WiT (Web in Travel)

When Zachariah George, of Launch Africa Ventures, moved to Africa 15 years ago, there were more mobile phones in Manhattan than the whole of Africa. Today there are more mobile phone lines in Africa than the whole of North America, including Mexico and Central America. That phenomenal shift, on top of a population demographic where more than 60% are under 25, will be the reason why Africa will leapfrog into the future, bypassing paths seen in the West, as well as South-east Asia.   That message of Africa carving out its own course was carried through in every session at WiT Africa in Innovation City Cape Town last week – investors saying it will take local capital funding local heroes to unlock the pent-up entrepreneurial spirit in this continent where jobs are not guaranteed and online travel players declaring it will take local solutions to unlock the depth and breadth of the different markets in this continent of 1.37 billion people. Full story 👉 https://lnkd.in/gQwEJpDg

Ethan Lin was a newbie to travel when he and co-founder Eric Gnock Fah stepped onto the WiT Japan stage in Tokyo in 2015 to pitch their idea of a tours and activities marketplace for travellers of their generation. Fast forward 10 years, and Klook has grown into a travel brand that’s looked up to and admired by a growing legion of Asian entrepreneurs for their vision and purpose, their ability to execute and scale across multi-markets in the region, their growth and their strategic approach to fund raising. But it’s not been without its challenges and making rookie mistakes. Here’s Ethan’s take on the story of online travel, tales being told for the first time on our brand-new series, Conversations On Turning 20. https://lnkd.in/gTsM3mTB

Thank you WiT (Web in Travel) , for shining a spotlight on accessibility in tourism – a topic that is deeply personal to me. When I started this journey, my goal was simple: to make Singapore a more inclusive and accessible destination for all travelers, especially those with mobility challenges. What I've come to realize is that accessibility is not just about physical infrastructure, but also about the right information being available to those who need it. That's why I launched Accessible-Singapore.com, a platform where we’ve begun collecting accessibility-related information from tourism establishments. I'm heartened that some hotels have already stepped up to contribute data on their facilities, such as wheelchair-friendly rooms and guide dog policies. You can check out the growing list here: https://lnkd.in/gRPEv2PN However, there is still a significant information gap that needs to be filled. I invite more tourism partners – from hotels to attractions and event venues – to join us in making this platform more comprehensive. Together, we can create a more welcoming and enjoyable experience for travelers with disabilities! If you’re interested in contributing or collaborating, reach out to me! #AccessibleSingapore #InclusiveTourism #AccessibleTravel #TravelForAll

🦁 WiT spread its wings once again in #Africa! 🌍✈️ Landing in Cape Town for the second time, alongside Travelstart and Innovation City Cape Town, we were reminded of one thing—Africa isn’t following a path; it’s creating its own. With a young, tech-savvy population and a digital revolution in full swing, the continent is set to #leapfrog into the future. As stephan ekbergh , CEO of Travelstart put it, “Africa will carve out its own course.” The energy, the conversations, the connections—electrifying. With close to 200 attendees, 20+ sponsors and partners, and a stellar lineup of speakers from across Africa and the world, this was a gathering like no other. 🔥 Stay tuned as we unpack the next generation of travel with leaders from Africa and beyond! #webintravel #witafrica #nextgeneration

I know one should have higher ambitions than this but it's always been a dream of mine to have a dog on the WiT (Web in Travel) stage – and of course, it had to happen at #witafrica where anything is possible. Meet Diesel, who joined Andy Hedley, Albert Fernando and Bayo Adedeji during our panel on how local OTAs in Africa are navigating the complexities of this fragmented, fascinating continent, made up of many different markets, and each one different from the other. South Africa is not Africa, says Bayo Adedeji. Online payment penetration can vary from 3% to 70% depending on which market, says Albert Fernando. And Andy, who belongs to Diesel, says airlines are missing a huge opportunity with their slow implementation of NDC in the South African market. And the key to unlocking growth in Africa – open skies, remove visa restrictions, lower cost of travel within Africa, payments and cheaper, better, transformative technology. Diesel did not bark at all throughout the session, which meant he agreed with everything that was said. Good boy! Innovation City Cape Town #witafrica #nextgeneration #dogsonstage #africatravel

📻 𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 #WiTBroadcast We discuss the challenges and opportunities in the travel industry's outdated tech, often referred to as "technical debt," which hinders progress. Experts like Timothy O'Neil-Dunne and Mike McGearty emphasize the need for modernization to enable seamless, AI-driven travel experiences. We also highlight the importance of improving accessibility beyond just physical infrastructure, focusing on the needs of diverse travellers, including neurodivergent and sensory-impaired individuals. 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄! ⤵️

10 reasons to attend WiT Japan & North Asia, May 26 & 27 1️⃣ The future of Northeast Asia travel is online. Phocuswright predicts that the region will smash through another barrier in online travel bookings by 2026, reaching $30 billion. 2️⃣ Japan became the most-visited destination in Asia in 2024, surpassing Thailand. Japan National Tourism Organization reports that Japan recorded 36.87 million international visitors last year and it is targeting 60 million by 2030. 3️⃣ Korea travellers, the second biggest outbound market in Asia, showed their love of travel, reaching 99.4% of 2019 levels to touch 28,696,435. In 2019, the total was 28,714,247. Approximately 30% of Korean travellers choose Japan as their primary destination. Source: Korea Tourism Organization 4️⃣ Statista reports that Taiwanese travellers make an average of 0.51 trips per year, closely mirroring South Korea’s travel frequency of 0.56 outbound trips per year. 5️⃣ China reasserted itself in 2024, boosting visitor economies in South Korea, Hong Kong and Macau. Its influence in the region will be profound in more ways than numbers of travellers. 6️⃣ The US is also leading the inbound surge to Japan. In 2024, the number of American tourists surged by over 33% year-on-year. 7️⃣ The powerful upturn in travel activity across Northeast Asia saw gross bookings surge by 116% to reach $44.6 billion. Gross travel bookings are forecast to record healthy growth of 15% in 2024, to reach $51.3 billion while annual expansion will moderate to reach $60.3 billion in 2027. 8️⃣ The fast pace of technology is upending traditional models in the region and everyone has to keep up and stay on top of traveller trends and technology innovation. 9️⃣ The programme themed Next Generation will explore how players across North Asia are thinking of the next age of travellers with changing demographics and the new tech that needs to be deployed with this generational change. 🔟 It’s held in Tokyo – who doesn’t love the city? WiT Japan & North Asia 2025 will be held at The Westin Tokyo. Get your tickets now → https://lnkd.in/gM8_Rfg7

New research by YouGov, commissioned by Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, reveals Singaporeans are prioritising work-life balance and blended travel opportunities more than ever, with non-financial perks taking precedence over a high salary (60%) when choosing an employer: 👉 64% of Singaporeans valued flexible working hours. 👉 42% highlighted that the ability to combine work with a leisure trip increased happiness levels. 👉 56% said it would allow them to explore new destinations. Globally, 67% of respondents agree they see greater benefits and flexibility in blended travel compared to five years ago, confirming travellers everywhere are more eager than ever before to use their time away to achieve broader personal goals. “Flexibility in where and when people work is now an expectation for today’s professional,” said Vivek Bhalla, Managing Director, Southeast Asia & Korea, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “Blended travel has now shifted from a trend to a permanent way of life. It could be extending a business trip, working remotely from a dream destination or just finding inspiration on the go.”   The white paper reveals four emerging trends driving the shift: 1️⃣ Improve and Grow: Today’s travellers see time away as an active pursuit that fuels creativity and enhances well-being. The survey findings back this trend by revealing the top motivator for combining work and leisure travel is to explore destinations they otherwise would not have visited (40%). 2️⃣ Mind-Body Equity: This is a shift from self-care to self-awareness, with travellers demanding environments that inspire opportunity for better mental and physical well-being. 35% of survey respondents said blended travel helps them establish healthier routines. 3️⃣ The New Personal Travel Economy: The top benefit of this trend is the ability to extend trips at a lower personal cost – with 70% of respondents saying affordable deals or amenities that cater to both business and leisure would encourage them to pursue blended travel experiences. 4️⃣ Intentional Togetherness: With much of life lived online, travellers are placing greater value on in-person connection with colleagues, loved ones and new acquaintances. 37% of global respondents surveyed by YouGov cite being able to spend quality time with family and friends around their work as a reason to combine business and leisure travel. More 👉 https://lnkd.in/gPETabj4

Last week, Emirates and Expedia Group expanded their partnership by fully integrating Emirates’ New Distribution Capability (NDC) API into Expedia Group’s platforms. This direct connection allows travellers to access Emirates’ full range of fares, products, and services, making it easier to book personalised trips across the airline’s global network. Greg Schulze, Chief Commercial Officer at Expedia Group, noted, “Ultimately, it’s about making every journey a lasting memory for our travellers.” Beyond simplifying bookings, the partnership will explore loyalty program integration, enabling more rewarding travel experiences for both companies’ customers. Emirates and Expedia Group will also use market data insights to drive business growth and enhance joint marketing efforts. Additionally, the collaboration will expand into air and hotel package deals, leveraging Expedia Group’s global hotel inventory to offer travelers more comprehensive trip planning options. More travel tech stories in our weekly digest 👉 https://lnkd.in/dfSHZSha

Today, we launch our new series of #witstudio interviews, to mark WiT (Web in Travel) turning of age at 20. We want to take this moment to tell the story of online travel, as told by those who built it from the start, those who came in mid-way and those just starting. A multi-generational story, told through “Conversations On Turning 20”. We kick it off with Ross Veitch of Wego.com because we both started at the same time, 2005, those early heady things when anything seemed possible, but really it wasn't, but then we didn't care, we didn't know, we just did it and we both lived to tell the tale. Watch out for the unfolding of this series over the next few weeks/months as we lead up to our WiT Singapore conference, Oct 6-8. It'll be quite the ride. For now, enjoy Ross' story of pivots, near-death and diversification. #witstudio #conversationsonturning20 #witturns20 #witat20 #thenext20 https://lnkd.in/gHZB2jBN