Big plans for Bintan
Bintan Resorts chief operating officer Abdul Wahab provides updates on island developments and plans to grow inbound numbers
The spending game
Mastercard’s division president for South-east Asia, Safdar Khan, turns his nose up at talks of revenge travel losing steam this year, but cautions that several macroeconomic conditions can affect the positive outlook for South-east Asian outbound appetite
Breaking down barriers
Ho Kwon Ping, executive chairman of Banyan Group, talks about developing Thailand’s south, the launch of the Banyan Living platform, and how social sustainability factors into the group’s development trajectory for Phuket, just as the organisation turns 30
High ambitions
Munekatsu Ota, CEO of global travel commerce platform Rakuten Travel Xchange (RTX) and vacation rental model Rakuten Stay (RS), is propelling expansion of the Japanese brand, which means optimism, in South-east Asia and beyond
A DMC for Asians
Travel Corporation Asia has always flown under the radar, says its president, Anjali Chandra, but this is about to change as the DMC is now ready to sing about what it does well – bringing the best of Europe and the UK to Asian agents and travellers
Developing people power
The travel and tourism business is more than just delivering good service; its success calls for leaders to monitor shifts in the marketplace and invest ahead in talent development for productivity, opines Tay Ee Learn, chief sector skills officer at NTUC LearningHub, who adds that industry players in Singapore have an advantage in the continuing education journey
Changes and advancements
With the hotel business on the mend, Hong Kong Hotels Association (HKHA) chairman, Peter Wong Chak-fung, discusses opportunities and challenges the industry needs to tackle today and going forward
Positive impact
A chartered financial analyst by training, Eu Chin Fen is now Frasers Hospitality CEO, overseeing international hospitality and global lodging business
Time to shine
Trip.com Group turns 25 this year, and is one of the world’s leading online travel agencies with more than 45,100 employees and 400 million members. Jane Sun, CEO, shares how the company pulled through the pandemic and how the forward-looking company is forging ahead with AI
The time is now
With the official launch of APOLA (Asia Pacific Outdoor Lodging Association) in January 2024, Tim Sargeant, founding member and co-founder & CMO Explorar Hotels & Resorts, shares how the new association will support the Asia-Pacific outdoor hospitality scene in enhancing local communities and championing the cause for sustainable environmental practices throughout the region
