastair Newport Jan 25, 2019

Chinese online booking platform Ctrip has shown a commitment to improving the travel experience of its customers this week by hooking up with online entertainment service iQIYI – to provide…

Special Reports

“Avoid humans at all cost”: Sabre predicts consumer trends in 2019

Tian Tolentino Jan 24, 2019

Tech provider to the travel industry, Sabre, along with consumer trends and insights firm, TrendWatching, have predicted the top consumer trends this year.

Technology

Travel tech this week: From adrenaline junkie’s dream to packing calculator

Kristin Mariano Jan 24, 2019

This week, we saw technological improvements in aviation and financial sectors. How great is it that you can calculate how heavy your carry-on is or travel the world’s most dangerous road at…

Startups

Travelstop marks major expansion in Asia

Kristin Mariano Jan 23, 2019

Singapore-based business travel start-up Travelstop is launching in seven markets including Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

China

Infographic: The new engine driving Chinese outbound travel

Alastair Newport Jan 22, 2019

Alipay, in collaboration with Nielsen, has discovered that Chinese tourists from second-tier cities have become the new engine driving the Chinese outbound tourism market, as part of their…

Startups

How TripClub values women and their need of work and life balance

Kristin Mariano Jan 18, 2019

For TripClub CEO and founder Menchie Dizon, women deserve to have both worlds so she created a program that will enable women to work and take care of their personal affairs. As a woman, she…

Technology

Data-fuelled guide reveals best strategy to drive repeat bookings

Tian Tolentino Jan 17, 2019

Revinate has launched the 2019 Guide to Hotel Loyalty, analysing loyalty programs of over 200 hotel groups to uncover industry best practices.

Startups

Travel tech this week: It’s raining green for start-ups

Kristin Mariano Jan 17, 2019

This week we saw numerous travel tech start-ups receive millions of funding from different funding rounds. Start-ups rely on investments to foster growth.

Startups

GrabJobs disrupts old school recruitment process in SEA

Kristin Mariano Jan 16, 2019

Finding a job has never been this easy for both job seekers and employers. Singapore-based GrabJobs is making a fuss in the recruitment scene with their interview chatbot technology.

Airlines and Aviation

Hands off! ANA drives industry forward with automated bus

Tian Tolentino Jan 16, 2019

Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced the second phase of its testing for an autonomous, driverless bus at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

HR & Careers

“Culture is the key” says Amadeus’ HR mandarin

Alastair Newport Jan 14, 2019

With employees always on the lookout for new opportunities to develop their life experiences as much as their career, the responsibility of human resources to find, develop and retain a…

Travel Agents

Bedsonline forges online transition with commission campaign

Tian Tolentino Jan 14, 2019

Bedsonline has announced the ‘overwhelming success’ of its holiday season +3% commission campaign — a step towards the full transition to its new platform.

Startups

Go-Jek operates in Singapore after roadblock in the Philippines

Kristin Mariano Jan 11, 2019

Indonesian unicorn Go-Jek has opened its app to passengers in Singapore after it hits a roadblock in the Philippines.

Technology

RoomIt by CWT partners with SiteMinder

Kristin Mariano Jan 11, 2019

RoomIt by CWT, the global hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, and SiteMinder has announced a strategic partnership in the corporate travel distribution chain.

UK

Not your average ‘golf carts’: Multimobby improves mobility at Heathrow

Tian Tolentino Jan 10, 2019

OmniServ and London’s Heathrow Airport have introduced new Multimobby electric vehicles to improve passenger's mobility through the airport.

Technology

Travel tech this week: Google’s voice assistant for airlines and hotels and more

Kristin Mariano Jan 10, 2019

This week, we see airlines and airports investing in various technology to continuously improve travel experience. We also see road transportation companies take great strides to develop…

Hotels

UK’s first battery-powered hotel charges up

Tian Tolentino Jan 7, 2019

The Gyle Premier Inn at Edinburgh Park has installed a five-tonne battery to conserve around GBP 20,000 in energy costs every year.

Technology

Travel tech this week: Start-ups Grab, Nezasa, AvantStay secure millions and more

Kristin Mariano Jan 3, 2019

It is that time of the week again. This time, we saw millions being secured by start-ups hinting the forthcoming innovations in various sectors.

Startups

Get personal: The new mantra of Indian travel startups

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Jan 2, 2019

Abhas Desai, co-founder of Taxidio Travel India— a DIY travel planner shares his thoughts on travel startups in India and what's in store for them in 2019.

Hotels

2018 in review: Movers and shakers in the hotel space

Tian Tolentino Jan 2, 2019

Mergers, acquisitions, and billion-dollar funding rounds — so much have happened in 2018 and so I’ve thought of compiling them into one bite-sized piece.

Global

20 trend reports in 1: What travel will look like in 2019

Kristin Mariano Dec 31, 2018

Flooded with trend reports at the end of the year? TD has a special New Year's gift-- the lord of all trends reports to keep you on top of your game in 2019.

Global

Hotel channel managers: Key providers and how to choose one

Altexsoft Team Dec 30, 2018

In one Hotel Hell episode, lodge guests had to search for a front desk employee by themselves. Eventually, a bartender checked them in with a pen and notebook… 

Technology

Travel tech this week: Elon Musk’s solution to LA’s “soul-destroying traffic” and more

Kristin Mariano Dec 27, 2018

This week saw TPConnects, BA, Mindtree and the Boring Company make waves in the world of tech.

Hotels

Hotel revenue management: Solutions, best practices and revenue managers’ roles

Altexsoft Team Dec 24, 2018

Hotel revenue management, the facets that shape it, and the most effective revenue-increasing strategies.

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates declares war on delays

Alastair Newport Dec 20, 2018

Emirates has declared a war on delays at Dubai International Airport this week by announcing the introduction of some new tech, built by the carriers own in-house development team, dubbed…

Technology

GDS holiday revelations: Travelport’s top ten destinations for the UK

Tian Tolentino Dec 20, 2018

Travel commerce platform Travelport has revealed the most popular long-haul destinations for travellers in the UK this festive season.

Technology

Travel tech this week: Google and Airbnb’s new acquisitions and more

Kristin Mariano Dec 20, 2018

This week, we saw travel tech giants acquire smaller companies to fuel their growth and industry leaders drive innovation.

Technology

Virgin Holidays harnesses the power of social media with Trending Travel Guide

Tian Tolentino Dec 20, 2018

Virgin Holidays has launched the Trending Travel Guide – a digital platform that updates daily to give real-time holiday recommendations.

Tourism

Plan B in case your Christmas travel plans fail

Alastair Newport Dec 19, 2018

Have you lost money because you could not travel and had a non-refundable flight or a hotel reservation? You are not alone. Millions of people lose money on their unused travel bookings…

Startups

A smarter way to site-see: Now offered by Vidi Guides

Kristin Mariano Dec 18, 2018

75% of Millennials rely on Wikipedia or Google as their source of information, but these are not designed for sightseeing. So how does one filter the information especially while in a new…

Technology

4 essential steps for implementing NDC

Kristin Mariano Dec 18, 2018

New Distribution Capability (NDC) is poised to have far-reaching effects on the travel industry, and will potentially transform airline retailing for the better. Getting started with NDC can…

OTAs & Tour Operators

Traveloka reportedly acquires PegiPegi and two other rivals for USD 66.8 million

Kristin Mariano Dec 17, 2018

A report has surfaced that the Indonesian travel tech unicorn Traveloka has long acquired some of its rivals in Southeast Asia through a Singapore-based shell company named Jet Tech…

Airlines and Aviation

SIA: Key pillar of digital transformation will “truly transform the way offers are created”

Alastair Newport Dec 17, 2018

Amadeus and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have unveiled their upgraded partnership this morning with the announcement that the airline has fully integrated the Amadeus Altéa NDC and Amadeus…

Technology

Amadeus makes a point with new loyalty partnership

Alastair Newport Dec 14, 2018

Amadeus and new partner Points International, a loyalty commerce firm, have unveiled their new strategic agreement to provide airlines to combine Amadeus’ Loyalty Management and Awards and…

Technology

Rough riders: IATA introduces real-time turbulence forecasting

Alastair Newport Dec 13, 2018

IATA (International Air Transport Association) has announced the launch of its new Turbulence Aware tool. The new resource has been developed to strengthen carrier’s ability to forecast,…

Technology

Latest travel tech: Hotelchamp’s Autopilot, B Infinite loyalty program, and more

Kristin Mariano Dec 13, 2018

It has been an interesting week in travel with Hotelchamp putting direct bookings on autopilot and well-known brand Best Western’s new website for hotel developers and owners.

Hotels

Great Hotels of the World sees investment boost in next two years

Tian Tolentino Dec 13, 2018

Great Hotels of the World (GHOTW), recently acquired by GuestCentric, will receive over EUR 3 million investment over the next two years.

Airlines and Aviation

Singapore Airlines uses real time data feedback to take control

Alastair Newport Dec 11, 2018

Singapore Airlines (SIA) launched its brand new operations management system today.

Technology

“Better tech, faster speeds and new revenue streams”: The future of inflight connectivity

Alastair Newport Dec 11, 2018

The future passenger experience will be complemented by better tech, faster speeds and new revenue streams for airlines, writes Ben Griffin, Inmarsat's vice president for aviation in the MEA…

Technology

Hotelbeds: Year-end review and forecast trends for 2019

Tian Tolentino Dec 11, 2018

Tech provider and distributor Hotelbeds has released industry comments and insights about the year in travel and its forecasts for 2019.

Road

Uber, Lyft IPO in 2019: The Ali-Frazier of Wall Street

Kristin Mariano Dec 10, 2018

Dubbed as the most-anticipated IPO filing, Uber and Lyft generated excitement among investors with their news about going public.

Hotels

Orion Span launches crowdfunding campaign for luxury space hotel

Tian Tolentino Dec 10, 2018

Space tourism company Orion Span has announced a crowdfunding campaign for its luxury space hotel Aurora Station, launching in 2022.

Hotels

Integrating hardware with ‘heartware’: Tencent partners with Shangri-La Group

Tian Tolentino Dec 10, 2018

Chinese tech giant Tencent and Shangri-La Group have announced the signing of a strategic partnership to deploy ‘Smart Hotel’ solutions.

Technology

ITL World builds on global network with Sabre Red Workspace

Tian Tolentino Dec 10, 2018

ITL World, a travel management company in the Middle East, has created a roadmap for the inclusion of NDC to address the industry’s current distribution limitations.

Hotels

Turn disaster into an opportunity: Lessons from Marriott data breach

Kristin Mariano Dec 7, 2018

While it is a hard time for Marriott since its credibility has been damaged, the hospitality group just gained an opportunity to turn the tables and rise above the challenge.

Global

IATA suspends Zuji’s air booking license

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Dec 7, 2018

Zuji, an online travel booking platform has abruptly stalled its airline booking operations in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Air

Crucial questions still cloud NDC

Kristin Mariano Dec 7, 2018

Critics of NDC claimed that while the objective of NDC and airlines are fair, many things are still left in the dark, especially the impact to travellers.

Tourism

30 million pilgrims by 2030: Saudi Arabia Ministry partners with Agoda

Tian Tolentino Dec 6, 2018

Agoda and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) supporting the Kingdom’s vision of 2030.

Technology

In travel tech this week: THAI, Babbel, Hahn Air and more

Kristin Mariano Dec 6, 2018

Latest technologies are continuously transforming the travel industry. This week, airlines and airports turn to technology to improve their services, a language app that dives into travel,…

Airlines and Aviation

Seamless order servicing matters in NDC-driven space

Kristin Mariano Dec 6, 2018

IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) ensures that airlines can distribute rich content across all channels, but the offer is just the starting point of a satisfactory service. It is of…

Startups

G Adventures acquires UK-based youth travel specialist, TruTravels

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Dec 6, 2018

G Adventures, a small group adventure travel operator offering more than 700 tours in 100 countries, announced the acquisition of UK-based youth travel specialist, TruTravels.

Hospitality

Telephone channel is still king for hotel bookings

Kristin Mariano Dec 5, 2018

With the advent of the latest technology and AI-powered chatbots, use of mobile bookings and other reservation options are becoming popular in hotels. Some hotels have stopped paying any…

Technology

Save time, make money: Instaroom’s AI bot powers direct bookings for hotels

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Dec 5, 2018

Personalisation is key in the hospitality sector and we are increasingly seeing new tech developments facilitate the service-heavy industry and how.

Technology

SBC Travel yearns to streamline payments in travel with blockchain

Kristin Mariano Dec 4, 2018

SBC Travel hasn’t been launched officially yet, but it already gained a lot of traction due to its recent acquisitions.

Hospitality

Trivago confesses to false advertising in Australia

Kristin Mariano Dec 3, 2018

Trivago has admitted that it led customers into believing that the results page shows the lowest prices in the “more deals” section.

Technology

Deal or no deal: eNett CEO on his once-in-a-lifetime pitch in a taxi

Kristin Mariano Dec 3, 2018

They say that you should know your business inside out for you will never know when an opportunity strikes. Learn from Anthony Hynes, founder and CEO of payment firm eNett, who seized his…

Global

“Visit Helsinki from the comfort of one’s own sofa” with VR Helsinki

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Nov 30, 2018

Nearly every industry leader and veteran has been talking about the new technological advancements and emerging ones like VR/AR will impact the travel industry. With VR-Helsinki, the capital…

Technology

Traveloka co-founder bids goodbye and sparks rumours of internal conflict

Kristin Mariano Nov 29, 2018

Traveloka’s co-founder and chief technology officer Derianto Kusuma has resigned from the company, effective on 30 November, he co-founded after seven years saying “this game is no longer…

Technology

Travel tech this week: Instaroom new AI, BoG in Europe, and more

Kristin Mariano Nov 29, 2018

Digital disruption is not too far from the travel industry either. We scout the latest happenings in the travel tech world each week. Here are the five tech developments of this week.

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas welcomes first TMC in new NDC-fied booking platform

Kristin Mariano Nov 28, 2018

Qantas has revealed the first Australian travel management company that can now book flights through the airline’s new technology platform.

Technology

Taking the next step: Bidroom co-founders bring new leadership to fuel growth

Kristin Mariano Nov 28, 2018

One of the major challenges for start-ups is how to take the business to the next level and foster growth. The two common reasons why start-ups fail are lack of funding and lack of…

Airlines and Aviation

Indian TA’s hit back at Air India’s exclusive GDS deal with Travelport

Alastair Newport Nov 27, 2018

Following the news in October that UK-based Travelport had won the contract to become the sole provider of Air India’s GDS, the nation’s travel agents have responded with an emphatic request…

Global

Portier hires travel tech grandee Olivier Dombey to become a “very serious player”

Alastair Newport Nov 27, 2018

Portier Technologies, has announced the appointment of Olivier Dombey as its new chief operating officer based out of the company’s Bangkok office.

Air

Gone in 60 seconds: myCWT rolls out “simple, fast and easy” flight bookings

Alastair Newport Nov 27, 2018

Travel management firm Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has increased the scope of its myCWT app by introducing the mobile air booking tech, with an average booking time of one minute to key…

Technology

Bosch pairs with Amadeus, Chrome River for seamless business travel experience

Kristin Mariano Nov 27, 2018

Engineering and electronics company Bosch aims to digitise its primitive business travel tools for the benefit of its more than 400,000 employees worldwide.

Technology

VLeisure’s one-stop B2B travel platform: Answer to Vietnam’s fragmented market

Kristin Mariano Nov 22, 2018

VLeisure CEO Phan Le saw that the booking process was a pain and inefficient and in dire need of a solution via technology.

Technology

QQ Speed: VisitBritain takes the fast lane with Tencent’s racing game

Tian Tolentino Nov 21, 2018

National tourism agency VisitBritain has collaborated with China-based internet tech and cultural enterprise Tencent on a new 3D racing game QQ Speed.

Technology

+en Travel Envoys seeks travel agents

Kristin Mariano Nov 20, 2018

+en Travel Envoys is a new initiative backed by the Singapore Tourism Board that provides individuals with the digital platforms, training, expertise, network and resources to start a travel…

Technology

Gartner’s top 10 strategic tech trends for 2019

Kristin Mariano Nov 19, 2018

Gartner, Inc. has revealed some of the strategic technology trends that will have far-reaching effects in various industries and companies need to explore.

Technology

Pausing but not giving up: Spacebase CEO on recalibrating your business

Kristin Mariano Nov 19, 2018

Unproductive and uncreative are how Spacebase co-founder and CEO Julian Jost described the conventional board meeting culture. Working as a strategy consultant for years, Julian has…

Airlines and Aviation

Financial check: A quarterly analysis of the major GDS players

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Nov 16, 2018

This month, three of the major GDS providers in the industry -- Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport, denoting an upward trend recording considerable profits.

Technology

LINE to be a ‘super app’ for new travel funnel

Kristin Mariano Nov 16, 2018

LINE is on its way from being a mere messaging app to becoming a super app that will offer services for the new experiential travel funnel.

Hotels

BedLinker: A marketplace for midsize players in the travel business

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Nov 16, 2018

A travel tech startup from the economic hub of Vietnam, BedLinker, aims to empower travel buyers and sellers to create their own seamless, configurable purchasing and distribution experience…

Technology

NDC in a hybrid world: What you need to know

Kristin Mariano Nov 15, 2018

According to IATA, 20% of the leaderboard airlines’ third-party volume is forecast to be sold through NDC API. That means 80% of those airlines’ sales volume will be retailed in the…

Technology

TripAdvisor vies to be your new Facebook for travel

Kristin Mariano Nov 14, 2018

TripAdvisor has launched its new website to inspire users to book their next travel. On its brand new social platform, users can discover useful content – travel tips and recommendation from…

Hospitality

Direct Booking Summit: “China is the Wild West of hotel distribution”

Tian Tolentino Nov 13, 2018

Ahead of the Direct Booking Summit in Singapore next February, Triptease has spoken with Chetan Patel, VP for strategic marketing & e-commerce at ONYX Hospitality Group.

Technology

SBC Travel acquires Dream Holidays Planner ahead its launch

Kristin Mariano Nov 13, 2018

Continuing to strengthen its position in the travel industry, Singapore-based travel agency and subsidiary of Swissbloc Capital, SBC Travel, has announced that it will purchase…

Mobile & Social

Love it or hate it: UK consumer survey reveals social media quirks

Tian Tolentino Nov 12, 2018

New research has revealed that UK consumers are more discerning and less ready to be ‘influenced’ when booking a holiday than travel brands may have previously thought.

Technology

DataArt: Top 5 travel and hospitality tech trends for 2019

Tian Tolentino Nov 12, 2018

DataArt, a global technology consultancy, has predicted the top 5 travel and hospitality tech trends for 2019.

OTAs & Tour Operators

The shopping phenomenon you’ve never heard of just racked up USD 30b in a day

Kristin Mariano Nov 12, 2018

Alibaba did it again! The Chinese e-commerce giant beat its own record at Singles’ Day 11:11 event with USD 30.7 billion total sales during the 24-hour event beating last year’s USD 25.3…

Hospitality

LINE Travel partners with Agoda, Lions Travel, KKday and Tripresso

Alastair Newport Nov 9, 2018

LINE Travel to be launched in Taiwan from 28 November.

Singapore

Travel giants Agoda and JTB Corp join forces

Alastair Newport Nov 8, 2018

Singapore based online travel agent (OTA) Agoda, has announced today a brand new deal with Japan’s biggest travel agent JTB Corp.

Technology

TravelgateX acquires the start-up REVVA

Kristin Mariano Nov 7, 2018

TravelgateX, a global marketplace for the travel trade, has acquired start-up REVVA in order to strengthen its position in the business intelligence sector.

Hospitality

From selling shampoo to CEO: European Vacation Rentals Henrik Kjellberg reveals secrets when moving jobs

Kristin Mariano Nov 6, 2018

Henrik Kjellberg brought along the expertise he gained from 20 years of working in the travel industry as he assumed the role as chief executive officer of European Vacation Rentals in…

Consumer

Alternative Airlines: “Spread the cost of a flight over monthly instalments”

Alastair Newport Nov 5, 2018

Alternative Airlines' announces new partnership with US payment specialists Affirm.

Technology

Where pawns become queens: 5 underrated Asian markets

Kristin Mariano Nov 5, 2018

Asia and the Pacific is a massive market and a fertile ground for travel start-ups.

Travel agency software: Choosing tools for booking, accounting, marketing, and tour building

Altexsoft Team Nov 2, 2018

This article was originally published as a blog post by AltexSoft. It is published here with permission. Despite the recent charge toward using OTAs, a recent study showed that offline…

Hotels

“We have Satoshi to thank”, says founder of KeyoCoin

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Nov 1, 2018

So what can the travel industry realistically hope to gain from blockchain technology in the decade to come? Matt Baer, founder and CEO of KeyoCoin, the universal travel rewards platform…

Airlines and Aviation

Smart Tunnel: Emirates unveils integrated “biometric path”

Tian Tolentino Oct 30, 2018

Emirates has announced the launch of the world’s first “biometric path” which offers its customers a smooth and seamless airport journey.

Technology

SAS signs with Datalex for “the right customer at the right time, via the right channel”

Alastair Newport Oct 29, 2018

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) sign a long term agreement with Irish tech firm Datalex, in order to help the carrier put its digital transformation strategy into action with NDC.

Technology

airFair: UK’s first flight delay compensation app updates tech

Tian Tolentino Oct 29, 2018

airFair has released an enhanced version of its app to streamline the flight delay claims process for passengers on the go.

Global

Alitalia jumps on the branded fares bandwagon

Alastair Newport Oct 29, 2018

Sabre Corporation has announced that Italian airline Alitalia has jumped on the tech firm’s bandwagon by signing up for the Sabre Branded Fares solution, which will be available on domestic…

Technology

Eurostar’s new robot provides travel info, takes selfies on request

Tian Tolentino Oct 29, 2018

High-speed train service provider, Eurostar, has introduced an interactive humanoid that offers a new way of providing travel information.

Middle East

Saudi Arabia goes loopy for transport of the future

Alastair Newport Oct 25, 2018

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies announces partners and construction start for commercial system in Abu Dhabi.

Airlines and Aviation

Finnair chooses Amadeus Network Revenue Management to drive profitability

Kristin Mariano Oct 25, 2018

Finnair has chosen Amadeus Network Revenue Management that uses data science to improve demand forecasts and optimise the airline’s Origin and Destination network.

Hotels

IHG enhances online search for MICE spaces worldwide

Tian Tolentino Oct 23, 2018

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has collaborated with Social Tables to launch the company’s new groups and meetings digital experience.

Hospitality

Hospitality management university EHL invests in Boost mobile learning

Tian Tolentino Oct 22, 2018

Boost, a mobile learning solutions provider for the hospitality industry, has announced a partnership with École Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL).

Technology

Swych launches Travelex Pay for WeChat

Kristin Mariano Oct 22, 2018

Leading cross-border financial services firm Travelex has partnered with Swych, the global digital gifting platform, and launched Travelex Pay within the WeChat app.

UK

Heathrow to fully deploy facial recognition for departures by 2019

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Oct 19, 2018

UK's Heathrow to launch airport’s first end-to-end bio-metrics trial bringing facial recognition to each point of the departing passenger’s journey.

Hospitality

DayBreakHotels CEO Simon Botto on making luxury hotels “more accessible”

Kristin Mariano Oct 18, 2018

DayBreakHotels makes it possible for guests to enjoy lavish rooms, spas, swimming pools, and other amenities for a ‘day break’ instead of booking an overnight stay.

Technology

10 most Instagram worthy travel experiences: How many have you done?

Kristin Mariano Oct 18, 2018

Instagram makes it easier for us to relive some of our favourite travel experiences. Food, friends, sun, and sand – all our adventures captured in a photo and saved in a digitally shared…

Technology

Revinate connects with hotels globally via SiteMinder Exchange

Tian Tolentino Oct 18, 2018

Revinate has announced a partnership with the global hotel cloud platform, SiteMinder, to connect with SiteMinder Exchange.

Airlines and Aviation

Ready jet go: Jet Airways renews GDS with Sabre

Alastair Newport Oct 18, 2018

Jet Airways has been busy this week getting its domestic content distribution in order. Earlier this week, the Indian carrier announced it had renewed its GDS agreement with British travel…

Airlines and Aviation

Desperate times, desperate measures: Shift in Indian airlines’ GDS providers

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Oct 17, 2018

Travelport recently bagged contracts of India's state-owned Air India and one of India's premier airlines, Jet Airways as their exclusive ticket-distribution service provider and content…

Global

New kids on the blockchain: TD gets the lowdown on Keyocoin with CEO, Matt Baer

Simon Willmore Oct 17, 2018

For this week's podcast I spoke to the CEO and founder of Keyocoin Matt Baer, about making a real-world application for blockchain, solving the difficulties of the fragmented nature of the…

Saudi Arabia

Hyatt to roll out mobile room entry and security to all hotels by 2020

Alastair Newport Oct 17, 2018

ASSA ABLOY Hospitality, self-described provider of “advanced security solutions” for the hospitality sector has revealed it has completed the implementation of its ‘Mobile Entry’ tool at the…

Airlines and Aviation

Travelport renews ties with Jet Airways

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Oct 17, 2018

Jet Airways has signed a long-term supplier agreement with Travelport that will be effective from April 2019 and enable online and offline travel agencies around the world to shop, book and…

Airlines and Aviation

Keeping up with the times: Etihad cargo goes fully digital

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Oct 17, 2018

Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, fully migrated to “SPRINT”, an IBS iCargo fully integrated technology platform offering the digital answer to its evolving cargo…

China

Ctrip: Online giant opens its first hotel with Rezen Hotels Group

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Oct 16, 2018

Travel tech company, Ctrip recently unveiled its hotel management brand Rezen Hotels Group at the World Cultural and Tourism Forum. The group aims to bring together top-rated hotels in…

Global

Gram-busters: Tourism trends for 2019

Alastair Newport Oct 16, 2018

With travel trends constantly in flux recent habits have seen tourists swapping their sun loungers and beach beds for city breaks as well as the now ubiquitous adrenaline fuelled experience.…

Technology

How tech can solve your hospitality HR problems

Adrian Tan Oct 16, 2018

By Adrian Tan, co-founder of The Resource Group.

Hotels

Broader Horizons: OYO plans to host guests in 150 Hotels across UAE

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Oct 16, 2018

After setting foot in China and the UK, OYO Hotels, South Asia’s largest and one of the fastest growing hospitality chains, has launched its operations in the United Arab Emirates.

Airlines and Aviation

Forget jetpacks — take to the skies in your own personal air taxi

Alastair Newport Oct 16, 2018

Air New Zealand and Zephyr Airworks have signed an agreement to bring the world's first autonomous electric air taxi service to New Zealand.

Technology

How Virgin Holidays leveraged online management for higher visibility

MILI SEMLANI Semlani Oct 15, 2018

Virgin Holidays have significantly increased its online visibility, with a 117% increase in Google views, 73% increase in clicks, and 74% increase in calls. We find out how.

UK

Travellers need mobile phones to relax on holiday – 50% of over 55s use Facebook while abroad

Tian Tolentino Oct 15, 2018

Riviera Travel has revealed that Brit adults feel the need to check their phones three to four times a day during their holiday.

Airlines and Aviation

Travelport wins tender to become Air India’s sole distributor in home market

Kristin Mariano Oct 12, 2018

Travelport has won a tender process undertaken by Air India for the sole distribution of its domestic flight content in the airline's home market.

Technology

Deep Neural Network: Key to achieve hyper-responsive customer service

Kristin Mariano Oct 11, 2018

Artificial intelligence advances in greater strides making it more reliable and an attractive business solution. Over the past decade, the travel industry is keen on taking advantage of AI…

Appointments

Amadeus ramps up Airport IT in APAC with two senior appointments

Kristin Mariano Oct 11, 2018

Amadeus has announced the promotion of Sarah Samuel to Head of Airport IT, Asia Pacific and the appointment of Sunil Ankalgi to Head of Sales and Account Management for Airport IT, Asia…

Hotels

City Vibes: OYO to redesign facades of 1000+ hotels in India

Tian Tolentino Oct 11, 2018

OYO, South Asia’s largest and one of the world’s fastest growing hotel chains, has announced that it’s refreshing its hotels through the new City Vibes campaign.

Hotels

Rightsify: Weaponise music for F&B success

Alastair Newport Oct 11, 2018

Global music licensing agency Rightsify has announced the release of its latest study this week, a report which looks at the intriguing links between our oral and aural perceptions, dubbed…