Domestic travel to lead recovery in Middle East
Local tourism and domestic travel are expected to lead the United Arab Emirates’ recovery from Covid-19, according to new research. The topic will come under discussion during the…
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Grab Philippines to deliver fresh produce right at your doorstep
Grab Philippines partnered with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to support the livelihood of farmers and entrepreneurs as well as to bring convenience to consumers in obtaining fresh…
Immersive virtual retreats launched with Malta Tourism for Mental Health Awareness Week
Wellbeing social enterprise Talent Courtyard has partnered with Malta Tourism Authority to launch the UK’s first ‘Virtual Retreats’ for travel sales professionals. The exclusive retreat…
HRS obtains Oracle Hospitality support rights in China
HRS Hospitality & Retail Systems continue their global expansion by opening in China, the largest market in the Asia-Pacific region. HRS began its operations reselling Oracle…
From CFO to GM: Calvin Xie to accelerate FCM’s organisational transformation in China
Travel management company FCM Travel Solutions has announced the appointment of Calvin Xie as general manager for China.
In his new role, Calvin will drive the company’s business in China…
AirAsia: Introduce “a more secure, safe, efficient, and contactless experience”
AirAsia has announced it will be introducing a range of new procedures for essential travel including contactless payments at the airport, contactless kiosks, Passenger Reconciliation System…
Uber tries to eat Grubhub
Ride-hailing giant Uber has made an offer to buy Grubhub, which is currently valued at USD4.5 billion, with the intention for the latter to be absorbed into Uber’s operation.
HomeAway announces new features to find homes based on cleanliness, flexible cancellations
HomeAway has announced new ways for families to find holiday homes, so that when they are ready to travel again they can easily find accommodation that meets their standards for cleanliness…
Eugene Kaspersky launches accelerator to help tourism startups
COVID-19 has hit tourism hard with fledgling projects losing support from large companies or being cancelled indefinitely. In order to address this issue, Eugene Kaspersky, founder and…
Arabian Travel Market advisory board goes digital
Arabian Travel Market (ATM), recently hosted the first digital ATM advisory board meeting with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and hospitality industry dominating the…
Uber loses USD2.9 billion in Q1, grows Uber Eats
Ride-hailing giant Uber lost USD2.9 billion in the first quarter due to the coronavirus pandemic.
STAAH introduces Ringgit as payment option for Malaysia
STAAH, the leading cloud-based technology solutions provider for hospitality industry, has recently taken its first step towards offering local currency payment option for its Malaysian…
Samujana launches wellness series online
Thailand’s leading private villa estate, Samujana, has created a wellness series that can help you not only calm your mind but also keep your body active. COVID-19 hasn’t stopped their…
Middle East debut of ATM Virtual to focus on emerging trends and challenges amid Covid-19 pandemic
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has announced the launch of ATM Virtual, a three-day event that will take place from 1-3 June. The event seeks to underscore a commitment to delivering…
China National Tourist Office launches Facebook campaign
The China National Tourist Office (CNTO) has launched a social media campaign from its London office via Facebook. The page has a statement in support of the UK government's guidelines…
Message from Me! Millennium Hotels honours employees and mothers from around the world
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) will be launching 'Message from Me'. It is a social media campaign that will run from 8-25 May to honour mothers and…
10 most popular Zoom backgrounds reveal people’s dream destinations
Since people went into quarantine, video calls have become our way to communicate with our families, friends, and colleagues.
Grab Philippines expands services with GrabMart
GrabMart is the company’s newest on-demand grocery service which allows users to shop thru the app and have them delivered on their doorstep.
PATA and TCI Research to help alleviate travel industry woes
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced a new organisational partnership with TCI Research, a leading travel data intelligence agency awarded by the UN World Tourism…
“The distribution market will never be the same,” Aeronology CEO on long term development contract with TravelSky
Aeronology, a new travel technology based in Melbourne, has announced a global API/GDS distribution relationship with TravelSky, China’s largest airline GDS.
Ray of light: DiDi resumes services in Wuhan, China
On 30 April, DiDi has resumed its ride-hailing services, including taxi-hailing, private-car hailing, Hitch, and Designated Driving, in Wuhan, China.
TripAdvisor lets go of 900 employees
TripAdvisor CEO and co-founder Stephen Kaufer has announced that the company is reducing its workforce due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, which has largely affected the travel industry
Travelling after lockdown: What can we learn from China?
Many of us wonder what travelling would be like after the lockdown. It has been over a month since some nations imposed a shutdown that made us live like a recluse and I imagine that our…
5 Regions winning the battle against COVID-19 and here’s what they’re doing
some other countries appear to have managed to slow down the rate of new cases and now seem to be on a slow and possibly difficult path towards recovery. Here they are:
Aviation leaders to discuss challenges facing industry over online broadcast event
Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has joined forces with APEX, international airline association dedicated to advancing passenger experience, to…
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays pilots stay ready to fly customers on holiday again
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ team of pilots at East Midlands Airport have shown just how ready they are to fly customers on holiday again, in this fantastic take on the company’s ‘Hold My…
TripAdvisor’s Hotels for Health bridges NHS and hotels at this time of crisis
Tripadvisor has launched Hotels for Health, a programme to connect NHS trusts with hotels who can supply rooms in this time of need.
Taiwan Tourism Bureau reactivates its online training for travel agents
Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB) has relaunched its programme with Online Travel Training (OTT) providing in-depth training with eight sessions to learn about the destination.
The eight…
Vacaay names former V&T boss Anthony Gallagher as general manager
Newly-launched travel tech platform Vacaay has named Anthony Gallagher, previous owner of Australia’s Vacations and Travel Magazine (V&T), as the company’s general manager.
Tourism Authority of Thailand marks 50th Earth Day with five sustainable experiences for armchair travellers
Established in 1970 and now observed by more than one billion people across more than 190 countries, World Earth Day presents an opportunity to demonstrate support for environmental…
WTTC unveils ‘Together In Travel’ campaign
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a new marketing campaign, TogetherInTravel, to galvanise the global travel and tourism community and show how the sector is a…
Fred. Olsen launches ‘Virtual Cruising’ programme
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched a programme of ‘Virtual Cruising’ to bring the joys of small ship sailing and discovering the world to guests who are self-isolating in their homes.…
Around the world in 30 minutes: KAYAK launches virtual getaways for stay-at-home escapism
KAYAK is launching its virtual travel hub featuring a selection of curated city guides so globetrotters can #TravelFromHome.
Tourism Ministry in India unveils ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ webinar series
Sensing an opportunity to establish domestic tourism to reduce the dependency on inbound and penetrate into the outbound travel market, the Ministry of Tourism in India recently launched…
Chiva-Som launches complimentary online wellness services
A pioneer in transformative wellness practices, Chiva-Som in Hua Hin, Thailand, has announced the launch of Chiva-Som Online Wellness Services, to provide support and encourage…
DiDi’s new strategy puts user value first
Didi Chuxing (“DiDi”) has announced its three-year strategic goals that showed a shift from an “all-in-safety” strategy to achieving sustainable, high-quality growth through longer-term…
Sandals launches Caribbean-inspired backgrounds for ZOOM
Sandals and Beaches Resorts has released a series of Caribbean-inspired backgrounds for the video-calling platform ZOOM. For work conference call or catch up with family and friends,…
USTOA showcases international music videos
The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is inviting the travel community to virtually #ComeTogetherWithUSTOA this month by tuning into its social channels for international…
Travel dreaming is sky high as Flight Centre UK reports 91% increase in time spent ‘window shopping’
As people the world over are practicing social distancing and isolation amid the coronavirus crisis, the UK has embarked on PE lessons with Joe Wicks, baking banana bread and become…
IoT tech takes strain off hotels, quarantine facilities
Tech firm Essence Group, along with partner FocusCura, are installing their remote monitoring tele-care technology to provide support to COVID-19 patients who have been discharged from…
Amadeus issues new capital and convertible bonds
Amadeus IT Group issued EUR 750 million (USD 818 million) in new capital and EUR 750 million (USD 818 million) in senior convertible bonds to further strengthen its capital position.…
Tripadvisor launches new features to help restaurants during COVID-19 crisis
Tripadvisor has launched the first of several initiatives to provide immediate economic support to our local communities, enabling diners and travellers to assist in the long term recovery…
Viator launches #RoamFromHome to help travellers keep exploring
To help travellers see the world while so much of it and so many of us remain on lockdown, Viator introduced a new project called #RoamFromHome – partnering with tour guides, attractions and…
TAT brings Thailand to the world…virtually
As part of its campaign to ‘Bring Thailand to the World... Virtually’, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched an inspiring video series for travellers to experience…
Supporting renters, landlords and agents with ‘Touchless Rental Contracting’ solution
Flat Monthly has been pioneering the online processing of residential rentals for about six months now. In a nutshell, the firm’s objective of making rentals ‘Beyond Easy’ relies on…
62% of Americans are still going to workplaces amid shutdown
According to Atlas VPN investigation, lockdowns successfully reduced the mobility of citizens, but 62% of Americans are still going to work.
Recently, Google published its user’s…
Etihad and Elenium Automation to test airport technology to help identify medically at-risk travellers
Etihad Airways will partner with Australian company Elenium Automation to trial new technology which allows self-service devices at airports to be used to help identify travellers with…
“75% of the rooms around the country are empty”
Due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic the US hotel industry reported significant year-over-year declines in the three key performance metrics during the week of 29 March…
MakeMyTrip launches ‘Stays for Saviours’
To support healthcare community during the unprecedented public health crisis, MakeMyTrip (MMYT) has launched ‘Stays for Saviours’ to support temporary accommodation needs of the medical…
The future of travel – “partnerships”
ABTA demanded the government suspend the travel industry’s refund rules or face “catastrophic damage to the UK travel industry, and widespread consumer detriment.” The travel industry…
JNTO launches e-learning platform
Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) announced the launch of new e-learning platform designed to aid the training and development of agents across a growing product base. The…
Airbnb sets aside USD250 million to support hosts
In light with the development of COVID-19 health crisis, Airbnb has announced several key initiatives and policies, including USD250 million USD to help accommodation hosts impacted by…
Israeli travel tech startup Hotelmize raises Series B from Alibaba, opens APAC headquarters in Hong Kong
Hotelmize, developer of AI-based price prediction and profit-optimisation technologies for the hotel booking industry, is raising its B round investment largely in the Asia Pacific to…
Pavilions Hotels launches home video competition
The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts has launched an enticing competition targeted at content creators around the globe who are at home and looking for an activity to focus their passions…
Japan offers virtual experiences for home-bound travellers
While travellers worldwide are self-isolating, the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) is encouraging people to satisfy their wanderlust remotely by providing virtual experiences…
Celebrities, influencers, and organisations turn to social media to spread correct information
As fake news and misinformation spread faster than the novel coronavirus, the World Health Organisation enlisted the help of various social media platforms with the aid of celebrities and…
100K in first 30 days: Vacaay thriving despite coronavirus outbreak
Despite the uncertainty clouding the industry, consumers have flocked to Vacaay's fun and innovative travel discovery platform to plan their holidays in advance.
Healing Solutions: UNWTO calls on innovators and entrepreneurs to accelerate tourism recovery
In the face of an unprecedented challenge, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), calls on innovators and entrepreneurs to…
A letter from the Travel Daily Media founder Gary Marshall
In times of crisis, we must hold onto what we love the most and travel media is our driving passion. We strive to maintain standards and improve our ability to deliver news and essential…
10 home quarantine activities to keep boredom at bay
It is still early in the home quarantine game, but are you bored to death by now? To interrupt the curve and contain the coronavirus as soon as possible, it’s better if we all stay at home…
ADARA launches customer identity guide for travel marketers adjusting to end of cookies era
ADARA, the world’s travel data co-op and leading provider of traveller intelligence, released important thought leadership about the increasingly critical role of consumer identities for…
The impact of COVID-19 on hotel occupancy in APAC
Reflecting the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels in the Asia Pacific region reported a significant decline in occupancy but fairly steady room rates during February 2020, according to…
Sabre appoints Otto Gergye to lead airline operations in North Asia
Sabre Corporation, the software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, announced Otto Gergye as vice president and regional general manager of North Asia in…
Trip.com Group joins Standard Chartered to announce new virtual banking service Mox
Trip.com Group has partnered with Standard Chartered, Hong Kong-based information and communications technology company PCCW and Hong Kong Telecom (HKT) to launch a new virtual banking…
Agoda unveils long-term stay feature allowing travellers to book over 30 days in a single booking
Agoda now lists properties for stays of more than 30 days to capitalise on the growing trend of using vacation rentals for long term stays. Available on Agoda Homes, the latest long-term…
The hunt for COVID-19 vaccine could be over
First patient has received COVID-19 vaccine as part of the clinical trial for possible cure of the pandemic.
CWT launches web-based flight bookings on myCWT
CWT, business-to-business-for-employees (B2B4E) travel management platform has introduced web-based flight booking capabilities to its global B2B4E travel management platform, myCWT.…
ZUZU Hospitality strengthens position in Southeast Asia with regional expansion and new hires
ZUZU Hospitality, a Singapore-based hospitality tech startup which provides revenue management and distribution solutions to independent hotels, announced that they are moving forward…
Flight Centre Travel Group invests in TPConnects to boost customer access to air content
Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has strengthened its technology roadmap and air content offering to customers by securing an initial investment in TPConnects Technologies. The…
Airbnb tweaks refund policy
Airbnb is making adjustments to its refund policy in an attempt to balance the needs of hosts and guests on its home-sharing site amid the global coronavirus outbreak that has severely…
Leading Yachts of the World gears up for Asia Pacific launch
New travel technology brand Leading Yachts of the World has opened offices in key strategic markets Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore and Hong Kong, in preparation for its bid to disrupt the…
Click&Boat acquires its German competitor Scansail
Click&Boat has acquired Scansail, one of its main competitors in German-speaking markets. The German company will continue to operate as a separate brand, based in its current HQ in…
Millennial business travellers push the future of corporate travel
UK based travel techspert Travelport has published data which suggests millennial travellers are driving corporate travel towards a post-digital era in Asia Pacific (APAC) as their…
Etihad signs MoU with Chinese tech giant
Etihad Airways has announced a major new deal with Chinese multinational and internet big beast Tencent Tencent, owners of China's ubiquitous mobile app WeChat.
The new Memorandum of…
Coronavirus and cancelled flights: Here are your rights
GIVT lawyer Kamila Szczygieł answers the most frequently asked questions:
Business travellers can now offset carbon footprint with GreenPerk
For the first time, business travellers can now offset their entire carbon impact directly through a booking platform. Travel management platform, TravelPerk, has announced the launch of…
Brits still set on travelling despite the coronavirus outbreak
Research has revealed that 3 out of 4 UK travellers are still planning on taking their next holiday following the coronavirus outbreak.
Managing revenue amidst APAC travel restrictions
Rachel Grier, area vice president of Asia Pacific in IDeaS Revenue Solutions talks about how hoteliers must continue to execute a revenue management strategy focused on not just the next few…
ixigo offers no-questions asked full refund for select destinations affected by COVID-19
AI-based travel app, ixigo has announced a full refund for all flight bookings to China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Spain, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. The policy is…
IDeaS unveils hotel industry’s total revenue forecasting and planning tool
IDeaS Revenue Solutions, provider of revenue management software and services, unveiled IDeaS RevPlan, a cloud-based module built to complement its flagship Risk Management Solutions…
3 advantages of having female leaders
We have gone a long way when it comes to gender parity; unfortunately, women are still woefully underrepresented in the travel technology industry as a whole. In the tourism and hospitality…
Welcome to the future! World’s first hotel virtual reality experience centre unveiled
Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, a leading business hotel in Delhi NCR, has announced the launch of the world’s first hotel virtual reality (VR) experience centre, in association with…
Let your mind travel: Marriott Hotel Al Forsan offers multi-sensory pods
Ever wondered what it would feel like to teleport to a whole new destination in the blink of an eye? Marriott Hotel’s latest campaign – Let Your Mind Travel – gives you the chance to do…
Annual Google I/O Conference cancelled
The annual Google I/O Conference is not happening this year, a company spokesperson confirmed. Originally scheduled to take place on 12-14 May, the event was cancelled due to the ongoing…
Patel unveils multilingual Incredible India website
Prahlad Singh Patel, tourism minister of India launched the multilingual Incredible India website in New Delhi. The Incredible India website, a flagship project launched by Ministry of…
Travelport’s hattrick heroes
UK based travel tech firm Travelport has announced three new deals with airlines in the Asia Pacific region.
The hattrick of multiyear agreements with Fly Corporate (Australia), Fly…
ICAO: “Assuring the evolution of new digital identity innovations”
The United Nations aviation agency ICAO has announced new steps to strengthen modern border security through the online issuance of a new “Master List” of e-passport authentication…
Vistara cements Sabre partnership with new deal
Aviation tech providers Sabre has announced a new deal with popular APAC airline Vistara. The agreement, which builds on the companies existing GDS contracts, will see Vistara enhance its…
Take the Leap: Four Seasons unveils podcast series
Embracing an extra 24 hours in 2020, Four Seasons is spotlighting tangible transformation through travel in a three-part podcast series called 'Take the Leap'. Following the release of a…
Grab AirAsia’s ‘Boba Milk Tea’ without booking flight
AirAsia Santan has joined hands with Grab Thailand to deliver its five most-talked about in-flight offerings, including Boba Milk Tea and AirAsiaXAfter You Special Menus, direct to you…
British Airways looks to the future of inclusive innovation as it trials autonomous mobility devices
British Airways (BA) has become the first airline to trial fully autonomous, electric mobility devices in North America as it continues its journey to become the airline of choice for…
Travel tech this week: Ride-hailing companies grow and expand worldwide
Ride-hailing companies worldwide are having a moment recently. With investments poured into companies to fuel growth and expansion as well as drivers’ fear of coronavirus.
TAT releases daily photos of weather situations at attractions across Thailand
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is releasing a daily collection of photos with daytime weather situations at various attractions across Thailand. This latest initiative is to let…
CWT partners with Timeshifter to offer jet lag solution
CWT, the B2B4E travel management platform, has announced partnership with Timeshifter – the jet lag app. It gives business travellers the ability to create their own personalised jet lag…
Sabre invests USD150m into supporting new strategic goals
US-based travel tech firm Sabre has unveiled software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, today announced they have sunk USD 150 million into a set of strategic…
GIATA unveils new platform for quantum leap in hotel sales
GIATA, the Berlin-based travel technology provider, is now offering hoteliers a central platform that gives them visibility on which online channels are used to sell their hotels, and…
Plastic vs paper: Destinations that use cash and cards
WeSwap research has revealed the top ten destinations for card and cash spending, based on the popularity of use across its 500,000-strong userbase.
NDC: “If there is ever a time for trade partners to join us on this journey, it’s now”
British Airways has shown its commitment to the evolution of the industry by announcing that it is strengthening its New Distribution Capability (NDC) platform with significant new…
GBT launches new tool for TMCs
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has today introduced its Rest Assured Solutions, an enhanced suite of end-to-end accommodations products and services. Rest Assured Solutions…
No deal: Gojek squashes rumours of merger with Grab
It would have been the deal of the century if it happened, much bigger when Grab acquired Uber’s business in Southeast Asia in 2018, but Indonesia’s unicorn Gojek was quick to deny rumours…
Top 5 tips on staying healthy when travelling
Travelling, especially long-haul, can take a toll on the body. Bouncing across different time zones and battling jet lag are difficult when exercise, diet and taking care of one’s self are…
ANA to test autonomous mobility assistance at Tokyo airport
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, will test autonomous RakuRo mobility assistance solutions at Tokyo Narita International Airport from 27-28 February. Designed by ZMP…
China turns to tech firms for apps to monitor health, travel
Chinese government are tapping tech giants to come up with an app to track the health and travel history of millions of citizens that are preparing to go back to work.
Hotelmize brings higher hotel booking profits to Travel Technology Europe
Hotelmize, the profit optimisation solution for hotel bookers, will be participating in Travel Technology Europe for the first time in February 2020 in London. The company has developed…
Newmarket Holidays unveils online video hub for agents
Following an increased demand for multimedia content from travel agents, Wallington-headquartered British tour operator Newmarket Holidays has launched a bespoke video hub for them. It…
ANA heralds in digital decade by announcing cargo distribution partnership
All Nippon Airways, Japan’s largest airline, heralds in the new decade by joining leading online platform cargo.one to offer its cargo customers e-booking capabilities. Furthermore, the…
Hotelbeds unveils first corporate responsibility report
Hotelbeds has announced the publication of its first-ever corporate responsibility report. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards…
The best and worst times to book flights revealed
Travel booking platform Qtrip.com crunched more than 917 million airfares in 8,000 markets to reveal the best and worst times to book US domestic flights for its Annual Airfare Study.
Travelport bags five in APAC
UK based travel tech firm Travelport announced new partnerships with five airlines today.
The announcement flows the signing of multi-year agreements with Regional Express (Australia),…
MIAT Mongolian Airlines selects Sabre to drive ambitious growth plans for 2020 and beyond
Sabre Corporation, the technology and software company powering the global travel industry, today announced a new alliance with national carrier MIAT Mongolian Airlines. The long-term…
Dubai Tourism Innovation hub unveiled
Accenture has opened the Dubai Tourism Innovation Hub, the company’s first innovation hub in the Middle East and North Africa region. Located in Dubai Media City, it is an immersive…
DiDi to launch services in Sydney in March
Ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing (“DiDi”) has announced that it will launch its ridesharing services in Sydney, New South Wales, on 16 March.
Customer loyalty and keeping up with ever-evolving customer expectations
Loyalty programmes have steadily been opening up to a wider audience, but many brands are taking steps that are simply derivatives of traditional loyalty schemes rather than…
STAAH launches e-book on revenue management collated by industry leaders
Leading cloud-based hospitality technology solution provider, STAAH, has launched its e-book on revenue management for the hospitality industry. The e-book aims to make the technical and…
Etihad unveils subscription-based travel solution
Etihad Airways has announced a partnership with Norwegian technology developer Braathens IT, to develop TravelPass, an innovative travel solution initially aimed at corporate and…
JAL: “We are aiming to differentiate our travel offers based on value rather than just price”
Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced its ongoing retail transformation following the recent move by the airline to deepen its strategic distribution partnership with Amadeus, which has become…
airBaltic’s mobile bookings surge by 84%
Latvian airline airBaltic has reported an 84% increase in the number of mobile bookings in 2019 compared to the year before.
Jolanta Rema, vice president of e-commerce of airBaltic:…
MakeMyTrip founder Deep Kalra steps down as group CEO
Deep Kalra, group chief executives of MakeMyTrip, has stepped down, with co-founder Rajesh Magow, who was heading its India business, taking over Kalra’s role. Kalra will now serve as…
Gaining ground in Asia: Connexus Travel signs deal with Aeronology to boost growth
Hong Kong-based Connexus Travel (formally known as Swire Travel), one of the largest corporate travel businesses in Greater China, has signed a long-term technology sharing agreement…
Discover Asia’s top 12 hotel income creators
SiteMinder has unveiled its annual lists of the distribution channels that brought the highest booking revenue to hotels over the past year. Varying across 20 of the world’s top tourism…
Why tourism providers are still working on travel personalisation
It should come as no surprise that even as we enter the new decade, industries such as retail and travel are seeing continued investments in digital platforms and solutions aimed at…
Al Rajhi Aviation reaffirms partnership with Sabre
Al Rajhi Aviation, Saudi Arabia’s travel provider, has renewed an exclusive partnership with leading technology provider, Sabre Corporation, to support its plans to expand regionally and…
Global Travel Group unveils new tool for agents
Global Travel Group announced additions to its software and tools available to members at an exclusive rate following a new partnership with leading travel technology company Net Effect.…
Budapest Airport and Kiwi.com create seamless self-connection
Budapest Airport and Kiwi.com – an online travel technology company – have joined forces to create an initiative to transform transfer traffic through Hungary’s capital city gateway. The…
UNWTO and Basque Culinary Centre launch 2nd gastronomy tourism start-up competition
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Basque Culinary Center have joined forces again for the second edition of the Global Gastronomy Tourism Startup Competition. After the…
Uber’s former CEO Travis Kalanick finances 3D-printed hotel start-up
Travis Kalanick, the co-founder of Uber, is among the backers of a new hotel start-up Habitas that makes 3D-printed hotels.
Travel trends for boomers, Gen X, Y & Z in focus at ATM
Travellers from across the globe representing all generations now have a common interest in activities and experiences that are now influencing, indeed in many cases driving, their…
How Instagram influence our holidays
Instagram enables its users to gain an intimate, visual insight into the lives of people they have never met, including a glimpse into the experiences of travellers.
Japanese hospitality startup H2O raises USD 7 million to expand real estate business
H2O, which stands for Hospitality 2.0, has raised USD7 million in Series B funding from Samsung Ventures, Stonebridge Ventures, IMM Investment and Shinhan Capital, bringing its total raised…
Grab acquires Bento Invest to grow financial services
Southeast Asian tech giant Grab has announced its acquisition of robo-advisory startup Bento Invest in order to expand its financial services.
STR: The initial impact of coronavirus on hotel occupancy in China during CNY
Industry analytics firm STR has released data measuring the initial impact of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) on hotel occupancy in Mainland China over the Chinese New Year period, 14-26…
Anantara Kalutara unveils mobile app showcasing Geoffrey Bawa’s architecture
Anantara Kalutara Resort has introduced its app showcasing the iconic architecture of the resort, which was partially designed by Sri Lanka’s most famous architect, Geoffrey Bawa. His…
Hello new-age bartender! British Airways’ lounges trial AI-powered cocktail maker
British Airways is exclusively trialling an automated cocktail maker in its San Francisco and Newark lounges. Cocktails are dispensed in under 45 seconds, adding a new dimension to the…
Amadeus snaps up Optym
Amadeus has today announced its acquisition of the airline network planning software business Optym. The acquisition builds on a 3-year partnership between Amadeus and Optym that has seen…
DiDi supports coronavirus relief efforts
Didi Chuxing (“DiDi”) is taking new actions to support doctors, communities and drivers as China continues to fight the coronavirus outbreak (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan through the following…
Gaining ground: OYO partners with Germany’s e-domizil to steer European expansion
With Europe spearheading the vacation and urban home rental trend globally, OYO is betting big on expanding in the continent. OYO Vacation Homes and its brand Belvilla, a vacation homes…
easyJet targets diversified traveller growth
easyJet has announced the renewal of its long-standing content partnership with Travelport. Travel agencies around the world will continue to benefit from real-time access to the…
Digital experience is deal breaker for millennial travellers
The recent Global Digital Traveller Research 2019 by Travelport highlighted that millennials in India seek a premium digital experience across all aspects of travel. Another key finding…
Amadeus hooks up with Mastercard: “Meaningful change will require a fundamental shift”
Amadeus and Mastercard announced a new collaboration today, which sees the travel tech firm Mastercard’s City Possible network to co-create, pilot, and scale solutions to the most pressing…
China turns to apps after closures and cancellations
As the feared coronavirus continues to spread at a rapid rate, China is slowly being walled off as governments and airlines are suspending travel to and from the country despite World Health…
TD Podcast: SiteMinder’s VP in Asia “There’s a huge unpenetrated market out there”
Today marks the first TD podcast of 2020 and for the opening edition, I spoke to Brad Haines, the regional vice president of Asia Pacific (APAC) for hotel room reservation specialists,…
Booking.com announces USD 3.4 million in grants to support sustainable accommodation in 2020
With a mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, Booking.com announced the opening of applications for its 2020 Booking Booster programme to support solutions in…
Malaysia Airport pilots single token journey concept at KLIA
Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB) is piloting its single token journey concept at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The concept leverages on facial recognition technology to…
AirAsia’s new digital solutions to improve efficiency, reduce carbon footprint
In line with its continued focus on innovation and sustainability, AirAsia is taking its environmental responsibilities a step further by implementing digital solutions that are aimed at…
Independent hoteliers put technology at the heart of marketing strategies
New research backed by SiteMinder, reveals that today’s independent hoteliers have a greater awareness and appetite around technology when it comes to their marketing and distribution…
ATPCO: “Modern flight shopping is now ready for the spotlight in Russia”
ATPCO and Sirena Travel, the leading distribution system and technology provider in Russia, announced the GDS has signed a multi-year deal for ATPCO’s retailing content. With this deal,…
Grab launches electric cars in Indonesia
Ride-hailing company Grab has launched its fleet of electric vehicles dubbed as GrabCar Elektrik in Jakarta on Monday.
Hotelbeds raises more than USD 8000 for WWF
Hotelbeds, bed bank company, has announced the money raised through its policy of replacing holiday season corporate gifts with a charity donation will this year go to the World Wildlife…
Travel Daily Media NOW LIVE on World Travel Nation platform
Travel Daily Media, the well-known news service in the global travel and tourism industry, has now started its World Travel Nation (WTN) RSS news feed.
Travel Daily has active 200,000…
SpiceJet and Amadeus strengthen partnership in the Gulf
Looking to the future of travel in the Gulf, SpiceJet, India’s second biggest budget carrier, and Amadeus recently organised a series of empowerment sessions for the region’s travel…
Two months to go until Travel Tech Middle East in Riyadh
Following the success of the first three editions of Travel Tech Middle East (TTME), Verve Management is hosting the 4th Edition Travel Tech Middle East Congress on 23-24 March 2020 in…
TripActions partners with Lufthansa: “We are always looking to deliver a win-win-win in corporate travel”
Lufthansa Group and travel management company TripActions announced a strategic partnership during the DLD conference this past weekend. The two companies are set to proactively shape…
OYO gains access to 900,000 global TA’s
Sabre has signed a strategic long-term global partnership with OYO Hotels & Homes. The new relationship will see the Indian hoteliers reach up to nearly 900,000 TA's across the world…
Singapore ranked global leader in mobile payment usage among Chinese tourists
Nielsen and Alipay have jointly released a new report on the latest trends in Chinese outbound tourism and the consumption habits of Chinese travellers for the third consecutive year.…
Accor announces new partnership with Grab to Live Limitless
Accor has announced a new strategic partnership between its new lifestyle loyalty programme, ALL- Accor Live Limitless and South East Asia’s super app, Grab. The deal brings together two…
Travel tech this week: Book your flights on WhatsApp and plan your trip on KAYAK
This week in the travel tech sector, DiDi will launch electric vehicles in Mexico this year. Meanwhile, EaseMyTrip makes flight booking easier via Whatsapp and Kayak makes trip planning…
Sabre and Accor collaborate to create new solutions that hoteliers need
Travel and aviation tech-sperts Sabre alongside hospitality powerhouse Accor, the leading software and technology company powering the global travel industry, announced today they will work…
ANA to test driverless bus at Haneda Airport
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, will conduct trials for an autonomous electric bus in collaboration with SoftBank Corp subsidiary SB Drive Corp, Advanced Smart…
Booking.com launches hotel star rating-like system for alternative accommodations
Booking.com pioneered a new Quality Rating system similar to the classification rating of hotels that will serve as a guide for consumers when choosing the quality of their accommodations.
Trivago could pay millions for duping consumers
Hotel price aggregator Trivago is facing potentially a multi-million dollar fine after it was found that it breached Australian Consumer Law by misleading consumers with its ads.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays partner with WeSwap
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has partnered with WeSwap to offer customers a prepaid contactless global travel money card and help organise all their travel essentials when abroad. In…
Sabre inks decade-long partnership with Google to build future of travel
Google Cloud has joined forces with Sabre Corporation as it seeks to digitally transform the traveller experience.
Sabre, which launched in 1960, revolutionised the travel market…
US hospitality: “Revenue growth is not keeping up with rising costs”
The US hotel industry registered record-breaking performance levels during 2019 but its lowest growth rate in revenue per available room (RevPAR) since the current cycle began in 2010,…
Microstays booking platform ‘ByHours’ closes EUR 8m funding round
Microstays booking platform ByHours has closed a new international funding round at EUR 8 million to consolidate its presence in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and begin operations…
Winning direct booking wars: Mint Hotels joins hands with Simplotel to overhaul e-commerce
Mint Hotels, a chain of over 25 hotels and resorts across various business and leisure destinations in India and Simplotel, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology company offering…
The 5G shift: First luxury hotel in Europe to unveil new technology
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in Switzerland has partnered with Swisscom to install 5G mobile technology on property, offering a faster and more reliable and powerful network to its guests than…
SiteMinder pass the billion dollar mark
SiteMinder has completed a capital raise from international and Australian investors of the highest quality. The raise was led by equity funds managed by BlackRock. Other investors…
Travelport: “Travel should be an exciting, stress-free and dignified”
Requests for assistance for airline passengers with intellectual disabilities have seen a nearly eight-fold increase in Asia, following a 10-month long campaign to raise awareness of a…
Five trends that will shape the airport of the future
Airports are the backbone of the travel industry. They are a gateway to the world, handling millions of passengers around the globe each day. But airports are not immune to disruption. Much…
Trip.com Group collaborates with British Airways and Iberia on NDC standard
Chinese provider of travel services, Trip.com Group, has strengthened its partnership with British Airways and Iberia by connecting to the New Distribution Capability (NDC).
The NDC…
EbixCash partners with Amadeus to propel APAC and UAE expansion
EbixCash, a fully owned subsidiary of Ebix, has signed a strategic travel technology partnership with Amadeus to grow its footprint across the Asia Pacific region and UAE and become a…
Booking.com debuts digital guide for cities CityBook
Booking.com is committed to making it easier for everyone to navigate and experience the world with its new product Citybook. It is a responsive digital guide for cities that seamlessly…
Travel tech this week: Aussie founder dedicates start-up to support bushfire-affected businesses
For travel tech this week, speaking of making lemonade out of lemons; one start-up in Australia has transformed itself into a travel tech platform that aids businesses affected by the fire…
Wego registers record increase of 155% in MENA travel to Azerbaijan
Wego, the online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), revealed that the bookings to Azerbaijan have increased by 155% in the last four months. This growth…
VLeisure hospitality tech now available to smaller hotels
VLeisure, the technology company and booking platform for hotels, airlines and travel insurance, announced that VLeisure Operating System (VOS) is now available to 2-star and 3-star…
Hotelbeds inks deal with citizenM Shanghai Hongqiao
Hotelbeds, the bedbank company, has announced a strategic partnership with citizenM Shanghai Hongqiao, a Shanghai based property of the Netherlands-based hotel chain citizenM. The deal…
The luxury ski chalet operator that rewards you for being sustainable
What if I tell you that there is a ski operator that will reward you for making ethical choices? Lagom is set to disrupt the luxury ski industry across Europe by giving customers the option…
The future of travel in 2040: Faster, easier and ecologically sustainable
Authored by futurologist Ray Hammond, 'The World in 2040' futurology series has predicted developments and trends that will impact international travel and the traveller experience over the…
CWT debuts with replatformed digital offering in China
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), the global travel management specialist, has announced the launch of its flagship platform, myCWT, in China – marking the latest milestone in its journey…
OYO lays off 1800 employees in India, China and it’s just the start
OYO has scaled back its growth and has fired around 600 of its 12,000 China employees and 1,200 India employees.
Grab offers Chubb travel insurance on its app
Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company, and Grab, the super app company in Southeast Asia, have announced the launch of a new product, Travel…
Tourism start-ups focus on innovation and sustainability
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), in association with Globalia, a tourism group in Spain and Latin America, has selected the finalists of the 2nd Global Tourism Startup…
Top 10 travel risks for 2020 – 5 is already happening
Travellers face several risks when they travel. Some are small like getting lost in a city or sudden change in the itinerary; others are big like travelling to a dangerous place or getting…
The Funded: Spanish travel tech Beonprice raises USD 2.78 million for AI-driven hospitality revenue software
Spanish-based Beonprice has announced closure of a Series A funding round of EUR 2.5 million (USD 2.78 million) with venture capital fund Adara Ventures as the lead investor.…
What can you learn from OYO, Grab, Google and leading hotels at Direct Booking Summit
The Direct Booking Summit: Bangkok taking place on 19-20 February has announced a world-class line up of speakers who will share their hotel marketing, revenue and distribution expertise…
Festival of the future to become focus of Southeast Asia’s sauciest tech conference
The theme for South East Asia’s largest tech conference, Techsauce Global Summit has just been announced. Techsauce Global Summit’s ‘Festival of the Future’ will take place at Centara…
Trends of the future: ‘Smart staterooms and human-centric entertainment’
MSC Cruises has revealed a forward-looking report that explores the trends that will impact the future of the travel industry, created in partnership with The Future Laboratory.
Egencia’s predictions for 2020 business travel trends
With the start of a new year and a new decade, it is time to reflect on how the business travel industry is changing and think about what we can expect to see in 2020.
Top 10 travel tech trends for 2020
With more than a week of 2020 already behind now is the perfect time to peel back the veil of perception and peer into future -- of what is the most sci-fi sounding date you will ever…
Atta boy: Japanese travel start up raises 3 million bucks
Newborn travel metasearch firm atta Inc. announced the successful completion of its Series A funding of USD 3 million, today.
Commenting on the development CEO, Yoshihisa Haruyama…
Chinese travellers willing to pay more for quality experience
China’s tourism industry is heading toward high-quality development amid diversifying and expanding market demand, said an industry report.
They are willing to pay more for cultural…
Travel tech this week: Flying taxis by 2023 and more
For this week’s travel tech stories, Uber and Hyundai showed a glimpse of the future of transportation with flying taxis. Companies strive for expansion with start-up The Guild raising new…
Virgin Galactic’s second spaceship is almost complete
Virgin Galactic, an aerospace company for private individuals and researchers, has reached another milestone in the build of its second spaceship.
5 tips to save money on your 2020 holiday
From budgeting spending money to accommodation prices, travel money provider WeSwap unveils some ways you can save your money on this year's travels.
SiteMinder scoops a deuce at the “Grammys of Hotel Tech”
Guest acquisition specialists SiteMinder, has been recognised as the provider of 2020’s #1 Channel Manager Software and one of the top three most customer-centric companies by Hotel Tech…
Travelling into the new decade: 2020 Predicted Trends
We are welcoming a new decade – a time to not only place bets for the years ahead but for a retrospective to show how far the travel industry has come. Since 2010, industry conversations and…
Air India: Sabre out, Amadeus in.
Following the news yesterday that Air India ditched American firm Sabre as its GDS provider after two decades, rival company Amadeus announced a new deal to roll out the full range of the…
Is it worth it for Uber to acquire Careem for USD 3.1 billion?
After a tumultuous 2019 ending with former CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick cutting ties with the company, Uber welcomed the New Year with a bang confirming the official close of the…
Travel Tech 4 Good announces winners of start-up initiative in Cairo
Halla Travel and Blue Odysea are the winners of the Travel Tech 4 Good start-up initiative for the tourism sector in Egypt. It was launched jointly by the TUI Care Foundation and…
5 technology trends for hotels this 2020
Guestline's chief technical officer Andrew Metcalfe offers his expertise into how the hospitality industry can stay competitive in the forthcoming year.
