During the Opening Keynote, David Peller, director, strategic Partnerships, Asia Pacific at Booking.com shared that we now live in an “Uber on-demand world” where digital technologies are shaping the industry – think chatbots that allow people to get real-time feedback, and virtual reality that enables people to immerse themselves in travel experiences, which may otherwise have been out of reach.
ITB Asia 2016 officially opened its doors on Wednesday at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Now in its ninth edition, the annual travel trade show launched with 15,000 matched appointments secured.
Also evident was the strong contributions from country exhibitors, with Indonesia increasing its exhibition space by 70%, Japan by 60%, as well as Finland by 90%.
During the Opening Keynote, David Peller, director, strategic Partnerships, Asia Pacific at Booking.com shared that we now live in an “Uber on-demand world” where digital technologies are shaping the industry – think chatbots that allow people to get real-time feedback, and virtual reality that enables people to immerse themselves in travel experiences, which may otherwise have been out of reach.
Google’s Jenn Villalobos, head of travel and hospitality for Asia Pacific, focused on the process of mandating change in her address, as she urged delegates to “stop reacting to change and instead put a response to it”.
She highlighted key leadership mistakes such as waiting too long and fixating on short-term results.