TODAY: A surprising gap between travel ambitions and reality, South Korea tourism overview and How To get Millenials To Book Direct.

A surprising gap between travel ambitions and reality
Friday, 4th May 2018

Technology has transformed travel, shrinking the world with thousands of destinations only a click away, however, new research reveals a significant two thirds (63%) of today’s travelers don’t believe they are making the most of their travel opportunities >>

Dusit International to make Vietnam debut this month
4 May 2018 : Dusit International will make its Vietnam debut this month with the opening of Dusit Princess Moonrise Beach Resort on the country’s largest island, Phu Quoc, soft opening on 22 May 2018 >>

South Korea tourism overview
4 May 2018 : Korea is a popular tourist destination for both Japanese and Chinese visitors, who, when combined, accounted for nearly 50% of its total international visitors in 2017, the geographic proximity plus its charming tourism offerings are ideal for short getaway visits, particularly to the capital city Seoul >>

Hilton Hotels plans world’s first underwater residence
4 May 2018 : Construction has begun on what will be the world’s first underwater residence, located beneath the Indian Ocean, the $15m, two-storey development will be 5m below the waves, and will feature a transparent dome that offers a 180° view of the ocean >>

UAE Hospitality market update
4 May 2018 : The hospitality sector in the United Arab Emirates is undergoing a range of structural changes, Knight Frank collaborated with Oxford Economics to analyse how the UAE’s Hospitality and Tourism market’s fundamentals will change over the next decade >>

HIGHLIGHT ARTICLE

How To get Millenials To Book Direct
Friday, 4th May 2018

'Millennials' or Generation Y are the first generational demographic to be brought up with technology and the internet, these digital natives consume more online media than ever before and are quickly surpassing their Baby Boomer/Gen X parents in purchasing power.

As they grow financially independent every industry is scrambling to attract their attention, and none more so than the travel sector. Unfortunately for the independent hotel however, over half of millennials currently book through OTAs. So what can you do to encourage Millennials to book direct? >>

The Alternative to OTA Monopoly
An acquisition channel that costs a maximum of $395 per year - how often do we hear about one of those? This week, we spoke to Jordan Mckay of Check In Canada about the white-label software allowing destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to facilitate direct bookings at local hotels >>