Episode 44: From Lucky Beginnings to a Mind-Blowing Future: Omri Morgenshtern Reflects on 20 Years of Agoda and 10 Years of Leadership
This WiT Podcast exclusive is part of our “Conversations on Turning 20” series. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a tech-loving realist runs one of Asia’s biggest travel platforms through a decade of seismic change, tune in to the latest WiT Podcast with Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of Agoda. As Agoda turns 20 and Omri celebrates 10 years with the company, we sat down for a wide-ranging conversation in Singapore to reflect on the past and gaze boldly into the future.
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Middle East Mid-Range Expansion, Singapore's Tourism Impact Awareness
On this week's episode, our AI hosts discuss current trends and opportunities within the tourism and hospitality sectors, based on a couple of reports that were highlighted last week on the Web In Travel website. One report by Booking.com spotlights Singapore-based travellers' growing awareness of tourism's social and environmental impact, indicating a preference for supporting local communities and a desire for better infrastructure to manage tourism's challenges rather than limiting visitor numbers. Another report by Mabrian examines the Middle Eastern hospitality market, emphasising the need for strategic development in mid-range hotel options and a realignment of guest expectations with different hotel categories to improve competitiveness and attract broader international tourism. ---------------------- We're trying something new with our weekly-ish podcast - we're outsourcing it to Artificial Intelligence. This is both an experiment and, if we're being honest, a convenient way to digest the top articles of the week from the WiT website into a nugget-of-a-podcast. We'll release a new episode every other Monday as a way to catch-up with last week's biggest news and articles from the WiT website.
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Winning Big with Sports Tourism | Unpacking Expedia's Latest Data
On this week's episode, sports tourism's economic potential is explored via Expedia Group's latest study, highlighting strategies for businesses to capitalise on this market by understanding traveller behavior and preferences, such as offering appealing packages and experiences. Data-driven insights from Expedia and practical advice for marketing and engaging with sports tourists are also presented, while the impact of tourism on local economies and development is examined with a focus on creating sustainable and beneficial relationships between tourism and host communities. ------------------------------ We're trying something new with our weekly-ish podcast - we're outsourcing it to Artificial Intelligence. This is both an experiment and, if we're being honest, a convenient way to digest the top articles of the week from the WiT website into a nugget-of-a-podcast. We'll release a new episode every other Monday as a way to catch-up with last week's biggest news and articles from the WiT website.
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Trump's tariffs. Saudi Arabia's tourism surge. Global airline demand slows.
On this episode, we address current shifts and future concerns within the global and regional travel industries. One piece examines the potential impact of new US tariffs on Asian travel, considering both negative consequences and the possibility of increased intra-Asia travel as a buffer. Another report highlights the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia's online travel agency market, detailing key players and significant increases in booking volumes for both air and hotel sectors. Finally, the International Air Transport Association provides data on global passenger demand for February 2025, noting a slight overall increase but also regional variations and concerns about North American markets.
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Future Lanes Ep 6: Navigating The Next Wave of Travel Technology (with SAS's Caroline Bergstroem)
The airline industry has long been on a journey toward personalisation, but few have embraced the power of AI and technology as strategically as SAS. Caroline Bergstroem, Head of Ancillary Products, Connectivity, and Retail at SAS, is leading the charge to create a seamless, one-stop-shop experience for passengers. Bergstroem envisions a world where travellers no longer have to juggle multiple platforms to book flights, hotels, car rentals, and experiences. Instead, SAS aims to provide an integrated ecosystem where everything can be arranged in one place. On the season finale of Future Lanes, a special WiT podcast series powered by Meili, Bergstroem shares insights on how AI, data analytics, and self-service are shaping the airline's future. --------------------------------------- “Future Lanes” is a special WiT Podcast series powered by Meili, a tech company that is rewriting the rules of ancillary distribution. The series, covering six episodes, is all about getting direct – cutting through the noise with unfiltered conversations on what’s shaping the next decade of travel. No fluff – just straight, feisty talk about what it takes to find your future lane in travel.
The WiT Podcast, hosted by Yeoh Siew Hoon, shines the light on the travel industry as it undergoes its biggest crisis with the outbreak of COVID-19. It features conversations with travel industry leaders about how they are surviving the storm, and offers ideas and insights, on how to recover and emerge stronger.
Ireland